The Signal: Spring '20 No. 3

Breaking news, blogs and more at TCNJSignal.net.

Vol. LII, No. 3

February 12, 2020

Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885

College takes From oppression to empowerment, activist inspires measures against coronavirus

By Len La Rocca News Editor Students who are returning to the College from China must fill out an online form as a precautionary measure against an on-campus outbreak of the coronavirus, according to a college-wide email sent on Feb. 3 from Janice Vermeychuk, the director of Student Health Services.

Steps to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Mercer County are being taken, with Princeton University having fewer than 20 students in self-quarantine as of Feb. 4, according to NJ.com. Symptoms of the virus include fever, cough and shortness of breath, as well as nausea and digestive issues.

At the College, however, Vermeychuk assured that this is merely a proactive collection of information, and not an indication of danger to the campus.

“Although some students may be concerned about getting 2019-nCoV (Coronavirus), it is much more likely that they will get the flu,” she wrote. “Flu is widespread in New Jersey and each day we diagnose the flu in students.”

Possible further action will be based on the answers given by respondents. These responses will determine a student’s risk category as low, moderate or high, according to Luke Sacks, the head media relations officer at the College. see HEALTH page 2

Davis addresses the origins of Black History Month.

By Len La Rocca News Editor

Growing up, her neighborhood was a constant target for Klu Klux Klan bombings. Today, she is a renowned civil rights activist, fighting to stop history from repeating itself.

In honor of Black History Month, civil rights activist Angela Davis reflected on racial justice progress in America, while also emphasizing the need for more change. She spoke to a packed Kendall Hall audience on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m.

Acts of white supremacy infested every aspect of Davis’ young life, down to the textbooks she read in school.

“During those days, [Black history]

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week was only celebrated in the black schools by black people,” Davis said. “Our teachers were compelled to teach from textbooks that were formulated by white supremacists. I’ll never forget my old elementary school history book represented black people as ‘deeply sorry’ about the outcome of the Civil War… this was in my American history textbook.”

Davis explained the need to celebrate both the black community and indigenous people during black history month, as both groups have faced extreme oppression.

Davis prefers the term ‘black’ over ‘African-American’, as she believes ‘American’ has become an exclusive term used to identify white people in the United States.

“It would be one thing if we used the term American in order to acknowledge all of the Americans,” she said. “That would be North America, South America, Central America... but the U.S. has kind of colonized that term ‘American.’ This is the only country in the Americas where people say ‘I’m American.’”

Davis also touched on why February was chosen for Black History Month, citing the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglass.

She posed a thought-provoking question to the audience: when is Fredrick Douglass’ birthday? The exact date is a mystery to historians, as Douglass was born into slavery and his birth records were not kept.

Douglass chose a birthday of his own, which Davis believes is symbolic of a man who escaped the shackles of slavery and wished to abolish it.

“Fredrick Douglass chose February 14th as his birthdate, which in my opinion, reflects an awareness of the link between freedom and love,” she said.

Davis referred to President Trump as “the person whom I promise not to name.”

She specifically expressed anger towards his campaign slogans’ implication of regression.

“What was his campaign slogan?... make America white again? Because it seems like that’s what it was about,” she said. “You know, conservatism is always been directed towards the past—toward a time when a smaller proportion of the population had access to material and political see RACE page 3

TikTok takes world by storm, launches users to fame

By Rich Miller Arts & Entertainment Editor

From preteens, teenagers and college students to grandparents, medical professionals and even A-list celebrities, its popularity has become so intense that nearly every age group and demographic has taken a stab at finding internet fame. Each demographic is dancing, lip syncing and producing comedic videos in hopes of appealing to the masses.

Which app could generate such a frenzy? TikTok, the social video sharing platform that has taken the world by storm.

Whether users are ranting about their annoying coworkers, giving a tutorial on how to make s’mores in a dorm microwave or grieving their most recent break up by dancing to a Lizzo hit, people can make it big on TikTok for doing just about anything.

“It has changed my life for the better and I wouldn’t change it for the world.” said Jake Bensulock, a 16-year old from Scotch Plains, N.J., who has accumulated nearly 200,000 followers and over 3.6 million likes on his videos.

With 1.65 million downloads, over 500 million active users and 738 million installs in 2019 alone, TikTok has begun to outperform popular social media apps like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, according to DataReportal.

The app’s concept is simple — users create and share short video clips ranging from 15 to 60 seconds. The

INDEX:

Editorial / page 5

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platform started as an outlet for mostly lip-syncing to popular songs and media clips, but as its popularity has grown, so has the breadth of its videos. Some of the most common are centered around comedic observations, obscure pop culture, geographic references, interesting talents, cooking or musical covers. But the most popular and widest sweeping trend on TikTok? Dancing.

On the app, the videos are tall and rectangular, much like the popular ‘Stories’ feature on Snapchat and Instagram.

You navigate through these videos by scrolling up and down, which differs from the left or right model popularized by dating apps.

When creating a video, users have a myriad of tools to help them in producing their content. The number of filters (a photo editing feature popularized by Instagram) and background sounds a user can choose from seem limitless.

These soundbytes take from popular music, television, movies and other media, which users personalize by adding lip-syncing and humorous captions.

After you watch a video on TikTok, you can tap a button on the bottom of the screen to try and make a video with the same sound. The most popular videos become memes that you can imitate, or riff on, often having hundreds of thousands of people trying out the same sound in hopes of going viral.

Original themed dances are often created by popular creators and then attempted by the masses on TikTok, and dances that get especially popular often become dance

Opinions / page 8

‘Fat Boy Sandwich’ Two Brothers Pizza honors fraternity with menu item See Features page 9

Features / page 9

Julia Meehan / Photo Editor

The app features a myriad of creators.

trends in real life as well.

Some of the biggest trends have helped older singers have a resurgence and newer ones achieve massive success. Mariah Carey’s 2009 song “Obsessed” made a remergence on the Billboard Hot 100

Arts & Entertainment / page 12

see TREND page 12 Sports / page 16

CUB Alt First concert features alternative songwriters

Basketball Team shuts down two opponents

See A&E page 12

See Sports page 16

page 2 The Signal February 12, 2020

Health / College addresses coronavirus Vital Signs: College

meals can be healthy

By Victoria Giardina Columnist

tcnj.edu

Health Services is located in Eickhoff Hall Room 107. continued from page 1 “Per NJDOH guidance for colleges, individuals who are high or moderate risk category are expected to quarantine themselves, including restrictions for work/school for the incubation period for coronavirus,” Sacks said. “On-campus students would be sent home during this period.”

Princeton University students in self-quarantine were given university housing, according to a letter to the editor in The Daily Princetonian by an anonymous student in quarantine.

Similar measures would be taken here at the College should a moderate or high-risk student be unable to find housing.

“The student would be offered suitable housing and needs,” Sacks said. “Student Health Services would

conduct daily monitoring of individuals in the high and moderate-risk groups to assess for symptoms.”

Ewing locals have mixed reactions to the potential proximity of the global pandemic.

“I was weirded-out today when I went to Whole Foods and saw customers walking around with masks,” said Ewing resident Andrew Auletta. “My shopping trip was pretty short.”

ShopRite on North Olden Avenue in Ewing has sold out of protective face masks used to prevent infection and has them on backorder, according to their pharmacy department.

Some health professionals believe that this rush to grab face masks in the U.S. is unnecessary.

“This panic buying in low-risk countries like the U.S. may lead to a lack of masks in settings that really

need them,” Vermeychuk wrote.

However, according to the current expectations of the CDC on CDC.gov, more cases will surface in the U.S. News around the virus’ spread seemingly breaks by the minute. As of the date of publication, there are zero cases of possible or confirmed coronavirus at the College. Students can only hope that this pandemic is entirely contained soon and continue to practice diligent hygiene.

“The advice to help decrease the spread of respiratory viruses is always the same,” Vermeychuk wrote. “Wash your hands before touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, after using the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose.”

With so many papers, exams and extracurricular activities, it may seem like you have to rush to squeeze in something to eat during a 10-minute break. And you can only eat a grilled chicken salad so many days in a row.

Meal prep does not have to consist of an extravagant buffet of fresh veggies and each food group in Tupperware. As a college student, it may be difficult to find time to cook. Here are ways to redefine meal prepping to attain a nutritious and well-varied plan for the week.

Take Advantage of Different Dining Hall Stations Eickhoff Hall has so many healthy meal options for different eaters. Whether you’re craving Mexican food or are looking for a vegetarian meal, browse around the dining hall and take advantage of different stations. Grabbing grilled chicken from the grill, rice from the pasta corner and broccoli from the salad bar makes for a wholesome and delicious meal without the hassle of actually preparing it yourself.

Order Out What You Usually Don’t Have It’s Friday night and you are going out to a restaurant. Instead of ordering the go-to meal that you eat before your night class, order something that you don’t typically have to switch up your diet.

Planning a night out with friends in advance will have you thinking about different menu options than what you are used to and will allow you to meal-prep accordingly. If you typically eat mac n’ cheese in your room, a night out for some Chinese food will switch things up and add variety to your eating pattern.

SG swears in members, discusses new bills

Left: The board gathers for the first time this semester. Right: Members are sworn in.

By Gabriella Lucci Staff Writer

Student Government swore in two newly appointed members and voted on a plastic bag ban at their first general body meeting of the semester on Wednesday, Feb. 5, in the Decker Social Space.

Executive President Patty Kou started off the meeting by introducing and swearing in two newly appointed members: Neil Trivedi, the vice president for administration and finance, and Roshni Raji, the vice president for governmental affairs.

Next, Kou announced that the Surf Club, which was proposed in the fall of 2019, would be presenting at next week’s meeting.

She also introduced the old business which included the I-F2019-03: Single-Use Plastic Policy that was proposed last fall.

The policy, which proposed a ban of plastic

bags in all dining halls at the College by January 2021, was reintroduced for voting.

Members discussed goals for the ban, including raising awareness across campus about what plastic bags can do to the environment, making reusable bags at school events and handing out free reusable tote bags during welcome week.

To cover costs, each student would be charged a fee of 10-15 cents per bag. The bill was passed.

Following the voting, the governance reports were presented and the heads of each committee briefly covered what was happening on campus.

The cabinet reports consisted mostly of welcome-backs, congratulations to the newly appointed members and reminders about upcoming events.

During her report, Kou announced that President Foster, who is encouraging student

Julia Meehan / Photo Editor

feedback, will attend the General Body meeting on Feb. 19.

Vice President for Academic Affairs Kelsey Cogan announced that there are still open senator positions for the following: Arts and Communication (1), Senators of Business (2), Senators of Humanities and Social Sciences (5) and Senator of Science (1). The deadline to apply for senator positions is Feb. 9, with the exception for the Senator of Science position, which is Feb. 16.

SG advisers Avani Rana and Dave Conner welcomed the students back for the semester.

“We really just encourage everyone, as always, (to) take the opportunity to come out and to learn, to do things together (and) take the opportunity to really understand the privilege you all have to be parts of these different processes,” Conner said.

February 12, 2020 The Signal page 3

Race / Angela Davis stresses importance of Black History Month continued from page 1

Students stand in applause as the speaker arrives.

Julia Meehan / Photo Editor

and philosophical resources.”

Davis is a former member of the Communist party and explained why she pulled away from the movement. She cited that an understanding of the evolution of the civil rights movement would require challenging Marxist beliefs.

“If we really want to understand how these movements evolve, we would have to challenge the marginalization of communists,” Davis said.

Davis also emphasized the malleability of racism and the need for hope.

“Things change,” Davis said. “Nothing ever remains the same. Racism doesn’t remain the same. Racism is not what it was during the era of slavery or during the aftermath of slavery. It is impossible to understand racism of the twenty-first century without recognizing the way in which it is articulated with the torture and the military assaults and the ideological demension of the so

called war on terror.”

Gender violence was Davis’ final topic. While she acknowledged the anger and desire for vengeance against sexual assault, she highlighted the need to stray away from revenge.

“Abolition encourages us to think beyond vengeance, beyond vengeance…toward ways of depositing gender violence into the dustbin of history,” Davis said.

Students gathered in the Brower Student Center Room 100 to meet Davis at a book signing after the show. Yanaja Joyner, a senior African-American Studies and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies double major was overjoyed with Davis’ lecture.

“That woman is so amazing on so many levels, and the fact that she was able to come here and give her unfiltered truth was just great,” she said.

“Especially because she is still a little controversial and very progessive— even for our time.”

Campus Police responds to inebriation, stolen bike

By Colleen Rushnak Staff Writer

Student reports stolen bike At approximately 3:14 p.m. on Jan. 27, a student reported a bicycle theft to Campus Police. She last saw her 21 Speed lavender Magna bicycle on the left bicycle rack of Hausdoerffer Hall on Dec. 17, 2019, at approximately 7 p.m.

The bicycle was secured with a lock and only her ex-boyfriend knew the combination, but she believed he had nothing to do with the incident. According to the student, she noticed the bicycle missing on Jan. 26 at 7 p.m.

The bike is seven years old and valued at approximately $50. It was registered with TCNJPD in 2016. She believed her father may have taken her bicycle, and when the Campus Police officer asked why he would take her bicycle, she stated, “he does things like that.”

Campus Police respond to report of intoxicated person On Feb. 2 at approximately 3:10 a.m., Campus Police was dispatched to Wolfe Hall on the report of an intoxicated student. Campus Police then learned that TCNJ EMS had been dispatched to Wolfe Hall.

Upon arrival, Campus Police was met by a CA who reported that the student was intoxicated and needed medical attention.

Campus Police observed the student in a chair alert and conscious. When questioning the intoxicated female, her speech was not slurred and alcoholic bever-

ages were emanating from her breath. She admitted to drinking alcoholic beverages earlier at an off-campus location. She had approximately five cups worth of “jungle juice.” She further explained when she got back on campus, she started to feel her heart-rate rise, and started to have a panic attack.

Because she sought out her CA’s help, the student was not issued a “B” summons due to immunity of prosecution under TCNJ Amnesty Policy.

Two mixed drinks frazzle student On Feb. 2 at approximately 1:05 a.m., Campus Police responded to a report of an intoxicated student in Wolfe Hall. Ewing Township EMS had been dispatched to Wolfe Hall as well.

Upon arrival, Campus Police was met by the female, who is not a student from the College. She was sitting in a chair, alert and conscious.

When Campus Police questioned her, her speech was not slurred, but the odor of alcoholic beverages was emanating from her breath.

The victim and her friends admitted to drinking alcoholic beverages earlier at an off-campus location.

They stated they each had approximately two cups worth of “mixed drinks.” A student from the College confirmed the two cups of beverages.

At approximately 1:15 a.m., Ewing Township EMS arrived on the scene and assumed patient care.

TCNJ EMS evaluated the student and was able to clear her. The student was issued “B” Summons for 2C:33-15.a. Possession or consumption of alcoholic

beverages in a public place or motor vehicle by person under legal age.

Police crack down on marijuana On Feb. at approximately 10:03 p.m., Campus Police was dispatched to Allen Hall on a report of the smell of marijuana. An officer arrived on the scene at approximately 10:05 p.m. and met with a CA who smelled the scent of marijuana along with a strong “air freshener” smell emanating from the room.

The Campus Police officer knocked on the door and was met by a student. The officer asked if he could come into the room and speak with both students in the room, and he agreed. Upon entering the room, the Campus Police officer detected burnt marijuana.

Both students admitted to smoking marijuana approximately one hour before the officers’ arrival. Campus Police then asked if there was still marijuana in the room, to which he stated “yes” and retrieved some.

TCNJ Professional Staff on call was contacted and advised the incident on the scene at 10:20 p.m. Upon arrival, the Professional Staff on call was advised they would be contacted once arrest processing was completed at headquarters. Professional Staff would meet with them once processing was completed.

At 10:22 p.m., the students arrived at headquarters without incident. While being placed under arrest, one of them had a panic attack and immediately requested EMS. Ewing EMS arrived on scene to treat and evaluate the condition. They refused medical attention and signed a refusal form at approximately 10:33 p.m.

SFB funds Alpha Phi Alpha, Ambiance

Board comes together after rough end to semester

By Len La Rocca News Editor The Student Finance Board (SFB) got back on track in their Feb. 5 meeting, fully funding three events after allocating 65 percent of the Student Activity Fee (SAF) in an erroneous end to its fall semester.

Two student representatives from the Haitian Student Organization kicked off the meeting with a presentation on the organization’s annual Ambiance event.

The event will feature a DJ, a Haitian band and a gift card giveaway. The board fully funded the organization $10,370.60 with the stipulations that any gift cards given away must be valid exclusively in Campus Town businesses. The event will take place on March 7 in Brower Student Center Room 100 from 7 to 11 p.m.

The board motioned to zero fund Alpha Phi Alpha’s Crochet for a Cause event due to its constitution, which prohibits the funding of charity events.

Union Latina’s COPA event was on the docket to present, but will be revisited at a later date since members could not attend the meeting. Additionally, the board questioned the event’s need for both a DJ and a live musical act.

Representatives from Club Field Hockey presented their executive board retreat to Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine, to the board. The representatives outlined specifics, such as gas money, hotel pricing and food accommodations, to dignify their request of $1,486.60.

The board voted to fully fund the retreat with a stipulation that the club cannot use funds for sit-down meals in restaurants.

Colleges Against Cancer requested a base budget of $60 for general crafts and supplies.

Due to the aforementioned rule that SAF funding cannot be used toward charities, the board elected to zero fund the request.

However, the board voted to fully fund the organization’s executive board retreat to Hershey Park with a stipulation that no meals may be had in sit-down restaurants and any tips for meals through avenues such as room service may not exceed 18 percent of the check.

The Anthropology Society closed out the meeting with a request of $130 for tshirt uniforms for staffers to wear at their event, the Archaeolympics, which was already funded at a previous meeting.

The event will take place on the Business Building lawn on April 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

page 4 The Signal February 12, 2020

February 12, 2020 The Signal page 5

Editorial Students should voice their political opinions In 2020, politics is the single most polarizing thing in American culture. Some are obsessed with staying up to date with the latest news, while others avoid it entirely. There seems to be no end to the arguing and disagreements when anyone states an opposing opinion. This divided political climate, while not the most healthy or productive for law-making, has certainly forced people to pay more attention to what is going on in Washington and around the world.

This increased attention has had one positive quality—increased voter turnout. In 2018, the number of college students casting ballots doubled from 2014. This is particularly noteworthy because the 18 to 24 collegeaged demographic has historically had the lowest voter turnout. The most common reasons for lower student turnout? 18-24 year olds move the most frequently, are the least likely to have a driver’s license and are less likely to be contacted directly by political campaigners.

If more of us vote, more politicians will be willing to listen to our generation’s wants and needs. The youngest voting demographic is often overlooked during political speeches. Why? Because we are not showing up at the polls.

We have the most to lose in elections, as laws that are made now could have extreme ramifications on our lives in the future. Voting is the fundamental duty of our citizenship, and by not voting, we are throwing away our rights and privileges granted to us by the Constitution. Using our voice to shape the social and financial issues facing our country is the least we can do as citizens.

Our responsibilities don’t stop after Election Day— being more involved with civic engagement is the single greatest thing our age group can do. Make yourself aware of the political state of our country, develop an understanding of the issues going on and get to know your representatives. These are just some of the smallest steps that all 18-24 year olds should be taking.

College students have the power to use their voices and minds to shape the future of our country. Now is more of a time than ever before to step up and let our voices be heard.

— Rich Miller Arts & Entertainment Editor

Editorial Content Unsigned editorial opinions are those of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Editor-in-Chief, the Managing, News, Features, Arts & Entertainment, Opinions, Photo, Sports, Review and Social Media editors and the Business and Production managers, unless otherwise noted.

Opinions expressed in signed editorials and letters to the editor are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Signal.

As citizens, students have a responsibility to participate in the political process.

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Editorial Staff Emmy Liederman Editor-in-Chief liedere1@tcnj.edu Jane Bowden Camille Furst Managing Editors bowdenj1@tcnj.edu furstc1@tcnj.edu Len La Rocca Madison Pena News Editors laroccl2@tcnj.edu penam9@tcnj.edu Anthony Garcia Sports Editor garcia27@tcnj.edu Liya Davidov Features Editor davido11@tcnj.edu Rich Miller Arts & Entertainment Editor miller20@tcnj.edu Kalli Colacino Opinions Editor colacik1@tcnj.edu Ian Kreitzberg Nation & World Editor krietzi1@tcnj.edu Chelsie Derman Reviews Editor dermanc1@tcnj.edu Marlea Maltz Project Manager maltzm1@tcnj.edu

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“Our teachers were compelled to teach from textbooks that were formulated by white supremacists. I’ll never forget my old elementary school history book represented black people as ‘deeply sorry’ about the outcome of the Civil War … this was in my American history textbook.”

— Angela Davis Civil rights activist

“You can really get caught up in the wonderful creativity that flows through people’s minds.”

— Jill McGovern

Junior elementary education and iSTEM dual major

“It’s like heaven in a sandwich.”

— Janvi Kapadia

Senior communication studies major

Letter to the Editor from VP of Diversty page 6 The Signal February 12, 2020

Cruz responds to ‘Minority students experience culture shock’

Cruz speaks at last November’s Campus Dialogue Day. This letter is in response to The Signal story “Minority students experience culture shock” included in the Feb. 5 issue.

I’d first like to thank the students who had the courage to share their personal experiences for this story. The College agrees with the desire the students expressed to see greater diversification of the student body. This remains a goal of our admissions office and our outreach efforts.

We want to assure the students

that we hear and share many of their concerns, but we’re reassured by the fact that the college remains committed to doing the work necessary to make our community as diverse and inclusive as possible.

This work is evident in a number of ways. In January of last year, President Foster announced that she was creating a cabinet-level position and merging units to create a Division of Institutional Diversity, Equity,

Photo courtesy of Alex Holzman

and Inclusion. She appointed an interim vice president while a national search was being conducted and the team has been working diligently. Over the past year, we have made strides toward our goal of becoming an inclusive campus. To highlight a few accomplishments: • We established a Bias Response Team and created an online bias incident form to centralize the College’s efforts to track bias incidents, identify trends,

collect aggregate data, plan campus educational responses to benefit the community, and connect individuals affected by bias incidents with supportive resources.

• There have been multiple training sessions, campus-wide events, and initiatives introduced to educate our community on issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• The College also recently undertook a campus climate survey as a way of better understanding the experiences of those in our community and benchmarking our progress in this important work. The resulting data is currently being analyzed and will help inform future efforts and programming.

In December, President Foster announced the appointment of James A. Felton III to the position of Vice President for Equity and Inclusion. Dr. Felton brings over 20 years of experience as an educator, practitioner-scholar, author, mentor, and national leader in diversity in higher education to our campus. Dr. Felton recently received recognition as Top Chief Diversity Officer of the Year for 2019 by the International Association of Top Professionals.

He begins his tenure at TCNJ on March 2 and will help the College continue the work it has started toward creating a culture where

all members of our community feel welcome and thrive.

While this doesn’t change the important perspective shared by the students in this story, I would like to note that the data cited is somewhat misleading.

The data quoted is sourced from what the federal government requires for reporting purposes (IPEDS). Unfortunately, this forces the college to group students into only one category, which undercounts students in multiple categories, and as a result is not a true reflection of how our students have chosen to self-identify. The Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is working to create a more accurate manner to share this information with our community in the true spirit of inclusion and transparency.

We encourage students, faculty, and staff to continue to provide feedback and suggestions to the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to help us determine additional actions that should be considered along with those already underway.

Thank you, Ivonne Cruz Interim Vice President Institutional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

February 12, 2020 The Signal page 7

Opinions

Everyone has mental health—everyone can see a therapist

Symptoms of depression, anxiety can sometimes be hidden

By Jane Bowden Managing Editor The first time I went to therapy, I cried—a lot. I had no clue what Fergie was talking about when she said “big girls don’t cry,” because there I was at 19 years old, sitting in the waiting room with tears flowing out of me like a raging river as I filled out the symptoms I had been consistently struggling with for the past year: feelings of loneliness

and hopelessness, lack of an appetite, suicidal ideation and more.

A stranger might’ve looked at me and thought “Oh, this girl is crying because she has depression and anxiety and is just emotional as heck”—but that wasn’t entirely the case with me.

I was crying for two reasons: I was scared to be open—Lord knows no matter how many times I recited what I was going to say in my head, I couldn’t avoid that “I’m having a heart attack”

A therapy session can be beneficial for everyone.

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feeling—and I didn’t believe I was struggling enough to see a therapist.

Although I checked off almost every symptom of depression, anxiety and an eating disorder, I didn’t think I acted like a person who was suffering. I still went to all of my classes and received A’s, was in a long-term relationship and worked a part-time job. I even had brief periods in which I really did feel happy, inspired and capable of love. A person with depression couldn’t do all of that, right?

Because of this, I didn’t think I was struggling enough to go to therapy. To me, therapists only saw people who had “real” problems and mental disorders, and I was terrified the therapist would confirm my fears by telling me I was overdramatic, crazy and weak.

But, to my surprise, the therapist didn’t look at me like I had three heads, laugh in my face and tell me I should apply to acting school because I was that good at faking my symptoms like I thought they would. Instead, he listened to me, advised me on what the next steps could be and, most importantly, believed me. It was then that I suddenly realized, “Wow, maybe what I’m going through is real and not just all in my head.”

It’s been more than two and a half years since that day when I stepped into a therapist’s office for the first time, and almost two years since I started seeing my current therapist every week. Since then, I’ve

jumped in and out of depressive episodes, all of which my therapist has been there to guide me through, and have learned how to navigate my emotions through journaling, exercise and more.

However, the most validating lesson I’ve learned is that I don’t need to be struggling with depression, anxiety or an eating disorder to continue with therapy. Why? Because everyone has mental health, which means everyone can benefit from therapy.

Just like what I thought a few years ago when I was crying in the therapist’s waiting room, there’s a common misconception that you need to have a mental disorder in order to go to therapy—but that’s just not true.

Therapy isn’t a definable, one-sizefits-all thing — it’s ever-changing and different for each person, which means you can go for any reason, any amount of time and during any period in your life. You don’t have to wait until you’re struggling “enough” to start seeing a therapist. In fact, you don’t have to be struggling at all.

Therapy can be beneficial for everyone, even happy people, as happy people still have mental health and can benefit from more support and guidance.

Whether you’re struggling with a disorder or looking for direction in how to understand your feelings and achieve your personal goals, your mental health is valid enough to see a therapist.

First responders are taken for granted, underappreciated

By Kalli Colacino Opinions Editor It’s 2 a.m. and you’ve awoken to the piercing sound of blaring sirens. Annoyed, you turn over and try to go back to sleep, not even giving the sirens a second thought. The source of the bothersome noise—a firetruck—is racing against the clock to save lives.

Firefighters and other first responders are not appreciated nearly enough. Each day, men and women risk their lives to protect the public. Their service should be seen as a privilege, not an expectation.

Every day, firefighters voluntarily run into burning buildings, putting their own safety on the line. A U.S. fire department responds to a fire every 24 seconds, according to the National Fire Protection Association. It doesn’t matter if a fire started in your home because you were too busy watching tv and forgetting about the pasta on the stove or if a pipe

in your wall exploded. More often than not, people “accidentally” start fires by cooking or smoking.

The majority of homeowners are not aware of how dangerous it is when they “light one up” while watching a football game. They fail to consider a realistic and tragic outcome: a fire. If that possibility becomes a reality, they call 911 and run out of the house, worrying about their home and possessions. What they fail to consider is the lives of first responders who have to deal with the consequences of the homeowner’s actions. The “innocent” act of smoking in your own home has turned into an unnecessary life-threatening situation for emergency responders.

Some may argue that it’s a firefighter’s job to put out a fire, a police officer’s job to keep the streets safe and an EMT’s job to save an injured person. Yes, it is.

But their job is not a joke, and their service is not something to take for granted. According

to the U.S. Fire Administration their service and commitment that there are first responders and the FBI, respectively, 82 to helping the public. in that emergency vehicle who firefighters died in the line-ofThe next time you wake up to are on their way to help someduty, and 106 law enforcement the sound of sirens, remember one in need. officers died in the line-of-duty in 2018.

It is time to start appreciating our first responders more.

Be more cautious when you’re cooking on the stove. Take your cigarette outside. Be mindful.

And something I cannot stress enough — pull over for emergency vehicles. All too often, I see drivers so distracted by their phones that they don’t realize there’s an emergency vehicle trying to get through.

When you see flashing lights in your rearview mirror, be courteous and get out of the way so they can do their job. If it was you who needed their assistance, I’m sure you would want them to arrive as soon as possible.

It is time that people start giving these men and women the credit they deserve. Their Flickr job isn’t easy and definitely A firetruck responds to a nearby fire. isn’t safe. Be appreciative of

Policies

The Signal is published weekly during the academic year and is financed by the Student Activities Fee (SAF) and advertising revenue. Any student may submit articles to The Signal. Publication of submitted articles is at the discretion of the editors.

The letters section is an open forum for opinions. Submissions that announce events or advertise in any way will not be printed. All letters should be sent via email to signal@tcnj.edu. Handwritten letters should be sent to The Signal, c/o The Brower Student Center, The College of New Jersey, PO Box 7718 Ewing, N.J. 08628 or placed in our mailbox in the Student Life Office.

Letters must be received by the Friday before publication and should not exceed 500 words. The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity. All letters must be signed, with a phone number and address of the author. Requests to withhold the author’s name will be honored only if there is a legitimate reason.

All materials submitted become the sole property of The Signal. The editors reserve the right to edit or withhold all articles, letters & photographs.

The Signal willingly corrects factual mistakes. If you think we have made an error, please contact The Signal at (609) 771-2424, write to the address listed above or email us at signal@tcnj.edu.

page 8 The Signal February 12, 2020

Students share opinions around campus “Can therapy be beneficial for everyone?”

Kalli Colacino / Opinions Editor

Emily Varga, a senior public health major.

Instagram

Kalli Colacino / Opinions Editor

Julia Blohm, a sophomore speech pathology major.

“It isn’t beneficial for everyone. Some people are natural introverts and would not benefit from a therapist.”

“Therapy is a good first step for everyone.”

“Do first responders get enough credit?”

Kalli Colacino / Opinions Editor

Rashmeena Abbasi, a sophomore biology major.

“No. You’re risking your life 99.9 percent of the time.

They deserve more credit for that.”

Flickr

Kalli Colacino / Opinions Editor

Megan Blakeley, a sophomore biomedical engineering major.

“No, not at all. They’re working 12 hour shifts and most first responders are volunteers.”

The Signal’s cartoon of the week ...

The Chip: Norse God Banned From Rush 2020

By Tony Peroni Correspondent Everyone’s got something that makes them special: “I can juggle!” stated Annie Smeth, a senior biology major.

“I have a birthmark shaped like a goose!” smiled Zach Bennson, a freshman computer science major.

“I AM THE PROTECTOR Västergötland, CONQUEROR OF THE SEAS, PACIFIER OF THE SKIES,” said Lars Von Hjelmstadt.

At a closer look, Von Hjelmstadt is not your average college student. He’s

close to 7 feet tall and has 275 pounds of pure muscle. He has the healthiest head of hair in the state of New Jersey, keeps his 12th century battle axe drawn by his side and his magnificent chest tattoo bared. Lars has traveled this globe a thousand times over and has seen the lives of all of those he has loved disappear before his very eyes.

The one thing Lars has yet to conquer? Sisterhood.

“I have bared witness to the brutality of man, I have seen villages burn to the ground, women and children destroyed by the hands of evil,” he said. “I fear no entity but the devil himself… But I shall be honest with thee…

I fear rejection.”

The fear of rejection is completely natural. Rejection is a pivotal part of the college experience, whether it be asking someone out, applying for a job, or in this case, rushing TCNJ Greek Life.

“I am going to Rush tonight. I am already signed up and everything. They even gave me this shirt,” stated Von Hjelmstadt, holding up a TCNJ Panhell t-shirt that is four sizes too small for him.

As The Chip bid farewell to our friend from the far North, he embraced all seventeen of us meager satirical writers in his big muscular viking arms and whispered “May the power of Västergötland give us strength”.

Hours later in a post-rush interview, it was discovered that our companion, Lars Von Hjelstadt, had been banned from rushing TCNJ Greek Life.

According to the TCNJ Panhellenic Council, Lars’s 12th century battle axe made many sorority sisters, other rushing students and administrative faculty uncomfortable. Although Lars tried explaining to everyone that the Battle Axe of Ångermanland was more of a medical device than a weapon, giving him immortal strength and being, many were unphased by his reasoning and reported him to their standards board.

When asked about the predicament, Lars was optimistic.

“Before, I had the anger of a thousand hurricanes, but after my new Rush friends took me to Panera bread, I realized that The Battle Axe of Ångermanland can be a little intense!” stated Von Hjelmstadt, who is currently texting his new bestie, Maggie, a freshman communication studies major. “I made a lot of really great friends, and although I couldn’t join an organization officially, I know who my real sisters are” Lars Von Hjelmstadt’s top three orgs were KD, SK and DZ. He got into a heated argument with a girl from DPhiE about the Bachelor and was too afraid to talk to ZTA. It’s not that he didn’t want to— he was just, like, intimidated.

To this day, Lars and Maggie are still BFF’s and Facetime every once in a while.

Maggie got a bid from AXiD and Lars is really happy for her.

Disclaimer: This is obviously a satirical piece and does not reflect a real event.

February 12, 2020 The Signal page 9

Features

Brothers unite: Sigma Pi, local pizzeria create sandwich Dinstinctive menu item proves its popularity in Ewing

The Fat Sigma Pi is loaded with flavor.

By Viktoria Ristanovic Staff Writer You’re starving for a savory lunch but can’t seem to decide

Marlea Maltz / Video Editor

what you want. Staring endlessly at the Two Brothers Pizza menu, you are torn between ordering chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks or garlic bread. But

thanks to Sigma Pi Fraternity, you no longer have to decide.

Last semester, the Pennington Road pizzeria added the Fat Sigma Pi Sandwich to its menu as a homage to its relationship with Sigma Pi. According to an employee, the sandwich is ordered about 20 to 25 times a day.

Consisting of chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, melted mozzarella cheese and vodka sauce on a garlic bread roll, this loaded sandwich has become a favorite among students and Ewing locals alike.

“It’s now my go-to cheat meal,” said Tonianne Artificio, a junior communication studies major. “Absolutely delicious.

Best invention of the year.”

The Fat Sigma Pi was created by the brothers last semester while they were watching a Monday night football game.

During halftime, Franco Mannino, a senior finance major and the former fraternity president, was placing an order with a Two

Brothers employee when he was suddenly inspired to add a loaded sandwich to their menu.

“Five minutes later, we had the Fat Sigma Pi,” said Mannino. “Before I hung up, (I) told the guy on the phone our idea— he was instantly intrigued.”

The relationship between Two Brothers and Sigma Pi spans decades. Every year, the organization hosts two outdoor events in their Fraternity house backyards—FallFest in November and Luau in April, selling tickets to the entire student body. According to Two Brothers, the pizzeria provides around 150 to 200 pizzas for each party.

“Due to the great relationship we have with Two Brothers, they were excited to see we had a fresh idea for a new menu item and had no problem naming it after the fraternity,” said Mannino.

Thomas Schulze, a senior business management major and member of Sigma Pi, agreed

with Mannino, adding that Two Brothers pizzas are adored by everyone in the fraternity.

“Their pizzas are always a huge hit during our events that we hold,” Schulze said. “Everyone loves their pizza. Who doesn’t?”

Mannino also revealed that the members of Sigma Pi will soon be neighbors with the pizza chain.

“Two Brothers actually purchased the property right next door to our Chapter House and is planning on opening a sit down style restaurant there, so we are a few months away from becoming next door neighbors with them as well,” Mannino said.

Since its release, the Fat Sigma Pi has not only become the go-to order for the fraternity brothers, but a big hit among all students at the College.

“It’s like heaven in a sandwich,” said Janvi Kapadia, a senior communication studies major. “Everyone needs to try it at least once.”

Lights, camera, Eickhoff: Dining Hall goes Hollywood And the award for best dressed cafeteria goes to...

Instagram

Julia Meehan / Photo Editor

Left: Eick decks out to the nines. Right: Students treat themselves to an Oscar-worthy dinner.

By Ariel Steinsaltz Staff Writer Let’s face it—Eick is typically not associated with elegance, nutrition or fine dining. But when the space is decorated with a photo booth, a red carpet and table cloths, students are suddenly intrigued.

Walking into the dining hall on Feb. 5, students expected nothing more than their usual evening meal. But to their surprise, Eick hosted a Red Carpet Dinner inspired by the Oscars.

Everywhere you turned, a new detail stood out — whether it was a floating flower or a miniature Oscar trophy that rested on each table.

But Eick was not just focused on eventstyle decorations—the cafeteria upped its game with special menu items that made the occasion even more special.

Among the cuisine offered at this event was a prime rib roast at Quimby’s Rotisserie, which was served with mashed potatoes, green beans and stewed tomatoes. At Quimby’s Kitchen, there was shrimp spaghetti a la Genovese, along with whole wheat pasta primavera, lemon garlic broccoli and balsamic grilled yellow squash. The CStreet Grill offered chicken and waffles and the Bliss Bakery featured “Red Carpet Cake,” “Gold Star Sugar Cookies” and “Black Tie Cupcakes.”

Posted around Eick were signs featuring various facts about awards shows. For example, one sign informed dinner-goers that “Only three films have ever won all five of the most coveted awards, which are Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Screenplay (adapted or original): ‘It Happened One Night’ from 1934, ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ from 1975 and ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ from 1991.’”

“It shows that they really care instead of being just a food establishment,” said Purvi Shakely, a freshman biology major.

In addition to the distinctive dinner options and decorations, Eick also provided a popcorn machine and gave out bags to students. There was also a photo booth,

allowing students to take their pictures in front of a screen and pose with props.

Kadelta Sykes, a supervisor in Eick, said that she felt the photo booth and popcorn machine were the best parts of the dinner for students. She explained that the themed meal was inspired by the head chefs and was also influenced by student input.

“We always have themed meals,” she said. “Carnival, black history month, Spanish heritage, Indian. Anything.”

Students seemed to appreciate the change of pace at the dining hall.

“It’s refreshing,” said Kim Kumari, a freshman biology major. “It’s different from the everyday setting that we have at Eick. It’s just fun.”

page 10 The Signal February 12, 2020

: Feb. ‘04 Say goodbye to love on Valentine’s Day

February 12, 2020 The Signal page 11

Campus Style

Photo courtesy of TCNJ Digital Archives

Romance can sometimes be more physical than emotional.

Every week, Features Editor Liya Davidov hits the archives and finds old Signals that relate to current College topics and top stories.

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching.

Bouquets are being wrapped, chocolates are selling out and dinner reservations are being made. This time of year is like no other, as friends and partners alike overthink their relationships and scramble to put together something agreeable.

In a February 2004 issue of The Signal, editor Zac Goldstein shares his personal definition of love and opinion on the holiday.

As far as I’m concerned, love is nothing more than a feeling, an emotional impulse.

Society, on the other hand, defines love as not only an emotional desire, but a physical one, a spiritual one and an intellectual one that all converge to form a mythical state of being. It is this state of being to which I object. Now, on with the show.

I don’t believe in love, first and foremost, because it is irrational. Suppose for a minute that 1 somehow got ahold of a ticket to game seven of the Stanley Cup finals and have been looking forward to attending the game for quite some time.

Now suppose on the day of the game, a girl I’m in love with is having issues and requires my presence to console her.

What am I to do?

You’d better believe that I’m going to that game. Love, however, would have me forsake this because, ultimately, being with her is what I would want to do.

Nevermind that I wouldn’t ask her (or any sane person for that matter) to make a sacrifice of such magnitude or that I’d be quite bitter because of it; it’s somehow supposed to be “right.”

Someone explain to me how that makes any sense whatsoever.

Of course, proponents of love argue that it isn’t supposed to be rational. Love is a feeling and feelings are never rational.

In addition to being irrational, however, feelings are subject to rapid, chaotic change.

It isn’t uncommon for a person to wake up with a smile and go to sleep hating the world around them (especially if it’s a Monday).

Feelings change so often that it makes it very hard to believe that any one of them can last a week, let alone forever.

Most people who buy into the myth of love seem incapable of spotting any contradiction. They would have us believe that love is a matter of the human heart, and at the same time, something that transcends humanity.

Lions’ Plate

Left: Thrift stores offer affordable designer items.

Right: Freshen up your look with accessories from ThredUp.

By Marina Zupko Columnist

It is quite common for young adults to feel pressured to succumb to the latest trends. Between bags, belts and clothes, designer pieces are always regarded as iconic fashion. Although the designer look is one that young people strive for, it is something that most 20-somethings cannot afford. Despite this fact, there are still multiple ways to obtain these items without filing for bankruptcy.

Chinatown If you’re in New York City for the day, take a walk through Chinatown. You will notice little stands, most of the time whispering “Gucci” or “Louis Vuitton.” If you’re on the hunt for cheap designer replicas, this is where you should stop. They will provide you with a catalog of options.

Once you choose, they disappear for a few minutes and return with your perfect replica. This is a safer way to assure you’re receiving an accurate replica because you

For years, I’ve had to accommodate for the dietary restrictions of my relatives.

Instead of feeling guilty after celebrating birthdays with cheesecake and relatives who couldn’t indulge, my brother and I started a tradition to make this recipe. Anyone trying to eat healthy should still satisfy their sweet tooth, and this coconut cake is the perfect option. Replacing sugar with honey and using fresh fruit on top is a deliciously light alternative to a store-bought cake.

are seeing it in person before you buy.

Discount Secondhand Apps Another option for affordable designer shopping is apps such as Poshmark or ThredUp. These are online or app-based sites that allow you to purchase second-hand designer items with the tap of a finger. Although these options are not as cheap as Chinatown products, the items you’re purchasing are authentic. Most users on these apps are there for good reasons, but be sure to check the validity of the user you’re purchasing from to confirm that you’re not being scammed.

Consignment shops You can also purchase designer items at a discounted price at local consignment or thrift shops. Both are second-hand stores, allowing you to shop in person and choose exactly what calls your name. Some consignment shops specialize in designer items, making it easier to find exactly what you’re looking for. This is also your safest bet in purchasing discounted designer products because you are face to face with both the seller and the item.

Creamy Coconut Cake

Left: The cake will satisfy your sweet tooth. Right: Sprinkle the dessert with coconut flakes for extra flavor.

By Elizabeth Casalnova Columnist

Instagram

Ingredients: For Cake: -1 cup coconut flour -1 tsp baking soda -1/2 tsp sea salt -6 eggs -1/2 cup full fat coconut milk -1 cup of coconut oil, melted -2/3 cup honey -4 tsp vanilla extract -4 egg whites -Coconut oil for greasing the pan.

For Icing: -1 cup of plain or vanilla greek yogurt

-Honey, to taste -Blueberries or fruit of choice -Coconut flakes

Directions: 1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a well-oiled pan with parchment paper.

2.) In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and sea salt together.

3.) In a separate bowl, whisk 6 eggs, vanilla extract, coconut milk, coconut oil and honey until frothy. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

4.) In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites

Instagram

until thick peaks form. Slowly fold the egg whites into the cake batter until thoroughly combined.

5.) Pour it into the cake pan and bake for 28 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean. Let it cool.

6.) While the cake is cooling, mix together the greek yogurt and honey until it reaches your desired sweetness.

7.) Once the cake has cooled completely, spread an even layer to cover the whole cake.

8.) Finally, sprinkle with coconut flakes, top it with the fresh fruit of your choice. and enjoy!

page 12 The Signal February 12, 2020

Arts & Entertainment

Trend / Viral app becomes cultural phenomenon

continued from page 1 charts this year after being widely used in TikTok videos.

Relatively unknown artists have achieved newfound fame through TikTok. “Say So” by Doja Cat, “Roxanne” by Arizona Zervas, “Lalala” by bbno$, “Stupid” by Ashnikko and “Yellow Hearts” by Ant Saunders are just some examples of widely-used sounds.

One of the features that keeps TikTok popular is the “For You” page, which tailors videos to users based on the content they interact with the most.

“I started scrolling through and saw people post cool videos with a lot of relatable content,” said Jill McGovern, a junior elementary education and iSTEM dual major. “There is something that is bound to match what you’re looking for.”

TikTok’s sweeping rise to mainstream media has left the world wondering what the big deal surrounding the app is.

For many users, TikTok acts as an escape from the ‘real world,’ providing an outlet for people to laugh, cry and dance.

“I like the sense of community it has created,” said McGovern. “I have met a bunch of different people through the app that I never would have. Being able to collaborate with a stranger in seconds is really awesome.”

The app seems to appeal to society’s growing need for instant gratification. The videos, which must be under 60 seconds in length, can go viral in the blink of an eye.

“After 60 seconds, we’ve

reached the end and know the outcome,” said McGovern. “I think this is why it’s so addicting.”

The app’s popularity has turned everyday people into pseudo-celebrities. One of TikTok’s biggest stars is Charli D’Amelio, the teenage girl taking the dance world by storm.

Another star is Brittany Tomlinson, whose reaction to trying Kombucha led to her viral success.

There’s also Zach King, a video creator who uses impressive and unprecedented video editing skills to create optical illusions and magic tricks to intrigue his audience.

These content creators’ newfound fame has led to their roles, alongside more traditional celebrities, in one of this year’s Super Bowl advertisements.

Many famous TikTok users have used the app to promote positivity.

“My first time going viral...I started doing compliments and gave a girl a compliment and it got 30,000 likes,” said Busulock.

“The next day I did the same thing and it got 225,000 likes. I went from 6,000 followers to 35,000 followers in one weekend.”

Bensulock believes that the metrics of the app’s “For You” page is what helped his videos go viral.

“On Instagram, only the people that follow you will see what you post,” he said. “On TikTok, you don’t have to be someone to get a lot of likes.

You can have zero followers and go viral.”

Gaining any type of fame or notoriety is one of the most addicting parts of the app, as users are constantly competing

for the most views, followers and likes.

“At first it was just a hobby, but then I became thirsty for fame,” McGovern said.

However, this fame can oftentimes come at a cost, as cyberbullying and harassment have become abundant on TikTok. “Sometimes you see things that shouldn’t be getting attention going viral,” McGovern said. “I’ve seen many videos that are straight up bullying with tons of views. TikTok tries its best to censor offensive content, but I don’t think they do it well.”

The pressures of ‘making it’ on TikTok can prove to be too much for some users, affecting their lives outside of the app.

“Originally going into school after it all happened— all of this happened over summer—I was scared and didn’t know what to expect,” Bensulock said. “It started with teasing, but two or three weeks in, people started to respect me for it.”

There has been controversy surrounding what TikTok chooses to censor and what to leave online. Some users reported that an excessive amount of LBGTQ+ centered videos were being removed from the platform. TikTok later admitted it had been taking videos down in order to prevent users from being cyber bullied, according to The Guardian.

TikTok has also faced controversy surrounding privacy, security and censorship, becoming a target among lawmakers who are suspicious of

TikTok

Bensulock’s page is popular among a young audience.

Chinese technology. Users have suspected that TikTok censors material that the Chinese government doesn’t approve of and allows Beijing to collect user data. TikTok denied both of these accusations, according to The New York Times.

One video that was removed featured a girl from New Jersey, who used her platform to expose the political turmoil in China. She introduced the video as an eyelash curler tutorial in an effort to grab the viewer’s attention, but quickly switched gears to criticize the Chinese government and its

use of detention centers.

Despite the public’s polarized feelings towards TikTok, there is no denying that this new social media platform is at the forefront of internet culture.

The strong community created on TikTok and its impact on American culture is undeniable. TikTok is here to stay, but what that means for the internet is yet to be seen.

“I like it because it’s a really good way to pass time,” said McGovern. “You can really get caught up in the wonderful creativity that flows through people’s minds.”

Alternative artists create sonic connection with crowd

By Connor Iapoce Staff Writer In the darkened amphitheater of the Library basement, a bit of New Jersey pride was in full swing on Feb. 4 for the first CUB Alt show of the semester. The local solo artists, whose performances unwound throughout a rainy night, showcased a sonic connection.

The headliner was Martin Courtney, best known as the frontman providing lead vocals and guitar for the indie band Real Estate. Courtney played a mixture of his solo songs, such as 2015’s “Many Moons” and Real Estate songs from their expansive discography. Courtney’s relaxed stage presence and banter with the audience added to the show’s comfortable feel. ​Courtney’s music combines elements of indie rock and pop with jangly guitars and dreamy vocals. Usually backed by the four other members of his band, Courtney put the weight of the more expansive songs on his back with just vocals and guitar. He often seemed to look for assistance from the backing band but never lost his step on the stage.

When Courtney started playing one of

Sofka performs original songs for the audience.

Real Estate’s most popular songs, “Talking Backwards,” the crowd came alive, many singing the words with him. He played a new song off Real Estate’s upcoming record for the first time and even

Julia Meehan / Photo Editor

took a request from the crowd when the set was nearing its close.

“I love Real Estate more than you could ever imagine,” said Seva Galant, a sophomore health and exercise science

major. “They’re one of the first bands I grew up listening to. (I’m) really happy that they came here today.”

Trace Mountains, which is the project of songwriter Dave Benton, also received a lot of support from the audience.

Benton has been a staple of the larger New York City and New Jersey music scene, playing in the popular band LVL UP, which headlined an Alt show at the College in 2017.

Trace Mountains combines elements of punk and folk with a lo-fi vibe. While Benton talked between songs, he still allowed his music to take full effect.

Jack Sofka, a senior English major, performed his project Format War. Accompanied by a singular, glowing red light, Sofka played an atmospheric set, strumming his guitar and singing softly into the mic. He received cheers from the crowd after giving props to his friends at CUB for booking the show.

Brian Etheridge, a senior interactive multimedia major, is a big fan of the way Courtney’s music fosters community and was stoked that he made time to visit the College.

“The show was so wholesome, very close and very connected,” he said.

February 12, 2020 The Signal page 13

‘The Stranger’ hooks viewers with secrets, mystery British series thrills audience with twisted storyline

Youtube

Left: The Stranger somehow knows all of the town’s secrets. Right: Price, the main protagonist, watches as his family falls apart.

By Chelsie Derman Reviews Editor “The Stranger,” Netflix’s latest binge worthy mystery series, leaves viewers dying to watch its addicting storyline unravel.

The compelling British series made its debut on Jan. 30.

Centered on the seemingly normal Price family, hell breaks loose when a stranger approaches the father of the family, Adam Price (Richard Armitage), and reveals that his wife faked her last pregnancy. As the father of two sons, and the almost-father of the child he lost through a miscarriage, he questions the integrity of his wife and becomes hellbent on finding out the truth.

Outside of the drama surrounding Price and his lying wife, gravitating mysteries arise around the town. The pounding, heartracing music in the background, along with the snippets of flashbacks and odd clips — such as the naked, terrified boy racing through the field — advances the story’s suspense. Even when mysteries are solved, more questions arise — who did it? Who’s lying? Who’s the stranger?

“The Stranger” is based on the Harlan Corben novel and was adapted and written by Danny Brocklehurst. On screen, the show does an excellent job of making the storyline come alive. The characters’ raw emotions and the pounding music emphasizes how crazy and confusing everything

has become. With all the mysteries thrown at the characters, their lives have, in a sense, turned upside down.

Not only do the mysteries, such as the naked boy and the decapitated alpaca, add to the suspense of the story, but throughout the show, I couldn’t help but wonder how Price’s lying wife and these odd occurrences were connected.

The titular character, The Stranger, plays a crucial role in the storyline. The character is known for approaching people in their day-to-day lives, revealing that she is aware of their secrets. The Stranger typically runs away after receiving blackmail from her victims to avoid answering any questions.

By the end of season one, the show

Instagram

successfully answers the questions that were raised and leaves the viewer satisfied. The story wraps up in an appalling, unexpected way that left my heart racing until the very last scene.

“The Stranger” forces viewers to question whether they can really trust the people around them and raises an alarming question — who is actually on our side?

It is easy to binge watch “The Stranger,” as the show never fails to keep you on the edge of your seat. The suspense, characters and music all add to the development of the story, making it a thrilling watch. I highly recommend this show to anyone who loves a good mystery and enjoys watching the startling truth unfold in front of them.

Former One Direction member drops debut solo album Tomlinson breaks down ‘Walls’ with emotional songs

By Debra Kate Schafer Staff Writer

Louis Tomlinson’s first solo album may have been four years in the making, and he may have been the last of his former One Direction bandmates to release a debut, but that does not give anyone the right to tear it down before listening.

Sometimes art takes time, sometimes life gets in the way and sometimes you need to find yourself in order to develop a distinct sound. “Walls” is the stellar product of the hardships Tomlinson has faced, as well as his creativity and strength.

“Walls,” the 12-track debut from the arguably least problematic member of One Direction, is stellar from start to finish. Fans were already familiar with some of the album’s songs, as they were released as singles and promos. Songs like the alternative rock banger “Kill My Mind” and the upbeat pop hit “We Made It” had accompanying music videos that fans adored. These two Tomlinson songs give insight into what it is like being young, reckless and in love.

Every song off Tomlinson’s album may be radio ready, but that doesn’t mean that they were made for the radio. These songs are not soulless pieces of music crafted and manufactured

quickly with the intention of garnering nothing but streams and likes. Tomlinson admits this himself, releasing a statement on Twitter just last year that reads, “[...] I’m not here to compete with the likes of Drake and Ariana Grande. I’m here to make music I love and make my fans proud to say they’re a fan.”

As a songwriter, each of Tomlinson’s tracks encapsulate his feelings, family, career and relationships. The intricacy, personality and heart in his lyrics prove that he is an incomparable songwriter and an underrated storyteller.

Take “Two of Us” as an example. The song, released last May, is a hard-hitting pop rock ballad about grief. This theme is important to Tomlinson, and he has lost both his mother and younger sister. The very public losses that he and his family faced were tragic, sudden and soul-crushing–even to fans and outsiders. Yet, Tomlinson was able to use this tragedy to create something so stunningly beautiful. In “Two of Us” he sings, “The day that they took you, I wish it was me instead” and “I promised you I’d do this, so all of this is all for you.” Every word and note is personalized to align with his own story, but that doesn’t mean it is any less relatable to a fan who has also suffered from a major loss.

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Tomlinson pays tribute to his deceased mother and younger sister in his track, ‘Two of Us.’ The title track, “Walls,” is so easy to fall in love with and deserves to be recognized a little bit more than the rest of the songs off this album— it is raw, emotional and so very fierce.

It’s British pop at its finest, because you listen to this song and can easily hear the lyrical intensity of Coldplay, the harmonious undertones of One Direction and the best musicianship of Oasis.

“Always You,” the album’s ninth song, is a home run

through and through. Tomlinson’s artistry is evident, with twinkling acoustic guitars and a modern beat-driven edge. This is the perfect song to play during a rom-com movie montage.

Its swoon-worthy lyrics, like “I went to so many places, looking for you in the faces,” and classic nineties pop stylings makes it the perfect contender for the sound track “Clueless” or “You’ve Got Mail.” Similarly, the fan favorite “Habit” has a similar narrative that encompasses a tumultuous

and all-consuming relationship.

“Walls” channels everything from Tomlinson’s musical past, his industry influences and his personal life. This debut record proves that he is more than a charismatic member of a boy band. He is more than his bandmates’ successes. He is more than his personal turmoil. Tomlinson is himself: a hard worker, a family man, a crafty, personable songwriter and a full-fledged musical icon in the making.

page 14 The Signal February 12, 2020

We’ve all had that one person who made us feel like anything is possible.

As graduation approaches, you have the opportunity to do the same.

The next application deadline is February 28.

https://www.teachforamerica.org/how-to-join

February 12, 2020 The Signal page 15

Sports XFL

XFL fights to survive post-NFL season

By Mathias Altman-Kurosaki Staff Writer Normally after the Super Bowl ends, football fans have to wait months for a new season to begin. But a new era began on Saturday, Feb. 8, when the D.C. Defenders defeated the Seattle Dragons in the first week of the newly formed XFL’s season.

This year’s iteration of a new football league is the second attempt for the XFL. The league started in similar fashion in 2001, drawing high television ratings for the first week. But despite its efforts to keep fans engaged after the end of the NFL season, the XFL saw its popularity plummet and the league folded after that season.

The league’s new teams face off.

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The season only runs for 10 weeks, which is fewer than the 17 weeks the NFL runs for. Most players in the league were neither drafted to the NFL nor experienced much playing time in the NFL. College alumnus and former student-athlete John Gregory (‘19) said in an interview with The Signal that the abilities of the players make it hard to imagine how the XFL could ever compete with the NFL in terms of popularity.

“The quarterbacks are terrible, and I don’t see how the games are faster either,” said Gregory, who graduated with his degree in finance this past spring. He also mentioned that the XFL could be similar to college football, but the NFL will always be much more popular.

The XFL, however, isn’t the only post-NFL season football league that has attempted to gain popularity.

Most recently, the Alliance of American Football (AAF) ran a season in the winter of 2019, but the AAF folded after only four games and very poor ratings. However, unlike the AAF, the XFL has a television deal to broadcast games on ESPN, ABC and FOX every weekend.

“With the TV deal, the league could 100-percent compete with NFL, especially if they could find some bigger names,” said Andrew Thompson, a junior management major who is also a member of the College’s men’s swim and dive team.

However, some believe that the XFL isn’t meant to compete with the NFL. Senior economics major Jack Cassidy said that thinking of the two leagues as competing against each other is the biggest misconception about the league.

“If they were trying to compete, then they would’ve been playing during the NFL season,” Cassidy said. “The XFL is merely trying to coexist with the NFL, which it

Jackson

National Football League

can do. It failed the first time because they tried to compete with the NFL,” said Cassidy.

Cassidy also added that the XFL has already made efforts to make sure their league doesn’t fail the way the AAF did.

“One thing the XFL has already done better compared to the AAF is provide a product more conducive to scoring. There’s a shorter play clock and teams can’t run the clock out. It should make the product much more attractive than the AAF,” Cassidy said.

Cassidy concluded his comments by saying that while the XFL will never rise to the same level as the NFL in terms of popularity, it can still have a chance at success.

“Can it exist? Yes. Can it be profitable? Eventually, it could be,” Cassidy said. “That depends on how they try and attract fans to the league and which demographics they target. Personally, I think targeting younger demographics would be the most beneficial for the product and give it some sustainability. If you can make 18 to 45year-old males like it enough to keep buying tickets and watching on TV, then it can survive.”

Additionally, the timing of the league’s season is a prime opportunity to gain followers. After the Super Bowl ends, the NBA and NHL regular seasons drag on for two more months, the MLB season doesn’t kick off its regular season until the end of March, and March Madness is still weeks away.

With the Olympics approaching but not happening until the Summer, the XFL has very little competition right now for views. This season will be very telling for the league –– if it can gain a strong following, then more success is on the horizon. However, if it can’t gain fans now, then it will fail.

wins

MVP

Young players take home NFL Honors

By Jacob Malik Correspondent

Before Super Bowl LIV, the annual NFL honors were held on Feb. 1, with the main highlighted awards being Most Valuable Player (MVP), Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year.

The most coveted award is the league’s MVP, and many believed the Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson deserved it. In just his second year Jackson led the league with 36 passing touchdowns while only throwing six interceptions; he threw for 3,127 yards with a passer rating of 113.3, which made him the third best.

Despite being third in the league in this category, it was only behind Ryan Tannehill and Drew Brees, who played in less games this season than Jackson. However, the most impressive statistic that cemented Jackson’s case for MVP was his 1,206 rushing yards, which broke Michael Vick’s single-season record. Jackson also had seven rushing touchdowns. This, combined with his passing stats, made him the second unanimous MVP in NFL history.

Another player who had an outstanding offensive season was Michael Thomas, a wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints.

Thomas set a single-season record for receptions of 149, beating the previous mark of 143, set by Marvin Harrison in 2002.

Thomas also led the league with 1,725 receiving yards, which is the seventh best

of all time for a single season, while averaging 11.57 yards per reception. There was no surprise that Thomas won offensive player of the year (OPOY), as he set his mark as one of the best wide receivers in the league at only 26 years old.

Stephon Gilmore was as dominant as a cornerback has ever been for the New England Patriots, making him defensive player of the year (DPOY). Gilmore racked up six interceptions this year, two of which he returned for touchdowns; he did this while letting up zero touchdowns to opposing receivers.

Gilmore only allowed a 36.4 completion percentage, as well as a 12.2 passer rating when targeted. If that wasn’t enough, in 11 of 16 games he allowed two or fewer receptions.

For Arizona Cardinals’ rookie quarterback Kyler Murray, there’s been debate as to whether he actually deserved offensive rookie of the year. According to his rookie numbers, Murray was not in the top 10 for most major statistics. Meanwhile, many would argue that the Oakland Raiders rookie running back was much better overall.

Jacobs was seventh overall in rush yards, top five in yards per attempt, top three in rush yards per game and top 10 in touchdowns at his position. Not to say that Murray didn’t live up to his hype, but Jacobs was arguably far more dominant this season.

While the offensive rookie of the year may have been controversial, the defensive rookie was a no-brainer with defensive end Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers taking home

the hardware. While Bosa was third in sacks for rookies with nine, he was undoubtedly the most dominant rookie on the field. Bosa had the most quarterback hits and tackles by any rookie, with 25 and 47, respectively, and looked impossible to stop when he was on the field.

For the Titans, Ryan Tannehill seemingly revived his career this season when he took over for Marcus Mariota and went on to win the Comeback Player of the Year award. In just 10 starts Tannehill threw for 2,742 yards, 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions as

the team went 7-3 in those starts.

If he played in all 16 games at the pace he was playing at, he would have had 4,387 yards, 35 touchdowns and about 10 interceptions. These would all have been career highs for Tannehill, and if this is a sign of his future, he could help to make the Titans a force to be reckoned with.

The six major awards above were won by players aged 29 or below, with the exception of Tannehill, who is 31. The young ages of the players make for a promising future for talent in the NFL for seasons to come.

Jackson shows off his suit at the event in Miami.

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Signal

Men’s basketball continues to roll

Lions top Rutgers-Camden and Ramapo

The players and coaches pose on Senior Day.

By Ann Brunn Staff Writer

With three games left in the regular season, the men’s basketball team finds itself tied for first place with Stockton University in the New Jersey Athletic Conference standings, holding a 14-8 record and 11-4 in conference play. The Lions notched two more crucial victories this past week, beating Rutgers University-Camden, 77-64,

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

and taking care of Ramapo College, 82-56.

The win over Rutgers-Camden marked the College’s 11th straight win over this team. Dating back to the 20062007 season, the Lions controlled the head-to-head series, owning a 19-8 record over their opponent.

Senior guard Randy Walko and junior forward Travis Jocelyn lead the Lions with 17 points each. Jocelyn had an almost perfect shooting day, going 6 of 7 from the field and 3 of 4 from three-point land, while also

collecting seven rebounds. Walko nabbed eight boards while shooting 50 percent from the field. Senior guard Ryan Jensen tallied 15 points on 6 of 11 shooting and added nine rebounds.

As a team, the Lions shot 30 for 55 (54.5 percent) from the field and 12 of 27 (44.4 percent) from behind the arc. They held the advantage in bench points, outscoring Rutgers-Camden, 21-3.

The 26-point margin of victory over Ramapo College came on Senior Day in Packer Hall. Seniors Michael Chapman, Tommy Egan, Ryan Jensen, Randy Walko and Mike Walley were honored at halftime for their sacrifice and commitment they have shown the program over the past four years.

The Lions once again had a stellar shooting performance, going 18 of 39 (46.2 percent) from the three-point range. The 18 converted three’s are the second most in a single game in the College’s history. The team was just two three’s shy of tying the record of 20 made threes in a single game, which was set back in December 2017 when the current group of seniors were sophomores.

Walley notched a career-high 23 points with 7-of-13 shooting from long distance as Jensen paced the Lions with 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Walko added 13 points, nine rebounds and seven assists while Jocelyn chipped in 13 points.

The Lions return to Packer Hall for their final home game of the regular season where they will face New Jersey City University at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb.12, before traveling up north to face Kean University on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 1 p.m.

Wrestling

Wrestling travels to compete in Messiah Open

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Ortega gets ready to grapple with his opponent.

By Matt Shaffer Staff Writer

The College’s wrestling team traveled to Mechanicsburg, Penn., on Sunday, Feb. 9, to compete in the Messiah Open, where several wrestlers succeeded in multiple weight classes. In a tournament setting like this event, team points are earned for placements in the championship bracket and the consolation rounds.

Lions Lineup February 12, 2020

I n s i d e

Freshman Nick Denora picked up points for his team while working his way to the finals in the 125-pound weight class, but went on to finish in second place in the championship bracket. In the quarterfinals Denora knocked out a wrestler from Messiah College, sending him to the consolation ladder. It was a similar path for junior Anthony Rua, as he finished in second place in the championship bracket in the 141-pound wrestling group.

XFL page 15

Denora was able to scrape past his first opponent with an 8-2 decision, followed by a dominant 19-9 performance in the semi-finals, which was considered a major decision. Additionally, freshman Carmen Giumarello showed out in the consolation ladder, making it to the semi-finals and earning fourth place.

Junior Ryan Manahan and freshman Domenic Difrancescantonio also advanced to the semi-finals, each winning their first match in the 133-pound weight class. They went on to face division I talent, but were sent to the consolation ladder. After one more win for each of them, Manahan and Difrancescantonio were slated to wrestle each other in the consolation finals, where Manahan came out on the losing end. The third-place finish from Difranscantonio was a big win for the Lions.

Rua won three consecutive bouts in the winner’s bracket, all of which were against Steven’s Institute of Technology athletes.

The three wins were all close as they were wins by decision, which is when the result is within a 6-point differential.

Senior Nick Mele started off with a blowout against his first opponent, with a 16-0 technical fall victory. After a loss in

the quarterfinal he picked up three more wins in the consolation ladder en route to a fourth-place finish. Most of the day’s matches were decided by between eight and 14 points, with the exception of a technical fall dealt by Mele. A technical fall is issued when the opponent falls behind by 15 or more points, at which the deficit is essentially insurmountable.

Sophomores Peter Wersinger and Matt Valli each picked up victories in the main slate, but were forced to forfeit for medical reasons. Wersinger earned a pin in his second match of the day in the championship bracket before he was forced to stop competing.

Some other notable performances were at the 174-pound weight class, where sophomore Joseph McCarthy picked up a pin-victory and freshman Reid Colella won two bouts by decision. Colella has been a reliable wrestler so far in his first year, as he has grappled at many different weight classes while earning a solid amount of victories.

The Lions will look to continue their strong season on Friday, Feb. 14, as they host Delaware Valley University at 7:30 p.m. They will be honoring their four graduating seniors.

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