Pepperdine Graphic 10-15-2021

THE PEPPERDINE GRAPHIC VOLUME LI | ISSUE 6 | OCTOBER 15, 2021 | PEPPERDINE-GRAPHIC.COM | FOLLOW US @PEPPGRAPHIC

STUDENTS EXPRESS CONFUSION OVER QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION (Left) A cartoon COVID-19 virus, at the Mt. Crags Conference Center, sadly looks to the Malibu campus as it prepares to go into isolation for a weeklong quarantine. (Right) Happy, healthy cartoon bubbles hold hands on the Malibu Campus.

ILLUSTRATION BY ALI LEVENS | CREATIVE DIRECTOR, PHOTOS BY ALI LEVENS | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND DANE BRUHAHN | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

LIZA ESQUIBIAS NEWS ASSISTANT Pepperdine’s COVID-19 quarantine and isolation guidelines raise questions from community members, causing confusion and concern for some students.

There are two designated quarantine facilities for Pepperdine students — Villa Graziadio and Mt. Crags Conference Center. When vaccinated students become exposed to COVID-19 or any student tests positive for the virus, the University sends them to a facility to be kept out of contact with staff and other students.

Residential Life staff and the Student Health Center work together to evaluate and enforce rules to keep the Uni-

W H AT ’ S AHE A D THE WAVES REPORT

versity safe, Director of Residence Life Maura Page said.

Students like first-year student Liam Zieg, however, said they experienced a lack of communication and mixed messages from the school.

“We really are the guinea pigs of the whole COVID and quarantine and isolation stuff,” Zieg said.

Facilities More than 100 Seaver College students have isolated in University-run facilities with positive COVID-19 test results since classes began in August, Medical Director at the SHC Dr. Lucy Larson wrote in an email to the Graphic. Forty unvaccinated students had to quarantine as a result of being

in close contact, Larson wrote.

The Mt. Crags Conference Center has small houses where students isolate together and individual rooms for isolation and quarantine, Page said.

The Villa offers single rooms with private bathrooms. Since the Villa is located on campus, Page said, Resident Directors do not live in the facility.

Page said the University provides medical transport for students, and the SHC organizes room arrangements. All students in quarantine, Page said, stay in individual rooms, while isolated students with positive test results can be placed together at the discretion of the University’s medical professionals.

The University used trailers in Rho Parking Lot for quar-

antine purposes but stopped in mid-September because the other facilities had sufficient capacity, Larson wrote.

Still, many students who tested positive for COVID-19 the first few weeks of school, such as first-year Race Skrmetta, spent their 10 days of isolation there.

Skrmetta said the trailer had five bedrooms with 10 total beds and one shower.

Expecting to spend the isolation alone, Skrmetta said he was surprised when other students began showing up to his trailer.

“Even though there were only three of us in there, they had all of us in the same room, which was a little weird,” Skrmetta said.

Having eight people liv-

ing in a trailer was distracting from schoolwork and also made it more difficult to rest and recover from COVID-19, Skrmetta said.

“We were all in different classes at different times; there was one desk per room, so if there was more than one person per room, you had to go to the common area table,” Skrmetta said. “And then there were more people out there, and it just got very, very hectic sometimes during the day.”

First-year student Delanie Carpenter said she is unvaccinated and had to quarantine at both the Villa and the conference center after coming into close contact with a positive case.

SEE COVID | A4

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PER S PEC TI VE S

LI FE & ART S

SP O RT S

Print columnist A2- Fine Addison Whiten

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Addison Rae stars B3- TikTok’s in “She’s All That” remake.

and Orange B5- Blue Madness presents Pepp’s

by One returns to inB4- Won person and live concerts.

golf looks to B7- Men’s repeat their national

criticizes mountain lion notifications.

Weekend returns to A6- Waves Malibu, bringing family and fun to campus.

FRI: 1-2 F

Staff Editorial: Pepperdine’s parking problems create pain for students.

Read more Perspectives content online.

SAT: 1-2 FT

SUN: 1-2 FT

MON: 1-2 FT

basketball teams.

championship.

TUES: 1-2 FT

(DEEPSWELL.COM)

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The Fine Print: Mountain lions

THE DPS REPORTS

CHECK OUT PEPPERDINE.EDU/PUBLICSAFETY FOR THE WEEKLY DPS REPORTS

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ADDIE.WHITEN@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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10/4/21 8:26 a.m.

Crime: Larcency/Theft Petty Theft - Misc.

Location: Donald W. Darnell Hall 14

ADDISON WHITEN LIFE AND ARTS ASSISTANT

10/4/21 10:55 p.m.

Crime: Traffic Related Reckless Driving Location: Main Lot

THIS WEEK IN SGA

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SGA mentions seeking a potential partnership with Lyft to secure discounted rates to and from Pepperdine for students.

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SGA’s general fund remains the same at $49,403.07, and SGA’s Senate engagement fund changed from $10,000 as of last week to $9,754.60.

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U PC OMING E VE N TS MON

TUES

WHAT: Blue Shield Info Session WHERE: Vir tual WHEN: Noon HOST: Graziadio C areer and Professional D evelopment D ept.

NO E VENTS SCHEDULED

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COVID-19 numbers and new guidelines

While seeing deer by the CCB or a bunny on Lower Dorm Road is a fun surprise, the mountain lions residing in the Santa Monica Mountains are a scary reality.

The Public Relations Office has sent four emails since the start of the semester informing students about mountain lions on or near campus. It’s nice to be aware of a mountain lion’s proximity to campus for safety reasons, but unfortunately, the quickest time between one of these emails being sent and the sighting was 12 hours.

That’s a long time to be unaware there was a mountain lion in the vicinity, especially given the email’s stated reasoning for being sent in the first place.

“Pepperdine officials share confirmed mountain lion sightings near the Malibu campus to ensure the University community is informed of, but not alarmed by, the wildlife with whom we share the Santa Monica Mountains,” the Public Relations Office wrote in the Oct. 1 email.

Even though the thought of mountain lions potentially roaming campus and waiting to attack as you walk home at midnight is scary, in reality, it’s unlikely.

There have been only 11 verified instances of mountain lions attacking humans in the state since 2000, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Of those 11 verified attacks, only one occurred in the Santa Monica Mountains.

While chances are slim you will ever find yourself face-to-face with a hungry mountain lion on campus, if you happen to be the lucky duck who finds themselves in that situation, there are things you can do to get away safely.

The National Park Service advises staying calm, not approaching or running from a mountain lion and remaining upright. When a mountain lion begins moving toward you, the NPS recommends making yourself appear as intimidating as possible, and if that doesn’t deter it, the NPS says to try throwing things at the cat. If the animal still advances toward you to attack, you must use NPS’ most succinct survival advice yet: “Fight back!”

Luckily for us here at Pepperdine, NPS says you can use a backpack as a shield against an attacking mountain lion.

While our notification system for mountain lions on campus is seriously lacking, and the thought of their nearness can be a bit concerning, in reality, there is probably nothing to fear (although I will be keeping my indestructible, NPS-certified backpack shield on me just in case).

TWEETS AND MEMES OF THE WEEK

WED 20

WHAT: CIA Info Session WHERE: TAC WHEN: Noon and 3 p.m.

HOST: Seaver C areer Center

THURS 21

WHAT: Ar t L ecture feat. Renee Reizman WHERE: Weisman and CAC Sculpture Garden WHEN: 4:30 p.m.

HOST: Fine Ar ts Division

FRI 22

WHAT: Croce Plays Croce WHERE: Smothers Theatre WHEN: 8 p.m.

HOST: Center for the Ar ts

Pepperdine

Malibu

California

United States

cases*

cases

cases

cases

deaths*

deaths

deaths

deaths

109 667 4.8M 44.5M ZERO 10 70K 719K 86%

students vaccinated

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

Correction: Last week’s COVID vaccination rate of 87% was inaccurate; it reflected vaccination rates of students, staff and faculty. 86% reflects vaccination rates of students.

Subscribe to the Pixel Newsletter ( S c a n a n d s c ro l l to th e b o tto m o f th e p a ge)

*Numbers since Aug. 1

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YECA members take on the climate crisis LIZA ESQUIBIAS NEWS ASSISTANT Five Pepperdine students make up an all-women group leading the movement against climate change on campus and beyond.

Young Evangelicals for Climate Action is a national faithbased organization with a fellowship program for college students around the U.S. to run a sustainability-focused project. The mission of YECA at Pepperdine is to create community for Christians who care about preserving God’s creations and teach others of its importance, said Chris Doran, professor of Religion and founder of the Sustainability minor.

“If Christians don’t care about how climate change is impacting not just human creatures but non-human creatures, then I think we’ve lost our way,” Doran said. “There is no issue on the planet that impacts every single creature like climate change.”

What YECA Brings to Pepp Doran said by the 2020-21 academic year, the Climate Leadership Fellows Program accepted five Pepperdine students who were ready to take action.

For the past 15 years, Doran has taught about climate change, and he said he feels it is especially important for students at a religious school like Pepperdine to understand that Christian beliefs align with protecting the planet.

YECA’s objective is to inspire environmental change from people, and Doran said students skeptical of climate change are never going to make those changes if the school does not set precedent.

Pepperdine not making a public statement about the climate crisis or having a climate action plan is disappointing, Doran said. YECA members work with administrators to encourage the University to protect the planet as a community.

“I don’t know if we have energy efficiency plans,” Doran said.

“I don’t know if we have gas reduction plans — I don’t know if we have travel limitation plans — because there is no holistic, explicitly public Climate Action Plan the way that there are at other universities in Los Angeles and across the world.”

While the University does not hold a formal position on climate change, according to Nate Ethell, senior director of Communications and Brand Development, it provided a statement to the Graphic via email regarding the topic.

“With a philosophy emphasizing the open pursuit and discussion of ideas, there are a myriad of important issues about which the University does not take a position, thereby encouraging rigorous dialogue and rich educational opportunities among a community of varying ideas,” Ethell wrote.

“This doesn’t preclude — and hasn’t precluded — the University from a commitment to sus-

tainability, and it continues to underlie a foundational support for research, thought leadership and appropriate advocacy.”

The 2020-21 and 2021-22 YECA students — both groups of five women — are game-changers in Christian climate activism, Doran said. Being able to mentor them to generate change in a challenging place like Pepperdine, he said, is a particularly meaningful experience.

Dawnielle Wright: Food Recovery Network Junior Dawnielle Wright, a Political Science and Sustainability double major, joined YECA because faith drives her passion for climate action, she said.

YECA, Wright said, has given her a community that contrasts her past experience in other spaces where she felt judged for her interest in the climate crisis — especially as a young, religious person.

“The community of sustainability is growing, but it’s still pretty small and not necessarily taken seriously at Pepperdine,” Wright said. “Sometimes when you’re in that sphere all the time, it can get a bit hopeless.”

Wright is president of Pepperdine’s Food Recovery Network and a Sodexo sustainability intern, which she merges together to promote food recovery as her YECA project.

“I’m advocating for things like getting rid of the single-use plastics,” Wright said. “My biggest focus is trying to make the dining experience as sustainable as possible.”

Wright said a way people can reduce waste is to take personal responsibility and be intentional about what they consume.

“We vote with our money — and I don’t mean vote in a governmental way — I mean vote in purchasing a bunch of plastic drinks,” Wright said. “Sodexo knows they need to keep purchasing those items because they’re in high demand.”

Emily Stephens: Mentorship Program Senior Sustainability major Emily Stephens said her project is continuing a mentorship program created in 2020 by former YECA fellow Ella Erwin (’21) for Sustainability majors and minors.

When faced with questions about how her religion contributes to her role in YECA, Stephens said she refers to the Bible.

“We’re taught to love our neighbor as ourselves,” Stephens said. “If our actions — what cars we drive, what food we eat, how we live our lives — if that is causing climate change and causing harm to our neighbors, then is that really loving our neighbors?”

It is important to Stephens, she said, to relate climate change to people’s lives and share the stories of those affected.

“The fires that came through Pepperdine in 2018 — I was here, I was sheltering in place in

the cafeteria — and that’s partly because of climate change,” Stephens said. “If you share that — ‘Remember what Pepperdine went through?’ — then we could do something to combat that.”

Allie McMullen: Education and ‘Creation Care’ Junior Allie McMullen, a Political Science and Sustainability double major, said her project focuses on educating other students about the ties between faith and climate change.

While the creation of the Sustainability department and having professors like Doran is beneficial to the Pepperdine community, McMullen said the University must make several big changes before she feels proud of Pepperdine’s efforts against climate change.

“We really should have better education with our GE requirements about what creation care looks like,” McMullen said. “It’s important and something all of us as Christians should know — and non-Christians should know.

It’s how we better take care of our environment and protect us and other people around us.”

Eager to invoke change to reverse the climate crisis, McMullen said reducing food waste and water usage, as well as voting in local and national elections, are small steps to have a bigger impact. McMullen said she often shares these suggestions with other students as part of her project.

“Voting is huge,” McMullen said. “Using your voice and stepping up and advocating for policies and for different people who care about climate change and want to take it seriously is a really huge part.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF JAYDA KECHOUR The five YECA fellows unite after a meeting with President Jim Gash and administrators Sept. 15, where they spoke about changes the University can make to be more sustainable. YECA, first introduced to Pepperdine students in 2020, gives each member the opportunity to create their own sustainability project.

Florencia Padilla: Website Senior Sustainability major Florencia Padilla said being a YECA fellow pushed her to be a strong advocate for climate action.

“I just want to be part of the solution of helping these vulnerable communities build and adapt to a climate-changed world,” Padilla said. “It’s something close to my heart to help displaced communities, and I feel like YECA helps me fulfill my mission.”

Padilla’s project is a website that sends out newsletters and posts information about the environment to educate people outside of typical media coverage.

“My idea for that is to inform people from an unbiased perspective — politically in that regard — but I just want to shine some light on how climate change is already affecting people worldwide and in communities and other countries, and even in our local area,” Padilla said.

To become more educated and insightful about the climate crisis, Padilla said students should get involved on campus.

“Supporting all our projects — that’s a great way to be educated and get involved and push for change,” Padilla said. “We’re

ART COURTESY OF JAYDA KECHOUR Senior Sustainability major Jayda Kechour makes drawings to visually express her mission as a YECA fellow.

Kechour said she hopes her project will inspire students to connect their faith with the environment. not a perfect campus, I wouldn’t say, but we can be a leading campus; I really do have faith in that.

And we have to do this with education and action — and constantly fighting for that.”

Jayda Kechour: Community Garden Senior Sustainability major Jayda Kechour said she is proud to be a voice in the movement for climate action.

Her love for nature and fresh produce sparked an interest in the agriculture industry, Kechour said. Without information on how the industry functions, Kechour said understanding the role of diet in preserving the planet can be confusing.

Kechour said Doran made her feel less alone in her views on the importance of tackling the climate crisis head-on as a Christian.

“I think of Jesus and, ‘Where

would Jesus be here now on Earth?’” Kechour said. “Well, toward the greatest need. He would be with the non-human creatures who are suffering with factory farms; He would be with the migrant workers who are suffering at factory farms.”

The motto of Kechour’s community garden project, she said, is “Route to Roots.” Kechour said she encourages intimacy and personal interest in the earth and all it has to offer.

“The communal aspect of coming together at a table and eating what came from your garden — that’s powerful, that’s sacred,” Kechour said. “You worked the land, you cared for the soil, you took intentional steps to water your garden. And so, when I think of that, I imagine God’s intentionality for creation in the very beginning.”

LIZA.ESQUIBAS@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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COVID: Regulations vary, confusing students FROM A1 “They [the conference center staff] leave stuff at your door, and they knock on it,” Carpenter said. “So you can hear them, and by the time you get to the door, they’re usually gone, and you just grab it and bring it in your room.”

At the conference center, Carpenter said her room was spacious but had no hot water, and no one collected her trash despite residential life staff informing her they would come daily. When she moved to the Villa, the amenities were much better, she said.

“They have a TV, Keurig, microwave and warm showers,” Carpenter said.

Page said staff should come daily to pick up trash and wrote in an email that if a student has a maintenance issue — such as with the water system — they can inform the RD on duty for the conference center staff to fix it.

For all students in isolation and quarantine, food arrives at 4:30 p.m., with a fresh dinner from Waves Cafe, meals for the next day, snacks and water bottles, Page said. Any student with dietary restrictions or food preferences can reach out to the RD, she said.

Students such as Carpenter said the RDs on duty were always helpful and communicated well with them.

Mixed Messages When he first arrived, Zieg said he expected people to check on him and lay out the guidelines clearly. After a few days of making calls to different departments, however, Zieg said every time he asked a question, the answer changed.

“It seems like the health center is telling us one thing, then the Resident Directors are telling us a different thing and then DPS is telling us a whole different thing,” Zieg said. “It just seems like none of them are communicating.”

Larson wrote the SHC does not offer “on-site, 24hour medical care” but can be reached during business hours on weekdays if a sick student feels the need to call.

“Residential students in I/Q [Isolation/Quarantine] housing have immediate access to the Resident Director on duty, or they can call 911,” Larson wrote. “Students can also request a call from the SHC through the follow-up form.”

Page said the University provides PCR tests for any students who need to confirm a positive case before being placed in isolation.

“Students who test positive through a rapid test — they go to quarantine for a day until

they have, I believe, a PCR test to confirm,” Page said.

Zieg said he had a different experience, however. Zieg got a positive rapid COVID-19 test on his own at a pharmacy after learning his suitemate tested positive. When he asked if he should be tested with a PCR, Zieg said he was surprised the SHC decided to rely only on the rapid test results.

“They decided it was unnecessary for me to get a different test,” Zieg said. “So they were just like, ‘You can get it if you really want it.’”

The University presumes students who obtain a positive result to be infected if they have had a close contact, such as a suitemate, Larson wrote.

“Some students will obtain testing at outside facilities, and we do not have control over which tests are performed,” Larson wrote.

“If a confirmatory PCR is obtained following a positive antigen test, the individual still needs to isolate while waiting for the PCR result.”

We really are the guinea pigs of the whole COVID and quarantine and isolation stuff .

LIAM ZIEG, first-year student Students who test positive through the University’s weekly screening testing do not get retested, Page said.

Skrmetta said he wishes the University prioritized retesting after his weekly on-campus test came back positive. He said he was asymptomatic and stayed in a Rho trailer with several students, and three or four days later, Skrmetta began to experience COVID-19 symptoms. After confirming that all his close contacts — including his roommate and suitemates — tested negative, Skrmetta wondered if his initial result was a false positive, he said.

“I’ve been staying away,” Skrmetta said. “I’ve been wearing a mask whenever we’re supposed to — so I felt like I was doing pretty good.”

The SHC advises students who are asymptomatic to get another test to uphold the results of the first, Larson wrote, but it is not a policy the school has.

“While false positive cases

DANE BRUHAHN | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Students quarantine and isolate at the Graziadio Villa on campus at the Drescher Graduate Campus. There are private rooms with amenities. can occur, they are not common, especially when an individual also has illness symptoms and/or a recent exposure to a case,” Larson wrote. “I do recommend that anyone with a positive antigen test who does not have symptoms or a recent exposure (e.g., if they obtained an antigen test for an event but have no risk factors for infection) obtain a PCR confirmatory test. This test needs to be done the same day as the antigen test.”

Junior Alisha Harris is fully vaccinated and became exposed to COVID-19 by her boyfriend, who tested positive the day she had been in close contact with him, she said.

Harris said she was not contacted by the school to alert her of being a close contact until a week after he received his positive test.

If I didn’t know that he got it, then I wouldn’t have known for a while,” Harris said. “I got an email, and I was like, ‘Oh, my five days are already up, and now they are emailing me?’”

Because her boyfriend alerted her of his positive test result, Harris decided to quarantine in her dorm room for five days and took initiative to email her professors and get retested. Harris said she wished the guidance was clearer from both the residential staff and the SHC. Larson wrote that vaccinated students exposed to COVID-19 must get a professionally administered test three to five days later to confirm they did not contract the virus. During that time, she wrote they must do a modified quarantine, which includes attending classes and getting meals but prohibits in-person participation in clubs or recreational activities anywhere on or off campus.

Carpenter said she was moved from the Mt. Crags Conference Center to the Villa after the SHC mistakenly told her and her roommate that the close contact who put them into quarantine had

a false positive.

After Carpenter’s roommate went back to campus with a friend who picked her up from the conference center, Carpenter said they got a call from the University saying the close contact was a true positive, and Carpenter and her roommate should remain in quarantine — prompting her roommate back into quarantine despite attending classes all day.

“They gave us each $100 DoorDash gift cards, and they moved us to this nicer place,” Carpenter said. “So they did feel bad about it, and they tried to fix it as best as they could because they couldn’t take us out.”

First-year students Aidan Hulbert, Race Skrmetta, Christofer Duenas, Sam Chung and sophomore Ezra Hamilton were in a Rho isolation trailer together after testing positive for COVID-19 in early September. The students complained about the trailer being hot, and the housing department told them via email Sept. 7, that they would have to vacate for a repair person to enter.

The five students all said, however, they received another email Sept. 8, that a maintenance worker would be going inside the trailer and the students were not required to leave — only to put their masks on.

Thirty minutes later — to the surprise of all five students — someone wearing just a mask and a general custodian uniform walked into the enclosed trailer, without the typical hazmat suits medical transport and testing staff wore when in contact with them, students said. The man checked the broken air-conditioning units, which ended up not being repairable, possibly exposing himself to COVID-19, students said.

The SHC did not respond when asked how they handle situations where someone must enter an isolation facility for safety or wellness purposes.

Advice from Students and Staff Quarantine and isolation is not fun, Zieg said. To smile and release anxiety, he said he began making TikToks documenting his experiences and meals, raking in hundreds — and sometimes over a thousand — views.

Carpenter said being alone for several days was a struggle, and when she realized her roommate was quarantined in the room next to hers, they began talking through the wall just to have a feel of human interaction.

Because quarantine is less restrictive for vaccinated students, Larson wrote, her advice is to get vaccinated.

“The best way to prepare is prevention,” Larson wrote. “While those getting COVID-19 still need to be isolated, those close contacts who are vaccinated do not need full quarantine. Obtaining COVID-19 vaccination will eliminate the need for full quarantine.”

Skrmetta said having an open line of communication with the RD on duty is important for people in quarantine and isolation.

Being alone or stuck in a small space for so many days can be mentally challenging, and Page said she advises students to reach out to the resources offered by the University for help.

“I would encourage them to know that they’re not alone,” Page said. “First of all, even though they’re in a room by themselves, to reach out to the RD who’s available to them, reach out to their triad or their RAs and SLAs from their regular location, and to their friends, set up Zoom calls.”

LIZA.ESQUIBIAS@PEPPERDINE.EDU

The Graphic

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Staff Editorial: Pepperdine’s parking prompts pain

O

h, how we’ve missed you, Pepperdine. The ocean views. The friendly people. The gloriously delicious Waves Cafe salad bar.

You always find a way to make parking so accessible and easy and fun. Classic Pepp.

You built Seaside (nice) and got rid of 200 parking spaces in the process (oops).

You put a COVID-19 testing site (nice) right in the middle of Rho Parking Lot (oops). You started construction on a great new parking lot (nice) in place of an old one, closing it for months in the process (oops).

And you admitted the largest first-year class in school history (nice), while also maintaining one of the largest on-campus sophomore classes ever, and still gave out parking passes like this was Oprah’s Favorite Things — which, by the way, was a great show, but still: big oops.

The writing has been on the wall for years, folks. We’ve been approaching this precarious parking predicament for a while. Now, it’s here, and it seems the administration has not entirely figured out how to address the problem.

Sadly, it doesn’t look like banishing first-years to park by Drescher is going to be enough to fix these problems — which is too bad, because we hear the Class of 2025 is a big fan of that plan.

The poor planning for on-campus parking only accounts for half of our collective headache. The other part is self-inflicted: students parking like they are 15 years old and just got their driving permits.

Graphic Managing Editor Ashley Mowreader has documented bad parking jobs on her Instagram story for over three weeks, but one woman can only do so much.

Cars are parked across lines in Rho, in fire lanes on Seaver Drive and 5 feet from the curb near the CCB — these visions haunt our dreams.

If nobody has told you yet, let us be the first: If you cannot parallel park, then do not parallel park. Five minutes before your class is not the time to try your luck.

The shame bad parkers should feel for

their crimes has not stopped their reign of terror, so to the kind readers who do not possess or have not figured out how to use a backup camera, here is an exhaustive guide to parallel parking.

Pull up next to the car in front of your spot, throw it in reverse, maneuver your back end into the open space and then pull up close to the car ahead of you.

It really is that simple.

This unspeakably horrid situation we all find ourselves in can be helped, though. We can know our limits and not attempt impossible parking jobs, and we can readjust if we mess up.

We can, dare we say, walk from Seaside to Mullin Town Square instead of driving, to alleviate some congestion. Pepperdine could also be more transparent about its limited parking and do a better job encouraging people to leave their cars at home in the future.

Above all else, we can lean on those great words on which Pepperdine as an

SAMANTHA MILLER | ART EDITOR A car, with a license plate reading "PRKNGPAIN," cries large tears out of its headlights. This car symbolizes the trouble that Pepperdine students have when trying to park their vehicles within the limited spaces on campus. institution was built.

“Freely ye received parking passes, freely park well.”

PEPPGRAPHICMEDIA@GMAIL.COM

AN INSIDE LOOK Managing Editor Ashley Mowreader Special Edition Editor Rowan Toke Digital Editor Karl Winter Copy Chief Bryant Loney GNews Producer Christina Buravtsova Creative Director Ali Levens Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Editors Anitiz Muonagolu Emily Shaw Business Director Inez Kim Advertising Director Sahej Bhasin Head Podcast Producer Kyle McCabe Pixel Editor Abby Wilt Photo Editor Ryan Brinkman Art Editor Samantha Miller News Editor

Emily Shaw Perspectives Editor Anitiz Muonagolu Life & Arts Editor Beth Gonzales Sports Editor Alec Matulka News Assistant Editor Sam Torre News Assistant Liza Esquibias News Staff Writers William Bacon Graeson Claunch Sierra Moses News Design Assistant Lillian Fong Abroad Correspondent Reagan Phillips Perspectives Assistant Editors Sarah Best Emily Chase Perspectives Assistant Sawa Yamakawa Perspectives Staff Writer Christian Parham Perspectives Copy Editor Ryan Bresingham Perspectives Design Assistant

Rachel Marek Life & Arts Assistant Addison Whiten Life & Arts Staff Writers Lydia duPerier Holly Fouche Tim Gay Yamillah Hurtado Stella Zhang Life & Arts Copy Editor Yamillah Hurtado Life & Arts Design Assistant Emilia Lekhter Sports Staff Writers Malia Bambrick Joe Doonan Jerry Jiang Austin LeDe’ Sports Copy Editor Whitney Bussell Sports Design Assistant Kaitlyn Davis Assistant Photo Editor Dane Bruhahn Mercer Greene Staff Photographers Ashton Bell Ella Coates Chloe Chan

Caroline Conder Denver Patterson Brandon Rubsamen Art Assistant Editor Leah Bae Staff Artists Autumn Hardwick Brian Zhou Design Assistants Mariah Hernandez Zoe Macarewa Ivan Manriquez Podcast Producers Joe Allgood Celine Foreman Anitiz Muonagolu Karl Winter Digital Assistant Editor Ryan Bough Social Team Sofia Longo Abby Wilt GNews Crew Joe Allgood Hunter Dunn Alex Payne Sofia Reyes Gabrielle Salgado Maria Tsvetkova

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor must bear the writer’s name, signature, class standing, major, address and phone number (except in some circumstances determined appropriate by the Graphic). Letters must be fewer than 300 words and will be edited for syntax, grammar and brevity. Letters can be mailed to student publications or emailed to peppgraphicmedia@ gmail.com.

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Waves Weekend makes a comeback Every year, parents and family come from near and far to celebrate one thing: Waves Weekend. The three days consisted of carnival rides at Madness Village, food, live music and Blue and Orange Madness — a pep rally to kick off the men’s and women’s basketball seasons. This year, Waves Weekend took place Oct. 8-10, with over 1,100 parents and alumni in attendance, Campus Programs Coordinator Danielle Minke said.

The University celebrated the 10th-annual Waves Weekend — a tradition for the Pepperdine community, as well as a weekend many parents mark their calendars for as the first time they will see their students after dropping them off for the fall semester.

“I’m excited; there is a lot of energy,” Minke said. “It’s just so sweet when you get to see parents reunite with their kids.”

Overview of the Weekend

MISSION STATEMENT

The main events of the weekend were Madness Village, Blue and Orange Madness and an Alumni Gathering with live student performers.

Attendees also had the opportunity to meet with administrators and explore both Pepperdine and Malibu.

The University required attendees to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within the 72 hours before Blue and Orange Madness, per updated county guidance on mega events. Attendees went to a tent at Firestone or Mullin Town Square on Friday to show their proof, then received a wristband to get them into the event.

“Not everybody has to go to it [Blue and Orange Madness], but if they want to go, they’re more than welcome to,” Minke said.

This was the only event all weekend that required any proof of vaccination or negative test to attend, but Minke said all students had to get a COVID-19 test every week on campus anyway, and the University recommended that parents and alumni get tested before they come to campus too.

“I purposely made sure most all of our events are outside just because I wanted to avoid any exclusion,” Minke said.

Schedule of Events Waves Weekend kicked off Friday morning with a hike to the cross on campus, a President’s Open House, an Adamson House tour and more.

On Friday night, students and parents gathered at the Firestone Fieldhouse parking lot for Madness Village — consisting of a Ferris wheel, a swing ride, carnival games, free food, a petting zoo and vendors.

Students volunteered at Madness Village to make the night run as smoothly as possible. They helped with set up and cleaning, as well as checking attendees into activities and controlling the lines.

“On a night like tonight, where there’s a lot of people out, I want to make sure it runs smoothly and make sure people are having fun,” firstyear student volunteer Michael Passwick said during the event. “I have fun doing that kind of stuff.”

Students also volunteered at the student activity vendor tents: Pepperdine Chemistry Club provided nitrogen ice cream, fraternity and sororities promoted their brotherhood and sisterhoods, Alumni Association handed out coffees, the Student Programming Board gave away Waves Weekend t-shirts and more.

After Madness Village, attendees walked into Firestone Fieldhouse for Blue and Orange Madness. The pep rally had a dunk contest, a half-court competition where two attendees unsuccessfully attempted to win a semester of free tuition and an attempt at a score by President Jim Gash. The Pepperdine Step Team also performed, with the Cheer Squad and Pepperdine Riptide on the sidelines getting attendees excited about their school.

On Saturday, attendees went to an event titled Coffee with Connie — for a chance to get to know Vice President for Student Affairs Connie Horton — as well as attend surfing lessons, a family picnic and a Pepperdine Improv Troupe comedy performance.

The University encouraged families to go out to dinner

ELLA COATES | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER (Above) The carnival swing flies students over the Firestone Fieldhouse parking lot at Madness Village. (Below) Willie the Wave flies his Pepperdine flag for the crowd at Blue and Orange Madness on the Firestone Fieldhouse court. in the Malibu community on Saturday night, offering a 10% discount at restaurants like Howdy’s, Malibu Seafood, Duke’s, Real Coconut, Marmalade Cafe and Taverna Tony. To redeem the discounts, attendees had to wear their Waves Weekend name tags.

To close Saturday night, attendees could attend the Alumni and Friends of University Registrar Hung Le and his wife Corinne Le’s gathering on Baxter Drive Park, or The Table at the Brock House.

The alumni gathering consisted of student worship performers, food and fellowship.

The Table was similar, with food, worship by the Well Collective and a message by Eric Wilson, University Church of Christ preaching minister.

The two events on Saturday didn’t necessarily replace the annual Waves Weekend concert, Minke said, but instead were opportunities for parents to attend more family-focused events. Minke said the concert could return next year.

Waves Weekend wrapped up Sunday morning with a church service hosted by UCC at the amphitheater for parents, students and alumni to attend.

Reuniting with the Students While parents said they enjoyed all the events, they were mostly excited to see their students. Maya Ramirez came to Pepperdine alongside her hus-

DANE BRUHAHN | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR band Rayon Ramirez and her mother-in-law Sylvia Ramirez, from Carlsbad, Calif., to see sophomore Joshua Drake, who spent his first year of college at home in Carlsbad.

“I’m excited he is finally here,” Maya Ramirez said.

“Last year was online, and he was a freshman but never entered the campus — so we are thrilled to be at his college.”

Parents also said they took this opportunity to assess how their students were doing at Pepperdine and if it was the right school for them.

“I can already tell that he’s at a place that acknowledges him and shows him who he is as a person and enables him to grow even more,” Maya Ramirez said. “I already feel that here.”

Jennifer Thomas came alongside her in-laws from Williamsburg, Va., to visit her first-year student, Taylor Thomas, for the weekend.

This was the first time they had seen each other since Au-

“Pepperdine Graphic Media (PGM) is an editorially independent student news organization that focuses on Pepperdine University and the surrounding communities. PGM consists of the digital and print Graphic, a variety of special publications, GNews, Currents Magazine, social media platforms and an Advertising Department. These platforms serve the community with news, opinion, contemporary information and a public forum for discussion. PGM strengthens students for purpose, service and leadership by developing their skills in writing, editing and publication production, by providing a vehicle to integrate and implement their liberal arts education, and by developing students’ critical thinking through independent editorial judgment. PGM participates in Pepperdine’s Christian mission and affirmations, especially the pursuit of truth, excellence and freedom in a context of public service. Although PGM reports about Pepperdine University and coordinates with curricula in journalism and other disciplines, it is a student (not a University) news organization. Views expressed are diverse and, of course, do not correspond to all views of any University board, administration, faculty, staff, student or other constituency.”

gust, and they were excited to be back together.

“I think with being so far away and COVID-19 and all the changes, it’s been interesting, but I think she’s really having a good time,” Jennifer Thomas said. “She’s been with a lot of different people, she’s learning a lot and I feel very safe with her here.”

Jennifer Thomas said this was her in-laws’ first time to California, so they were excited to explore the area while participating in the events on campus to see what the University is like.

“I want to get a good sense of the community,” Jennifer Thomas said. “She’s been here, and we really haven’t because we’re so far away, so we’re just learning more about the school, about the opportunities here and really the area.”

ABBY.WILT@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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PEPPERDI NE- G R A P H I C .C O M

LIFE & ARTS WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT A Presentation About the Herero of

Namibia, Formerly Known as South West Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884PHOTO COURTESY OF BRADLEY GRIFFIN The six cast members of “We Are Proud to Present” stand on stage after their emotional final scene.

TIMOTHY GAY STAFF WRITER The Pepperdine Theatre Department showcased a play titled, “We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as South West Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 18841915” by playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury, from Tuesday, Sept. 28, to Saturday, Oct. 2.

“We Are Proud to Present…” centers around three Black and three white Americans attempting to tell the story of the historical Herero Genocide. The ensemble reenacts different events from that period using letters a German soldier would write to his loved one, “Sarah.” Each character holds conflicting perspectives

on how this story should be told, mainly due to the racial and ancestral differences within the group.

Professor of Theatre, Acting and Directing Nic Few directed “We Are Proud to Present…” and said directing this play felt like he was answering a call in his ministry.

“At a time when the Pepperdine community was buzzing about diversity, Critical Race Theory, as well as inclusion as it pertains to disenfranchised communities, this show was the answer to that call,” Few said. “Any director worth their title will let the needs of the community guide their choice in the show.”

Audience member and first-year student David Harutunyan said he learned more about African history watch-

ing the play. It also helped him understand the tragic Herero Genocide more, Harutunyan said.

“I enjoyed many aspects of the play, but the two most enjoyable things were how natural the acting was and the way the history was presented,” Harutunyan said. “The acting was so natural that it was as if we were right there in Sudwestafrika during the German colonization, witnessing the horrible way the Germans were treating the Herero Tribe.”

The cast of “We Are Proud to Present…” features senior Yayabell Debay, junior Brykell Killingsworth, senior Chase Perry, senior Haley Powell, junior Quinn Conrad and junior Coby Rogers.

Theatre major Debay, who played Actor 4: “Another Black

Person,” said she had a mix of emotions acting in this play.

“I was excited because it was the first play that I got to do since the pandemic,” Debay said. “I was also really nervous about the subject matter, how the community would take it and how us as actors would have to continuously carry that load.”

As rehearsals picked up, and the show opened, Debay said it was scary but definitely exhilarating getting to perform the show with this cast.

Lead actor and Theatre major Perry, who played Actor 6: “Black Woman,” said doing the show was a fun way of self-discovery, as she found the humanity of her character. Perry said it was interesting because the characters are in some ways just like the actors and in other

ways not.

“I found so much of myself in Actor 6, the way she holds herself and wants things to get done a certain type of way,” Perry said. “The way she decides to deal with a lot of things that come up throughout the show is interesting to say the least.”

Theatre and English major Conrad said some nights, it was a real battle to get through the end of the show.

“The strength that me and the cast depended on night after night came from the fact that, in order to give truth and justice to the victims of hate and terrorism, we have to go to that scary place where no one is comfortable,” Conrad said.

TIMOTHY.GAY@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Body and Soul: School is in session — in person CHRISTIAN PARHAM STAFF WRITER My alarm clock begins shrieking at 6:30 a.m. sharp.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Groggy and disoriented, I don’t even realize what a special day it is — Aug. 30, the first day of in-person classes back at Pepperdine.

My last in-person class, along with many other students, happened in March 2020, meaning nearly a year and a half passed since COVID-19 forced life to come to a screeching halt.

But now, finally — the time is here, and class is back in session.

Despite it being 6:30 a.m. and having an 8 a.m. class, a peaceful familiarity passes over me — the moment I’d spent so long hoping and praying for has finally arrived.

I begin my typical routine: Wash my face, do my makeup — but this time, there’s a twist. Instead of plopping back onto my bed to log in for a day of Zoom classes, I actually have to pack my backpack with all the supplies I’ll need for the day.

Pencils, paper, binder, laptop — all tossed in and sealed shut with a satisfying zip of my backpack.

One more quick glance at myself in the mirror, and I’m ready to go.

Suddenly, the full reality of what I’m stepping into hits me. Nervousness, excitement and anticipation fill my stomach — feeling like a stampede of elephants rather than butterflies.

Who will be in my classes? Will the professor be nice?

All around me, I hear the hurried steps of other people trying to get to class. There’s an excitement in the air; it seems to be thick with anticipation — despite the earliness.

Finally, I’ve arrived at the Appleby Center, where my first class is. I hurry to put on my mask, a thick fog instantly covering my glasses.

Instead of checking the Zoom chat box for familiar names, I scan a sea of faces to see if there’s anyone I know.

There’s something oddly comforting about being able to do this again and watching other people do it too.

Alas — I have friends in this class! I grab a seat and notice right away how they’re the good old-fashioned rolling desks, ones I haven’t sat in since my first year — despite now being a senior.

Excited chatter fills the room, and I happily begin talking to my friends — no more need for private messages over Zoom; little whispers and giggles are now shared in person.

The professor begins lecturing, and the furious bang of typing on laptops fills the classroom.

LEAH BAE | ASSISTANT ART EDITOR A student studies at a table during an in-person class after Pepperdine resumed its instruction on the Malibu campus.

Click-clack. Click-clack. Click-clack.

It’s certainly much louder than me, alone in my room at home, typing notes. It feels communal — all of us united by the seemingly endless drive Pepperdine students possess.

After an hour and a half, my notes are full, and my brain is strained after trying to stay focused. No more catnaps or drifting off during class

with the camera off — now, focus is required and expected.

As I pack my bag to leave the class, warmth fills my body.

This is home. This is Pepperdine — finally back in person.

CHRISTIAN.PARHAM@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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Plants prosper on Malibu campus LYDIA DUPERIER STAFF WRITER The landscape of Pepperdine is lush and vast. Students admire the diversity in the plants and trees that make up the campus they call home.

Pepperdine’s campus is famous for its extensive ocean views and pristine location, but students often overlook the diverse plant life on campus.

From Alumni Park to Drescher, a multitude of different tree, bush, succulent and flower species thrive on the Malibu campus.

As students walk to their classes, it is often easy to miss the landscape due to the breathtaking Pacific Ocean view in front of them, students said. If they were to shift their eyes to the hillsides or to the sky above, students would see towering palms and flowering bushes that surround them.

“Seeing the pretty plants definitely helps make me feel calmer and more relaxed after a class when I’ve been staring at my screen in a room with no windows all day,” sophomore Quinn Rohrbach said.

The free app LeafSnapPlant Identification allows users to capture a photo of a plant’s bark, leaf or flower and instantly receive the species name and further information — this is how the trees and bushes in this article are identified.

Located along Banowsky Boulevard, Canary Island palms, or Phoenix canariensis, line the side of Alumni Park.

The palm is native to the Canary Islands, where citizens honor it as a natural symbol of wealth, according to information provided on LeafSnap.

They are often used in ornamental landscaping, where people collect and move the palms to new planting locations.

One of the largest trees on campus is located outside of

the Firestone Fieldhouse. The tree is a Moreton Bay fig, or Ficus macrophylla. These trees are most commonly known for their extremely thick trunks and protruding roots that support their wide canopies.

Moreton Bay figs are native to Australia but were imported to Southern California in the late 1800s. Now, the massive tree is one of the main attractions on campus.

Students often bring some of this nature into their dorms.

Sophomore Lauren Kinder said she started growing and collecting plants in March 2020 during stay-at-home orders — now she has five different plants in her dorm.

“It’s really nice. They are less work than a pet but you still get to take care of them and watch them grow,” Kinder said, “It’s really cool. I love it.”

Along Dorm Row and outside George Page, students can find lush succulents like the Tree Aeonium or Aeonium arboreum. These succulents are prized for their rich green leaves that grow off a bare branch — this gives them a unique tree-like look.

A common tree on campus is the Sacred fig, or Ficus religiosa. Students can find these trees in various areas including Alumni Park, the Caruso

School of Law and on main campus. The trees are distinguishable by their thick trunks and large roots. Sacred Figs, on average, live between 900 and 1,500 years. Followers of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism consider the tree sacred because it is the oldest depicted tree in India, giving it the nickname, “Sacred Fig.” Oleander, or Nerium oleander, is a fast-growing evergreen shrub that produces fragrant and colorful clusters of flowers.

The Oleanders on campus are usually white or pink. The majority of these shrubs are located along Seaver Drive, putting them in the perfect location for students to admire while walking to class. These plants are also toxic, so consuming or touching them is not in one’s best interest.

Adding color to campus, the floss-silk trees, or Ceiba speciosa, are eye-catchers across campus. They are known for their abundance of hot pink flowers that are almost impossible to miss. Their trunks are lined with thorns, making them stand out from other trees.

Floss-Silk trees are native to the warm weather of Argentina and Brazil, making the California climate a perfect home.

From lush succulents to massive Fig trees, Pepperdine

students live in an environment blooming with all different kinds of plants. Rohrbach said the greenery and colors of the plants are nice breaks from the dullness of the dorms. Pepperdine may have an ocean view — but the plant life only adds to the scenery on campus.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LAUREN KINDER

LYDIA.DUPERIER@PEPPERDINE.EDU

A Monstera plant thrives in Lauren Kinder’s dorm.

Kinder said the plant is her favorite since it belonged to her grandmother.

LYDIA DUPERIER | STAFF WRITER The white flower of the Oleander covers the bush, drawing attention to students walking by.

In the past, people referred to Oleander as a weed because of its fast-growing rate.

DANE BRUHAHN | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR The orange fruit from the Date palm tree hang from its large trunk. The fruit used to be in bundles before turning into dates.

DANE BRUHAHN | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Canary Island palms tower over Alumni Park, bringing a little touch of the beach to campus.

The tree is one of the first things people see when entering Pepperdine.

DANE BRUHAHN | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR The vibrant pink blossom of the floss-silk tree outside of the George Page apartments catches the eyes of its residents. The tree is one of the few of its kind planted on Pepperdine’s campus.

DANE BRUHAHN | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR A large Tree Aeonium stands out against the outside walls of George Page. Succulents are commonly known as small inside plants, but these thrive outdoors.

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Review: ‘He’s All That’ falls short of rom-com legacy ADDISON WHITEN LIFE AND ARTS ASSISTANT Released in 1999, “She’s All That” is a classic teen romcom that remains popular today. The film is so beloved, it inspired a remake 22 years later — the 2021 film “He’s All That,” starring TikTok superstar Addison Rae. “He’s All That” premiered Aug. 25, on Netflix, and is nowhere near as well made or entertaining as “She’s All That,” with both lackluster performances and production. An overload of product placement, an untrained lead actor and a clear disconnect between filmmakers and audience make “He’s All That” an objectively poorly made movie.

This film basically tells the same story as “She’s All That,” with a few crucial changes.

The biggest switch is the gender of the main characters, with the popular kid being a girl and the loser who gets a makeover being a boy. Rae plays the film’s female lead, Padgett Sawyer, while Tanner Buchanan plays her counterpart, Cameron Kweller. The other important difference between the two stories is Padgett is a social media star and her brand deals play a major role in the storyline.

Rae has almost 85 mil-

lion followers on TikTok and brings exposure to any project she works on. If a movie wants buzz — positive or negative — then casting her is a sure-fire way to get it. Many people watched this movie to see her acting debut, creating pressure for her to deliver, which she didn’t completely fail at.

For about the first half of the movie, Rae delivers a passable performance as Padgett — and only starts doing a bad job when attempting to express deeper emotion.

There is a scene in which Cameron tells Padgett about his mother’s death in a tragic plane crash, and Rae can’t seem to make herself appear genuinely affected by this story at all. This inability to express anything beyond being happy or content as an actor can be attributed to her lack of formal training rather than her lack of ability overall.

While watching “He’s All That,” it is impossible to miss the frequent product placements in the film. The most egregious example is a scene in which a character asks if she can “get some KFC to go” and then immediately eats a bucket of chicken that is literally in the middle of the shot. Padgett is an influencer who promotes beauty products on her TikTok live streams, and Rae’s association with the app makes it

a no-brainer brand deal for the movie, but other featured companies like Doritos or Old Navy are out of place and off-putting for viewers.

This movie’s main issue lies in how it clearly doesn’t know who its audience is. Netflix cast an influencer popular with a very young demographic, while the film is a remake of a story important to much older people and included performances by Rachel Leigh Cook and Matthew Lillard, both members of the “She’s All That” cast. This movie has some explicit language and makes multiple references to people having sex, including at least one fairly graphic innuendo, which also matures the film’s content.

The quality of “He’s All That,” paired with its leading lady, seems geared toward a very young audience. There’s an extended dance battle scene at the end of the film that reinforces this. There is a clear disconnect within the film from the production side, and this creates a lot of the problems that make the movie hard to watch.

Many of the problems in this film would be solved with more clarity within the production team about who this is for and maybe even removing its association with “She’s All That.” This story would make

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX The official poster for “He’s All That” shows Addison Rae and Tanner Buchanan. The poster itself is a reference to its source material, “She’s All That.” much more sense as a standalone film rather than a failed attempt at the remake of a classic.

“He’s All That” isn’t the worst movie of the year, but it is deeply flawed. Some critics completely panned the film, but it’s not as bad as they

make it out to be; there are just issues within the production specifically that, if solved, would have elevated it substantially.

ADDIE.WHITEN@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Review: Musgraves divorces country music in ‘star-crossed’ ADDISON WHITEN LIFE AND ARTS ASSISTANT Kacey Musgraves’ released her fifth studio album, “star-crossed,” on Sept.

10. The first album since her 2020 divorce from ex-husband Ruston Kelly is an exploration of her feelings following the separation. “star-crossed” is Musgraves’ first album to move beyond the country genre and firmly into pop, and while there are some standout songs on the tracklist, the album overall is underwhelming after her Grammy-award-winning Album of the Year, “Golden Hour.” Transitioning almost fully to pop music strips some of Musgraves’ charm, while the songs on her latest record are much less lyrically interesting than her past bodies of work.

In an interview with Elle, Musgraves described how this album is structured in three parts — like a classic Greek tragedy.

“The word tragedy just popped into my mind,” Musgraves said. “I was like, ‘Whoa, what if the album was formulated like a modern Shakespearean or Greek tragedy?’”

The first part of this tragedy opens with the album’s titular lead single functioning almost like the prologue for the story to come, opening the record with the words, “Let me set the scene.”

The scene Musgraves sets for the album is one of two star-crossed lovers who are fated to fail — stand-ins for herself and her ex-husband. In the album’s second track, “good wife,” Musgraves begs God to let her make her husband happy, because she knows they need each other. This song is one

of the highlights of the album and seems almost antithetical to the beautiful, billowing love she described for Kelly in 2018 with “Golden Hour.”

Somewhere in Musgraves’ turnaround from an album written in the midst of falling in love to one lamenting the end of the same relationship, she lost some of the energy that used to characterize her music. The songs on “star-crossed” feel sedated compared to a tracklist bursting at the seams on “Golden Hour.” Even her previous album’s slowest songs had a strong pulse to them, created by her signature twang and lyrical prowess, as well as the album’s country and pop fusion. “star-crossed” includes minimal country music influence, marking Musgraves’ first venture far away from the genre she is known for performing. While the songs are very pop, the Texas native’s natural twangy voice still shines through, making the deviation from country music more prominent and reminding listeners of her past, better bodies of work.

Following her tragedy framework for the album, the song “simple times” describes Musgraves reminiscing on how easy life was as a child, longing for the times before her marriage began to break down. She wishes she was back just walking around the mall with friends, because, as she says, “Being grown up kind of sucks.” This track’s relatable lyrics and addictive melody make it one of record’s best. “breadwinner” is part of the second act in Musgraves’ tragedy and is the best song on the album. This song describes how men seem to want women who are breadwinners until they no longer serve their desires, as she says, “He wants your shimmer / To make

him feel bigger / Until he starts feeling insecure.”

Despite its sad but powerful message, “breadwinner” features the most upbeat tune of the record, a welcome reprieve from the relaxed sounds characterizing the bulk of the album.

While she is describing experiences from within her own divorce, Musgraves manages to touch on problems a lot of people can relate to in the midst of a breakup. Her song “camera roll” explores the feelings one gets from looking at photos of past relationships. “if this was a movie…” is all about how you hope for the fairytale ending in a relationship that doesn’t happen in reality. This level of relatability is powerful, but the lyrics just don’t compare to what she’s done before and aren’t strong enough to make them stand out.

As Musgraves closes “star-crossed” with her final act, she accepts the end of her marriage and expresses her intention to move forward with her life in the track, “keep lookin’ up.” She reminds herself things will always get better in “there is a light” and closes the album with a cover of Violeta Parra’s “gracias a la vida.” Her closing track is entirely in Spanish, and the fact that Musgraves is not a fluent speaker is clear in how she sings the song, as she sounds out of place and a little uncomfortable.

While her performance of the song is a bit shaky, “gracias a la vida” is a perfect closing track for an album like this. The title translates to “thank you, life” and is essentially Musgraves thanking her life for all she has. “star-crossed” deals with personal and hard emotions surrounding the divorce of two real people, but overall it is a weak showing for an established

PHOTO COURTESY OF KACEY MUSGRAVES The cover of “star-crossed” shows a hazy broken heart necklace emblazoned with the album’s title. Musgraves’ album is about her heartbreak, making the subject of the cover appropriate. artist like Musgraves. When compared to her older albums, this record doesn’t occupy the same level of greatness. “star-crossed” is available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music.

ADDIE.WHITEN@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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Won by One is live and in person YAMILLAH HURTADO LIFE AND ARTS COPY EDITOR Won by One — Pepperdine’s six-member a cappella group — returned and is bringing their music back to Pepperdine and surrounding communities.

After a year of uncertainty and online performances, members said they are thrilled to perform in front of live audiences and church communities again.

“It’s really cool because we have this new community where we’re all really close and we all know each other and we’re ready to get back into it,” junior and soprano one Lawson Rudd said.

Won by One has 30 to 40 songs in their performance rotation, with worship songs and original songs written by Peau Porotesano — the group’s musical director, composer and former member, as well as Graphic alumnus (’18). Throughout the semester, the group will visit churches around Southern California to perform to congregations.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LAWSON RUDD Won By One members pose together while traveling. Members said they looked forward to encouraging and reaching out to new communities during tour.

“I’m really excited to get to see churches that I’ve seen a long time ago,” Rudd said. “I’m just ready for them to see the way that we’ve evolved.”

One event all members said they are excited for is the Christmas Concert at the end of the semester. For this performance, all the members dress up in Christmas attire and sing, giving students a sense of holiday cheer and relief from finals.

Being a part of an a cappella group during the pandemic brings many challenges. One of them is wearing masks while singing and standing six feet apart from one another, which Rudd said was one of the most difficult adjustments.

The group tested a few different singers’ masks to see which one was most efficient in creating a clear and rich sound while still being comfortable and safe to wear.

Rudd said it was also challenging

PHOTO COURTESY OF LAWSON RUDD Won by One performs the National Anthem at Blue and Orange Madness in Firestone Fieldhouse on Oct. 8. This was the group’s second performance on Pepperdine since campus opened up. to record the songs in a time where studios aren’t open and members had to sing alone — because in a cappella, singers harmonize and blend their voices together.

Instead of holding rehearsals throughout the school year and performing in front of live audiences, Won by One took a different approach to practice and performance this past year. The group rehearsed and recorded their concert setlist during a sixweek intensive training program from mid-August to the end of September.

“It [was] just very different, but it helped us get through [the pandemic],” said Rachel Higgins, Won by One manager and former member. “I think it encouraged other people as well, so that was good.”

For Rudd — a member of Won by One since her first year at Pepperdine — working in an online environment with so many restrictions was stressful and discouraging, she said. It was hard for her to sense the emotional impact of their virtual concerts on audiences, and they often felt disconnected.

“In the moment, when all you see is other people’s screens turned off or someone’s just staring at the screen, even if inside they love it, it’s hard to see that,” Rudd said. “You spiral into this [mindset of] ‘What are we doing?’

It was a lot of self-consciousness.”

Despite the hardships the virtual environment brought, the group was able to perform to live audiences at churches, summer camps and special events over the summer throughout the West Coast during their annual Summer Tour.

“I always love touring, so I never really have anything bad to say about it,” Higgins said. “Some people do not like it. [You’re] on the road without a place to stay for more than a couple of nights, but I think it’s super fun.”

For senior, tenor and vocal percussionist Wesley Ruby, Won by One is like a family to him and allows him to dive deeper into his passion for music, he said.

“You have to be in sync with each other and really be listening to each other to make sure that we’re staying in rhythm and in tune, making sure that our syllables are ending at the same time, our vowels are matching,” Ruby said. “There’s so much focus on one another that you know that person really well.”

First-year and baritone Norvashua Cottingham said it’s been wonderful to be a part of the family-like community fostered through Won by One. Cottingham said he’s always loved singing and hopes to be a performer in the future, so when he found out about Pepperdine’s a cappella group, he was eager to step into the spotlight and audition.

“When the opportunity came up, I was like ‘OK, now I got to jump into [this], this is God making moves, now I gotta make some moves,’” Cottingham said.

For Cottingham, being able to perform in front of audiences and reach out to people through song is what he loves most. Cottingham is thrilled about the events they have planned for this semester, he said, and to make connections with people through worship.

“There’s a variety of things that can be going on in somebody’s life, and you as a person, especially when you’re up there leading worship and singing, you get to encourage them,” Cottingham said. “That to me is one of the best things, and we’re able to do that using the gift that God gave us.”

YAMILLAH.HURTADO@PEPPERDINE.EDU

OCTOBER 15, 2021

The Graphic

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Blue and Orange Madness returns to Malibu JERRY JIANG STAFF WRITER Blue and Orange Madness tradition returned to Firestone Fieldhouse on Oct. 8. The night’s festivities included introductions for both men’s and women’s basketball teams, a three-point challenge and a dunk contest.

After a yearlong hiatus, Firestone Fieldhouse came roaring back to life as fans flooded the arena, hoping to get a glimpse of both teams.

“It was a good showing today — everyone showed out, students and parents included,” men’s basketball freshman guard Houston Mallette said. “It was good energy, and I’m just happy that the pandemic’s dying down and people are starting to get vaccinated and safer, and we can all enjoy our time here for the games.”

Fresh Faces Bring Excitement for the Men’s Squad The Pepperdine Men’s Basketball roster includes a number of changes from last season.

Since spring 2021, with the likes of Colbey Ross and Kessler Edwards going professional, graduate transfer Kene Chukwuka leaving Pepperdine and Andre Ball and Sedrick Altman transferring elsewhere, the Waves lost some of their arsenal but recovered with one of the most decorated recruiting classes in recent memory.

The team includes six freshmen — forward Maxwell Lewis, guard Mike Mitchell Jr., Mallette, forward Paul Jordan, center Carson Basham and forward Aladji Gassama — and two graduate transfers, guard Braun Hartfield and forward Keith Fisher III. Lewis, a former four-star recruit, said he committed to Pepperdine after leaving high school in his senior year to train for the NBA Draft.

Mallette was a 2021 McDonald’s All-American Nominee who previously committed to Penn State. After Penn State fired its head coach, Mallette said he decommitted and moved to Malibu.

“I just wanna do whatever [to] contribute to the team,” Mallette said.

“Whether that be just making hustle plays, taking charges, making open shots, controlling, leading, getting used to my role this year.”

Despite the new roster, Head Coach Lorenzo Romar said he doesn’t feel the need to change up the system in the offseason.

“No principles changed,” Romar said. “We just had to take a little longer introducing certain things. It just takes a little longer. It’s not going as quickly — we just gotta be a little more patient.”

Although the team is full of youngsters, the freshmen said they found it easier to build chemistry off the court.

The camaraderie for the freshmen started way before the first practice.

“We spend a lot of time together with class, basketball, being all together,” Mallette said. “It’s been really easy to gel, and our upperclassmen are great.

They’ve been really respectful, help guiding us, leading the way.”

To help balance the youth on the team, Romar said he hopes some of the upperclassmen will step up and show the freshmen the ropes.

The men’s squad ended their season strong, reaching the semifinals in the WCC tournament and winning the CBI Tournament. But Romar said they are aiming higher this year.

“We made progress last year, but it wasn’t enough,” Romar said. “So we gotta raise the standard even higher but use that as a springboard to go off.”

Women’s Squad Calls in the Cavalry On the women’s team, the squad received some much-needed reinforcements, with the return of six redshirts and the addition of three freshmen.

The team came into the spring 2021 season with high expectations, but due to a plethora of injuries were unable to perform to their highest potential.

“It’s super important just to have the people we have now,” senior guard and Graphic staff writer Malia Bambrick said. “Just to have a deep bench. We can all play, we all play really well together, having those options. It’s definitely going to help us this year.”

The freshman class includes guard Ally Stedman, guard Helena Friend and forward Meaali’i Amosa.

Stedman ranked seventh in the state of Arizona among women’s prospects, according to MaxPreps, and received offers from Santa Clara, Georgetown and Pacific, among others. Friend was a 2021 All-American McDonald’s nominee and Amosa was ranked third in the state of California, according to MaxPreps.

“We’re really deep, we have a lot of guards, a lot of post, a lot of returners, a lot of new people, so we’ll get a lot of action,” Friend said. “We’ll get a lot of different faces in there, and we’re really deep, so we’re set up for a good season.”

With the team looking to bounce back from a tough year, expectations and goals are still set at the highest standard.

“Win a championship, top three in the WCC,” Friend said. “I think coming top in the conference would be a big goal for our team collectively.”

Lights, Camera, Action — The Main Event of the Evening The night started with a half-court competition for free tuition. First-year Tiffany Alvare and a Pepperdine father participated, but both missed their shots. President Jim Gash had two attempts to make the shot, both of which came agonizingly close, with one hitting the backboard and barely missing the rim.

After the introductions came the three-point contest and the dunk contest, which had the fans at the edge of their seats.

The three-point contest featured redshirt junior forward Eve Braslis, Stedman, Bambrick and sophomore guard Kendyl Carson. Each participant had 30 seconds to make as many shots as they could. Bambrick and Carson tied after the initial round and competed in a head-to-head matchup.

Bambrick started off strong, cashing in a total of six shots, but ultimately, Carson found the edge by netting seven shots, draining the first four and coming out victorious.

DENVER PATTERSON | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Cheyenne Givens (left) hypes up the crowd for the three-point contest and Maxwell Lewis (right) throws down a dunk Oct. 8, during Blue and Orange Madness in Firestone Fieldhouse.

The evening concluded with the dunk contest, judged by Willie the Wave, senior Teagan Schuman and Tim Perrin, senior vice president for strategic implementation. The competition starred Jordan, Lewis, Deng and Gassama.

Lewis excited the crowd with his first dunk. Sophomore forward Kendall Munson delivered a creative pass off the backboard, and Lewis capped it off with a windmill.

Lewis and Deng faced off in the final round. For the last dunk, Deng tossed it to himself and spiked it emphatically. After missing his original dunk attempt, Lewis backed all the way up to get a running start for what would be the dunk of the evening — the iconic free-throw line dunk.

The men’s basketball team starts their season on the road versus Rice University on Nov. 9. The home opener is slated for Nov. 12, versus Idaho State.

“The opener on the road against Rice is everything,” Romar said. “It’s the first time we played in front of someone in the regular season game, and that’s the one we’re focusing on.”

The women’s basketball team gets thrown into the deep end right off the bat, facing UCLA at the Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 10. The team heads back to Malibu on Nov. 14., to face Eastern Washington.

“We have an opener at UCLA on the 10th, and that’s going to be a really good game for us,” Friend said. “We start off the season with a really great team, so we’re going to get after it right from the get-go, so I’m really excited for that one.”

As for the return of fans this season, Mallette has a message.

“Please, come show out. We love you; we appreciate the attendance,” Mallette said. “We’re a smaller school, so the more people who come, we can show greater attendance. It’s just a great culture — great energy — so I’d love it if everybody came out.”

JERRY.JIANG@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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Hot Shots: Katie Ledecky is the moment SAMANTHA TORRE NEWS ASSISTANT EDITOR You hear it at every professional swim meet. Over the sound of a starting gun and the splash of water is a whisper that brushes the announcers booth and resides over the crowd.

“Is this the next Michael Phelps?”

Personally, I’m over it.

Instead of focusing on what Michael Phelps has done, we need to instead look at Katie Ledecky, who doesn’t just stand up to the legacy of Phelps — she outshines him.

Ledecky and Phelps both compete at the top of their field. I’m not arguing Phelps isn’t one of the best at what he did; that’s not worth the argument (or the word count).

Here’s what is worth 800 words: We should stop looking for the “next Michael Phelps,” as some say, and start focusing on the remarkable athletic prowess of Ledecky.

Armed with my experience on the middle school swim team and need to give unsolicited opinion at all times, I will be diving into the world of swimming and announcing an opinion I have held close to my heart for half a decade.

Let me start at their Olympic debuts — a lane marker in any swimmer’s career.

Both Ledecky and Phelps competed in their first Olympics at the age of 15. Phelps participated in the 2000 summer games and made history as the youngest male swimmer

to be a part of the team in 68 years. Phelps, however, did not medal in his event.

Ledecky swam as the youngest U.S. athlete in the 2012 Olympic games and not only got on the podium for the 800-meter free; she won gold and set a U.S. record by over a second — a phenomenal time in swimming, in which events come down to fingernails.

Less than a year later, Ledecky broke world records in the 800-meter and 1,500-meter freestyle, along with a second American record in the 400.

Less than a year later, Phelps broke one world record with the 200 fly, but the key word there is “one.”

Phelps went to the Olympics and competed at 15. Ledecky went to the Olympics and dominated.

Now let’s flip-turn to a discussion of the range of these athletes.

Phelps’ primary events were the 100-meter butterfly, the 200-meter butterfly and the 200-meter individual medley, or IM. Ledecky’s primary events are the 200-meter freestyle, the 400-meter freestyle, the 800-meter freestyle and the 1,500-meter freestyle, according to the Team USA website. Both athletes have swum a variety of relays over their careers.

“But the individual medley has multiple strokes,” you cry.

Team USA counts it as one event; I’m counting it as one event. There’s no reason for me to — OK, fine. I’ll argue.

LEAH BAE | STAFF ARTIST For anyone who does not know what an individual medley is, it is an event where competitors swim each of the four strokes in succession: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. In the 200 IM, swimmers swim 50 meters of each stroke, which is one Olympic pool length.

In this event, swimmers usually excel at a certain stroke, such as the butterfly. Swimmers will use their dominant event to get ahead of or catch up with the pack, depending on where their dominant stroke falls in the sequence.

Phelps excels at butterfly and freestyle, but all of these events are sprints. While he

may seem to have more versatility than Ledecky in terms of the type of stroke he swims, Ledecky blows him out of the water in terms of distance.

Ledecky also can sprint, which the 200-meter freestyle shows, but sprinting is not all she does, she also has an impressive amount of endurance.

Ledecky swims the 1,500-meter freestyle. That’s two pool lengths short of a mile. Shameless brag: I have both swam and ran the mile.

Swimming is a whole different beast. This event hurts.

And because few people in their right mind decide to swim practically every single event for a particular stroke, Ledecky’s 1,500 and 200-me-

ter races fell on the same day for the 2021 Olympics.

Quite frankly, if I was Ledecky, I would have cried.

Long story short: We don’t need to look for the next Michael Phelps.

Phelps had a fantastic journey, but all journeys must come to an end, and Phelps has swum his final lap on the world stage. Ledecky is still going strong. If we keep looking back at Phelps, we’ll miss what’s right in front of us.

SAM.TORRE@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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Men’s Golf hungry for more this season JERRY JIANG STAFF WRITER Men’s golf has a chance to do something no other Pepperdine team has done in the past: repeat as national champions. It’s one challenge to win a national championship, but it’s another to do it again the following year.

Two seasons ago, Pepperdine went into the postseason with high expectations as the No. 1 ranked team in the nation. With the 2020 season canceled due to the pandemic, the Waves said they were disappointed by the lost opportunity, especially since they had the one of the best golfers in college, then-redshirt senior Sahith Theegala.

“Basically, having the best year of the program being cut short was extremely disappointing,” Head Coach Michael Beard said. “We lost the number-one player in college.

Coming back the next year, I remember telling the guys that people were saying that we were so good because of one player.”

The Waves heard the critics, and when play resumed, players said they were eager to prove them wrong.

“There wasn’t a number-one player,” Beard said.

“There were nine number-one players.”

While preparing for what would be the championship season, Beard said he quickly realized there was something unique about the team.

“To be honest, it was three practices in that I looked at Blaine [Woodroof] and Chris [Zambri] and said that this was something special; we had never seen a team like this ever,” Beard said.

Golf differs from the likes of basketball and baseball because it highlights the individual player and includes a team concept. At the collegiate level, tournaments normally consist of either 54 or 36 holes, with some players competing in 36 holes in a single day.

For major competitions, teams choose their top-five players to compete in a headto-head matchup. The teams count the lowest four scores from the five and then add them to the team’s total score.

The team with the lowest overall score wins the tournament.

“If everyone does their part, the team does better because of it,” Beard said. “You focus on just yourself, knowing that it helps the team.”

Pepperdine started its season finishing eighth in the Fighting Illini Invitational on Sept. 17-19. Senior Derek Hitchner led the way for the Waves, tied at 17th with scores of 72, 69, 72, and senior Joey Vrzich tied at 24th with scores of 73, 71, 71.

The Waves followed that performance finishing fifth in

the Colonial Collegiate Invitational Oct. 4-5. Senior Joe Highsmith finished ninth with scores of 72, 68, 70, and Vrzich tied for 11th with scores of 68, 73, 70.

With more eyes on the Waves now than ever, the team strives to maintain consistency and manage heavy expectations.

“You have to be on everyday, mostly mentally,” Beard said. “If you get too far ahead or think too much of the past, you get ahead of yourself.”

Going into the season as defending champions comes with pressures to meet expectations. With a team full of mostly veterans, they understand what’s at stake and how to handle the pressure. The team consists of one freshman, two juniors, two seniors and one redshirt senior.

“Experienced gained is helpful,” Highsmith said. “Maturity in golf is a big thing, and it can only be gained through experience.”

Though the Waves lost some of their firepower last season, Beard said he isn’t too worried, as he feels the team has enough experience to know what it takes.

The offseason wasn’t much of an offseason at all. Not only did it last a mere two and a half months, but Highsmith and junior William Mouw said they went off to play in other tournaments right after the championship match.

“It’s interesting because the offseason is jam-packed with other events,” Highsmith said.

“Offseason is more in December and January.”

Highsmith competed in the U.S. Open the same month the team won the national championship. The U.S. Open took place June 17-20, at the Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego.

During the U.S. Open, Highsmith completed the first round with a score of 5-overpar 76 and the second round with a 2-over-par 73.

Additionally, Mouw spent his summer playing in events such as the Western Amateur and the U.S. Amateur.

“I worked on certain aspects of my game I felt needed improvement,” Mouw wrote in a text message.

For golfers, the Western Amateur is one of the most intense post-season tournaments in all amateur golf. The playing field is stacked with a total of 156 golfers, and after the first 36 holes, the field is trimmed to the top 44. The field continues to decrease to the top 16 players on the third day.

“Having good time management and a strong mental game helped me compete at the highest level,” Mouw wrote in a text message. “I love the game and the constant traveling — and as a result, the experience was relatively easy.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF PEPPERDINE ATHLETICS Then-junior Joe Highsmith competes in the NCAA Golf Championship in Scottsdale, Ariz., on June 2. Highsmith said there were a couple hundred people at the match supporting the team.

Mouw wasn’t the only Wave represented in the tournament. Junior Dylan Menante, Vrzich, Highsmith, Hitchner and R.J. Manke — who later transferred to the University of Washington — all competed. Mouw finished the tournament with a score of 71 and 5-over-par 74.

As the team looks forward to the new season, the mental adjustment of the game changes. Before, Mouw said the Waves were merely the hunters, but now, they’re the ones being hunted.

“Coming from a small school, we are generally the hunters,” Mouw wrote. “This mentality has not changed, as the big schools still believe they rule. Our mentality is to put Pepperdine on the map.”

Pepperdine has gained the

attention of the golf world.

They came into the season as the No. 1 ranked team in the preseason poll for the third-consecutive season and are ranked No. 3 in the nation.

As for the rest of the season, Beard explained the Waves will play in a tough, but exciting schedule.

“We have one of the best schedules in recent years,” Beard said. “Now we’re going to get ready for a new tournament in Texas. Palm Beach, Fla., is always one of our favorites — the home tournament as well.”

For players like Highsmith, this season is more than attempting to defend the title.

It’s about savoring the moment and getting the most out of each tournament.

“We get to play a really

good schedule,” Highsmith said. “I’m really looking to play at every event the rest of my time here.”

Catch the defending champions at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate Invitational on Oct. 22.

JERRYCJIANG1919@GMAIL.COM

PHOTO COURTESY OF PEPPERDINE ATHLETICS Then-sophomore Dylan Menante follows through his golf swing in the championship match in Scottsdale, Ariz., on June 2. Pepperdine defeated University of Oklahoma to claim the NCAA title.

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Opinion: PGM picks NFL Week 6 5:20 p.m., PDT)

ALEC MATULKA SPORTS EDITOR The 2021-22 NFL season rolls into its sixth week after a jam-packed Week 5.

The Ravens outlasted the Colts in an overtime shootout Monday night and took control of a contentious AFC North division. The Chiefs sank to the bottom of their division after their meeting with Buffalo, while the Chargers took advantage of the vacancy at the top of the AFC West.

The Raiders will look for a new head coach after the resignation of Jon Gruden, after a series of his racist, homophobic and misogynistic emails came to light.

More headlines from Week 5: The Jets, Lions and Jaguars all lost, the Bills put up more than 30 points and the Cardinals won an NFC West game at home. Truly, it was a week unlike any other.

To top it all off, the Bears won their game during Fat Bear Week, an annual celebration of the fattest bears residing in Alaska’s Katmai National Park. And if that doesn’t tug at the ol’ heartstrings, you might very well be made of stone.

Emerging at the top of the NFL Picks pack after five weeks of action is Digital Editor Karl Winter. Close behind is staff writer Joe Doonan, after an impressive 13-3 showing in Week 5. Sports Editor Alec Matulka, Creative Director Ali Levens and staff writer Austin LeDe’ will look to make up some ground in the 14-game Week 6 slate.

Without further ado, let’s get to the picks!

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (41) at Philadelphia Eagles (2-3) (Thursday, Oct. 14 at

Bucs: Joe, Karl, Alec, Austin, Ali “I would like to thank the Eagles for allowing me to hit on my upset of the week last week. I think they’re headed in the right direction, but, as I like to say about Thursday night games, when you have less preparation, your talent tends to take over.” — Karl Miami Dolphins (1-4) at Jacksonville Jaguars (0-5) (Sunday, Oct. 17 at 6:30 a.m., PDT) Jaguars: Joe, Karl, Alec, Austin Dolphins: Ali “I can’t pick the Jags yet.

And the split for this game is 69%, so I have to go with that.

As much as I like jaguars, as an animal, I like dolphins more.” — Ali Los Angeles Chargers (4-1) at Baltimore Ravens (4-1) (Sunday, Oct. 17 at 10 a.m., PDT) Chargers: Joe, Karl, Austin Ravens: Alec, Ali “Justin Herbert, baby.

That’s all I have to say.” — Joe

game, and I think it’s sad they haven’t been able to win. I saw their coach was, like, crying in the press conference. I’m going to go with the Bengals on this one, but I think the Lions will keep it close.” — Joe Dallas Cowboys (4-1) at New England Patriots (23) (Sunday, Oct. 17 at 1:25 p.m., PDT) Cowboys: Joe, Karl, Austin Patriots: Ali Tie*: Alec “I absolutely just do not like either of these teams. I’ll pick a tie for this one. I was looking at this game and I was thinking, ‘I hope both these teams score zero points and go home unhappy.’ So that’s what I think will happen.” — Alec *Editor’s Note: PGM Staff agreed on the following rules regarding picking ties: If a tie is incorrectly picked, the picker will take a loss. If a tie is correctly picked, the picker will get an additional two points.

Seattle Seahawks (2-3) at Pittsburgh Steelers (2-3) (Sunday, Oct. 17 at 5:20 p.m., PDT) Seahawks: Joe, Alec

ALI LEVENS | CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Steelers: Karl, Austin, Ali Cincinnati Bengals (3-2) at Detroit Lions (0-5) (Sunday, Oct. 17 at 10 a.m., PDT) Bengals: Joe, Karl, Alec, Austin, Ali “Ja’Marr Chase and Joe Burrow have looked as good as they did at LSU. It’s true; the Lions have been in every

“I have to go with the Steelers. I just can’t believe in Geno Smith, and the Seahawks were really being held together by Russell Wilson. This looks like Pete Carroll’s worst defense in years; I think they’re on pace to give up the most yards ever.

I mean, they’ve given up like 400-plus yards every week.” — Austin

Buffalo Bills (4-1) at Tennessee Titans (3-2) (Monday, Oct. 18 at 5:15 p.m., PDT)

feel like they play really well all together. And also they helped me get an extra point last week, so that was nice.” — Ali

Bills: Joe, Karl, Alec, Austin, Ali “The Bills are phenomenal.

I will probably be riding them all the way to the Super Bowl, hopefully. I like Josh Allen and I like the talent around him. I

ALEC.MATULKA@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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WHAT: WGOLF @ STANFORD INTERCOLLEGIATE WHERE: PALO ALTO, CALIF. WHEN: ALL DAY

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NO GAMES :(

WHAT: WSOC @ SANTA CL AR A WHERE: PALO ALTO, CALIF. WHEN: 7 P.M., PDT

WHAT: MTEN VS ITA REGIONALS WHERE: MALIBU, CALIF. WHEN: ALL DAY

WHAT: MTEN VS ITA REGIONALS WHERE: MALIBU, CALIF. WHEN: ALL DAY

WHAT: MTEN VS ITA REGIONALS WHERE: MALIBU, CALIF. WHEN: ALL DAY

WHAT: W TEN @ ITA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP S WHERE: SAN DIEGO, CALIF. WHEN: ALL DAY

WHAT: W TEN VS ITA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP S WHERE: SAN DIEGO, CALIF. WHEN: ALL DAY

WHAT: MWP VS PACIFIC WHERE: MALIBU, CALIF. WHEN: 11 A .M., PDT

WHAT: W VB @ GONZAGA WHERE: SPOKANE , WASH. WHEN: 6 P.M., PDT

WHAT: MGOLF @ GOLF CLUB OF GEORGIA COLLEGIATE INVITATIONAL WHERE: ALPHARET TA , GA .

WHEN: ALL DAY

WHAT: WSOC VS SAINT MARY ’S WHERE: MALIBU, CALIF. WHEN: 2 P.M., PDT