Volume 123 Issue 1
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019
ndsuspectrum.com
NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | FOR THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE
INSIDE 2
The new herd is here
The class of 2023 has moved in
NEWS
Recap: What happened over the summer in Fargo
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NDSU welcomed the class of 2023 this past weekend.
JOHN SWANSON | THE SPECTRUM
Meghan Arbegast Head News Editor
F EATU R E S
A tour of the new and unique Alpha Gamma Delta House
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SPORTS
Bison football is back
August 24 was the first day of Welcome Week for the incoming class of 2023. The day started out with the new freshmen moving into their assigned residence halls, making the next step to beginning their first year of college. As the streets were backed up with cars and trailers, volunteers were there to assist with moving boxes and furniture into the residence halls. A crew of yellow shirts flocked the streets making the stress of the transition new students and their parents faced somewhat of a relief. When asked why they chose to volunteer for move-in day freshmen K’Lee Barnaby and Britta Thompson both had some input. “We’re a part of the Bison Dance team so while we get volunteering hours for our organization, we are also helping our fellow freshmen out,” Thompson said. They both agreed that if they had help on their move-in day it would have been a quicker process. Kim Whaley was another volunteer waiting in line to receive her yellow move-in crew t-shirt. When asked why she chose to come out and help the new class move in Whaley answered, “I didn’t really have anything to do today so I decided it would be nice if I helped the freshmen move into their dorms.” Whether or not she feels like she is taking off some of the stress new students and parents face Whaley responded: “Hopefully. I would like to know that I could make the process a little easier on them.” Thinking back to her freshmen year move-in day Whaley agreed that the move-in crew made her feel welcomed and ready for starting college. Though move-in day lasted from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., that was just
the beginning of the freshmen’s first day on campus. After having brunch together families were encouraged to leave at 4:30 p.m. letting the freshmen get used to the feeling of being independent. After the parents left students came together for their community gathering and dinners. This was when students could meet their neighbors in the residence halls and enjoy a meal together. The community gathering made meeting new people a little easier and let the students become acquainted with others they will be living with for the rest of the school year. When dinner was over students made their way to Churchill Field for the Green and Yellow Rally. The rally signified the new experiences they will face their first year at North Dakota State University. Students gathered to learn of the traditions they will withhold becoming a part of the NDSU family while having some school spirit. To end the night freshmen attended Saturday Night Live held in the Memorial Union. While there, students could partake in activities hosted by organizations around campus. After move-in day was over freshmen were able to feel like they are part of the bison family as they met with a variety of their new classmates and familiarized themselves with the campus organizations. Though the day ended sooner than expected, Saturday was just the first day of Welcome Week with many more events scheduled throughout the week. Some of these other events were: the class photo, the president’s welcome, wellness events and the first day of school photos at the bison statue.
PHOTOS BY JOHN SWANSON | THE SPECTRUM
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NEWS
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019
Fargo’s summer recap W h a t h a p p e n e d o v e r t h e s u m m e r i n Fa r g o
The thirtieth annual Fargo Airsho took place on July 20.
Meghan Arbegast Head News Editor
Missing Bison
Over the summer, locals noticed that the bison statues that were placed all around downtown Fargo were missing. It was confirmed that one bison would make its way back to downtown this fall after construction, but the other locations were still a mystery. The painted bison statues were commonly used for pictures and were sights to show the North Dakota State University pride that runs throughout the city of Fargo. They were part of a project called “Herd About the Prairie” which started in 2005 by Hans Gildorf. The first bison statue he made was named “Beach Buff”. This was the first bison statue out of 40 (plus one calf) that were placed throughout downtown Fargo. Forty artists around North Dakota and Minnesota painted the statues with their own designs. All the statues were then debuted during the 2006 Fargo marathon. Afterwards the statues were kept by their sponsors or auctioned off. The Fargo Forum was able to confirm 4 more locations where the bison statues were moved. One was donated to the Circle of Nations School in Wahpeton so their art department can restore and display it at the school. Another statue was placed outside of the Rourke Art Museum in Moorhead while a tiger-themed bison greets people as they enter the Red River Valley Zoo. There is also a bison statue that now sits inside of the West Acres Mall.
2019 Fargo AirSho
The thirtieth annual Fargo Airsho took place on July 20 and
21 at the Hector International Airport. The event usually entertains close to 30,000 spectators with military displays and activities for children. Among some of the performers were the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, the Red Bull Skydive Team and the Leap Frogs U.S. Navy Parachute Team. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds were the major act during the two-day show. This was the second time the Thunderbirds have come to Fargo. The last time they debuted was for the first Fargo Airsho back in 1989. Though the Thunderbirds performance was somewhat delayed due to technical difficulties, the audience was thrilled when the F-16’s took to the sky performing formations and tricks keeping the audience entertained. All the ticket and parking proceeds made during the two-day event were donated to charities.
Fargo sues opioid manufacturers
Fargo joined with various cities and counties across North Dakota and the United States to sue the OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma. The company has an alleged role in the opioid addiction crisis that has been
PIXABAY | PHOTO COURTESY
ongoing in the U.S for almost a decade. The city of Fargo wants damages to be paid by Purdue Pharma and other defendants that were involved in the distribution of the prescription drug. The city claims these companies have caused economic damages by falsely advertising opioids to the public. According to KXNET, Fargo wants to regain money for the costs of
providing medical treatment and the increase in law enforcement spending. Last year Fargo police responded to 30 drug overdoses and crime rates were up 3%. Most of these crimes were burglaries and theft which Police Chief David Todd correlated with drug use and addiction.
Fargo among the Top Ranked Cities
This summer Fargo ranked in the top ten best-run cities in the United States. A survey that WalletHub conducted rated Fargo sixth out of one hundred and fifty of the most populated cities in the U.S. for quality of city services. Among some of the categories that Fargo excelled at were the educational opportunities ranking at 9 and Fargo’s economy which ranked at 10. Wallethub also listed Fargo as one of the cities with the lowest unemployment rates with Madison, Wisconsin and Burlington, Virginia amongst the other cities with a similar rating. Wallethub measures the quality of service within cities across the U.S. by deciding which cities operate efficiently and how city officials spend and manage public funds. Just earlier this year Wallethub rated Fargo as one of the happiest cities in America.
Grant for nursing school
A federal grant of more than $1.5 million was received by the North Dakota State University School of Nursing. The grant will help create a program for nursing students to practice in rural clinics. NDSU has teamed up with Essentia Health to make the program work for the nursing
students. The grant will not only help the nurse practitioners, but the community will benefit as well. “I think it’s going to help patients the most because they’re going to be able to access really high-quality care close to home,” Mykell Barnacle, an assistant professor for the school of nursing, told WDAY. The new program will help rural clinics become more equipped with the care patients need. This includes mental health offerings, emergency care skills and medical-assisted treatment. The program will start this semester.
A walk through the past
A gallery of historic photos let locals view what life was like in North Dakota 100 years ago. The art show was a part of an outreach exhibit from the North Dakota Museum of Art and was free to the public. It came to the Spirit Room Gallery in downtown Fargo on June 27 and stayed open until July 20. Paul Gronhovd grew up hearing about Elmer Thompson, a North Dakotan native and electrical engineer, from his father. Thompson took photos throughout his life on the prairie in the early 20th century. Thompson’s glass negatives were then passed onto Gronhovd’s father after he interviewed Thompson in 1980. It wasn’t until Thompson’s death in 1983 that Gronhovd wanted to bring Thompson’s work to life by printing photo’s from Thompson’s negatives and creating the exhibit for others to see. This resulted in 30 prints dating from 1910 to 1920. Gronhovd told the Fargo Forum, “You can still read personality in these photos that are over 100 years old.”
In a nutshell The Spectrum | News | THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019
Ryan Nix
Spectrum Staff
New space for Communications
The North Dakota State Communications dept. has brought all three of its student media organizations under one roof. Both KNDS and Bin News are now located next to the Spectrum on the second floor of the Union. Bin News moved from its location in the Bison Block of 12th St. and KNDS moved from the basement of the High Plains Reader across from Barry Hall. The equipment was moved in during the summer after construction had ended on the new part of the Union. The new addition coupled with the Spectrum is being dubbed the media wing. KNDS was originally in the
Union before it was transferred downtown. “I think it’s a really great opportunity to bring the student media organization into a space that students have more access to see and hear more about it,” Bryce Nelson the general manager of KNDS said. The addition will be on display August 29 from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the new media wing.
A search for liberty
Students coming into Fargo from Moorhead will probably not realize that
Victoria Moss Head Copy Editor head.copy@ndsuspectrum.com NOW HIRING Co-Copy Editor co.copy@ndsuspectrum.com Brittany Hofmann Design Editor design@ndsuspectrum.com John Swanson Photo Editor photo@ndsuspectrum.com Nathan De La Garza Web Editor webmaster@ndsuspectrum.com Cassandra Tweed Graphic Designer graphics@ndsuspectrum.com
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something is missing from Island Park. Someone stole Fargo’s 70-year-old Lady Liberty. The piece of New York City was stolen a month ago and according to the Fargo Forum, the city has changed gears from searching for the Statue to replacing it. The Statue has been vandalized over the years. “It is very important to members of the community to have her there. . . If there’s a positive in any of it, it’s that it really was one of those unifying
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aspects of our community that is really appreciated,” Gregg Schildberger, spokesperson for the city of Fargo, told the Forum.
Brazil refuses aid
Brazil refused $22 million in aid from developed countries to help fight the fires raging in the Amazon rain forest. The emergency money was rejected stanchly by the Conservative President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro who threw shade at the President of France and the G-7 conference. “Thanks, but perhaps these resources are more relevant to reforesting Europe,” Bolsonaro said, according to the New York Times. More than 26,000 fires have blazed through the Amazon in the month of August leading to outrage around the world. The president has tentatively put forth a path to letting aid flow to Europe.
FEATURES
4 NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019
Pablo’s amazing summer Life adventures of a curious kitten
I’m back after enjoying summer vacation.
Pablo
Contributing Writer
Welcome back, everybody! Welcome to a whole new school year. My hooman says I am too young to go to school, otherwise I’d be right there with you in class. Alas, summertime–the best time–is over, but the memories I have will last forever. The best part of the summer was my birthday! On June 3rd, I turned one year old. I loved my birthday because the hooman gave me vanilla ice cream, the best snacc ever. Everyday the hooman brought me to the waterpark. It’s called The Bathroom Sink. If she would let me, I’d play there all day long. We also watched the Twins play baseball. My favorite player is and always will be Joe Meow-er, even though he is retired now. Summer wasn’t just all fun and games for me though, I started reading ‘Harry Pawter,’ and I’m so close to the end! I was also subjected to a rigorous nap schedule that was so exhausting, I had to nap even more. When I didn’t feel like cooking for the hooman by kneading bread out of blankets, she would order take-out from Drunken Noodle. Little did I know, their take-out came with a toy–a Dinglehopper! (That’s a fork for you hoomans). When I wasn’t busy at The Bathroom Sink or working hard in the kitchen, I was traveling to see my best friend Izzy. Izzy is the most special kitty (besides me). She lives in a whole other world though, so I don’t see her very often. But when we get together, it’s the best. With a new school year comes lots of questions, so remember I am always here for you to offer guidance and humor. If you have any questions, ask them here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ N6LBQYT
PHOTOS BY BRITTANY HOFMANN | THE SPECTRUM
THE SPECTRUM | Features | THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019
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New crib, who this? A tour of the new and unique Alpha Gamma Delta House
The informal living room has designer wallpaper with a story.
Ryan Nix
Spectrum Staff
The bright red doors that greet members and guests at the Alpha Gamma Delta house open into a world of lavish style that would make a french designer blush. The thesaurus has many words for fancy and I might have to use all of them. The foyer is lit by a chandelier, which I don’t think many college kids could say about their living arrangement. Megan Thorson can; she is the Sorority’s President and said the place did marvel members the first time they saw it. “We were all kinda Star Struck,” Thorson said, “We knew that it would be a new facility and a place that we could all meet together and it would be big enough but we didn’t, at least I didn’t know it would be as nice as it is.” “It is kinda weird coming from all of our little run-down college street houses to something like this,” Thorson added. The project was funded by the Alpha Gamma Delta Association
The president of the sorority, Megan Thorson.
according to Thorson. “They did all of the planning and the fundraising, a lot of the fixtures in the house were bought by the Alumni.” Thorson said. The house took a year to build and is replacing the sororities old house which was built in the 40’s according to Thorson. The new house can hold over 30 sisters while the old house was limited to just 17. The informal living room of the house is bright yet comfy but the real story is actually the wallpaper. Thorson said it was designed by Kate Spade, the well-known designer and business owner just before she passed away in 2018. The flowing design is actually owned by the organization and can only be used in Alpha Gamma Houses. The house also features a main living room which both showcases the Sorority and the university with a picture of a bison on the wall. Sorority members are also spoiled by the restaurant-style kitchen and a full-time chef on staff.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019
Fargo remembers David Crosby’s name The Byrds, CSNY co-founder brings Sky Trails Band to the Fargo Theatre the same week as showing of his documentary Laura Ellen Brandjord A&E Editor
Despite the fact that David Crosby is touring while the documentary about his career “David Crosby: Remember My Name” is playing in theaters, it wasn’t until Fargo that their paths intersected. The Fargo Theatre began showing the documentary on August 23, just two days before the subject himself graced the stage of Theatre 1 on August 25. Executive Director for the Fargo Theatre Emily Beck confessed this was by design. After Jade Presents booked the concert earlier this year, Beck began working almost immediately on trying to make the dates line up. “Fortunately, the film’s release pattern worked perfectly and we were able to offer the two at the exact same time,” Beck explained.
David Crosby and the Sky Trails Band
A well worn Turkish rug adorned the stage floor, keys, drums, guitars and various amps forming a semicircle at its borders. Alone in the center stood Crosby himself, looking more like a cross between a retired farmer and Santa Claus than a folk-rock
legend. His long white hair and now synonymous mustache coupled with a red crocheted hat his wife had made did nothing to refute the previous observation. It is a much different scene than Crosby fans are used to, as he rose to fame in groups (The Byrds, CSN, CSNY) with three or four others by his side. The Crosby before fans now feels uncharacteristically exposed, all the more earnest and vulnerable. After opening the night with a song he penned for CSN “In My Dreams”, Crosby thanked everyone. “Wow, really, thank you all for coming”, Crosby began before a member of the audience yelled back, “No, thank YOU for coming.” Crosby laughed before adding, “Well it would have been really weird if I hadn’t.” This wasn’t the only time Crosby put out the “favorite weird uncle” persona. He made jokes, went on tangents and had a story for everything. He told the audience about the time Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour “stole” his drummer, when he wrote “Delta” while strung out
at Warren Zevon’s house and made an unfounded claim of a connection between hair length and impotence, just to name a few. His Sky Trails band is comprised of much younger musicians than himself, all with jazz bands of their own. Steven Di Stanislao plays the drums, Michelle Willis plays the keys, Mai Leisz on bass. His son James Raymond contributes additional keys as well as produces his father’s work and guitarist Jeff Pevar rounds out the group. Crosby played songs spanning his entire career in music, his more iconic works such as “Guinevere,” “Wooden Ships” and “Long Time Gone” receiving standing ovations. Crosby had the audience singing along to “Ohio” for his encore performance before he took his leave. With his band curved around the back of him and an adoring audience cheering him on from the front, it appears David Crosby ended his time in Fargo literally surrounded by friends.
‘David Crosby: Remember My Name’ Cameron Crowe and A.J.
‘David Crosby: Remember My Name’ will be shown at the Fargo Theatre until September 5. LAURA ELLEN BRANDJORD THE SPECTRUM
Eaton collaborate on this documentary about the other side of fame as experienced by David Crosby. Using old interviews and footage created especially for the documentary, Crosby reminisces on some of his high highs, but mostly low lows. The documentary shows a gentle old man, all too aware of his wrong-doings yet feeling helpless to change them. Throughout the film David Crosby comes to embody the lofty dreams and bleak realities of his time. Viewers will leave the theatre bemoaning Crosby’s sad state all the while admitting he largely got
what he had coming. “Remember My Name” will remain at The Fargo Theatre until September 5, although Beck explained the movie may be held longer if it continues to draw a large enough crowd. “Documentaries about specific artists can have niche appeal (ie: only drawing in their fanbase). With that in mind, we’re very pleased with attendance so far,” Beck added. The current showtimes for “David Crosby: Remember My Name” are 4:45 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., but may be subject to change. So, double-check this on the Fargo Theatre’s website before heading out.
The Spectrum | A
& E | THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019
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Deep meaning, b e a u t i f u l vo i c e s
Three unique styles come to the Aquarium on Sept. 15 Ryan Nix
Spectrum Staff
Fall is on fast approach and I don’t think I feel moody enough. These three acts, coming to the Aquarium on Sept. 15, are sure to get us all in the mood for that existential dread when the leaves start to fall again.
Pinegrove
If you have never thought to perfect the indie-folk voice crack this band will defiantly change your mind. Evan Stephens fronts this east coast indie group with the melodic melancholy of a seventies folk trio and the emotional feel of bands like Neutral Milk Hotel. The band’s sound has evolved since their first album dropped, supplementing a raw acrostic sound for a more booming electric voice. They never lost their feel or style with introspective lyrics weaving above major folk guitar. The band does not fit the regular motifs of songwriting but they don’t really have to. The rhythm and lyrics carry the tone into your ear where it can stay for days, proving you don’t need a chorus to make a good song. The band is based out of Montclair, New Jersey. Stephens told Spin Magazine the group grew up listening to bands like Green Day, Radiohead and Nirvana. This would help explain their punk-like persona.
Stephen Steinbrink
If you think Steinbrink’s album is strange yet familiar that’s because the process to produce the album was strange yet familiar. The Oakland artist quit his job after losing friends in a fire that affected the DIY scene in his town. He then had a long period of artistic catharsis creating the album in two months, according to Vice News.
The artist said the only thing that stopped his manic LSD-fueled creating was a couple of days spent in the hospital. It feels sped up and thrown together but with a singular crazed locomotion involved. You can find yourself lost in this album just like Steinbrink felt while creating it. His sound on the record gives the same feeling that Elliot Smith portrayed in his almost manic search for meaning and resolution. You could almost fool someone into thinking the great Seattle act was inhabiting Steinbrink in some of the tracks. The synth and drum pads are extremely complementary to this project’s wayward emotion, creating an almost lo-fi feel coupled with the usual suspects like organ and guitar. The music is a defiantly toned down trip through the electric forest. The guitar has an understated surf-punk vibe. Nothing complicated or riff-based. No one is going to be wowed by his technical chops. The album is just filled with valid solos that stick to the script of the album.
Common Holly
This act probably hits closest to home for many here in North Dakota. The Montreal native Common Holly is making waves with her beautiful vocals and lyrical showcase in her album “Playing House”. The album is a lovely portrayal of love lost and given.
If You Go
Who: Pinegrove, Stephen Steinbrink and Common Holly Where: The Aquarium When: Sept. 15, doors open at 7 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m. Fee: $18 in advance or $22 at the door and is open to all Ages
FLICKR | PHOTO COURTESY
Pinegrove frontman Evan Stephens’ voice perfects the indie-folk staple voice crack.
Goodbye Spidey Failure to renegotiate contract forces Spider-Man out of the Marvel Universe Max Borman Staff Writer
The Sony/Disney Spider-Man partnership reaches an impasse.
FLICKR | PHOTO COURTESY
Last week news broke that shocked many Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) fans. It was revealed that due to the falling apart of negotiations Spider-Man, played by Tom Holland, would have to leave the MCU. After two solo film outings, the most recent being “Spider-Man: Far From Home” and three ensemble film appearances, he must venture out on his own. After becoming such an integral part of the MCU, considered to be as much a fixture as Tony Stark, he will just vanish. It is not due to Tom Holland or any creative decision, but because Sony and Disney cannot agree on terms for the continued use of Spider-Man inside the MCU. Sony owns all film rights to Spider-Man and his villains since 1998 and up until 2015 it was unbelievable that SpiderMan would get his shot to star in the MCU. Once Sony began to fail in the box office with “The Amazing Spider-Man” series starring Andrew Garfield however, they began looking towards Disney and the MCU property. Sony controlled the distribution rights and had creative control over
the film with Marvel’s Kevin Fiege as the creative producer. Disney received all revenue from the merchandising and got to use Spider-Man. After churning out five very successful films involving Spidey they cannot come to another agreement. Many conflicting reports say that Disney asked for around a 30%-50% cofinancing arrangement for all future Spider-Man films while still retaining merchandising rights. This would make Disney and Sony official partners when it came to Spider-Man, but since Disney still controlled all merchandising rights yet asked for a bigger cut of the profits, Sony felt taken advantage of. Neither studio felt the need to budge forcing Sony to pull Spidey. Tom Holland, however, remains contracted with the franchise. In order to keep their license, Sony must make a Spider-Man film every five years. This motivates Sony to push forward with two more Spider-Man films involving Tom Holland. Nothing is known about these films, but if they intend to continue the story left off in “Far From Home” then a lot will have to change. If Spider-Man is not
a part of the MCU then he cannot mention The Avengers, including his mentor Tony Stark, and vice versa. It will be like everyone just forgot who he was and that he existed. Both Kevin Fiege and Tom Holland have said that the future is a mystery and that it has been five great years, indicating that it is officially over. While Jeremy Renner who plays MCU’s Hawkeye has helped start a “Save Spider-Man” campaign on social media. With the success of “Venom” and “SpiderMan: Into the Spiderverse” it is hard to see why Sony would need to come back to the negotiation table. They seem to be learning how to make a Spider-Man related film on their own. However, Disney also has no reason to head back to the table with the recent acquisition of both X-Men and Fantastic Four, as well as the fact the MCU will be able to survive without Spiderman. Yet will this iteration of Spider-Man be able to survive without the MCU? Fans will have to wait and see if an agreement is yet to be reached. For now, all we can hope for is that Spider-Man has a great and successful future either in or outside of the MCU.
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OPINION
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019
First-week friends
Those people who kept you afloat those first few weeks, but didn’t last
WIKIMEDIA | PHOTO COURTESY
Here’s to all of our first-year friends.
Opinion Editor
Here’s a shout out to all those people who surrounded my first couple weeks on-campus, and who I now rarely see. For those of us who’ve been on campus for at least year, it may seem hard to remember a time when our group of friends or closest companion wasn’t in our lives. It can be hard to look at freshman and remember the panic of getting to your first class and showing up thirty minutes early or not buying the books from the bookstore for the first day. I remember when I got to campus I was absolutely terrified
of one thing: not finding any friends. As the only person from my high-school to attend NDSU, I truly felt so much more alone than any of my fellow classmates. It felt like the opportunity to meet people would have passed, and so I grasped for someone, anyone, to spend time with me. I see the same desperation from many freshman as they form quick and tight bonds with others. The truth is that today, I rarely see any of the people I once felt so close to that first week. Occasionally I’ll see that friend who went to a Welcome Week event with me or that girl who sat next to me in the dining center during my first meal. Some of them were even in classes with
me. However, now those people I once thought might be my college friends are just people I give a quick smile to on my way to class.
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Here’s a shout out to all those people who surrounded my first couple weeks on-campus, and who I now rarely see.
These people were so important to me, as they’re important to all freshman. Most
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new students here are fresh out of high school, where they made friends of convenience to survive twelve years of schooling together.
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Delaney Halloran
The dynamics in college are different. People can choose who to add to their lives and who they
may be better off without. People can go and find kindred spirits who show them what it means to feel truly yourself around another person. So those friends who kept you from driving straight home that first week may not end up staying in your life throughout college, but they certainly are the reason you’re still here. So here’s to those first-week friends. Here’s to all those people who showed us that it’s okay to choose who you give your time to. Here’s to the awkward icebreakers and exchanging dozens of Snapchat usernames. And here’s to hoping that even if we couldn’t be friends that those they’re friends with now make them really happy.
STUDY ABROAD DAY THURSDAY, SEPT. 5 RESOURCE FAIR 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Thundar’s Den, Memorial Union, Lower Level Talk to faculty leaders, affiliate providers and returned study abroad students to learn about opportunities abroad. Vote for your favorite photo from returned students. Collect NDSU passport stamps for a chance to win $250 toward an airline ticket from STA Travel and other prizes.
ndsu.edu/studyabroad
The Spectrum | Opinion | THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019
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To sleep around Throwing house or to settle down? parties is depressing A fresh take on that all too present dilemma
If your whole personality revolves around getting freshman drunk, you’re sad
Sophia Rios
Contributing Writer
almost fifteen thousand students, yet I still haven’t found one person who I’d be willing to spend a good chunk of my time with. This may be a personal issue, but I know many other students feel the same. Getting into a relationship seems like a great idea until you think about the logistics. Most of us honestly just don’t have time for a significant other. You have class, homework, extracurriculars, a job. All these responsibilities add up and it’s overwhelming when you try to bring another person into the equation. Not to mention taking that other person’s schedule into consideration. It can be a terrifying feat to face, yet so many do it with ease. College is the time to be selfish and focus on yourself, so dating can quickly be shoved to the back burner. Making such a deep and vulnerable connection with someone is something so beautiful and scary. You take a chance and open up to someone, find something special. It can be anxiety-inducing, maddening, yet exhilarating. Both options I’ve listed have their pros and cons, but which choice is right for me? This question still floats around my mind because I am unable to answer it. Blame it on being young and indecisive, but I still have no idea what I want. But I’ve come to the consensus that it’s okay to be unsure. This time is designed for us to figure out who we are and what we want. Whether that be to have multiple short-term sex partners or a long-term one, the choice is yours.
NOVUM IS STILL HERE FOR YOU! WE ARE EXPANDING INTO HIGHER PAYING STUDIES!
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Party culture is sad.
Delaney Halloran Opinion Editor
North Dakota State University seems to be infamous for two things: football and party culture. At its best these two things can bring together very different segments of the student population. However, when it comes to party culture at NDSU, there’s a dark and depressing corner people seem to accept: the depressing nature of throwing a house party. As freshman slowly find their way around campus, they not only hear about house parties, but are actively encouraged to go to them. While on campus early I witnessed freshmen females being approached by groups of boys passing on addresses. During the Welcome Rally, I watched as a group of drunken idiots, who could not have been less than seniors, tried to encourage girls to separate from their friends and go back to their house. There are those who live off-campus who spend every weekend scouring Snapchats and texting strangers trying to fill their house with drunk teenagers only to get shut down by the police in fifteen minutes. The truth is that if your whole social life revolves around a culture of intoxication, stupidity, and a general lack of cleanliness (these houses are disgusting) then your life is pretty sad. NDSU is a college. Many students seem to forget it, but when it comes down to it, their time here is reliant on being a student first and foremost. So when house parties are being thrown by individuals who either graduated years ago or more likely, never made it to graduation at all, it speaks highly of the kind of people who are encouraged to throw these parties. Here are some quick questions to ask yourself to determine whether or not your house party is a nice social affair or a sad party: 1. Are the walls of your house covered in alcohol paraphernalia or a “Saturdays Are For the Boys” sign? 2. Does your home lack bed frames and/or physical doors?
3. Are the majority of the people entering your home for a party either underage or absolute strangers? 4. Do you attest that your alcoholism is a side effect of being a college student and not an actual problem? 5. Are you regularly out of toilet paper for days at a time?
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Despite the expectation that house parties will be fun to attend, they are merely a reminder of what party culture will actually lead to if it’s your whole personality: a dirty house, a half-finished business degree, and a lot of lotion and kleenex.
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During my limited time in university, I’ve dealt with an internal conflict that I cannot shake. One that many students my age face as well. It is a personal struggle that makes us human: biology versus society. Do I sleep around or do I look to settle down? It’s something that seems childish, I know. In time, the choice becomes clear, but for now, I abuse my youth to risk it all on another notch in my belt. Both options have their perks, on one hand; I don’t have any emotional attachment to that person. You have nights of fun and fooling around, it becomes a dirty secret between you and them. It’s just so damn fun. This option is perfect for the ones who don’t like commitment and want something (or someone) to help pass the time. Sex is also a human craving we all have and have the need to fulfill. College is the ideal time to make dumb choices and learn from our mistakes. You begin to understand what you like, who you mesh well with, and things you should avoid. This can become an issue on campuses, as many people do sleep with multiple partners and the student body serves as a petri dish for disease and sexually transmitted infections. So, screw around with caution. On the flip side, relationships fulfill the need for sex (if you’re into that) and provide human connection. Find your person, fall in love, gain a best friend. Dating is fun yet expensive, so this can be an automatic turnoff for broke college students. It seems so easy to find the right person on a campus of
6. Can you not hold a conversation with your ‘friends’ whilst not under the influence of alcohol? 7. Do you spout a rich and vibrant sex life but go to bed alone every night? If you answered yes to any of these questions, or if they turned up some uncomfortable feelings within yourself, it might be time to reconsider your choice of social pastime. Despite the expectation that house parties will be fun to attend, they are merely a reminder of what party culture will actually lead to if it’s your whole personality: a dirty house, a half-finished business degree and a lot of lotion and kleenex.
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SPORTS
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019
Luck hangs ‘em up Colts star quarterback suddenly retires
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Colts quarterback, Andrew Luck, retired on August 24.
Ian Longtin Sports Editor
On August 24, 2019 at 8:28 p.m. Adam Schefter dropped a Twitter bomb. He informed the world that Andrew Luck would retire. Anyone who was mid-drink did a spit take. Anyone who was driving had to do their best to not veer off the road. The 29-year-old just recently signed a mega-contract, was about to enter the prime of his career, and finally he seemed to have a good enough team around him to make a run at a championship. So why would he step away from the game two weeks before the season kicks off?
Only he knows the true answer, but let’s speculate because we can. The first thing that comes to mind is Luck’s injury history. Throughout his six years in the NFL, Luck has torn cartilage in two ribs, partially tore his abdomen, lacerated his kidney, has had at least 1 concussion, tore a labrum in his throwing shoulder that some thought would end his career and just recently sustained a weird calf/ankle issue that nobody really knows the severity of. Talk about a rough go for a guy that was as good a quarterback prospect as anyone that has ever stepped into the league. One can only imagine the physical and mental toll these injuries took on Luck. It certainly does not help that almost all
these injuries have come within the last four years. Luck is still a young man with a family and has more money than he knows what to do with. Is it so crazy to think Luck would not want to put his future with them at risk? Playing in the NFL can affect people physically for the rest of their lives, so it is tough to blame Luck for not wanting to put himself at risk more than he already has. The second thing that comes to mind is maybe Luck has lost his love for the game. Football has always needed Luck more than Luck needed football. Luck is extremely smart and graduated from Stanford with a 3.48 g.p.a. and a degree in environmental engineering. It is just a bonus for him that
he happens to be one of the best football players on the planet. Luck even stayed at Stanford a year more than he had to. If he had declared early he almost certainly would have been a top-two pick in the draft. He stayed anyways, risking injury or regression in his play, both in which may have cost Luck millions of dollars. Luck seems to understand that he has tremendous athletic gifts, but knows that life is much more than a career in the NFL. In reality it is probably a combination of both his injuries and his lack of love for the game, mixed with some of his personal thoughts and feelings that led to his retirement. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure that out, but Luck’s retirement is one of the biggest stunners in recent history, so it is worth taking a look at. There is a common theme with all-time great players that retire in their prime. Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, and Calvin Johnson all seemed to have one thing in common: they did not believe they had anything left to give. Of course, physically they had had plenty left. However the grueling mental and emotional toll of playing professional football burnt them out. Why should they keep playing just because everyone says they should? The same will be said for Luck in the coming days and weeks. It is his own life, and he was brave enough to walk away when he wanted too, knowing full well the backlash he would receive. One of the cool things about this story is the amount of support Luck has gotten. Yes, Colts fans did shower him in boo’s as he exited the field. Can anyone blame them? Was it the right thing to boo him? Probably not. However, these fans just learned their star quarterback was ditching out on his team with Super Bowl hopes. It was a knee-jerk reaction that actually makes sense. Outside of those few fans, the number of coaches, teammates and people in the media supporting Luck’s decision have been enormous. Of course there will be the few bitter fans out there, but they are the outliers. Troy Aikman, T.Y. Hilton and Frank Reich have all gone out of their way to support the former quarterback. I will miss watching Andrew Luck play football. Luck was a special kind of talent. He made the NFL more fun. He came into the league having to follow the legend of Peyton Manning, but never let that phase him. As a player he was as tough as they come, a good leader, and a great teammate. As a man he was widely regarded as one of the NFL’s nicest dudes, and someone opposing players respected. I challenge you to go and find a teammate or opponent that has said one negative thing about Luck. Andrew Luck should walk away from the game with a big smile, and his head high.
The wild August in the NFL Antonio Brown, Daniel Jones, Andrew Luck, oh my! David Hoffman Staff Writer
With the NFL preseason wrapping up this weekend, plenty of drama has surfaced. From mini-camp to training camp to full pads games, the NFL always finds a way to make things interesting on and off the field. Here are just a few of the craziest stories to come out during the offseason.
Antonio’s got cold feet
While Antonio Brown almost always has some news and drama surrounding him, his current incident has to be one of his more embarrassing. As Brown begins to start with his new team the Raiders, he’s spending a
lot of time enacting some unique training practices. One method he uses is cryotherapy. Cryotherapy is the use of low temperatures in medical therapy, and apparently one of Brown’s appointments went wrong. He showed to Raiders practice with frostbite on his feet. Although he’s still been out an about at practice, he’s hasn’t played a preseason game yet. Is his injury worse than he claimed? I guess we’ll find out.
Daniel and the Giants
Taking a quick step back to the draft, one of
the biggest moments came when the New York Giants drafted quarterback, Daniel Jones. Jones was the sixth overall pick, well ahead of where anybody thought he would go. Giants fans were irate, and broadcasters were critical. However, in the past three weeks the narrative seems to have changed. In three preseason games, Jones has gone 25 of 30 passing for 369 yards. Tack on two touchdowns and it makes for a pretty nice stat list. The Giants fans seem to have noticed and have changed the boos to cheers for the rookie QB, but what about the Eli-phant in the room. Two Super Bowl winner Eli Manning seems to have some left in the tank, so Eli is back. While the Giants
management claims that Eli is with no doubt going to be the starter when the regular season comes around, some are starting to question that choice. Eli Manning has been in a slow decline for years. Everyone seems to know it is time to move on. Everyone except the Giants it seems. If Jones keeps his stellar play up, he may force New York’s hand.
Andrew Unlucky
Heading west to Indianapolis, big news came from the Colts organization this weekend. Veteran QB announced his retirement with just weeks before the start of the regular season. The surprising news leaked in the midst of a preseason game against the Bears. At the end of the game, a flood of boos and media
surrounded number 12. The 29-year-old was drafted number 1 overall in 2012. In his first three seasons, he hit a lot of success with over four thousand yards in two of them and a 96.5 QB rating in 2014. In 2015 though, Luck got his first pair of injuries, missing 9 games. In 2016, he returned with a solid season of 4,000 plus yards missing one game with a minor injury. In 2017, Luck got a shoulder surgery which had some questioning whether he would ever play again. Then the 2018 season rolled around and Luck shut everyone up. He led the Colts to a playoff birth, making himself an MVP candidate along the way. The Colts have been a spicy pick to win the Super
Bowl coming into the 2019 season. Then just a few weeks ago, Luck sustained a mysterious ankle injury. The ankle injury was only supposed to sideline Luck for a week or two tops. Yet as the regular season slowly approached, there were talks Luck could miss the first two weeks. Luck cited these injuries as a big part of his early retirement stating, “It’s taken my joy of the game away.” Without a doubt, this is sad news for the NFL and the Colts, but the continuous debate will go on about whether he made the right decision. Regardless, the Colts have been left a bit dead in the water and what they do for the current QB situation will be an interesting story as well.
The Spectrum | Sports | THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019
11
Bison football is back, tell a friend As always, it’s good to be a Bison
The journey for the championship title begins August 31.
Ian Longtin Sports Editor
North Dakota State football is back. The journey for another title is set to commence this Saturday at 3:00 p.m. against Butler. The first few weeks of the season look to be a time of adjustment for fans, as well as the players. Coach Klieman took his talents to Kansas State, so it’s the Matt Entz show until further notice. The big question surrounding Entz and the team as the whole is who was going to be behind center for the Herd. Early last week Entz
made it official, Trey Lance is the next man up for the Bison. Lance and transfer Zeb Noland have been battling for the job for months. In the opening statements of his press conference on Monday, Entz emphasized that picking a starting quarterback was their “number one priority.” Entz also mentioned that since he’s told the quarterbacks who would be starting, everyone has seemed to relax. “I think there was a sigh of relief in the quarterback room.” When further asked about how Lance has responded since becoming the starter, Entz said “(He’s put) less pressure on
JOHN SWANSON | THE SPECTRUM
himself in practice… he’s making decisions at practice and just cutting it loose. Before I think he was trying to make everything perfect.” It will be fun to see Lance and the new look Bison attack in action against Butler. Per usual, the expectations will be high for the Bison this year. Despite graduating in the most seniors in the team’s history, NDSU is still the top-ranked team heading into the year. A new coach, a new quarterback, and tons of roster turnover, yet the Herd is still top dog. I suppose after seven championships in eight years, that’s the respect the
program gets. The Butler Bulldogs, on the other hand, are coming off a tough 4-7 season that ended in mid-November. However, Butler did give the Bison one reason to be sure they are not overlooked. In their season opener last year, Butler marched into Youngstown and took down the heavily favored Youngstown State Penguins. Coach Entz even mentioned he showed his players and staff the celebration Butler had after their game-winning field goal. What makes the week one game even more interesting is the venue. Target Field in
Minneapolis will play house for this game. This gives both the Herd and the Bulldogs a chance to showcase their talent on a very unique stage. Football is weird. Baseball is even weirder. Play football on a baseball field and just throw everything you think you know out the door. Also, here is a stat that shows Bison fans the utter, legendary dominance the Bison have been able to sustain. Since 2010, the Bison have won 121 games. The next closest team is Sam Houston State with 92. The Bison are playing chess, the rest of the FCS is playing checkers.
Terrible fantasy advice Getting to know the challengers B i g g e s t d ra f t b u s t s The rest of the FCS sets their sights on the Bison In case you were holding out for good draft advice Philip Atneosen Staff Writer
The time has finally come: draft season is upon us. Ever since the summer started, I’ve been studying harder (sorry, mom) than I had all school year. But, let’s be clear about one thing: I didn’t do all that studying for myself, I did it for the Spectrum’s loyal audience so that they could take the summer off and relax. So, here’s the best advice I can give you before you draft. Nobody likes to waste draft picks on busts, but finding those busts is easier said than done. I’m not guaranteeing that each of these players will bust, but I am telling you that it’s not worth the risk to draft them where they’re being drafted now. Keep in mind that the season isn’t won on draft night. It’s crucial that you pay attention to your team throughout the season. Without further ado, these are my bust picks for this season’s draft.
RB’s Melvin Gordon and Ezekiel Elliott
Who could forget Le’Veon Bell’s season last year? He was drafted most often as one of the top two picks in the draft, and he didn’t play a single snap. This year, Chargers RB Gordon and Cowboys RB Elliott are in similar contract disputes. Both of these players could sort out their contracts before the season starts, but why risk it? These two are going in the second and first rounds, respectively. In those rounds, you are better off going with a player you know is going to play. Let someone else in your league take that shot, and holdout on them until their holdouts are over.
WR Amari Cooper
Even if I ignored the contract dispute with the Cowboys and the heel injury that’s keeping him out through the rest of the preseason, I would still advise against drafting Amari Cooper. Believers in Cooper will tell you that he finished with
over 1000 yards last season even though he got traded mid-season. My counterpoint to that is that Amari Cooper is inconsistent no matter who he plays for. In eight games with Dallas last year, Cooper accumulated 725 yards and six touchdowns. If you take away his two monster performances, he had 328 yards and only one touchdown. Cooper will probably finish as a top 15 WR, but you won’t be happy that you spent a third-round pick on him.
QB Drew Brees
Drew Brees is one of the best quarterbacks in the game, even at the ripe age of 40. He’s also on one of the league’s top three offenses. So why is he a bad investment as the 7th QB off the board? Last season, Brees failed to reach 4000 yards and 500 attempts for the first time as a Saint. He was hyper-efficient, but his volume has been expectedly decreasing since the Saints improved their defense. Why take Brees as the 7th QB when his ceiling is around the 5th overall QB? In order for him to make the top 5, you are banking on the Saints defense being worse than last year. There are picks with more upside you could take rounds later.
TE Eric Ebron
It’s no secret that Andrew Luck loves his tight ends. The starting TE for the Colts always has value. But who exactly is the starting TE? I’m inclined to believe it’s Jack Doyle when he’s healthy. Ebron might be the bigger end zone threat, but do you really want a boom-or-bust player as your starting tight end? Ebron is currently the 10th TE off the board and the 89th player taken. If you are selecting your first tight end at this point in the draft, you might as well shoot for someone who could command a larger target share in their offense. Mark Andrews (Ravens) and Darren Waller (Raiders) stand out to me as virtually free options in the draft who could become centerpieces in their respective offenses. Editors note: this piece was written before Andrew Luck *gasp* retired
Taylor Schloemer Staff Writer
As it seems to be every year, the North Dakota State Bison enter a new football season as the favorite to take the title again. However, the perceived gap between the Bison and the rest of the FCS is just that, perceived. With seemingly the majority of the subdivision in a state of flux, here is a preview of the FCS as the season gets set to kick off.
A Valley challenger approaches?
On paper, NDSU should win the Missouri Valley once again. The problem is, football is played on the field, and this could cause the Bison headaches. Three key Valley road games for the Bison could lead to a challenger, and it kicks off with a trip to Illinois State. The Redbirds had a season of two halves last year, beating FBS Colorado State early before missing the playoffs by losing four of their last five games. Perhaps the best running back in the subdivision James Robinson returns for Illinois State. NDSU gets backto-back road games to South Dakota State and Youngstown State. SDSU seeks to replace four-year starting quarterback Taryn Christion, but the Jacks always play the Bison tough. The same can be said about the Penguins. If either of those three teams
can knock-off the Bison, the door can be open for a Valley title. The other challenger to the top comes in the form of Indiana State. The Sycamores are a program trending in the right direction and could be the “dark horse” in the Valley this year, but they are firmly on the radar now.
The reason Fargo cares about the CAA
As well as NDSU handled the departure of former coach Chris Klieman, the same can not be said about James Madison. The drama, for lack of a better term, surrounding Mike Houston’s courtship by FBS programs and eventual move to East Carolina, could be put down as a reason for the team’s loss in the second round of the playoffs. New coach Curt Cignetti was impressive at Elon and looks to continue fielding fine teams. The new coaching staff also includes former Maine defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, who put together one of the best defenses in the FCS last year that lead to an impressive playoff run. Ben DiNucci is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the FCS but will need to cure the turnover bug for a deep run. Otherwise, the Dukes return with 20 starters from last year. NDSU will give the CAA a litmus test with an
early trip to Delaware, one of the teams that was in the gaggle at the top of the conference last season.
Sky’s the limit
The Big Sky surprised everyone last season with placing three teams among the top-eight playoff seeds. All three are ready to make noise again. Last season’s runner-up Eastern Washington get muchneeded stability in the form of Eric Barriere as the quarterback and stable running backs as well. Speaking of quarterbacks, UC Davis returns with Walter Payton Award frontrunner Jake Maier. The biggest downside for an otherwise solid returning offense is the loss of last year’s top receiver Keelan Doss. The defense is the biggest question and will get tested in Fargo later this year. Weber State looks to make it three straight conference titles but will need a reload on the defensive side of the ball. All three teams are still in the conversation for top seeds come November.
The rest of the field
Jacksonville State, Nichols State and Wofford can all be tossed into the conversation for seeds come November as well. All three teams come with the same big question: can they hold up against teams in the top-three conference that play high-quality opponents throughout the season? Lately, the answer has been no.
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