THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN
Debra Harmon, a City of Fort Collins Parks Department employee, waters one of the annual flower displays in Old Town Square Aug. 27. Harmon is in her second season of caring for the flower displays in Old Town. “The day mostly entails a lot of watering in the morning, and then we maintain flower pots and beds throughout the day — the whole Downtown area and then up and down College (Avenue),” Harmon said. “There is a group I work with — I don’t particularly do it, but they pick out the plans for the season, and they start in the fall for the next season.”
PHOTO BY GARRETT MOGEL THE COLLEGIAN
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TOP STORIES
NEWS: CSU changed its Title IX provisions — here’s what it means for students
PAGE 4
L&C: Energy Fest educates on clean, renewable energy
PAGE 8
SCIENCE: Wildfires spark concerns over soil pollution
PAGE 11
SPORTS: CSU football prepares for Texas-sized test on opening weekend
PAGE 15
A&E: ‘It Ends With Us’ strays from original story through powerful adaptation
PAGE 19
OPINION: 1st-year friends don’t have to be your forever BFFs
PAGE 20
GALLERY: 25th annual Tour de Fat rolls through Fort Collins PAGES 12-13
FOCO EVENTS
Back to Cool Party at Jessup Farm Barrel House 3-10 p.m. Aug. 31
Comedy Show at The Lyric 8 p.m. Aug. 31
Michael Marcagi at Aggie Theater 8 p.m. Sept. 1
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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Navigating ‘the red zone’: New semester highlights safety concerns
“SAFE Center wants to be clear that sexual assault is never the fault of a survivor; fault lies only with people who choose to cause harm.”
VICTORIA BENJAMIN SAFE CENTER
DIRECTOR
By Janaya Stafford @csucollegian
Although an uncomfortable topic, safety is an important aspect of student life on Colorado State University’s campus.
“The red zone is the period of time in the beginning of an academic year where firstyear college students, especially cisgender women, are at statistically higher risk of experiencing sexual violence,” said Victoria Benjamin, director of the Survivor Advocacy and Feminist Education Center.
Fifty cases of rape and fondling occurred on CSU’s campus property in 2022. The full list of crime statistics can be found online through the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1990, which mandates universities remain accountable in regard to campus safety.
According to the SAFE Center, 9% of Asian, Pacific Islander and Desi-American men experience one or more forms of sexual violence, while 2155% of APIDA women report
experiencing intimate physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.
Sixty-four percent of Indian and Pakistani women reported experiencing sexual violence while in abusive relationships. Within the Black community, 12% of Black and African American men report experiencing violence from intimate partners, and 60% of Black and African American women report experiencing sexual abuse by age 18.
Benjamin said she believes incoming and returning students should be properly informed on their rights to their bodies
and their ability to make their voices heard.
“SAFE Center wants to be clear that sexual assault is never the fault of a survivor; fault lies only with people who choose to cause harm,” Benjamin said. “However, there are some precautions folks can take to try and reduce their risk as well as keep their communities safe.”
CSU’s SAFE Center, formerly the Women and Gender Advocacy Center, encourages being educated on consent and red flags in relationships.
In this context, consent is the agreement to participate in a sexual activity and can be revoked at any time.
While navigating college, there are red flags to look out for while staying safe.
“If a student chooses to drink, they should be wary of people attempting to push them to drink excessive amounts of alcohol,” Benjamin said. “Students might also consider keeping a close eye on friends who are drinking and being wary of people who do not honor your boundaries.”
Noticing small things can help someone get out of a potentially dangerous situation. It is crucial
to be aware of all surroundings and know how to identify uncomfortable behaviors.
“SAFE Center often says that if your gut is saying something is wrong, listen to it,” Benjamin said. “It will not steer you wrong.”
CSU also provides resources for students who feel unsafe on campus.
“Trust your gut and your instincts, and call the SafeWalk people — they’re wonderful,” senior Alex Diggs said.
SafeWalk is a free service that provides campus service officers to students who walk from any university-owned location to another or a location within a three-block radius.
“I know about RamRide and SafeWalk,” junior Nessa Pause said. “I’ve heard those are really good.”
Short of utilizing official campus resources, students are encouraged to use the buddy system to stay safe after hours.
“I carry pepper spray, and I try to walk around in groups if I can, ... (and I) avoid unlit areas,” Pause said.
CSU provides numerous resources, such as the SAFE Center, the Victim Assistance Team, Student Case Management and more.
“One thing I would love students to hear is that you own your body, and you get to choose what to do with it,” Benjamin said. “Another person should never take your choice away from you. Consent is sexy and should always be foremost when engaging in sexual activity.”
Reach Janaya Stafford at news @collegian.com.
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER THE COLLEGIAN
UPDATED RESOURCES
CSU changed its Title IX provisions — here’s what it means for students
By Robert Sides @csucollegian
Colorado State University updated its Title IX policy following a change in Title IX regulations passed by the U.S. Department of Education. The new federal regulations, which were released April 19 and put into effect Aug. 1, shift how institutions address sexual assault and harassment allegations and expand the protections of Title IX to include LGBTQIA+ and pregnant students.
To align with the new federal regulations, CSU changed its own Title IX policy. CSU edited its regulations regarding definitions of infractions; support and privacy of participating parties; and resolution processes and flexibility in how CSU approaches current and new Title IX provisions.
In addition, the new provisions require all staff to undergo training regarding the enforcement of Title IX. The training is not yet available to staff but will need to be completed by Aug. 1, 2025. CSU will continue
to offer education and resources regarding Title IX.
The changes to Title IX alter how students report sexual assault and harassment along with which offenses they can report. In the 2020 academic year, CSU reported six instances of rape and nine instances of fondling, a noticeable decrease from the 2018 and 2019 academic years. The new provisions broaden the definition of sexual discrimination to include sexual stereotypes, characteristics, identity and orientation. They also expanded the scope of sexual offenses.
The changes to CSU’s Title IX policy are intended to encourage students to exercise their freedoms, not only those in Title IX but also those granted by other federal laws and documents.
“My hope is that students will continue to exercise their federal rights in reporting discrimination and violence that occurs on campus,” said Victoria Benjamin, director of CSU’s Survivor Advocacy and Feminist Education Center, via email. “I am confident that the university will continue to respond to reports the full extent possible within the parameters of federal policy.”
EDUCATIONAL CONVERSATIONS
The new changes to Title IX — not only at CSU but at many institutions across the country — are motivated by facts and misconceptions about sexual assault. For example, some of the protections that Title IX grants victims stem from the myths that the way a victim dresses expresses their desire for sex, that sexual assault can be prevented by a victim being more cautious or that sexual assault is lied about to get back at someone. In reality, less than 2% of sexual assault reports are false.
Although Title IX has been instrumental in supporting cisgender, heterosexual women at universities, there has often been a lack of that same support for LGBTQIA+ students. LGBTQIA+ students are more likely to be victims of sexual harassment than cisgender and heterosexual students, and nearly two in every five LGBTQIA+ students are likely to experience sexual violence. This lack of protection for LGBTQIA+ students is one of the motives for the change in the first place.
The U.S. Department of Education started its drive to change Title IX to further its goal “that no person experiences sex discrimination, as well as accountability and fairness while
empowering and supporting students and families.”
“The new regulations reinforce what has already existed as CSU’s Principles of Community,” said Audrey Swenson, associate director of CSU’s Title IX program and
senior deputy Title IX coordinator. “If students are experiencing sex discrimination or sexual harassment, we want them to know that they have resources available to them.”
Reach Robert Sides at news @collegian.com.
Ram Talks in Old Town builds community, broaden horizons
By Sananda Chandy @csucollegian
Engaging conversation between the community and Colorado State University experts is sure to make one’s curiosity bloom during CSU’s new series, Ram Talks. Members of the Fort Collins community will be able to learn and grow their knowledge of unique ideas, from elephants to Cosmo the corpse flower.
Individuals can enjoy these conversations, held 5-6:30 p.m., in the recently developed Fort Collins Welcome Center at Old Town Square, right next door to CooperSmith’s Pub & Brewing. The audience can enjoy commentary on
enriching, diverse topics in a relaxed yet insightful setting.
Kyle Henley is CSU’s vice president for marketing and communications and has been working on this series in collaboration with Visit Fort Collins to develop a way for the community to connect with significant matters that occur on campus. Henley said he believes this series will highlight the scope and significance of the work of CSU faculty.
For each session, a faculty member will give remarks on their designated topic and research before moving into a Q&A with the audience. Henley said this environment will allow individuals
to feel like they are truly having a conversation with these experts.
“Being able to have an opportunity to hear one of the foremost experts in the world talk about something that they are passionate about and be able to have interaction with them — that’s a really unique and cool thing, and that’s part of the value of living in one of the best college towns in America,” Henley said.
Martín Carcasson is a professor in the department of communication studies and director of the CSU Center for Public Deliberation. He will be leading the discussion Oct. 2 on toxic polarization and how to better those larger, more violent societal divisions. He is looking forward to being in this space where the community can advocate for productive interactions.
“(There is) this unfortunate reality that humans were much more susceptible to, kind of, outrage and polarization than we are,” Carcasson said. “There’s our political system, media systems, and often that’s what we’re engaged in. How do we design processes that avoid triggering the worst of human nature and actually tap into the best of human nature?”
Jeni Cross is a professor in the department of sociology and director
of the Institute for Research in the Social Sciences. Cross said she wishes to dive deeper into the hidden dynamics society tends to disregard in older problems. By pinpointing those hurdles, she wants to help society focus more on revising systems rather than one’s behavior.
“The work that I’m doing right now is really trying to help everybody to actually understand those hidden dynamics,” Cross said. “If I can help people shift their perspective (and) their orientation to seeing and understanding systems better than that, (we) can potentially empower anybody to be more effective in the work they’re doing.”
Cross said she hopes this event will bring a variety of topics and diverse perspectives in the future. This event will offer opportunities to stay updated on the many innovative ideas across campus.
“There’s so much exciting and innovative research and applied work and engagement and teaching that’s happening across campus,” Cross said. “(With) learning about someone’s kind of specific expertise, there’s always the opportunity to think about how something really distant from you actually applies to you.”
Future events
Sept. 4: Cross will facilitate a discussion on ways society can start reassessing systems.
Sept. 18: Professor George Wittemyer will lead the conversation on elephant names, delving deeper into the communication between elephants.
Oct. 2: Carcasson will speak on how to tackle the problem of toxic polarization along with bringing people together for more productive conversations.
Oct. 16: For the Halloween special, Professor Jessica Metcalf, postdoctoral fellow Valerie Seitz and Plant Growth Facilities Manager Tammy Brenner will converse on the rare blooming of CSU’s Cosmo the corpse flower and what they have discovered.
Nov. 6: Professor Brian Tracy will share his ideas on electric muscles as movers and sensors and muscle contractions.
Nov. 20: Ken Reardon, professor and associate dean for research, will speak on the topic of superlaser technology and the journey of fusion energy at CSU.
Reach Sananda Chandy at news @collegian.com
The Colorado State University Student Services building is home to the Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity Aug. 23. They have many resources, procedures, and trainings to support CSU students.
PHOTO BY LAUREN MASCARDO THE COLLEGIAN
Students with strong character are well on their way to becoming tomorrow’s leaders. Encourage them to skip entry level and get the education and skills they need to succeed as Officers in the U.S. Army.
Find out more about leadership and scholarships at CSU Army ROTC by scanning the QR code or visiting our website at armyrotc.colostate.edu, or contacting the CSU Army ROTC Enrollment Advisor at 970-491-1640, or via email Army_ROTC_Enrollment_Advisor@colostate.edu
New Belgium’s Tour de Fat celebrates 25th anniversary
By Leah Stephenson @csucollegian
This Saturday, the annual Tour de Fat bike parade was held in downtown Fort Collins. Tour de Fat is a unique and exciting tradition for many residents and families in Northern Colorado, and this year brought together hundreds of enthusiastic participants for the parade and entertainment hosted by New Belgium Brewing Company.
Some bikers made floats or other modifications on their bikes. This year’s floats included a giant can of Fat Tire beer, a pirate ship backed by an armada of scurvy-ridden bikers, a “Reelect Pedro” wagon and a dragon that blew smoke out of its nose.
For many, Tour de Fat has become an annual tradition. The Silva family said they have been to Tour de Fat “too many times to count.”
Nate Silva said even though they’ve only been riding in the parade for three years, they’ve been watching and attending the parade for 10-15 years.
“We look forward to it every year,” Lisa Silva said.
In all their times coming to the parade, the Silvas have dressed up
as everything from cheerleaders to piñatas, and this year, they were all decked out in neon ‘80s garb. They said that for the parade, they usually change it up, and that doesn’t just apply to costumes — last year, they rode a four-person bike.
This spirit of whimsy is welcomed at Tour de Fat, as
Matt Caraballo and the Mosley siblings — Mason, Connor and Maggie — can attest. Caraballo and the Mosleys chose to wear yellow body paint and dress up as minions from the movie series “Despicable Me” simply because they thought it would be fun to wear full-body paint.
Between Caraballo and the Mosleys, there were some annual Tour de Fat attendees and some first-timers. However, Mason Mosley said that when it comes to the community, the tour “reflects well with the biking culture and wanting to have fun and be open and friendly to everyone.”
Chase Palmer and Joe Hormaechea walk away from a group photo, holding ice-cold beers from one of the many beer stations at this year’s Tour de Fat bike parade in Fort Collins Aug. 24.
PHOTO BY AVA PUGLISI THE COLLEGIAN
INTRODUCING
Not only is Tour de Fat a way to participate in the community, it is also a way to engage with new and local businesses. Among the businesses participating in Tour de Fat this year were Momos, Gator Tails Cajun + Creole Food Truck and Pure Green juice bar.
Pure Green opened its doors to Fort Collins June 1 this year.
Because they opened so recently, owners Leigh Hall and Bill Loegering experienced Tour de Fat for the first time this year.
Looking for exposure, Hall and Loegering were more than ready to showcase their healthy juice options and hand out samples to parade attendees.
Loegering called Tour de Fat “a legendary and stalwart part of Fort Collins culture since New Belgium started it 25 years ago.”
New Belgium will be donating all of its proceeds from beer sales at Tour de Fat. The recipients of these proceeds will be the Send Town Bike Club, Overland Mountain Bike Association and the Fort Collins Bike Co-op.
Reach Leah Stephenson at life @collegian.com.
Graham Good and the Painters
FRIDAY • AUGUST 30
DOORS AT 6 PM
@ Lory Student Center West Lawn
Energy Fest educates on clean, renewable energy
By Sophie Webb @sophgwebb
As spectators followed Tour de Fat throughout Fort Collins, chalk designs from Aubrey Cruz led them slightly off trail to discover the first ever Energy Fest, located at the Colorado State University Powerhouse Energy Campus.
The Energy Fest taught people in the community about cleaner and renewable energy while also celebrating the launch of the Energy Institute’s new mobile classroom.
“(Energy Fest) is supposed to be really helpful, very interactive, really driving home community engagement around clean energy,” said Hilary Klein, associate director of engagement for the Energy Institute. “This launch of this mobile classroom, tied with just more public community awareness, is what brought about this event for us.”
To draw more people in, food trucks from both Walrus Ice Cream and “B” Sweet Cupcakes were ready to supply their sweet treats among the crowd, while CAM the Ram made his way around the audience.
Platte River Power Authority and Efficiency Works started the main part of the event with speeches on sustainability and climate solutions before cutting the ribbon on the mobile classroom. This reinforced the work that CSU has not just been putting in at The Powerhouse but around campus in general.
“We’re doing work and research that is going out there and moving the needle on climate solutions,”
Klein said. “It’s actually happening here at CSU, and it’s not just happening on a research paper. We are at the forefront of climate solutions and sustainability.”
This new mobile classroom can travel up to 200 miles and is meant to go to schools in more geographically isolated locations that do not receive as much attention.
Mike Estergard, who runs the education outreach program at the Energy Institute, has been planning curriculum for the mobile classroom regarding agrivoltaics and hydro, solar and wind power — which is set to take action this fall.
The classes taught fit hand in hand with required curriculum, saving teachers needing a lesson plan and giving them the ability to share their message while fitting into the criteria.
The Energy Institute plans on connecting with 50 schools and is currently in contact with 23.
“Our first round of getting schools signed up could be for Title I schools — schools that have most socioeconomics, and so those will be our big pushes to begin with,” Estergard said.
People interested in learning more were able to visit tents at the event, whether it was the school of Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering or the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, a neighbor of The Powerhouse.
“I’m here at the Energy Fest to demo a couple cool programs we run at the museum,” Digital Experiences Manager Scott McKinney said. “(We’re here) talking about the museum, exposing
RAMS...
Javier Camacho, Hilary Klein, Bryan Willson and others cut the ribbon to open the Energy Institute Mobile Classroom during Energy Fest in Fort Collins Aug. 24. “Power generation, energy (and) electricity over the last century have really become foundational elements of our daily lives,” Camacho said. “How (are we) going to generate a reliable, clean future for our Northern Colorado region?”
PHOTO BY DARYN WHITMOYER THE COLLEGIAN
more people to it, making sure the community knows the cool stuff we got going on.”
Their booth gadgets ranged from magnetpowered cars, — demonstrating principles regarding electric vehicles — to solar sketching — a mix of solar rays and magnifying glasses participants were able to draw on wooden blocks.
The Museum of Discovery also showcased their upcoming events.
“The big one’s going to be ‘Skin: Living Armor, Evolving Identity,’” McKinney said. “It’s all about skin as an organ for both animals and for people.”
The second new attraction is “The Bias Inside Us,” discussing cognitive bias and how humans are able to overcome it and be more respectful to one another.
Other members of CSU’s community came down to share more about their experiences with CSU’s programs.
“I work closely with the Energy Institute as well as our other CSU partners for outreach,really getting students inspired to pursue STEM and STEAM,” said Sara Pharazyn, engineering education outreach coordinator.
Those who interacted with the booth got to learn about upcoming events as well as interact with battery-operated snap circuits and Play-Doh circuits for younger audiences to connect the community with engineering.
“We’re really just wanting to be a part of the community — just the more information and outreach, the better,” Pharazyn said.
Reach Sophie Webb at life @collegian.com.
Farm Fusion combines culinary creativity with fresh ingredients
By Sophie Webb @sophgwebb
From farm to table, Farm Fusion presents the opportunity to cook using fresh ingredients while making friends.
Farm Fusion, located in Fort Collins, hosts anywhere from two to four events per week, ranging from a sourdough workshop to sushi making, depending on the time of the year. This business is run out of a barn and is managed completely by Dawn Broeder.
“In 2016, I opened the food truck, and then I started building (Farm Fusion),” Dawn Broeder said. “I sold my food truck, and then just a month ago, I quit my corporate chef job, and so now I’m doing Farm Fusion full time.”
Dawn Broeder’s job combines the love of her two favorite things: farming and food. Next to her farm is a lake, and twice a year she offers a class called Fishy Fishy in which Dawn Broeder and her husband, Wade Broeder, catch fish and teach participants how to filet them.
She also offers a field-to-fork class once a year in which participants bring in game they caught and cook it. Whatever is available, Dawn Broeder uses.
“That’s going to be everything about pumpkins and squash and everything in the garden,” Dawn Broeder said. “I have a lot of classes where I take people out to the garden, we pick what’s fresh and then I come up with a menu as we go.”
Dawn Broeder plans on obtaining a liquor license to try pairings to make the classes even more developed.
“Like a whiskey pairing, a wine pairing, a beer pairing — so I’m going to start doing some courses that involve different types of pairs,” Dawn Broeder said.
Each class can have a maximum of 12 participants, with the sweet spot being eight. When there are eight, each participant can have their own space while also getting attention and support from Dawn Broeder, and by the end of the night, all the learning
chefs sit down and enjoy their meal together.
Community is a big part of Farm Fusion. Dawn Broeder can teach new people and work alongside her family.
“I get to watch my dad with him while he’s ranching, and my brotherin-law is farming, and we can have two boys that live on the property as well,” Dawn Broeder said.
Although Dawn Broeder is the only one who teaches her classes and who runs the business, her husband helps behind the scenes in the gardens.
“He does the gardening for me, even though he has a full-time job, and tonight, when my dishwasher can’t come, he does the dishwashing for me, so he’s incredible,” Dawn Broeder said.
Despite having a full-time job as a Walgreens store manager, Wade Broeder is there to help his wife. Besides gardening and dishwashing, he also helps her with collaboration and imagining where the business will go from here.
“We were talking about what we want it to look like in the next five
years,” Wade Broeder said. “I know that she probably wants to expand to where she’s hiring a staff or a team for herself.”
Dawn Broeder plans on continuing to teach the more advanced and difficult courses but is beginning the process of hiring help to teach the intermediate ones.
Since 2016, Dawn has taken her business from a small food truck to cooking classes where people can laugh, cook and learn. She has built this business on her own, continuing to develop it.
“Dawn is a very charismatic person, and she draws people in; it’s just fun to see her grow,” Wade Broeder said. “She’s (a) very, very good chef, and I’ve seen her even get better, and she is very tenacious about figuring the best way to make something.”
While Dawn Broeder loves to connect with people in person while she teaches, Wade Broeder finds the gardening side more intriguing, the intricate process more rewarding.
“Gardening is kind of fun because it’s like an endless learning
experience,” Wade Broeder said.
“Each different plant is a little bit different.”
At the beginning of the growing season, Wade Broeder woke up at 5 a.m. and stayed working in the garden until sunset, but as the season went on, the plants became more established, needing less care.
While this will be the first year that Farm Fusion grows a full garden during the winter, the harsh conditions will not stop the company, as the Broeders plan on putting compost over the garden and incorporating a no-till strategy.
Dawn Broeder has been on this ranch since a child and has been involving the public through her courses, and she hopes Farm Fusion will continue to grow, just like the plants she tends to.
“This is the ranch I grew up on, so this is my dad’s ranch,” Dawn Broeder said. “We’ve got 1,000 acres here, and I’ve always wanted to kind of get full circle and come back here.”
Reach Sophie Webb at life @collegian.com.
Farm Fusion is a farmto-table teaching studio located on a ranch in northern Fort Collins Aug. 23. Chef Dawn Broeder offers classes, events and recipes.
PHOTO BY JULIA PERCY THE COLLEGIAN
CAMPUS HEALTH
CSU prepares students for annual ‘freshman flu’
By Hana Pavelko @hanasolo13
The beginning of college is an exciting time: new people, big events and living away from home for the first time.
It is easy to be swept away by the excitement of the upcoming semester. However, there’s something grim lurking beneath the surface of it all: the freshman flu.
While it is deemed the “freshman flu” or the “freshers’ flu,” this disease does not just target first-years on campus, nor is it specifically the flu being spread. Anyone can be exposed to and affected by the freshman flu phenomenon. With so many new people coming from many different places, students are exposed to new strains of bacteria and viruses their immune systems have not previously been exposed to.
If an individual’s immune system has not been exposed to a specific strain of bacteria before, then it will take longer for their body to mount a protective defense response. However, this means that if they encounter the same bacteria again, their immune system can recognize the invading pathogen more quickly and mount a faster immune response.
“Healthy habits like sleep, good nutrition, hydration, stress management and physical activity will help our immune systems function at their best,” said Sarah Drobek, a public health registered nurse for the
Colorado State University Health Network.
The end of summer and the beginning of autumn also bring about flu season, a time period when the influenza virus, the causative agent of the flu, is commonly circulating.
“If you or your friends do start to develop symptoms, wearing a mask will help protect others.”
SARAH DROBEK PUBLIC HEALTH REGISTERED NURSE
complications and/or unable to be vaccinated for health reasons,” Tynan said.
The CSU Health Network offers flu vaccines for CSU students, which is a covered benefit under most insurance plans. Walk-in flu clinics are also being held in the Recreation Center in partnership with the CSU Health Network. Tynan said flu shots are available at the Student Recreation Center Sept. 26, Oct. 11, Oct. 23 and Oct. 28.
While preventative measures against the flu are recommended and help reduce transmission, they are not always completely effective. Students should take measures to prevent the flu, but they should also be prepared in the case that they do get a case of the freshman flu.
“Getting the influenza vaccine is a key protection from contracting and transmitting the flu,” said Abby Tynan, the associate director of communications for the CSU Health Network. “Workers at the CSU Health Network recommend that people get vaccinated against influenza by the end of October.”
Students should be aware that the benefits of the flu shot are not limited to the individual.
“Influenza vaccines protect not only the person who receives the vaccine but also others around them, some of whom may be at high risk for
“Colds will happen despite our best efforts to avoid them,” Drobek said. “Have some supplies ready to go ahead of time, like tissues, cough drops and headache/ fever medication.”
People experiencing symptoms of the flu or other sicknesses are encouraged to wear masks to reduce transmission rates.
“If you or your friends do start to develop symptoms, wearing a mask will help protect others,” Drobek said. “This is especially important if you are going to be in a group setting.”
Reach Hana Pavelko at science@collegian.com.
Wildfires spark concerns over soil pollution
By Sophia Pruden @csucollegian
Wildfires have ramped up globally, posing a massive risk to public health and safety.
Scientists at Colorado State University’s department of soil and crop science and Stanford University’s department of soil and environmental biogeochemistry have recently collaborated to investigate the chemical impact wildfires have on soil. The findings of this study give the community meaningful insight into the potential effects of wildfires on local ecosystems and watershed.
Thomas Borch, a environmental and agricultural chemistry professor at CSU, led a literature review with Scott Fendorf’s lab at Stanford University. Their paper, “Molecular insights and impacts of wildfire-induced soil chemical changes,” was published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment this past May.
“We have seen some of the biggest fires in global history in the past five years,” Borch said. “In recent times, the frequency and severity of fires has significantly increased.”
This trend is evident in North America but affects the globe and has been on the rise since the 1983. The review investigated transformations of carbon-rich and metallic compounds within the soil that result from wildfires.
In some ways, wildfires are part of a natural cycle, with some of their effects allowing for the revegetation of the forest in the phase after the fire, such as the addition of more nutrients to the soil and germination of pine seedlings. However, if an area is burned too severely, it may not have the opportunity to revegetate due to a depletion in nutrients and the fire burning through the seedbed.
The benefits wildfires offer to a forest ecosystem include clearing out the canopy so lower levels may receive more sunlight and clearing debris from the forest floor. This heat is required for certain species of pinecones to open and spread their seeds. A fire that burns too intensely negates these benefits by destroying too much of the environment for it to be able to bounce back.
Heat from wildfires catalyzes reactions in the soil. These reactions include the transformation of metals like arsenic and chromium to more toxic forms and an increase in compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. It is important to keep track of the products of these reactions because soil erodes into the watershed, and some of these chemicals must be treated to ensure the water is safe to drink.
When water exported from burned areas is treated, the chemicals used in this process react with molecules present in
the waste, forming what is called disinfection by-products. Some of these by-products are already regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency, but some are not. Regulated by-products have their levels monitored in the drinking water and must be within a set threshold to be considered safe.
“Nitrogenous disinfection byproducts can be even more toxic than carbonaceous disinfection by-products, but they are not regulated at all,” said Jacob VanderRoest, a third-year Ph.D. candidate in Borch’s lab at CSU.
Research on the quality and composition of soil is crucial because it opens doors for better predictions of potential contaminants and regulation going forward for a more evidence-based and holistic approach. A better understanding of what pollutants to expect in the soil following wildfires allows the government to more accurately predict the substances that can be found in the watershed and allows scientists to create better methods to treat water.
Apart from affecting the soil, wildfires rapidly emit greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, greatly contributing to the ongoing climate crisis. This creates potential for more acute health hazards stemming from smoke inhalation.
Considering this new research, many may wonder what the average person can do to keep
themself safe from the effects of forest fires in their community.
“Most of these fires are actually anthropogenic,” Borch said. “It’s often a spark from a transformer station — it’s people’s activity.”
Acting responsibly and treating the environment with respect may go a long way to prevent these disasters in the first place. However, these events are bound to continue. Anyone who finds themself in an affected area should pay attention to the recommendations of local public health officials.
“Take notifications of poor air quality very seriously,” VanderRoest said. “Definitely do not disregard those recommendations — they are really important and keep people safe.”
Janae Coston-Malpas, the northeast area wildfire resilience coordinator for the Colorado State Forest Service, offered insight into steps community members can take to protect their areas from wildfires. She stressed the importance of connection between neighbors.
“I would say that one of the most important components is building relationships with neighbors and communities in general,” Coston-Malpas said. “When residents are able to connect, communicate and build relationships, they share resources (and) information and are able to provide some mitigation support.”
“Take notifications of poor air quality very seriously. Definitely do not disregard those recommendations — they are really important and keep people safe.”
JACOB VANDERROEST DOCTORAL STUDENT
Additionally, Coston-Malpas said it is important for people to have a planned evacuation route in case of a fire. In Colorado, there is no time in which the risk of a fire is completely absent. This communication among communities allows individuals to coordinate escape routes in case of evacuation, stock up on resources and ensure the community is on the same page regarding building codes. When it comes to building on a property, walls should be built to an appropriate thickness depending on the materials used, and the structures should be built an appropriate distance from each other.
It is important to understand fire conditions when venturing into wooded areas for recreational activities, especially those involving campfires. Information about these conditions can be found at csfs. colostate.edu or dfpc.colorado.gov. Information regarding fire-safe building materials and building precautions can also be found on the CSFS website.
Public health information involving air quality is more individual, and information on the topic can be found at airnow.gov. Anyone who is immunocompromised or particularly concerned about the way their health can be impacted by wildfires in their area should consult their physician to get more personal recommendations. Reach Sophia Pruden at science @collegian.com.
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER THE COLLEGIAN
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1. Hannah DeSanto and Dave Rosso ride the Mermaid Mobile during the Tour de Fat bike parade Aug. 24. “We come every year,” Rosso said. “We made this bike ourselves.”
PHOTO BY JACE CARLTON THE COLLEGIAN
2. Chris Farrenbrook watches from his homemade bike. “I have been coming every year they have done it,” Farrenbrook said. “After the parade, I am going to go to New Belgium Brewing (Company) and buy another Tour de Fat license plate for my bike.”
PHOTO BY JACE CARLTON THE COLLEGIAN
3. Tour de Fat official volunteers and costumed cyclists ride down Mountain Avenue for the 25th Tour de Fat, hosted by New Belgium Brewing Company. Started in 1999, Tour de Fat celebrates community and fundraises money for local bike nonprofits nationwide.
PHOTO
BY ARIA
PAUL
THE COLLEGIAN
4. Connie Steinmann dressed as Russel from the movie “Up!” walks to the New Belgium main stage.
PHOTO BY AVA PUGLISI THE COLLEGIAN
5. A large group of friends take a picture in front of the Tour de Fat arch.
PHOTO BY AVA PUGLISI THE COLLEGIAN
6. Brian Schmierer poses for a picture at City Park before Tour de Fat. “We come every year,” Schmierer said. “We go overboard every year.”
PHOTO BY JACE CARLTON THE COLLEGIAN
7. Shellie Neubauer and Megan Keefe pose for a photo. “The best part is dressing up,” Neubauer said. “Where’s the fun if you don’t?”
PHOTO BY ARIA PAUL THE COLLEGIAN
8. Kayla Matlock and Sam Polly celebrate during PhatJazz’s DJ set. The event started with a bike ride around Mountain Avenue and ended at a celebration at New Belgium, where they offered music, food trucks, entertainment, contests and games.
PHOTO BY JULIA PERCY THE COLLEGIAN
9. Marvin, Courtney, Zoey and Jim dress as vikings. “We have been doing this for about 17 years now,” Zoe said. “All four of us are in Fort Collins and love living here.”
BY JACE CARLTON THE COLLEGIAN
PHOTO
Photo credit Leif Blessing
CSU football prepares for Texas-sized test on opening weekend
By Damon Cook @dwcook2001
Colorado State football is heading into its most anticipated season yet under coach Jay Norvell’s leadership.
CSU is looked at by many people as a team that should make a bowl game this year. Week one could be incredibly telling with No. 4 Texas looming in the distance. Quarterback Quinn
Ewers is one of the best in the nation and is coming off a season where he lead UT to a top-10 offensive finish.
By no means is anyone giving CSU even a little bit of a chance — ESPNBET currently has CSU as 32.5-point underdogs, but that’s not on the minds of the players.
Instead, this week will be about how the team has prepared and how they can execute their game plan.
“We’ve had a lot of time to game-plan this game,” Norvell said. “We’re anxious to play it, you know — I am excited, our kids are bouncing around (and) excited to play a game. They’re tired of hitting each other, and we’re excited to get our first opponent.”
Offense
After a very up-and-down 2023 season, Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi is poised to make that next step in becoming one of the best QBs in the Mountain West.
One of the most important things to possess as a QB is confidence, and Fowler-Nicolosi often exudes confidence and will bring that into what he called a huge opportunity heading to UT.
“Obviously, it’s awesome to get in there and go test your skills (and) see where your team’s at with a great opponent in Texas,” FowlerNicolosi said. “And so I think we’re all excited to go down there and get the chance to play them and see where we’re at.”
Although the passing game is pretty set at where they’re at and looks to be explosive, the Rams will not be competitive by only passing the ball. Although they run an air raid offense, CSU still has to be competent in the running game, something that they — at times — struggled with last season.
Heading into Texas, there will be an opportunity for someone to take those reins and establish themself as a primary back for the
Rams. Justin Marshall looks like the No. 1 option at this point, but Avery Morrow, Kobe Johnson and Damian Henderson II are right behind him and could very easily eat into his carries.
“We want to be able to control the football,” Norvell said. “We want to get some explosive runs running the football. I think that’s something we feel like is missing.”
Who to watch: Vince Brown II is set to be the starting tight end with Norvell’s announcement that Jaxxon Warren will be out for the season following shoulder surgery.
Brown II hasn’t played a lot at the Division I level, posting only four catches for 32 yards in his lone year as a Ram. However, he also had a really good-looking camp, and with Tory Horton stretching the field, that could leave the middle wide open for Brown II to feast.
Defense
UT will be an excellent test to see improvements on the CSU defense. Losing Chigozie Anusiem, Mohamed Kamara and Justin Sanchez should create opportunities for the next wave of guys to step up. Buom Jock should fill in nicely for Sanchez, and Nuer Gatkuoth
has the potential to be a great pass rusher for CSU. However, fans will have to wait to see Gatkuoth back in action after Norvell announced he would be out Saturday.
“I’ve been here for a long time, and just the team, just how everybody’s bonding, gluing together — it’s just special,” Henry Blackburn said. “I’m proud of the guys — we’ve been putting in a lot of work.”
One of the things that has been emphasized for the defense this offseason has been communication. With the new rules in college football, players are now allowed to have direct communication through a headset with their coaches.
This not only aids faster communication between the sideline and the field, but it has
also created more chatter between players as well.
“Everybody’s talking every single play,” Blackburn said. “We’re all locked into our key, locked into motions, adjustments, shifts — everything we need to see before the snap.”
Who to watch: Jock is coming into his second year at CSU, but there has been a lot of buzz surrounding what he can bring in the middle of this defense.
The Rams struggled giving up big plays last year, but the dynamic of Jock paired with Chase Wilson could help remedy some of that, especially in the running game.
Reach Damon Cook at sports @collegian.com.
COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO
Student fees increase following Joe
By Damon Cook @dwcook2001
The director of athletics is responsible for every financial decision made by Colorado State Athletics.
After more than eight years serving as the director of athletics for CSU, Joe Parker abruptly stepped back and moved into an advisory role in February.
He later took a job at the University of Iowa as the deputy director of athletics in May.
At the time of print, CSU Athletics could not provide a statement on the reasoning behind Parker’s departure.
While it was initially reported that Parker stepped aside into an advisory role, sources told The Collegian that the reason for his abrupt departure as CSU’s AD was that the new CSU soccer and softball fields went over budget.
That, however, was not Parker’s only fault. While he found success in some
areas of athletics, he failed to achieve what matters most financially in college athletic programs: filling the football stadium.
CSU football went just 40-63 under three different head coaches during Parker’s tenure. Mike Bobo went 28-35 over his five years at the helm, and Parker followed that up by hiring the now widely hated Steve Addazio.
Addazio went just 4-12, irking players, fans and media alike along the way. Parker’s decision to
University student
bring Addazio on brought a lot of controversy to an already struggling CSU football program. In a 2020 article, Miles Blumhardt of the Coloradoan reported that 20 former and current CSU football players came forward saying they “witnessed recurring instances of racial insensitivity and abusive behavior within the department.” Those athletes also called for Parker to be fired.
In just a two-year period, Parker’s first two football hires cost the program nearly $5 million in buyout fees. Those buy-outs contributed to Athletics’ increasing deficit in self-supporting revenue compared to expenses.
CSU Athletics generally runs on a break-even budget between its selfsupporting revenue and the funds provided to Athletics by the university. The fees provided by CSU are counted as nonselfsupporting revenue and come from student fees and direct and indirect institutional support.
When only selfsupporting revenue is accounted for, CSU Athletics runs into a big deficit. In 2021, Athletics saw a nearly $24 million deficit; in 2022, it was just more than $28 million; and in 2023, it rose to $29.5 million.
When the new soccer and softball fields were initially approved in 2019, the expected cost of construction was between
up
$6.3 million and $6.5 million, according to a CSU SOURCE article.
The article also mentioned that the $5.07 student fee allocated toward the Athletics debt service would be extended from a prior Moby Arena construction project.
In 2022, CSU Athletics announced that a $5 million donation was made by the Bohemian Foundation, helping pay for the new fields and, in turn, increasing the budget to range from $8 million to $10 million. The Collegian confirmed that the final cost of the project was $10.6 million — $600,000 over the maximum budget.
This, in turn, prompted CSU Athletics to turn back to the Student Fee Review Board, asking for a 98.6% increase in the Athletics debtservice fee to help pay for the excess costs, which Athletics attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation.
In a statement, a CSU Athletics spokesperson said that in spring 2024, the SFRB agreed to continue their support for women’s athletics and their facilities. This led to an increase of $5 in the fee going toward the debt service.
“We are very thankful for the SFRB’s support and look forward to seeing generations of women Athletes represent CSU as they compete in the new complex,” the spokesperson said.
The Colorado State
section holds
signs calling out coach Mike Bobo and Athletic Director Joe Parker at the Rocky Mountain Showdown Aug. 31, 2018. The Rams lost to the Buffs 45-13. COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO.
Parker’s Athletics overspending
The initial proposal, overseen by Parker, provided insight into the entire Athletics budget but didn’t give the SFRB what it needed to pass the vote.
“When the representatives from Athletics first presented their budget, it left a negative impression on many members of the board,” said Alex Silverhart, former Associated Students of CSU vice president and former SFRB chair. “The SFRB felt as if the Athletics department was not being responsible with their budget, as the requested increase was to pay off a soccer and softball field that had already been built.”
In the budget presentation, Athletics said construction costs skyrocketed after the COVID-19 pandemic, Silverhart said, reiterating CSU Athletics’ earlier
statement. He also said that the project went “significantly” over budget and that Athletics came back to the SFRB looking to rectify those budget concerns.
“Typically, the SFRB does not increase student fees to retroactively fund a project or endeavor,” Silverhart said. “This led to an almost unanimous decision to deny the proposed increase during their first presentation.”
Braxton Dietz, current ASCSU vice president and SFRB member, said that during the first presentation, the board felt Parker and CSU Athletics were asking them to remedy a mistake they made by using student fees.
However, Dietz said the board afterward felt that Athletics’ true message wasn’t conveyed properly in
“When the representatives from Athletics first presented their budget, it left a negative impression on many members of the board. The SFRB felt as if the Athletics department was not being responsible with their budget, as the requested increase was to pay off a soccer and softball field that had already been built.”
ALEX SILVERHART FORMER SFRB CHAIR
the initial presentation. That prompted a meeting with the leadership of CSU Athletics, leading to the second vote, which passed.
“Me and a few other members of SFRB and Alex Silverhart sat down with Matt Klein, and I believe John Weber was also there as the interim AD at that time,” Dietz said. “And (we) talked through a second proposal — the possibility of that and what that would look like — and then brought that to the board, talked to the members, you know, ‘How would you feel about a second proposal, maybe for half, maybe for the full amount?’ And then we went from there.”
One of the specific things Weber brought to the second proposal that was absent in the first presentation was
understanding of the reallife impact on students.
The increase in fees affects a lot of people, and being able to see the people involved in financial decisions is something Dietz said is important to him moving forward with the SFRB.
“He brought the people behind the numbers,” Dietz said. “The second thing I’ll say is John Weber is really making (it) his mission — taking over CSU Athletics this year — to show the people of CSU Athletics. We want to make CSU Athletics the biggest, best and most-watched program in the West, and he is really encompassing that mission.”
Both Dietz and Silverhart said that increasing student fees toward the Athletics debt
service will prevent budget cuts in other areas.
Athletics continued its emphasis on advancing women’s athletics at CSU, which was shared by the voting members of the SFRB.
“Members that were in support of the increase stated that by approving the fee, Athletics would not have to cut other programs and (could) avoid decreasing compensation for their student staff roles,” Silverhart said. “Also given that CSU has a women’s soccer team and softball team, members wanted to show support for female-identifying athletes on their campus.”
Reach Damon Cook at sports@collegian.com.
Joe Parker, Colorado State University athletic director, talks at a press conference on Dec. 4, 2019. The subject of the conference was football coach Mike Bobo taking a payout for the remaining of his contract. COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO.
Sonic Guild makes small names bigger within music industry
By Riley Paling @rileypaling
With school back in session, the live music scene in Fort Collins is thriving more than ever, and the Colorado Sonic Guild Showcase is doing its part to keep the music industry alive and growing.
On Aug. 24 in Old Town Square in Fort Collins, Sonic Guild put on a high-energy showcase that drew in a very diverse crowd. There were people of varied ages and styles, but all shared the same wide smile while listening to the music flow off the stage.
“Sonic Guild is wonderful,” said Megan Burtt, a Coloradobased musician. “I feel like when communities have organizations that are so artist focused and want to build local artists up, it makes all the difference in the world.”
Sonic Guild is a nonprofit organization that aims to be a ladder for small local artists. Its goal is to make small names bigger. Sonic Guild currently exists in four locations: Austin, Texas; Seattle; Colorado’s Front Range; and the Ozarks. The showcase is helping many artists advance their careers.
“They’re such a presence in the music community that most local bands know about them,” said Ariadnee Ziady, the lead guitarist for local band Ipecac. “It’s just sort of a known entity because they’re so influential to everyone in the scene.”
Music is a form of art, and Sonic Guild helps musicians — both big and small — do what they love.
“That artistic expression is so important to me, and (it has) been a way for all of us to express who we are and our emotions and work through life,” Ziady said.
Sonic Guild provides resources from the get-go, so even bands new to Sonic Guild receive help in numerous ways before their first showcase.
“So far, they have been providing a lot of recourses and opportunities,” said Ryan Bannigan, a band member of +Ultra. “They provided (many) mental health options. I’ve heard (they) do amazing (things) for a lot of artists in the community, so we’re excited to work with them and see where it goes.”
The event gives artists the platform to come together and express their love for music.
“I’ve dreamed about being a musician since I was a kid — I can’t imagine doing anything else,” Bannigan said.
This nonprofit supports all kinds of bands; for example, +Ultra is a group that aims to elevate voices with different perspectives.
“We all come from different backgrounds in life and music, and we try to bring that into one setting,” Bannigan said. “It may not be the same voice every time, but that’s what’s kind of cool. It feels like a playlist almost.”
Sonic Guild has helped many artists, like Burtt, who was a grant recipient and now has a record coming out Sept. 20. Bluebird Theater will host a local album release for Burtt Sept. 5.
Sonic Guild’s next event is the Colorado September House Concert, which will be held 4-6:30 p.m. Sept. 15 in the Southmoor Park neighborhood in Denver. For those who enjoy supporting small artists, this is the right organization. More information is available on their website.
Reach Riley Paling at entertainment@collegian.com.
‘It Ends with Us’ strays from original story through powerful adaptation
By Sophie Webb @sophgwebb
The newly released film
“It Ends with Us” stunned audience members with the amazing work displayed on the silver screen. The movie had everything from a complex storyline to strong visuals and amazing production by Justin Baldoni, who directed the film. It had everything — unless you have read the book.
Colleen Hoover’s first and arguably most famous book, “It Ends with Us,” came out with a film adaptation Aug. 9 after filming began in 2023, confirming that multiple things were missing in the film that were in the original book.
This influential story follows Lily Blossom Bloom (Blake Lively) and young Lily (Isabela Ferrer), representing the different phases and periods of her life as she embarks upon two different relationships: one in high school with Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar) and the other as an adult with Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni). Lily grew up in a traumatic household, forced to witness her dad physically and emotionally abuse her mom, and, throughout the years, watched her mom stay.
During the turmoil, she discovered Atlas squatting in an abandoned house next to hers. Unbeknownst to her, he would soon become her biggest supporter.
Watching “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” was a common tradition Lily had growing up, something dear to her that she began to share with Atlas when they commonly quoted, “Just keep swimming,” in honor of DeGeneres’ role
in “Finding Nemo.” This was an outlet for Lily as she began writing to the show host in her “Dear Ellen” series.
Moviegoers cannot witness this, having a lack of connection with the two as the movie primarily focuses on Lily and Ryle and their seemingly perfect relationship.That is until Ryle takes after Lily’s father.
In the movie, Lily tells the story of Ryle’s abuse like an accident, yet in the book, Lily confronts him, consistently claiming she will not stay if he continues.
This switch was a fantastic decision made by Baldoni and Hoover. The movie portrays the thought process of domestic violence survivors and the reasoning for staying, the constant lying to oneself and the mental altering of memories. Sometimes, it feels easier to stay than face reality and leave, one of the better things the movie did.
Unfortunately, there are some circumstances where survivors cannot leave their abuser, whether it be financial reasons or blackmail, but Lily’s case was different. She chose to bargain with herself and find excuses to stay until it was almost too late.
Hoover does an incredible job of making the audience fall for both relationships as they are growing. Exploring both the immature, young love with Atlas and the mature kind with Ryle could be the reason for one of the biggest changes in the entire movie: Lily’s age.
Several were upset the rising actress Abigail Cowen was not cast as Lily, and although it is undoubtedly true she would have played the role better, it would have sacrificed the character’s age.
If Lily were young and still learning, her staying in an abusive relationship might have been easier to believe, whereas an older Lily breaking the mold and leaving is truly inspiring, showing that no one has to be a certain age to leave their abuser — the option is always there.
The story of Lily is inspiring, but it is hard to connect with an actor who does not fit the character. Whether it is Lively’s uncomfortable timing with her laughs or strangebut-constant lip bites, she is a stale actor. This is blatantly obvious in the scene when she tries to stop Ryle and Atlas from fighting.
Now, no actor looks good trying to break up a fight on screen, so it is fair to say the writers set her up with that one, but if the audience can look past the inauthentic acting, this movie is incredible.
There are a couple flaws, but it is Hoover’s first novel-to-film movie. Once she establishes her roots, as Atlas did with his restaurant, it will hopefully have a better cast lead, wardrobe and appropriate advertising.
Without giving away the ending, the reason for the title of the movie has to be one of the best and most emotional ever. It ties a ribbon onto a distressing film and makes the audience question their own experiences.
Although it is disappointing to not have everything in the original story come to life, the audience should take into consideration that the movie on its own sends such a strong message to domestic violence survivors, showing there is a way out. It shows that victims do not have to stay in a relationship, even when it does not feel like it. There are more options.
Wayfarer Studios made a phenomenal film with the resources they had, and if the audience reviews the film for the message it conveys and not the book it is based on, “It Ends with Us” is already one of the best movies of 2024.
Reach Sophie Webb at entertainment@collegian.com.
COLLEGIAN FILE ILLUSTRATION
MERE
1st-year friends don’t have to be your forever BFFs
By Hana Pavelko @hanasolo13
Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.
Sitting down in a huge lecture hall on the first day of classes is intimidating. You start out introducing yourself to the person next to you, and by the end of class, the two of you are exchanging phone numbers and Snapchats. There’s texting over the next few days, hang-out plans are being made and you feel like you’ve made your first friend in college.
But weeks and months pass by, you lose your Snapstreak and the two of you barely see each other anymore. Your majors pull you to different classes, your interests pull you to different student organizations and now you’re wondering if the two of you are even friends anymore. And if the answer is no, that’s OK.
Movies and television shows make it seem like you find your best friends during the first week of college; however, it might take a little longer to find your people. While you might be convinced the people you meet the first week of school are destined to be your rideor-dies, friendships — and people
CONSCIOUS CANOODLING
By Astrid Thorn @csucollegian
— can change over time. The people you meet the first week of school might not be the people you want to surround yourself with for the next four years of your life. The right people will support and encourage you. College can be a challenging experience, and it is important to have the right group of
friends to give you the support you need when these challenges arise. It might feel safe to stay with and cling to the people you meet on the first day of class, but that may stop you from reaching out and meeting new people who could become another important part of your life.
There are many opportunities throughout your time at Colorado State University to meet people.
Joining student organizations and taking different classes are great ways to expand your social circle in college.
CSU offers great opportunities to meet people you might not have otherwise met. There is a chance to form great relationships with people
from all walks of life. You can meet people from different backgrounds, states and even countries. It is impossible to tell who you might meet and who might become your new friend.
It might take a while to find people who you really click with. People neglect to tell you just how isolating the first few weeks — or even months — of college can feel when you do not know many of your peers. However, it is important to remember that you will find the right people. These might be individuals you meet during your orientation, or they might be people you run into at the library. Some of the best friendships can find you at the moment you least expect it. Take your time, and find people who make your life better. The people you meet your first year of college might not be your best friends forever, but they can still make a meaningful impact on your time here at CSU.
Reach Hana Pavelko at letters @collegian.com.
Remember these best etiquette practices to have sex in dorms
Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.
Moving into the dorms can be incredibly exciting, especially for first-year students who are living on their own for the first time. There are countless new freedoms that come with living in a college dorm, one of which is the opportunity for new levels of sexual exploration and experimentation.
The ability to have sex somewhere other than your parents’ house is exciting and overwhelming and should absolutely be taken advantage of in a way that is safe and respectful to not only yourself but those around you.
Having sex while in the dorms is good fun but needs to be done mindfully. Your pleasure matters, but it should not be achieved at the expense of the well-being of others in your hall.
First and foremost, it is of the utmost importance to be as considerate to your roommate as possible. Unless you are one of the lucky folks who live in a
single dorm, it is more than likely that you are going to have to plan your sexual encounters around another person’s schedule. Because the room is as much theirs as it is yours, it is essential that you respect the space and the needs of your roommate.
It can be extremely helpful to memorize your roommate’s schedule so you know the windows that you have available to get down and dirty. If your roommate has a 50-minute class and you have that time free, that would be the perfect opportunity to have some fun, whether that be solo or partnered.
Additionally, if you feel comfortable, it never hurts to send your roommate a quick text message to let them know you need the room to yourself for some time. Most roommates will not judge you and will be thankful for the heads-up.
In addition to respecting the person you share the room with, it is also essential that you show the same courtesy to the other people who live in your hall. The dorm walls may be made of brick, but they aren’t soundproof. Remember, if you can hear your neighbor laugh through the wall, they can definitely hear you getting
down and dirty. Be mindful of bed squeaks, vocalizations and everything in between.
All students should take advantage of the free sexual health supplies that can be found around campus, but be sure to dispose of used items like barrier methods properly and make sure they all end up in the trash. Improper
discarding of items like condoms and dental dams is not only a biohazard but is also simply inconsiderate to those living around you. Maintaining a clean and healthy living environment for yourself and your dormmates will help to foster a harmonious living environment for everyone in the residence hall.
While there are some factors to consider when getting hot and heavy in the dorms, students who desire to be sexually active should take full advantage of their new environment to safely explore their sexuality in all the ways that they weren’t able to while living with parents or guardians.
In addition to being mindful of their environment, everyone should be utilizing Colorado State University’s numerous sexual health resources, including free barrier methods, sexual wellness visits at the CSU Health and Medical Center and student organizations like Creating Respect, Educating Wellness (by and for) Students. These resources provide everything from medical treatment to sexual health education and can help you create the dorm sex life of your dreams. Sexual experimentation is an integral part of early adulthood for many people, and that is something that should be celebrated. Having one’s own space and the freedom to explore their sexuality is a crucial part of developing their own personal sexual identity. Have fun, be respectful and get your freak on!
Reach Astrid Thorn at letters @collegian.com.
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER THE COLLEGIAN
CSU Mountain Campus made this a summer to remember
By McKenna Van Voris @mckenna_vv
Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.
I knew one thing for certain when planning out my summer: I would not be going home.
Living in the same suburb my entire life meant coming to Colorado State University was my ticket out. Don’t get me wrong — I love my beautiful, outdoorsy town in Northern California, but I’ve always wanted more. I wanted to see more, do more and experience more than my stable, safe hometown could offer. So once I got to Colorado, I wanted to make the most of every second I had exploring this new state. With that came my determination to spend my summer at the CSU Mountain Campus.
However, Mountain Campus wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows right away. I remember how terribly anxious I was as I drove up the beautiful forest service road to Mountain Campus. I had barely been able to sleep the night before due to my nerves, and with each mile I drove, I became more and more apprehensive.
My first evening there, I sat alone in the cabin and ate cold, stale soup as I stared at the wall and cried. I remember how hopeless I felt in that moment, how uncertain I was about the future and how terrified I was of the summer becoming a repeat of my catastrophic first year of college. Little did I know, things were about to get so much better.
“No one is immune to the issues of real life, but Mountain Campus gave us a momentary escape — a new world with new characters and a new plot that we authored.”
I eventually met the other staff as they got off of work that evening, and the night ended with what would be the first of many times playing hacky sack with my coworkers.
In fact, we almost always spent our time off of work doing such things. Being up in the mountains
without restaurants, movie theaters or bars meant that during our time off, we had to play pool, jump in the river, watch DVDs or go hiking — and that’s exactly what we did.
Screams and shouts pierced through the silent valley as 20 of us stood in the rickety wooden shack that was the game room. My coworkers were soaked in sweat as they sprinted and slid around the pool table in an attempt to win the game Shit.
We spent rainy evenings partying on cabin porches as the campus band played. The sound of their guitars and keyboards echoed through the valley.
The entire staff dressed up in ridiculous costumes as we tubed down the frigid river and got pelted by rain droplets so fat and cold they stung our skin. The thunderstorm raged loud enough to shake the entire mountain as lightning illuminated the gray sky. We just giggled and squealed as shivers raked our bodies while we raced one another through the current.
We spent late nights curled up on couches, shouting at Bella and Edward on the TV, painting each other’s nails and eating way too much popcorn.
Our arms wrapped around one another as we swayed and sang at
the top of our lungs around the campfire, all of us completely drenched. The smell of crackling wood and wet earth filled our lungs and fueled our bodies.
We celebrated the Fourth of July by off-roading up a mountainside and partying on the lakeshore. Campfire-roasted hot dogs and s’mores filled our bellies, and the sound of soft music soothed our ears.
At 1 a.m. we drove up the Poudre Canyon with all of the windows down and the sunroof open, the glow of the full moon casting shadows on my sleeping coworkers in the back seat. My voice was carried away by the wind as I shouted song lyrics and sped through the silent canyon.
I sharply inhaled as the icy water touched every part of my body while I held my coworkers’ hands, and we walked deeper into the inky black water of the quiet lake. The early morning moonlight illuminated the vast wilderness around us, and our laughter echoed over miles upon miles of silent forest as if we were the only people in this vast, beautiful world.
Of course, the mountain campus didn’t grant us immunity to all of life’s problems. There were still times I woke up in a funk due to reminders of what lies in the outside
world. There were moments when an unsuspecting coworker would run into me in the hall, tears soaking their cheeks and eyes puffy.
No one is immune to the issues of real life, but Mountain Campus gave us a momentary escape — a new world with new characters and a new plot that we authored.
I remember how nervous I was about the Mountain Campus at first, how intimidating it was to do something so adventurous with little knowledge as to what I was getting myself into. But if I learned anything from this summer, it’s that if you have the opportunity to do something out of the ordinary, do it. Now looking back, I can’t imagine a better summer. I might have only worked at CSU Mountain Campus for a mere three months, but I will never forget this place and this family. These people who come from so many walks of life who — had we stumbled upon one another on the street — we never would’ve thought to talk to, much less become close friends with. We are now forever united by that one summer we spent in the mountains.
Reach McKenna Van Voris at letters@collegian.com.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MCKENNA VAN VORIS
WEEKLY HOROSCOPE
By Sophia Masia
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (08/29/24)
ARIES (MARCH 21 - APRIL 19)
It’s all about the love and flow for you right now. This is a good time to refine your habits and improve your work-life balance. It’s a good week to work through mental blocks and rededicate yourself to pleasure. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to love your body better, this is it, Aries.
TAURUS (APRIL 20 - MAY 20)
It’s time to get specific about what the good life means for you. Take this week to really look into how you present yourself, what you believe and what your longterm goals are. Don’t let that stereotypical stubbornness hold you back from being your best self, Taurus.
GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUNE 20)
You’ve been everything for everyone else recently: life of the party, social butterfly and Division I yapper, and now it’s time to focus on you. This is a
perfect time to clear mental clutter and tend to yourself.
CANCER (JUNE 21 - JULY 22)
This week is all about what you make it. The sun and Venus in Virgo are enhancing your mental clarity while your ruling planet, the moon, in your sign allows you to be more in tune with yourself. It’s a good time for introspection and making necessary adjustments. Be honest with yourself, Cancer: Are you the drama?
LEO (JULY 23 - AUG. 22)
This week is smooth sailing. Your tension is easing, bringing focus and luck to your finances. Your natural charm is in full swing, drawing people to you like moths to a flame. Be the star you are.
VIRGO (AUG. 23 - SEPT. 22)
Welcome to your health and wealth era. You’ve been on the bench most of this year, but now you’re up to bat, and you’re not going to waste it. Basically, you’re unstoppable. Whatever you want to manifest is already yours, Virgo.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23 - OCT. 22)
You may be feeling like you’re in limbo right now. Luckily, the stars are bringing harmony to your relationships with yourself and others, but you’ll still need to do the work. This is Virgo season, after all. This is a cosmic reminder that you are in control of your life, Libra.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23 - NOV. 21)
You’re entering a new era, equipped with the wisdom and strength you’ve accumulated
over time and feeling cautiously optimistic. You have found peace in solitude; now it’s time to tackle the challenge of being vulnerable. Being loved gives you strength, Scorpio, but loving others gives you courage.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC. 21)
You might be a bit confused this week, so take a moment. Rethink your daily routines and how they impact you. Yes, it’s boring, but your dream life doesn’t come from skipping class in the second week, Sagittarius.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19)
Take stock of the major transformations you’ve experienced. Are there any belief patterns you need to be shedding? Now is the time to reflect on how you’re showing up in the world and for yourself. Cross your T’s and dot your I’s, Capricorn.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18)
This is your chance to enjoy the calm before the storm. Now is the time to wrap up any lingering issues in your work-life balance, your ability to connect with others and how you present yourself to the world.
PISCES (FEB. 19 - MARCH 20)
You’re experiencing extra romantic attention, but this is a period of reflection around your interpersonal boundaries. If you don’t respect yourself, the people in your life won’t either, Pisces.
AROUND CAMPUS
