The Quinnipiac Chronicle, Volume 91, Issue 13

FEBRUARY 24, 2021 • VOLUME 91 • ISSUE 13

The official student newspaper of Quinnipiac University since 1929

ILLUSTRATION BY MICHAEL CLEMENT

Anxiety aid

Why sleep is important p.6

SCREENSHOT FROM EVENT

NEWS P.2: SELF-CARE DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH A panel discussed the importance of selfcare for people of color

ILLUSTRATION BY CONNOR LAWLESS

OPINION P.4: BLACK HISTORY MONTH Black history needs to be celebrated for more than one month

MORGAN TENCZA/CHRONICLE (2019)

SPORTS P.10: A MARQUEE WOMAN Grace Markey’s off-ice contributions have enhanced the brand of the program

Students unhappy with Quinnipiac’s hotel quarantine policy

By MELINA KHAN Copy Editor

Quinnipiac University COVID-19 quarantine options include a hotel for students to isolate in the event that there is a need for additional space. However, students who have chosen this option are frustrated with the experience.

Monique Drucker, vice president and dean of students, said fewer than 10 students have been sent to the Hilton Garden Inn in Wallingford since the policy was implemented last semester.

“When possible, we will place students in our quarantine space on campus, however we have a great partnership with the hotel and we have a process in place to make it as smooth as possible for our students who are moved to the hotel,” Drucker said.

Hilton Garden Inn’s Wallingford general manager did not respond to the Chronicle’s request for comment.

Drucker said that the university covers costs for students as necessary, including a standard room and the cost of meals throughout the stay.

Transportation is provided to and from the hotel and students are permitted to go outside for fresh air, similar to quarantine policies on campus.

Aryssa Tyrol, a senior health science studies major, was left feeling unsafe living in on-campus quarantine housing and requested to stay in a hotel instead.

Residential Life sent Tyrol to Complex, Quinnipiac’s quarantine dorms, after her prearrival COVID-19 testing kit from Quest Diagnostics was lost in the mail.

“I arrived at QU after driving two hours from Massachusetts for them to tell me there’s nothing they can do,” Tyrol said.

While she understands mistakes happen in the mail, Tyrol said she disagrees with the school’s response to the situation and decision to turn her away.

After paying for a PCR test out of pocket and testing negative, Tyrol was still sent to quarantine where she learned she would be staying in a suite with other students.

“This was disturbing to me,” Tyrol said.

“Six or eight (I’m not sure because I didn’t leave my bed) random girls from all over packed into one tiny space for all different reasons, some of them could have been exSee HOTEL Page 2

CONNOR LAWLESS/CHRONICLE

Quinnipiac University partnered with the Hilton Garden Inn to provide an option for students to quarantine at the hotel.

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MEET THE EDITORS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brendan O’Sullivan MANAGING EDITORS Toyloy Brown III Jessica Simms CREATIVE DIRECTOR Connor Lawless NEWS EDITOR Emily Flamme ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITORS Nicole McIsaac Chatwan Mongkol OPINION EDITOR Michael Sicoli ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Emily DiSalvo ASSOCIATE ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Ashley Pelletier SPORTS EDITOR Riley Millette ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR Peter Piekarski DESIGN EDITOR Michael Clement PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Morgan Tencza PODCAST PRODUCER Xavier Cullen ASSOCIATE PODCAST PRODUCER Kalleen Rose Ozanic COPY EDITOR Melina Khan THE QUINNIPIAC CHRONICLE is the proud recipient of the New England Society of Newspaper Editors’ award for College Newspaper of the Year in New England for 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2015-16.

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The Quinnipiac Chronicle

February 24, 2021

A Black History Month conversation adresses radical self-care

By MELINA KHAN Copy Editor

Quinnipiac University’s Department of Cultural and Global Engagement held a Black History Month webinar on Feb. 17, to cover the importance of radical self-care with leaders from a local Black healing and wellness center.

“We wanted to have this conversation because oftentimes, specifically when it comes to … programming around Black History month, oftentimes the programming sort of stops at talking about the harshest parts of our reality like dealing with police brutality, microaggressions, health disparities and while all that is true, it’s not the fullness of who we are, as a people,” said Pascale Jean-Jacques, associate director for multicultural education.

Panelists Hanifa Nayo Washington and Eric Rey are facilitators at One Village Healing (OVH) in New Haven. OVH is an “emerging wellness and resilience initiative dedicated to creating spaces, gatherings, and programming, rooted in the values of the healing justice movement,” according to its website.

In 2019, Washington co-founded OVH as a center of healing for all people, but specifically, those who have been impacted by systems of oppression. She is a cultural activist and musician in addition to being a reiki practitioner, a method of healing based on the channeling of energy through touch.

The concept of OVH was inspired by Washington’s reiki and activism work, through which she saw a need for a space centered on the healing of Black people and people of color.

“What we saw over time was more and more people of color coming to these spaces of wellness and healing and resilience,” Washington said. “And often we get, ‘I’m so happy this space is here because I’ve gone to other spaces like this and just have not felt seen.’”

The event began with a guided meditation from Washington that invited the participants to arrive and breathe, a practice similar to those she teaches at OVH. Washington said self-care is “ensuring that my mind, my body and my spirit have what they need, and that those three things are in balance.” She added that self-care is important for Black people and people of color because systems of oppression can have a physical impact on a person.

“Without naming that (systems of oppression) have impact, we might not know why I’m so sick, or why did my shoulders always get

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Hanifa Nayo Washington co-founded One Village Healing to help people who have suffered from systemic oppression.

tense when I’m in this particular situation, and why did my voice shift like that, and why do I feel this shame, or why can’t I sleep at night,” Washington said. “When we start to get into how these systems impact our physical bodies, how do these systems impact how we think and our relationship to ourselves and the people around us. When we name it and we can heal it and we can begin to track and feel it and begin to undo some of the harm caused by the systems over time.”

Washington also said that self-care is more than individual acts. “(Self-care is) actually this deeper relationship that I feel like through systems of trauma, particularly for Black people in this country, we have been acculturated to put other people’s needs first,” Washington said. “We know how to listen to whiteness, we know how to care for whiteness, we know how to uplift it, we know what it needs to survive, and it takes time and intention to know what it is that you need as a Black person, as an individual.”

Rey, the other panelist, is a life coach and facilitator at OVH. He described himself as a “builder of belonging.”

“I think self-care works best when you engage in it all the time, even when things are going well, when things feel like everything is swell, and that’s how you keep yourself from getting to (empty),” Rey said.

At OVH, Rey facilitates the Black Obsidian Men’s Group for people who identify as Black men. He said the group is important because Black men are often typecast.

“There’s this monolithic idea of who a Black man is and all of us become subject to that unfortunately,” Rey said. “Black Obsidian represents just a small pocket where men can come and truly be themselves and belong.”

One of the event’s attendees, Derek Hernandez, a sophomore 3+1 marketing major, said the Black Obsidian group’s mission resonated with him.

“Self-care is important for everyone but as a man of color, speaking from my experiences growing up ... it was always, ‘be a man and grow up,’” Hernandez said. “So, I believe selfcare is so important as a man of color so I can learn to express those emotions and deal with different situations.”

Hernandez said the event taught him ways he can attend to his own self-care, such as methods to cope with emotions and breathing techniques.

Another attendee, senior health science studies major Asiyah Neal, was originally drawn to the event because of its alignment with the mission of NaturallyMe, a student organization that sets out to educate students on natural hair, especially curly and coarse hair. Neal is the president of NaturallyMe, which she said is largely rooted in self-care.

Additionally, the OVH’s inclusivity and mission resonated with Neal.

“I like the inclusivity, the diversity, and just their really powerful mission and values when it comes to taking care of the self in order to be your best self,” Neal said.

OVH offers virtual wellness sessions. For more information, visit its website.

Tyrol: ‘I didn’t care how much I had to pay when it came to my own safety and well-being’ HOTEL from cover posed, and I could have been infected.”

Tyrol then requested to stay at the hotel where she could be away from other students, but said it was difficult to coordinate this with Quinnipiac’s administration.

“I reached out to three different people by email and phone and I still was forced to stay overnight one night in the Complex,” Tyrol said.

“I had an anxiety attack and almost drove home in the middle of the night and continued the semester remotely. I felt like no one cared about me or was helping me.”

Ali Feldman, a first-year biomedical science major, expressed similar frustrations in a recent Chronicle article.

“The communication is horrible and everything is extremely unorganized,” said Feldman, who also quarantined at the Wallingford hotel.

Another student, Julia Selenko, a sophomore media studies major, struggled getting in touch with Residential Life when she was sent to stay

in quarantine housing after missing her move-in date due to a family emergency.

“I was constantly calling and emailing Residential Life to get a clear and straight answer from them,” Selenko said. “Friends who I was talking to who also go to Quinnipiac who were dealing with the same situation were being told different information than me.”

Selenko said she was not given a choice of where to quarantine and ultimately stayed in oncampus housing.

“Quinnipiac either stuck you in a hotel if they ran out of room on campus that you had to pay for, which is ridiculous or put you on campus in their containment/quarantine housing,” Selenko said. “I do wish I had been given a choice to at least continue to contain at home but you had to contain on campus either way if you were living on campus this semester.”

Quinnipiac did not cover the expenses of Tyrol’s hotel stay because she was offered a room on campus.

“I felt that option was completely absurd and

definitely unsafe, so I refused to stay there,” Tyrol said. “I didn’t care how much I had to pay when it came to my own safety and well-being.”

However, Tyrol said she was not provided meals and the hotel’s restaurant only served breakfast, so she had to leave the hotel daily for food. She said she was not monitored during her quarantine and was only contacted by Quinnipiac the original day she moved into the hotel.

Though there were no other students in her room, Tyrol said she is unsure if quarantining at a hotel was more efficient than staying in on-campus dorms because there was no monitoring to ensure students were adhering to their quarantine.

Tyrol said she is glad the experience is over and that she hopes she does not have to endure anything similar in the future.

“This was just an awful experience overall that I think was awfully handled,” Tyrol said. “But I understand that these are unprecedented times and no one is sure what the best thing to do is.”

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

February 24, 2021

News |3

World Cup course coming to QU in 2023 “I think we just connected over sports, we both love sports and women’s sports and I While students tend to plan their sched- work in Australia and New Zealand. I worked ules one semester at a time, professors are primarily in New Zealand, but also in Austrabetting that a new class will create interest lia. I think it was just kind of obvious,” Halyears in advance. dane said. “I mean, I don’t even remember Quinnipiac University is starting to advertise when we first really thought about it, it was a new class for spring 2023, in which students kind of organic. I work in those countries and are given the chance to learn about and experi- love sports. She loves sports and loves media ence the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup. … it just kind of all came together.”

The 2023 Women’s World Cup will be Haldane plans to cover the cultural asheld in both Australia and New Zealand, pect of the World Cup and how Indigenous which marks only the second time that the people are underrepresented on world teams.

World Cup will be held in multiple countries She also wants to cover the colonial legacy and the first ever to be held in the Southern of many of the participants in the World Cup, Hemisphere. This will also be the first time which have been born out of “settler societthat a senior FIFA tournament will be held ies,” or permanent colonies settled and run in Oceania, as well as the first to be hosted by Europeans. Another focus of the class will across multiple continental confederations. be the history of racism and discrimination This Women’s World Cup is set to be in the international soccer landscape. The the largest yet. In 2019, the FIFA council professors will also discuss the “political expanded the tournament to 32 participating economy” of the FIFA organization, which teams, including the host countries’ teams. has been plagued by scandals in recent years.

While the class will discuss how historic Another aspect of the course will conthis World Cup will be, the course was cre- centrate on the media and the representation ated for an entirely different reason. The of sports, particularly women, in the media. idea for the class came out of a push by an- Yanity will cover how the media covers prothropology professor Hillary Haldane, to get fessional players of both genders, and go in journalism associate professor Molly Yanity depth about sports journalism. to research in Australia. They both will be Haldane said that the class won’t be split teaching the course. between the two subjects, but instead utilized to fully flesh out the World Cup and its significance.

“I think we have very different and complementary areas of expertise around a common love for sports and women’s sports,” Haldane said. “I think that students will get a lot out of the course from an interdisciplinary standpoint.”

There’s an adMORGAN TENCZA/THE BROTHERLY GAME

By WILLIAM GAVIN Staff Writer

United States Women’s National Team forward Carli Lloyd hoists the 2019 Women’s World Cup trophy.

MORGAN TENCZA/THE BROTHERLY GAME

United States Women’s National Team defender Becky Sauerbrunn dribbles the ball in the 2019 World Cup. ditional significance to this class for Yanity, who has been researching, studying and experiencing women’s sports for decades. Just a week after the class was announced, Yanity sent the manuscript for a new book, in which she is a co-editor, to the publisher. The book, “2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup: Media, Fandom, and Soccer’s Biggest Stage,” will touch on many of the facets of the World Cup that the professors expect to teach in 2023.

This class won’t be Quinnipiac’s first interaction with the World Cup. Furtuna Velaj, who was born in Kosovo, played for the school’s women’s soccer team from 2008 until 2012. Now she plays for the Albanian national team and helped them advance into the main qualifying rounds for both the 2015 and 2019 Women’s World Cups. Crystal Dunn Soubrier, who plays fullback for the United States women’s national team and helped it win the 2019 World Cup, also has a connection to the school. Dunn’s husband Pierre Sourbrier played for the Quinnipiac men’s soccer team from 2007 to 2010.

Quinnipiac women’s soccer coach Dave

Clarke, who also coached Velaj during her time at Quinnipiac, expressed his initial support on Twitter, joking that he “hoped to tag along for the trip.” Later, Clarke elaborated and said that the class provides “a great opportunity” for both students and soccer players.

“There’s an immense benefit. I’m one of those (people) that believes that all students should do a semester abroad,” Clarke said. “If they can get a class even for a few weeks or a month, it’s a great opportunity. There’s lots of room for personal growth and development.”

Cala McEllin, a first-year history major, is interested in the class because of the role soccer has played in her life and the world.

“I have played soccer forever, but I have also grown up watching soccer with my dad and that has been a large part of my life,” McEllin said. “I really enjoy watching the U.S. women’s national team and I think that it is also really important to bring attention to them and what they do. Many members of the team have and continue to advocate for equal pay specifically between mens and womens sports and I just think that is really important.”

Students discuss double masking

By NICOLE MCISAAC Associate News Editor

Quinnipiac University students voiced their feelings behind the new COVID-19 preventive measure of double masking and if they think it should be implemented into the university’s community to help slow the spread of the virus.

“I think double masking should be talked about more within our community due to the fact that there is clear and proven data that supports double masking,” said Matthew Michaud, a first-year nursing major. “I don’t see any cons to double masking and only see it beneficial to our community to keep us even more protected.”

A recent study released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends wearing two masks in public settings to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The idea correlates to creating a replica to the N95 mask by tightly fitting a cloth mask on top of a medical-grade mask.

“I wear one mask usually, it’s always what I have done since the pandemic started,” said Jaysa Quinlivan, a senior psychology major. “I don’t think it should be mandated but I do think we as a school should explore if this will help the prevention of spreading COVID-19 on campus.”

Although students are not mandated to wear two masks on campus, some have said that even though they have already embedded the technique into their daily routine, there is a more prominent issue for the university to focus on first.

“I wear an N95 to bio lecture because my bio professor freaked me out about the new strain (of COVID-19),” said Gabrielle Neiss, a first-year nursing major. “But I think the bigger issue is getting people to actually wear the mask when they are supposed to.”

As stated in the university’s COVID-19 student policies and responsibilities, all students are required to wear face coverings any time they are outside their living unit and will not be allowed in classrooms if they are not wearing one. Despite these measures, students are certain that even if the university wanted to encourage the community to wear double masks, it still wouldn’t happen.

“I would love to see double masking be mandated at Quinnipiac but unfortunately I do not see it likely to happen due to the fact that many of the students struggle to wear a single mask correctly,” Michaud said. “Having a double mask mandate would enhance our student experience because our community would be more protected and therefore stay in green and have more in-person opportunities.”

On the other hand, some students said that a double-mask mandate would be unnecessary given the preset guidelines and protocols that are imposed now.

“Double-masking is going to scare people more and create a panic around the community,” said Kate Whitmore, a first-year nursing major. “COVID is not being spread in places where masks are worn. I believe it is not necessary and that it will discourage people from

wearing a mask because it is significantly harder to breath with two masks on.”

Sausan Aljarrah, a senior health science studies major, said she thinks it would cause more problems if a mandate was placed for students in the community.

“Not only would accountability be difficult, but more research and legislation should be done before a mandate should be put in place for the entire student body,” Aljarrah said. “Yet, I do think it’s a good thing to spread the word on the new science and data behind it.”

Despite disagreeing on a mandate due to the success regular masks bring, some students are also emphasizing how double masking would make it more difficult for students with preexisting health conditions to breathe.

“I recently had COVID-19, and it killed me because I’m already asthmatic,” said Gabriella Colello, a junior political science and law in society double major. “My lungs currently struggle so much, I feel like wearing two masks would add strain.”

Dr. David Hill, senior medical ad-

viser, said that although the university is not looking to mandate double masking on campus, there is still a large emphasis on following the health and safety measures that are already set in place.

“I think the main message is if everyone can wear a mask, complete the online symptom tracker, physically distance and not get into partying or off-campus gatherings then we’ll be fine,” Hill said.

Hill said students who are interested in having a discussion about COVID-19 and double masking are encouraged to attend the panel discussion on Feb. 24, to listen to an ongoing community conversation with a diverse group of experts from Quinnipiac and the state of Connecticut.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CONNOR LAWLESS

Sophomore Sean Doyle demonstrates the correct method of double masking.

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

4| O p i n i o n

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Opinion Black history deserves more than just a month

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Managing Editor

We have to do better when it comes to recognizing Black history in the United States.

Black History Month should not be the only time that people and corporations choose to highlight the contributions of African Americans. Black history cannot be condensed into 28 days. Our history goes back to August 1619, the time when more than 20 enslaved Africans arrived in the English colony of Virginia. Black people have been inseparable from the history of this nation before it was a nation and should be widely evoked at any point during the 365-day year. What better place to start doing this than in schools?

Maria Montessori Academy, a Utah charter school with students from kindergarten through ninth grade, experienced some national backlash after some parents chose to opt their children out of the school’s Black History Month curriculum.

Data from the Utah State Board of Education shows that 70% of the student population is white and that of the 322 total students, three are Black.

The school’s officials would only go as far as to say that a “few families” asked to not participate in instruction related to Black History Month, and the officials declined to specify the reasons given by the parents for opting out. The situation was eventually resolved after the parents withdrew their requests to opt out and the option had been removed.

This news story is illustrative of several things.

Let’s start by casting some aspersions on this Utah charter school. The commitment this school has to teaching Black history is shallow at best and disingenuous at worst. The intrigue in teaching Black history should not only be done in February.

The Black History Month curriculum appears to simply be a gimmick. Teaching Black history is not only a month-long experiment you try out. It is inextricable from any point in the development of the U.S. In fact, a Black lens can be applied to any of the primary school subjects. Now to the parents.

These parents who opted their children out apparently do not think Black history is American history. They do not deem the lives of African Americans from the past as something that is pertinent to their child’s understanding of the country they reside in. They don’t think their kids need to know the history of the Black experience because they aren’t Black in all likelihood.

After the social unrest and the national conversation about race over the summer, people like these parents still cling to their racist views. Preventing your kid from recognizing the central role Black people have in this country is an egregious act of racism. They are intentionally do-

January

ing what is in their power to guarantee their child’s ignorance, which is the epitome of animosity for Black people’s significance dating back four centuries.

To paint an even more dismal, but realistic, picture from this story, these parents are likely worried for no reason about their child’s awareness of this subject. The truth is that the Black history normally taught in schools goes either unmentioned or is incomplete and whitewashed. Why assume that this predominantly white Utah charter school will actually implement teachings that are at all groundbreaking let alone impactful?

Since the social uprisings of the summer, there have been stories written about how schools are trying to infuse Black history more into the broader social studies curriculum. In Connecticut, the State Board of Education unanimously approved a curriculum in November 2020 that will make it the first state to mandate high schools to offer courses that focus on African American, Black, Latino and Puerto Rican studies.

Both of these developments are good, but for many old and young people, Black history has already been ignored or sugar coated for many years. People who did learn in schools are the exception not the rule.

How much do you or an average person know about Black history? You likely know some things about Martin Luther King Jr. that specifically relates to his “I Have a Dream” speech. Maybe you have an idea of who Malcolm X is and you now know Fred Hampton because of the Feb. 12, release of the movie “Judas and the Black Messiah.” In social studies, you might have learned a bit about abolitionist Frederick Douglass and the Brown v. Board of Education from the start of the Civil Rights era. How much else do you know outside of that?

How many Black women in history do you know besides Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks? Do events like the Tulsa race massacre — also known as the Black Wall Street massacre — and people like W.E.B. Du Bois, Phillis Wheatley or Emmett Till sound familiar to you? If they do, great. You more than likely only learned this outside of the classroom, which shouldn’t be the case.

The purpose of that exercise was not to say that you

February

ILLUSTRATION BY CONNOR LAWLESS

have to start memorizing facts or historical figures. The point is that we collectively have to do a better job at treating Black history in and out of school. Awareness can dramatically rise if we stop saving Black people’s history for the shortest month of the year.

Lee Adams, Vice Media correspondent and host, summed up the state of Black History Month perfectly in a YouTube video.

“If we don’t reach further back into Black history, then we are not teaching Black history. We are teaching American history as white people would like to remember it,” Adams said.

March

ILLUSTRATION BY CONNOR LAWLESS

Letter to the Editor

BY DAWN COLOMB-LIPPA Senior Instructor of Biology

Here I am sitting behind a plexiglass shield in Burt Kahn Court, my usual spot at collection station one. It is so strange how normal this has become to all of us. I am a volunteer surrounded by other volunteers. We are the force of students, staff and faculty who make COVID-19 testing happen. And I stress, we are volunteers.

I am not sure that all the students going through testing realize that, and I think it is important for everyone to know. Each volunteer is here to help, and I imagine that we all have some real sense of the importance of what we are doing for our community.

Personally, I also do it so I can see students in three dimensions rather than just on a flat screen. I admit that it means that I need

to do more of my actual work into the evening hours, but I think it is more than worth it. And I love to be among other Quinnipiac community members who feel similarly.

What cannot be overstated is that we are doing the work as volunteers, so, when I read about students’ complaints that the testing is only occurring twice a week, and they are fed up with waiting in long lines, it hurts. We are truly doing our best, and we also have a full-time workload beyond the time we spend in Burt Kahn. This is the way that we keep our community safe, and I am so happy to be a part of it. So, if you find yourself on a long line awaiting the dreaded swab and feeling frustrated, take a moment, take a breath (the best you can through the mask) and remember that we are all just volunteers, doing what we can to keep everyone healthy.

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Fe b r u a r y 2 4 , 2 0 2 1

Opinion|5

Opinion Remember Vincent Jackson

The NFL needs to improve its support for retired players

BY MICHAEL SICOLI Opinion Editor

“Did he get it? Touchdown, Vincent Jackson!”

Jackson’s 2014 score in a comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, as announced by Thom Brennaman, will forever be in the mind of Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans. It was just one of his 57 career touchdowns, five of his over 9,000 receiving yards and just one of his 540 receptions. But damn, it was memorable.

He was a three-time Pro Bowler and a four-time Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee, the most respected award given to one player for their charity and volunteer work. His foundation, Jackson in Action 83, provided food and support for military families. As a son of a veteran, Jackson made it a priority to help those who were in a similar situation. He held baby showers with his wife Lindsey Jackson, and even wrote a series of “Danny DogTags,” children’s books to give guidance to kids in a military household.

Hotel staff found Jackson, barely a month after turning 38 years old, dead in his hotel room on Feb. 15. An autopsy is scheduled to determine the cause of death.

It was crushing news that continued a long pattern of NFL athletes dying young after their careers concluded. Just within the past year, seven ex-NFL players, who have played at least three seasons, died before they reached their 50th birthday. Running back Lorenzo Taliaferro suffered a heart attack at age 28. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, a nine-year veteran, lost control of his vehicle and crashed in April nine days before his 36th birthday.

There are certainly outliers among the bunch. But these athletes have found themselves in a dangerous demographic. It’s past time that athletes receive recognition and treatment for their postprofessional lives as too many struggle to transition.

Alcoholism is a common trend in professional sports, so much so that you can find “top 20 drunkest athletes” lists on popular sites like Bleacher Report. According to family members, Jackson suffered from “chronic alcoholism.” The family also believed that concussions played a part in the former Buccaneer’s death.

By no means should grown men be denied a drink. But these lists as well as societal norms continue to glorify alcoholism when it is a dangerous addiction. NFL fans still remember and clown quarterback Aaron Rodgers for not finishing his drink in one gulp at Game 5 of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals. Everyone can picture tight end Rob Gronkowski shotgunning a beer — it’s as iconic to the Gronk brand as spiking a football after a touchdown.

There’s a reason why Budweiser ads are consistently at the top of Super Bowl commercial rankings. Its commercials are incredibly well-made, but it also speaks to the culture of football in America which revolves around a can of beer. Haven’t you noticed that there is always a beer commercial on during a break segment of a game?

Alcoholism isn’t the only problem people like Jackson face.

There’s the mental aspect of leaving the public eye. Many athletes suffer a “tunnel vision syndrome.” It’s when athletes cannot or will not visualize their career path after their playing days are over. This tends to lead to depression which is far too common in retirees. A 2018 survey taken by the Professional Players’ Federation (PPF) found that of the 800 former professional sportspeople surveyed, over half reported that they’ve had concerns over their mental well-being since retiring. Several told the BBC that they felt like they were losing their identities.

“It is not unusual to hear players speak about feelings of mourning and grief when they retire,” PPF Chief Executive Simon Taylor told the BBC.

There’s also a serotonin issue, in which players are constantly rising or maintaining their levels during their careers. Serotonin is a hormone that affects people’s mood, happiness and general wellbeing. It can also affect sleeping, eating and digestion. When that is decreased or cut off entirely, it can dramatically change body chemistry, according to renowned performance coach Bill Cole.

What makes this pattern all the more devastating is that this demographic that is above pity in the public eye. They were idolized and paid handsomely — two things that were on most of our wish lists growing up. To lose all that with likely a drastic career change can be testing for a person. It leads to the substance abuse mentioned above.

And substance abuse isn’t just alcohol. According to the Gateway Foundation, athletes run a higher risk of getting addicted to painkillers and other drugs to numb the pain from when they played. With CTE in football, there’s no fully conclusive way to diagnose it nor any way to treat it while an athlete is alive. Players like Jackson commit their lives to the sport only to be tossed aside once the league is done with them.

You could call it cold, hard capitalism. You can say that Jackson was well compensated and thus welcomed the health risks that came with each big contract. You can even reference the NFL’s Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan that has been gaining capital for years.

But that plan has a major caveat since the new Collective Bargaining Agreement was signed last spring. The NFL cut off team contributions for their retired players through 2023, which accounts for hundreds of thousands of dollars designed for treatment. At a time when mental health is at the forefront of many conversations due to COVID-19, the NFL pulled away from the same people who made it immense profits.

Hug your family members a bit tighter. Make that phone call you have been putting off. Hotel staff saw Jackson motionless for two straight days, incorrectly assuming he was resting, before they became concerned that he was still in the same position on Feb. 15.

Check up on them. Show some love. It could save a life.

I will always miss Jackson for his contributions on and off the field. He won’t be forgotten — even after death he’s making a positive impact by donating his brain to CTE studies. But his death should serve as a call to action for sports leagues to better care for their athletes after they make them billions.

ILLUSTRATION BY CONNOR LAWLESS

Gender doesn’t determine a good TV show

BY EMILY FLAMME News Editor

Something I’ve noticed nearly my whole life is how people dismiss movies and TV shows with the word “girl” in the title.

This doesn’t apply to just men either — many of my female friends have said they avoided certain shows because they thought they would be too emotional since it has the word “girl” in it or if it starred a female actress.

For example, my roommate and I love “New Girl” and “Gilmore Girls.” We both talk about how funny and wellwritten they are, but when we have recommended them to our other friends, they admitted they thought the shows would be “cheesy” or “dramatic.”

One of my male friends wanted a show recommendation over the winter break, and I suggested “New Girl.” I’m pretty sure he rolled his eyes at me, but I told him the show was more than the assumptions he was making. We agreed he could only make judgements after watching a couple episodes.

I knew exactly how this was going to play out. It’s an incredible show, and I knew that once he actually watched it, he would enjoy it. He loved it so much, he sped through all seven seasons faster than I did.

I was right, proving my theory that people inaccurately judge female-led shows. I have tried to figure out why because it seems to be a decision many people make regardless of their gender.

Broadcasting Cable performed a study in 2013 that revealed that female viewers dominate the primetime show market. Shows such as “New Girl,” “Scandal” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” only lasted as long as they did because of their female viewers. Something to note is that they all have a woman as the main character.

Broadcasting Cable found that in its last couple of seasons, “The Office” was struggling, likely due to a decrease in female viewership.

“The Office,” while it is an ensemble show, has two men as the lead characters and was one of the only shows in which male viewership was higher than female viewership.

It is no coincidence that one of the only shows with higher male viewership was struggling. Women are so used to things being directly marketed to them as “feminine” and “girly” that when something isn’t, it can feel like an unwelcome place.

As a woman myself, I know that shows marketed more toward men such as “Family Guy” or “Breaking Bad,” feel like places I don’t belong. I’m sure that’s not PHOTO FROM GETTY IMAGES true, but it shows how influ- ‘Gilmore Girls’ is an example of a show that is too easily dismissed by viewers for havential gender bias is. ing the word ‘girl’ in the title.

Another interesting men usually have regarding female-related things. point that explains the reason behind the bias in marketing It has gotten better though — a study by Samba from TV shows is that men rate female-led shows very poorly.

2020 found that women comprised 45% of all characters in “But the data doesn’t support the contention that female- TV programs. Compared to the demographics in 2013, this skewed programming is inherently worse: Women gave study found that TV shows were more evenly split in terms their top 100 shows, on average, a 7.8 rating, about the same of male and female viewership. score they gave the top 100 male-dominated programs, 8.0,” However, the study said that this was because female-led according to the FiveThirtyEight study. shows’ viewership was up in minority households, acknowledgAlong those lines, men gave the top 100 male-led shows ing that there was still a lot of bias in the white male demographic. an average rating of 8.2 and a 6.9 rating for the top 100 I was still pleasantly surprised by this fact. I didn’t exfemale-led shows. pect it to be nearly an even split of male and female viewers This is evidence that men have bias against female-cen- for primetime TV. While marketing is still heavily gendered, tered programming, which stems from the internalized bias it is important to recognize when things improve.

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Anxious? You're not alone

The number of adults suffering from anxiety skyrocketed due to COVID-19.­ here are some ways to cope

By ASHLEY PELLETIER

Associate Arts and Life Editor

Anxiety affects 40 million people over the age of 18 in the United States, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. That is nearly 20% of all adults in the country during the average year.

In 2020, COVID-19 changed the way Americans live their lives. The Kaiser Family Foundation found that the percentage of adults with some form of anxiety disorder doubled in 2020. Ariela Reder, director of counseling at Quinnipiac University, said the counseling center had to deal with an unprecedented need from students who were unexpectedly sent home in March 2020.

“Last spring, when everyone went home immediately … people were adjusting and were at home,” Reder said. “For a lot of people, being at home is not a good place. There are students who, unfortunately, going home was not a good thing for them.

Luckily, we were able to support transition very quickly via Zoom … Unlike previous years, we saw students during the summer. In previous years, we wouldn’t. Usually students would go down in the spring and then pick up in fall.”

While there are a greater number of people struggling with anxiety, it is important to remember that physical health problems can arise from extended periods of anxiety. Joshua Haight, assistant professor of psychology at Quinnipiac, said there can be many consequences from chronically untreated anxiety.

“When you’re in this state of fight or flight for too long, it begins to wear on your body,” Haight said. “You lose sleep, you have a reduced immune system function. There’s a variety of negative effects that can be seen following long-term autonomic nervous system activity.”

If you think that you may be dealing with an unusual amount of anxiety, there are strategies that can help you cope.

1. Seek out a counselor. Quinnipiac offers free counseling to students. Quinnipiac offers free counseling to students. To start seeing a counselor, email counseling. center@qu.edu or call 203-582-8680 #1.

2. Reach out to your primary care provider to discuss options. They can help connect you to services that are covered by your insurance or can talk about the possibility of anti-anxiety or antidepressant medication.

3. Practice meditation. Breathing techniques and mindfulness associated with meditation can help clear your mind of thoughts and worries brought on by the pandemic.

4. Take a break from technology. In a world full of Zoom meetings and social media, this is not easy, but unplugging can give you a break from anxiety-inducing news feeds.

5. Enjoy your favorite media. A good book, movie or TV show can briefly help you focus on something fun.

6. Talk with someone you trust. If you find you are worrying about things you think are unrealistic, a friend or family member may help you put those thoughts to rest.

7. Remember there is nothing wrong with asking for help. Millions of Americans have or are going

through similar plights.

I have dealt with anxiety for the past eight years, seen numerous counselors, worked through a plethora of medication and tried every trick. It’s possible that these ideas might not be ideal for you, but don’t lose hope. No matter why you struggle with anxiety, know that there are people out there who are going through similar situations. You are not alone.

ILLUSTRATION BY MICHAEL CLEMENT

Why sleeping is the secret to thriving and how to make it happen

3. Stop doing homework at least two hours before bed. I find my dreams are usually influenced by what

By EMILY DISALVO Arts and Life Editor

I have taken sleep for granted for a long time.

I used to pass out as soon as I got into bed at night. I didn’t think about it. I slept, I dreamt and I woke up the next morning without thinking about the eight hours prior.

That is, until recently. After over a week of only sleeping about three to five hours per night, I can safely say that sleeping is an essential life ingredient.

Without a healthy amount of sleep, I began to shut down.

My brain was not equipped to form rational thoughts, let alone complete assignments or have thoughtful conversations required in college classes. I constantly cried because I was too tired to face a situation that presented any sort of emotional challenge.

My whole body hurt, and I began to feel sick as if I had the flu.

During this difficult time, I did an extensive amount of research on sleep, trying to figure out a way to fall asleep.

Sleeping was all I wanted and yet it seemed impossible. Every time I laid down, all I could think about was the logistics of breathing — was I breathing too hard? Too soft? My mind raced with images of Google documents, Slack channels and Twitter threads that didn’t end.

If this is somehow relatable, I am so sorry. Not sleeping is a very underrecognized struggle. By the end of my week of restless nights, I was ready to start an insomniacs awareness organization simply because I don’t think people who can’t sleep get enough credit for their ability to function.

I don’t identify as an insomniac, but I have renewed respect for those that do. I pulled out of my misery and have luckily slept much better the past several nights. But, how?

Here are some of the tips and tricks I tried for sleeping that I found made a big difference in my struggle for Z’s.

1. Use your phone less during the day. I know it’s common knowledge that you shouldn’t use your phone right before bed. However, in my sleepless state, I found myself stressing out about text conversations or social media posts that I saw earlier in the day. In order to work on my sleep, I use the “Screen Time” function on my phone which makes all of my

I do a few hours before I sleep. My dreams about the homework I did right before bed led to me waking up in a cold sweat of stress. Since then, I have stopped doing homework — even if I have a lot — two hours before bed because I know failing to sleep will actually prevent my ability to function the next day. In those two hours, I have instead made it a habit to do yoga, read a book or talk with my roommates.

ILLUSTRATION BY MICHAEL CLEMENT

apps inaccessible during the day. I can ignore the function if I really need to check something, but the fact that every app is at least temporarily inaccessible prevents me from mindlessly clicking on things that could inadvertently lead to stress and thus sleepless nights.

2. Exercise during the day. I never used to be as sedentary as I am right now but thanks to a combination of COVID-19 making me fear the gym and the snowy weather, I have exercised less than ever before. Research from Hopkins Medicine shows that exercising 30 minutes a day will help with sleep that night. If you find yourself in my situation with few options to exercise, try an exercise video in your room. There are a lot of free yoga and Zumba classes on YouTube. If you aren’t into that structure, just hold a dance party in your room. Put on some headphones, close your door and your blinds (for dignity’s sake) and pretend you are at the club.

4. Take a natural sleep aid. After my body built up a surprising and frightening tolerance to the average melatonin supplements, I have started to look outside the box. I am against turning to sleeping pills and Benadryl because I think it is important to find natural options. CVS stocks a hemp sleep supplement that has melatonin as well as cold-pressed hemp seed oil. I found this more effective than regular melatonin. That pill is best for occasional sleeplessness so after I tried that for a few days to get myself back in the rhythm of sleeping, I transitioned to a stress comfort gummy for both sleep and restful sleep. On top of melatonin, it has lavender which is an herb known to help induce peaceful thoughts.

If you are not sleeping well, I am rooting for you and I hope these tips can be helpful. Do not be afraid to put aside other commitments like homework or social events for the sake of trying to sleep. It is truly the most important thing you can do for yourself other than eat and drink water. You cannot fight COVID-19 or any other virus you could imagine without sleep.

Hell, you can’t even fight basic things like the laundry machine.

Understandably, for chronic insomniacs, my solutions will not be sufficient, and it is important to seek more professional advice. But I hope this can help someone.

Get your sleep. Make it a priority, but also don’t overthink it.

For me, not sleeping became a symptom of a pattern of failing to prioritize my mental health. If you focus on acknowledging what you need, taking a break from work and taking time to relax, sleep will come.

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Arts and Life|7

Old TV shows that are still worth watching

By EMILY FLAMME News Editor

Every night after dinner, my family and I would watch TV shows together — a typical childhood memory. However, my parents made me and my little brother watch all the shows from their childhood, so I grew up thinking that watching shows from the ’60s was normal.

When I got to college, I had this exact experience several times: Professor: That’s like that “Brady Bunch” episode! Wait, you guys probably have no idea what I’m talking about.

Students: No, definitely not.

I would usually sit there trying to figure out why no one understood the reference, but I quickly realized my experiences watching “Happy Days” and “The Andy Griffith Show” was not universal. I’ve always wanted to recommend these shows to my friends, so I’m going to go through my seven favorite shows from the ’40s through the ’70s.

“The Brady Bunch” I still remember my first experience watching “The Brady Bunch.” I was 9 years old and during my school’s winter break, my dad took me to the library. I went to the DVD section, and my dad pointed out the five seasons of his favorite childhood show.

He said we all had to watch it. The show features a blended family of three girls and three boys and all of their antics while growing up. Anyone who watches the show now might think it’s predictable or outdated, but this show is a blueprint for so many family sitcoms. Since it is so heavily referenced in other media and everyday life, it’s worth a watch just to catch all of the inside jokes.

My favorite episode: “The Subject was Noses” Season 4, Episode 18

“Bewitched” This is a show I think many people have never even heard of. It is my mom’s comfort show, and she would have it playing when I would get home from school. “Bewitched” takes place in the ’60s and centers around Samantha, who is a witch married to a mortal man. She rejects most of her powers and wants to lead a “normal” life, but as one can imagine, it is anything but normal.

The chaos that ensues from Samantha’s meddling mother, who also has powers, makes for some funny plotlines.

My favorite episode: “Double Tate” Season 2, Episode 23

PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA

'The Addams Family' is one of the first shows of its time to feature dark comedy.

PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA

'Bewitched' features a witch who is married to a mortal man.

“The Addams Family” The TV show came out in 1964 and only had two seasons, but it has left a lasting impact on pop culture. The show is about a closeknit family that has unexplained supernatural powers. It features a lot of dark comedy, one of the first shows of its time to do so. Plus, it has an amazing theme song, making it worth watching.

My favorite episode: “Halloween with the Addams Family” Season 1, Episode 7

“The Andy Griffith Show” This show definitely feels the oldest out of the ones on this list. This might be due to the fact that most of the episodes are in black and white. This is a show that my dad would make me watch at night when I couldn’t fall asleep. It’s about a sheriff named Andy, who is widowed and raising his son, Opie, who is also played by Ron Howard. The show is pretty formulaic. Each episode usually features Andy’s cousin, Barney, who also works at the police station, getting into some sort of mess. Then Andy, ever the voice of reason, will get him out of it while also saving the town.

My favorite episode: “The Pickle Story” Season 2, Episode 11

PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA

'The Brady Bunch' serves as a blueprint for many family sitcoms.

PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA

'The Honeymooners' only ran for one season in 1955, but it is a funny portrayal of pursuing the American dream.

“Happy Days” I had a slightly different experience watching “Happy Days.”

My mom mentioned how she would watch it every week in middle and high school, and I coincidentally stumbled upon it on a TV channel one day when the whole series was being played from the beginning.

The show is centered around the Cunningham family.

It takes place in the ’50s but was actually filmed in the ’70s.

This contributes to its “timeless” feel when you’re watching it, which was the creator’s goal for the show. Richie Cunningham is played by Ron Howard, who has since made a name for himself as a famous director. Richie’s friend, Fonzie, played by Henry Winkler, has become an iconic character that is emulated and referenced in many subsequent sitcoms. The show has a nostalgic feeling to it, which is why I like it. Sometimes it’s nice to watch media that feels like it’s from a simpler time.

My favorite episode: “Jailhouse Rock” Season 3, Episode 7

“The Honeymooners” This is a pretty obscure show, as it only ran for one season in 1955, but it’s my parents’ favorite show. We watch it every year on New Year’s Day, while taking down our holiday decorations.

It’s about a couple and their best friends trying to make it in America. Ralph, the main character who is played by Jackie Gleason, is a bus driver who is always scheming for some way to make money, which puts him in some funny predicaments.

My favorite episode: “The $99,000 Answer” Season 1, Episode 18

PHOTO FROM FLICKR

Most episodes of 'The Andy Griffith Show' are in black and white.

“I Love Lucy” Everybody probably has at least heard of this show, but it’s a classic for a reason. This show, which took place in the ’50s, changed the course of history for TV. Lucille Ball, who played the titular character, was one of the first women to star in a TV series.

In the show, she is trying to become famous, despite her lack of talent. Women were often seen as one-dimensional, so to have a character that was the star of the show, but also had personality, was revolutionary. My grandma often says that this show is the reason she felt she could be her authentic self. While it is worth a watch for that reason, it is also genuinely a funny show.

My favorite episode: “Lucy Tells the Truth” Season 3, Episode 6

PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA

Henry Winkler as 'Fonzie' from 'Happy Days' is one of the most iconic characters of the era.

PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA

'I Love Lucy' featured actress Lucille Ball – one of the first women to star in a TV series.

8|Arts and Life

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Book of the Week

Corey Rich’s 'stories Behind the Images' is a must-read for photographers and life-lovers

By CONNOR LAWLESS Creative Director

Everybody has a story to tell, but photographer Corey Rich has more than most, and he’s got pictures, too.

Rich is an accomplished and widely-recognized photographer of adventure sports, which include activities such as rock climbing, surfing and snow sports. Primarily known for capturing iconic rock climbing photos for decades, Rich’s career has brought him across the globe taking pictures of some of the most prestigious athletes in the world.

His book, “Stories Behind the Images,” is a novel with something for everyone. It’s part photo book, part memoir and part short story collection. The book has 53 non-chronological chapters that can be read in whatever order the reader wants. Each section leads with a stunning picture from Rich’s career and is followed up with the backstory of the picture and a lesson to be learned from it. These segments vary from funny stories about the hectic start of Rich’s career to touching stories about the special people he met on his journey as a photographer.

An example of what you can expect from the book comes in the fifth chapter “Story behind the Image that Launched My Career.” At the time, Rich was in college and a self-proclaimed “dirtbag,” which is rock climbing slang for someone dedicating their life to living a broke, nomadic lifestyle and climbing the best walls around. After traveling to take pictures of other climbers and the lifestyle he was living, Rich returned to college and developed the film to unsolicitedly send his pictures to Patagonia, an outdoor clothing brand.

He hoped that his pictures would have a chance of making it into Patagonia’s clothing catalog. Because of Rich’s focus on telling stories through his pictures and his distinctive photography of the sport, Patagonia accepted the submissions, used his pictures and sent him a check.

After this taste of success, Rich arrived at a crossroads of whether to leave school to pursue a career in his passion or stay to

continue his studies, but he wasn’t established in the field … yet.

By chance in his next year of college, Rich lived with a surfer who prioritized adventure over education just like him. Although the pair’s GPAs did not benefit from the lifestyle, Rich adopted his friend’s philosophy, and they took a trip down together to a tiny village in Mexico to surf. On the way down, they were held at gunpoint by officials and were forced to bribe them to continue and upon arriving found only one dingy motel in the town with one restaurant to feed them for the whole trip. This didn’t dissuade them, however, as “the beer was cheap, the food was delicious and the surfing was all time.” Soon they were catching waves and shooting Patagonia’s latest surfing line.

While surfing, Rich’s friend was stung by a school of jellyfish and went into shock, so Rich ran for help. Because of the town’s minimal infrastructure, the only person in town able to administer epinephrine was the cantina’s waitress, so they hauled his friend up to the restaurant and laid him out on a table to treat him. In this hectic moment, Rich decided to pull out his camera and capture his now infamous image of his friend grimacing on the wooden table in the poorly lit room with the waitress injecting the syringe into his butt.

This image would land on the cover of one of Patagonia’s catalogues with the headline reading “grin and bare it.” It conjured a lot of attention around Rich and his work and led him to shoot for major outdoor companies and his own projects to this day.

I loved reading through the processes and adventures behind each of Rich’s pictures and found the life and career advice in this book excellent for readers about to step into their careers. Rich’s photography always amazes, but it is the life of the man behind the camera that makes this book special.

As a follower of Rich’s work, both as a photographer and someone who has participated in a variety of the sports he has covered, it felt like this book was written just for me. Yet, it still holds universal appeal for anyone interested in living life to the fullest.

CONNOR LAWLESS/CHRONICLE

'Stories Behind the Images' tells the story of life behind the camera.

If you are interested in a taste of the book without having to buy it, Rich did a series on his instagram @coreyrichproductions called “Quaranstories with Corey” in which he reads chapters aloud with his daughter and shows the pictures from the book.

Cinderella goes digital

Disney+ presents a historically diverse version of the classic love story

By DAVID MATOS Contributing Writer

Fans of all ages can finally indulge in the uplifting and magical adventure of Disney’s first Black princess.

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s remake of “Cinderella,” starring Brandy Norwood and Whitney Houston, made its arrival on Disney+ on Friday, Feb. 12. The TV adaptation of the classic tale is most notable for its culturally diverse, starstudded cast. The film’s re-release marks the first time the beloved musical is available on a streaming service.

Norwood announced the film’s revival during an interview on “The View” that was meant to discuss her newest album, “b7,” on Feb. 4. She revealed her excitement and joyous memories working with “The View” host and actress, Whoopi Goldberg. She also expressed her gratitude to the late Houston, who also produced the film, for hand-picking a young Norwood to star alongside celebrated talents like Goldberg and Bernadette Peters.

“I’m so excited that ‘Cinderella’ has a home now at Disney+, and we can celebrate and share and inspire a whole new generation,” Norwood said on “The View.”

The musical follows Cinderella, a servant girl who suffers the circumstances of being raised by her evil stepmother, played by Peters. She is accompanied by Cinderella’s evil stepsisters, played by Veanne Cox and the late Natalie DesselleReid. Cinderella’s fairy godmother, played by Houston, gives Cinderella a new meaning to the word impossible by magically converting her rags into a blue ball gown paired with an iconic set of glass slippers.

Cinderella then rides to the ball alongside Houston where they meet the prince, played by Paolo Montalbán. Cinderella and the prince take a liking to each other, which pleases the

king and queen, played by Goldberg and Victor Garber, who had earlier urged the prince to marry. The couple soon live happily ever after in an epic wedding finale.

The film is historic for being one of the earliest examples of color-blind casting, which is the act of casting actors without examining the actor’s physical attributes like their skin color, gender or even body shape. The musical can be used as a standard for future films to be more culturally diverse. Its impact allows for kids of every background to see themselves in a lead role, rather than a minor side character that was simply created to fulfill a racial quota.

“Yes, ‘Cinderella’ is absolutely iconic because of Norwood and Houston — but Montalbán was one of the first times I saw a Filipino person on screen. “Huge,” social media manager for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Jason Carlos, wrote on Twitter.

YouTuber Todrick Hall collaborated with Norwood to produce a “Cinderella” medley on YouTube in unison with the re-release. The video features reimaginations of iconic scenes from the film while Norwood and Hall sing to the original soundtrack. Norwood even sports a re-creation of her original blue dress.

“It’s the legacy for me,” Norwood wrote on Twitter.

“Todrick Hall, we had a magical time reimagining Cinderella.

Much love to everyone involved.”

“Cinderella” is a film that resonates with a lot of people.

This re-release on Disney+ continues the legacy it began so many years ago. In the midst of Black History Month, it’s important that we celebrate a film that was a monumental moment in Black history. Grab a snack and your coziest blanket and experience the joyous ride that is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella,” now on Disney+.

PHOTO FROM TWITTER

Brandy Norwood stars as Cinderella in the Disney+ re-release of the classic fairytale.

ILLUSTRATION BY CONNOR LAWLESS

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Arts and Life|9

Pump it up on Zoom or in person

CONNOR LAWLESS/CHRONICLE

Fitness classes are held both on Zoom and in person this semester to accommodate all students.

By LEXI PEPE Staff Writer

As the cold weather and ongoing pandemic confine students to their dorms, Quinnipiac University fitness classes are operating both virtually and in person so they can practice self-care.

Types of classes

Quinnipiac offers a variety of fitness classes to take whether you are looking for something fast-paced to get your heart pumping or something more relaxing to find your inner zen.

Yoga has many benefits as it improves balance, strength and flexibility whereas Ugifit can be considered as the complete opposite. Ugifit is an intensive class offered and taught in person

by Una Cooper, an occupational therapy graduate student.

Throughout the class, you carry a weighted ball and incorporate it into the entire routine for 30 minutes.

“Usually it can be six pounds, eight pounds, or 12 pounds,” Cooper said. “It doesn’t sound like a lot of weight but when you’re constantly moving with little to no break in between each exercise,

it picks up quickly.”

Cooper encouraged students to try out this class as a fun way to stay active between classes.

Over the winter break, Ally Kochersperger, a senior in athletic training major, hosted a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Bootcamp via Zoom.

“I did a lot of cardio and mixed it with a body part,” Kochersperger said. “One day I would do cardio, chest and arms, another day I would do legs, another day, abs. I would try to make each workout a little different.”

Kocherspreger is also Athletics Fitness Association of America (AFAA) certified, which means she can teach group fitness and spinning classes. Now that the semester has started, she is back to teaching spinning classes at the Rocky Top Student Center.

Working out with a mask

Even though we all wish the world would just go back to normal, masks are required in all fitness classes to keep one another safe.

“It is difficult working with a mask but at the same time, I’m so used to it now,” Kochersperger said. “The people who take my class have respected the mask protocol. Luckily, I haven’t had any issues which is really good.”

Cooper said she makes an effort to project her voice through the mask as gym goers, student-athletes and even fitness instructors must comply with the mask rule due to health regulations.

“I try to make an additional effort to demonstrate what’s going on as best as I can because if someone is in the back of the class and they can’t hear me through the mask, at least they can see and carry on through the exercise as much as they can,” Cooper said.

Both Cooper and Kochersperger have found it easy to make a connection while teaching on Zoom. It creates a safe environment for those who are shy and may want to have their camera off but still participate. Kochersperger also has an Instagram account, @ justahungrygal_, where she posts information on maintaining a healthy diet or workouts to do in your spare time.

If wearing a mask while working out is uncomfortable or if you want to try out your first class, I recommend attending virtually. Students can still take care of their bodies and minds from the comfort of their room and can even have their roommate join in to enhance their experience by finding a physical activity you both enjoy.

The importance of fitness

During COVID-19, Quinnipiac students have been asked to stay in their dorm rooms, social distance, wash hands and try to remain healthy. However, it is important to make sure you are taking care of your physical and mental health. Being trapped in a confined space can negatively impact one’s physical and mental health.

“Fitness classes are so important because it changes up the schedule a bit,” Cooper said. “It gets the body moving, gets those endorphins going.”

Whether you are in a dorm or bedroom, it is healthy to get out once in a while.

“A lot of students who are remote have classes back to back and that means you’re not getting that walk from one building to another,” Cooper said. “Those 10 minutes outside can be important when you are glued down to a desk or wherever they’re doing their work from.”

Kochersperger said she has always been a huge advocate for fitness as it can take care of the mind during these hard times.

“When I was younger I perceived fitness as more for physical activity and enjoyment,” Kochersperger said. “Now, it is such a mental clarity for me and especially now when everyone’s emotions (are) at an all-time high.”

CONNOR LAWLESS/CHRONICLE

Instructors like Ally Kochersperger are used to working out with a mask and say most students are compliant with the rules.

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10|Sports

February 24, 2021

A marquee woman Grace Markey’s humanitarianism has benefited the women’s ice hockey team

By JORDAN WOLFF Staff Writer

Russell Wilson, Eli Manning, J.J. Watt and Larry Fitzgerald are all prominent football players who are usually recognized for what they do on the field. They all happen to play in the NFL, but also are recipients of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. The award recognizes players who go above and beyond off the field in giving back to underprivileged youth groups in their communities.

Despite not being on the same national platform, the Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey program has another player that’s being recognized for similar ideals. That person is senior forward Grace Markey.

Markey is one of six finalists to be nominated for the Hockey Humanitarian Award. According to the Quinnipiac University athletics website, the award is “celebrating its 26th season and is presented every year to a college hockey player who has made significant contributions to his or her team and community through volunteer efforts.”

Before diving into Markey’s off-ice accomplishments, it’s important to understand how she arrived at Quinnipiac. Markey grew up in West Bloomfield, Michigan, and during her freshman year of high school, things developed rather quickly.

Markey attended a hockey showcase camp in Ontario, Canada, where she met former Quinnipiac assistant coach and director of women’s hockey Paul Nemetz-Carlson. As soon as Markey toured the school, the idea of coming to Quinnipiac soon became a reality.

“I really, really enjoy the small-school aspect,” Markey said. “What drew me in the most is how close you can get to the faculty. My advisor (Deborah Clark), I just saw how much she cared about my development and some of the things that make me who I am today are because of conversations I had with her.”

Speaking of people Markey is close to, enter Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey head coach Cass Turner and assistant coach Amanda Alessi. Both women have been active throughout the entirety of Markey’s journey, and she credits them for helping develop important life skills.

“They majorly shaped me into who I am today,” Markey said. “These tools that they have provided us are going to last a lifetime.”

An example of those “tools” Markey was referring to is dealing with the mental aspects of the game. Alessi and Turner both organized team meetings with Spencer Wood, the mental skills coach. Markey was fond of that because of how long-lasting things like that can be.

They’re things in life you can acquire by learning. For example, you can teach necessary life skills to succeed, you can teach ways to improve yourself on the ice, but what you can’t necessarily teach is a desire to give back to the community.

“I’ve always been very passionate about volunteering,” Markey said. “Me, my brother and my parents would volunteer

MORGAN TENCZA/CHRONICLE (2019)

Senior forward Grace Markey is one of six national finalists nominated for the Hockey Humanitarian Award. in soup kitchens during the holidays, cooking meals and such.”

The passion continued in high school, as Markey decided to volunteer at a local emergency room. The pre-med major cited how rewarding it felt to alleviate some of the daily stress of a nurse by doing the little things, such as cleaning the rooms.

When it was time to make the jump to college, the decision to continue volunteering was a no-brainer. Markey found a place called the Whitney Manor Rehabilitation Center and things continued to develop from that point.

“I didn’t know exactly what type of rehabilitation they did there,” Markey said. “I reached out to the director of recreational activities and just asked if they needed any type of volunteer. So I met with her and started volunteering there just by myself.”

Some of the volunteer responsibilities Markey took on were socializing with residents and making sure they were in the proper places. She also helped the director with any necessary paperwork that needed to be completed.

Markey cited that she developed a close relationship with the director as time elapsed and eventually started helping her plan residential events that her whole team attended.

Some of those events included cookie decorating, painting residents’ nails, a coffee social hour and wheelchair square dancing.

Volunteering at the Whitney Manor isn’t the only endeavor Markey took on, as she went back to her high school

roots by focusing on soup kitchens.

“We’ve had the team go and serve meals to 200 plus people of the homeless population in New Haven,” Markey said. “So that was really cool.”

Markey is also the president of Q-Core, a student-athlete community service initiative. Starting this year, the senior worked with the vice president of Quinnipiac to create a Zoom mentorship for children of faculty and staff.

She cited how these tough times have created an atmosphere for teachers teaching on Zoom while their kids run around.

Markey found a way to harness the energy kids typically have by creating Zoom workouts that she or her teammates lead each week. Markey also partnered with the Quinnipiac School of Education to provide those same children free tutoring.

Besides the work that goes into all these projects, what truly drives Markey to be a marquee woman is the satisfaction people can feel for the things she’s done.

“When I see somebody receive what I’m giving them, I learn from them too,” Markey said. “It’s really honorable to open up to somebody and they tell you their life experiences and hardships. In the process, you have fun, you create memories, especially with your teammates. It creates a deep bond within the teammates too.”

‘Me, my brother and my parents would volunteer in soup kitchens during the holidays, cooking meals and such,’ senior forward Grace Markey said.

MORGAN TENCZA/CHRONICLE (2018)

February 24, 2021

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

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Tufto and Petruzzelli contend for Hobey Baker Award The two key seniors battle for national hardware and a championship

Senior goaltender Keith Petruzzelli is currently third in the country with a 1.66 goals against average (GAA).

By PETER PIEKARSKI Associate Sports Editor

At the abrupt ending of the 2020 season, questions arose around two Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey players about whether or not they would return for their senior seasons.

Fast forward 11 months and both forward Odeen Tufto and goaltender Keith Petruzzelli are in contention for the most prestigious award given annually to the best player in college hockey, the Hobey Baker Award.

Tufto, upon his return, was named the 47th captain in Bobcats program history back in June. His level of play on the ice and immense leadership at all times backs up head coach Rand Pecknold’s choice. Petruzzelli, the 6-foot-5 brick wall between the pipes, intended on returning for his final season to dominate the league.

Even with the announcement of the Hobey Baker nominees on Feb. 1, the goal for both Tufto and Petruzzelli and the team is securing a championship.

“I mean obviously they’re both special players and Odeen has done what he’s done, and Keith the same way, he’s really stepped up and played very well,” senior forward Joe O’Connor said. “We want to win the conference, obviously, but I don’t think that’s our main goal, we want to win a national championship. And if Keith keeps playing the way he does, I mean we’ve got a very good shot, and Odeen keeps moving that puck I think we’re gonna do pretty well in the end.”

Looking at league-wide NCAA DI statistics, Tufto currently ranks first in assists (31), second in points (35), first in power-play points (PPP) with 17, and third in points-pergame (1.52). That 1.52 point-per-game pace over the course of a 36-game season would lead to Tufto notching roughly 55 points. That would mark the fourth time that it’s been achieved in Quinnipiac DI history.

However, Quinnipiac is only scheduled for a 27-game regular season plus however many games it plays in the ECAC Hockey playoffs, not to mention the NCAA playoffs if it makes it.

Statistically, this is Tufto’s best season in his four years as a Bobcat. He’s currently ranked third in DI program history with 152 points, with a chance to claim the top spot if Quinnipiac makes a run in the NCAA playoffs.

“I think the Hoby Baker award is obviously special, you know, the award has so much history,” Tufto said. “It’s pretty special for my family and I to get nominated. I think I look at all those individual words, and it’s definitely humbling to see those and to be a part of some of those other names. But like I said, it’s really not the focus right now. Those individual awards will take care of itself, and right now, as a leader, I’m just focused on getting these guys ready for these last couple of regular-season weekends, and then making sure we’re prepared for playoffs coming up.”

Speaking of best statistical seasons, Petruzzelli is building an even stronger case for his nomination. Following a phenomenal junior year with a .920 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.01 goals-against average (GAA), the Massachusetts native is currently third in the nation amongst starting goaltenders

with a 1.66 GAA and seventh in the nation with a .930 SV%.

Petruzelli’s incredible season has also earned him a nomination for the Mike Richter Award, which is given annually to the most outstanding goaltender in DI ice hockey.

In a season with empty stands, mental preparation is the most crucial aspect for a goaltender. Not having any fans in the stands means that the players have to feed off of each other’s energy. For a goaltender, that’s a little more difficult as they are isolated from the bench and have to stay laserfocused at all moments of the game.

“The momentum changes are more based off your bench,” Petruzelli said. “A well-knit group together to help build momentum shift after shift instead of just getting a big hit and getting the crowd into the game early. So for me, it’s definitely been a bit of a change, warm-ups you come out and there are no fans and it’s quiet. It’s a lot more on yourself to get yourself mentally into the game so it’s just a bit of an adjustment.”

Notably, stats for goaltending don’t show the full picture.

Goalies can make all the easy saves, but if they can’t make crucial or momentum-swinging stops, the stats are flawed.

MORGAN TENCZA/CHRONICLE (2020)

For Petruzzelli, his game shines the brightest when the pressure is on.

In the biggest games of the season, Petruzzelli has been otherworldly. During the weekend series against No. 12/13 Bowling Green, he saved 67 of the 72 shot attempts for a .931 SV%.

In games only against ECAC Hockey opponents, he has a 1.30 GAA and a .933 SV%. Within every single one of those games, Petruzzelli has made several clutch saves to either keep the Bobcats ahead, tied or in the game until the final whistle. That also includes his shootout performances.

“It makes a lot easier, like you obviously don’t want to give up chances, but you just know you have a safety net behind you,” junior defenseman Zach Metsa said. “You take a chance and it doesn’t go the way you want, you know Keith’s going to bail you out and make that save. Knowing you have Keith back there takes a lot of pressure off.

You’re not uptight about making mistakes, you can play a little looser and give up a couple of chances even if you don’t want to.”

GRAPHIC BY CONNOR LAWLESS/PHOTOS BY MORGAN TENCZA (2020)

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The Quinnipiac Chronicle

February 24, 2021

Sports

@QUCHRONSPORTS

Hometown hero MORGAN TENCZA/CHRONICLE (2020)

Joe O’Connor continues to make an impact for his neighborhood Bobcats

By BRENDAN SAMSON Contributing Writer

Stepping onto the ice, field or court at the highest level with friends and family in the crowd is every athlete’s dream growing up. Looking into a crowd that you were once a part of and realizing that your loved ones are here to cheer you on at a Division I level is a luxury most athletes do not have.

In recent years for professional sports, we have seen bigticket free agents do everything they can to sign with the teams they grew up idolizing. For Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey senior forward Joe O’Connor, he has already achieved that goal.

Growing up as a Hamden, Connecticut, native, O’Connor and Quinnipiac instantly connected. His mother is a nurse at the university, and his family has owned men’s ice hockey season tickets since he was young.

This deep connection is what made his first home game so special.

“I just couldn’t stop smiling in warm-ups,” O’Connor said. “All my friends were there, and I think my whole family was there.”

O’Connor’s four-year teammate and team captain, senior forward Odeen Tufto, knows how special playing for your hometown college is. Being from Chaska, Minnesota, Tufto isn’t able to have the same experience as O’Connor but sees its value.

“I think it’s huge,” Tufto said. “Family and friends coming to the game, that means so much. If I was playing for my hometown college, it would be something that I would never forget about. It would be so special to go on the ice every time, and you’re stepping on a rink that’s just a couple miles from your house.”

Now in his senior year, O’Connor has had plenty of these experiences, but none better than in the 2018-19 season.

That’s the year Quinnipiac made the NCAA tournament, and O’Connor made a big splash.

“He’s got a couple great memories scoring big goals at big times,” Tufto said. “It’s just kind of what he does.”

One of the memories that Tufto referred to came against Arizona State University. Just three minutes into the first round of the 2019 NCAA tournament, O’Connor netted an

MORGAN TENCZA/CHRONICLE (2020)

Senior forward Joe O’Connor’s goal against Arizona State University in the 2019 NCAA tournament led the Bobcats to victory.

early goal, giving the Bobcats a 1-0 lead, propelling them to a 2-1 victory over the Sun Devils.

That 2018-19 season, as O’Connor puts it, is when the team became a tight-knit group, something he has tried to continue as a leader.

“We turned sophomores, and we became a whole family as a team,” O’Connor said. “I think we do a really good job of bringing the freshman class in and making them a part of that family right away. I feel like we’ve done a great job over the past few years of doing that with younger classmates.”

The 2020-21 roster features four seniors, all playing different roles in the family they have built. As the captain, Tufto is asked to lead by example, while O’Connor and goaltenders Keith Petruzzelli and Josh Mayanja provide comedy and an easy-going attitude.

“I tend to be a little more of the serious guy sometimes and Manny and Keith and Joe kind of try to lighten the room and keep things not as serious,” Tufto said.“I think they do a really good job of having a good balance.”

Every team needs a guy that can keep the roster tight — a player like Kevin Hayes of the Philadelphia Flyers. While he is one of the premier talents on the ice, he is also known for pulling plenty of shenanigans off of it. This easy-going mentality provides plenty of opportunities for team bonding, something that is difficult during the pandemic.

With COVID-19 putting the kibosh on team activities outside of the rink, O’Connor has tried to incorporate this team bonding into everyday practices.

“You really can’t hang out and do the whole team bonding thing, so you kind of really have to get your team bonding in at the rink and whether that’s a hard practice and you’re battling or in a team workout, it’s just a different kind of team bonding,” O’Connor said.

Despite the unique season, O’Connor feels confident in the roster. With a 14-5-4 record and the top spot in ECAC Hockey, the No. 11/12 ranked Bobcats look to make a championship run to end O’Connor’s senior campaign, after his junior season was cut short.

“It was tough last year,” O’Connor said. “We were starting to come on, but this year we’ve been pretty much good the whole year so hopefully we can get to the next step.”

While this may be O’Connor’s last chance to relive the journey he had his sophomore year, he thinks that Quinnipiac’s future teams have plenty more tournament runs in store. Headlined by a class that will feature nine seniors next season, the men’s ice hockey team’s future is a bright one.

“That junior class is stacked and then going down it’s just going to get better too, so I’m pretty confident that hopefully we can do something special this year, and hopefully down the road too they can do something special,” O’Connor said.