2.12.18- Fourth Estate

F URTH ESTATE Feb. 12, 2018 Volume 5 Issue 14

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

@ivestate | gmufourthestate.com

DOS AND DON’TS FOR DATING APPS page 9 MASON STUDENTS’ THOUGHTS ABOUT VALENTINE’S DAY NEWS

LIFESTYLE Mason students from Film and Video studies work on capstone projects

page 6

Dating a Catholic?

Here’s why you might want to stay away from candy this Valentine’s Day

page 3

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NEWS

OPINIONS

Mason celebrates Black History Month with speeches, conversations, and banquets

page

Find out from Mason health officials why this flu season has been so nasty

page 13

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We are always recruiting volunteers for: - NEWS WRITERS - LIFESTYLE WRITERS - SPORTS WRITERS - COPY EDITORS - PHOTOGRAPHERS

For all inquiries, please email a resume and two clips (or visual samples) to: masonfourthestate@gmail.com AND apply online at http://c2ms.info/osmapply

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Fareeha Rehman Sosan Malik Co-Editors-in-Chief

Katya Beisel Copy Chief

Michael Eberhart News Editor

Alex Shedd News Assistant Editor

Dinanda Pramesti Lifestyle Editor

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Co-Editor-in-Chief Sosan Malik

News Editor Michael Eberhart

Co-Editor-in-Chief Fareeha Rehman

News Asst. Editor Alex Shedd

Lifestyle Editor Dinanda Pramesti

Student media had a visitor last Friday - Title IX Coordinator Jennifer Hammat. Title IX is a law that prevents discrimination on the basis of sex and gender in public education. Hammat has spoken to different groups around campus, informing our Mason community about affirmative consent, what constitutes sexual misconduct, harassment, and assault, as well as an array of other widely used terms that people may not thoroughly understand.

Though I felt I had a strong understanding of this topic, I learned a few things. Did you know our Title IX office can also assist you in an uncomfortable internship position? With the alarmingly long list of predatory media men in recent news - Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose - this information eased the anxiety of entering the workforce as a student. For on campus situations, I learned Mason has “no-contact orders,” which are essentially restraining orders for students with consequences if violated.

For students outside the realm of heteronormativity, Title IX will assist in instances of discrimination on campus due to gender, sex and sexual identities. This includes from students and professors.

Basma Humadi Lifestyle Assistant Editor

Jamie Beliveau Opinions Editor

Catherine McKay Online Editor

Billy Ferguson Art Director

Allie Thompson Photo Editor

Emmett Smith Distribution Manager

Kathryn Mangus Director

David Carroll Associate Director

Jason Hartsel Assistant Director

Jessica Smith Business Office Manager

The Title IX training put a face to the support Mason provides and showed me that we have a coordinator who is approachable and trustworthy. Unfortunately, I received this training in my last semester and I wonder how many Mason students have graduated without ever learning about this.

Lifestyle Asst. Editor Basma Humadi

Art Director Billy Ferguson

Opinions Editor Jamie Beliveau

Photo Editor Allie Thompson

George Mason University Mail stop 2C5 4400 University Drive Fairfax, Va. 22030 Phone 703-993-2950

Copy Chief Katya Beisel

Online Editor Catherine McKay

Rainn.org reports that “11.2 percent of all students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation (among all graduate and undergraduate students).” If it didn’t happen to you, you may know someone affected. Please seek out your resources while you have them. Visit diversity.gmu.edu for more information.

COVER PHOTO CREDITS

As always, I welcome a letter to the editor with your thoughts. Reach me at masonfourthestate@gmail.com

Photo courtesy of Grant Smith

Fareeha Rehman

Lifestyle FAVS courtesy of Renzo Luzon

Co-Editor-in-Chief

News Black History Month courtesy of ODIME

Fourth Estate is printed each Monday for George Mason University and its surrounding Fairfax community.

The editors of Fourth Estate have exclusive authority over the content that is published.

There are no outside parties that play a role in the newspaper’s content, and should there be a question or complaint regarding this policy, the Editor-in-Chief should be notified at the email provided.

Fourth Estate is a free publication, limit one copy per person. Additional copies are 25 cents payable to the Office of Student Media.

Masthead Heart Fourth Estate/ Mary Jane DeCarlo

Opinions Ash Valentine’s Day Fourth Estate/ Allie Thompson News Health Fourth Estate/ Allie Thompson

NEWS

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MASON CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Virginia is failing to reach measures for improvement by 2030 goal

ODIME and campus organizations host impressive events for February

The new report makes the case that post-secondary education is the key to growing Virginia’s economy.

Ninety-nine percent of the 11.5 million jobs created in the last decade “required workers with more than a high school diploma,” according to the report, and employees with at least an associate degree are 38 percent more likely to have employer-sponsored health care than those with less education.

To achieve the government’s education goal, 70 percent of the working population will need a post-secondary degree by 2030. Currently, the number is 51 percent.

The SCHEV report lays out six measures to chart the state’s progress -- awards, student success, affordability, research, price and economic returns. Only the first two measures are progressing on track to reach their targets for 2030.

While Virginia is currently ranked the sixth best-educated in the nation, that ranking slips to eleventh when only considering workers with more

than an associate degree. The report blames “four years of net out-migration of working age individuals” from the state for lowering the overall rank and setting back the other progress measures.

The report makes clear that improve-

ments in many education measures have also left behind a “gap” for underrepresented students -- “those who are of minority race or ethnicity, receive Pell grant funding, are age 25 or older or represent regions of the state with lower education-attainment rates.” Although university completion rates have improved by two percent in recent years overall, underrepresented students are still seven points below that average.

“In rural areas of the state, only 27 percent of Virginians have an associate degree or higher,” according to SCHEV. “Only 31 percent of non-Asian minority Virginians hold an associate degree or higher -- an estimated 20-percentage point gap

compared with the current total population of 51 percent with an associate degree or credential.”

Other measurements in the report show the state is 20 points below the goal of directly funding 67 percent of education costs. This has caused both

two- and four-year colleges to raise tuition and fees to recover the difference, while also increasing the need for financial aid for students from lowand middle-income families.

Finally, the report details how Virginia colleges need to increase its share of national research expenditures by 30 percent over the next twelve years to meet its goals. Instead, research costs have decreased by three to four percent every year since 2013, putting the state in 14th place nationwide.

SCHEV concludes that unless these trends are reversed, “these declines may affect Virginia’s ability to grow its economy in the coming years.”

ASHLEY STEWART STAFF WRITER

This February is Black History Month -- the time every year when people across the country celebrate the rich history and culture of African-Americans.

“The U.S. and the many freedoms we enjoy as Americans would not exist were it not for the enormous sacrifices made by AfricanAmericans who insisted that the United States live up to its founding principles,” said Dr. LaNitra Berger, whose research at Mason focuses on modern art in the African diaspora.

Black Histor y Month allows for a celebration of the countless contributions of African-Americans to society.

Mason is no exception, with a lineup of events and activities for the month from faculty, staff, and students alike.

Mason’s own Dr. Angela Hattery and Dr. Earl Smith will give a presentation about the relationship between law enforcement and the African-American community on Feb. 13 in the MIX at Fenwick Library.

The following week, on Feb. 19, Mason will host the 2018 Sojourner Truth Lecture with Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin. Martin’s death made headlines and drew national outrage when he was fatally shot by George Zimmerman on Feb. 26, 2012.

Mason’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education (ODIME) will also host several events in honor of Black History Month.

On Feb. 12, ODIME will host the “Ain’t I a Feminist” lecture by Dr. Michelle Allen in the Johnson Center.

They will also organize a “Black Excellence Gala” in Dewberry Hall on Feb. 23. The event is being billed

Photo courtesy of ODIME

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) recently released its annual report to the General Assembly for 2017, addressing how the commonwealth’s government plans to achieve its goal of becoming “the best-educated state by 2030.”

Photo courtesy of VIRGINIA PLAN FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

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SCHEV RELEASES ANNUAL REPORT ON HIGHER EDUCATION MICHAEL EBERHART NEWS EDITOR

Photo courtesy of VIRGINIA PLAN FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

2.12.2018

by ODIME as “an evening of mystery, culture, and celebration.”

Along with ODIME, there are several student organizations that will host events this month. The Delta Sigma Theta sorority will host an “In Livin’ Color: A Celebration of Black Theater, Film, and Arts” on Feb. 15 in the Hub ballroom. Roosevelt at Mason will a host “Technicolor Was Never Meant to Be So White: Racial Diversity in Film” on Feb. 27 in the Johnson Center.

“We should never relegate our study of black history to the month of February,” added Dr. Berger. Even though she enjoys Black History Month activities and events, she suggested that people should “analyze and criticize our national narratives on a daily basis so that we develop a more complex understanding of the United States and its history.”

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NEWS

2.12.2018

TIM KAINE

COREY STEWART

E. W. JACKSON

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

NICK FREITAS

IVAN RAIKLIN

RON WALLACE

THE RACE FOR 2018 MIDTERM ELECTIONS HEATS UP

Five Republican candidates oppose incumbent Democrat Tim Kaine for U.S. Senate seat ABIGAIL ADCOX STAFF WRITER

Three months after Virginia elected a new governor and slate of delegates to the General Assembly, campaigns are gearing up again for the 2018 U.S. senate midterm elections.

Tim Kaine, the Democratic incumbent and former state governor, is running for reelection. He is opposed by five Republican candidates -- Corey Stewart, E.W. Jackson, Nick Freitas, Ivan Raiklin and Ron Wallace -competing in the GOP primary on June 12. What do we know about these candidates so far?

Kaine is the only candidate running on the Democratic ballot this year. It will be his first senate reelection campaign since taking office in 2013. Kaine previously served as mayor of Richmond, lieutenant governor from 2002-2006 with then-Governor Mark Warner (now the state’s senior senator), and Virginia’s governor from 2006-2010.

As Virginia’s junior senator, he has been a member of the committees for the armed services, foreign relations, and budget, as well as the Senate Special Committee on Aging.

Kaine’s campaign highlights education spending, clean energy, agriculture and the environment as key issues, and he plans to continue government investments in transportation and infrastructure, protecting health care through his Medicare X bill, and funding for DACA immigration protections.

Republican challenger Corey Stewart is currently serving on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, where he has been the at-large chairman since 2008. Stewart previously ran for governor in 2017, but was defeated in the GOP primary by Ed Gillespie.

Stewart is known for advocating a strong crackdown on illegal immigration. During his time as chairman, the

county has turned over almost 8,000 criminal illegal immigrants to ICE. Stewart’s campaign is also focused on bringing jobs back to Virginia, protection of the Second Amendment, pro-life policies and lower taxes.

E.W. Jackson, a minister at Exodus Faith Ministries in Chesapeake, previously served in the Marine Corps, and worked as a small business lawyer.

Jackson supports the U.S. building a border wall with Mexico, and his platform emphasizes a “parent-driven, child-centered” education policy and strong national defense. Jackson gained national attention while running for lieutenant governor in 2013, when the National Review published excerpts from his book, “Ten Commandments to an Extraordinary Life: Making Your Dreams Come True,” in which he compared practicing yoga to worshipping Satan. He previously ran for the

senate in 2012.

Nick Freitas (R-30th), is serving as a delegate in the General Assembly representing parts of Culpeper, Madison, and Orange counties. Freitas served in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and Special Forces, including two tours in Iraq. Freitas is running on a platform of “limited, constitutional government,” including “economic liberty [and] fiscal responsibility.” Like Stewart, Freitas promises that if elected to the senate, he “will be a staunch advocate of our Second Amendment rights.”

Like Freitas, candidate Ivan Raiklin served in the Army Special Forces, with 20 years of experience as a military diplomat, foreign affairs specialist, and intelligence officer during deployments around the world. Raiklin has also made a career as a businessman, investing in a wide-range of start-ups.

One of the skills Raiklin hopes to bring to the senate is his fluency in English, Russian and Spanish, and working knowledge of Arabic and French. His campaign focuses on national security and support for veterans, adding jobs and boosting economic growth.

Ron Wallace has worked in corporate senior management and marketing.

His candidacy focuses on the federal budget -- a hot topic with one government shutdown already this year, and another narrowly avoided on Feb. 8. Other issues for Wallace include promoting pro-life legislation, protecting gun rights, and ending illegal immigration.

All five Republican candidates will compete in the statewide GOP primary on June 12, while Kaine will be looking toward the Nov. 6 general election.

FOURTH ESTATE/ALLIE THOPMSON

WHY THIS FLU SEASON IS HITTING MASON SO HARD This year’s epidemic may be the worst in nearly a decade TISHA HERRERA STAFF WRITER

This year’s seasonal influenza (flu) virus has been the most virulent since 2009 according to statistics from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, with one in every ten deaths nationwide related to the H3N2 flu virus in recent weeks.

The unexpectedly strong flu season this year required a response from David Farris, executive director of Safety and Emergency Management, and Dr. Wagida Abdalla, the director of Student Health Services (SHS), about preventative measures to stay healthy and avoid this year’s outbreak.

“That [email alert] was really sent in response to a higher than normal levels

of influenza in the region -- Virginia in particular,” said Farris. “Mason by no means has a localized outbreak of flu.”

As students and faculty returned to campus this semester, many have already contracted the flu, and could not attend their classes. The Office of Student Services does track the number of faculty and staff that are out sick, explained Farris, but students are bit more difficult to keep track of, because they “don’t have to check in everyday, or report days they miss from class.”

“I didn’t get a flu shot [last year], but I ended up getting the flu,” said senior Tyler Shields. “I missed about four

days’ worth of classes.”

Even as some students and instructors continue to miss classes due to this year’s flu outbreak, others were able to recover over winter break in time for the spring semester. Mason student Tyler Jones did not receive a flu shot from SHS. “My friend did get [the vaccine],” Jones remembered, “and literally that night after he spoke about how his arm was sore, I woke up with a fever.”

Everyone should take precautions to prevent contracting the flu. Farris wanted Mason’s flu warning message this semester to “reinforce the good hygiene that’s necessary, that can be

used to protect folks from becoming sick and getting others sick.”

“The flu vaccine is usually effective through the flu season,” said Dr. Abdalla. Despite the disclaimer posted on the office’s website, “SHS [still] has a limited supply of flu vaccines,” she explained. Those vaccines are available to all Mason students at their office in SUB 1.

These preventative measures to fight the flu should include paying attention

to personal hygiene, making sure to get plenty of sleep every night, and eating nutritious foods to boost the body’s immune responses.

Do not hesitate to notify your instructors if you become ill, and avoid classes if you are sick to prevent spreading the flu virus to other students. If students are unable to get the flu vaccine from the SHS office in SUB 1, they are also available with a visit to your local pharmacy.

NEWS

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2.12.2018

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MASON’S STUDENT SENATE PASSES NEW BUDGET Senators also voted on new cabinet appointments to replace former members TISHA HERRERA STAFF WRITER

FOURTH ESTATE/ALLIE THOMPSON

Mason’s student senate met for the third time this semester on Thursday, Feb. 8, in Merten Hall. They discussed resignations and new appointments, passed a new budget and accounted for an unspent $13,250 from the discretionary fund.

MASON DREAMERS SPEAK OUT ON DACA The act protecting undocumented immigrants has an uncertain future OLIVIA VERMANE STAFF WRITER

President Donald Trump announced in September that the federal government would be ending DACA, the Obama-era program that protected young undocumented immigrants from deportation throughout the country.

Known as “DREAMers,” these hundreds of thousands of young immigrants came to the country as minors and have lived nearly their entire lives on American soil. Under the protection of DACA, they were able to renew their status every two years in order to stay in the country.

Although this program does not provide a pathway for citizenship, it does allow recipients to get work permits.

In a statement delivered on Sept. 5, 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions argued that DACA was an “unconstitutional exercise of authority by the executive branch.”

In order to give congress time to act, Trump allowed for a six month delay in terminating the program. According to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, the president is not expected to extend his decision past Mar. 5. As the deadline looms closer, this has raised the urgency for lawmakers to come up with a permanent solution.

Trump has proposed legislation that provides a path to citizenship for 1.8 million DREAMers and other immigrants. This includes not only the 690,000 people currently protected

by DACA, but allows for an additional 1.1 million undocumented immigrants that were not previously part of the program.

People currently protected under DACA will no longer be protected after the program expires next month.

Instead, DREAMers will face the risk of deportation.

However, this seemingly generous proposal comes with Trump’s own demands. These include $25 billion in federal funding for the construction of a southern border wall, as well as significant limitations on legal immigration.

“As people begin to lose DACA, their work permits, and drivers licenses will also expire, preventing them from having access to basic necessities,” said Mayra Leiva, internal president of Mason DREAMers. “For those who are students, losing in-state tuition is also a possibility if the state does not have legislation to protect that right (such as Virginia).”

This “take-it-or-leave-it’ proposal puts Democrats in a bind, and according to Michael D. Shear of the New York Times, because “members of both parties said that legislation would have a better chance of passing if it focused on legal status for DACA recipients without a dramatic crackdown on illegal immigrants or new restrictions on legal immigration for extended

family members.”

This solution is unacceptable to many constituents, including Mason DREAMers.

“It further allows our communities to be profiled and targeted,” said Leiva.

“A wall affects communities living by the border…. Passing legislation that protects few at the expense of the majority of our community is cruel and unjust.”

The past few weeks have kept congress busy as lawmakers raced to pass a budget on time to avoid a second government shutdown of 2018.

Trump gave his final approval and signature to the bill on Feb. 9, after a late filibuster by Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) that caused a temporary shutdown through the night.

Davide Genoese-Zerbi, chairman of Government and Community Relations, reported to the senate that the committee recently elected Joseph Fernando as their new vice chairman.

Ashley Reichert, undersecretary of Public Relations for Events and InterOrganizational Relations, was unanimously approved as a new cabinet member.

After these new appointments were confirmed, the 22 members discussed Bill #19—a bill that allocated $150 that funded water bottles for the 2018 Homecoming Tailgate. But how much money does student government have, and where does it come from?

The student senate receives $20,500

“Our discretionary budget is basically all the money that we don’t know for sure what we’re going to spend it on,” , explained Genoese-Zerbi. “[It] started last year, we started publishing a budget so that we can have a general idea of the expenses we know are coming.”

The new budget included $13,250 for the senate’s discretionary funding, $3,500 for the annual Mason Lobbies event in Richmond, $3,000 for Gold Rush and $2,000 for destress events during both semesters.

Unlike the two previous meetings, the Feb. 8 meeting did not include any new resignations. Liam Murphy, Xiwei Lei and Samuel Petto left earlier this semester, requiring new appointments for the remainder of student government’s second session.

Lawmakers came to an agreement for a two-year budget that would fund the government and avert another shutdown, but protections for DREAMers were left out of the bill. Legislators now have less than a month remaining to pass DACA legislation before the program expires.

“Personally, it has felt like an attack on people of color by targeting those who are most vulnerable,” said Leiva. “DACA recipients deserve to be here and deserve to live a life of dignity and respect, and so do their parents and family members. As an organization, we are finding strength in our community and continuing to advocate and educate about this issue.”

FOURTH ESTATE/TISHA HERRERA

With less than a month remaining before the federal government ends the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), a sense of urgency has come over recipients and lawmakers alike as the deadline looms.

Speaker Caitlin Lively followed the first order of business by reminding other senators to aid at Saturday Homecoming Tailgate for their outreach and office hours.

annually from Mason’s office of University Life, which is used to pay for programs, events, and materials that help the student body. Student government has also delegated where any leftover funds will go, and passed “A Resolution to Establish the Budget of Student Governance” at the Feb. 8 meeting to detail where the rest of the funds will be administered.

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LIFESTYLE

2.12.2018

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ART IMITATES LIFE: MASON STUDENTS’ FILMS INSPIRED BY REAL THEMES

“The Gay Club” and “In Undertow” show community acceptance and heartbreak

Logan Brown: The Gay Club The movie “The Gay Club” is a true story. Logan Brown, senior, and is based off a girl from her hometown in Georgia, named Hailey.

The main character, Hailey, is a lesbian from a conservative small town and is trying to create a club called the Gay-Straight Alliance in an effort to create a safe haven for other kids in her hometown. However, for a year the school’s administration does not allow her to create the club.

Once they do get the club started, the movie becomes about the community backlash.

Brown’s original idea was a documentary on why kids leave small towns.

“I ended meeting Hailey and she ended up telling me about the Gay-Straight Alliance and I knew right away that that story, Hailey’s story, needed to be what I make my movie about instead of what the doc was originally about,” continued Brown, “Hailey’s story really resonated with me because I’m gay and she’s from my hometown and I saw what she was doing in the community and it was just something that needed to be told.”

Photo courtesy of RENZO LUZON

What makes Brown’s movie and Hailey’s story unique is that it is based in a rural, small town, whereas most movies featuring LGBTQ+ individuals are based in the suburbs or the

city says Brown. This film is different in the way it chooses to not include romance, death or coming out says Brown. The film focuses on community acceptance rather self-acceptance.

traditional life of getting a house, settling down and having kids. The core of his character, according to Nguyen, is that he wants to be with someone else.

“On the third day of shooting I got a phone call from real life Hailey’s mom, who I’ve only talked to three or four times before, she called me, and she was crying and I was like, ‘Oh hi, what’s up’ and she said, ‘I just want to say like thank you so much for doing this. I’m seeing your Facebook page and what you’re doing is absolutely amazing and I can’t believe how accurate you’re getting everything’ and I was just like, ‘Oh thank you, that means so much.’ and to have the mother of Hailey call me like that and just be so thankful for sharing her daughters story just meant a lot to me,” said Brown.

However, Teddy is also not a redeemable character.

The budget for “The Gay Club” was around $2,000 after Brown did a crowdfunding campaign with a goal of $4,500. So far, however, production has spent roughly $3000 according to Brown. The film also received a camera from Sony for free after Jamie Mahon was given a grant with them. Brown worked very closely with the Hailey the film is based off and her co-writer Ryan Elliot, along with many others to create this film.

Both Nguyen and Brown’s films will be shown at Mason’s end of the year film festival on May 6.

Julian Nguyen: In Undertow In a story created from personal experience, Julian Nguyen, senior, is making a movie called, “In Undertow,” a story in which the main characters, Teddy and Bobby are going through an “incredibly sad breakup,” as Nguyen describes it.

Nguyen says he wrote the film to get closure from experiences in his own life.

The male main character, Teddy, is a hopeless romantic who wants the

“I sent the script off while I was writing it to a set of different readers who would give me their opinions on stuff and one of the things I got back from one of my readers in the final draft is that he said it resonated emotionally with him, but more specifically he commented on how uncomfortable it was that he related so much to the male character, because he’s not a very redeemable character in the story,” said Nguyen. The female main character, Bobby, is more impulsive and passionate than Teddy, who wants to do her thing.

FOURTH ESTATE/ALLIE THOMPSON

As the film progresses, Teddy and Bobby begin to clash more and more as they reach the main conflict of the film.

“I think if there’s one thing that I’d like people to take away from the film its that I’d like people to try to be more introspective when looking at the film. I’m not trying to push some kind of agenda or give some kind of grandiose idea about love or the nature of romance. It’s supposed to be about how you think about yourself and the kind of roles we play with each other,” said Nguyen.

“In Undertow” had a budget of about $740 which was raised on indiegogo. com. Currently, the film has not gone over budget and any remaining money will go to putting the film into festivals.

The film was written by Nguyen and recent graduate Tiana Young.

Both Nguyen and Brown’s films will be shown at Mason’s end of the year film festival on May 6.

Photo courtesy of JASON CORTEZ

For many, movies are a way to explore new worlds and experience different lives. Perhaps more importantly, movies are also a way to parallel real life and the hardships people face in their everyday lives.

For their senior capstone projects for Film and Video studies (FAVS), Julian Nguyen and Logan Brown are creating stories that do just that.

Photo courtesy of RENZO LUZON

HAILEY BULLIS STAFF WRITER

LIFESTYLE

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Photo courtesy of LAURYN CANTRELL

WHAT VALENTINE’S DAY IS, ACCORDING TO MASON STUDENTS

Valentine’s Day has different meanings for Mason students HUONG CAO STAFF WRITER

SOARING TOWARD A HOPEFUL FUTURE LAURYN CANTRELL CONTRIBUTOR

Ascending the walls of The Phillips Collection are words of artist Georgia Saxelby’s interactive exhibition, “To Future Women”, breaking the metaphorical glass ceiling. As women read the encouraging words from female contemporaries, they reflect on the marches and movements that shaped the world for women.

The retrospective for camaraderie will be re-exhibited in twenty years, on Jan. 21, 2037, commemorating

the 20th Anniversary of the historic 2017 Women’s March. Individuals are encouraged to contribute to the time capsule by sharing their stories and aspirations or posing questions by writing a letter to future women.

The exhibition is on display at the modern art gallery in Washington, D.C., until Feb. 14, 2018 and continues to rotate among various Capita- area institutions and galleries for six months.

Many people think of Valentine’s Day as a joyful occasion when they get to show love to their significant others.

But in reality, not everyone has a partner to spend this holiday with and single people may look at this holiday differently. Why do Mason students either love or hate this day?

Valentine’s Day is a cute holiday to show love While many people think of Valentine’s Day as a romantic holiday, freshman Sarah Jackson described this holiday as “a cute holiday” for everyone.

Sophomore Shayna Frank thinks that Valentine’s Day as a day when you can show love to your significant other.

One reason Frank looks forward to this holiday is that her dad usually buys her a gift.

Senior AbbyG Appleton, thinks Valentine’s Day is a day to show love, but not only for couples.

Photo courtesy of LAURYN CANTRELL

2.12.2018

FOURTH ESTATE/BILLY FERGUSON

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

“I do not think [Valentine’s Day] is just for a relationship. I think [this day] is also for friends, family, and whoever you love. It is for everybody. I may not buy candies but I will show more love to my loved ones during this day than normal.”

Valentine’s Day is a corporate holiday and does not always have to be supported

Even though Valentine’s Day is the spreading of love and positive emotions, junior Hannan Alimam thinks of it as a corporate holiday.

“We should be loving every day, not just on Valentine’s Day,” Alimam said.

Junior Leslie Jones shares similar thoughts, “I do not support Valentine’s Day, but I feel I do not support Valentine’s Day because of the idea of love. Love should be an everyday thing, not just be on a certain day. I feel like in America, we choose to only show love on a specific day, instead of doing it year-round like we should.”

Valentine’s Day does not always bring joyfulness, it also brings loneliness.

According to Alimam, “it just makes single people even feel more single. I mean that, it is fine to be single, and being single is not a big thing, but this day reminds people that they are single.”

Senior Rav Goda knows you should love your significant other every day, however, she still likes the idea of Valentine’s Day. “It does not mean that you love anyone more or less, but it is a day to celebrate your love in different ways, just like birthdays or Christmas.”

Valentine’s Day is an opportunity

“You could be pretty depressed if you are single on Valentine’s Day, but I think I see an opportunity,” said junior James Lim. “Valentine’s Day could be a day for reaching out or social changes such as meeting friends and getting together with people you love. There is no reason to hate it.”

Valentine’s Day can also be an opportunity to find love. Goda suggested using Valentine’s Day as a good excuse to go up to someone and say “hey, let’s go on a date on Valentine’s Day.” Valentine’s Day also brings an opportunity for single people to spend time loving themselves.

Valentine’s Day is just another day Despite the different opinions towards Valentine’s Day, you do not have to either love or hate it, as it could be just another day, like it is to senior Sam Beglau.

“I honestly have no feelings towards Valentine’s Day. I like the idea, but it is just another day in my mind.”

Single people could treat Valentine’s Day as a normal day or play group games such as Escape Room. Senior Alexis Green suggested “you do not necessarily put your mind on Valentine’s Day.”

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LIFESTYLE

2.12.2018

GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE

FACES OF MASON delves into the lives of Mason students, faculty or alumni, and organizations every week. This week, we take a close look at Mason student Melissa Bautisa, Mason staff Wendi Manuel-Scott, and Multicultural Association of Pre-Health Students (MAPS). If you know of a Mason student, faculty member, alumnus or alumna, or organization that would like to be featured on FACES OF MASON please submit your request via: https://goo.gl/HZ4SMd INTERVIEWS BY BASMA HUMADI

STUDENT: MELISSA BAUTISA Photo courtesy of MELISSA BAUTISA

Who’s your biggest inspiration?

My biggest inspiration is my mother because she’s one of the hardest working human beings I’ve ever met in my life. My mom was the first in our family to arrive in the United States back in 1983, fleeing the Civil War that was taking place in El Salvador. She also took on the role to provide and help her family back in El Salvador by

working multiple jobs in Los Angeles.

Coming to a new country, not knowing the language, not having any family here and making a life out of nothing, really makes my mom my biggest inspiration What did you do this past summer?

This past summer I went to El

Salvador. My reason for my visit was to pay my last respects to my grandmother My grandmother passed away three years ago and I was not able to say my final goodbye to her due to me being in school. I was very close to my grandmother so the fact that I could not attend her funeral was very hard.

What motivates me in the morning is coffee. I know I may sound crazy but the fact that I get to wake up early just to have my cup of coffee is my motivation. Once I have my cup of coffee I’m good for the day and I feel so happy.

What motivates you to get up in the morning?

S TA F F : W E N D I M A N U E L - S C O T T

FOURTH ESTATE/ALLIE THOMPSON

What is your proudest achievement and why?

I’m torn between two different types of moments. One, is the small moment.

There was a point about a year ago. A student was in my class and I could tell that she was struggling. She was on my mind and I happened to bump into her outside the tea shop and said “what’s going on?” and she just exploded with emotion and angst and turmoil. And she said, “I think I’m dropping out. I just don’t think I can stay any longer.”

And I said “Yes you can. You can do this.” And we continued to talk and eventually I said “look, if you stay. I’ll commit to taking you under my wing, and taking you and supporting you. But you can do this. You got this. You’re

not going to let all of those challenges get in the way and prevent you from getting to your finish line.” And she stayed. And she’s doing amazingly well.

I don’t know. I just always knew I wanted to do something that was meaningful.

What made you want to get into teaching?

What was your first job outside of college and what was that experience like?

It depends on the day you ask me that question. Somedays, I’ll say I remember when I was a little girl I would line up my teddy bears and I used to teach my teddy bears. There’s always been a part of me that wanted to change lives- and that sounds really mushy, but there’s lots of different ways to do that work. There’s lots of different ways to make your corner of the world a little bit better. And the way I choose to do that work is in a university, in a classroom.

I took a year off and I worked as receptionist while I was applying to graduate programs. I think it became very clear to me immediately there was no way that was going [to happen].- it was in a hospital. There were all these physicians around and there was this air that they were obviously much more intelligent than all of us. That space did not feel right to me. My soul wasn’t being fed.

My spirit wasn’t being fed because I wasn’t doing stuff that mattered to me.

Or at least not a 9 to 5.

I found this little bookstore in Chicago, Illinois. I was living with aunts and uncles. And I found this bookstore and I was like, ‘Do you guys have like African American history, sort-of children’s story book time or something?”.

They said no. And I was like “Well, I’ll volunteer to create it for you and I’ll come in once a week.” And they were like “okay, if you can get the kids there.” So the next thing you know on weekends, I’d go there every Saturday.

In the 9 to 5, I was a receptionist for one year. And then I found my way to Louisiana State University.

O R G A N I Z AT I O N : M U LT I C U LT U R A L A S S O C I AT I O N O F P R E - H E A LT H S T U D E N T S MAPS- Multicultural Association of Pre-Health Students; Teresa Neves- Event Coordinator, Amira Dalmazio- President

FOURTH ESTATE/BASMA HUMADI

What does MAPS do?

We try to facilitate minorities in medical fields. So we do that by having speakers come in, like Dr. Rockwood, and Dr. Lucy, come in who talked about his experience in Doctors Without Borders, researching during the Ebola crisis. We try to get people interested in medicine- because I think sometimes for minorities it can get lonely and then they start dropping

out because it gets so hard and no one’s there to support them. So we’re trying to be that kind of support mechanism.

We’re giving them opportunities to visit medical schools, apply to PA schools, give them volunteer opportunities.

What made you want to join this organization?

Neves: Freshman year, I was just wandering around looking for pre-health clubs and MAPS came up on Ms. Rockwood’s list. So I checked it out and everyone was so nice. They were like, “hey

welcome! We have food and here’s our meeting.” And I really really enjoyed it. Especially because they had all these doctor speakers come in and it was so cool being able to talk to them and have their experience shared. For me, it was a nice support mechanism to be able to go there and learn about volunteer opportunities, know about de-stress events, learn about how to write a resume, and learn about what to do when you’re applying.

Dalmazio: The way I joined MAPS was our old

President restarted the club after it was inactive. I remember sitting in our genetics laboratory and she was talking about it. She was my lab partner and she was like “oh let’s join, that’s so cool.” And we stuck with it and it’s my third year on the board now.

Neves: It’s grown so much too. When I went freshman year, it was like five or ten people. Now we average about twenty or thirty.

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TO SWIPE OR NOT TO SWIPE? CAT TONG STAFF WRITER

In a generation where phones and technology are on the rise and our daily lives become busier and busier, there is simply no time for “traditional dating.”

It is much easier to pick up a phone and swipe left or right than to pick up those car keys and head out to a local bar or dinner date.

You don’t want to give too much insight about yourself. Leaving some mystery is always a good thing. In return, you will have more things to talk about and discover about that person. As for that bio, basic information should suffice and anything else you may think is important to share.

Like the evolution of texting, where words have been simplified to three letter abbreviations such as “LOL,” the dating world has also been boiled down to a series of online dating sites and applications. A few popular apps include Tinder, OKCupid, PlentyOfFish (POF), and CoffeeMeetsBagel. Online dating has received a bad reputation through the years with its accumulation of users with users only seeking a chance to hook up, instead of looking for a relationship. Although, there is still hope, as there are many opportunities to find the right date. On this Valentine’s Day, here are a set of tips to remember when seeking a date through dating applications:

2. DO Post pictures of yourself:

1. DO NOT overload your personal bio:

There is no pressure or need to post something “sexy,” but only what makes you feel confident. Post pictures of yourself doing activities. Some examples are playing sports, hiking up a mountain, taking a vacation, or going to your favorite convention. The only real exposure you have on dating apps are photos, so why not make use of them? People are more likely to swipe right if they see something they can relate to, without even having to talk to you.

3. DO NOT Send Unsolicited Nudes It’s 2018. We get it, cameras are accessible. But that doesn’t mean that you should picture of anything you want and send it to anyone you want. Just be

aware of what you are sending before you press send.

Ghosting is a slang word used to reference the disappearance of either a sender or responder from a texting conversation. It is the cutoff of all communication from one source to another when one decides that they do not wish to continue pursuing a relationship. Ghosting may be a cruel act, as it leaves the other person feeling like they did something wrong, not to mention the fact that they may never get a reply or explanation.

Once someone ghosts you, that’s the end. Understand that someone who “ghosts” isn’t even worth your time.

4. DO Make Use of Video Chatting iPhones are useful in video calls through a built-in app called FaceTime. At the click of a button, you can easily have a face to face phone call. This can help you make sure the person you are exchanging texts with is the same person on the other side of the screen.

5. DO NOT Have Too Many Expectations Just like dating in person, dating online can be a hit or miss. Expecting too much can only hurt you. You can expect that there will be texting, calls and meetings, but It is important not to dwell on a single person or conversation. The right ones will keep coming back, and the wrong ones will eventually fade out.

8. DO Have Fun

6. DO Keep an Open Mind

different backgrounds, upbringings, and cultures. You will have the opportunity to talk to many people and not everyone is going to share the same views as you. It is important to be open to new ideas and be willing to listen to everything even though it may sound foreign to you.

There are approximately 7.6 billion people in this world that come from

7. DO NOT “Ghosting”

Worry

About

The dating game usually receives a bad reputation, but it all depends on your outlook. You are opening yourself up to a world of many opportunities. You will meet new people, make new connections, and learn so many new things.

The worst thing that can happen is that you might embarrass yourself in front of a total stranger, but you never have to see them again. If you’re thinking twice about getting out there, just do it!

FOURTH ESTATE/MARY JANE DECARLO

Dos and Don’ts For Dating Apps

MARDI GRAS: THE FUN AND THE FACTS MICHAEL ABLER STAFF WRITER

on Valentine’s Day, which marks the start of the Lenten season.

Mardi Gras’ origins as a holiday first began in the late 17th century as a French Catholic celebration thanks to the Le Moyne Brothers’ expedition.

This was done by King Louis XIV to defend what was then known as Louisiana and a few other territories in the south that would eventually become U.S. states during Thomas Jefferson’s presidency. These states are now known as Louisiana, Alabama, parts of eastern Texas, and Mississippi.

When the expedition led the men to camp about 60 miles away from what would later be known as the city of New Orleans, Mardi Gras was born.

The leader of the group, Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville named their spot, Point Du Mardi Gras. Afterward, his brother Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville founded the first capital of French Louisiana, which is now Mobile, Alabama. There weren’t many traditional celebrations of Mardi Gras until 1703.

While it’s not a nationally recognized holiday or something that is universally celebrated on a global scale, there are still plenty of places throughout America that proudly take the time to celebrate the occasion. Most notably places that have a French ancestry, places like New Orleans, Louisiana.

One of the most iconic traditions of Mardi Gras is to eat some King Cake and hope to find a small figure of a baby within the pastry, which is a

symbol for good luck. Jambalaya is also a traditional staple..

The city with the most iconic performances and/or events around this time of year is New Orleans, complete with crazy decorations and a full-on parade to boot. This year’s festivities include parades in both Uptown New Orleans, as well as the French Quarter. Despite it not be as widely celebrated in America as many other holidays, one thing’s for certain, this celebration knows how to bring colorful joy to all that take part in joining it.

FOURTH ESTATE/BILLY FERGUSON

During the week of Feb. 12, it’ll be that time of year again for great celebration. That’s right, it’ll be the famed event know as Mardi Gras. Also known as ‘Fat Tuesday’ in French, Mardi Gras marks the ritual of eating fattening foods and such before the Lenten tradition of fasting and it usually occurs the day right before Ash Wednesday.

In England, Mardi Gras is known as Shrove Tuesday, which comes from the word Shrive which means to ‘confess’.

This year, Ash Wednesday takes place

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LAST MINUTE VALENTINE’S DAY IDEAS Other fun festivities to do on Valentine’s Day ANGELIQUE ARINTOK STAFF WRITER

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and many are excited to share this special day of love with their significant other. However, it’s also important to consider the love we share for our close friends. Spending Valentine’s Day with those who are with you through thick and thin is one of the best ways to celebrate this holiday. Here are a few heartfelt ideas to make this year’s celebration a memorable one.

Host a potluck dinner party: This is a great way to get friends together in an intimate and inviting location without fussing about reservations or other crowds. Sophomore Yasmin Jaramillo has this kind of plan in mind, “[my friends and I] usually have lunch or dinner together. It also depends on who is single and who is in a relationship,” she shared.

FOURTH ESTATE/BILLY FERGUSON

Although you think you’d have to work around friends with significant others, hosting a potluck can perfectly blend a

mix of couples and singles alike. The potluck element not only saves money, but also saves the host massive time.

Try decorating the dinner table with fancy candles, string lights and customized place cards for friends invited.

Conversely, if the fancy route isn’t quite up your alley, transform the table into a true Valentine’s theme by laying down a pink tablecloth, cut-out construction paper hearts and flowers to spice things up.

Enjoy a sweet treat: Take the Valentine’s Day adventures outside of your home, and explore dessert spots in the Northern Virginia area.

Magnolia Dessert Bar & Coffee in Vienna is most recently known for their unique honey toast topped with fruit and French macarons. For those who have yet to hop onto the milk tea and boba bandwagon, Kung Fu Tea in Centreville is a perfect place to try something new. A visit to the local

frozen yogurt shop can also seal a sweet tooth’s deal. Most places in the area serve beyond the conventional frozen yogurt by also offering waffle cones, crepes, and smoothies.

that have recently received critical buzz are “The End of the F***ing World,” “One Day at a Time,” “The Good Place,” and “Big Little Lies,”—just to name a few.

Sing your hearts out: Try something fun with a close group of friends, and venture into venues with private karaoke rooms. A relatively close location to Mason’s Fairfax campus is Cafe Musé in Annandale. Featured with a mixture of Asian cuisine and karaoke, time spent at Cafe Musé can pump up a Valentine’s celebration with friends. No matter your singing abilities, think about about what fun time you’d have rocking out to classic showtunes or rock and roll.

Junior Sydney Hook has her own personal traditions and connections with the sweet holiday; however, she said that “this year I think my best friend and I are going to see the new ‘Fifty Shades Freed’ movie.”

Binge watch a TV show, or go to a movie theater: Either make your Valentine’s celebration a night in watching shows on streaming platforms, or spend the night out at a movie theater. Television programs

Whether you choose to view the latest installment of the ‘Fifty Shades’ franchise, or keep up to date on Oscarnoms like “Lady Bird,” or “Call Me

By Your Name,” the movie theater is a great form of escape from the potential midterm or stack of homework that awaits you.

Think outside the box: Escape rooms are not exactly the most conventional venues for a Valentine’s Day gathering, but there’s no better opportunity to see how a team cleverly works together

than solving a fictional life-or-death situation. Escape Room in Fairfax and Exit Plan in Leesburg are hot spots for this out-of-the-box outing.

Besides solving a mystery, discover a newfound talent by learning how to create and appreciate graffiti.

Sophomore Dustin Cone says he plans on going to a Valentine’s Day graffiti event in Washington, DC. Taught at 12th Street Gallery, Cone hopes to learn more about the “forbidden art,” and is looking forward to trying the stylistic and coloristic techniques out himself.

Time well spent with loved ones is undeniably special, regardless of how you choose to spend Valentine’s Day. Save these ideas beyond your Feb. 14 festivities, and implement them on common days off or free weekends with friends, family, and significant others alike.

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OPINIONS

Submissions Guidelines The Fourth Estate Opinions section is always looking for new op-ed pieces to publish in our paper! Please see the guidelines below for submission consideration.

• Submissions must be no longer than 500-600 words

• Strong submissions will be timely and have topics relevant to the GMU student population and the local Fairfax area, but all opinionated pieces will be considered • All submissions must be original works written by the person submitting it • Submissions must be completed articles

A strong submission will include a brief description of you as a writer, including any background you may have that gives you more credibility to write about your subject. For example, a government major would have more credibility when writing an article about government. Editors reserve the right to edit articles and headlines at their discretion.

We are a weekly publication. If accepted, edits must be addressed by the Wednesday after acceptance to be considered for the next issue. Editors reserve the right to rescind acceptance. Email submissions to jbelive2@masonlive.gmu.edu for consideration.

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HACKING ONLINE DATING ALEXANDER KENNY COLUMNIST

According to DatingSitesReviews.com, the use of online dating services among ages 18-24 nearly tripled from 2013 to 2016 (from 10% to 27%). The horror stories about online dating are true. But so are the happily-ever-afters. If you’re thinking of firing up your first profile or haven’t had much luck before, I’m here to help. I’ve been on more internet dates than anyone you’ve heard of, and I’m not even that good looking.

Buckle up. It’s going to get weird.

You’re about to see 50,000 thumbnails of singles and you’re competing against 49,999 others. Ninety percent of your online suitors will prove undateable (which is the same percentage of undateable suitors you meet organically). However, online suitors (men) find ways to nauseate in the first message.

Dateable men-- the good news is most of your competition is slime and borderline illiterate.

Dateable women-- the good news is there are normal, intelligent, kind men online. But they get scooped up fast.

First, choose your dating app. Tinder is popular and easy to operate, but generally for those who use sex as an icebreaker. Wear protection before you download Tinder. If you write well and you’re funny, use OkCupid or Match.com because they allow long paragraphs. Bumble’s dynamite gimmick eliminates the most appalling men because only women can send the first message. EHarmony is expensive and for people who want marriage yesterday.

The profile photo: Unless you look like Chris Evans, put your shirt back on, dude. Ditch the sunglasses.

Smile. Delete the photo of you in a bar hugging another woman. Upload one photo that says: “I’m the guy you take home to meet the parents.” Same rules for women, except Chris Evans becomes Tina Fey (my celebrity crush).

Do not hold a baby in your photo, even if it’s yours. This is terrifying to us and somewhat exploitive.

The profile blurb: You get one sentence. Do not write the words “ladies” or “boys.” Do not write “work hard play harder.” Since I’m spoken for

Photo courtesy of TINDER

On Valentine’s Day, campus couples exhibit more PDA than usual. That night, they’ll spend way too much on surf & turf, then exchange flowers, chocolate and fluids. They will smooch during a 90s movie starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan (there are three). I heard they met on Tinder.

and retired from online dating, here is the bulletproof blurb I used: “As you wish.” Half of your first messages will be “I love ‘Princess Bride’!” Now go watch the best movie ever.

The long form profile: The key here is no red flags. If you passed the photo test, the words may not even matter. No more than two sentences about your job. Only one paragraph about your hopes and dreams. If you’re very serious, write a scene with you and Mr./ Mrs. Right on your one-year anniversary. Guys are softies too-- we melt for that gushy stuff. Avoid the relentlessly upbeat profile. Fifty percent of profiles have “I love life!”

No person says these words outside of cereal commercials and AA meetings.

Be positive, but be real.

On being selective: Narrow the search radius to 20 minutes away and

click/right swipe twenty thumbnails you find attractive. Ignore Washington, D.C. residents-- the commute is awful and they won’t come to you. Don’t send a first message unless the profile positively smolders. Each of the twenty profiles will see you visited and ten of them will click your photo. This is the dance. Five will send you a first message. Two of those messages will be “wassup,” two of those messages will be the lazy “how are you?” and one message will be smart, funny, and demonstrate work. That person is your next boyfriend/ girlfriend. You have twenty-four hours to respond, five days to exchange numbers, then two more days to make plans to meet.

On Ghosting: You can walk away at any time before you meet, and you don’t need to explain yourself. Nobody does. Gentlemen, get used to being ghosted and take it like a man. She is

courted by hundreds, considering ten, in conversations with three. And she didn’t choose you. Nothing validates ghosting like subsequent evil messages and name calling. Men (boys) who send hateful farewells aren’t ready for a relationship. Instead, after three days of silence, type, “Nuts, I really liked you.

Last time I’ll message you and I’ll take the hint. Good luck out there!” You may see a response after her date with the other bozo fizzles.

The First Date: Give three friends the address where you’ll be. Schedule a check in time. This also offers a chance for the “Sick Aunt” routine if your date outweighs profile photos by 100 lbs and aged ten years. If you’ve been texting a week, a hug greeting is standard. Have fun! Be weird! Be a dork! Most people are. By next Feb. 14, you’ll be that gushy couple that single people hate.

WHY GETTING YOUR FLU SHOT CAN SAVE ANOTHER’S LIFE CHRIS KERNAN-SCHMIDT COLUMNIST

For children, the elderly or people living with immunosuppressive conditions (like myself), the flu can be extremely dangerous. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that, “most people who get the flu will have mild illness, will not need medical care or antiviral drugs, and will recover in less

than two weeks. Some people, however, are more likely to get flu complications that can result in hospitalization and sometimes death.”

This is incredibly scary if you are a parent of a young child, caretaker, or someone susceptible to complications.

Thankfully, there are methods and protections to help those stay as safe as possible. Getting an annual flu shot, using antiviral medication and being cognizant of everyday preventive actions such as washing your hands are all ways to protect yourself.

For many of these susceptible groups, getting the flu shot is not enough and for a rare group it may not even be possible. According to research released this January by Eurosurveillance, Europe’s leading journal about epidemiology, this year’s flu vaccine is estimated to only be 10 percent effective against the 2017 influenza

A(H3N2) epidemic (the common strain in most areas). Even if these groups receive the flu vaccine, it still does not guarantee protection from all strains of the flu. For most people, a flu vaccine also does not guarantee protection but can vastly reduce symptoms. However, for groups with compromised immune systems, it remains just as deadly.

Getting your annual flu vaccine not only helps keep you safe, but protects those who can catch the virus easier much safer. The CDC recommends that caregivers receive a vaccine each year to reduce their likelihood of catching and spreading the disease to their patients. This advice is critical for anyone, especially those in diverse and populous environments such as college. By getting a flu vaccine, you are saving yourself the pain of the flu but also potentially saving the life of a person who is more susceptible. While the vaccine may not be completely

FOURTH ESTATE/ALLIE THOPMSON

It is that time of year again where it seems like everyone you know is or has been sick recently. It’s flu season, and this year’s flu is particularly bad.

You may have been one of millions of Americans to get the flu this season.

Many have experienced the awful aches and pains, headaches, fever and lethargy that lasted days. The flu is no fun for anyone but for most, it tends to clear up within a week, especially if you had a flu vaccine or were prescribed an antiviral early on. However, there are many populations that cannot recover as easily, and for some a week of the flu could turn deadly.

effective, it is still better than nothing and gives you and those around you a better chance at fighting the nasty virus.

As a diabetic, I have and always will get my yearly flu vaccine. It helps strengthen my weakened immune system to better fight off the flu, but it is not perfect. I cannot ask everyone to get a flu vaccine, but I can ask that you think twice before you decide to forgo getting it. Think twice not only about

your own comfort but the comfort of those around you who may be susceptible. You can help further protect your grandma, your little brother, and maybe even your best friend from a potentially deadly, and very easy to catch, virus. You can find more information about the flu and the vaccine on the CDC’s website, www.cdc.gov as well as George Mason’s Student Health Services website, www.shs.gmu.edu/ fight-the-flu/

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ASH VALENTINE’S DAY A Lenten date night guide for the Catholic college student

MORE MUST BE DONE TO REPLACE ROBINSON HALL WILLIAM BARNHART COLUMNIST

Last year, the demolition of Robinson Hall was announced in order to accomodate space for a new building.

Some say that it’s a great opportunity to improve the campus, but I think it’s a very flawed plan. I believe this plan is flawed because the disruption to the campus will be too significant to justify immediately replacing Robinson Hall with a new building. There are multiple arguments that could be made against the replacement of Robinson Hall, but the focus of this article is to consider its effect on students.

Lecture Hall is an example of a building that needs to be replaced. It houses only two large lecture halls and it’s a single-floor building, which could be replaced by a much larger building.

Based upon the quality of the interior, it does not appear that it’s retained for posterity. When Lecture Hall is compared to its surrounding buildings, it sticks out like a sore thumb for its size and its aesthetic design. If the goal is to modernize the campus, Lecture Hall should obviously be the first building to go. Another building could use the space more efficiently.

Based upon the recent completion of Peterson Hall, it’s evident that Mason’s administration wants to expand its Fairfax campus. However, the current planned process will undoubtedly cause a disruption to normal campus activities. Robinson Hall is home to many offices, classrooms, and even a small library. The current process of demolition involves removing Robinson Hall A in the Summer of 2018 followed by Robinson Hall B in 2021. It’s said that a replacement building will be immediately finished once Robinson Hall B

is demolished. However, how can we as a student body be so certain that it will be done in time? The construction of Peterson Hall took a year longer than expected. This construction project should be time-sensitive because it could potentially affect students’ ability to take particular classes.

With the current size of the student body increasing, it’s very concerning to see how the administration is aggressively trying to expand. There are other issues on campus that cause trouble for students. The Mason community is continually growing, which means that there has to be more accomodations made for the population. This could involve creating more space for commuters to park or more housing for students. Should the university choose to ignore these needs, then there is no reason to build more classrooms on campus.

In all fairness, the project could definitely improve the campus. Robinson Hall is known to have faulty plumbing, asbestos and other issues that are costly to repair. A new building could more modern classrooms to replace the unwelcoming rooms of Robinson Hall. The completion of Peterson Hall is definitely an improvement for the campus and the replacement of Robinson Hall can do the same.

The main issue is that there should be planning done to minimize the effects of a building demolition on the campus. If you’re interested in the progress of the construction, you can visit the website at robinson.gmu.edu or @Redo_Robinson on Twitter.

As we approach the beginning of Lent, we are called upon to reflect on our life, our choices and our willingness to sacrifice. Sometimes this means the excruciating separation from coffee for forty days and forty nights. For others, it may mean logging off of all social media until Easter Sunday dawns.

Desserts are forsaken, meals are less decadent and meat is no longer on Friday’s menu. Ash Wednesday kicks off the whole season with a day full of the question, “You know you have something on your forehead, right?”

And just to make the day extra special, it falls on Valentine’s Day this year.

So how do you balance a day of solemnity and romance with ashes on your forehead? Or if you are not a Catholic but dating one, what do you need to know before you jump into this Lenten season? In keeping with the Ten Commandments, I offer the following tips.

1) Brainstorm some fun date ideas ahead of time! In a way, we are actually really lucky to be discouraged from indulging in big, fancy meals on the Days of Abstinence. As cute as it is in Lady and the Tramp, restaurant dinner dates can sometimes come across as cliché. Instead of mourning the lost chance to slurp the same spaghetti noodle as your sweetheart, think of this day as an opportunity to break out of the box! Shake things up by trying something totally new, and maybe even starting a new date night tradition.

around reflecting on the gifts we have to be grateful for—so consider taking a moment to sit down with your partner and just mention the things you love about them, and that you’re grateful to have in your life. I usually turn to writing when I want to express feelings so personal, so you could make a handwritten list to give your valentine. Even if you are not participating in Lent yourself, it is never a bad idea to reflect joyfully on all of the little things you have to be grateful for in your partner and in your life!

5) If you keep a prayer journal or try to read a little bit of scripture each day (I admire you for that effort, by the way!), look up some of the love poetry in the Song of Solomon.

6) And on that note, these verses are worth reading too if you want a mention of love in your scripture: John 15:13, Ephesians 5:2, Romans 8:38-39, 1 John 3:16, 1 John 3:1 and Romans 5:8.

7) Don’t buy tickets for Fifty Shades of Grey. Just . . . don’t.

8) Because Lent is a time of giving, talk to your partner about the possibility of taking the money you were going to use on presents for each other and giving

it to a charity instead. The readings at mass are full of encouragement to give to the poor, and reminders of how vital it is to authentically living Christian faith that you care for those most in need. There are plenty of occasions to spoil the one you love, but think what a world we would live in if we made that kind of effort to care for everyone with such affection.

9) Money isn’t the only thing we can give. Think about causes that are near and dear to your heart and find time this Lent to volunteer time and effort to help out. This can be a new kind of date night tradition that carries on beyond Feb. 14, if you and your partner are willing to commit time to this together. Whether it’s volunteering as tutors for a local school or making some food to give to a nearby shelter, there are plenty of ways each of us can improve the lives of others—and have fun while we do so!

10) Most importantly, remember that Valentine’s Day is only one day out of 365. We can show our love for the special people in our lives every other day too, by taking the time to express our feelings in little ways. You don’t need roses and candlelight to be romantic.

2) Consider something non-edible as a heart-shaped offering. True, chocolates and candy hearts are a reliable gift idea this time of year, but sweets are also a pretty standard sacrifice to make during Lent. This is a chance to show your creative side!

3) Figure out when you are going to mass BEFORE Feb. 14. Whether you are going to your home’s local parish or attending mass at the St. Bellarmine chapel right by our campus, make sure that you look up the times mass is offered before Wednesday comes around. Most parishes will offer very early services, and as little as most of us enjoy waking up early, it’s probably the best choice. You’ll be free for your classes and your date later on in the day, and that will make that early morning alarm worth it!

4) A central part of Lent is focused

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Recipe of the Week Obtained from budgetbytes.com

LAST ISSUE’S CROSSWORD

Dragon Noodles Ingredients: • 4 oz. lo mein noodles • 2 Tbsp butter • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper • 1 large egg • 1 Tbsp brown sugar • 1 Tbsp soy sauce • 1 Tbsp sriracha rooster sauce • 1 handful fresh cilantro • 1 sliced green onion 1. Begin to boil water for the noodles. Once the water reaches a full boil, add the noodles and cook according to the package directions (boil for 5-7 minutes).

2. While waiting for the water

to boil, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce, and sriracha.

3. In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the red pepper to the butter as it melts.

Whisk an egg in a bowl and then add to the melted butter. Stir gently and cook through. Once the egg is done cooking, turn off

the heat.

4. When the noodles are tender, drain the water and then add them to the skillet with the cooked egg. Also add the prepared sauce. Turn the heat on to low to evaporate excess moisture, and stir until everything is coated well with the sauce. Sprinkle the sliced green onions and cilantro leaves (whole) on top and serve!

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