February 2014

THE INTERNET DISCONNECT How technology is changing the way we interact

THE INTERNET DATING GAME FEBRUARY 2014 reporter.rit.edu

Everyone can play!

RIT’S WHITE HOUSE A residence fit for a president

SINGLE TASKING INTERIM EDITOR IN CHIEF Michelle Spoto EXECUTIVE EDITOR Steven Markowitz COPY EDITOR Nathaniel Mathews NEWS EDITOR Alyssa Jackson LEISURE EDITOR William Hirsh FEATURES EDITOR Nicole Howley SPORTS EDITOR Joan McDonough VIEWS EDITOR Joan McDonough WRITERS Nick Bovee, Taylor Derrisaw,

Ulises Gonzalez, William Hirsh, Nicole Howley, Alexander Jones, Juan Lachapelle, Nathan J. Lichtenstein, Brett Slabaugh

ART ART DIRECTOR Kathryn Eble DESIGN DIRECTOR Autumn Wadsworth STAFF DESIGNERS Melissa Cavallaro,

Akshara Chopra, Mariah Jade Cole, Mariah Lamb CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS Emily Brooks,

Emily Gage, Andrew Philpott, David Royka, Stevie Thompson CARTOONIST Emily DeVault

PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO EDITOR Rugile Kaladyte CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Donald

Bajohr, Josh Barber, William Ingalls, Dan Wang

BUSINESS BUSINESS MANAGER Le Nguyen AD / PR MANAGER Zachery Walters PRODUCTION MANAGER Ulises Gonzalez

ONLINE WEB PROJECT MANAGER Nathan J.

“What is that?” a friend asked, pointing at my phone.

Since it was early morning and my friend probably wasn’t in the clearest state of mind, his genuine confusion over my early 2000s non-smart phone was more endearing than it was insulting. Since the rarity of a “basic phone” (Sprint’s euphemistic term for its non-smart phones) usually provokes nostalgic “Oh, I had a phone like that in high school!” sentiments and not confusion, I could forgive my friend’s groggy bewilderment.

Even without Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat at my fingertips, I often still feel hyperconnected to the internet. I obsessively check my three email accounts, worried I’ll miss something important, and I spend too much time creeping around Facebook. And I don’t think I’m alone. It seems like everyone around me is constantly connected. No wonder that as 2014 opened with the promise of a fantastic year—as long as you made your resolutions!— my Facebook feed was littered with articles advising readers to unplug from their devices and enjoy life technology-free, even just for a few hours a day.

But I’m not going to ask you to do that.

I’m not going to ask, because I don’t think it’s going to happen. An article published by Forbes cites a University of Scranton study that claims only 8 percent of people who set New Year’s resolutions actually keep them. Just 8 percent. So even if you were moved by the articles pushing you to turn off your phone and made unplugging a 2014 resolution, chances are you’ve lost sight of that goal already.

Although shutting down your phone for a few hours a day may seem simple, we’re going to start even smaller. All I challenge you to do is focus on one task at a time (you’re even allowed to use your laptop or smartphone or tablet as long as it’s relevant to the task; no unplugging necessary!). So if you’re writing an essay, just write an essay. Don’t write an essay while checking your email every five minutes or write an essay while texting about last weekend.

Because even if you think you can multi-task effectively, you can’t.

According to “Stop Multitasking! It’s Distracting Me (And You),” an article published by NPR: “The ability to switch between tasks and access information with minimal effort — a gift of contemporary gadgets — can mask the cognitive costs of redirecting attention and actually processing information to achieve understanding.” By jumping back and forth between your essay, social medial sites and your email, you’re reducing the amount of information you’re able to actually understand. All of those pressing emails, funny tweets and totally relevant Buzzfeed articles will still be there once you’ve finished the task at hand. No need to compromise your learning or your quality of work.

By focusing on one specific task at a time, you’re not only learning more but you’re doing it faster. In a Forbes article titled “How Multitasking Hurts Your Brain (And Your Effectiveness at Work),” Julie Morgenstern states: “It has been scientifically demonstrated that the brain cannot effectively or efficiently switch between tasks, so you lose time. It takes four times longer to recognize new things so you’re not saving time; multitasking actually costs time.” By writing that essay without the distractions so easily offered by modern day technology, you’ll get it done faster.

Apply this “single-tasking” concept to even half your school work this semester and note the difference. You’ll save time, effort, and you’ll learn more in the process.

Plus, just think of all those online “Things 20-somethings love!” lists you can read with all that spare time.

To read more about the impact of technology, turn to The Internet Disconnect on page 16

Lichtenstein BACK END DESIGNER Joe Jankowiak ADVISOR Rudy Pugliese PRINTING Printing Applications Lab

Michelle Spoto

INTERIM EDITOR IN CHIEF

CONTACT 585.475.2212

Please Recycle

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. “I think girls should be treated like princesses now because they later give birth and feel like crap.” L.N. The Advertising Department can be reached at 1.585.475.2213. The opinions expressed in Reporter do not necessarily ref lect those of the Institute. Letters to the Editor may also be sent to reporter@rit.edu. “Is Reporter office a housing option for next year?” Reporter is not responsible for materials presented in advertising areas. No letters will be printed unless signed. All letters received become the property of Reporter. Reporter takes pride in its membership in the Associated Collegiate Press and American Civil Liberties Union. Copyright © 2013 Reporter Magazine. All rights reserved. No portion of this Magazine may be reproduced without prior written permission.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FEBRUARY 2014 | VOLUME 67 | ISSUE 34

Alexander Kuqali, a second year finance major, competes in the team’s first outdoor hockey game at Frontier Field in Rochester on Saturday, Dec. 14.

At the opening puck drop the temperature was 16-degrees and the game ended with a 2-2 tie against Niagara University.

cover illustration by Stevie Thompson | table of contents photograph by Emily Kask

4

Gracie’s new allergy free food

Don’t cheat! Try your hand at this

station

Valentine’s trivia.

7 Tall Paul and Nick’s

15 How to Create the Perfect

See what your President and VP

The return of alternative hip-hop &

have been up to

a hellish new fantasy book

8 At Your Leisure Love is in the air or is that just my wifi?

11 Review A singer-songwriter’s not so perfect debut

16 The Internet Disconnect How technology is changing the way we interact, or don’t

18 The Internet Dating Game Everyone can play!

22 RIT’s White House

24 Semesters Vs. Sports The effects of the new terms on RIT’s athletics

25 Three Stars Matt Giannino

Valentine’s Day Mixtape

FEATURES

LEISURE

Semester to Come

SPORTS

13 Crossword Puzzle

VIEWS

NEWS

Valentine’s Day

6 Solutions at RIT

26 In the Friend Zone?

Read two students’ opinions about this tricky topic

28 Word on the Street Valentine’s Day shout outs

6 30 Rings

Featuring the COS stall artists

A residence fit for a president

5

SOLUTIONS at RIT

by Taylor Derrisaw | illustration by Emily Gage | design by Mariah Lamb

O

n January 26, Gracie’s opened a new station called Solutions, which caters to students who have dietary restrictions. Eight food allergens are always taken into account when Dining Services considers a new recipe: fish, soy, peanut, milk, shellfish, wheat, gluten and egg.

Aimee Mitchell, production manager at Gracie’s, has utilized several sources to find recipes that prioritize allergen free recipes, while also taking vegan and vegetarian individuals into account. “Because this area is so new, we had to start from scratch. About 90 percent of our items will be house made; I felt this was the best way to go,” said Mitchell.

“That’s over 200 new recipes in this new station alone.”

Donald LaFlam, the associate director of central dining at RIT, said: “One of the things we’re trying to do when we reach out to new staff members [in dining services] is determine

6

News | February 2014

how they’re able to handle that cooking and what it really takes to commit to that ... We’re really trying to go the extra mile to create healthier scratch-made items.”

“The new station will be vegan by default,” said Mitchell. “This means we are talking about the absence of milk products and eggs. Also, any sugars that aren’t listed as organic we have to assume aren’t, and we won’t use.”

Aside from the Solutions station at Gracie’s, LaFlam stressed that there are not any current plans to open shops devoted exclusively to vegan or vegetarian lifestyles. “I think our vegan and vegetarian students would be surprised at the amount is currently available if they asked for assistance; but I do know there are options available at every unit for vegans and vegetarians,” he said.

According to a USA Today College article, a survey conducted in 2004 found that 25 percent of college students polled stated vegan

options were important to them. “What we’ve noticed in the past few years is a growing trend of [students eating more healthily], but also a number of dietary restrictions that are coming to us from new students,” said LaFlam.“We’re committed to going the extra mile to make sure that we reach out to the smaller community that practices a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle. They’re a huge part of our campus, so it’s really important that we take that extra step,” said LaFlam.

For more information students are encouraged to contact RIT Dining Services. The Gracie’s management will be looking for feedback to better adapt their menu. This is best done by writing feedback on the “Ask Gracie’s” sheets near the staircase that leads to the exit. “[Solutions] is in its infancy, and with anything that’s brand new, we’re going to be looking for feedback, both good and bad,” said Mitchell.

TALL PAUL AND NICK’S SEMESTER TO COME

by Juan Lachapelle | photography courtesy of Student Government | design by Kathryn Eble

Paul When Student Government (SG) President Paul Darragh, a third year Software Engineer, and Vice President Nick Cifranic, a third year Information Security and Forensics major, ran for office they had a list of major goals they wanted to accomplish before the end of their term. The list included a bike sharing program, convincing more professors to use myCourses and other minor goals such as videotaping some classes. REPORTER met with Darragh to find out where the President and Vice President stand on these goals and what they plan to do for the rest of the academic year.

The bike share program is expected to start on March 31 with 20 bikes available for students to use. SG will be working with the cycling club’s repair shop, providing space in the SAU for the bikes and expanding the club’s maintenance efforts. Unlike traditional bike

Nick share programs, where bikes can be switched seamlessly from person to person in a variety of areas, Darragh describes this as more like a “bike library.”

“With a bike library it’s similar to checking out a book. It’s assigned to one person until they return it to its original location,” said Darragh.

Checking out bikes will be done in the area office, which is located in the basement of the SAU. SG will also be working with Residential Life to station bikes in Gleason quad. Darragh stated that the program will remain under the control of SG with no plans to transfer it over to the Institute, allowing students to take control and build upon the program at their own pace.

Of the original list of plans, some were adjusted or scrapped altogether. For example, the videotaping of classes was discarded once costs and benefits of the program were calculated. With RIT’s current $800 million deficit due to the semester conversion,

Darragh stated that it would be too costly to invest at this point when students have various alternatives online. The two have not made much progress in increasing the use of myCourses by professors but it is something they have not forgotten.

Some future plans include partnering with Campus Carriers for student storage. Right now the idea is that Campus Carriers would charge on a per-item basis and provide pick-up and packing services. Darragh and Cifranic also hope to start-up “Lunch with SG” for students to speak with SG members on a casual basis and possibly provide ideas for future endeavors.

As always, Darragh and Cifranic are open to ideas from students and encourage anyone to e-mail or talk to them or the other SG members about their concerns or ideas to improve the campus. SG general meetings are open to the public and are located in the SAU in the Bamboo Room every Friday from 1-3 p.m.

7

AYL AT YOUR LEISURE

by William Hirsh | design by Akshara Chopra

WORD OF THE MONTH Hypocorism (noun): a pet name.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH “Love is friendship set on fire.”

-Jeremy Taylor

Sentence: Janet’s boyfriend, Tony, would not respond to the hypocorism Fluffy, much to her disappointment.

STREAM OF LOVE

HAIKU OF THE MONTH

by Emily Brooks

If you are single On valentines day this year, Watch Netflix all night.

8

Leisure | February 2014

In a recent study, it was found that Tylenol or acetaminophen can be used to reduce feelings of dread and social rejection. Participants were given Tylenol before being told to remember a painful experience. Those who took Tylenol reported less emotional PAIN than patients who took a placebo.

In Korean, wisdom teeth are called Sa-rangne or “love teeth.” It is said to be named after the PAIN of first love and the growth of the PERSON into young adulthood.

Storge love is one of the six forms of love defined by social psychologist John Lee in 1976. It is when a PERSON displays LOVE for those friends who are closest to them.

The Bronx Zoo allows visitors to send their message of LOVE by naming a cockroach after their SWEETHEARTS on Valentine’s Day. SWEETHEARTS and would-be lovers used to have an intricate system of signaling messages to people through the placement of stamps on an envelope. If a stamp was in the upper left corner, upside down, it meant “I Love You.” If in the top right corner, upside down, this meant “Write No More.” Many other meaning could be found from stamp placement.

REPORTER RECOMMENDS: EMBRACE THE BLACK SHEEP There’s always one piece of media from a series or franchise that goes completely into left field and ends up drawing sour reactions from people.

Some like to get very nitpicky and avoid even the slightest changes to established media.

Recently, I’ve left this facet of my media consumption at the curb and have been enjoying things more as a result. What does this mean exactly? Rather than criticize every little detail in that recent film of your favorite novel or that praised gaming franchise that eschewed its comfortable conventions for something unique, try to look at these things holistically. You would be surprised how much fun or enjoyment you can have from something when you don’t worry about

every minute switch up, change in plot or mix up in mechanic.

This was spurred on by the purchase of the ill received “Paper Mario: Sticker Star.” Sure aspects of the battle system are flawed and the lack of many memorable characters made the game’s plot ho-hum. But I really enjoyed the non-linearity of the game, the clever-while-occasionally-crypticpuzzles and the addictive nature of finding and creating stickers from real world objects.

So, just relax when something like the recent Hobbit film isn’t 100 percent the same as the book or a critically acclaimed game isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. Take in the good and the bad.

You’ll be happier.

COMIC OF THE MONTH

by Emily DeVault

99

Rochester Institute of Technology

Graduate Study At RIT Career-focused. Specialized. Technologically based.

WHAT?

An information session about graduate programs at RIT that covers the application process, career options, financial aid, and more!

Learn about: • More than 70 graduate programs in high-demand career fields including several new programs.

• • • •

WHEN? WHERE?

Scholarships, fellowships, assistantships One-year master’s degree programs Exciting, cutting-edge research projects for graduate students Our streamlined application process for current RIT students with NO application fee required!

Tuesday, February 11, 2014 • 5:00—6:00 p.m.

Bausch & Lomb Center (Bldg. 77) Room A-190 (lower level)

A list of current graduate programs available at RIT is at www.rit.edu/grad.

Soda & Pizza

will be served!

Interpreters provided upon request subject to availability.

Please call if you need the services of a sign language interpreter.

www.rit.edu/grad • 475-2229

facebook.com/RITGraduateAdmissions

Album Review “TORRES” BY TORRES REVIEW Alternative Rock

by Alexander Jones | design by Mariah Jade Cole

F

or the craft of singer-songwriters and solo artists, 2013 has given us “TORRES”, the debut album by Nashville-based, fuzzed out crooner Torres (or Mackenzie Scott as her friends know her).

While the album possesses its fair share of flaws, it’s an incontestably captivating record at its core.

Right off the bat, something vexing about “TORRES” is how it shuffles onto the stage with the plodding “Mother Earth, Father God”. In the song, Scott plucks out garden variety theism imagery (“O Mother Earth/O Father God. The demons wager on my fall”) for melodramatic, vague dilemmas of love.

For example the particularly cringe-worthy line, “I knew beforehand of the kiss/You always warned me of the kiss/I have been betrayed by a kiss.”

Then something strange occurs. “Mother Earth, Father God” mercifully ends after four and a half minutes of trudging absolutely nowhere. In the next track, “Honey,” Scott ditches her slack-jawed orchestration in favor of fingerpicking a beautifully simplistic melody consisting of nothing but a Fender and her own voice. The histrionics are either gone or unnoticeable due to the sheer

gut-wrenching passion with which Scott howls lines like, “Honey/while you were ashin’ in your coffee/I was thinkin’ ‘bout tellin’ you what you’ve done to me,” and the heartbreakingly nonchalant, “Everything hurts but it’s fine/Happens all the time.” It’s the kind of track that causes you to never get around to listening to the rest of the record.

A fervent blaze of raw emotion, far and away it is the best track on the album.

This track leads to the second frustrating aspect of “TORRES”: Nothing quite lives up to the time-stopping intensity of “Honey” and there’s still eight tracks left on the album.

“Jealousy and I,” while in the same minimalist vein as “Honey,” trades in its ardent swell for a far more brooding air to disappointing results. “November Baby,” while far from gripping, is a gorgeous, sobering plea for the return of a lost lover (“Your big sad eyes/ Your crooked smile/Your gapped teeth/Your widow’s peak/Oh, my November baby.”)

The only other track that comes within the compass of “Honey’s” magnificence is the slow-motion eulogy and closing track “Waterfall,” a gathering storm of a song that employs the repetition found in “Mother Earth, Father God” yet yields far greater results in the process. Scott’s vocals are bathed in a jittering, nervous energy that rests perfectly atop the song’s fragile sonic weight. When Scott utters, “Do you ever think/Maybe it’ll all be better in the morning?/From way up here it looks so calm/Do you ever make it halfway down and think/God, I never meant to jump at

all?” it’s hard to do anything but nod in silent concurrence. Maybe the intricacies of life can’t be summed up in a lyric as fatalistic as “Nowhere to go but down/Nothing to do but drown.” But when Scott signs it with a jarringly resolved passiveness, it’s still a striking encapsulation of the hopelessness we tend to feel in the wake of being hurt.

The good songs showcased on “TORRES” are breathtaking, which makes it all the more devastating that there’s so few of them amongst the drudgery that dominates its runtime.

When Scott is in control of her craft she masterfully spins together tales of isolation, abuse and neglect with a deft sense of pace and intensity that artists twice her age should envy. Unfortunately, these moments are so few and far between that each lazy exercise in sensationalist heartbreak which fills the space in between is all the more irritating.

“TORRES” is still worth a listen for those few tracks alone and for the simple reason that its shining moments demonstrate an artist with an enormous potential.

11 11

Lowest Prices Available...

Right on Campus!

Digital Den

at Barnes & Noble @ RIT, 2nd Floor

Hours: Mon-Sat (9am - 9pm), Sun (11am - 6pm)

RIT Libraries No boundaries to learning College of Liberal Arts Lara Nicosia ldnwml@rit.edu 475-2626 colalibrarian (AIM, MSN, Yahoo, Google)

E. Philip Saunders College of Business Jennifer Freer jlfwml@rit.edu 475-7731 bizlibrarian (AIM, MSN, Yahoo)

Kate Gleason College of Engineering Linette Koren lxkwml@rit.edu 475-6123 englibrarian (AIM, MSN, Yahoo)

B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences Roman Koshykar rgkwml@rit.edu 475-2238 gccislibrarian (AIM, MSN, Yahoo)

College of Imaging Arts and Sciences Kari Horowicz kehwml@rit.edu 475-7871 ciaslibrarian (AIM, MSN, Yahoo) National Technical Institute for the Deaf Joan Naturale jxnwml@rit.edu 475-2760 (tty) ntidlibrarian (AIM, MSN, Yahoo)

College of Applied Science and Technology Adam Traub axtwml@rit.edu 475-2482 greenlibrarian (AIM, MSN, Yahoo)

College of Science Adwoa Boateng aabwml@rit.edu 475-7402 ritscilibrarian (AIM, MSN, Yahoo)

Global Education, Online Learning, University Studies, Center for Multidisciplinary Studies Susan Mee Susan.Mee@rit.edu 475-2568 Susanamee (AIM, Yahoo, MSN)

What’s available for you?

Open computer labs Laptops to borrow Quiet or not-so-quiet study/collaboration spaces Research databases Books (electronic and print, journals) College librarians that specialize in your areas of research Writing Commons

Valentine’s Day Crossword Puzzle

by William Hirsh | design by Autumn Wadsworth

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8 9

10

ACROSS

DOWN

2. Shakespeare play that mentions Valentine’s Day.

1.

Day is a Japanese holiday a month after Valentine’s day where men give chocolate to women.

4. The first novelist to associate Valentine’s day with romantic love.

7. Pagan holiday Valentine’s day replaced.

3. Name of the woman who gave one of the first valentines to her fiancé.

8.

Day is a holiday two months after Valentine’s Day where single Koreans eat black noodles and lament their loneliness.

5. Name of the emperor that put St. Valentine to death.

9. Alternative name for Valentine’s Day.

6. This company invented the heart-shaped chocolate box.

10. The mother of the god Cupid.

Key: 1.White 2.Hamlet 3.Margary 4.Chaucer 5.Claudius 6.Cadbury 7.Lupercalia 8.Black 9.SAD 10.Venus

13

it

u

r

In

st

d Roc h

es

te

Gr a

a i r gy F i o n T ec h no l o t u a te of 100 Days until Graduation!!!

Wednesday, February 12, 2014 Fireside Lounge 11 am-2 pm

“One-stop� shopping for your graduation needs. Raffles & give-aways.

Senior Portrait Opportunity - Grad Images will be set-up at the Fair to take Senior portraits.

Congratulations Grads!

HOW TO CREATE THE PERFECT

VALENTINE’S MIXTAPE

by Alexander Jones | design by Mariah Jade Cole

“Oh wow, cool, thanks a lot for the, uh, bouquet of roses and giant teddy bear. This is, um, really sweet of you. No, I’m only yawning because I’m just so overwhelmed by my love for you at this very moment.

Here, I got you a forced smile and a pat on the back. I hope they’re the right size.”

Do you know who that quote’s from?

That’s your crush balking at your piss-poor excuse for a romantic gift this Valentine’s day.

Any Joe Nobody with access to his parents’ Discover card and a pocketful of dreams can roll to the nearest “Cliché Warehouse” and buy some oh-so-meaningful gifts from the oh-so-meaningful gift aisle. But if you really want to blow the pants off of the apple of your eye this year, there’s only one way to go: a mixtape.

“But Alex,” you cry, “Isn’t that kind of played-out too? Aren’t mix tapes an incredibly clichéd gift themselves?”

Sorry, what was that? I couldn’t hear you underneath this veritable Everest of fawning women. If you throw these f lawless tracks — along with these brilliant decorative ideas — onto the nearest blank tape, I personally guarantee you the everlasting affection of whomever you choose to gift it to. It’s never failed me, except for that one time it ruined my entire life. Ignore that last part. What? Here we go!

Step 1:

The very first thing you’re going to do is find a blank cassette tape, a plastic case to house it and an insert to write your swooninducing track-list on. While these items are getting increasingly difficult to come by, you can usually pick all of them up at your local Walgreens, CVS, etc

Track 1: “You Complete Me” – Keyshia Cole

Step 2:

Now that you have all of your necessary accoutrements, it’s time to start coming up with your track-list. Consider the person you’re making the mix for. What kind of music are they into? What artist or genre?

These are important things to consider.

Except not really, because I’m going to give you all the songs you should put on it, so just ignore this entire step, much like the way Lisa ignored my fifteen consecutive calls on that fateful October night. Wait, I’m not supposed to think about that anymore. Dr. Jacobi made that very clear in our sessions.

Track 2: “Here Comes Your Man” – The Pixies

Step 3:

Hey, we got a little off-track there for a second and dipped our feet into a very, very dark recess, but we’re back! Next you should definitely...ugh, sorry, I just keep feeling this blinding white heat resonating through my body. The last time I felt like this was... well, it was when Lisa...sorry, ok, we’re back.

Now I don’t know, put some glitter on it or something. Or Lisa Frank stickers. A cute purple baby monkey? I don’t care.

Track 3: “Nights in White Satin” – The Moody Blues

Step 4:

Maybe your mix should have an underlying theme to it, like, “Sorry about the fact that I scream uncontrollably at you every time you talk to me, I just like you so much, ok,” or, “I want to create an elaborate pulleybased device that will allow me to smell your clothes when we’re across the room from each other in Statistics you untainted, demure doe-child.” Unless you’re giving the mix to Lisa, in which it should probably be something to the effect of, “Songs for

backstabbing liars who fester inside the hearts of men, oh god I hate you so much – please come back I need you.”

Track 4: “Friday I’m in Love” – The Cure

Step 5:

Take everything you’ve made so far and just throw it in a deep dark hole because love is dead and god is dead and we have killed them both because we’re a selfish, sprawling cancer of a species. What’s the point? No, seriously, what’s the point of any of this? A mixtape? Honestly? If you really want to prove your love to someone, just stroll right up to them and scissor-kick them in the throat.

That’s all you’re going to be doing to each other in your sham of a relationship anyway, you disgusting animal. You sicken me.

Track 5: “I’m in Love With a Girl” – Big Star

Step 6:

Truly these are the last of days! Rise, O’ Cloven overlord, rise and cleanse this earth of all the lovers and all of their horrid ilk!

Baptize this world in fire and wash us all clean of Lisa!

Track 6: “Cursed in Eternity” – Mayhem

Step 7:

[Editor’s note: This step consists entirely of Satanic-looking etchings and the lyrics to Sade’s “The Sweetest Taboo,” followed by the word ‘Lisa’ six hundred times. I think we’re going to have to call it here. Please burn after reading and may God have mercy on us all. Happy Valentine’s Day.]

Track 7: “The Sweetest Taboo” – Sade

Listen to this playlist online at reporter.rit.edu

15

The Internet

DISCONNECT

by Nick Bovee and Nicole Howley | photography by Dan Wang | design by Kathryn Eble

16

Features | February 2014

T

he longer people spend on Facebook, the

time alone. “The moment that people are

this number has been accepted by most

greater the decline in “how people feel

alone, even for a few seconds, they become

sociologists as the Dunbar number and it

moment–to –moment and how satisfied

anxious, they panic, they fidget [and] they

remains pretty constant in human social

they are with their lives.” This is according to

reach for a device. Just think of people at a

situations such as optimal factory sizes,

a recent study conducted by the psychology

checkout line or at a red light,” said Turkle.

hunter-gatherer societies, Native American

department at University of Michigan and

“Being alone feels like a problem that needs

tribes, the Bushmen of South Africa, Amish

their finding was independent of factors

to be solved. And so people try to solve it by

communities and military companies around

such as the “size of people’s Facebook

connecting.” However, psychologists, artists

the world.

networks, their perceived supportiveness,

and thinkers have long agreed that spending

One example that does not match Dunbar’s

and motivation for using Facebook, gender,

time alone, when done in moderation, is not

number is the quantity of Facebook friends

loneliness, self-esteem or depression.”

a problem as much as a necessity. Solitude

that many people have. The average number

Technology and the web hold promise

is important for creativity as well as self-

of Facebook friends for the college age group

for connecting people of every type, all over

development and studies have even indicated

is 510. However according to Dunbar, students

the world. It gives people the opportunity

that spending time alone can increase one’s

are close with — at best —around 230 of these

to reach out. Yet recent studies, like the

capacity for empathy.

people. And that number is likely closer to the

one above, show that digital methods of

But in a society where we can connect

accepted average of 150. The definition of a

communication pale in comparison with in-

with increasing ease, being alone feels

friend has been stretched far by social media.

person interaction.

like something to be avoided. “We slip into

Although some may argue that social

LONELINESS VS. BEING ALONE

thinking that always being connected is going

media has the potential to extend our

to make us feel less alone,” Turkle described.

ability to maintain contact with more

“But we’re at risk, because actually it’s the

people than before, this has not been the

opposite that’s true. If we’re not able to be

case according to Bruno Goncalves and

technology interactions at the Massachusetts

alone, we’re going to be more lonely.”

Indiana University colleagues, who studied

Institute

FRIENDS FOREVER

the links between people on Twitter. A 2012

Sherry Turkle, a researcher on humanof

Technology,

has

spoken

extensively about the shortcomings of social

study by analytics firm Beevolve found that

networks. A video entitled “The Innovation of

Loneliness”

summarized

her

the average number of followers per user

reports

Part of our inability to find satisfaction

was 208: individuals with more than that

and recently caught the attention of many.

with electronic socialization alone stems

number tended to focus their attention

The video claims that social networks have

from the way social media abstracts “friends”.

on those followers they had the strongest

changed “the deep meaning of intimacy and

Physically,

constantly

connections with. On average, this was a

friendship with exchanging photos and chat

evolving social dynamic. People enter and

select 100 to 200 people, once again falling

conversations.” Snapchats, posts and texts

leave our lives every day. But on Facebook,

in line with Dunbar’s predictions.

may seem akin to socializing, but fall short.

you can keep collecting friends up to the 5,000

Our social media accounts may not reflect

Turkle refers to these interactions as “sips”

limit and on other social media, the number

the amount of friends that we maintain

of conversation but in this analogy, multiple

can rise even further. Anthropologist and

but they do allow closer contact between

sips don’t add up to a real gulp of dialogue.

evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar has

distantly connected people. In an NPR article

The validation we get from receiving texts

found that, although our capacity for virtual

on Dunbar’s number, blogger for Wired

and from our status being “liked” is fleeting.

friends has grown, the upper limit of social

magazine David Dobbs writes about one of

connections a single human can manage has

the main flaws of the number in relation to

stayed the same.

modern society: “We developed this 150 limit

However, in her research over the past 15 years, Turkle has found more and more

friendships

are

a

people, young and old alike, turning to social

Dunbar came across this number in the

at a time when most of those people lived

media and their phones for this validation

1990s after studying primates and finding

geographically close to you.” Nowadays, with

and for a sense of connection. She has found

that they too could only maintain close

people moving more often, going to colleges

three main reasons for this turn: “One, that

contact with a limited group of individuals.

out of state or out of country and traveling

we can put our attention wherever we want it

The bigger the primate’s brain, the larger

elsewhere

to be; two, that we will always be heard; and

this number was. Dunbar applied this idea

contact with your 150 can be difficult. Social

three, that we will never have to be alone.”

for

employment,

maintaining

to humans and, based off brain size, he

networks have a major strength in retaining

This last reason, according to Turkle, is

estimated that the number of connections

and organizing what might otherwise be

changing our perception and acceptance of

we could maintain was 150. Since then,

weak social connections.

17

ADJUSTING LANGUAGE Part of the disconnect associated with social media and texting is due to the loss of aspects of communication that are heavily

less in individual cases, but by and large,

of inflection and subtext. Punctuation or its

we’re connecting differently,” said Amit Ray,

omission, onomatopoeias and intentional

associate professor and member of RIT’s Lab

misspellings of words can give flat texts

for Social Computing.

an impression of actual conversation. The is

development of internet catechisms like “I

relied upon in face to face conversation. In

starting to change the way that people

can’t even” or “what is air” can help users

person, we process inflection, body language

interact and form relationships with each

convey emotions more clearly as well. These

and word choice. Posts, tweets, messages,

other. To compensate for what is lost in

phrases and modifications add a bit of

emails and texts often rely on text alone.

typed conversation, we intentionally twist

personality and charm to text conversations

“I wouldn’t say that we connect more or

written language to convey some measure

and can help replace some of the lost context

18

Features | February 2014

This

difference

in

communication

normally added by timing and body language.

response, rather than their tone. If we receive

These modifications are a long ways away

a quick response, we know the person we are

individual experience, rather than a more

from replication of actual body language, but

talking to is also invested in the conversation.

social group experience, so people tend

In her TED Talk entitled “Texting That

to gravitate toward people who think like

Judith Olson, professor of Information and

Saves Lives,” CEO of DoSomething.org Nancy

they do,” said Laura Shackelford, assistant

Computer Sciences at UC Irvine, conducted a

Lublin stipulates that there is a correlation

professor in the College of Liberal Arts, whose

study to see how lost aspects of conversation

between speed and investment, contesting

research looks at digital cultures and media.

affect

that, “Texting has a 100 percent open rate.”

still add some subtext to the written word.

our

online

communication

and

formation of trust. She found that we now judge what a person says by their speed of

Even if there’s no response, texts are read.

Using this knowledge, DoSomething.org

“Social

media

offers

a

customized

But not all people in the outside world think along the same lines which can lead to trouble when the information presented

started texting information about their social

through

change campaigns to teens and some began

people outside personal networks, such as

texting back seeking help with home issues

employers and family.

social

media

is

shared

with

and bullying. Now, the number is being used

“Having to tether your thoughts, even in

as a crisis text hotline and as a spearhead for

moments when you think it’s just you and

enacting change.

someone else, is something dramatically new

THE PERSONAL TOUCH

about electronic and digital communication,” said Ray. And yet many users still feel bound to use

Social actual

media, especially

names

and

not

sites

using

social media. Even with the flaws that can

handles, have

be found with the system, social media still

become means of self-promotion. Anyone

manages to be one of the better organizational

can cherry-pick their best moments to

tools for social groups and conversations.

show to the world and ignore the worst.

Allowing

around-the-clock

In Tuckle’s TED talk, she explains that one

complete

control

of the main reasons people connect over

and a system to focus our attention, social

social media and texting more readily than

media, texting and other methods of digital

they enter into real time conversation is

conversation have easily integrated into the

that they have more control over what

modern lifestyle.

over

our

access,

near

interactions

they say and how they present themselves.

However, it is also important to acknowledge the

“Texting, email, posting: all of these things

weaknesses of these modes of communication.

let us present the self as we want to be.

“[Technology] appeals to us most where we are most

We get to edit, and that means we get to

vulnerable,” said Turkle. “And we are vulnerable.

delete, and that means we get to retouch,”

We’re lonely, but we’re afraid of intimacy.”

Turkle explains.

Although talking to each other digitally

The social media that we are presented

may be easier, cleaner and quicker, talking to

with is selected and edited by the person

each other in person is extremely important.

posting the information and then it can

After all, as Turkle said, “It’s when we stumble

be simplified even further by the way

or hesitate or lose our words that we reveal

social networks design our platforms for

ourselves to each other.”

interacting with these friends, strangers or acquaintances. News on Facebook, for instance, is highly customized by Facebook’s internal algorithm and can be further pruned by users’ preferences.

19 19

by Juan Lachapelle | illustration by David Royka | design by Akshara Chopra

e’ve all thought about it. But Pew Research reports that

W

The perception of online dating has been slow to change even

only one in ten people have actually signed up for an

with all of the new features and apps that are coming out; however,

online dating site or app. Part of this is due to a long-

there has been some visible improvement. In a 2013 Pew Research

standing social stigma but slowly, as the technology improves, the

survey of internet users, 59 percent agreed that online dating is a

options expand and society evolves, this stigma is beginning to lift.

good method for meeting people, which is 15 percentage points

Online dating has come a long way since its beginnings in the 1990s

higher than responses to the same question in 2005. However, 21

when sites like Match.com started showing up. Since then, sites have

percent of responders still believed that online dating sites are for

become more detailed and have started to target specific audiences

the desperate. Although this number is eight percentage points

through names like Farmers Only or advanced features that draw

lower than the 29 percent who believed the same thing eight years

more members from their intended demographic.

Some dating services have evolved into the form of smartphone apps, such as Tinder and LuLu, to make the process easier and more appealing to younger audiences who might not want the feel of the traditional online dating experience. For college students, sites like Date My School require an .edu email account. This makes the

“ He told me he met her at a party and three months later I found he met her online.

They were embarassed.”

experience more secure and easier to meet people in your situation, at your comfort level.

Even with these advances, online dating still maintains a bad reputation. Cofounder of OkCupid and CEO of Match.com Sam Yagan

earlier, the results suggest that the stigma persists, even if among

explained to the Harvard Crimson that this negative perception of the

a smaller population.

online dating scene can be traced back to the first dating sites. “Think

“There will always be horror stories of psychos being on those

about it: The only people on the Internet in 1993 were geeks....If you

websites,” said Edlund. While horror stories can happen in offline

were single in the 90s, you were cool, and you probably didn’t use the

dating too, the stories about online dating only add to the stigma

Internet or online date.”

already attached to it.

John Edlund, assistant professor of psychology at RIT, traces the

Increasingly, college students have been trying out online dating.

online dating stigma back even further, to the time when classified

According to The Harvard Crimson, sites like Date My School are

newspaper dating ads were seen as a last resort for the desperate.

responsible for over 50 percent of dates that happen on campuses

20

Features | February 2014

like Columbia and NYU. One in five students across Harvard University have a Date My School account. Many students have cited their disappointed with their current college dating scene or the difficulty of juggling school and extracurriculars as reasons for considering online dating.

11 percent of people who entered into committed relationships within the last 10 years met their partner online.

Danielle Campbells, fourth year Physics major, had her first experience with online dating back in 2011 while she was working long hours at an office and took online courses before she came to RIT. “The only people I saw everyday were my employees and they weren’t exactly dateable material,” said Campbell.

With little time in her schedule to meet people outside of work, she turned to online dating sites like OKCupid and PlentyofFish. While at RIT, she could see many different reasons that people might want start online dating whether it be the male to female ratio or just not having enough time

According to The Harvard Crimson, sites like Date My School are responsible for over 50 percent of dates that happen on campuses like Columbia and NYU. to commit to starting a relationship.

Example Apps & Sites Date My School: Sign up with your .edu email and find other students at your school or beyond. And your profile is private so no one, except potential lovers, will be able to see it.

Lulu: Know about the guy you are interested in before you make a move with this app for girls to rate guys. Log in with your Facebook account and find out who’s the highest rated dude on your friends list. Add your own ratings with hashtags ranging from #OwnsCrocs to #SexualPanther.

Down:

With recent changes in social norms, it’s a lot easier to

Be anonymous yet blunt. Browse your Facebook friends and

get into online dating without being looked down upon. “It’s

discreetly tell them you want to date or “get down”. They won’t

no longer taboo to say that you met your partner through

know who you chose unless they want to do the same.

an online dating source,” said Edlund. In fact, Pew Research found that 11 percent of people who entered into committed

Tinder:

relationships within the last 10 years met their partner online.

Look through headshots of people in your area and sort them

Even with online dating’s growing success and social

into two categories: swipe right for yes, left for no. If both of

acceptance, some still feel the need to hide their online dating from others. Campbell’s own friend hid the fact he

you swipe right, you can start chatting right away.

met his partner on an online dating site. “He told me he met

HowAboutWe:

her at a party and three months later I found out he met her

“How about we… get a variety of fancy chocolates and try

online,” said Campbell. “They were embarrassed.”

them all,” “go on a hike,” “to a flea market” or “to see a band

If you are interested in trying online dating, don’t let

neither of us have heard of and see if they are any good.”

embarrassment hold you back. With a lifting social stigma

Scroll through lists of date proposals from singles in your area

and increasing ease of use, online dating can sometimes be

and choose the ones you find most interesting. Or, for those

your best partner in the search for romance.

already in a relationship, sign up as a couple and find ideas for your own fun and unique dates too.

21

RIT’s White House

by Nathan J. Lichtenstein | photography by William Ingalls | design by Autumn Wadsworth

Nestled away on a 21 acre parcel of land on an unassuming street in Pittsford, N.Y. sits a beautiful cobblestone house. To the average passerby, this is just another beautiful old farm house, but to the RIT community this residence, known as Liberty Hill, is home to a couple we are all familiar with: RIT President Dr. Bill Destler and his wife Dr. Rebecca Johnson.

Welcome To Liberty Hill Liberty Hill, or Liberty Hill Farm as it was originally called, was constructed in 1839 by the Hanks family. The family maintained the land until 1919 when it was sold to Frank W. Lovejoy Sr. of Eastman Kodak. Liberty Hill stayed in the Lovejoy family until 1979 when it was donated to RIT by Lovejoy’s son, Frank Lovejoy Jr., and his wife Lynn Lovejoy, in honor of the university’s 150th anniversary. Since RIT’s seventh president Dr. M. Richard Rose and his wife first took up residence at Liberty Hill, the property has been referred to as the RIT president’s house.

Photographer William Ingalls and I arrived at Liberty Hill as the sun was setting. We were immediately presented with a unique challenge: the house had three front doors, one on the original

22

Features | February 2014

cobblestone home, and two more on an addition immediately to the left. We took our best guess and ended up choosing the wrong one but Ingalls and I were soon greeted by a smiling Johnson who ushered us towards the correct entrance and shelter from the cold December evening.

Just walking into Liberty Hill gives one a sense of the history of the home. The original sections of the house are decorated in very formal furnishings with banjos decorating most of the free wall space. Destler, who was just inside the foyer, and Johnson lead us through the original center-hall colonial portion of the house to a cozy sitting area towards the back.

Making Their Mark

A Day In The Life Liberty Hill is a far cry from the California–modern style residence Johnson and Destler called home when they lived in Maryland before their arrival at RIT in 2007.

One advantage to the move is that Liberty Hill provides a great venue for Destler to showcase his collection of antique banjos. “[Our last home] wasn’t as big, the banjos are much happier here. They had to share a space with the cat litter,” said Johnson as Destler chuckled.

While Liberty Hill was originally a small cobblestone farm house, it has been added on to twice according to Johnson. “They extended the house that way, there’s a whole separate apartment where we live, and this porch was the most recent addition added by President Simone. It really makes the house a nice spot for entertaining big groups of people.”

Destler and Johnson have hosted many guests and organizations during their tenure at Liberty Hill. Some nights they have dinner with another couple, and others they have the entire Residence Life and Orientation staff over. Liberty Hill is the one–and–only home for the couple, so not all guests they host are affiliated with RIT. “We also have kind of a sweet tradition. We moved here from Maryland about seven years ago and in Augusts we spend a week where we have a whole bunch of people up … from Maryland.

We use the whole house! People are sleeping in sleeping bags in the dining room; we have a full house.”

Away from the hustle and bustle of the RIT campus where 18,000 people know their names and faces, Destler and Johnson live a typical suburban lifestyle.

According to Destler, the couple spends

“We don’t own this house; we get to live here. It’s a privilege.

We enjoy it very much,” said Destler. the majority of their time on the second f loor of the residence, reserving the original, more formal areas of the house for entertaining guests. “It’s easier to reserve this part of the house for more formal entertaining because it’s always ready and we never have to worry that we’ve left debris around. We treat this whole part like a formal living room,” explained Johnson.

Like presidential couples before them, the couple has left its mark on Liberty Hill in the process of making it into a home. While Destler’s banjo décor is one of the more obvious changes in the house, Johnson has worked with RIT-affiliated artists to create a rotating art exhibit.

During Destler’s time at RIT, the university has taken many steps to be more environmentally friendly. Similarly, President Destler and Johnson have taken numerous measures to make Liberty Hill a greener place to live. Literally one of the largest changes Destler and Johnson have made to the property is the addition of a solar panel array in the backyard.

The solar array provides most of the power the home needs. “The house averages over summer and winter something like 60KWhr a day of consumption,” including Destler’s Chevy Volt, “and I would say our average production from the rig is 40-50[KWhr].”

The two have also been working with the home’s grounds keeper, Hans Witt, to remove exotic plant life from the property in exchange for plant life native to the region since native plant life is an important part of the environmental wellbeing of a biome.

As I was leaving to head back to my car, I turned back to look at the house one more time. Aside from the electric candles illuminating the windows, the original portion of the home was dark. In the addition, above the garage, the private apartment was brightly lit, just a normal couple carrying out their normal lives.

23

SEMESTERS VS SPORTS

by Juan Lachapelle | design by Melissa Cavallaro

RIT’s conversion to semesters has affected more than just academics; athletic teams have felt this shift as well. All RIT sports teams were represented by the Athletic Administration and considered when the change was voted on. However, not all teams are feeling the same effects. Some teams are experiencing little change, some are encountering challenges and some are benefitting from the conversion.

sees minimal change besides the increase in weeks making scheduling more convenient.

For others, the addition of an intersession creates scheduling conflicts.

Bob

McVean,

head

men’s basketball coach, said he sees intersession as a challenge for his team as his sport spans part of fall and spring. He sees the

extra

time

spent

away

could ruin the conditioning and For a few sports, semesters

training of the team.

“WE CERTAINLY NEED TO BE ACCOMMODATING OF CO-OPS,” SAID GARNO. “ONE OF THE THINGS WE SELL TO RECRUITS IS THAT THIS CO-OP PROGRAM IS SO GREAT.”

For

the

future,

there

are

hopes to see better scheduling accommodations for co-ops from both the school and employers.

McVean spoke of possible changes to the weeks of intersession and spring break as one of the solutions to fix the problem.

helped scheduling efforts. Bill

All of the coaches said they

Garno, head men’s soccer coach,

see co-ops and study abroad as

coaches may adapt through a variety of methods. Cahill suggested

Until changes are implemented,

and Mike Cahill, head men’s and

a main concern for all sports

women’s swim coach both said

since students no longer have

for students to negotiate co-op

that the change to semesters

the option to take them during

starting times with employers and

is a positive move for RIT and

winter

for coaches to make sure to have a

its athletes. Cahill said he has

that play during the spring,

larger group of freshman recruits to

heard mixed opinions from his

this

counteract upperclassmen leaving

quarters.

conf lict

For

teams

manifests

as

swimmers but expects students

choosing between playing or

and faculty to take a year or so

going on a co-op.

for co-ops.

Like most areas affected

to completely adjust.

An

aspect

these

by the conversion, benef its coaches

and effects will not be fully

like about the change is the

Since some co-ops now start

clear for a couple of years.

As the transition continues,

increased number of weeks

at the beginning of the spring

for practice. Many conference

semester in January as opposed

interested

games, NCAA championship

to the spring quarter in March,

speak with coaches, players

games and swim meets used

for teams such as Cahill’s: “It

and RIT Athletics for the

to fall on finals week under

really hurts with kids having

latest updates.

the

The

to choose to start the co-op late

extra weeks of the semester

and losing money.” Similarly,

quarter

system.

give players time to focus on

from

school and athletics separately.

students in certain teams will

Jim

Lodes,

head

women’s

volleyball coach, said he also

24

Sports | February 2014

McVean’s

perspective,

now have to decide to miss their season or find a summer co-op.

students

should

Three Stars: MATT GIANNINO

by Ulises Gonzalez | photograph by Josh Barber | design by Kathryn Eble |

“I just started to get things going last year during indoor track,” said Matthew Giannino, a third year Mechanical Engineering Technology major and rising cross-country star at RIT. “RIT got a Distance Medley Relay [team] to nationals where we became All-Americans. But I won my first race ever in cross country during my opening race at Houghton this year, and [the November 2] championship win was a huge win for me.”

For Giannino, cross-country initially started as a way to stay in shape in high school yet has since grown into a more serious and competitive part of his life.

Though success has not come easily to Giannino. “Last March I had a rough hip injury.

Luckily I played it safe, took it easy, and gradually got back to running in August.”

Giannino’s patience and perseverance paid off when, on November 2, he won the 2013 Liberty League Men’s Cross Country Championship.

“I never thought I was actually going to catch this guy [a Saint Lawrence University runner]; it just seemed like too perfect of a win for me, but I didn't give up and got my storybook finish,” Giannino said. “After coming back from that injury, I really didn't know how my body was going to hold up during this season. It was a big race for me and a huge confidence booster.”

Now Giannino sets higher goals for himself.

“This year I would love to get in that top 35 at Nationals and see how I stack up against those runners,” he said. “The best advice I can give anyone is not to set limits. With hard work, drive and consistency, anything can be done.”

Editors Note: Due to miscommunications within the Reporter staff, Matt Giannino’s Three Star profile was not run in the December issue. Giannino was selected as an outstanding senior athlete and we sincerely apologize for the mistake.

25

So you think you’re

but that’s just an excuse.

by Nathan J. Lichtenstein | illustration by Andrew Philpott | design by Mariah Lamb

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

Jack and Jill went up the hill To fetch a pail of water.

Jack felt bold, to Jill he told “Can I take you out to dinner?”

Jill then sighed and soon replied, “I just like you as a friend.”

Jack felt blue, didn’t know what to do Maybe he’ll try again.

Jack, the classic nursery rhyme character, was just friend zoned by his iconic counterpart Jill. Jack put himself out there, and Jill parked his ass in the friend zone.

Their future trips to fetch pails of water will be slightly awkward for a while. That’s a real shame, because the friend zone is just a cheap excuse people use when they don’t want to be up-front with their feelings.

The friend zone refers to the proverbial rut a person gets stuck in when he has romantic feelings toward someone who does not reciprocate those feelings. The other

26

Views | February 2014

party does not want to become romantically involved but would still like to be friends and has no desire to escalate the relationship.

When the topic of the relationship is evaded, issues arise.

Plain and simple, the friend zone should not exist. People should be honest with each other and communicate their emotions effectively. There is nothing I appreciate more than an honest person.

I would rather you say, “Nate, I’m not interested in you,” or “I’m interested in someone else,” than, “I’d love to, but I really feel that we’re too good as friends.”

Saying the latter is just sidestepping the issue – an escape route, an easy excuse that many people make when they are perfectly happy with a friendship. Friendship should be a vital element in building a romantic relationship, not an obstacle in starting one.

Still, when one person involved does not have any romantic interest in the other, that’s

all there is to it. Once that’s made clear, it’s time to move on.

This is easier said than done. Emotions frequently get in the way but it is important to stay logical and keep positive. I am a firm believer that there is somebody out there for everybody. People do not simply have a lone soul mate. Your personality changes throughout your life and those changes can alter the type of person you are interested in romantically. College is just one phase in life, and there are many good years ahead.

If you’re not interested in a person, I think it’s important to say so rather than leaving her hanging, wondering what she may have done wrong. I’ve always been told that honesty is the best policy. Be honest with others; skip the friend zone and have a happy Valentine’s Day.

in the friend zone...

but it doesn’t exist.

by Nicole Howley | illustration by Andrew Philpott | design by Mariah Lamb

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

Last year the term “friend zone” was added to the Oxford Dictionary. Although giving a definition to the phrase may seem like validation for the many who have considered themselves to be stuck in the friend zone, I remind you that Oxford Dictionary has provided this same sense of validation to those who believe in Bigfoot, use the abbreviation srsly and believe that their day has been stressy, stressier or the stressiest.

But let’s focus on the friend zone. The friend zone is generally referred to as a metaphorical place where people, primarily heterosexual men, feel they have been mistakenly or inappropriately exiled to by the people for whom they have romantic feelings. Despite treating these people in the way they assume everyone would like to be treated by their significant other, they are treated as friends rather than romantic partners. They are “being used,” their crushes are “taking them for granted” and it isn’t fair because they are just so nice.

This entire concept is absurd. I understand that unrequited love sucks – everyone experiences that at some point in their lives and it hurts. But the majority of us eventually get over it without attributing the situation to our crushes mistakenly placing us in the friend zone.

Many people who are critical of the friend zone associate it with another concept called

“nice guy syndrome” — implying that if you are nice enough to someone, you deserve a romantic or sexual reward. The website of Dr. Robert Glover, author of “No More Mr. Nice Guy: A Proven Plan For Getting What You Want in Love, Sex and Life,” states that when “Nice Guys believe they have kept their side of the contract, they often feel helpless and resentful when other people (and the world) don’t keep their side of the contract.”

This idea by itself is appalling. Relationships, both platonic and romantic, do not involve contracts, transactions, repayment or anything of the sort. In addition, a person simply being nice to their crush does not automatically qualify them as their friend’s soul mate or even as deserving a chance at a romantic relationship with this friend. Being nice is something that is expected of any decent human being in any social interaction with anyone else, whether there are romantic undertones or not.

An article in the New York Post which tried to advise people on how to get out of the dreaded “friend zone” referred to these friendships as, “essentially, a fullfledged relationship without the sex.” Sex is something that is added to a relationship

if both parties involved feel comfortable with the situation and give their consent.

Sex is not something that is withheld from anyone. But the idea that sex is something owed to someone else whether by a contract or in exchange for that person being “nice” establishes sex as something that is withheld, something that is owed, something that should be taken if it won’t be given willingly.

We are not in a romantic comedy where if a guy follows a girl around enough, she will eventually fall in love with him.

Those characters are two dimensional and simplistic. Our responsibility is to respect these decisions as something reasonable, whether we agree with them or not, rather than attributing them to the nonexistent realm of the friend zone.

27 27

WORD STREET on the

photography by Donald Bajohr | design by Kathryn Eble The opinions expressed are solely those of the students and do not reflect the views of Reporter.

VALENTINE’S DAY

Shout Outs

DANIELLE FLES KES FIFTH YEAR, AMER ICAN

SIGN

LANGUAGE My papa. He ask ed to be my Valentine before I moved to Rochester.

ALEX DUPONT THIRD YEAR, INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

To my girlfriend, Angela. Can’t wait to spend the semester abroad in Germany together.

28

Views | February 2014

RRIS RACHEL MO LUSTRATION IL THIRD YEAR, will sisters. We

DASSIO MARQUIES THIRD YEAR, COMPUTER ENGINEER ING

Happy Valentine’s Day to my older sister who will marry ne xt year.

A To all my ZT hockey game ’s n e M T I R e b e at t h e American h t r o f y e n o r aising m ation.

Heart Associ

EMILY ROLLIN THIRD YEAR, VISUAL MEDIA

My girlfriend Rachel. Happy Valentine’s Day “Nugget.”

29

RINGS

compiled by Brett Slabaugh | design by Kathryn Eble

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

Friday, Nov. 15, 9:57 a.m.

May or may not have seen two FMS employees making out behind building 79.

Monday, Nov. 18, 11:55 a.m.

Thursday, Nov. 21, 6:27 p.m.

The Polisseni Center's whistling noises are actually tears being shed for the quarter system.

Rings, you know the art students are slacking when the College of Science has more stall artists. Art students, get your [sharpies] together!

Tuesday, Nov. 26, 4:23 p.m.

Rings. I just peed in a cup driving for the first time. It would have been so much easier if I was a guy!

Monday, Nov. 25, 10:42 a.m.

My professor just asked some guy in my class if his desktop background was a cat. Nope. He told her it's a pony. She walked away laughing uncomfortably.

Thursday, Nov. 28, 6:19 p.m.

My parents are twerking. Help.

Wednesday, Dec. 11, 3:07 p.m.

Anything is a butter knife if you try hard and believe in yourself.

Friday, Nov. 29, 1:32 p.m.

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