Washington Square News | September 23. 2019

5 CULTURE

9 OPINION

Bubble Tea With a Boozy Twist

GSOC’s Newest Fight for Survival

6 ARTS

11 SPORTS

Zadie Smith’s Talents on Full Display in ‘Grand Union’

Don’t Sleep on Coltrane Tait

VOLUME LIII | ISSUE 5

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

‘Change Is Coming’: Thousands March for Climate Action Activists protested across the world on Friday to draw attention to the harmful effects of climate change.

By ROSHNI RAJ Staff Writer

Protestors at the New York Climate Strike marched from Foley Square to Battery Park on Friday as part of a series of worldwide protests.

ALEXANDRA CHAN | WSN

Millions of people — many of them high school and college students — marched for a livable future during the Global Climate Strike on Friday.

With the goal of raising awareness about climate change, the strike took place one day after 2020 Democratic presidential candidates participated in a climate forum and three days before the U.N. would hold an emergency climate summit. More and more, global conversations are being had on what the U.N. has said is “the defining issue of our time.” A global increase in temperatures — the preemptive symptom of climate change — can lead to catastrophic flooding, a depleted food supply, decreased air quality and other harmful effects that have left scientists, activists and some politicians around the globe increasingly concerned.

The global issue was present in the marches, chants and speeches of thousands who crowded the narrow New York City streets on Friday. Activists walked from Foley Square to Battery Park chanting “What do we want? Climate justice. When do we want it? Now!” and “Hey hey, ho ho, fossil fuels have got to go.” Once they got to Battery Park, Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg, singer Willow Smith and rapper Jaden Smith, among others, gave speeches.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

‘MeToo Kit’ Headquartered in NYU Building Taken off Market

By LISA COCHRAN Deputy News Editor TW: This article mentions sexual assault.

“Swab. Spit. Seal.” the MeToo Kit’s pastel-colored, minimalist packaging instructs users. This self-administered sexual assault evidence kit — whose office is in 370 Jay St., an NYU building — was taken off the market Tuesday following criticism of its legal legitimacy and commercialization of the #MeToo movement.

An at-home sexual assault evidence collection kit — or DIY rape kit — contains swabs for cheeks and genital areas, a clothing bag and a container for saliva to test for sexually transmitted in-

fections and pregnancy and to preserve evidence.

Recently, companies selling or planning to sell such kits have come under fire due to legal and medical professionals raising concerns over their admissibility in court.

The MeToo Kit and its competitor, Amazon-based PRESERVEkit, stopped selling and marketing their products after New York Attorney General Letitia James called on them to cease and desist the sale of their kits, stating that rape kits require official medical attention, CNN Health reported.

“I am deeply concerned about companies selling kits that deter individuals from seeking professional care and purport to collect evidence without knowing whether the evidence will be

admissible in court,” James told CNN. The MeToo Kit headquarters are located on the seventh floor of 370 Jay St. in Brooklyn, a building on the NYU Tandon School of Engineering campus. It was one among several startups in Tandon’s Data Future Incubator, a lab that provides tech support for early-stage businesses.

“Being selected by the staff of an incubator to be one of the start-ups in the incubator does not constitute an endorsement by the university,” NYU spokesperson John Beckman said in a statement to WSN. “This is a typical case in the sense that the start-up owners are not NYU personnel and the products and technology [are] not NYU intellectual property.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

MARVA SHI | WSN

The DIY rape kit company located at 370 Jay Street isn’t admissable in court and has been accused of profiting off the #MeToo movement.

Washington Square News

2

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

NEWS

NEWS@NYUNEWS.COM

Edited by VICTOR PORCELLI

‘Change Is Coming’: Thousands March for Climate Action CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Brooklyn Technical High School sophomore Serenity Lai was one of many New York City students who left class on Friday to participate in the strike.

“It’s a basic human right to have clean air and a safe environment,” Lai said. “It’s important for today’s youth to use our voices to advocate for what is right.”

Lai will not receive any repercussions for skipping class though, as Mayor Bill de Blasio — who recently dropped out of the 2020 presidential race — excused all public schools for the strike, which he attended. “[Climate change] is an emergency and we have to panic, or else our world is going to die,” de Blasio said.

Thunberg, who began protesting at age 15 outside the Swedish parliament, traveled for two weeks on an emission-free yacht to New York City to draw attention to the impacts of air travel on climate.

“We should not be the ones fighting for the future, yet here we are,” Thunberg said. “We are not just some young people skipping school or just some adults who are not going to work. Together and united, we are unstoppable.”

Thunberg thanked the crowd

while recalling statistics from the climate strikes already concluded across Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.

Over three million people across the world participated in the strike — 100,000 in London, and 1.5 million in Germnay alone.

“This is the largest climate strike ever in history,” Thunberg said. “And we all should be so proud of all of ourselves because we have done this together.”

CAS sophomore Eni Owoeye believes the sheer amount of people at the strike shows the world is concerned about climate change. Owoeye, who majors in Environmental Studies and International Relations, spoke about how climate change detrimentally impacts access to education for those in the outer regions of the Sahara.

“If the environment is destroyed in such a way you cannot live anymore, education cannot happen,” Owoeye said. “That is why people leave their education to strike, because right now, education across the world is at risk due to climate change.”

Rebecca Sabnam, a 16-year-old Bangladeshi activist and New Yorker, spoke of how climate change has already affected her. “[As a child], my uncle would carry me on his shoulders because the floods

were too high [in Bangladesh]” Sabnam said to the crowd. “If I were to walk on my own, I would drown.”

At NYU, sustainability has been the focus of discourse between students and administrators. Last semester, NYU’s Sustainability Advisory & Working Group, made up of both the advisory and working groups, created 35 initiatives that would step up the university’s efforts in addressing climate change.

One point of contention has been the extent of limitations on carbon emissions — while NYU hopes to go carbon neutral by 2040, student activists from NYU Divest have called for complete decarbonization — and sole reliance on renewable energy — within the same timeframe.

Nationally, completely renewable energy has been discussed in the form of the Green New Deal. Led by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts), the Green New Deal calls for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, millions of high-wage jobs and a higher investment in the U.S.’s crumbling infrastructure in addition to clean air and water.

Another action environmental activists have championed is a more individual choice: going vegan. The dietary change could decrease someone’s

ALEXANDRA CHAN | WSN

NYU students pose with their posters at Foley Square.

carbon footprint by more than 70% due to the energy, water and pollution involved in maintaining livestock, the University of Oxford concluded in a study last year.

“I [went] vegan because of moral reasons, and I’ve been involved with choosing more sustainable actions,” Brooklyn Friends High School sophomore Ava Sklar said. “The best way for people to reduce their carbon footprint is by reducing meat and dairy.”

Thunberg voiced support for any and all efforts toward combating climate change and encouraged politicians to act at the U.N. Climate Action Summit on Sept. 23 to a cheering crowd, issuing a warning to those who oppose change.

“For the people who don’t agree with us, I have bad news for them,” Thunberg said. “Change is coming, whether they like it or not.”

Email Roshni Raj at news@nyunews.com.

‘MeToo Kit’ Headquartered in NYU Building Taken off Market

DEBORAH ALALADE | WSN

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The MeToo Kit was created last May

by Madison Campbell, a 23-year-old sexual assault survivor who said that she wanted to help survivors process trauma before they seek help from law enforcement. Her kit and the PRESERVEkit differ from standard rape kits because they are self-administered and not performed by a trained medical official. In both cases, evidence must be collected within 72 hours of the sexual assault.

After James’ cease and desist order, the PRESERVEkit was unlisted from Amazon and the MeToo Kit website is devoid of all content besides a button that reads “stay notified” and a daunting statistic — “77 percent of individuals do not report their sexual assault.”

MeToo Kit had yet to sell a product when it was told to halt its business.

The company did not respond to multiple requests for comment. A seventh-floor front desk worker at 370 Jay St. said that the MeToo Kit team had been off the premises for about a week

and was likely avoiding the press.

PRESERVEkit did not strip its website, although the purchasing function was removed. The page features a slideshow containing a letter written on Sept.

15 by founder Jane Mason, a retired FBI Special Agent.

The letter shows the same statistic as MeToo Kit’s website — that 77% of rapes go unreported. Mason went on to reference the case of Monica Lewinsky, in which semen stains on her dress were used as evidence in court a year later, as a way of challenging the claim that DIY kits are unusable.

“Are crime victim advocates, the state attorneys general and all others who have come out to fight against our product saying that a survivor has to be a Whitehouse intern with the DNA of a President of the United States before his or her evidence is admissible in court?”

Mason wrote in the letter.

The final line of the letter states the company’s plans to return as soon as possible to “help the 77 percent.”

Samantha Skaller, the Campus Coordinator for the NYC Alliance Against Sexual Assault, said she is worried about the effect DIY kit usage could have on survivors.

“Having [survivors] go through a legal system in which evidence they thought would be admissible is no longer admissible is a way to retraumatize people who are already going through a lot of different types of trauma,” Skaller said.

In addition to concerns about court legitimacy, the MeToo Kit is under fire for commercializing the #MeToo movement, a widespread campaign against sexual harassment that gained traction over social media in October 2017 after sexual assault allegations against filmmaker Harvey Weinstein came to light.

In a statement to WSN, NYU Students for Sexual Respect co-presidents, CAS senior Tina Wang and Tisch senior Emma Levine, said they objected to the sale of MeToo kits.

“The #MeToo kits are profiting from extracting money from survivors under the guise of providing an opportunity to ‘comfortably’ administer a rape kit,” the statement reads. “The truth of the matter is, rape kits are administered for free at hospitals.”

Other companies, like makeup brand Hard Candy, have faced similar criticisms. After applying to trademark “#MeToo” last October, the company’s CEO, Jerome Falic, faced substantial backlash on social media from users who said the company’s aims were not genuine.

The controversy surrounding these kits comes during a time of rising campus sexual assaults. One in five women and one in 16 men are raped on college campuses annually, according to the Na-

tional Sexual Violence Resource Center.

90% of these rapes go unreported.

A 2015 documentary on campus sexual assault, “The Hunting Ground,” detailed multiple accounts of students whose universities discouraged survivors from reporting in an attempt to maintain a public image, leading to pushes for reform across the country. Recently, reports of allegations against former Michigan State University physician Larry Nassar being dismissed by university administrators further highlight this issue.

Despite studies showing that only 2-10% of rape accusations are found to be false, less than 1% lead to jailtime for the accused.

“Survivors are forced through a criminal justice system that is harsh, traumatizing and throws out most of the cases brought to it,” Wang and Levine said.

NYU’s 2018 Annual Security and Safety report lists on-campus resources such as Mary Signor, the NYU Title IX coordinator and off-campus reporting channels in the form of rape crisis centers across the city. NYU’s Title IX Office also arranges direct assistance and accompanied hospital visits for sexual abuse survivors. The university also established “Sexual misconduct Prevention, Assistance, Counseling and Education” as another resource for victims of sexual assault — S.P.A.C.E. provides rape kits for up to 96 hours after an incident.

The report recommends that victims obtain rape kits from official sexual assault centers or hospitals. Skaller said that while some students report to their Title IX coordinator, many will either immediately go to the police or not report at all.

If they do report the rape, victims

have access to rape kits at both the Title IX office at NYU and police stations, which are both more likely to be admissible in court than a DIY kit.

“The decision to seek medical attention and gather any evidence will preserve the full range of options to seek resolution through NYU’s complaint processes or criminal action,” the report states.

Even if a rape kit is administered correctly, hundreds of thousands of women’s rape kits across the U.S. go untested for years, as reported in the Atlantic article “An Epidemic of Disbelief.”

In the article, writer Barbara Bradley Hagerty references a police warehouse in Detroit containing 11,341 tested rape kits that were never sent to labs for further processing. Some of these kits dated back 30 years.

This nationwide epidemic is referred to as rape kit backlog. Rape kits are backlogged when they have not been chemically analyzed within 30 days of evidence collection, according to End the Backlog, a non-profit organization dedicated to dealing with the issue. This problem has gained national attention, with 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Kamala Harris proposing to donate $1 billion in order to reduce the 200,000 currently untested sexual assault evidence kits.

Whether or not the kits have been tested, James and others continue to assert that DIY rape kits do more harm than good for sexual assault survivors.

“Sexual assault is a real problem that demands a real response,” James said.

“Proper medical attention and accurate evidence collection are of critical importance to supporting survivors.”

Email Lisa Cochran at news@nyunews.com.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

Washington Square News | News

NYU Students and Faculty Adjusting to New LA Program

By RONNI HUSMANN Deputy News Editor Around 30 students went from the hustle and bustle of New York City life to California time this fall for the inaugural semester of NYU’s new study away program in Los Angeles.

Made up of student dormitories, classrooms and an academic hub, the LA site — which is totally not a campus, according to university officials — particularly encourages students to pursue internships while in the city that serves as a hub for the U.S. film, television and music industries.

Recently, it was announced that author and filmmaker Nina Sadowsky would serve as the first director of NYU LA. The program offers 11 courses from the Tisch School of the Arts, Stern School of Business, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, Gallatin School of Individualized Study and the College of Arts and Science. According to Sadowsky, the program is targeting juniors and seniors looking for careers in the entertainment and music industries. In addition to classes, every student is required to have an internship.

“The goal of the LA program, first and foremost, is to offer high quality courses taught by experts in their fields, as well as internship opportunities geared to help these emerging young professionals find their paths,” Sadowsky wrote in an email to WSN. Steinhardt senior Juliana Isabelle Galarza, who is studying in LA this semester, finds the scope of the program limiting. Galarza said that, as a marketing student, she found it difficult to find classes to her liking.

“I thought that the classes were a little too much geared toward either film or TV,” Galarza said. “It was hard for me to find a lot of classes that were exactly what I wanted to do, so I wish they offered a little bit more broader classes than such niche courses.”

Ph.D. student and Adjunct Professor in

the Media, Culture, and Communications department Harris Kornstein disagrees.

“On the one hand [media and entertainment] feels so specific, but on the other hand there’s so many different components that add up to the media and entertainment environment, so I do think there’s a lot of room for students to explore different interests,” Kornstein said. “[The program] is specific enough that it gives it a sense of cohesion without dictating what people do inside it.”

Another aspect of the program Sadowsky emphasized was the incorporation of the nearly 14,000 NYU alumni based in LA. “[Alumni] have long wanted an NYU LA presence and have stepped up to support the program,” Sadowsky wrote. “An additional goal is to further enhance the already strong sense of community forged by alumni in the Los Angeles area, and in doing so, further cement NYU’s position as a leader in interdisciplinary global education.”

Galarza said she feels a sense of responsibility to be proactive in using the opportunities provided by NYU and that networking events set up by the university have been helpful. “[NYU] will give you the resources, but

you really have to take action and take responsibility to put yourself out there, meet new people, and network to find different opportunities,” Galarza said. “But [NYU] definitely made it so easy setting up all of these internship opportunities and meet and greets, and all of the professors here are so connected.”

NYU LA Professor and President of Goldenring Productions Jane Goldenring is teaching a course in Script Analysis this semester. Goldenring said she felt that students interested in the entertainment industry should take advantage of the program.

“It’s an important part of understanding the business and your part in it to come out here and get a sense of what it’s like to work at what is the heart and soul of the movie, TV and streaming industry,” Goldenring said. “Because if you want to move out here from New York, it’s a different culture and it’s a different mindset and it’s a different lifestyle, so why not get a sense of it before you make that big commitment?”

Email Ronni Husmann at news@nyunews.com.

East Village residents protested Saturday against the city’s proposed burying of East River Park as part of a flood-control plan that would close the park for three years before partially rebuilding it.

The 57-acre park, just north of the Williamsburg Bridge, is a hub of community activity in the East Village. Recently, the city spent $2.8 million on a new soccer field and resurfaced running track for the park.

In six months, however, trees may be bulldozed and fields could be replaced by eight feet of dirt and cement as part of the East Village Resiliency Project. The project — which will be approved or disapproved by city councilmembers on Monday — will cost the city $1.45 billion to prepare the neighborhood for future flooding.

Critics of the plan say that residents’ input was not taken into account and that it would deprive the area of much-needed green space.

“It’s unthinkable to me that the kids today are not going to have anywhere to go,” East Village resident Rachel Bernstein told WSN. “We need to have access to a place where we can relax, where we can enjoy nature and have some peace.”

In comparison to the new billion-dollar plan, a community-approved project that

CRIME LOG

Attempted Larceny of Chick-Fil-A Items

By CRIME BOT Robot Reporter From Sept. 12 to 20, the NYU Department of Public Safety received two reports of criminal mischief, one report of criminal trespass, two reports of drug law violations, one report of fondling/forcible touching, seven reports of harassment, five reports of larceny, seven reports of liquor law violations and one report of simple assault.

Criminal Mischief On Sept. 16 at 9:10 a.m., a staff member reported vandalism at 238 Thompson Street. The case is open and under investigation.

On Sept. 18 at 9 p.m., a resident assistant reported witnessing vandalism at Second Street Residence Hall. The case is open and under investigation.

Criminal Trespass On Sept. 18 at 9 p.m., a Public Safety officer reported witnessing a criminal trespass at Wilf Hall. Police notification was declined, and the case is open and under investigation.

Drug Law Violation

LA County’s Santa Monica beach and iconic pier.

ALEXANDRA CHAN | WSN

East Village Marches in Protest of Plan to Bury East River Park

By MILIANA BOCHER Contributing Writer

3

cost $760 million and involved keeping portions of the park open during construction was initially accepted by officials.

However, the city came back with a new blueprint, budget and agenda in January — none of which were approved by East Village residents. A community group formed to voice locals’ issues with the new plan. East River Park ACTION group met with locals in Tompkins Square Park on Saturday to make one final stand against the city’s plan before it goes to a vote.

“I feel like we’re flushing $600 million down the toilet, and why?” Medical Assistant at the NYU Student Health Center and East River Park advocate Jorge Horan said. “I don’t understand why we’re spending $1.4 billion when we had a plan much cheaper.”

The original, community-developed plan involved the use of increased greenery as a natural way of mitigating flood risks.

This would play a role in improving the air quality of a neighborhood already troubled with high rates of asthma, according to a study by the New York City Childhood Asthma Initiative, which has made the upcoming construction a greater concern for many residents.

“Living on the Lower East Side, where there’s more and more traffic, we’re getting more and more kids with asthma,” Bernstein said. “We need trees more than ever to

help us breathe.”

Protestors marched past the office of Councilmember Carlina Rivera, who represents the area, in an attempt to gain her support, chanting “Whose park? Our park!” and singing her name to the tune of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Cecilia.” Although turnout and energy were high, some attendees were less confident in their ability to sway the councilmember’s vote.

McBain was one of many East Village residents who came out to support their waterfront park despite its uncertain future.

“Honestly, the city’s going to do what the city’s going to do,” CAS senior Liam McBain said. “They’re not really in the business of listening to people.”

Despite knowing the challenges ahead of them, the people of the East Village certainly showed their support for this waterfront park. Singers, artists, musicians, soccer players, concerned parents and others crossed an FDR Drive footbridge to oppose the city’s plan, with some cars honking and rolling down their windows to yell “Bury the plan, not the park,” with them.

An entire community rallied behind the 57-acre respite from city life, hoping that their songs and drums would keep the bulldozers away and the trees standing tall.

Email Miliana Bocher at news@nyunews.com.

On Sept. 14 at 11:21 p.m., Public Safety reported to an alleged drug law violation and confiscated a small amount of marijuana at Carlyle Court Residence Hall. The case was closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Sept. 14 at 6:24 p.m., Public Safety reported to an alleged drug law violation and confiscated a small amount of marijuana at Alumni Residence Hall. The case was closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

Fondling/Forcible Touching On Sept. 13 at 3:42 p.m., a student reported being groped by an unidentified man in Washington Square Park. Police notification was declined, and the case is open and under investigation.

Harassment On Sept. 8 at 3:50 p.m., a student reported being harassed in Washington Square Park. Police notification was declined, and the case is open and under investigation.

On Sept. 14 at 10:51 p.m., a student reported being harassed at Rubin Residence Hall. The case was closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Sept. 15 at 11 a.m., a student reported being harassed at Third Avenue North Residence Hall. The case was closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Sept. 16 at 2:30 p.m., an RA reported being harassed at Palladium Residence Hall. Police notification was declined, and the case is open and under investigation.

On Sept. 18 at 12:25 p.m., a student reported a harassment by the Juan Carlos Center. Police notification was declined, and the case is open and under investigation.

On Sept. 18 at 8 a.m., a student reported being harassed outside of Washington Square Village. The case was closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Sept. 19 at 2:15 p.m., a student reported witnessing public lewdness and being harassed. A police report was filed, and the case is open and under investigation.

Larceny On Sept. 12 at 11:30 a.m., a student reported a fraud at Third North.

Police were notified, and the case is open and under investigation.

On Sept. 13 at 1:35 p.m., a student reported a missing debit card at Third North. Police were notified, and the case is open and under investigation.

On Sept. 13 at 12:15 p.m., a staff member reported a missing set of keys at Vanderbilt Hall. The case is open and under investigation.

On Sept. 18, a student reported a missing jacket at Third North. Police notification was declined, and the case is open and under investigation.

On Sept. 18 at 4:01 p.m., a staff member reported witnessing the attempted larceny of several ChickFil-A items at Weinstein Food Court.

Police notification was declined, and the case is open and under investigation.

Liquor Law Violation On Sept. 13 at 1:14 a.m., an RA reported witnessing underage alcohol possession at Carlyle Court. Police notification was declined, and the case was closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Sept. 14 at 11:05 p.m., an RA reported witnessing underage alcohol possession at Third North. The case is open and under investigation.

On Sept. 15 at 3:45 a.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession at Brittany Residence Hall. Police notification was declined, and the case was closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Sept. 15 at 1:35 a.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession at Third North. Police notification was declined, and the case was closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Sept. 15 at 12:51 a.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession at Third North. Police notification was declined, and the case was closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Sept. 16 at 1:06 a.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession at Coral Towers Residence Hall.

Police notification was declined, and the case was closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Sept. 20 at 11:39 p.m., an RA reported witnessing underage alcohol possession at the Green House at Seventh Street Residence Hall.

Police notification was declined, and the case was closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

Simple Assault On Sept. 18 at 1:19 p.m., a student reports a simple assault at Sullivan Street and Washington Square South. A police report was filed, and the case is open and under investigation.

Email Crime Bot at news@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News

4

CULTURE@NYUNEWS.COM

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

CULTURE

Edited by CAROL LEE

Alumna Develops Couples’ Dating App for ‘Life After the Swipe’

By ELIF KESIKBAS Staff Writer Swipe left, swipe right, swipe left.

Online daters are more than familiar with this game. But what happens after you settle down with a right swipe?

Jordan Scott, 2015 Gallatin graduate, recognized that there was an excess of dating apps on the market, but nothing for the happily coupled. Scott’s editorial site and brand idk tonight focuses on “The life after the swipe,” with content geared towards couples.

Scott attributes the initial idea for the business to the holistic writing journey she experienced while at NYU. She followed the journalism track at CAS, took screenwriting classes at Tisch and studied fiction writing. She pitched her concentration as “Writing the Family” to her Gallatin colloquium.

“I never thought I would start a business, and yet my major was about creating my own,” Scott said. “Picking and choosing, and kind of building this thing out of nothing.”

Her entrepreneurial journey began the same semester she moved into Lipton (then Hayden) Residence Hall.

When Scott arrived at NYU in the fall of 2012, she was a 17-year-old determined to reap all the benefits the city had to offer. She secured a marketing internship her very first semester at a blowout company. As a sophomore, she made her first foray into the journalism world as a features intern at Cosmopolitan.

However, after years of working for media companies such as NBC, Yahoo and NY1, her last journalism job at CBS This Morning made her realize that she wanted to start

her own business.

“I was exhausted; I couldn’t point to a job I wanted there and I had this barely-there idea of something,” Scott said. “I just thought to myself if I try this and fail in four years, I’ll still be super young and try to go and get a job somewhere else.”

Scott saw no downside to pursuing entrepreneurship. If things went sideways, she could bring her experience to future endeavors. She took the risk knowing that she had supportive parents and an encouraging fiance by her side and invested her savings to bring idk tonight to life.

“Once I realized there was this lack of really anything out there for couples, the only thing I knew how to do was write,” Scott said. “So I just decided to start with curating these date plans for couples in New York.”

Scott decided to use her love for storytelling, to address hangry couples’ inability to make decisions. She acknowledged the perennial problem of where to go and what to do.

“We are starting with date night, right? That’s so super low stakes, but very important,” Scott said. “My fiance and I fight about what we are eating on a nightly basis, so it feels like these weird, small, maybe not important things like date night are actually so huge.”

She started developing her potential solution by pairing different places and different experiences to create curated date nights, which she supplemented with a brief explanation, price level, vibe description and suggested dishes or drinks. She released these dates on the website and gave them a shoutout on idk tonight’s Instagram. She also

created weekly newsletters to keep subscribers updated on the new hot spots in town.

As the website grew, so did the staff at idk tonight. She has hired freelance writers and now regularly collaborates with couples to showcase their date experiences.

“What I loved so much about journalism, and why I loved my education at NYU and Gallatin, was I loved the storytelling part of it,” Scott said. “I have collected so many great writers, who write content for us that are just so good at researching these experiences, writing them really succinctly. It’s been awesome still being able to surround myself with writers.”

However, she is now ready to take idk tonight to the next level. Scott, who fully embraces her favorite quote, “If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it,” is working nonstop on the latest innovation from the brand — a couples’ decision-making app. Inspired by dating apps, this “decision-making app” will match couples with restaurants, bars, events or other activities that they can enjoy together.

“We are just trying to make it easier for couples to make decisions, communicate in general, because I think, it’s cliche, but it’s very key to the success of most relationships,” Scott said. “Basically resulting in ... happier, healthier relationships.”

Even though the details of the app’s functionality are still under wraps, there is already a waiting list for the beta version scheduled for release in October. One secret will be revealed when the name of the app is announced Monday on the brand’s Instagram.

Scott also aims to expand the engine

LI-CHUN PAN | WSN

Gallatin alumna Jordan Scott created idk tonight, scheduled to launch in October.

to any relationship that involves decision-making. She hopes to take advantage of the scalability of the need for decision-making worldwide.

“You know, there is this huge infinite possibility of decisions,” Scott

said. “Once you are in a relationship, your life is just a series of decisions you are making together.”

Email Elif Kesikbas at culture@nyunews.com.

A Magazine by Young Women, for Young Women

By DANIELA ORTIZ Staff Writer

VIA INSTAGRAM @CHLOEXIANG

Keke magazine is an online publication on women and the female experience. It was founded by Chloe Xiang, a Steinhardt first-year.

Representation matters. It’s a phrase Steinhardt first-year Chloe Xiang has always felt rather strongly about. After all, one would need that passion in order to single-handedly create and edit an online magazine that caters to teenage girls.

As founder and editor-in-chief of Keke Magazine, Xiang has opened the floodgates. Founded in 2017, Keke Magazine is a publication dedicated to “an unfiltered and honest reflection of women,” per their masthead.

Their content ranges from think pieces about how women don’t actually wear makeup to impress men, to coverage of fashion shows like Chromat. Content is posted to Keke’s website two to three times a week. Keke’s team is comprised of nine artists, writers and editors from the U.S. and Europe.

Growing up Chinese, Xiang always found herself looking up to people she could not relate to. Whether it be through their looks or skin color, there was never a role model she felt she could truly grow into. This lack of cultural representation on all levels is what Xiang has made her mission to remedy, and with Keke Magazine, she’s taking the steps to get there.

“As part of the generation whose lives

are so driven by technology, it seemed so pertinent and relevant that this space and community be digitally based and thus accessible by female-identifying people across the world,” Xiang said.

Besides the lack of diversity in the media, including platforms geared towards young people like the Disney Channel and Teen Vogue, Xiang also noticed a problem with the portrayal of young women. She wondered, if these publications and media outlets were targeted towards teenage girls, why were they being presented in such a negative and frankly unrelatable light? Xiang realized that young women were missing a platform that honestly represented them and the stories that pertain to them.

“There are actually so many publications dedicated to female audiences, but many of them are so capitalistic and appearance-based — focusing on selling trends, beauty and fashion products and elevating celebrities,” Xiang said.

As a Media, Culture, and Communications major, Xiang has always felt an affinity for storytelling. If she could use this drive within her to build a more diverse platform on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, race and religion, she knew a publication was the way to do so.

Being editor-in-chief means that Xiang is responsible for communicating with her staff of writers, photographers, artists, editors, contributors, outside

agents, companies and talents. She edits the magazine’s online content, as well as oversees the website and social media presence of Keke. Their online store, consisting of zines and merchandise, is also under Xiang’s direction. As for the print edition of the magazine, all layout is designed by her to keep in line with her vision for the publication.

Balancing her editorial responsibility with schoolwork has proved a much simpler task than Xiang predicted. Her passion for Keke drives her to make the time and put in the effort needed to produce a good product. Through scheduling and organizational strategies, her job as a student and her job as a magazine editor can peacefully coexist. In fact, she finds that most of her class assignments assist her in better understanding how the magazine should run.

Keke Magazine was founded on the basis of giving a voice to those who are unheard. Her ultimate goal is for Keke to manifest a vast network of young women who reshape and redefine mainstream media. She sees no limit as to what the magazine should be able to achieve, taking notes from its ultimate source of inspiration, the empowered woman.

Email Daniela Ortiz at culture@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Culture

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

5

Bubble Tea With a Boozy Twist

By SARA MIRANDA Contributing Writer Among the buildings that line First Avenue, there’s one that stands out from the rest — the bright and colorful Bubbleology. The popular London-based franchise recently revolutionized the bubble tea experience with a new line of drinks that are exclusively available at their East Village location: bubble tea cocktails. As an avid bubble tea drinker who is still in search of the best in the city, I decided to give these alcohol-infused bubble tea drinks a try.

There are fifteen cocktail options to choose from, such as the Majestic Butterfly that changes color from blue to purple to pink right before your eyes and the Blushing Duchess, a blood-red concoction packed with Jasmine tea, lime,

cranberry and vodka. Although these cocktails are fresh and fruity, the Peanut Loaded Freak and Oreo Madness cater to those with a sweet tooth. All of Bubbleology’s bubble tea cocktails cost just $7.

With a soft spot for Oreos and chocolate and unable to say no to a dollop of whipped cream, I decided to try out the Oreo Madness. My first sip tasted like a highly-caffeinated Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino. A few sips later and I could taste the Kahlua coffee liqueur on the tip of my tongue. While the alcohol is barely detectable, its effects can surely be felt several sips prior to finishing the drink.

Though the Oreo Madness is dubbed a cocktail by Bubbleology, I would consider it to be more of a spiked milkshake, perfect for dessert or even a midday treat.

Due to New York’s open-container alcohol laws, all cocktails must be enjoyed

I Tried Euphoria Makeup for a Week

By RIA MITTAL Staff Writer My makeup skills are limited to eyeliner and maybe some lipstick, but some people really know how to knock this stuff out of the park.

Euphoria, the latest HBO drama, has already made a name for itself by putting its cast in consistently intricate, provocative makeup looks. Even though I have no makeup talent or reason to glam out, I decided to try Euphoria-esque makeup for a week.

For reasons already mentioned, I forwent doing my own makeup; all of my looks were done by makeup artist and photographer extraordinaire, CAS junior Srishti Luthra. With multitudes of glittery and neon looks to choose from, we decided to ease into the week with a relatively tame look for Monday, inspired by main character Jules’ clouds. My outfit was also Jules-inspired so that I could really channel her vibe.

Monday was a really busy day with classes, errands, a rush event for my fraternity and the Elizabeth Warren rally — perfect for collecting tons of reactions to my look. Most were really positive and unexpected.

A stranger and her mother complimented me in the elevator of my apartment building and I overheard an NYU first-year gushing about my makeup to his friends at the rally before coming up to me and complimenting me directly. Though I kept forgetting I had clouds on my eyes, the makeup gave me an extra boost of confidence that I think people responded to. It was a great conversation starter at my rush event and I was way more outgoing and involved than I usually am.

No one in any of my classes or on campus assumed anything out of the ordinary, but I obviously encountered an uncomfortable amount of stares and double takes on the streets.

I did get a couple of very pointed negative reactions as well — an employee at a WeWork where I was running an errand told me that I kind of scared him and my usually extremely supportive father thought this exercise was a “waste of [my] time.” I know haters gonna hate but et tu, Dad? For Tuesday’s look, we tried to recreate Jules’ neon one but finding

the right shades to exactly match the original was extremely difficult.

After multiple Target and Duane Reade expeditions, we failed to find the matching shades so Srishti took some artistic license and did a glittery rendition of Jules’ look. This one got absolutely zero reactions because, honestly, it could have easily passed as me just deciding to be a little extra that day — something New Yorkers are very much used to.

I was obviously posting on social media more often and what surprised me was how many people didn’t know what Euphoria even was. I got so many questions asking what I was doing and “What even is Euphoria makeup?”

Wednesday was my favorite look of the week: Rue’s carnival clown eyes.

It was definitely the most dark and intense look of the week but also the most empowering and fun to show off. The negative reactions were hilarious. I got so many disapproving looks from mothers with their children and a cop even lingered where we were taking pictures. At my rush event, no one questioned why I had such bold makeup on but just appreciated how cool I looked. My two favorite interactions of the day were with a baby in Washington Square Park who asked me what was on my face and to do it to her too, and a cashier who asked me if I “always cried beautiful tears of glitter.” Yes, sir, I sure do.

The last two days were Jules-inspired again: we replicated her hot pink punk rock look and the glittery dark blue one. Again, I matched my outfits to the character and the eye look, which was appreciated by people who actually recognized them from the show.

Personally, I found it a bit hectic fitting the long process of getting ready each day into my class schedule and having to remember not to touch my face, but it just made me appreciate the hard work and artistry of makeup enthusiasts all the more. All in all, this was an interesting social experiment — it just goes to show how people respond to the way you present yourself and the confidence with which you do so.

Email Ria Mittal at bstyle@nyunews.com.

inside the shop. However, this is no burden to customers. The music selection features both current hits and throwbacks, from Katy Perry hits to old-school Jonas Brothers. These beats paired with colorful lighting fixtures create an overall good-vibes atmosphere. It’s not so bad to hang out at Bubbleology for a bit, especially while under the influence of these boozy tea concoctions.

I was impressed by Oreo Madness, and the wonderful experience I had with this drink tempted me to try more of Bubbleology’s other cocktails. Whether you’re a bubble tea fanatic, a self-proclaimed mixologist or a gastronomic daredevil, stop

by Bubbleology for an enjoyable, boozy bubble tea experience.

Email Sara Miranda at dining@nyunews.com.

ELAINE CHEN | WSN

Majestic Butterfly, a special drink with butterfly pea infused into premium gin and tonic and a squeeze of lime. It changes color from blue to purple to pink right before your eyes.

Look Like a Snack With These Three DIY Hair Masks clean the sink.

Result: My hair was greasy and it smelled funky. Zero out of 10 — I did not enjoy any part of this process. I got very bad, chaotic energy from this mask and it was far more strenuous than any self-care ritual should be. If your hair is prone to extreme dryness and you’re willing to go through great lengths to find a possible solution, this might be for you. Or if you just want to get rid of your mayo.

YUZHI HUANG | WSN

ByTRINITY CASIMIR Contributing Writer At one point or another, we become attached to our grocery store shampoos and conditioners. They’re reasonably priced and the voice in the back of our heads tells us $10 will give us strong and luscious hair like Eva Longoria. However, there comes a time when these shampoos and conditioners fall short of achieving the self-care and attention we seek.

Plagued by dust, grime and that ambiguous fluid that drips from overhanging AC units onto our heads, our hair needs a bit more love than Pantene or Suave can give.

DIY food-based hair masks are a simple and cheap way to target your hair with vitamins, nutrients and fulfill all of your hair-related dreams … most of the time.

Not all masks are created equal, but I can promise that they are all accessible.

No extremely expensive avocados were harmed in the making of this article. All of the ingredients for the following three food-based hair masks can be found at Sidestein Market and purchased with dining dollars.

Note: Leave each of these masks on for 30 minutes under a shower cap or pseudo-shower cap, such as a plastic CVS bag. Then rinse.

Mask No. 1: Winter is Coming Ingredients: 4 packets of honey from Upstein’s Chick-Fil-A 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cups of plain Greek yogurt

Purpose: The ingredients in this mask are intended to cleanse the scalp, seal in moisture and increase shine.

Directions & Application: Using your fingers, mix all of the ingredients togeth-

er in a bowl, then divide the hair into sections and apply the mixture over the scalp, continuing down to the ends of the hair. I was very liberal in the application because I have 3B/3C type hair that is impervious to oiliness, but you should calibrate based on your individual hair type.

Review: My hair felt a bit cakey in places even after rinsing the mask out and letting it dry, although this might be remedied by using less of the mask in application. While my hair felt incredibly soft, I did not see much progress in terms of moisture. My scalp, however, felt extremely moisturized. I would definitely recommend this mask during the upcoming winter season for my pals with dandruff and dryness. It is important, however, to wash it out thoroughly to avoid buildup on the scalp.

Mask No. 2: Chaotic Energy Ingredients: 2 eggs ½ cup of mayonnaise

Purpose: The ingredients in this mask are meant to act as a deep moisturizer and cleaning agent. It also gives mayonnaise a purpose because really, it shouldn’t be a condiment in the first place.

Directions & Application: Because I don’t own tupperware or utensils, I was vastly unprepared for this project. Consequently, this hair mask was created in an empty Snapple bottle. Crack the eggs into your container of choice and then squeeze in the mayo until the mixture has a 50/50 ratio. Mix the ingredients (or in my case, shake the bottle). In terms of application, just pray, I guess, because it was literally liquid. I stuck my head over the sink and poured it all over my scalp and hair. On the bright side, it provided me with the motivation I needed to

Mask No. 3: Chunky Banana Ingredients: 1 (very ripe) banana 4 spoonfuls olive oil

Purpose: The ingredients in this mask are meant to increase shine and repair damage from chlorine, heat and chemicals.

Directions & Application: Buy one banana and let it sit in your minifridge until the smell begins to bother your roommates. The softer and riper the banana, the better. Using any container, pour in four spoonfuls of olive oil and incorporate the banana by smashing it in to the best of your ability. If for some reason you own a food processor, ignore all of these instructions. I used the same sectioning and application process as described under Mask No. 1. There will be banana chunks, so just make sure to rinse extra thoroughly.

Result: I smelled like bananas, but in a cute way. This mask is my favorite as it was great for frizz control and defining my curls. My hair is not super damaged by heat or chemicals, but I think the nutrients in this mask would help with that issue if used over an extended period of time. After just one use, my hair felt smoother without being greasy.

After my brief stint as a homegrown beautician, one thing became quite clear: I want to put in minimal effort and somehow arrive at surprisingly good results. This theory applies to more than just hair masks, but I digress. Selfcare means not sacrificing the process if you’re looking for a desirable end result. Getting mayonnaise and egg mask in your eye and risking salmonella for moderately moisturized hair is not selfcare. Finessing a banana with your meal exchange to fix up split ends is far more soothing. Know yourself, know your hair and rinse thoroughly.

Email Trinity Casimir at bstyle@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News

6

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

ARTS

ARTS@NYUNEWS.COM

Edited by CLAIRE FISHMAN

Zadie Smith’s Talents on Full Display in ‘Grand Union’

By JULIE GOLDBERG Books & Theater Editor Zadie Smith released her debut novel, “White Teeth,” to widespread critical acclaim in 1999.

Since then, she has published five novels and two essay collections.

In “Grand Union,” her latest release, Smith adds 11 new pieces to her existing oeuvre of short stories — previously published in “Granta”, “The New Yorker” and “The Paris Review” — to release her first ever collection of short fiction.

The opener of the collection, “The Dialectic,” is a compact, endearing tale of a mother and daughter on the beach in Sopot. The precocious daughter calls her mother — who is holding a chicken wing as she proclaims, “I would like to be on good terms with all animals” — out on her cognitive dissonance.

The collection’s closer, the titular “Grand Union,” is another mother-daughter tale — one of a woman reconnecting with her deceased mother in a Chinese restaurant.

Another story, “Just Right,” may end too soon but it provides a compelling report of the way class divisions might play out in New York City.

When Donovan, the white son of two successful Greenwich Village puppeteers, is partnered with a black girl named Cassie for a school project, his mother, Polly, treats Cassie not with contempt but with pity and condescension, insisting she is from Harlem even though she lives on 10th and 14th.

Polly convinces her son that it wouldn’t benefit him to spend time with “a girl like that,” describing her as someone with no imagination.

Smith has the ability to make small moments feel expansive, to seamlessly weave the past and future into the present. Between two lines of Donovan’s schoolteacher’s dialogue, for example, she writes, “Miss Steinhardt had spent yesterday at her grandparents’ home in Brooklyn Heights, watching tanks across the Suez Canal.”

It is these deftly placed details — extraneous, one might say, and yet arresting — that that keep us along for the ride of the story, and that mark Smith as a unique talent.

Smith’s forays into parable also prove victorious. “Two Men Arrive in a Village” is a story of the universal terror of war. It is a seven-page success in particularizing the general; even as she names no names, no places, she is sure to specify, “the fourteenth floor of a derelict apartment building covered in snow.”

In “Mood,” Smith takes this millennial mantra and dissects and expands it. In the section “Absurd Modern Mood,” she describes a young, debt-ridden graduate of a philosophy department essentially dissociating at a social gathering of the university’s academics.

The next section is titled “Medieval Moods: Blood, Black Bile, Bile, Phlegm.”

Smith describes a pregnant woman traveling, from Monrovia, Liberia to Libya. She speaks in second person to first-generation college students, and she also addresses those working at the Mexican border, writing “to separate an un-potty-trained four-year-old from its mother at the border and place it in confinement [...] — to perform this action it is essential that you have phlegm and are phlegmatic in general.”

The final section of “Mood,” titled “Mood Memory,” is the most indelible, describing the outdated excitement of receiving the phone book in the mail.

Others stories take on a more essayistic quality. “The Lazy River,” a third person plural narration of English people vacationing at an all-inclusive hotel in Southern Spain is most successful in marrying its narrative and essayistic elements. “What is the solution to life?” she asks. “How can it be lived ‘well’?”

“Downtown,” on the other hand, reads as more eager to shed its narrative constraints and address its content sans elliptical maneuvers.

From cancel culture to Brexit to the opioid epidemic, every one of these stories is in some kind of dialogue with current events. Some might wish Smith was more forthright and named more names; others may think that a certain level of obliqueness is necessary, and the references are obvious enough.

In “Downtown,” she addresses the Brett Kavanaugh trial, writing “Brett had proved once again that whenever a young Brett is born in these United States, born with a dream, that dream can truly come true.”

A patent reference to Donald Trump can be found in “Mood,” as Roberta says to her friend Preston, “I’m being serious.

They’re still behind him. He makes them feel good. They want him to just go ahead and shoot somebody on Fifth Avenue like he promised.”

A few of the stories are inspired by real-life events, such as the murder of Kelso Cochrane in London in 1959, or the legend that Michael Jackson drove Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando out of the post-9/11 rubble, rendered in “Escape from New York.”

“Kelso Deconstructed” is particularly arresting, telling the story of “Kelso and Olivia, a couple” spending a normal night out together. Kelso deals with a mind-numbing ache in his thumb and ends up head-

‘Ad Astra’ Is a Slightly Maddening Delight

By NICHOLAS WEID Contributing Writer Thirty years ago, Roy McBride’s (Brad Pitt) father left Earth to pursue extra-terrestrial life but was lost in the process. When Space Command, the U.S.’s space military branch, is alerted to activity near the lost mission’s base, a much older Roy is sent on a mission to attempt contact with his decorated father.

“Ad Astra” takes place in the near future with technology like space suits and rockets appearing in forms easily recognizable to today’s viewers. The distant solar system has been explored; Subway and Applebee’s have expanded to the moon, which is now simultaneously a tourist attraction and contested war zone. The familiarity of the elements of the film’s setting is unsettling, making it feel like this future could be a plausible reality in a century or less.

The world itself is enhanced by the fantastic cinematography. It explores the isolation of space travel through claustrophobic shots and monochromatic lighting in addition to the breathtaking shots of space that are a trademark asset of sci-fi films. The cinematography is always in sync with the pace of the plot, growing contemplative and measured in the second half as the movie begins to forefront Ray in his new, unnerving surroundings. The expectations set by the first half of “Ad Astra,” which is more or less a space-western-action film in a war-torn setting, make the shift jarring at first — but once audiences adjust to the more subdued tone, it is the second half that truly shines.

The transition is made rockier by Roy’s

initial characterization. He is hard to feel for at first; his father’s absence and immortalized heroic status have deeply affected his psyche.

His quiet, in-control and friendly personality is belied by his emotionless, matter-of-fact narration, something that is necessary at first to depict Roy, but becomes more interesting as the plot unfolds. Roy exists for his mission, having severely damaged his marriage with his compartmentalized emotions and focused mindset.

The initial glut of plot-driving dialogue doesn’t help the set-up either. The second half of this film remedies this issue, allowing Brad Pitt to breath in his role and convey emotion through his face instead of solely through simple dialogue and monotone narration.

“Ad Astra” may be setting itself up to disappoint some viewers by setting an action-packed tone in its first half that doesn’t carry over into the second half. That’s not to say the parts don’t fit well together, but a slower-paced, character-driven movie is not for everyone. Yet the pace meshes well with stunning cinematography and sound design, which conveys the idea of the isolation and claustrophobia of space travel so well that the audience visibly experienced a slight shock upon leaving the dark theater and returning to the crowded lobby. “Ad Astra” isn’t for everyone, but stunning shots of space, Brad Pitt’s performance, its realistic approach to sci-fi and a patient but gripping second half give the film reason for acclaim.

Email Nicholas Weid ar film@nyunews.com.

ing to the hospital, leaving Olivia to get some rest at home.

The racially-motivated stabbing of Cochrane is narrated obliquely but potently.

The killer’s witness statement is aligned to the left-hand margin on the page, to be read like a poem. Smith writes, “Patrick Digby was the man capable of thinking that way and of writing this poem. But a lot of people could write it. It’s amazing how many.”

As Smith moves from parable to postmodern experiment to essayistic meditation, the threads holding the collection together may appear loose. But in each story, Smith’s investments persist: an interest in memory and history, in the project of living in the modern world, in the relationship of the individual to the collective. What is truly impressive is her ability to inhabit these varied literary domains with such an unwavering poise and assurance.

Smith observes the modern world with a uniquely empathetic and even affectionate eye. Describing two teenage girls who spend their vacation days taking staged photos of one another, she writes, “It is easy to say they make being young look like hard work, but wasn’t it always hard work, even if the medium of its difficulty was different? At least they are making a project of their lives, a measurable project that can be liked or commented upon. What are we doing? Floating?”

“Sentimental Education” — the story of Monica and Darryl, two black college students on an overwhelmingly white campus — meditates on socioeconomic divisions, the insularity of college life, and the complexity of adolescent love, romance and sex. Smith includes a delightful tete-a-tete between the two young lovers on the language of a matriarchal society: “In a matriarchy, you’d hear

women boasting to their mates: ‘I subsumed him in my anus. I really made his penis disappear,’” Monica says.

“Parents’ Morning Epiphany,” a jocular dissection of a “Narrative Techniques Worksheet” given to children at a public school, is a welcome reprieve from the more weighty stories between which it is couched — “Just Right” and “Downtown.”

Many of the stories are set in Greenwich Village and narrated with the familiarity and fondness only a local could possess.

Amid the terror of the world, Smith seeks moments of transcendence — “two black dudes, two Puerto Ricans and a white girl rapping under the stars of Greenwich Village.” In “Words and Music,” she describes the collective experience of listening to a band play at Central Park, writing, “We were all in it together. We had useless, transcendent thoughts like: This, too, is America!”

She does not, however, sentimentalize.

At the end of “Words and Music,” she writes, “Then the rain came down hard and washed all this Manhattan tomfoolery into the drains.” She acknowledges these glimpses at redemption as fleeting, almost absurd pleasures and yet she insists on them, on their importance to our survival.

It is impossible not to finish “Grand Union” without some sense of awe at the breadth of Smith’s talents. I suspect each reader will have their own favorites — there are no flops or near-flops in this collection, only different entry points into Smith’s remarkable gift for language.

“Grand Union” will be published on Oct. 3.

Email Julie Goldberg at jgoldberg@nyunews.com.

gutseverywhere Excels at Vulnerable First Concert

VIA INSTAGRAM @GUTSEVERYWHRE

gutseverywhere played a solo show at The Bitter End on Saturday.

By IZZY SALAS Staff Writer Clive Davis junior Cam Franklin, also known by their stage name, gutseverywhere, performed at The Bitter End this past weekend. During their set, Franklin laughed and said, “guts everywhere, literally, right now. Feeling very vulnerable.”

Their songs, which all have a poetic quality to their lyrics, included odes to Union Square and its musical potential, as well as the people who ignore you when you’re in pain. Franklin also included a few covers of Anaïs

Mitchell and Portishead. But the song they said they were most proud of was closer “The Botanist.” They said it was about “a Tinder experience, but turned out to be about everyone I’ve ever known.”

With lyrics ranging from “I’m never gonna die” to “No one believes you when you’re inconvenient,” gutseverywhere was thoughtful and bare, sharing experiences of feeling invincible, broken and like you don’t quite fit.

Franklin’s sound fits well with modern bedroom pop, with a comforting tone and a feeling of having just woken up. They also have a Joni Mitchell quality, with a high, clear voice and an edge, especially when accompanied by their friend and music partner, Clive Davis senior Henry Herbert, on electric guitar.

Perhaps just as important as the songs were the non-musical portions of the concert. Franklin and Herbet joined together in telling jokes for the crowd while tuning for different songs, with lines like: “Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to another gender.” As each audience member wandered into the venue, Franklin paused to say their name and repeat their gratitude for everyone showing up.

Franklin also asked the crowd whether or not a poem was acceptable during their set and proceeded to read

the poem “First Date.” Quirky and insightful, it is a list of questions and contemplations. Franklin included ruminations like how others feel about kissing in public. gutseverywhere ended each song without their guitar — only their voice. It was a fleeting moment each time, but one of incredible intensity and isolation, offering a startling intimacy. These moments served as a microcosm of the whole concert: brave, honest and lovely.

“I feel overwhelmed with gratitude,” Franklin told WSN. “This was the first time that I hardly knew anyone around me, but everyone I worked with at the Bitter End was very kind and helpful. I was happily surprised by everyone who came to support and I can’t wait for more opportunities to share my work.”

Franklin’s inspiration comes from other queer and transgender people, who uplift and sustain them. Their hope is to come out with recorded music soon, but for now, their Instagram is filled with snippets of the intimacy one can now find at a gutseverywhere show.

Anna (Fin) Muratova contributed reporting.

Email Izzy Salas at music@nyunews.com.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

Washington Square News | Arts

7

Washington Square News

8

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

OPINION

OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM

Edited by COLE STALLONE and ABBY HOFSTETTER

POLITICS

The US Needs a General Strike

By COLE STALLONE Opinion Editor Three years ago, graduate students earned the right to unionize. A new proposal from the National Labor Relations Board seeks to take that right away.

This is a part of a series of attacks from the Trump administration on organized labor following its resurgence as a powerful political force. Last semester, I wrote about the resurrection of the labor movement and the series of teacher strikes in several U.S. states. Since that time, the movement has only grown. United Auto Workers organized a strike of almost 50,000 members in response to failed

negotiations with General Motors, highlighting the emergence of the movement in multiple industries. As the objective of the labor movement is better conditions, students have shown that workers aren’t the only ones who should be concerned about improving the spaces in which they exist. From overnight lock-ins against institutional racism, walkouts over underfunding and internationally organized climate strikes in response to the growing crisis, the youngest generation is proving to be the most innovative at fighting for a better future. The growth of the labor movement is supported by the long-term data: more workers went on strike last year than any year in the last three decades and the highest since 2007. The proposed redefinition of graduate students is retaliation against the re-emergence of the labor movement. If the right to organize is taken away from graduate students, the labor movement should rally behind them and forcefully assert their right — by calling a general strike.

Graduate students play an important

role in their universities as well as the national labor movement. As a total population, there are approximately 3 million graduate students in the U.S., with over 130,000 working as graduate teaching assistants. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, TAs had a median annual salary under $34,000 — less than half the median annual salary of a professor. Graduate students who work as instructors at a university are critical to its functioning, often teaching required courses. Regardless of employment status, graduate student unions benefit all students and advocate for important issues, like better health care and greater faculty diversity.

The attack against graduate students is one part of the attack against the labor movement as a whole. Despite his rhetoric of supporting U.S. workers, President Donald Trump has systematically attacked the working class. Trump’s first nominee for Secretary of Labor, Andrew Puzder, withdrew his nomination after information about labor law violations

he committed were made public; Puzder paid more than $20 million in class-action lawsuits as CEO of CKE Restaurants, the parent company to various fast food restaurants. Trump’s next pick and former Secretary of Labor, Alexander Acosta, oversaw Trump’s extensive anti-labor agenda, reversing workers’ safety measures and actively working against unions. Following Acosta’s resignation over his role in the Jeffrey Epstein controversy, there appears to have been an escalation in the opposition to labor. The current Acting Secretary of Labor, Patrick Pizzella is known for his opposition to worker’s rights. Pizzella’s first job was in the Reagan administration as a director of right to work committees, which restricted union rights.

Through Pizzella, we can see the long history of anti-union sentiment in past administrations as well. As a whole, labor unions went on the decline starting with the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947, which itself was a response to a series of strikes in the preceding years — the largest in all of

American labor history. From that point on, union membership and the power of labor fluctuated, with some fearing it dead. In spite of these fears, recent movements show that we are far from having to mourn organized labor.

The only legitimate response to a serious threat is a superior display of force; this applies in war as much as it does in organized labor. The idea of a general strike is not new to contemporary politics or to American history, but the need for one grows more everyday. A threat to graduate students is a threat to all students and workers; an injury to one is an injury to all. If this is to mean anything in contemporary labor politics then full solidarity must be shown to graduate students, as their ability to defend themselves from their universities hangs in the balance. If the plan to redefine graduate students goes through, there must be a general strike.

Email Cole Stallone at cstallone@nyunews.com.

GOVERNMENT

Voting in New York Almost Got Harder

By ALEXANDRA CHAN Staff Writer In early September, Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed changing the date of New York’s 2020 presidential primary from April to February, claiming he wanted to stress the importance of New York’s primary in relation to the rest of the nation and have “a robust debate and dialogue among the Democratic candidates.” If he had succeeded, the change would have been more harmful than beneficial. I don’t believe it was unintentional.

New York has closed primary elections and requires registered voters to declare their party affiliation at least six months

before the election date. The current deadline to register for the Republican primary is Oct. 21, and the deadline to register for the Democratic primary is Oct. 28. If the dates of the primaries had been moved up, only voters who declared their affiliation before Aug. 21 or Aug. 28 would be eligible to vote. It would also prevent new voters from registering.

New York has 270 delegates in the Democratic Primary and so New York voters hold a respectable amount of power in the DNC. The DNC warned Cuomo that moving the primaries election dates up will result in a penalty, as was the case in 2008 with Michigan and Florida, who lost half their delegate votes. To leave New York out of a Democrat’s campaign trail would be counterproductive. Cuomo’s attempt to change the primary date would cost New York some of its influence in the DNC, contradicting his attempt to place New York issues in the forefront.

There is no shortage of attention for New York from Democratic candidates.

Two candidates, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

and Mayor Bill de Blasio, represented New Yorkers, though both have since dropped out. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) kicked off his 2020 campaign at Brooklyn College.

Senator Elizabeth Warren held a rally on Sept. 16 in Washington Square Park, with an estimated 20,000 in attendance. New York ranks second in the nation in terms of total donations to Democrats. Considering the candidates’ personal affiliations, the number of voters and delegates and amount of donations, in the current competitive field there is no reason for a Democratic candidate to ignore the state of New York.

Cuomo’s first 100 days for the new 2019 legislative agenda included modernizing New York’s voting laws; he signed off on legislation allowing early voting, synchronized federal and state elections and voter preregistration for people under 18. Pushing back the primaries would be counterintuitive to previous legislative advancements and disenfranchise a large portion of voters. Cuomo’s communications director Dani Lever said consolidating

the presidential, congressional and state primary elections would ease the voting process. If that were the case, this proposal should’ve come much earlier, or the sixth month requirement should’ve been eliminated along with the proposed legislation.

Cuomo supports former Vice President Biden, claiming “people can’t eat rhetoric.” A poll by College Pulse and Chegg found 28% of college students supported Sanders, 22% supported Warren, and only 11% supported Biden. Young voters have the potential to turn out in even larger numbers than they did in the 2018 midterms, where 36% of 18-29 year olds voted and changed many seats in favor of more progressive candidates, versus 20% in 2014. Young college students especially, who may not have registered with a party before, would be uninformed about a change in voting laws. Eighteen-year-olds beginning life alone are not likely to prioritize voter registration during their first week in New York in late August. Combining the presidential, congressional and state primaries requires that voters be in-

formed much earlier and much more comprehensively. Most would be hard pressed to learn enough about every candidate and ballot issue to put forth a confident and decisive vote. Cuomo doesn’t want to invigorate young voters because he doesn’t support the same candidates they do. He would keep us ignorant and prevent us from exercising our rights by moving goalposts we aren’t aware of.

NYU has hosted many voter registration drives, but students may still be unaware of the approaching deadline. Any attempt to remove young voters is unfair.

Fortunately, the date change did not happen, so there is still time for prospective voters to register and declare a party affiliation for a chance to use their voices. Voter education must take precedent. Barriers to voting need to be removed effectively and honestly. An informed voter is proof of a working democracy, and now is the time to make that a reality.

Email Alexandra Chan at opinion@nyunews.com.

UNIVERSITY LIFE

Navigating the First-Year Cultural Shift

By KENZO KIMURA Staff Writer Growing up Japanese-Brazilian, people always asked me, “What type of food do you eat?” I usually replied, “Imagine meat, rice and beans, except the rice is Japanese.” I always believed that my intersectional identity was adaptable — that because I was

both Asian and Latino, I had the ability to adapt to any scenario.

After coming to New York City, I realized I was wrong. I, like many other firstyears, felt a wave of independence and opportunity as I lugged my 20-pound suitcases toward my dorm. As my first month comes to an end, my college experience has changed my perspective toward academia, extracurriculars and social life.

In high school, my friends used to tell me that college was so much easier than high school and that freedom would allow me to mature into an adult. Although my school schedule is no longer 7:45 a.m. - 3 p.m., the extracurriculars I take part in result in less free time and an abundance of late study nights. I have somewhat fallen

back into my old high school habits; nothing has changed besides the fact that I no longer eat my mom’s cooking.

Undergoing a transitional experience like living with roommates instead of family pushes you to grow up fast. As thrilling as that may sound, my cultural lens has left me emotionally confused and overwhelmed by the independence given to a first-year.

My parents didn’t move out until almost a decade after they graduated from college. Most of their friends and relatives experienced a similar situation. In Japanese-Brazilian culture, the mixture of Asian and Latino values leave children prioritizing their family while also staying at home until as late as marriage.

As a first-generation American, the idea of being thrown into the real world amplifies my stress, especially since my new home is Manhattan. My friends here at NYU assume that I’m just homesick, but I see this as culture shock; my family has never had to confront the idea of leaving home at 18.

I understand that as mature as I am in the eyes of my university, I also realize how young I am to be given this amount of independence. The rush to grow up fast could draw one to live in New York, but at times I see this as more of a liability than an asset.

I no longer have anyone telling me what to do, and my life decisions are completely contingent on me. The privilege of living under my parents’ wing has left me with roadblocks on time management, organi-

zation and prioritization of academics. By growing up in a culture where my parents have essentially done everything for me — from bringing me cut-up fruit to driving me everywhere I needed to go — being immediately put in this position of independence has created more counterproductivity than transitional maturing.

When incoming first-years adjust to NYU, our first experiences of Welcome Week and first semester classes can vary drastically. The question isn’t about how long it will take to settle in; it’s how cultural upbringings leave some students less prepared for university life.

Email Kenzo Kimura at opinion@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Opinion

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

9

CULTURE

Regulation, Not Prohibition

By JUN SUNG Deputy Opinion Editor During Prohibition, the United States banned the manufacture, sale and transportation of alcohol. As a result, the U.S. saw the rise of an illegal black market and an unregulated exchange. Alcohol continued to be consumed while becoming more dangerous to drink. The same phenomenon is already starting to happen in the vaping industry.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has already banned e-cigarette flavors through an emergency executive action, and President Donald Trump is planning to do so nationally as well. Opponents say a ban wouldn’t be effective, while advocates argue that it could reduce the number of people who start vaping. The truth is that an outright ban on e-cigarette flavors will lead to a public health crisis and escalate the entire situation. Legislators should learn from the events of Prohibition and aim for stronger regulations while promoting research on the effects of black market substances, rather than enact policies that will worsen the situation.

To understand this problem, it is f irst important to note that the focus of the ban is misplaced. The likely cause of the recent vaping illnesses and deaths is related to bootleg THC cartridges, not flavored e-cigarettes. Though the exact reasons for why these black market cartridges are dangerous is unknown, almost every case of illness and death is related to the vitamin E acetate contained in the products, a compound that if inhaled, can cause lipoid pneumonitis.

Any prohibition-style ban on e-cigarette flavors fails to target these root issues. It will also divert attention from the worsening issue of fake cartridges, exacerbating the same problems as before. Any serious solution to vaping illnesses should focus on the black market THC industry, not

Submitting to

e-cigarette flavors.

Recent studies have shown that vaping can serve as a gateway to smoking; reports have also shown that some vapers are responding to vaping health scares by reverting to cigarettes. There is a direct connection between vaping and smoking, and banning one will lead to an influx of the other. It is important to recognize that this type of policy will lead to an illegal industry and products that are unregulated and dangerous. These black market substances will lead to serious health issues even larger than the problems made by bootleg THC cartridges. Basically, any ban will only lead to new, unsafe products in the hands of youth.

Safe injection sites are a good example of why regulation is more benef icial to restraining addiction than outright bans. Studies show that these facilities decrease overdose deaths and reduce the stigma of addiction. The same idea should be applied to vaping. Strict regulation of consumption and manufacture should be the focal point of curbing vaping. Banning does the exact opposite, deregulating the sector and inflaming the problem.

Instead of banning certain e-cigarette flavors, lawmakers should respond to the vaping epidemic with tighter regulation. This includes increasing penalties for stores that sell to underage consumers and spreading public awareness of vaping’s potential health effects. The latter has been proven to work internationally for anti-smoking groups, showing why mass media campaigns are crucial. Most importantly, however, there should be legislation on both state and federal levels specifically targeting black market THC vapes. There should also be more research on vitamin E acetate, a compound found in almost all bootleg cartridges.

Through both legislation and research, vaping illnesses and deaths would most certainly decrease, as the policies would focus on the root issues of the vaping problem.

Prohibition tactics have been proven ineffective and should be avoided at all costs.

STAFF EDITORIAL

GSOC’s Newest Fight for Survival On Friday, the National Labor Relations Board proposed redefining graduate students as nonworkers, effectively stripping them of their right to unionize.

The proposal wouldn’t extend to public universities, as they aren’t under the NLRB’s jurisdiction, leaving graduate students at private universities — like NYU — in danger. The history of graduate student unionization is particularly strong at NYU, the site of the first nationally recognized graduate student union at a private university. Unionization is a fundamental human right, according to the UN, and NYU’s graduate student union, the Graduate Student Organizing Committee, has proven its importance, working towards higher wages and better healthcare for graduate students. GSOC has also organized on behalf of individual members, calling for the firing of Avital Ronell following her return to campus after being found guilty of sexually harassing her student.

GSOC’s campaigns are responses to the mistreatment of graduate students by NYU; the elimination of the graduate student union would only worsen an already bad situation. GSOC — like many other graduate student unions — is the only protection against a university that has proven on multiple occasions to totally disregard student concerns. In light of this latest infringement on students’ rights, specific attention must be given to the proposal’s effect on GSOC and what this means for NYU graduate students.

The NLRB’s proposal, which is expected to pass, reverses a 2016 Obama administration ruling which gave graduate students federal protection in forming unions. This reversal would be just another step in a series of back and forths between the NLRB and graduate students. After originally ruling to recognize graduate students as workers in 2000, this decision was reversed in 2004, when it was ruled that graduate students’ “primary role” was as students. Following this ruling, NYU failed to recognize or work with the existing graduate student union. The retaliation of NYU’s administration, especially former President John Sexton, against unionizing efforts during the strike were troubling. More specifically, the university threatened students for participation, in some cases

following through and firing graduate student workers who went on strike.

Despite failing to achieve concessions that year, GSOC continued to work on behalf of students and was eventually recognized by the university in 2013, following a decision to affiliate with United Automobile Workers. The 2016 federal ruling has only strengthened the position of GSOC on campus. Since then, it secured a contract with the university in 2015; the administration failed to fully implement all aspects of the deal, leading to a march held by GSOC members and supporters. Furthermore, NYU notified graduate students about the consolidation of their healthcare plans, which would cause a rise in healthcare costs.

Originally, NYU claimed that they were required to modify their plans in accordance with New York State law — WSN discovered this to be false and that “the decision to consolidate the plans was made exclusively

by NYU and its health insurance company.”

GSOC also called for the firing of Professor Ronell after she sexually harassed her graduate student and was reinstated after a year’s suspension. The Ronell case highlights the vulnerability of graduate students, whose futures are dependent on powerful faculty and a historically neglectful university. Similarly, GSOC’s continued advocacy in their struggle for graduate student unionization and for other on-campus campaigns highlights their crucial role in the lives of graduate students.

As their official recognition and ability to organize is attacked, more support than ever must be given to GSOC. This is not the first time it has faced this problem and it likely won’t be the last. Despite NYU’s anti-union past, particularly under Sexton’s presidency, the university has an opportunity to make a difference — if the resolution is passed. Regardless of the NLRB’s ruling, NYU must continue to recognize and work with GSOC, as it has proven to be extremely important to graduate students. If the university follows the decision of the Trump administration and refuses to recognize the labor of graduate students, then GSOC must do what it has always done — continue the struggle.

Email the Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com.

COLE STALLONE Chair ABBY HOFSTETTER Chair JUN SUNG Co-Chair

Email Jun Sung at jsung@nyunews.com.

SEND MAIL TO: 75 THIRD AVE. #SB07, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10003 OR EMAIL: OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM WSN welcomes letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles relevant to the NYU community, or in response to articles. Letters should be less than 450 words. All submissions must be typed or emailed and must include the author’s name, address and phone number. Members of the NYU community must include a year and school or job title. WSN does not print unsigned letters or editorials. WSN reserves the right to reject any submission and edit accepted submissions in any and all ways. With the exception of the staff editorial, opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.

Washington Square News

10

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

SPORTS

SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM

Edited by BELA KIRPALANI

Pair of First-Years Leads Cross Country to Explosive Start

By BIN CHO Staff Writer The women’s cross country team has had an excellent start to its 2019-2020 season. Spearheaded by dominating performances from CAS and Steinhardt first-years Leah Haley and Siena Moran, the team won its season opener and finished in second place at the Ron Stonitsch Invitational and the Fred Pavlich Invitational this past weekend.

“It almost hasn’t hit yet,” Haley said.

“The first race I was like, ‘Oh wait, why am I in this jersey?’”

Haley has been running ever since she was a child, and she attributes her interest in the sport to her father and sister, who also ran cross country for NYU. With three top-four finishes under her belt so far this season, the CAS first-year and Northern California native only hopes to get better.

“I know our goals are to be some of the top freshmen,” Haley said. “I definitely think that’s a good goal to shoot for and to just push ourselves to be better.”

Moran only started running competitively in her sophomore year of high school and came to NYU not knowing what to expect from college sports.

“I had just joined two years ago, so I was still getting the hang of my new team and sports in the U.S.,” Moran said. “I wasn’t sure what to expect.”

Despite this, Moran is NYU’s top performer this season, with one first

place finish and two second place finishes in competition so far. Those performances have helped NYU to a No. 9 ranking in the Atlantic Region. She credits her success to the strong community she’s found on the cross country team and how it’s helped her settle into life at NYU. “I feel like the freshmen on the team instantly clicked, and it’s just been a positive atmosphere,” Moran said.

While Haley and Moran are dedicated to continuously improving for the team, they remain focused on adjusting to their first year of college and getting a feel for the team and the competition.

“It’s kind of hectic, because we’re constantly going to Palladium, doing a bunch of team activities and trying to do homework,” Haley said.

“The freshmen, we all get together to study so we can try and balance our athletics and schoolwork,” Leah agreed.

The importance of the team’s bond and chemistry is a core philosophy of Cross Country Head Coach Erison Hurtault.

“Everyone on the women’s team really has a good mentality,” Hurtault said.

“Which is great to see. One person with the wrong mentality or attitude can really take away from the group.”

As a former collegiate athlete, he also understands the pressures and surprises that come with the first year of college.

“The main thing for us is keeping [the first-years] in line, making sure

SAM KLEIN | WSN

First-year Siena Moran has been the top NYU finisher at all three meets this fall, leading the Violets to a ninth-place regional ranking.

they’re taken care of, they’re healthy, making sure they know that we’re here for them,” he said. “And helping them learn this new environment. Not only from an academic standpoint, but from a competitive standpoint.”

In his fourth year as head coach and sixth with the team, Hurtault knows better than to try and make early season predictions.

“It’s always very difficult to tell,” he said. “And one of the main reasons is

that college, you have a whole new set of stresses. Every week is going to be new.

They’re going to be racing at different distances over the coming weeks. So, you know, they’re going to have a lot of new challenges.”

But while the season is still in its nascent stages, Hurtault does have complete confidence in Haley and Moran’s work ethic and dedication.

“It’s not typical to see a freshman come out and beat people who’ve qual-

ified for nationals and so on,” Hurtault said. “But it’s still early in the season. It’s a good sign, seeing them respond to a competition so well. They’re not afraid.

They feel like they can handle it. They can take a good challenge every week.”

You can catch Haley, Moran and the rest of the team back in action on Oct. 5 at the Paul Short Invitational in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Email Bin Cho at sports@nyunews.com.

Finding Community Through Water Polo

By REBECCA CHOI Staff Writer The NYU men’s water polo team is one of the most successful club teams at NYU, making consistent appearances at Division I and Division III NCAA competitions. Unlike varsity sports, club sports are student organizations that exist under the sponsorship of NYU’s Department of Athletics, Intramurals

and Recreation. Club teams often have an atmosphere that is more laid-back and inclusive — and the men’s water polo team is no different, welcoming people of all skill and experience levels.

NYU alumnus and Water Polo Head Coach Colin Hong said the water polo team can serve as a home base for students as they navigate college life.

“Everyone should have the same experience where you don’t fit in exactly,”

Hong said. “But here, we’re your teammates and also a part of your everyday life and stuff like that — even though we’re all different.”

Now, he is focused on balancing the success of the team with maintaining a positive team atmosphere.

“You’re here to be a part of something,” Hong said. “Like competition, that’s a focus for us, but I also think that building a safe space for everybody is

first and foremost.”

Team members see the team moving closer toward that goal each passing season. NYU Law second-year Aaron Lawrence said everyone is valued on the team and is a part of something.

“We have players of different skill sets, people who have played varsity in college, and people who have never played before,” Lawrence said. “Everybody is welcome and everybody is very accom-

ALEX TRAN | WSN

NYU’s water polo team practices. Both the coach and athletes emphasized the sense of community they have found on the team.

modating. Whatever you bring to the table, we will work with to make sure that it gets better.”

Stern senior and team co-captain Ben Conley said that relaxed expectations and the emphasis on academics help.

“I like the club sports aspect,” Conley said. “It is way less serious. If I need to skip practice, it’s pretty easy for me to. It’s nice to have a mellow fun team to be a part of.”

Since many members of the water polo team do not come to NYU with extensive playing experience, Hong attempts to assist in their transition to the game by comparing it to other, more popular sports. Water polo is played in water, but involves the formation and strategy characteristics found in many land sports.

“I usually use basketball as an example, just [because] you have perimeter players and have a center, and soccer because you have a goalie and then there are like different cuts and drives that you make,” Hong said. “I think the skills that you can take from other sports that go into this are baseball players who throw and transition really well into water polo.

The basic mechanics of wrestlers and judo players are really good, too.”

Liberal Studies sophomore Jordan Chen believes that the sport itself is a combination of endurance and strength.

“It’s definitely an endurance sport where you’re sprinting to get the ball into the net while also sprinting back on defense,” Chen said.

Email Rebecca Choi at sports@nyunews.com.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

Washington Square News | Sports

Don’t Sleep on Coltrane Tait

By ARVIND SRIRAM Staff Writer Coltrane Tait takes classes in Stern, pulls all-nighters in Bobst and makes the usual trek to MCU Park in Brooklyn for NYU baseball games. He is also the co-founder of a start-up aimed at providing New Yorkers with an alternative to buying a bed.

Tait’s company, Washington Square Sleep Company, partnered with Nova Sleep Co. to offer rentable pillows and mattresses to New Yorkers. The company offers three mattress options and its services include free delivery, installation and pickup.

“I believe every person moving into their first NYC apartment should rent a mattress,” said Tait, a Stern senior. “If you buy a new mattress and end up moving away from NYC within three years, you almost always end up throwing away that mattress. Nobody buys used mattresses, and I’m pretty sure they’re illegal to sell on Craigslist.”

Thrown-away mattresses take up unnecessary space in landfills because they cannot be compressed and are difficult to take apart. Tait believes renting a mattress alleviates many of the problems surrounding mattress waste in the U.S. “It costs less, helps solve the issue of mattress waste in NYC and our company does

all the delivery and installation for you,” Tait said. “Every single one of our customers so far has said our service is amazing.”

While he is focused on growing his business and graduating college, Tait is also making his name on the baseball field. He finished last season with a .277 batting average and a remarkable 1.000 fielding percentage. Still, Tait sees room for improvement.

“I definitely need to work on being more patient,” Tait said. “You know, it’s my last season of baseball ever, so I’m leaving it all on the line. Definitely be more patient, like swinging at less balls. I get really aggressive and get really eager about hitting fastballs and then someone will throw me a curveball and I’ll just miss it, and that’s how I strike out a lot. This offseason, I’ve been working on seeing the ball longer rather than deciding super early.”

His teammates know that Tait is up to the task.

“I’ve been here for three and a half years; I transferred after my freshman fall and he’s definitely the best leader we’ve had here on the team so far,” CAS senior Grant Otto said. “He just cares about the team, and he’s really a people person, and overall just a really good guy. Everybody on the team respects him, literally every person. He’s probably the best leader I’ve had so far.”

Tait’s ambition and hard work are what

CHELSEA LI | WSN

Stern senior Coltrane Tait is a member of the NYU baseball team and co-founder of the “Washington Square Sleep Company.”

make him so successful, according to Head Coach Douglas Kimbler.

“Cole is a high character guy,” Kimbler said. “He is respected, he is loved.”

Named as one of the team captains for this upcoming season, Tait also plans on improving as a leader.

“I think the most important thing is just, for one, having fun because if you’re not having fun and you’re playing baseball at NYU, it’s really easy to just quit and go do something else,” he said. “Second thing, to make sure they’re working hard and having fun because the most fun thing about being on a baseball team is winning games with your teammates. If you’re not working hard, you’re not going to win games.”

Tait’s leadership skills and business savvy make him a good partner, according to CAS sophomore and Washington Square Sleep Company co-founder Sosh Behnia.

“He catches on to things and perceptions of things better than I would,” Behnia said. “He thinks of really good new ideas for new directions to take or better ways to cut down costs. He takes an idea and converts it into his own style, and it’s really fun to watch.”

Managing his own company along with dealing with the rigors of being a student-athlete is a daunting task, but the experience has taught Tait how to effectively manage his time.

“So far, I learned that I have to schedule as specifically as possible,” Tait said. “I can’t just say, work on the company for three hours, because I’m just going to get lost in the important tasks. If you give yourself specific tasks, for example, email 50 clubs within a two hour gap, it will be more specific goals. That is essentially the power of specific scheduling.”

In his senior year, Tait has high expectations — for both baseball and business.

“Teamwise, it’s really only one goal and that’s just make regionals and get this NYU baseball team to its first regionals ever,” Tait said. “[For the company], I want to get the name out there as much as possible, throughout the next school year, so Sosh can take it over fully and see a lot of the returns next year.”

Email Arvind Sriram at sports@nyunews.com.

What’s Next for US Basketball?

By ARVIND SRIRAM Staff Writer Following an 89-79 loss to France in the quarterfinals and a shocking 94-89 defeat against Serbia, the U.S. men’s basketball team ended its 2019 FIBA World Cup run in seventh place, the team’s worst-ever performance in an international tournament featuring NBA players. After the 2019 tournament, Team USA now has as many gold medals (1994, 2010, 2014) as they do tournament losses (2002, 2004, 2019).

As much as they would rather not harp on it, the Americans’ poor performances can all be attributed to an underdeveloped roster and a lack of star power.

This year’s team featured only two allstars: Kemba Walker and Khris Middleton.

Due to injuries and players wanting to rest their bodies before the grueling NBA season starts up again, the U.S. was left with few good options.

We saw this most clearly in the game against France when Coach Gregg Popovich was forced to play forwards Harrison Barnes and Jaylen Brown at the center position, which allowed French center and

two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert to tower over them and grab offensive rebounds.

While the U.S. has boasted the best NBA talent in the world for decades, other countries emerged from the fold at the World Cup, making it clear that the U.S. could not scrape by with the second-tier players they brought over.

In addition to Gobert, France had four players with NBA experience. Serbia, who beat the U.S. 94-89, played five current NBA players, headlined by all-NBA center Nikola Jokic, who finished with nine points, three rebounds and showcased his point-center abilities with seven assists.

And Spain, the eventual world champions, had four NBA players, including tournament MVP and Phoenix Suns point guard Ricky Rubio.

The Americans’ dearth of good shooters also hurt them. In the knockout game against France, the U.S. shot 35% from the three-point line and an atrocious 66% from the free throw line. Center Brook Lopez — who was supposed to be the team’s stretch big man following his standout shooting season with the Milwaukee Bucks — went

just 2-14 from three in the tournament.

This year, it seemed players were dropping like flies — every day, news would break of stars like Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Bradley Beal, James Harden, Tobias Harris and Anthony Davis withdrawing from the team to focus on the upcoming NBA season. If the U.S. wants to succeed in the 2020 Olympics, it needs to convince these players to come on board and represent their country on the world stage.

Much like the Redeem Team, where the U.S. dominated its way to a gold medal in the 2008 Olympics, there is hope for the 2020 Olympic Team. Lillard and Stephen Curry have already verbally committed to playing in the 2020 Olympics. Even though the team finished seventh in the World Cup, it is still ranked No. 1 in the FIBA ranking system. Whether this was just a fluke performance due to a depleted lineup remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: more and more teams have NBA talent on their rosters and the U.S. will need all the starpower it can get if it wants to win gold in Tokyo.

Email Arvind Sriram at sports@nyunews.com.

11

The Field as a Happy Place

SOPHIA DI IORIO | WSN

By BELA KIRPALANI Sports Editor I overthink things. A lot.

I worry about problems that don’t even exist yet. I replay old memories in my head and think about what I should’ve done differently. Often, I never say what I want to say to the person I want to say it to because I get too caught up in the words and how they will sound coming from my mouth.

Let me back up a bit. My mom used to tell me to think of my happy place whenever I got too nervous or stressed out. For her, her happy place was the beach, standing where the water meets the land, toes squinching the sand as ocean waves gently crash into her legs, spraying them with a cool mist.

“Mhmm, that’s great, Ma,” I used to mindlessly murmur, shooting her a skeptical look, followed by a cheeky smile because I’m cute like that.

These days, I’ve been thinking more and more about my place.

Green grass, white paint. Me sprinting down the field, gliding past opponents like Andres Iniesta. Timing my slide tackles to perfection like Carles Puyol. Bending the ball into the top right corner like David Beckham. Sliding on my knees in celebration like Brandi Chastain. This was my happy place. The place where I felt surest of myself.

I should probably take the time now to tell you how my journey in soccer began. It’s actually thanks to my mom — of course — that I started playing the beautiful game in the first place. When I was five years old and driving her up the wall with my antics, my mom enrolled me in intramural soccer with the rest of the neighborhood kids. She had no idea how important soccer would become to me — or how much money I would make her spend on jerseys over the years.

While my mom got me started in the sport, my dad was the one who would take me to all my soccer games and cheer me on from one of those foldable lawn chairs that every parent seemed to own.

I remember when it was just me and him, zooming down the highway with the windows down, listening to all his favorite rock bands from his youth. Some of my strongest memories are from those days, when he would quiz me on artists based on the sounds of the guitar within the first 20 seconds of the song. Needless to say, I was very bad at that game and if you know me, you’d know that most of my listening these days consists of pop music. But still, whenever songs like “More Than a Feeling” and “Sweet Child O’ Mine” start playing, I am always transported back to those drives to and from soccer games.

Anyway, those days were kind of short-lived — or at least it felt that way. After my parents split up around the time I was in middle school, my dad stopped taking me to my soccer games. By this time, my little brother was also playing soccer and my mom had her hands full as the sole caregiver in our house so she was never really able to stay and watch my games. But there I was, running down the sideline like my life depended on it, feeling so free and clearheaded.

Things always change, no matter how much I don’t want them to, but the one constant in my life has been the soccer field. I was never the best player on the field, but that didn’t matter. I rarely had people at my games, but that didn’t matter. As long as I was on that field, nothing else mattered.

Some of the first friends I made at NYU were on the soccer fields of Pier 40, the sun shining down on us. My first semester of college is filled with memories of me running with the boys every Friday, kicking ass and taking names. Just kidding — kind of.

I guess I’m writing all this to say that soccer has always given me an outlet that nothing else could ever offer. When life gets to be too much, there’s no better place for me to play until I’m too exhausted to think than the soccer field. I guess this is kind of like a love letter to the beautiful game. I am nothing if not a hopeful romantic, after all.

And I know that wherever life takes me, I will be sure to find another field, and nothing else will matter. Just the green grass, a ball and me.

Ready to run again.

The Sports Girl is a weekly sports column that will feature a girl’s take on sports. Yes, a girl. Yes, on sports.

Email Bela Kirpalani at bkirpalani@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News Staff Editor-in-Chief

Sakshi Venkatraman Managing Editor

Sam Klein DEPUTY Kate Lowe Creative Director

Opinion Page EDITOR Cole Stallone, Abby Hofstetter DEPUTY Jun Sung Under the Arch MANAGING EDITOR

Sam Brinton DEPUTY Dana Sun, Daija Dewberry

Guru Ramanathan EDITOR Anna de la Rosa, Arin Garland, Mansee Khurana DEPUTY EDITOR Joel Lee, Anna Muratova MULTIMEDIA Justin Park

Multimedia

Ellie Ballou

Sophia Di Iorio, Deborah Alalade Copy Chiefs

Julia McNeill DEPUTY Marva Shi PHOTO Jorene He VIDEO Min Ji Kim DEPUTY PHOTO Elaine Chen DEPUTY VIDEO Chelsea Li Social Media

Akiva Thalheim VISUALS Vanessa Handy Senior Staff

NEWS Victor Porcelli CULTURE Carol Lee ARTS Claire Fishman SPORTS Bela Kirpalani

Deputy Staff Alexandria Johnson, Ronni Husmann, Lisa Cochran, Mina Mohammad FILM Fareid El Gafy NEWS

THEATER & BOOKS

Julie Goldberg MUSIC Ethan Zack CULTURE Lauren Gruber DINING Calais Watkins BEAUTY & STYLE Bella Gil SPORTS Benjamin Michael Davis

ABOUT WSN: Washington Square News (ISSN 15499389) is the student newspaper of New York University. WSN is published in print on Mondays and throughout the week online during NYU’s academic year, except for university holidays, vacations and exam periods.

DEPUTY MULTIMEDIA CREATIVE WRITING

Maxine Flasher-Duzgunes, Andrew Ankersen EXPOSURES Celia Tewey EXECUTIVE VIDEO PRODUCER

Lu Limanowski ADVERTISING Business Manager

Lukas Villarin

Interested in working for us?

Come to our Sunday pitch meetings.

Director of Sales

Mel Bautista Director of Marketing and Logistics

Yejin Chang Account Associates

Mira Silveira ADVISING

Director of Operations

Nanci Healy

1 p.m.: News, Opinion 1:30 p.m.: Culture 2 p.m.: Arts

Editorial Adviser

2:30 p.m.: Under the Arch

Editors-at-Large

3 p.m.: Sports

Rachel Holliday Smith Sayer Devlin, Hanna Khosravi, Melanie Pineda, Pamela Jew, Natalie Chinn, Alex Cullina, Nicole Rosenthal

CORRECTIONS: WSN is committed to accurate reporting. When we make errors, we do our best to correct them as quickly as possible. If you believe we have erred, contact the managing editors at managing@nyunews.com.

3:30 p.m.: Multimedia, Design

THIRD NORTH 75 Third Ave., North Tower, #SB07

We are telling big stories — the Bling Ring, Venmo fraud, drug donkeys — ones that expanded past our print-standard 500 words, ones that paint pictures with words.

This magazine aims to be a platform where undergraduate and graduate students alike can mutter on about their love of the blue-seated MTA trains or put into words the flavor of their love of grandma’s dumplings.

nyunews.com/underthearch underthearch@nyunews.com