The Statesman 10-07-19 by The Statesman

Monday, October 7, 2019

Volume LXIII, Issue 7

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2019 Mental Health Issue 2019 Mental Health Issue

SBU holds memorial service for professor

Professor talks Modern Monetary Theory

By Alek Lewis

By Cindy Mizaku

Stony Brook University hosted a memorial service for the late David L. Ferguson, a former Distinguished Service Professor of Technology and Society, on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Ferguson, who was found dead on July 12 after suffering from a heart attack, was a university faculty member for 37 years. He was 69 years old. The memorial, held in the Center for Leadership and Service, brought together a crowd of around 180 people to celebrate Ferguson’s life. “For every person’s death, there are actually two moments of death,” Fotis Sotiropoulus, Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, said during the memorial. “The first is the biological death, the moment where the consciousness is no more, and the second is the moment of the permanent death, when the last person on the planet that remembers that person actually dies biologically. I think it is abundantly clear from the passion, the tears, the stories…because of the thousands and thousands of students that Dave’s

achievement as the first African American valedictorian in his Neelyville, Missouri high school, and his commitment as a student, educator, and mentor. “It did not matter whether you were from a large school, a large town, a wealthy background or poor background,” Harris said. “If you have the commitment and the dedication and the push from family you can make it, and David made it because he was determined–he was beautiful on the inside.” Among those in attendance who spoke were Interim President Michael Bernstein and former President Samuel Stanley Jr. They recognized the contribu-

Stephanie Kelton, professor of public policy and economics and economic advisor to Bernie Sanders, is a leading figure in the economic movement called Modern Monetary Theory (MMT). In challenging conventional economic schools of thought, MMT revolves around the idea that because the U.S. government issues its own currency, it can sustain large spending for policy programs, like the Green New Deal, without having to worry about taxing and borrowing. The theory shifts the focus to a money-financed fiscal policy, in which government spending does not need to depend on taxes when it can create the money it needs. “It asks us to focus on the monetary system as it is today and to recognize it affords us the opportunity to do more in terms of economic policy and to improve economic and social outcomes,” Kelton said. MMT academics study the transition of a gold standard system, in which paper money’s value is fixed by the amount of gold, to the current monetary system of modern fiat currency where floating exchange

Continued on page 4

Contributing Writer

Assistant Opinions Editor

SAMANTHA ROBINSON / THE STATESMAN

The Marching Band walks onto the field to perform for the Homecoming pregame show. Fans watched at the Kenneth P. Lavelle Staudium on Saturday, Oct. 5. career has impacted, the moment of Dave’s permanent death is way in the future.” Ferguson directed Stony Brook’s Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, committed to promoting the values of teaching excellence, from 1998 to 2002. He also served as the Department of Technology and Society’s Chair from 2002-2017. Beginning in 2012, he acted as the Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion until the time of his death, where he led efforts regarding the university’s Diversity Plan, particularly in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). This position eventually led him to, among other things, help establish SUNY Korea and

its department of Technology and Society. Ferguson is also a recipient of the 1997 United States Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring for mentoring individuals in groups underrepresented in STEM. A memorial scholarship was created in Ferguson’s name by the University. It will be received by a student from a demographic who is underrepresented in the major of Technology and Society in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Ferguson’s older sister, Kathern Harris, spoke about her brother and his impact on their family. She talked about his good nature as a young boy, his

Stony Brook University scientists work on clean water initiative By Joe McQueen Contributing Writer

A team of scientists at Stony Brook University (SBU) is working to develop new technology that prevents nitrogen from entering groundwater. The project, called “10/10/30,” aims to lower nitrate levels in the water to 10 milligrams per liter. The system should cost no more than $10,000 and last at least 30 years. The initiative is being conducted by the New York State Center for Clean Water Technology, located at Stony Brook University. It was founded in 2015 through a grant awarded by the state to research and develop an affordable wastewater treatment system to help address Long Island’s ongoing problem of water pollution. “What we’re studying is meta systems that can remove nitrogen in septic tank effluent. One of the

technologies we’re investigating is called a Nitrogen Removing Biofilter (NRB),” Frank Russo, associate director for wastewater initiatives at the Center for Clean Water Technology, said. “This is a system that uses a fanbed followed by wood chips. What that does is convert nitrogen through the process of nitritation and denitritation into gas so therefore nitrogen doesn’t get received into the groundwater.” Most of the Long Island region does not have sewage systems, which causes water pollution. According to documents from the Center for Clean Water Technology, 74% of homes across Suffolk County have septic tank and cesspool systems that do not remove nitrogen from wastewater. The concentration of nitrogen in groundwater across the county has increased by 50% since 1985, according to the same documents.

Nitrogen is contaminating the groundwater by reducing the water’s oxygen levels. This has led to toxic algal blooms throughout the region that affects wetlands and depletes fish populations, including shellfish. Long Island’s source for drinking water comes entirely from groundwater aquifers. “Here we are, dumping wastewater and other household stuff into a septic tank or cesspool that eventually just perks into the groundwater and that’s not a good thing,” Russo said. Nitrogen contamination in the water has been ending up in places like the Long Island Sound and the Great South Bay, where nitrates are creating algal bloom. Due to the harmful nitrates, oxygen levels in the region’s surface waters have lowered. The Center for Clean Water Technology is also developing Permeable Reactive Barriers, or PRBs, which

intercept groundwater flow and absorb or transform contaminants. The Center for Clean Water Technology is developing this technology in hopes to remove nitrogen from groundwater across the county. “They are vertical versions of NRBs, so they just act to intercept the flow of groundwater before it reaches a vulnerable shoreline and it can convert nitrogen into gas as well,” Samantha Nyer, a graduate student at SBU’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences who is working on the project, said. PRBs are used to treat many different contaminants, including pesticides and chlorinated compounds. Nyer is focused on working with constructed wetlands, which are artificial wetlands used to treat municipal wastewater. She works to install them across Suffolk County. “We’ve also been working with the county to write a guidance docu-

ment so that installers in the county can put these systems in real easily,” Nyer said. The Center for Clean Water Technology has no clear timeline on the completion of the project. Xinwei Mao, an assistant professor of civil engineering who is also involved with the project, said this is a complicated issue that other parts of the country are battling too. “In 2018, there was a paper published that showed where studies found a lot of deoxygenated areas in coastal zones on both the east and west coasts of the United States,” Mao said. “It has been overlooked for decades.” Mao explained that the issue on Long Island is that people are still using old septic systems, which are difficult to monitor. “There’s no regulation or law telling people you cannot use those cesspools and we have to abandon them,” he said.

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Stony Brook celebrates Ferguson's life Kelton leading MMT figure Continued from page 1 tion of Ferguson to the university in their words. “His impact was and is remarkable, it will endure literally forever,” Bernstein said. “The outreach programs that Dave created and led helped over 10,000 students in our count, realize their dreams in graduating with STEM degrees and have successful careers on the basis of those degrees.” Included in a number of professors and peers who spoke was former Chair of Science and Technology and retired Distinguished Professor Thomas Liao, who was a longtime friend and colleague of Ferguson. Liao brought Ferguson to the university in 1981. “I think one thing that we should put in Dave’s legacy is that he was one of the founding fathers of the Department of Technology and Society, even though [it] came five years later,” Liao said. Sotiropoulus reminisced on Ferguson’s accomplishments in his college. Back in 2016, Sotiropoulus established the Millionaire Club research award, a distinction granted to honor those like Ferguson who have been successful in drafting grant proposals for the college. That night, Ferguson posthumously received the award, which was presented to his nephew

Kevin Harris, for the fourth consecutive year. Students impacted by Ferguson’s mentorship also spoke at the memorial. Nina Maung-Gaona, Associate Vice President for Research at SBU, knew Ferguson for 19 years. Maung-Gaona reminisced about the mentorship Ferguson gave her when she was a student at Stony Brook; she recalled their inside jokes, Ferguson’s advice and their work on the STEM Smart programs, which pushed diversity in STEM fields. “He was someone that you can share your hopes and your dreams and your insecurities, and he just always made everything okay,” she said. “If I had a good day, I called Dave. If I had a bad day, I called Dave. If I had a question or something I just wanted to think about I called Dave, he was just always there.” SUNY Korea student, Daniel Kim, was a doctoral student under Ferguson. He explained how Ferguson made an impact on his life as both a mentor and friend. Kim invited other students mentored by Ferguson up on stage with him to honor the professor by celebrating the lives he impacted. Kim shared that before Ferguson died, he set him up with an advisor who was as wise as Ferguson was. Little did either know Ferguson would pass away that following summer.

Kim said Ferguson was a key motivator behind his decision to become a teacher. “Dave was a kind friend and mentor in my life and supported me in every way possible,” Kim said. “Having a biweekly meeting with Dave gave me a great comfort and taught me how to be a good teacher and mentor for students. He showed me an exemplary model of how to become a professor and researcher. He was an angel, a saint, who loved people and cared about people…Every student in our department found his love and support.” Ahmed Belazi, alumni and now Director of Planning and Staff Development in the Division of Student Affairs at SBU, was taught by Ferguson when he was a student at Stony Brook University. Ferguson’s impact on his university experience is “almost unspeakable,” Belazi said. “I think Dr. Ferguson’s greatest impact on the university was as a role model to so many kinds of models, as a faculty member, as a researcher, as a teacher as an advisor and as a mentor,” Belazi said. “I think the greatest impact he’s made is showing people how to do all of those things really really well and make people’s lives, students lives, peers lives, community members lives better in so many seeable and unseeable ways.”

Continued from page 1 rates are determined by the open market. Politicians, Kelton argued, are trapped in a gold standard framework because where the money will be coming from is a concern. By using MMT as a lens to make sense of the monetary shift, she proposed that the pressing question about the American economy should be — how much could be spent without creating inflation? The MMT approach focuses on the capacity of the economy by looking at the nation’s real resources: raw materials, technology and the skills of people. “So how much can we do with the real resources we have, recognizing that the money can always be there to push those resources where we think we want them used in the economy?” Kelton said. “It’s about replacing artificial complaints with real complaints.” MMT teaches that the federal government does not have a revenue restraint, so it can safely spend more money in a balanced economy when it efficiently makes use of its resource capacity. In brief, the capacity of a sovereign government to reach full employment is determined by the real resources available in the nation. William Black, an Associate Professor of Law and Economics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the editor-in-chief of Kelton’s blog, “New Economic Perspectives”,

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aims to showcase economic projects through an MMT framework while sparking debates. MMT guides economists and politicians on the policies that need to be followed to reach a sovereign currency, as well as their understandings of important macroeconomic issues like the recession in Europe’s southern economies, Black said. “One of the areas [MMT] had such predictive success, is Stephanie Kelton’s analysis of why the euro was an exceptionally dangerous form of currency that would in particular expose the southern cone,” Black said. “[Kelton] proved to be completely correct of things and that there should be a stimulus program that would in fact lead to a much improved growth rate.” Other economists, including Thomas Palley, former Chief Economist for the U.S. — China Economic and Security Review Commission, are critical of MMT for undervaluing the economic costs of money-financed fiscal policy. “I don’t think they pay very much attention to class conflict and income distribution issues that are behind the failings of capitalism,” he said. “They see money-financed fiscal policy as entirely benign in its consequences, and having no adverse impacts on the economy or even more than that, as being unfinancially constrained.” Palley added that MMT scholars backtracked over the last several years as they spoke more about the dangers of inflation, the need for capital controls and adjustable interest rates. In doing so, their work has fallen back into an old economics form, which looks at how government spending does not need to be financed without taxes. “Its appeal is not theoretical. Its appeal is political. It offers policies that are very enticing: free college and university for all, Green New Deal for all, expanded social security — all of this essentially at no cost,” he said. “We’re living in an era of relative stagnation. People are very fed up with 30 years of neoliberal austerity, and in that environment, the Modern Money Movement’s proposals are politically attractive.” As Bernie Sanders’ chief economic advisor, Kelton said that planning an ambitious political agenda centered on the economic bill of rights needs a macroeconomic framework that is compatible with financing it. Aside from driving MMT into the political sphere, Kelton spoke about how she uses her teachings at Stony Brook to expose her students to both sides of debates and getting them to focus on the right questions, especially when the information is limiting. “You don’t know that policy options are available because everyone has told you we can’t have those things because of the deficit,” Kelton said. “You don’t know that it’s okay to dream about public colleges and universities being tuition free. You think it is all out of bounds because someone has told you it’s because of the debt.” If she can “clear away misunderstandings about some of the perceived barriers” to government spending through her classes at Stony Brook, then maybe students will be able to see the possibilities “for themselves.”

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ARTS & CULTURE

Rosh Hashana is much more than just a day off from school

By Isabelle Panza

After returning from evening prayer at synagogue, many Jews partake in a few traditions that are hundreds of years old. A family dinner that usually consists of kiddush which is a prayer recited over a cup of wine or grape juice, an apple dipped in honey, a new fruit and challah drizzled with honey. Pomegranates are also served, due to the belief that every pomegranate has exactly 613 seeds inside, the same number of commandments in the Torah.

During Rosh Hashanah daytime services, a curved ram’s horn called shofar is blown a total of 100 or 101 times, due to varying beliefs within Judaism. Starting on the first day of Rosh Hashanah and lasting until Yom Kippur, Jews are able to practice the custom of Tashlich, an act in which one says a prayer and throws a piece of bread which symbolizes their past year’s sins, into an open body of water to be eaten by fish or birds. Heath Kalb, a sophomore journalism major, talked about how he and his family celebrate Rosh Hashanah. “I attend my temple for Rosh Hashanah service on Sunday night and Monday morning. I have a Rosh Hashanah meal with my family with traditional foods like apple and honey and challah bread among some of my other favorite Jewish foods — like matzo ball soup.” Stony Brook baseball pitcher Ben Fero, a sophomore applied math major said, “It is a new beginning and a chance to work on yourself.” Although students do not officially get the day off for Rosh Hashana, Stony Brook encourages students to take off for religious holidays. It states on the website that “all student absences in order to practice their faith will be viewed as an ‘excused absence’, with no negative consequence.”

working alongside choreographer Neil Parsons and the composers whose works will premiere this Thursday. Ph.D. student Hankers, whose composition “INHALE// EXHALE” will be performed Oct. 10, said, “Lately I’ve been really interested in pieces of music that utilize unorthodox playing styles, or maybe [challenging] the conventions of what a performer does with their instrument. Like for example, this piece is for soprano voice, bass clarinet and percussion, but in a lot of ways the vocalist and the clarinetist are taking on the roles of sort of percussionists as well by playing found objects [such as paper, chains, and keys].” Hankers considers Areté Venue and Gallery’s intimate space an ideal aural setting for the composition, which sets up an “urban landscape with singing as its centerpiece.” Hankers adds that “INHALE// EXHALE” “challenges like what, what it even means to write and perform a piece of music like kind of challenging the frame that we usually put a piece of music in. Like you know, when you hear a violin, a violinist playing, the first thing you think is music, right? Whereas, if you hear an airplane, you don’t think ‘music.’ So I’m using sort of the concert stage as a way to frame ordinary actions to create a musical landscape from them.” Regarding the process of integrating movement into the score, Hankers explains, “I’m approaching it from the sound first, but after the, after the sections of

the piece have been written, we get together with Neil, and he workshops different movements or ways of sort of either drawing attention to the movement, or using movement to draw attention to the sound.” Sputter Box’s 2019-20 season will include a collaboration with the Millenium Composers Initiative and a concert on February 2020. The latter will feature a world premiere by composer and Ph.D. student Niloufar Nourbakhsh. Nourbakhsh shares, “When [Sputter Box] mentioned that they also do a lot of theater and action-involved pieces — action-involved pieces — with movement, and they’re going to have a choreographer, so that’s something that was really exciting to me.” Nourbakhsh’s powerful new composition for Sputter Box, called “Responsibility,” will combine movement, staging, and sung text written by the composer. A selection of Nourbakhsh’s music, including works for chamber ensemble and solo piano, will also be featured in a special portrait concert, part of Spectrum’s Female Composers Festival, curated by Shiau-Uen Ding on March 2020 in Brooklyn. In addition to its performance projects, Sputter Box leads a monthly event called Sputter (Open) Box Improv. (Open) Box Improv provides a space for the exploration of interdisciplinary improvisation through various activities combining sound and movement. The event is open to all, including those from literary, dance, theater and fine arts backgrounds.

Contributing Writer

Shanah Tovah Um’tuka literally translates to, “A good and sweet year” but is more commonly used to say “May you have a good and sweet new year.” Most schools in the United States give their students off for the Jewish Holiday, Rosh Hashanah. Time off from school could be spent by sleeping in until 12 and binge-watching Netflix shows; however, some Jewish students spend it very differently. For some students at Stony Brook University, this time of year is a special time. “Rosh Hashanah symbolizes a time to remove yourself of any toxicity in your life and look forward to a new year that is filled with blessings and opportunity,” sophomore pre-nursing major Tatiana Sameyah said. “It is a time of reflection, and during this time, I like to look back at what I have done in the past year and brainstorm resolutions to better myself in the year to come.” Rosh Hashanah, which started on Sunday, Sept. 29 and ended after sundown on Tuesday, Oct. 1, started in the Jewish year 5780. The holiday has different dates on the Gregorian calendar every year as Rosh Hashanah is based on the Jewish Calendar which is based on a lunar, not solar, year. Every year Rosh Hasha-

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A Rosh Hashanah meal. The first day of Rosh Hashana is celebrated with a family dinner that consists of kiddush (a prayer recited over a cup of wine), new fruit and challah. nah starts on the first day of the seventh month — Tishrei. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, which in Hebrew means “Head of the Year.” Although Rosh Hashanah is a very sacred and popular holiday, it is not mentioned by that name in the Torah, it is referred to as a “day of remembrance with shofar blasts” (Leviticus 23:25). The name Rosh Hashanah first appears in a Mishnah, a Jewish code of law compiled in the year 3949 on the Jewish cal-

endar. It represents the start of Tishrei when God is said to have created the world. It is essentially a celebration of the birth of the earth and the creation of man. The first night of Rosh Hashanah starts a 10-day period known as Aseret Yemei Teshuva, which means “10 days of repentance”, and ends at the conclusion of the fast of Yom Kippur. During that period, special prayers are said in an attempt to be inscribed in the “book of life”.

Music ensemble Sputter Box commissions new works for Oct. 10 concert By Natasha Nelson Contributing Writer

Performance art ensemble Sputter Box will stage its second fulllength concert on Thursday, Oct. 10, at Areté Venue and Gallery in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The concert program, entitled “Music for 8x11 Rug,” will feature premieres by composers Alan Hankers, Joe Krycia and Christopher Lucius Newman. The performance kicks off an exciting season of artistic collaborations for the ensemble. Sputter Box — a versatile instrumental trio comprising voice, percussion and clarinet — explores innovative approaches to musical performance, often inspired by conceptual modes of artistic interpretation. Formed in fall 2018 by classically trained musicians and Stony Brook University graduate students, Clarinetist Kathryn Vetter, Soprano Alina Tamborini and Percussionist Peter White, Sputter Box presents imaginative programming that encourages audience members to experience and think about music in creative ways. The trio first performed together in three presentations of Georges Aperghis’s 1979 multi-part work entitled “Sept crimes de l’amour”, or “Seven Crimes of Love”. The work served as a catalyst for Sputter Box’s continued collaboration. White said, “[‘Sept crimes de l’amour’] is unique in that it’s half-theater, half-music—which is what this guy Aperghis is known for. So that was already a big step for all of us.” Building upon the

COURTESY OF FELIX REYES

Kathryn Vetter, Alina Tamborini White began Sputter Box in theatrical elements explored in that piece, Sputter Box’s repertory to date integrates improvisation, extended instrumental techniques, and novel approaches to text and singing. Given the small volume of existing compositions written for Sputter Box’s instrumentation, Vetter said that through commissioning new works, the group is “exploring those different sounds and sound combinations” that are unique to the ensemble. Movement also features into Sputter Box’s interdisciplinary interpretive experimentation. As Vetter said, Sputter Box commits to “making sure that each element of [the ensemble’s performance art work] is necessary and has a purpose.” She clarifies, “We don’t just want to include movement in a piece where it doesn’t really fit, or it doesn’t add

and Fall

Peter 2018.

anything to the piece. [Music and movement] really are in dialogue with each other.” Sputter Box explores open-instrumentation works as well. Last April, the ensemble’s first recital featured Ph.D. composition student Joseph Bohigian’s “+-+-+-+-++++-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-” or “Plus-Minus” for short and Pauline Oliveros’s “The Witness”. Tamborini recalls Oliveros’s text-based work, “It’s a piece that tunes into listening and expectations and attention.” The recital also included “Museum Pieces” by Jordan Nobles, which draws sonic inspiration from paintings of Mark Rothko and Pablo Picasso, sculptures of Alberto Giacometti, and other visual works. This past summer Sputter Box spent two weeks in residency at Avaloch Farm Music Institute,

The

Mental Health

Issue

Adam Whitten

“I honestly love dancing...Before dancing, I didn’t have a focus, I didn’t have a path where I wanted to go. That kind of activity is a massive destress for me...[Dance] is such a good way to relieve the anxiety.”

Olivia Werner “I do things you would think a kid would do. I like to paint, I like to draw or I go on my swingset and listen to music. I like to blow bubbles...for me talking was always really hard and I think that’s a lot of people with anxiety.”

PORTRAYAL OF MENTAL HEALTH IN THE MEDIA BY: FANNI FRANKL For a long time, people with mental illnesses have been misrepresented in the media. Movies often portray people with mental illnesses in a way that fails to emphasize that they are people too and should not be ostracized. People with mental illnesses are often depicted as the “psycho killer” with multiple personalities, like in the movie, “Split”— a movie about a kidnapper who has 15 different personalities. They also tend to be over-glorified — almost sexualized — like in “Girl Interrupted,” a movie about a group of pretty female patients at a mental hospital. The stereotype that people with mental illnesses are violent is reinforced in the film, Psycho, a thriller about a mentally ill murderer who mirrors the personality of his mother.

further exclude people with mental illness and by doing so, make them increasingly less likely to seek help. I took a psycholog y class at Stony Brook where I learned about borderline personality disorder. My professor gave an example of someone with this disorder — a woman who killed her husband. I felt that this was an unjust representation of what it is like to live with a borderline personality disorder. One of my best friends has borderline personality disorder and she is a regular person who does not have any desire to harm anybody. In fact, people with mental illnesses are much more likely to self-harm than to harm others.

In a recent study by the American Association for Public Opinion Research about the public perception of the “criminally insane,” 61% of the public sur veyed responded that they feared former mentally disordered offenders “a lot.”

Generalizing and putting all of the different spectrums of borderline personality disorder into one box can severely impact the mental health of the person involved and validate the idea mentally ill people are menaces to society.

However, a study by the National Confidential Inquir y into Suicide and Homicide (NCISH) by People with Mental Illness found that only 5% of the homicides carried out in the general population between 2001 and 2011 were by those with an abnormal mental state. This signifies that people are falsely diagnosing a parallel between danger and mental illness by depicting that they are related.

False depictions of mental illness have a profound negative effect on people suffering from them. Portraying the mentally ill as overly violent and stereotyping them as being insane criminals can cause them to validate their fear and shame of their mental state. Over-glorifying, however, has the opposite effect and paints an overly optimistic generalization of people with mental illness. This has the opportunity to cause people, especially teenagers, to believe that it is “cool” to have a mental illness and see it as something to be attracted to instead of something to cure.

It is the responsibility of movies and media today to decrease this stigma that people with mental illness are dangerous. Professor and Chair of Mass Communications at the University of North Carolina–Asheville, Don Diefenbach, researches media portrayals of mental health issues. He discovered that characters who were identified through behavior or labeled as having a mental illness were 10 times more likely than other TV characters to commit a violent crime. The fact that mental illness in movies do not reflect the actual statistics highlight the notion that the media is simply spreading false ideas about what it means to live with mental illness. Movies and television shows

Movies need to improve their renditions of people with mental illness by showing that normal people, not just criminals and attractive girls, suffer from them. By doing this, mental illness will become more normalized and allow the public to be more open about seeking help instead of feeling ostracized and underrepresented. It is the responsibility of the media to highlight the possibility of improvement instead of painting people with mental illnesses as “the other.” Maybe then, we can become a more compassionate community who understand the needs of others and ultimately, save lives.

The Stigma Behind

Therapy

T h e r a p y. I t h a s a l w a y s s e e m e d t o b e s o m e t h i n g n o o n e w a n t s to discuss. But, why are we so afraid to talk about therapy? By definition, therapy is a form of treatment, often regarde d a s a r e m e d y o r c u r e t o s t r e s s a n d a n x i e t y. F r o m j u s t h e a r ing this definition, therapy seems to be nerve-racking. While you may have that “ l a y i n g o n a c o u c h” s c e n a r i o i n y o u r h e a d , t h a t u s u a l l y i s n ’t t h e c a s e . S e v e n t y - f i v e % o f a d u l t s c l a i m t o e x p e rie n c e m o d e r a t e t o h i g h l e v e l s o f s t re s s , a c c o rd i n g t o Me n t a l H e a l t h A m e r i c a . I n m y e y e s , t h e r a p y i s a t re a t m e n t t h a t ’s d i f f e re n t for everyone. As someone who has been attending therapy for the past two years, the benefits have b e c o m e c l e a r. I w i l l a d m i t t h a t I w a s t i m id about it at first; I had never met anyone who was going to therapy before, so I had absolutely no idea what I was walking into. Wo u l d t h e t h e r a p i s t j u d g e m e ? Wo u l d h e o r s h e t e l l m e I ’v e m a d e b a d d e c i s i o n s ? Wo u l d t h e y t e l l m e t h a t t h e e m o t i o n s a n d s t r e s s I ’d b e e n f e e l i n g w e re r i d i c u l o u s ? A n d , t o m y r e l i e f , t h e a n s w e r t o a l l of those questions was no; my therapist immediately told me that I w a s i n a j u d g m e n t - f re e z o n e . S h e w a s t h e re t o l i s t e n t o m y p r o b l e m s , a n d w o u l d o n l y g i v e m e a d v i c e i f I a s k e d f o r i t , s o I w o u l d n’t feel like she was impeding or making me feel bad about what I was discussing. I had someone who I could confide in without the fear of being judged. T h e r a p y i s h e l p i n g m e re l e a s e m y a n x i e t y i n a h e a l t h y m a n n e r, a n d e v e r y o n e s h o u l d b e a b l e t o d o t h i s a s w e l l w i t h o u t f e a r. Yo u d o n’t n e e d t o h a v e a d i a g n o s e d p r o b l e m t o g o t o t h e r a p y. In a s t u d y d o n e b y t h e U K C o u n s e l l i n g Di re c t o r y, 8 4 % o f p e o p l e c l a i m e d t h e y a re a t t e n d i n g t h e r a p y t o c o p e w i t h s t re s s a n d a n x i e t y.

BY: ANYA MARQUARDT

P s y c h o d y n a m i c t h e r a p y, w h i c h i s o n e o f t h e m o s t w e l l - k n o w n f o r m s o f t h e r a p y, f o c u s e s o n l e a r n i n g a b o u t y o u r s e l f t h r o u g h discussions about your problems. Psychodynamic therapy has been scientifically proven to be extremely effective and is known to have long-lasting positive effects on those who attend. “I believe everyone could benefit f r o m t h e r a p y. H a v i n g s o m e o n e w h o s e job is to listen to you and to help you solve your problems makes you feel less like a burden when sharing your p r o b l e m ,” S u m m e r K e n n e d y, a S t o n y B r o o k f r e s h m a n b i o c h e m i s t r y m a j o r, said. “Therapists can help you with cognitive behavioral therapy or dialectical behavioral therapy in a professional manner while also being a huge e m o t i o n a l s u p p o r t .” While these treatments may sound complicated, this really goes to show that there is a treatment for everyone. Counseling and Psychological Ser vices (CAPS) is a great on-campus service to try out; it is located o n t h e s e c o n d f l o o r o f t h e S t u d e n t H e a l t h C e n t e r a n d provides v a r i o u s f re e t h e r a p y s e r v i c e s f o r s t u d e n t s . T h e s e s e r v i c e s i n c l u d e i n d i v i d u a l o n e - o n - o n e s e s s i o n s , g r o u p t h e r a p y, c o u p l e s t h e r a p y, m e d i c a tion management and meditation. C A P S i s a l s o t h e g r o u p t h a t h o s t s t h e PA L S ( P e t A w a y L i f e S t r e s s ) Program, which is a pet-based therapy initiative that is often held on campus. G o i n g t o t h e r a p y d o e s n’t m e a n y o u ’r e “ c r a z y ” ; i f a n y t h i n g , i t makes you a stronger person. Being able to look at your problems and accept help is a huge step that is extremely difficult to take, and it will have lasting positive effects that you w o n ’t r e g r e t .

CAPS 24-HOUR HOTLINE: (855) 509-5742

SBU’s newest mental health resource: Red Book BY: ALEK LEWIS Interim President Michael Bernstein announced a new student mental health resource, titled Red Book, during the first University Senate meeting of the semester on Sept. 9.

health,” Belazi said. “The question was: ‘what’s a tool that you can share with faculty and staff that would help them to reduce the challenges to connecting A to B [warning signs] and specifically then to C [the solution]?’”

Red Book was designed by the Division of Student Affairs, headed by Dr. Richard Gatteau, the vice president for student affairs and dean of students. It is a student care initiative that has compiled information about mental health on a website to enable students, faculty and staff to better understand and help students with mental health concerns. The website is expected to launch mid-fall.

Red Book connects students and staff with evidence-based literature to help them recognize students potentially struggling with mental health, and point them towards help on campus; the goal is to create an ease of accessibility, Belazi said. The website will offer a list of numbers to helpful organizations on and off-campus, such as Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and the Student Accessibility Support Center (SASC).

Bernstein went over a range of subjects that Red Book will cover, including how to manage students who are exhibiting disturbing or disruptive behavior, students who are in emotional distress, students who may be suicidal, students who are struggling with sexual or intimate partner violence, students who are in distress, students facing discrimination and bigotry and the subject of missing students.

“For Red Book ... It’s how do you present what is present in a way that is consumable and easy to access and adapt for people who are using it,” Majumdar Das said. “This was designed to have everything wrapped together in a catalog, in an indexed format that will be easily accessible.”

“This site will be a comprehensive tool for us all, and will give clear direction on how to engage with these concerns,” Bernstein said. “This includes information regarding a student support team that will be of value to all of our students, undergraduate and graduate professional students who face these challenges.” The site will also include support for student financial insecurities and death and loss, Bernstein said. Red Book additionally allows for collaboration between faculty, staff and the CARE team — groups that address student behavior that may disrupt the university — which will help these groups better understand the issues of the student body. Bernstein said Red Book is meant to help broaden the effort of the Behavioral Assessment Committee, whose primary function is to deal with student safety on campus. Ahmed Belazi, the director of planning and staff development in the Division of Student Affairs, and Dr. Smita Majumdar Das, the director for the Center for Prevention and Outreach (CPO), are the heads of the development on Red Book. The collaboration and development of Red Book was a result of the Garret Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention Grant received by the university from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in 2018. The grant is for $219,000 over the next three years, Majumdar Das said. “We were looking to collaborate on distributing and scaling the number of tools in the Stony Brook University community that would empower faculty, staff and students in helping advance the initiatives around mental

Vivien Llanes, a senior health science major, is an alcohol and drug student assistant with Red Watch Band, an organization that helps provide students with knowledge and skills regarding substance abuse. Llanes believes that with the abundant resources on campus such as CAPS, students may not know what resources to use in certain situations. She said that Red Book, which could act as a solution to this problem, will have a large impact. “I work here at CPO to try and get people to learn about the resources on campus that we have, and if there’s a unified way to them to find and have accessibility for them, I think that’s great,” Llanes said. Red Book will also help integrate Cognito, a new separate program designed to train faculty, staff and students to help students who might be experiencing emergency psychiatric concerns. They describe Red Book and Cognito as a “multipronged” approach to help engage people in distress on campus. Red Book is almost at the end of its development, Majumdar Das and Belazi said. They hope that Red Book can become a widespread and known resource throughout the university community; their hope is that Red Book becomes a stable mental health resource that will constantly improve throughout its life with new updates and information based on feedback. “What people do with it, how you increase awareness around it, and how it is used will actually make a difference,” Majumdar Das said. “Dr. Bernstein talking about it, Dr. Gatteau talking about it, that’s what will actually make a difference. The tool doesn’t make the difference, what is done with the tool is important, it’s about keeping the conversation alive.”

Art therapy: The intriguing transformative, therapeutic technique BY: ISABELLE PANZA

People throughout the ages have expressed their deepest emotions through art. Today, art therapy is used to help people struggling with mental illnesses. Edvard Munch, best known for his work “The Scream,” used painting to him deal with depression and other mental illnesses he suffered from.. Louis Bourgeois, a feminist and surrealist sculptor, mentioned that her artwork helped her deal with childhood traumas. She stated, “Every day you have to abandon your past or accept it, and then if you cannot accept it, you become a sculptor.” The term “art therapy,” was created in 1942 by British artist Adrian Hill. His book, “Art Versus Illness,” describes how he realized that art was a form of therapy. After Hill was diagnosed with tuberculosis, he initially used drawing to pass the time while in the hospital. He then realized that drawing allowed him to express the feelings bottled up in his head, without actually opening up his mouth. Hill then encouraged other patients to draw and paint, and soon enough,

art therapy spread rapidly. In his time, art therapy groups were run by civilians who encouraged people to take up art to help express their feelings. Today, art therapists are professionally trained experts who have to get their licenses to facilitate helping people through art. Art therapy comes in many forms. A patient can choose to partake in ceramics, painting, drawing or collaging as their form of treatment. However, usually, the art therapist will guide the patient to what medium they believe would suit them the best. The first session is often just a sit down with the therapist. The meeting generally consists of discussing the best art plan for the patient. In the next meeting, the patient can start to create their art while the therapist observes and ask a series of questions about how they feel in the moment. It is vital to know that art therapy is not focused on the end piece, but rather on the process. While there are skeptics about the effectiveness of art therapy, research throughout the years has shown

that it truly is an effective way of dealing with psychological issues. In a study by Thomas Jefferson Univ e r s i t y, 1 1 1 f e m a l e c a n c e r p a t i e n t s p u t a r t t h e r a p y t o the test. Out of the 111 women, 56 were assigned to attend art therapy for eight weeks. The other 55 patients, t h e c o n t r o l g r o u p , d i d n o t p a r t i c i p a t e i n a r t t h e r a p y. A t the end of the experiment, it showed that group who att e n d e d a r t t h e r a p y, “d e m o n s t r a t e d a s i g n i f i c a n t d e c r e a s e in symptoms of distress...and significant improvements i n k e y asp e ct s o f health- rela ted q u ali t y of li f e .” Another test published by the Journal of Mental Health had 43 schizophrenic patients attend to art therapy for 12 weeks, while the control group, which consisted of 43 patients, continued standard psychiatric care. At t h e e n d o f t h e 1 2 we e k s , i t s h owe d t h a t “a r t t h e r a py produced statistically significant positive effects on n e g a t i ve sy mpto ms .” Stony Brook University also offers art therapy as one of its many counseling aids. Healing Arts is a program offered here where students come together and create different art projects. The program allows students to talk to one another as well as counselors while creating art as an outlet for their emotions. Assistant Director for Outreach and Community Based Interventions, Danielle Merolla, encourages students to use not only art therapy but music therapy as well. For one-on-one therapy sessions, Merolla said students can

bring in art and instruments into their meeting with any Counseling and Psychological Services counselor ( C A P S ) . “ I t ’s a n o t h e r f o r m o f e x p r e s s i o n . A n d s o m e t i m e s w e d o n’t n e c e s s a r i l y h a v e t h e w o r d s t o p u t o n o u r v a r i ous experiences, particularly trauma, and we find other ou t le t s t o d o t h at .” The Stony Brook University Art Club is open to all students, not just art majors. The club officers help guide students through the various forms of art. According to t h e c l u b’s g o a l s , “m e m b e r s w i l l b e e x p o s e d t o d i f f e r e n t f or m s of ar t , ar t m ed iu m s , a n d tec h n iq u es .” Stu d en ts are welcome, even encouraged, to submit their art to be p u b l i s h e d i n S t o n y B r o o k ’s P a u l W. Z u c c a i r e G a l l e r y. Mental health is vital for students to make a priorit y. W h i l e C A Ps o f f e r s t o n s o f c o u n s e l i n g s e r v i c e s , s t u dents should explore all their options to see which fits them the best. The beautiful thing about art therapy is that if you find a pen and a piece of paper in your room, you can start to draw your emotions, after all, “[art] can permeate the very deepest part of us, where no word s e x i st .” For more information about the art therapy programs here at SBU, contact Christine Szaraz, coordinator of Sexual Violence Prevention and Outreach Programs with the Center for Prevention and Outreach (CPO) in association with CAPS. The phone number is 631-632-1602.

Campus improv group raises awareness about mental health BY: SAMANTHA ROBINSON

Glenn McKay quietly sat on a chair and took a moment to himself. Four of McKay’s peers and his supervisor waited for him to perform his monologue, but he had just spent the last few minutes laughing about an old improv memory, and his monologue was serious. He had to get into character. “I just need a little time to get back into it,” McKay explained to his waiting audience. “It was a really hearty laugh, like that good kind where it’s all tingly up here.” Once he was ready, McKay read from his paper. “Everyone always says pools are fun, right? The pool takes a little bit off the heat so you can enjoy the sun. Some people think that, until they start drowning,” he said. “Luckily the lifeguards are there to save the ones who aren’t the strongest swimmers. Over my summer as a lifeguard, I’ve probably saved enough kids to fill a little league team. It just makes you wonder though, who saves the lifeguards?” The room was silent as McKay spoke. He continued with his monologue, even as he choked up. “I’m not talking about drowning in a piss-filled chlorine dump. I’m referring to drowning on the inside, while you’re standing, walking or doing anything else outside of water.” McKay is a member of “Swallow This!,” a performance group who uses the real-life stories and experiences of Stony Brook students in order to raise awareness and prevention on issues regarding substance abuse, sexual violence and mental health. The group was formed 25 years ago in a collaboration between Student Health Services and the theatre department. McKay, a third year business major and theatre minor, is joined by four other students: Emily Pulver, a senior anthropology major and theatre minor; Eli Avila, a junior history major and theatre minor; Chris Couluris, a senior history major and

media minor; and Noah Talavera-Greenberg, a studio art major and digital art and theatre art minor in his fifth year at Stony Brook. They are presided over by Assistant Professor of Practice and Improv Lea, Elizabeth Joy Bojsza and College Prevention Coordinator for Stony Brook University, Alana Marino. Bojsza said the team is responsible for being peer educators, students who connect, educate and support other students. It’s a mission they take seriously. “I think the goal is not to create a campus where nobody engages in any risky behavior, but that we are trying to start conversations and raise questions,” she said. “A lot of people follow social norms around the topics that we cover without an awareness of what they’re doing is following something that they’ve gotten or picked up somewhere. They watch other people’s perception of what they think is going on and they don’t question that.” Bojsza wants “Swallow This!” to leave an impact on students. She said she hopes students do question social norms. “I hope that after they leave the show, that they’ll think a little bit about that, what goes into their decision making, in regards to behavioral health, all these issues,” she said. Students anonymously submit stories online which the cast then performs at various events all over campus. The stories range from any number of topics but are usually short. Pulver once read an entry that stated, “I tried drugs, and I had a great time.” The story McKay chose from the online database only read, “I’m drowning in myself, and I don’t know what to do,” so “Swallow This!” has to be creative in order to write a monologue. “We kind of use our artistic license to kind of figure out the core of the story,” Pulver said. “We try our best to represent the message of the story and not put words into people’s mouths.”

With an extensive database of submitted stories, it can be difficult to select one to perform. Couluris said the messages he takes away from the stories help him decide. “I think it’s the authenticity aspect of it,” he said. “There’s always this kind of hesitation to putting on events like this and skits like this because you don’t want to sound preachy. You don’t want to sound like you’re talking down to an audience, and you don’t want to make it sound like you’re wasting the audience’s time. You want it to be a story that will hit hard and will hit home and will get the message across.” Pulver said she picks stories that resonate with her. “We each kind of picked entries in the monologue that for whatever reason spoke to us and we felt comfortable writing about,” she said. “Trying to find the soul essence, the most important part of that entry and develop that to allow it to be relatable to people.” Danielle Merolla, the Assistant Director for the Center for Prevention and Outreach (CPO), said “Swallow This!” is an important part of CPO because of what it offers for students. “I think what we know for sure is that a student or individual is more likely to go to a peer before they ever seek out a mental health professional,” Merolla said. “Peers are more likely to speak to their peers.” Avila said he saw himself as a friend to the students who watch them perform and submit stories. “Your professor’s not going to talk to you about your issues with your domestic partner, your boyfriend, your girlfriend, or anything with alcohol, but your friend might,” he said. “I view myself as a helping hand or a friend to another colleague here on campus, whether I know them personally or I can get to know them through being here and meeting them.” “Swallow This!” aims to promote discussion. Bojsza said performers are encouraged to engage with their audience. They know they’ve done

their job well when the crowd feels connected to the story. “‘Swallow This!’ has an incredible ability to do that [create a safe space] very quickly through the arts,” Merolla said. “With their vulnerability on stage performing these sometimes really difficult situations that are real-life and actually happen to students, it creates a vulnerability and a safety that allows more open discussion.” The cast understands that students struggle in their own ways. None of the members have ever met a student who submitted a story, but they still want to represent their experiences. “Mental health problems happen to everybody, and they happen for no reason sometimes,” Pulver said after McKay performed his monologue. “There isn’t a logical reason to it … Some of us struggle a lot with various things, and that leads to other struggles, and some of us just end up with the short stick — and you’re not alone in that.” Avila agreed, adding, “Sometimes, great people do great jobs at things, but they still feel horrible about themselves. That’s the worst part because people like them, they could be saving lives, and yet they still feel unworthy … This happens to good people, too.” The “Swallow This!” cast has been together since the start of the fall semester. All of the members are new, except for McKay — who has been a part of the group since the spring semester. They had to audition for the spot. Bojsza said the process includes a group audition where the club supervisor judges how comfortable students are with the heavy material, as well as a component where the auditionees have to bring a database story to life. The auditions can attract as many as 40 students, but they never cast more than a dozen. Similar to a regular class, the five members meet every Monday and Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. in a small theatre

room inside the Staller Center for the Arts. They have assigned readings, quizzes and journal entries they must submit. The members receive credit for THR 308 in the fall and THR 309 in the spring, and are also allowed to apply EXP+ to the course. “I feel like I trust these guys more than a lot of my friends just because we’ve shared so much,” Pulver said. “We’ve only had one thing that really counts as a performance so far, but getting up on stage with these guys, to me it didn’t matter what happened because we were working together to do something we believed in, and it’s just a great feeling.” Couluris also believes that he can’t have those kinds of conversations without trust forming since “Swallow This!” covers important and serious topics. “We do share a lot of stories, and we’re not sharing them at 12 o’clock at night. We’re sharing them early in the morning. We’re starting our days off basically trauma bonding with each other,” Couluris said. “It works out great though. We’re all in it together once we’re on stage. We’re all in it together when we see each other in the halls…[and] in rehearsal. It’s cool to be connected to a group of people you didn’t even know about a month ago.” Bojsza said “Swallow This!” is a platform available to students so they can feel a connection and be encouraged to start a conversation, but some students need more than that. “This isn’t drama therapy,” she said. “It isn’t going that far as to, in the moment, we’re going to address people’s specific issues. Things about raising awareness and creating a safe space to have dialogue about these issues, hopefully that empowers students to seek help for themselves if they feel that is appropriate, but also be able to refer their friends and people they interact with to resources.”

Students “Play It Forward” with music therapy group BY: NIKKI NASSIRI Upon entering high school, I was a successful student who was determined and motivated in all of my classes. My strong work ethic led me to excel in school. I let my intellect be defined by my remarkable grades. It was not until I fell victim to a mental illness that has recently seen a sharp increase in students—burnout. And yes, it is a real thing. Burnout is a prolonged period of constant stress that leads people to complete mental, physical and emotional exhaustion. It is a long a n d s t r e n u o u s p r o c e s s t h a t s t r i p s s o m e o n e o f t h e i r e n e r g y, l e a v i n g t h e m t o f e e l h o p e l e s s w h e n t a c k l i n g a d a y ’s w o r k . A p e r s o n s u f f e r i n g from burnout goes through extensive periods of constant stress that gradually causes them to lose their motivation in their everyday routine and feel worthless. Victims of burnout are characterized as withdrawn, cynical and apathetic. As high school progressed and the pressure to stand out among my peers became more difficult, I no longer received the grades I c o n s t a n t l y s t r i v e d f o r. M y o p t i m i s m i n t h e c l a s s r o o m w a s r e p l a c e d with self-doubt after failing test grades, incomplete homework assignments and what I thought to be mediocre academic abilities. No matter how hard I tried, I was never able to get back to the positive mental state I had at the beginning of high school. The lack of motivation in the classroom soon spread to my interests outside of school. Activities I used to enjoy such as archer y and reading turned into chores. I no longer felt joy in anything I did and could not do my work without having a panic attack. My creativity was whittling down to almost nothing. I was constantly reminded that I would never be good enough at anything I did.

— a l l w h i l e g e t t i n g a g o o d n i g h t ’s s l e e p . W h i l e t r y i n g t o b a l a n c e these impossible standards, students wear themselves out, causing their performances in school to drop. Students are drained from feeling that they have to flaunt their well-rounded skills to colleges and employers. Students often go through their academic careers unaware of the fact that they have burnout. It is important that attention is b r o u g h t t o t h i s m a j o r i s s u e . We n e e d t o n o r m a l i z e t h e f a c t t h a t s t u dents are suffering and that they need help. Signs of mental distress in students are often repressed. Instead of pushing them aside, we should adapt approaches to alleviate their struggles. As someone who is still recovering from burnout, I can honestly say that it is just as grueling to overcome it as it was falling into it. Although it is tough, it is not impossible to rid yourself of these exhausting feelings. If you think that you are suffering from burnout, my best advice is to reevaluate your priorities. Instead of putting school or work first, make sure that your mental health is in a place where it is free to breathe. I found that the worst thing I did to myself was b o t t l i n g u p m y f e e l i n g s a n d i s o l a t i n g m y s e l f . Ta l k i n g t o p e o p l e d o e s wonders to help you work through any sor t of mental distress. No matter what you are struggling with, there will always be someone who is willing to help.

The process of burnout takes months or years to fully develop, so it is a good idea to recognize the symptoms of burnout in students b e f o r e i t i s t o o l a t e . Ty p i c a l l y, s t u d e n t s s u f f e r i n g f r o m b u r n o u t are ver y exhausted. They tend to be ver y pessimistic and detached. B u r n o u t u s h e r s f e e l i n g s o f l o n e l i n e s s a n d i n a d e q u a c y. I t c a n e x t e n d t o a s t u d e n t ’s p h y s i c a l h e a l t h b y c h a n g i n g t h e i r a p p e t i t e , s l e e p schedules or weakening their immune system. Students who have fallen victim to burnout are often seen taking their anger out on others, and can even fall victim to alcohol or drug abuse. Burnout affects students after being overwhelmed with an immense amount of school-related pressure. Since the demands of the classroom are constantly increasing, students are forced into a system where failing results is not an option. In order to meet the demands of school, students are required to keep up with the workload of multiple classes, extracurricular activities and a social life

The best ways to cope with BY: XENIA GONIKBERG test anxiety

Test taking can be one of the most rigorous and stressful parts of college. Having to sit in a quiet room, surrounded by classmates, and having to answer questions under a time constraint can be a nerve-wracking experience for anyone. According to the American Test Anxieties Association, 16 to 20% of students experience major test anxiety. There are many reasons why people have test anxiety, whether it is the fear of failing or simply just feeling underprepared. This anxiety can lead to rushing through the test, skipping over important information or not being able to focus properly. These are some tips I recommend to help avoid these problems and ensure that you have a healthy mindset before and during your exam.

because it is going to do more harm than good in the long term. 3) Take your time and pace yourself. “Sav[ing] hard questions for later and moving on to other problems you know you can do [help] you gain confidence to come back to that problem,” Darlene Dittell, a junior atmospheric and oceanic sciences major, said. Her roommate, Audrey Sinclair, fellow junior and atmospheric and oceanic sciences major, said, “Take a deep breather and hype yourself up. Remind yourself that you studied.”

1) Prepare ahead of time — This tip seems obvious, but it’s really important to make sure that you space out your studying so that you aren’t overwhelmed the night before a test. A really good strategy for overcoming this is by giving yourself practice tests. In doing so, the repetition of going over material eases test takers’ anxiety during the day of the exam. Practice tests are a good way to familiarize yourself with the content, and by doing them you can know what topics you need to review.

4) Read and reread the questions carefully. This may seem like a no-brainer, but test anxiety can inhibit you from reading through the questions carefully since you just want to finish the test as soon as possible. In an article by the Princeton Review, reading the questions thoroughly is a way to avoid making small mistakes or misunderstanding the question. If you find your eyes glazing over and still not being able to read the question, take a breath and go back to it later.

2) Self-care is important. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) recommends engaging in breathing techniques during the exam, along with getting a good night’s sleep and eating before the test. It is important to put your mental health first before an upcoming test as it can make or break your mindset going into the exam. Prioritize your health and wellness over studying because a lack of sleep and poor nutrition can hinder your ability to do well on a test. Resist the urge to cram or stay up all night studying

5) Don’t get distracted and focus on smaller goals. During the test, there can be a lot of distractions, like what other students are doing or even the clock. While it is important to keep track of time, fixating on the clock will not help your anxiety. The best thing that you can do is focus on yourself and make sure you leave enough time for each question. Take a deep breath, center yourself and focus on your test.

Anxiety in all forms can be difficult to deal with, but there are ways to cope. These are only some examples of what could work for test anxiety, but there are plenty more. Find what works for you and stick to it. It is important to acknowledge your anxiety and fears so you can be better prepared to handle what comes your way. Seek professional help if your anxiety becomes worse or if you think that you might have a learning difference. Midterm season is upon us and incorporating these tips in your studying habits can pave the way for a stress-free exam experience.

Burnout and its effects on students BY: SAMANTHA LAURIA A r m e d w i t h a p i a n o , g u i t a r, u k u l e l e and their voices, six members of The Play It For ward Project struck a chord with visitors and patients at the Stony Brook University Hospital Lobby on Sept. 25. As the group ended the performance w i t h “ H e y J u d e ,” t w o v i s i t o r s s t o p p e d to listen. “The lady grabbed her spouse and said t h i s i s t h i s p e r s o n’s — t h e p e r s o n t h e y w e r e v i s i t i n g — f a v o r i t e s o n g ,” C h y n n a Rios, the vice president of The Play It For ward Project and a senior biolog y m a j o r, s a i d . “ H e ’s g o i n g t o g e t b e t t e r b e c a u s e w e j u s t h e a r d t h i s s o n g t o d a y. I was like, please tell me [the viewers] heard that on the livestream.

The Play It For ward Project uses group singing to build bonds between m e m b e r s . S t r a n g e r s , l i k e a t l a s t w e e k ’s lobby performance, also jump in. Group singing releases endorphins and oxytocin, a chemical known to appear in positive social bonding. Music therapy formally began in the e a r l y 2 0 t h c e n t u r y t o t r e a t Wo r l d W a r I a n d I I v e t e r a n s . To d a y , m u s i c t h e r a p y is performed in over 85,000 facilities in the United States according to the American Music Therapy Association, a 200% increase since 2012.

this, are?”

Within the tanned walls of the Stony Brook C h i l d r e n’s Hospital, the Play It Forward Project moved onto their bedside perform a n c e s a t a r o u n d 1 p . m . T h a t d a y, they were visiting the pediatric oncology patients.

The club focuses on introducing students to the music therapy field through hospital lobby and bedside performances, and advocates m u s i c ’s i m p o r t a n c e i n m e n t a l a n d physical health.

“ Pe o p l e a t t h e [ i n v o l v e m e n t ] f a i r w e r e s a y i n g t h e y c a n’t p l a y a n i n s t r u m e n t ,” A l l i s o n Va n C o t t - M c E n t e e , p r e s i d e n t a n d j u n i o r multidisciplinary major with concentrations i n m u s i c a n d s o c i o l o g y, s a i d . “A n d w e ’r e l i k e , n o , n o , t h a t ’s n o t w h a t t h i s i s a b o u t .”

“How does she know but not know who we Va n C o t t - M c E n t e e a s k e d .

Va n C o t t - M c E n t e e r e s e a r c h e d t i r e lessly on music therapy in her twoyear break. This research led her to the Alive Inside organization, which seeks to improve the qualit y o f l i f e f o r A l z h e i m e r ’s p a t i e n t s with music. She is now a youth advocate for the group.

Experiences like the one Rios mentioned are what The Play It For ward Project aims to create.

M u s i c a l t a l e n t i s n’t r e q u i r e d t o p a r ticipate in the project. For instance, the c l u b ’s s e c r e t a r y a n d s e n i o r b i o l o g y m a j o r, R a h u l Ku l k a r n i , c o m p a re s h i s s i n g i n g t o “ a h o r s e t h a t h a s t h e i n f l u e n z a .”

D u r i n g t h a t t i m e , Va n C o t t - M c E n tee, a former piano tutor for 35 years, became curious in music thera p y. Va n C o t t - M c E n t e e r e m e m b e r e d v i s i t i n g h e r m o t h e r - i n - l a w, w h o h a d A l z h e i m e r ’s d i s e a s e . S h e d i d n’t k n o w w h o Va n C o t t - M c E n t e e o r h e r s o n were, but “remembered ever y single v e r s e ” o f Va n M o r r i s o n’s s o n g s , i n cluding different versions of them.

“Music therapy has the ability to assist people in both accessing difficult emot i o n s , a n d p r o c e s s i n g t h e m ,” H a n n a h B r o n son, a board-certified music therapist, said i n a n e m a i l . Mu s i c t h e r a p y “c o m p l i m e n t s a n d a c c e l e r a t e s” w h a t i s a c c o m p l i s h e d i n t a l k t h e r a p y, a c c o r d i n g t o B r o n s o n . Va n C o t t - M c E n t e e , founded the non-profit club in 2018, two years after two major surgeries forced her to withdraw from school.

Rios, who had once been in a similar music therapy bedside situation, had one boy they visited stuck on her mind. “ We w e r e s i n g i n g ‘A W h o l e N e w Wo r l d ’ ,” R i o s s a i d . “A n d h e w a s just mouthing the words and looking at me. When we walked in he looked like he was ok. But when we left, it looked like we had made his w h o l e d a y.”

A healthy diet is the best for coping BY: MATTHEW YAN College students are constantly stressed. Between ominous tests, looming deadlines and the nagging desire to be involved everywhere to make your resume glow, it’s easy to crack under the pressure and search for some kind of comfort. But you might want to think twice before reaching for a delightful pack of Oreos or indulging in a tub of ice cream to calm your nerves. It’s scientifically proven that humans are hardwired to reach for highly sugary and fatty foods when they’re stressed. While eating comfort foods like cookies can lower stress levels in the short term, the temporary boost of joy from sugar comes at the cost of severe damage to the body. Stress raises levels of cortisol, a hormone that helps trigger the fight-or-flight response. Cortisol keeps sugar in the blood so that there is an immediate source of energy in case of a fight. Being chronically stressed keeps cortisol levels and — by extension, blood sugar levels — high, which can lead to insulin resistance and eventually Type 2 diabetes. Stuffing your face with cake only expedites the process, increasing the risk of obesity, high blood pressure and other ailments. Constantly eating refined sugars have been shown to increase the risk of mood disorders like depression and anxiety, in the long-term. In response to the havoc sugary treats wreak on our bodies and moods, a growing number of scientists are saying that there are things we should eat to improve our moods. Nutritional psychiatry is a relatively new field of research that examines the way food impacts

with stress

our mental states. Because of the massive number of chemical receptors in the gastrointestinal tract, nutritional psychiatrists believe that a person’s mood can be improved by changing their diet. A 2018 study published in the World Journal of Psychology found 12 nutrients that are particularly helpful for fighting depression. These nutrients include long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium. We’re deficient in many of these nutrients. A 2017 study conducted by Oregon State University found that almost 40% of Americans aren’t consuming enough vitamin C or vitamin A. In addition, more than 50% of Americans don’t consume enough magnesium and virtually all Americans don’t get enough potassium every day. Psychiatrist Uma Naidoo M.D., who writes for the Harvard Medical Blog, says that a balanced diet full of fruits and vegetables and limited red meat, such as the Mediterranean diet, is ideal for staving off anxiety and depression. But don’t think you need to be a vegetarian to get these nutrients. Here are a few foods nutritional psychiatrists recommend: Bivalve shellfish, such as oysters, clams and mussels, are rich in minerals like selenium and iron. Just a three-ounce serving of pacific oysters cooked under dry heat will have nearly half the daily recommended intake (DRI) of iron, almost twice the DRI of selenium and four times the DRI of vitamin

B12. They’re also a good source of vitamin C and omega-3-fatty acids. Fatty fish like wild Alaskan salmon are rich in omega-3-fatty-acids and minerals such as magnesium, selenium and potassium. Whole grains, such as brown rice, barley and oatmeal, are full of protein, soluble fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B6 and magnesium. Multiple studies have found a correlation between consuming whole grains and a reduction in depression and anxiety. Dark green vegetables, such as kale, broccoli and spinach, are packed with many of the anti-depressive nutrients above. Spinach alone is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium and selenium. Probiotics help keep the GI tract, and by extension the many chemical receptors along it, healthy. A review of a 2016 study found that probiotics are significantly correlated with improved symptoms in depressed patients under the age of 65. Naidoo recommends that people consume yogurt, kefir and fermented foods like kimchi for this reason. Although eating these foods and cutting back on sugar can help fight stress, it isn’t the only option for dealing with it. Exercise, hanging out with friends and getting help from your professors are all solid strategies for alleviating the stress of college life. Just remember to munch on some spinach or take a few scoops of yogurt when you’re feeling down — it might just help.

You are not alone. Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 National Drug Help Line: 1-866-236-1651 National Eating Disorder Association Helpline:1-800-2237

Crisis Textline: Text CONNECT to 741-741 Counseling and Psychological Services: 631-632-6740 *Graphics results were found by survey conducted by The Statesman

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SAMANTHA ROBINSON / THE STATESMAN

Students at the Stony Brook Football Fall 2019 Homecoming Game on Oct. 5. On Sept. 5, Stony Brook Athletics announced its plan to sell alcohol at football and basketball games.

Contact us: Phone: 631-632-6479 Fax: 631-632-9128 Web: www.sbstatesman.com To contact the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editors about organizational comments, questions, suggestions, corrections or photo permission, email editors@sbstatesman.com. To reach a specific section editor: News Editor.....................................news@sbstatesman.com Arts & Entertainment Editor.............arts@sbstatesman.com Sports Editor..................................sports@sbstatesman.com Opinions Editor..........................opinions@sbstatesman.com Multimedia Editor..................multimedia@sbstatesman.com Copy Chief.......................................copy@sbstatesman.com The Statesman is a student-run, student-written incorporated publication at Stony Brook University in New York. The paper was founded as The Sucolian in 1957 at Oyster Bay, the original site of Stony Brook University. In 1975, The Statesman was incorporated as a not-for-profit, student-run organization. Its editorial board, writers and multimedia staff are all student volunteers. New stories are published online every day Monday through Thursday. A print issue is published every Monday during the academic year and is distributed to many on-campus locations, the Stony Brook University Hospital and over 70 off-campus locations. The Statesman and its editors have won several awards for student journalism and several past editors have gone on to enjoy distinguished careers in the field of journalism. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat @ sbstatesman. Disclaimer: Views expressed in columns or in the Letters and Opinions section are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Statesman. The Statesman promptly corrects all errors of substance published in the paper. If you have a question or comment about the accuracy or fairness of an article please send an email to editors@sbstatesman.com. First issue free; additional issues cost $1.

Serving alcohol at NCAA games is a plus

By Anya Marquardt Contributing Writer

On Sept. 14, Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium begun serving alcohol to fans at the Stony Brook vs. Wagner College football game. In a statement on Sept. 5, Stony Brook Athletics announced its plan to sell alcohol at upcoming NCAA football and basketball games. They also announced a lengthy list of policies that will be put in place to restrict students over the age of 21 when purchasing alcohol. They are issued a wristband to wear, which allows them to purchase a maximum of two drinks at one time per student ID. In addition, students cannot consume alcoholic beverages in the student seating areas. Alcohol sales will also stop at the end of the third quarter for football and women’s basketball games, and at the closing of the second-half timeout for men’s basketball. Selling alcohol at college games had proven benefits for other colleges, and Stony Brook can benefit from alcohol sales as well. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) began to allow the selling of alcoholic beverages for all NCAA col-

leges in the 2018-2019 season after seeing positive results from their test run two years ago. In the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 seasons, the NCAA concluded that selling alcohol reduced the amount of unruly behavior at sports games by large margins.

“Selling alcohol at college games has proven benefits from other colleges, and Stony Brook can benefit from alcohol sales as well.” The University of Maryland conducted their own study as well, and they recorded decreasing numbers of ejections throughout the time of alcohol sales. In the 2014-2015 season, before alcohol was sold, there were 61 drinking-related ejections at

football games. When they began selling alcohol in the 20152016 season, there were only 18 ejections, and the year after, the number decreased further to 12 ejections. West Virginia University reported a 35% decrease in alcohol-related incidents on game days after they began selling alcohol in the stadium. The legal selling of alcoholic beverages at games reduces the chances of alcohol-related incidents. Schools can also profit from the selling of alcohol at sporting events. While athletics is not a business, sources of revenue are always a point of interest for athletic departments. According to an analysis done by Forbes, schools that sell alcohol can expect to see 22% of the revenue. The probability of students and other spectators going to sports bars for games could lessen after being able to purchase alcohol at the stadium itself. This can increase both game attendance and the revenue being made at each game. This additional revenue can go towards further enhancing game day experiences. Overall, Stony Brook’s decision to sell alcohol at games can be a great improvement for the Athletics department. It will allow the school to profit, while enhancing the student experience at sporting events.

Corrections Opinions

The article “Men should embrace feminism, not vilify it” in the Volume LXIII, Issue 6 misstated a quote from the article “Misandry in feminism is real and needs to be addressed” as, “‘all men are sexual predators to women.’” It should have said, “‘all men are potential predators to women.’”

SPORTS

JMU snaps Stony Brook's 12 game home win streak to end Homecoming By Andrew Zucker Assistant Sports Editor

After losing by only three points last year in Harrisonburg to the James Madison Dukes (JMU), the Stony Brook Seawolves looked to topple the No. 2 ranked team in the nation in this year’s showdown. They almost did just that. A career long 47-yard field goal by redshirt-senior kicker Nick Courtney with five seconds remaining in regulation tied the game at 38, and following a squib kick on the kickoff, the game went to overtime (OT), where the Dukes would come out victorious — 45-38. With the game concluding Homecoming weekend for Stony Brook, a stadium record 12,812 fans packed Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium on a cold Saturday, Oct. 5 night.

A total of 23 points were scored in last year’s game. By the time the first quarter ended this time, the two teams had a combined 28 points, with the score tied at 14. Both teams are known for their offensive rushing abilities, and by the end of the night, one of the teams had the clear upper hand in the rushing yards column. Coming into the game, Stony Brook’s opponents had an average of 88.8 yards per game. The Dukes had run for more than that by the time the first quarter ended. By the end of the night three JMU running backs and the quarterback had combined for 329 rushing yards, the most allowed by Stony Brook all season. Stony Brook redshirt-freshman running back Ty Son Lawton kept the Seawolves in the game throughout the first quarter via

EMMA HARRIS / THE STATESMAN

Stony Brook redshirt-freshman running back Ty Son Lawton making the first touch down on Oct. 5.

34-yards on the ground and two rushing touchdowns. “Sure it was a pretty exciting football game for the fans, really proud of our kids. We got behind several times,” Stony Brook head coach Chuck Priore said in a post game press conference. “You’re not going to win every game and you can’t be defined by the scoreboard. I think this team is defined by their effort on the field today in a number of situations.” The scoring continued for both teams in the second quarter, including a 19-yard touchdown pass from redshirt-junior quarterback Tyquell Fields to graduate transfer wide receiver Jean Constant to tie the game at 21 with 9:19 remaining in the second quarter. By the time halftime came, with the Dukes leading 28-21, both teams needed the break to adapt to the high-scoring affair. The third quarter was a relatively quiet one offensively for both teams, with JMU scoring a field goal and Stony Brook scoring on a 26-yard pass from Fields to redshirt-senior wide receiver Nick Anderson. At the end of three, the Dukes led 31-28. Following a JMU touchdown five seconds into the fourth quarter, to bring them up by 10, Stony Brook was forced to punt the ball only to get it back a minute later following a defensive fumble recovery. Holding onto the ball was an issue both teams struggled with throughout the game, combining for seven fumbles

— including five by JMU — three of which Stony Brook recovered. The Dukes turnover allowed Lawton to score his third rushing touchdown of the night on the ensuing drive, with 7:20 left in the game leaving the Seawolves down by only three. Lawton’s three rushing touchdowns are the most by a Stony Brook player in a game since former running back Stacey Bedell scored four against Richmond in 2016. The Dukes proceeded to run their longest drive timewise of the night, burning five minutes and 36 seconds off the clock. Stony Brook was forced to burn all of their timeouts on the drive, which ended with the Dukes punting. The punt went into the endzone for a touchback, allowing the Seawolves to start their drive from their own 25 yard line with 1:44 left in the game. 11 plays, four incomplete passes and 51 yards later, Courtney kicked the 47-yard field goal which sent the game to OT. “I think we have a lot of clutch factors on the team. I think we always put an emphasis on finishing games and execution. That showed tonight,” Fields said in a postgame press conference. A touchdown run by JMU redshirt-junior running back Jawon Hamilton put the Dukes up 45-38 in OT, with the Seawolves still having a chance to tie the game on the following possession. On the following drive, it was a sack and three incompletions that

forced the other shoe to drop and the fairytale was over. Offensively the Seawolves had some highs, Lawton’s three touchdowns, and some big lows, Fields being sacked five times throughout the game. Fields ended the night throwing for a career high 318-yards while completing 15 of 30 passes, with two of the competitions being caught for touchdowns, bringing his season total up to eight touchdowns thrown. The Seawolves again went to battle with numerous players unavailable due to injury: redshirt-junior offensive lineman Ian McLean did not dress with an unspecified injury, captain and senior defensive lineman Sam Kamara missed the game with a shoulder injury, while junior wide receiver Brandon Benson missed his third straight game with an ankle injury and redshirt-junior defensive back EJ Fineran missed his fifth straight game with a hand injury. Redshirt-senior wide receiver Andrew Trent and redshirt-freshman tight end Isaiah Givens both missed the game with unspecified injuries. The loss snapped Stony Brook’s 12 game home win streak and drops them to 4-2 overall and 1-1 in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play. The Seawolves will stay on the Island as they attempt to get back in the win column with a home game next week, Saturday, Oct. 12, against CAA foe, the New Hampshire Wildcats. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.

Athletics inducts six into Rita and Kurt Eppenstein Hall of Fame By Andrew Zucker Assistant Sports Editor

Incredible, amazing, legendary, life-changing. Those are all words that can be used to describe the six former Stony Brook University greats who were inducted into the Stony Brook Athletics Rita and Kurt Eppenstein Hall of Fame. The ceremony, which took place on the night of Friday, Oct. 4 inside the Island Federal Credit Union Arena, was filled with numerous school and athletic officials, family and friends. The Class of 2019 includes Dr. Stuart Cherney, Leo Fernandes, Miguel Maysonet, Harry Prince, Marisa Viola and Sandy Weeden. Cherney has been the head team physician at Stony Brook for 36 years. During his time at Stony Brook, Cherney led the charge in creating the Sports Medicine Program and created the All-Sport Orthopedic Surgery clinic in 2004. Following the acceptance of the award and a photo with Athletic Director (AD) Shawn Heilbron, Cherney gave a short thank you speech with a theme similar to that of David Letterman’s top ten list: “Top ten reasons why you would want to be the

team [Stony Brook] doctor.” Of the ten reasons listed, one received the biggest applause and laughter from the crowd: field turf. “It’s not just in your shoes, it’s what’s for breakfast,” Cherney said. After Cherney came former Men’s Soccer three-time America East Midfielder of the Year awardee, Fernandes. Fernandes tied Stony Brook’s Division I record for goals by a rookie — seven, and at the conclusion of his junior year, he was the program’s all-time Division I leader in points scored. Fernandes left the program with a career total of 74 points and numerous awards. After being selected in the fourth round of the 2013 Major League Soccer (MLS) Supplemental Draft, Fernandes bounced around between the MLS, North American Soccer League (NASL) — where he was awarded the NASL Young Player of the Year Award — and his current team, the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the United Soccer League. Next came one of the greatest football players to ever step foot on campus, running back Maysonet. In each of his three years, Maysonet ran for over 1,000 yards, including a monstrous senior year in which

he ran for 1,964-yards, 11th most in FCS history while becoming the conference’s all-time leader in touchdowns — 53 in all — with 48 of them via rushing. During his acceptance speech, Maysonet admitted he made the wrong choice of which college to attend the first time around, while also acknowledging former teammates and their role in his success. “I went to Hofstra first, I know, I should’ve come here first,” Maysonet said. “My name shouldn’t be alone; it should be with the other 90 guys who helped get me here.” Three-time Men’s Soccer team MVP, Prince, was the next person honored. Prince was one of the most consistent goalkeepers in program history, evident from his career goals against average, 0.85. Prior to his arrival on campus, Stony Brook had only won 11 games in the previous four seasons. While Prince was on campus, back when the athletic teams were known as the Patriots, the soccer team only lost 10 times. Prince, who passed away in 2005, was represented by Greg Spear. Normally when a person graduates college with two degrees,

you could pick it up on the way to class... ...but sometimes that’s just too much effort.

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people assume that person did not have much free time on their hands, but that was not the case for Viola. Viola holds the school record for shutouts in a season — 10 in 2007 — while also recording the lowest career goals against average in school history, 0.72. She was named to the America East All-Conference First Team in 2008 while picking up the Goalkeeper of the Year award that same season. Like the previous honorees, Viola gave an under ten minute speech thanking numerous individuals and giving many shoutouts. Unlike everyone else though, Viola singled out the grounds crew and maintenance staff as well as the school marching band. “The maintenance staff and grounds crew deserve a shout out. They still recognize me,” Viola said. “How could I not mention the marching band. Back then there were 40, now, over 150? They make the atmosphere.” The last honoree to speak, Weeden, was arguably one of the biggest leaders of Stony Brook athletics from her arrival on campus in 1969, until her departure in 2003. When she first stepped up to the podium, Weeden did not shy

away from the stage. “Instead of alphabetical, go by height or age. I would’ve been done by now.” Originally hired as a physical education teacher, Weeden quickly moved up the ranks and was named Women’s Athletics Director (AD) in 1973. As the Women’s AD, Weeden wore numerous other hats, coaching women’s basketball for 13 seasons, tennis and softball for two seasons each, as well as volleyball and swimming. Accolades and awards are nothing new for Weeden, who was inducted into SUNY Cortland’s C-Club Hall of Fame back in 1987. Weeden received the Stony Brook V.I.P. Booster Club Service Award in 1982, and the New York State Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (NYSAIAW) Service Award in 1985, as well as twotime coach of the year for women’s basketball. If the awards and honors Weeden has garnered over the years do not show how much success and an impact she had, know that 11 of her former players came to the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, from across the country. At the end of the night, the crowd gave Weeden a standing ovation.