May 2019 by Reporter Magazine

REPORTER MAY 2019 reporter.rit.edu

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REPORTER EDITOR IN CHIEF Cayla Keiser PRINT MANAGING EDITOR Kasey Mathews ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR Victoria Sebastian COPY EDITOR Mimi Lee NEWS EDITOR Marilyn Wolbert TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Karina Le LEISURE EDITOR Anika Griffiths FEATURES EDITOR Morgan LaMere WELLNESS EDITOR Tyler English VIEWS EDITOR Ali Johnston WRITERS Morgan LaMere, Tyler English, Frankie Albin, Taylor Synclair Goethe, Cayla Keiser, Kasey Mathews, Jessica Sides

ART ART DIRECTOR Lily Garnaat ONLINE ART MANAGER Monica Nguyen-Vo SENIOR DESIGNER Cassy Smithies DESIGNERS Nancy Perez, Kevin Zampieron, Elin Smith, Lauren Perttula, Dhensel Dorji, Cassy Smithies, Kendra Murphy ILLUSTRATORS Maggie Dybas, Maliheh Rahrovan, Juho Choi, Sara Calhoun, Asher Bozman, Elizabeth Dettman, Angie Krieg

PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO EDITOR Catherine Rafferty PHOTOGRAPHERS Tess Roberts, Olivia Kaiser, Tony Wen, Natalie Whitton

EDITOR’S NOTE Hi, I’m Frankie, and I spent the last year as Editor in Chief of Reporter, and the last four years as a student at RIT. In that year, and in those four years, I have been aware of, part of and impacted by an array of issues and events that have shaped this community. There have been times where we should have raised our voices in response, and times when we did not quite know how to react. Everyone on this campus — be it students, faculty, staff or administration — is trying to push this place to be the best it possibly can. We may have different ideas of what that is or how to get there, but inevitably that is the goal we all share. We need to push each other to reach that goal. Students should question every action the administration takes. Question what your fellow students are doing, as well. Make sure that everything that is happening is in your best interest, and is handled in an efficient and sensible way. The administration should question students too — especially on why we want certain things and what we are willing to compromise on. Tell us why things are the way they are, or why you are doing things a certain way. Oftentimes that is not clear. Question everything, but also be willing to listen. Sometimes that question will present an idea that wasn’t considered before, and sometimes there might be more to a situation than it seems. To the administration: we do not hate you. It is our role as students to push you to be better, to make our needs and interests heard and to keep the dialogue flowing. We won’t stop doing that. To the students: the administration of this university does not exist solely to be at odds with your needs and interests. They have roles to fulfill, as well, with a variety of challenges and obstacles that come with that. Be critical, but constructive and understanding. I care very much about this university and this community, as we all do. It has been my home, my purpose and the most influential period of my life. I have witnessed some incredible change here, but I have also witnessed events and decisions that should not have happened or should have been handled better than they were. We must continue to combat poor decision making and the factors that cause those events. To everyone, with everything — question.

BUSINESS BUSINESS MANAGER Ward Couillard AD / PR MANAGER Maximilian Italiaander ONLINE SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR Michael Canning WEB MANAGER Efe Ozturkoglu PODCAST PRODUCER Taylor Synclair Goethe ADVISOR Rudy Pugliese PRINTING EPi Printing CONTACT 585.475.2212

Frankie Albin Outgoing Editor in Chief Letters to the Editor should be sent to rpteic@rit.edu. No letters will be printed unless signed. All letters received become the property of REPORTER.

Reporter Magazine is published monthly during the academic year by a staff comprised of students at Rochester Institute of Technology. Business, Editorial and Design facilities are located in Room A-730, in the lower level of the Campus Center. Our phone number is 1.585.475.2212. The Advertising Department can be reached at 1.585.475.2213. “Welcome to the Cayla-Claw-Machine” -F.A. The opinions expressed in Reporter do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute. Reporter is not responsible for materials presented in advertising areas. Copyright © 2019 Reporter Magazine. All rights reserved. No portion of this Magazine may be reproduced without prior written permission.

May 3

TA B L E O F cover and TOC illustration by Sara Calhoun

NE WS 6

VENDING ON CAMPUS AND WHY STUDENTS CAN’T You’ve seen outside vendors across campus, but where are the student vendors?

T E CH 8

BREAKING DOWN BRAND LOYALTY A look at how companies ensure you buy from them and only them

LEISURE 10

Finals stressing you out and need to escape? Have a grande time exploring Rochester’s cafe scene

@reportermag 4 May

IMPRESSO ESPRESSO: EXPLORING ROCHESTER’S CAFES

AYL: DESIGN YOUR OWN LATTE ART Doodle your stress away

CONTENTS FE AT URES 16

WAR, PROPAGANDA AND MISINFORMATION: THE EVOLUTION OF FAKE NEWS The history of fake news in American journalism

THE SIX CODES OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

WELLNESS 24

EMBRACING THE NON-TRADITIONAL Basketball, football, soccer ... silks? Explore some sports you may not be quite as familiar with

Nonverbal cues play a large role in conveying meaning

INTERNSHIPS EAT SUMMER College students never get breaks

WORD ON THE STREET What’s the biggest thing you’ve wasted your money on?

RINGS RIT’s digital confessional (585) 672 - 4840

reporter.rit.edu May 5

Vending on Campus and Why Students Can’t

by Morgan LaMere | illustration by Maggie Dybas | design by Nancy Perez

t’s likely you’ve seen them before: vendors filling up the Student Alumni Union (SAU) and residence areas. Some are here for events and others areselling their wares on a regular basis. Jewelry, art, clothing and more are all able to be sold by outside vendors, alumni, faculty, clubs and on-campus organizations. But, no matter how hard you look, you won’t be able to find any individual students. This is because, according to RIT policy, students aren’t allowed to directly vend on campus.

Campus Vending

At face value, this absence in student vendors can seem counterintuitive. After all, this is RIT — a school centered around giving students opportunities for creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. So why doesn’t RIT let students vend? “The primary purpose was for students to come to school and get an education, not make money. They [can always] go through student employment,” Carol Reed, senior associate director and manager of Campus Life Facilities, said. Her office deals with vendors solely in the SAU, verifying those that are approved to sell their goods. Reed has been involved with vending services for a long time, and she explained the evolution of vending on campus. “It has changed over time. In the older days, vending was directly related to clubs,” she said. “[It] started with the idea of trying to support student organizations raising money.” As clubs matured and evolved, traditional methods of fundraising, such as bake sales, no longer brought in enough money. Therefore, clubs began sponsorships with outside vendors to come into their events, vetted through legal affairs and with profits split between participating parties. 6 News

Eventually, after expressing interest for some time, these vendors were permitted to come to campus of their own volition after approval from Reed and her office. One such vendor, Mike Dellaria, has been vending local artwork, T-shirts, jewelry and more to students for 42 years. “When I first started, [I] just wanted to sell in general,” Dellaria said. “[RIT is] a very good college market.” After off-campus vendors are approved by Reed’s office, they pay a set amount per vending table they wish to utilize. This works fine for off-campus vendors and student groups, but not for individual students.

“The primary purpose was for students to come to school and get an education, not make money.” If a student were to develop a business model and wished to sell to other students on campus, they would be denied. When asked about whether students should be able to sell their wares, the answers were complicated. “I think students should be allowed to vend,” Dellaria responded. “[However,] they should be held responsible — 50 to 60 percent of the time [student groups] don’t show up and the tables go empty, and that’s not good.” Despite this no-show, as Dellaria phrased it, he still appeared to be in support of the idea. Similarly, for Reed, she only notices one complication: there is little pushback from

students regarding their lack of opportunity to vend. “That hasn’t been something that we’ve had a lot of issue with,” Reed said. “I think most students understand that our goal is to help student organizations. We haven’t gotten a lot of pushback.” This lack of pushback could be explained by the blunt message most students see on the Center for Campus Life’s website — “individual students are not allowed to vend” — deterring many people from looking any deeper. However, Reed suggested that if students were to express enough interest, it is possible that after some work with legal services, student vending could become a reality. In the meantime, there are still several avenues for students to take if they are looking to express their creativity.

Students Selling on Campus

There have been several ways that students have been able to work around this policy of who can and cannot vend. For example, in classes that design and produce works of art, faculty often provide a solution. “[For] the jewelry students and ceramic students who do their work, a faculty member will book a room in the [SAU], and the students will sell their wares,” Reed stated. While students cannot vend by themselves, faculty can, and often do, book tables for students to sell class-made items. They, along with others, can see Reed at her office in the SAU to fill out the proper paperwork. Other options for students include joining clubs, simply selling among friends or selling through a relatively new shop in Global Village known as Shop One. Wendy Marks, director of finance and administration

galleries, talked about the goal of Shop One. “[It’s] a place to showcase RIT creativity and talent,” she said. The shop hosts work from alumni, faculty and current students whose work is occasionally sponsored by an external company. These works include ceramics, glasswork and metal works, among others. “When a student is interested in showing their work here, they come in and we have a casual conversation,” Marks stated. Marks never rejects an idea. If it’s not fully evolved yet, she simply gives the student a push in the right direction. “We mentor to address their presentation ... packaging and processing so it’s ready to show

and sell to the public,” she said. Once the work is ready to sell, an agreement is reached where the artist receives 60 percent of the retail price. The remainder goes to covering staff and packaging at the RITowned shop. Marks acknowledged that students have a tremendous amount of ideas and energy, but also agreed with Reed on a key point. “[Students are] here to pursue learning, and their coursework takes up most of their time,” she said. Despite this, Marks seeks to provide something fun for students to do in their free time without it being a time-consuming business. “I would like people to look at the shop

as [having] an open-door policy, to feel that everyone is welcome,” Marks said. “I am open to collaborating with any department or individual.” While policies can be changed, it currently stands that individual students are not allowed to vend. Thankfully for those students who are business oriented or artistically inclined, there are several options they can pursue to gain more publicity for their name and brand.

News 7

g n i k a Bre DownBr a n Loya d lty

by Tyler English | illustration by Maliheh Rahrovan | design by Kevin Zampieron

ith new and innovative technology released every season, the competition to attract and maintain loyal consumers is intense. Whether or not one company has more advanced technology or a just-as-reliable and affordable option, big names, such as Apple, need to ensure that consumers go to them for the latest and greatest gear. In order for companies to get customers to purchase their products, they not only need loyal customers, but also advocates — customers who will recommend their brand’s products to consumers buying from competition. This is where brand loyalty comes into play. Companies want their current customers’ perception and understanding of the brand to guarantee that they not only keep buying, but also influence others to buy.

8 Technology

Breaking Down Brand Loyalty Professor Emi Moriuchi teaches marketing courses in Saunders College of Business and studies how brands market to their audiences. “To me, brand loyalty ... is about you being a repeat customer [and] not only a repeat customer, but an endorser — you spread the opinion that you have to other people,” Moriuchi said. Moriuchi also described brand loyalty as knowing that even if another product has more advanced technology or is a cheaper option, a customer would still choose ‘their brand’ as opposed to looking at other options. Brand loyalty is something that tech giants want in their clientele. “Once you are in [a brand], it is hard to shift — like a bank account,” Moriuchi explained.

When a customer is devoted to a company’s brand, it can be hard for them to switch as they may feel intimidated by searching for a different company. Brand loyalty in this sense can be both active and passive. On one hand, the customer will go out and be an influencer for their brand, whereas passive brand loyalty can be seen in the hesitation to change companies. This can be due to either the new brand being perceived as too complex or the switch being too daunting of a task for the consumer. “Think of search engines. Most people use Google as their primary source,” Moriuchi said. It may be weird to consider having brand loyalty to a search engine; however, when you think about when you need a question answered, you probably Google it. Moriuchi also discussed brand loyalty that is passed

e r a u o y s i e t c i n , “O brand] in [a tosh hard ba ift — like a nk acc ount

.”

down through a family or the people that you associate with. “If your whole family has iPhones, you will probably get an iPhone because you are familiar with it,” Moriuchi said. This sort of implicit brand loyalty can also be seen in cars, grocery chains, phone service and so many other industries.

Defining the Brand Before a company can say that they have brand-loyal customers, they need to first establish a consistent brand, according to Entrepreneur magazine. A company must know what sets it apart from the competition long before it decides to enter the ring. Liz Vosburgh, a fourth year Marketing major, has worked in the marketing world and understands how companies create and uphold their brand. “Now it is all about experience the customer has,” Vosburgh said. Customers will not judge a company based solely on what their store looks like. They take everything into account from the way the employees act to the way the brand portrays itself in the social space.

Speaking to the success of Apple, Vosburgh said that it’s the consistency of the brand that people can recognize and relate to. With Apple’s commercials and advertisements all following the same guidelines and values, the company can ensure that the brand appears the same across all platforms. “Companies have brand style guides now,” Moriuchi said. These documents cover everything from what the logo needs to look like to what words can and cannot be used. Having style guides in place helps to make sure that the company is conveying the same message, no matter the media.

Marketing Shifts As social media became more and more accepted into society, the marketing world had to shift and companies had to learn to adapt to the changing platforms. “Social media changed marketing and branding completely,” Vosburgh said. “Each platform has a different audience and companies need to understand what each one is used for and what audience they are reaching.”

Marketing has come a long way from traditional advertising, such as the production of commercials and radio ads. The rise of social media gave companies and consumers direct lines of contact; the days of waiting on hold with customer service are numbered as more and more companies move to social media. “When you need help from a company, you don’t call or email them now — you tweet them,” Vosburgh said. Customers have grown accustomed to social media and have adopted numerous platforms into their daily lives, such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Each of these platforms has a certain audience and way that users interact with each other. Pushing out ads on Instagram engages customers visually, for example. However, companies establish their voice by answering customers’ questions and managing their grievances on Twitter, Moriuchi said. Wendy’s is a master at catering to its audience; with a savage Twitter and “loving mother” Facebook page, it caters to each platform in order to draw in its audience effectively. With different platforms, audiences and media to convey their brand, how do tech companies ensure that their marketing techniques are keeping customers loyal? With more technology, of course! “Social media monitoring tools are huge in marketing. [Companies] need to know if they are effectively communicating and interacting with their specific audience,” Vosburgh said. Brand loyalty is becoming increasingly crucial to the tech industry. With phones, tablets, software and gadgets becoming more advanced and innovative, companies need to stake their claim on the market. In the end, it all boils down to one question: Apple or Android?

a i d e lm a i c o “S marke d e g chan bran ting and ding c omple tel

y.”

Technology 9

IMPRESSO ESPRESSO Exploring Rochester’s Cafes by Frankie Albin | photography by Tess Roberts | design by Kevin Zampieron

t’s easy to let the the absolutely mouthwatering selection of food and drinks on campus at incredibly reasonable prices deter us from ever leaving. But shockingly enough, there are actually plenty of better options off campus. Rochester has some amazing cafes that offer an escape from RIT dining — even if you have to work while doing so. Let’s explore brew-ti-ful Rochester together.

Java’s Cafe If you’re as emotionally attached to the on-campus Java’s as I am, then you’ll feel just as at-home in the Java’s on Gibbs Street. While you may have to walk a couple of blocks to avoid the metered street parking, covering that ground will be worth the grounds at Java’s. Those familiar with Java’s know it has a very hippy-dippy style — with a rustic and eclectic mash of decorations, you’ll never run out of things to stare at as you ignore the assignment you are supposed to be doing. This Java’s seems to be more of a hangout 10 Leisure

spot than the one on campus, so expect louder people. There’s plenty of seating, but outlets can be sparse. The tables are also pretty small, making it difficult to fit a laptop as well as your double-extra-super-espressotiger-surprise and cookie. Their coffee and tea selections are reasonably priced and they offer rotating local roasts. If you’re not into coffee or tea, they also have specialty juices and smoothies. Baked goods and sandwiches are also available, though those are a bit pricey.

Coffee $1.95

Tea $1.85

Most Popular Menu Item Chocolate Stitch Noise Level

Glen Edith Finding parking near Glen Edith can be a latte take on, espresso-ly since the parking lot has about five spaces. Finding a seat can be just as much of an adventure; I’ve had to outright leave and go somewhere else in the past because there just wasn’t anywhere to sit. Once you do find a table, though, there’s plenty of room to work and eat. There are also many outlets available — well, except for the tables in the middle of the room. Glen Edith is much more industrial and minimal than the other cafes I went to. Its simple atmosphere is a great working environment. Many more people here were working rather than hanging out, so it was definitely way quieter than Java’s. The pastries and drinks here are a bit more expensive than most of the other cafes I went to, though I honestly didn’t notice much of a quality difference. Their sandwiches are very flavorful; but, for the price, I wish they were larger or came with a side. They do, however, have wine and beer, as well as a variety of cold brew options if that’s what you’re looking for.

Coffee $3.00

Tea $3.00

Most Popular Menu Item Vanilla Bean Latte Noise Level

Cafe Sasso Located directly next to Glen Edith, Cafe Sasso is a nice blend of what you get both at Glen Edith and at Java’s. While it’s usually busy, it’s generally easier to find seating here. Parking, however, is the same struggle as it is with Glen Edith. Many of the tables are small, and a lot of the seating is at counters rather than tables. Regardless, there is usually enough space to work and eat simultaneously. Also, you will pretty much always have access to outlets, which is a perk. The atmosphere is artsy and funky; the walls are covered with local art that you can enjoy while sitting on their mismatched furniture. The vibe is just right for a chat with an old friend or typing away at that paper that’s due in 10 minutes. They have a great selection of coffee and tea, as well as unique cocktails and specialty coffee drinks. Their prices are also some of the cheapest I’ve seen — yay to spending less money! Additionally, they have a large selection of vegan baked goods from the Red Fern, a local vegan restaurant — much more than the selection of vegan options at other cafes.

Coffee $1.75

Tea $2.25

Most Popular Menu Item Peace Train Noise Level

Leisure 11

The vibe is just right for a chat with an old friend or typing away at that paper that’s due in 10 minutes. Coffee Connection If you like coffee and good causes, then Coffee Connection should top your cafe bucket list. Coffee Connection is a non-profit business that helps train and create jobs for women recovering from addiction. Their main goal is to prepare them for sustainable employment. Who would have thought that drinking too much coffee could help people? There’s plenty of street parking nearby and, upon entering, you’ll be greeted with a small shop that gives you the feeling of having coffee at someone’s quirky house. They also have a small photo gallery in the back that really communicates the story of their mission and impact.

12 Leisure

In terms of space, most of the tables are small, making it difficult to fit anything more than a laptop. Another downside is that outlets are mostly concentrated in one area. However, it is very quiet, so it’s a great place to do work if you’re easily distracted by noise. Aside from the standard a-latte-ment of baked goods, including free cookies, they also sell soups and quiche. Additionally, their coffee and tea selection is good quality and their prices are comparable to most of the other cafes. Their smoothies and flavored lattes are items you should absolutely make a point to explore.

Coffee $2.35

Tea $2.00

Most Popular Menu Item Vanilla Fudge Latte Noise Level

Boulder Coffee Co. Next time a storm is brewing, plan a trip to Boulder Coffee Co. You could easily spend an entire day at Boulder. Your car can, too, since they actually have a full-size parking lot. Boulder is very spacious, and the seating is spread out enough so that even when it’s busy, it doesn’t feel cramped. The multiple rooms inside include a variety of retro televisions, bold art and a small stage for live music on Friday nights. When they aren’t playing music, there is generally an equal mix of people working and chatting — so the cafe doesn’t get too loud. There are plenty of options for places to sit and percolate — whether it be a couch, a counter or a table. Regardless of where you sit, there are plenty of outlets. Their menu includes cheap but delicious coffee and tea, though they’re slightly more expensive than Cafe Sasso. They have a less diverse selection of specialty drinks, but they make up for that with cocktails, wine, beer, baked goods, soups and sandwiches. Their sandwiches are especially flavorful, and the portions are very generous.

Coffee $1.85

Tea $2.00

Most Popular Menu Item Iced Caramel Macchiato Noise Level

Starry Nites Starry Nites is a cozy cafe featuring an entire wall covered by a giant painting of Vincent Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night.” Before you can admire that though, you’ll have to find street parking, but that shouldn’t be much of a problem. The cafe is small and chill, with simple decor that features rotating local art and a large bookcase of board games. The tables and seating areas are mostly big enough to eat and work at the same time, and outlets are accessible from most seats. However, the overall space feels a little cramped, especially when it’s busy. The ambient music isn’t too loud, but the buzzing conversation can make it difficult

to ground yourself in work. They also have regular live performances during which musicians play right next to the tables rather than on a stage, creating a much more intimate musical experience. Their menu offers a variety of sandwich, soup and salad options that are good, but not the most flavorful. Their coffees and teas are great, the prices are reasonable and they also have a full menu of beer, wine and delicious specialty lattes. Once you’ve managed to decide on a beverage, make sure to choose your tip jars wisely. I put money in the jar that said the moon landing was real, and watched as the two guys at the counter started arguing over conspiracy theories.

Coffee $2.00

Tea $2.50

Most Popular Menu Item “Why drink what everyone else drinks? Be different, man.” Noise Level

Leisure 13

AYL: At Your Leisure

by Anika Griffiths illustration by Juho Choi design by Elin Smith

ot to fuel anyone’s coffee addiction, but in a month this demanding of attention, students could definitely use a bit of caffeine. If not coffee, at least a soothing tea is needed to fan off the test anxiety. So kick back at Glen Edith or grab a latte from Artesano. Meanwhile, use this mocha syrup to create your own coffee masterpiece!

14 Leisure

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REPORTER.RIT.EDU

by Taylor Synclair Goethe | illustration by Sara Calhoun | design by Lauren Perttula

s Hiram W. Johnson famously said, “The first casualty when war comes is truth.” Fake news, as defined by Time Magazine, is a “false news [story], often of a sensational nature, created to be widely shared online for the purpose of generating ad revenue via web traffic or discrediting a public figure, political movement, company, etc.” The term “fake news” is relatively new, but the issue of misinformation is as old as language itself. American journalism has a complicated relationship with the media, both due to our rights to freedom of the press and a historical involvement in war propaganda campaigns.

Emergence of Mass Media

In the past, reading the news was a rich man’s luxury. Paper and printing in early America was expensive. Elites who owned papers would cater the news coverage to the interests of their colleagues, as this was often their readership. Thus, early newspaper journalism was a relatively small industry 16 Features

that had minimal influence on common people’s day-to-day lives. Daniel Worden, a professor in the School of Individualized Study with degrees in American Print Cultures and American Literary Studies, explained how developments in printing and papermaking technologies made print media more accessible to the working class. “In the 1860s, we see the emergence of ‘story papers’ and ‘dime novels,’” Worden said. “This [was] possible due to developments in printing technology and use of wood pulp paper, which is cheaper than cloth.” The Civil War is considered the first technologically-documented war. “The telegraph, which was used heavily by the press during the Civil War, had a longlasting effect on journalism. Since telegraph operators charged by the word to transmit stories over the wire, reporters tried to prioritize facts and write more succinctly,” according to Futurity. Even after the Civil War ended, the demand for consistent updates on the state of the government became popular. By the 19th century, a few newspaper barons arose and established a monopoly on the publishing industry — most notably, Joseph John Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst.

Yellow Journalism and Sensationalism in News

“War makes for great circulation,” Hearst had said. Yellow journalism, much like modern “clickbait” news, isn’t based on facts; rather, it focuses on sensationalism and crude exaggeration. Sensational-based print had the power to shift public opinion and beat the drums of war. “Hearst knew that newspapers played an important role in shaping public opinion,” Worden said. “He used it to push his perspectives on American expansionism.” Hearst championed the Spanish-American War and other affairs in order to protect

War makes for great circulation.

the financial stakes of U.S fruit-picking companies that owned property in Guatemala. The press portrayed the war as heroic, righteous and manly to coax civilians into supporting it and enlisting. According to Michigan State University, “The most significant piece of yellow journalism, and arguably the most influential, was the report of the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine in Havana Harbor. Although there was no evidence suggesting foul play, Hearst’s New York Journal ran the headline ‘Destruction of the War Ship Maine Was the Work of an Enemy.’ Almost every major newspaper in the country ran similar headlines, despite lack of evidence.” Media continued to portray a romanticized version of war until photographic technology improved. Photojournalists recorded the horrors of the World Wars and, for the first time, American civilians began to understand what war really looked like.

War Propaganda in the Media

“It’s understandable that when a country faces an existential threat, it will create a ‘rally around the flag’ effect. The country wants to make the enemy seem as scary as possible

and make themselves the good guys,” Sarah Burns, a professor of political science, said. She explained that countries at war attempt to “unify” by establishing a blackand-white understanding of morality. The opposition is often slandered through propaganda campaigns, the effects of which are magnified by the press. Professor of History Tamar Carroll explained that the U.S has engaged in both overt and covert propaganda campaigns in times of conflict. “Overt propaganda would include the poster campaign in World War I and World War II ... and newsroom reels that would play before movies and encourage them to buy war bonds,” Carroll said. “Then the U.S has participated in covert propaganda by trying to influence elections. For example, in Guatemala, there was a CIA-initiated coup. We dropped flyers literally from planes.” During the first World War, the military took over all radio communications and placed strict censorship guidelines on photography. Congress later passed the Espionage and Sedition Acts, which made it illegal to publish any “abusive language” against the government. “By the end of the war’s first year, 75 U.S. newspapers had lost their mailing privileges or been forced to change their editorial positions. World War II brought the creation of a military office of censorship. If the press wanted access, they had to apply for credentials from the office, which meant they had to play ball with the military,” according to PBS. The post-WWII propaganda campaigns worked and began to exacerbate fears of communism back home. The Red Scare was a period of anti-Communist hysteria, led by

Senator Joseph McCarthy, that prosecuted innocent Americans on suspicions of being secret Soviet spies. According to E-International Relations, “The use of print with easily de-codable and emotive images helped to redefine national identity as a virtuous and patriotic America, against a dangerous and destructive socialist East. The media distributed extreme propagandist slogans such as ‘Better Dead than Red!’ This type of politicized propaganda served to cause hysteria over communism and nuclear war.” Eventually, it became clear that McCarthyism wasn’t focused on national security, but rather fear mongering and control. From here, the media started to gain a more independent identity from the government. “The press had lessened the spread of anticommunist propaganda when they began covering McCarthy critically and questioned the motives and accuracies of his allegations,” Carroll said.

Misinformation in Media Coverage

“A part of misinformation is withholding information,” Carroll said. She explained that the media can take liberties on the information they choose not to report. This is often done because the story is deemed not newsworthy or due to the subject’s relationship to the media. “There’s a tendency, when reporters are embedded with soldiers, to see the point of view of the troops and military and not necessarily the civilians or another side,” Carroll said. Features 17

We are more likely to believe news if someone we trust tells us about it. Vietnam is considered the “first television war,” according to Britannica. At the height of the Vietnam War, an estimated 600 journalists were in Vietnam reporting from either wire services, radio or television. The U.S. Military Assistance Command helped with transportation of journalists and allowed for the first frontline coverage of war. Before Vietnam, the press maintained an amicable relationship with the presidency and refrained from reporting on their personal lives. The press chose not to report on Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s rampantlygrowing illness or John F. Kennedy’s many extramarital affairs. “Watergate was a turning point,” Carroll said. “Nixon had already lied about [the] Vietnam War and its expansion. Then, Watergate revealed corruption at the highest levels and increased speculation of authority.” Although the media changed its tactics and now reports on a candidate’s personal life and character more, the press often takes the president’s word on updates for foreign conflicts. One key example was George W. Bush’s false claim that there were “weapons of mass destruction” in Iraq — a claim which served to escalate the Iraq War. Huffington Post wrote that “such criticism is well-deserved, given that the U.S. media — with a few notable exceptions — helped promote the Bush administration’s flimsy case for invading a country that had nothing to do with the Sept. 11 terror attacks, thus beginning a nine-year war that killed more than 115,000 Iraqi civilians and 4,488 U.S. service members.” The press made similar mistakes during the 2016 election with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s emails. Andrea Hickerson is the department chair for the School of Communication. She explained that the media’s obsession of being the first to “break” the story has stopped them from 18 Features

thinking critically about the information and their sources. “We have lost a lot of context with [a 24/7 news cycle]. It [the desirefor breaking news] forces us to reduce complex stories into sound bites and digestible media,” Hickerson said. Clinton’s emails were taken by Russian hackers and leaked to Wikileaks in an effort to invalidate her candidacy for president. Quick-paced Newsrooms fell for the bait and didn’t investigate the source of the materials or the intentions of its release. “Russia timed [the release of Clinton’s emails] to distract Americans from the AccessHollywood tape,” Carroll said. “[Clinton’s emails coverage] reflects pressure to work quickly within the 24/7 news cycle. Many stories were published without key context about the Russian espionage campaign.”

New Media Ethics in the Digital Age

Fake news is much more wide reaching and damaging in the new digital media era. “Estimates say that at least 40 percent of Americans saw fake news leading up to the [2016] election. So it’s true fake news is not a new phenomenon, but sharing it on social media, allows for it to travel at a higher speed,” Carroll said.

Social media has revolutionized the way people obtain and digest information. On one hand, it makes information more accessible and allows for more timeliness in reporting. On the other hand, a lot of news is spread through second-hand sourcing without the fact checking required in professional publications. “We are more likely to believe news if someone we trust tells us about it,” Hickerson said. “So if a friend shares fake news on social media we will believe it.” According to the Pew Research Center, about two-thirds of adults get their news from Facebook. Burns explained that social media’s algorithms have a lot to do with the spread of fake news. Social media is designed to keep people’s interest for as long as possible. Fake news is often written sensationally and captures readers’ interest. Unlike news media, social media is not under the same restrictions to screen or regulate the accuracy of the content posted on their sites. News that is sensational, radical or fake can be favored if it generates enough user traffic — social media then becomes a breeding ground for radicalization and foreign interference.

“Showing multiple perspectives is good journalism,” Carroll said. “On the other hand, not everyone’s opinions are equally valid and shouldn’t be given equal space. American journalism has done too much of that. Reporting on climate change deniers shouldn’t get equal coverage because they are objectively wrong.” America’s freedom of speech laws have made censorship of radical and fake news difficult. Even talk show hosts who frequently spreads extremist propaganda and falsehoods, like Alex Jones, are hardpressed to face severe legal issues. It is up to private social media companies to ban users that spread hateful and radical news. Alex Jones was eventually banned from all major social media platforms, yet many fake news accounts that bring heavy traffic are still unlikely to face repercussions any time soon.

“The issue with social media is that it mixes genres,” Carroll said. “When I read print news, I have a different expectation with the New York Times than with a tabloid magazine like the National Enquirer. But when we read social media, all that is collapsed into one feed.” Fake news is not a recent or uniquelyAmerican problem; though, it has been exacerbated by the advances of technology. Burns recommends some ways to avoid being caught up in the fake news wave. “Please put ad blockers on all your media,” Burns said. “[And] a good trick is to find two sources to verify the truth of a fact, and to make sure the second source is from a trusted site.” Will American laws adapt to the threat of fake news in the digital age? Will the Russian interference of 2016 make news media more vigilant to the influences of

foreign adversaries? Is the average American even equipped to tell if the news they read is real or fake? These are questions that will surely be answered in the upcoming years. However, the youngest generation to come out of social media, Gen Z, have shown more social media cautiousness, according to TIME. Perhaps the issue of fake news will be stagnated by the fresh perspectives of incoming generations.

[The desire for breaking news] forces us to reduce complex stories

into sound bites and digestible media. Features 19

THE SIX CODES OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION by Cayla Keiser| photography by Olivia Kaiser| design by Dhensel Dorji

ou’ve likely been able to tell whether or not your mom is actually upset with you by analyzing her tone of voice, and chances are she knows your reaction by reading the look on your face. Nonverbal communication is “a process of generating meaning using behavior other than words,” according to the book “Communication in the Real World.” Dr. Bonnie McCracken Nickels, a visiting lecturer in the School of Communication, said the majority of our language is nonverbal. “As listeners ... we watch, we listen, we observe how people communicate; and that actually tells us a larger amount of what someone is trying to say to us than the words that are coming out of their mouth,” she said. Nonverbals are essential for creating meaning, and are also culturally dependent. Here, we’ll focus specifically on nonverbal communication in western culture. There are six different nonverbal codes, each of which influences first impressions, our relationships and the overall generation of meaning.

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kINESICS Kinesics refers to the movement of our hands, arms, face and body to convey meaning. It’s how we position ourselves during a conversation or where we look when we are talking. This can communicate our interest and confidence in the interaction. During a job interview, your posture communicates a host of information. Kari Cameron, a senior lecturer in the School of Communication, said you don’t want to seem too relaxed, or it might communicate overconfidence. But you also don’t want to come off as too stiff or uptight. A happy medium, Cameron suggests, is to lean slightly forward to signal interest. Eye contact plays a major role in how we are perceived, as well. Keri Barone, another senior lecturer in the School of Communication, said that deliberately maintaining eye contact can be tricky. Some people may stare too much, but others not enough. “There is no internal process that says, ‘Okay, you’ve reached trustworthy, you’ve now

passed trustworthy and now you’re just into creepy,’” Barone said. It’s not just where you look or how you sit, though.

hAPTICS Haptics is communication by touch. The strength, placement and duration of someone’s touch can communicate anything from empathy to power to how we define a relationship. Nickels studies immediacy behaviors (the use of touch to communicate empathy and concern) in her research. If seated, a touch on the shoulder or knee from a doctor can show care and empathy for their patients’ situation. “What my research has particularly found is [that] when you couple socially-supportive messages with nonverbal immediacy behaviors ... it actually enhances your supportive message,” Nickels said. Haptics also influence first impressions. In an interview, a firm handshake is going to readily communicate confidence. “Whereas sometimes we give what I refer to

as ... the ‘limp fish’ where [the handshake is] just dangly; and from that somebody can read that you’re disinterested or that you have a lot of anxiety,” Cameron said. Haptics can also help determine relational statuses. You’re likely to spot those who are romantically involved holding hands. Likewise, you could expect this of a parent and their child. “Really, touch is the gateway to any kind of intimate relationship, be it a friendship, a family member or romantic relationship,” Barone said. When looking at the way we touch people, the closer we are to someone, the more likely we are to touch them in more intimate or personal ways.

pROXEMICS The way space and distance influence communication is called proxemics. According to “Communication in the Real World,” there are four kinds of proxemic distances: public, social, personal and intimate. The public space is generally 12 or more feet away from an individual, and the social space is anywhere from four to 12 feet. “When we couple proxemics with haptics, that’s when we can tell what [people’s] type of relationship is,” Nickels said. “If they’re really close with one another, if they’re touching

one another, if they’re always in each other’s intimate space — you’re going to know that they have that close, intimate bond.” Personal space is generally around an arm’s length away, according to Nickels. Our intimate distance is reserved for those whom we are closest to. However, where people are in our space is largely contextual, she added. “If you’re on a crowded bus riding to campus and it’s incredibly full, it’s going to be expected that people are in your intimate space,” Nickels said. “ … But if no one is on that bus, you expect to have that personal space.” Proximity to others might foster relationships, according to Duck’s Filtering Theory. We use sociological cues, which are demographic factors that determine who you are more likely to come in contact with. “A forced proximity really can help us to gain comfort and familiarity and eventually friendships,” Cameron said. “I sat next to my husband in class in grad school here, and it was from turning and talking to him in the classroom that we developed a friendship and started dating.” Another aspect of proxemics is territoriality — our desire to occupy and claim spaces as our own. Although there rarely are assigned seats in college, students still gravitate toward the same spot day to day. “Even to this day it throws you off if you walk into a classroom and you’ve been there

all semester, and it’s Week 13 and someone is in your spot,” Barone said. With proxemics, it’s all about knowing the boundaries of each other’s space.

“I am always bothered that there are no italics in text yet ... it’s necessary to add emphasis and to be clear.””

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VOCALICS Vocalics is the study of paralanguage and how we use that to convey meaning. “Paralanguage is all the ways we can communicate using our voice — it’s these utterances that aren’t necessarily words coming out, but it’s everything else,” Nickels said. It includes pitch, tone, volume and more. Aside from the words we utter, meaning is based on the change in these paralinguistic factors. Pitch, Nickels said, can frequently work against women. “The unfortunate gender bias that occurs is that women, because their voice has a higher pitch, tend to sometimes be perceived as less credible,” Nickels said. As outlined by BBC, studies have shown that people with lower-pitched voices were considered more dominant, whereas those with higher-pitched voices seemed more submissive. As she stepped into a power role, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher tried to seem more authoritative by working with a vocal coach to lower her vocal pitch, BBC said. Not only does paralanguage play a large role in how others perceive us, but so does the lack thereof. With Americans under 50 using text-based communication most frequently, according to Gallup, nonverbal communication aspects are 22 Features

lost due to the inability to recognize paralinguistic changes. “I am always bothered that there are no italics in text yet,” Barone said. “In my friend circle, we do a lot of capitalizing and ridiculous punctuation things. But it’s necessary to add emphasis and to be clear.” Cameron, Nickels and Barone all said they recognize the nonverbal deficit within text communication, and that emojis are one way to reduce this. People are trying to find ways around the deficit, Nickels said, but there is still much room for misinterpretation.

Chronemics If you have an interview that starts at noon, it’s expected that you arrive sometime between 11:50 - 11:55 a.m. Any earlier, it could seem like you are putting pressure on the interviewer to come and greet you, Cameron said. Any later, judgments about your character may be made, and they likely won’t be good. That’s chronemics — how time affects communication. “People who tend to be on time or early for things may be viewed as more capable or higher achievers, where if you rolled in late all the time, that will be perceived perhaps as a lack of interest, or maybe you’re not doing [your] job effectively,” Cameron said.

If a student is consistently late to class, the professor might think the student is disorganized, lazy or lacks time management, Nickels said. Time can also communicate power. A CEO can call a meeting for 9 a.m., but if they are late, it’s expected that everyone waits for them to arrive and not question their tardiness, Nickels said. When someone gets pulled over, they are then on the cop’s time. At a doctor’s office, it’s expected that you arrive 15 minutes early, but then it is okay for the doctor to make you wait an hour. First impressions are made depending on when one shows up, just as they are made by what you arrive wearing.

“It’s not enough to be effective verbally.”

Personal Presentation and Environment Personal presentation factors, such as how we dress, communicate to the world who we are and whether or not we are credible, Nickels said. “Some people would say that it shouldn’t matter what you wear or how you do your hair, but the truth is we are always looking at that and judging people ... based on how they’re dressed,” Cameron said. Most of this has to do with how the receiver interprets your efforts. For a job interview, it’s expected that you are in your most well-groomed state. Anything less than that and the employer might think lowly of you; the same works in the classroom. “If a professor were to walk in on day one in the beginning of the semester wearing sweatpants, you’re going to immediately make a first impression on that person, and that first impression is going to be pretty stable [for the duration of the class],” she said. How a room is set up also influences perception. In a classroom, for example, there are unwritten rules about how it should look. Barone took a class in graduate school about these unwritten rules and found her professor violating them on day one. The professor’s desk was in the middle of the

room, and all the student desks faced in the opposite direction. “She [the professor] stood on the middle desk with no shoes on,” Barone said. “And we [students] were like, ‘Okay, so who do we call because the teacher’s gone crazy.’ But her point was that … we know how that general configuration is supposed to go and if it doesn’t go that way, it throws off all of our communication.” The ways in which we occupy space and present ourselves might seem unimportant, but it can say more about a person than words ever could.

“Women, because

their voice has a

higher pitch, tend to sometimes be

percieved as less

Becoming a Better Nonverbal Communicator Becoming an effective communicator, especially nonverbally, doesn’t happen overnight. Nickels said the first step to improving is to internally reflect on how the messages you send are interpreted. Only once you’ve honestly identified your strengths and weaknesses can you begin to improve. Even then, relying solely on yourself to be the judge could be difficult. “Maybe even take somebody as an outside observer to pay attention to what you’re doing to report it to you because again, we don’t always know what we are doing,” Cameron said. Barone noted that even simply knowing that you have to constantly adjust when sending and receiving messages can help you improve. “It’s not enough to be effective verbally,” Nickels said. “People are watching with a keen eye to see how you’re communicating, how you’re relating to other people, how that message is coming out — and that’s what they’re going to take with them.”

credible.”

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EMBRACING THE

NON-TRADITIONAL by Kasey Mathews | photograghy by Tony Wen | design by Cassy Smithies

ports are a great way to get into shape, expend some pent-up energy, satisfy your competitive desires and have fun all the while. But there’s more to sports than hockey and basketball. As barriers are broken and boundaries are pushed, newer activities have arisen that largely question what we would consider sports. Although the popularity of these non-traditional sports has surged, the debate about whether the activity is or is not considered a sport continues.

Cheerleading A debate many are likely familiar with would be the validity of cheerleading as a sport. While much more widely accepted, there still are detractors. Gabrielle Derosier, fourth year Criminal Justice and Psychology double major, doesn’t quite understand that view. Serving as the co-captain for the RIT cheer team, Derosier has been involved in cheerleading since coming to RIT. She explained that people have

misconceptions about cheerleading and what it entails. Some believe it to be “super easy,” with cheerleaders just “walk[ing] around in skirts and [waving] pompoms.” While its origins may be in cheering for other athletes, the sport has evolved to consist of much more.

“I’m training 15 hours a week just to be good at what I do.” “You learn a routine that’s two minutes and 30 seconds long. It encompasses dance, gymnastics [and] acrobatics,” Derosier said. “And just so much is in that routine.” Derosier believes a sport is anything that involves the exertion of energy — physical and mental — while conforming to a set list of rules. Typically, she said, a sport also

encompasses a competitive aspect with a scoring system and winner; however, the bottom line is training and having fun. “I’m training fifteen hours a week just to be good at what I do,” Derosier said. With their effort, the grace and precision of their movements and the complexity of their skills and routines, cheerleaders are just as dedicated to their sport as any other athlete.

Rock Climbing Whereas cheerleading is recognized in the mainstream for its grace, rock climbing is recognized for its strength. Both, however, necessitate careful and precise body movements. RIT’s Red Barn is a popular location for students to try out rock climbing and, even to those who have since expanded their experiences, it still holds a special place in the hearts of many rock-climbing Tigers. Alex Celin, fourth year Biomedical Engineering major, is one such student. Serving as the vice president of communications for RIT’s Rock Climbing Club,

LEFT: Taylor Baird (center top), a fourth year Accounting Major, and her teammates practice stunting for an upcoming regional competition in Auxiliary Gym, Henrietta, N.Y. on March 26, 2019. The team practices together for two to three hours every day of the week except Sunday. RIGHT: Jacob Lyman, a second year Industrial Design major, tries one of the advanced courses at the Red Barn in Henrietta, N.Y. on March 26, 2019. Lyman has been climbing seriously for three years and recreationally for five years.

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LEFT: A student at Aerial Arts of Rochester attempts a “Push Bar Out” on the hoop during a practice session on March 30, 2019, in Rochester, N.Y. RIGHT: The Hearthstone Team in RIT Esports Club discusses one of the latest decks built by Coach Freddy “Frevan” Stock before the start of the open tournament in Orange Hall, Henrietta, N.Y. on March 29, 2019.

Celin has experience rock climbing across the country. She noted that the Red Barn is still her favorite place around the area to climb. Even so, Celin gave nothing but positive reviews for Rochester’s other rock climbing facilities, such as RocVentures Climbing Gym and the newly-opened Central Rock Gym. Rock climbing is much more than scaling a wall, though. “It’s just this fun ... sport where you can go and solve a problem while also working out,” Celin explained. “And it’s not all just absolute brute strength; there’s a lot of technicality and you have to be very aware of your body and you also have to be very mobile and flexible.” While there are many dynamic and strength-based movements, rock climbing also focuses on the formulation and execution of a plan. To ensure their body moves in a precise manner, climbers need to maintain balance and grip.

Aerial Arts Containing a similar mix of strength and dexterity required for both cheerleading and rock climbing, aerial arts is a demanding activity that represents the intersection of performance art and extreme sport. Leah Farrar, an attorney in Rochester, became involved in aerial arts just after graduating law school. “It’s an environment where you work with your abilities and there’s not that pressure to surpass them,” she said. “If someone is trying to get in shape ... I actually think [aerial arts] can be a good fit.”

Because instructors are very safety conscious, they refrain from pushing anyone beyond their capabilities. This leads to a safe and positive fitness environment. While there is only one aerial gym in the Rochester area — Aerial Arts of Rochester — the gym is well-resourced and offers a wide array of opportunities to get involved. They offer traditional silks, hoops and stationary trapezes. The facility also hosts more unconventional apparatuses, such as aerial chains and ropes, which are growing in popularity. Because the different types of apparatus require different skills, aerialists must be very flexible with their abilities. Alongside these technical skills, aerialists must be great performers and entertainers as well. “[My favorite performance was] at the Comedy at the Carlson,” Farrar said. “I performed to Right Said Fred’s ‘I’m too Sexy for my Shirt’ and ... I was on the aerial hoop. It appeared that I was taking my shirt off to match with the song, but underneath I had a bathing suit ... that was designed with a hairy man’s chest.” She laughed and said, “I enjoyed that way too much.”

Esports As with aerial arts, esports represents an intersection of its own, lying between digital outputs and physical reactions. Esports has experienced a rapid rate of growth on campus since its introduction, as its popularity skyrocketed. Fourth year Computer Science major Evan Hirsh founded and currently serves as president of RIT Esports.

Hirsh explained that the organization started just under three years ago and is one of the fastest-growing clubs on campus, receiving 300-400 new signups per year. Unlike most clubs, however, esports operates in much the same way as the athletics department at RIT. Just as the athletics department is the overarching administrative body overseeing all of RIT’s sports teams, RIT Esports oversees teams for seventeen different games, with more always welcome. Unlike the athletics department, however, esports remains far more flexible in its lineup, adapting to the ebb and flow of game popularity and encompassing newly-released games as they grab the attention of the college gaming community When it comes to the inclusion of esports in the sports community, however, the debate is still heavy. “I’d say [sports and esports are] separate but parallel, personally,” Hirsh stated. While he acknowledged that both require mental and physical endurance, the manner of this endurance is too dramatically different to consider them to be within the same category. Even so, esports players’ dedication to the game is admirable and in many cases can go beyond that of a number traditional athletes. Fitness takes on many forms, and “sports” has a wide range of definitions. The passion behind each athlete, though, remains a steady constant across all activities.

Wellness 25

Internships Eat Summer by Jessica Sides | illustration by Asher Bozman | design by Lauren Perttula

The opinions expressed are solely those of the students and do not reflect the views of REPORTER.

tudents have many opportunities that seem necessary to succeed in their respective fields. One of the opportunities that a number of majors at RIT require are co-ops. Even if it’s not required for your major, many students still feel pressured to go away on co-op while in college. Additionally, in order to pay high tuition costs, some students work jobs that are potentially unrelated to their major during the semester. Students sacrifice their valuable time to additional projects when they could be devoting that time to schoolwork, sleep or recreation. The majority of students spend much of their free time building up their portfolios. Knowing that employers will evaluate them on these works is an added stressor for these students. In tandem with this, students stress over getting that vital work experience that employers are looking for before they graduate college. All of these stressors affect students’ academic success, which is much more important than any one of these distractions.

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Employment According to Huffington Post, four out of five students end up working while also being a full-time student. Many need the funds to keep up with tuition payments. I, myself, uphold three jobs and work about 15 hours per week. Finances are a large stressor for me, just as they are for thousands of other students on campus. Emily Frebowitz, a third year New Media Design major, works 20 hours every week — the maximum permitted for oncampus employment. “I would probably have stronger [design] projects if I didn’t have to work during the school year,” Frebowitz said. The academic outcomes for students are arguably much better if they don’t have to spend time outside of class on responsibilities such as part-time jobs, especially as they often make only $6,000 per year. Internships are another vital part of any college experience, but they can be tricky. Students spend a lot of quality time searching and applying for internships with no

guarantee of acceptance. Many internships don’t pay students. Instead, some might be strictly for experience or college credit, leaving students spending their time working for little to no pay. Jack McDowall, a first year Industrial Design major, understands this struggle. “It’s difficult at this age to work because you don’t get paid, or you get paid very little. It’s nice to make money, but for me it’s more about the experience at such a young age,” he said. “I’m glad to put it on my resume.”

Building Up Portfolios The art and design students of our university spend large amounts of time building up their portfolios to impress future employers. Not only is building art portfolios a task students do on top of their other art and design projects, but they also often spend their summers doing the same. Students like Ted Ryan, a third year Illustration major, do exactly this. “I have a backlog of work [from Fall and Spring semesters], such as unused sketches I develop. I started a graphic novel last summer, and I start other projects to keep productive,” Ryan said. Similarly, students unrelated to the arts spend their time looking for experience in

“It can be hectic to

have a job, do schoolwork and apply for internships.

It just leads to stress. their field. Whether it is lab work, helping professors with research or searching for internships and co-ops, these students are constantly looking to boost their resumes. Brennan Farrelly, a third year Illustration major, is concerned about his resume. “Expressing your interests in your portfolio is easier than a wall of text ... [Employers] look at a resume for maybe six seconds. You get a better feel for someone as an artist with a portfolio,” Farrelly said.

There’s not a whole lot I could do to better manage my time. The point is that I have so little to spare, and professors should understand that. It would be so much easier if professors were more lenient and understanding about student workloads. Nasha Torres, a third year New Media Design major, claimed her professor outright told her that “none of us [students] should have jobs. We should be focusing on our schoolwork.” However, for many it’s simply not feasible. I’ve had professors tell me that for every one credit hour we enroll, we should spend approximately two to three hours outside of class studying to succeed. This is a nonsensical goal. Those who partake in internships or part-time jobs cannot get anywhere close to this amount of studying. Between part-time jobs and extracurriculars, this often isn’t possible, and takes away from our grades and GPA. Stress is something that follows in the wake of success. The opportunities of success don’t

come without effort — you have to work for it. Sometimes we don’t have the privileges that others have, and we are required to fill that gap. Getting a part-time job is a burden many of us will bear in the duration of our stay at RIT. More often than not, we aren’t lucky enough to have our parents pay our tuition or scholarships covering all costs, and that’s something that professors fail to understand or accommodate. This just leaves us with stress, unreasonable expectations and a ton of tears. We are screwed.

Double Majoring Those students with multiple majors go through further hardships. Personally, I am a double major in Physics and Psychology. Double majors put in twice the amount of work that someone with only one major would put into schooling. Not only do double majors often take 18+ credits every semester, but many also have to take summer classes to cover the rest. On top of that, finding internships and co-ops are an immense challenge. Most individual majors at RIT require co-ops, leaving double majors to take on multiple — the struggle is real.

Time Management Attempting to find a balance between all of these things is near impossible without sacrificing sleep, socialization, healthy eating habits and one’s own mental well-being. Penn State University did a study on how working while in college affects a student’s academic success. They found that we are short on time and commonly find ourselves with limited opportunities to study, sleep and eat. Gabe Cagara, a third year New Media Design major, deals with this on the regular. “It can be hectic to have a job, do schoolwork and apply for internships. It just leads to stress,” he said.

“[Employers] look at a resume for maybe six seconds. Views 27

W.O.T.S

WORD ON THE STREET

photography by Natalie Whitton | illustration by Elizabeth Dettman| design by Dhensel Dorji

What's the biGgest thing You've wasted your money on?

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"I waste my money

"Goat simulator,

on makeup."

the video game."

Vicky Ge

Cesar Depaz

Second year, Civil Engineering Technology

Second year, Civil Engineering

"Everything I a purpose."

"A $450 piece of work from the most recent show at RIT

Eric Hamm

City Art Space."

have bought has

Second year, Industrial and Systems Engineering

Anna Vernacchio Fourth year, Museum Studies

"Probably on speakers. I have a lot of them and I don't need them but I love them and it has taken a lot of my money away."

Thomas Housel Second year, Motion Picture Science

"Textbooks. They're so expensive and it sucks buying them

"All of the clothes that I bought to try to fit in rather than

every semester."

to be who I am."

Griffin Brown

Jin Jin Heipler Second Year, New Media Interactive Development

Second year, Electrical Engineering The opinions expressed are solely those of the students and do not reflect the views of REPORTER.

Rings MAY 2019

The opinions expressed are solely those of the students and do not reflect the views of REPORTER.

compiled by Taylor Synclair Goethe illustration by Angie Krieg design by Kendra Murphy

I got bamboozled by a Prius March 12, 2019, 11:04 P.M.

I just remember looking at pictures of him eating my pancake March 8, 2019, 4:26 P.M. Ahh he’s a happy psychopath March 8, 2019, 11:49 A.M.

Shit happens March 4, 2019, 8:08 P.M.

Hot dogs are just ground meat in a tube. You’ll eat ground meat in a condom but not meatballs?! Mar 2, 2019, 4:33 P.M.

Sometimes someone says something that makes me want to peel my human skin to reveal my reptilian core that I know I have March 1, 2019, 7:48 P.M. I woke up at the ass crack of dawn Feb 27, 2019, 11:26 P.M.

(585-672-4840)

Text or call Rings: RIT’s only digital confessional

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