Print Edition for The Observer for Friday, January 22, 2022

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Volume 56, Issue 38 | Friday, JANUARY 21, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Study Abroad releases 2022-2023 decisions

By MEGAN FAHRNEY News Writer

Last Saturday was a highly anticipated day for many students hoping to study abroad during the 2022-2023 school year as study abroad decisions for semester programs were released.

This year, study abroad received the largest number of applicants ever, with over 1,200 students applying, according to senior director of global education Hong Zhu. The acceptance rate for semester programs this year stands at 85%, which is slightly lower than

last year’s rate. The acceptance rate for summer programs is 86%. Overall, study abroad accepted more applicants in 2022 than 2021.

Zhu said COVID-19 has not reduced student interest in studying abroad.

“The enthusiasm of studying abroad has not waned, it’s very high, and we’re very, very happy about that,” Zhu said.

A couple of notable trends continued this year. The three most competitive programs continued to be London, Dublin and Rome, and many more students applied for the spring semester programs

than the fall programs, Zhu said.

“Our fall to spring ratio is almost one to four,” said Zhu. “So you can imagine it’s just not possible for all the spring preferences to get in off the spring waitlist.”

Students have until Jan. 22 to officially commit to their respective summer or semester programs.

Study abroad often starts accepting students off program waitlists within the next two to three weeks, especially those on the waitlist for the fall semester, Zhu said. Students will continue see ABROAD PAGE 5

Student film festival features class productions

By CLAIRE REID News Writer

The Department of Film, Television and Theatre (FTT) will host the 33rd annual Notre Dame Student Film Festival this weekend in the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center’s (DPAC) Browning Cinema.

The festival will feature the work

of 22 student filmmakers created in the Intro to Film Production, Intermediate Film Production and Documentary Production courses offered by the FTT department. Festival screenings are open to the public and will take place Friday and Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 7 p.m.

FTT professor Ted Mandell founded the annual festival in

Courtesy of the Department of Film, Television and Theatre

The 33rd annual Notre Dame Student Film Festival returns Friday to the Browning Cinema in the Debartolo Performing Arts Center.

NEWS PAGE 3

VIEWPOINT PAGE 7

1990 and still vividly remembers the first one. “[It] was in the basement of the old Center for Continuing Education,” he recalled. “The students put the show together, and I think it was almost three hours long … I believe there were maybe 50 to 75 people who attended.”

Since then, festival attendance has grown steadily, requiring larger venues as time progressed. First, the event was moved to the Snite Museum of Art, then Hesburgh Library’s Carey Auditorium, and, since 2005, it has taken place in the Browning Cinema.

Even after almost three and a half decades helping students organize the festival, Mandell said he is still excited to witness the audience’s response to the films.

This year’s 120-minute lineup will feature 13 short films spanning a variety of genres including comedy, horror, drama and documentary. “[There’s] a little bit for everyone,” Mandell said.

“There are films shot in Texas, Washington, Nebraska, Illinois and right here on campus.” see FILM PAGE 5

SCENE PAGE 10

Alum confirmed as ambassador Observer Staff Report

The U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of former senator and Notre Dame alumnus Joe Donnelly to be the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, the governing body of the Roman Catholic Church, according to a University press release.

Donnelly will serve as the official representative of the United States to the leadership of the Catholic Church, assisting in helping the Vatican and United States collaborate on an array of issues including interreligious dialogue,

human rights and foreign aid.

Donnelly was nominated for the position in October by President Joe Biden.

Graduating from Notre Dame in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and Juris Doctor also from Notre Dame in 1981, Donnelly served three terms in the House of Representatives representing Indiana’s second district and one term in the Senate.

Donnelly most recently taught University courses in the Keough School of Global Affairs on American politics, public policy and leadership.

Senate discusses test availability

By SHANNON LIPSCOMB News Writer

The second student senate meeting of the semester brought about the discussion of the ever-evolving COVID-19 situation on campus, new merchandise for the group and the approval of a new student senator.

The senate saw the effects of the pandemic within

the meeting, as seats were left empty due to members attending virtually on Zoom. Senators looked to answer some persistent questions about COVID-19 after senior and student body vice president Matthew Bisner met with administration to discuss the issue.

First, Bisner clarified the see SENATE PAGE 5

Building Bridges guides students

By Siobhan Loughney Talent and Inclusion Manager

The Universit y of Notre Dame’s mission statement reads, “The intellectual interchange essential to a universit y requires, and is enriched by, the presence and voices of diverse scholars and students.” In recent years, many institutions have made claims to be dedicated to similar missions,

HOCKEY PAGE 16

seeking more diverse, inclusive student bodies, but what are colleges and universities doing to promote positive env ironments and experiences for students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds?

“Not ever yone’s coming from the same background,” Notre Dame student body president A llan Njomo said. see BRIDGES PAGE 3

M BASKETBALL PAGE 16

2

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The observer | Friday, JANUARY 21, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

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Fresh snow lays on the ground of God Quad Wednesday night as students endure cold temperatures for their second week of the semester. South Bend winter can be an adjustment for those who are not used to dealing with frequent snow and icy conditions.

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Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

33rd Annual ND Student Film Festival Browning Cinema 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Watch films made by students.

LepreCon Dahnke Ballroom 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Super Smash Bros Tournament, prices and more.

33rd Annual ND Student Film Festival Browning Cinema 7 p.m.

Watch films made by students.

Need to Talk Duncan Student Center Noon - 2 p.m.

Talk to campus ministers.

Virtual Postgraduate Service Fair Virtual 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Learn about service program opportunities.

Catholic Allyship Talk Zoom 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Part of the Building an Anti-Racist Vocabulary Series.

Slainte: The 2022 Irish Dance Showcas Washington Hall 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Featuring the Irish Dance Team.

Basilica Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 10 a.m. & noon Masks required. All are welcome.

Spring Career Fair Duncan Student Center Varies Learn about career opportunities.

Workshop for the PwC Center for Diversity & Inclusion Sorin, Dooley Rooms 4 p.m.

All students invited.

News

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, JANUARY 21, 2022 | The Observer

3

Business

Professors weigh in on crypto asset valuation

By MAGGIE EASTLAND News Writer

Editor’s Note: This is the second of a three-part series exploring the world of cryptocurrencies and crypto assets on the tri-campus. The first part of this series covered student involvement, and the final part will cover investment recommendations and University connections to the space.

Notre Dame finance professors agree one way to understand a cr ypto token’s value is to examine the technolog y behind it — blockchain.

Blockchain is a shared, immutable ledger for recording transactions. For cr yptocurrencies like Bitcoin, the technolog y tracks and confirms information through a distributed network without a central party.

The purpose of blockchain is right in the name. The technolog y records data, such as transactions of Bitcoin, in a “block.” Once the block is complete, it becomes part of the “chain” with other blocks before and after it that prevent any changes to the data or transaction information.

Jason You, a second year Notre Dame doctoral student studying computer science, said the applications of blockchain are more complex than the technolog y.

“Blockchain is actually a general purpose database, but the advantage of it is that it can secure transactions, preventing untrusted parties from tampering with the

Bridges Continued from page 1

“A lot of students face challenges because ever y thing is new to them.”

Njomo is a member of the Building Bridges Mentoring Program at Notre Dame, a group that ser ves to help lead students of color to academic success at the Universit y.

The Universit y notifies students of their eligibilit y to apply to Building Bridges during the summer before their freshman year and pairs accepted students w ith peer and facult y mentors in their major to guide them through academic processes and other elements of the college experience, such as career path discernment.

Once in the program, students forge relationships w ith mentors as they choose their major, extracurricular activ ities and other elements of the academic experience that fit their long-term goals. In line w ith

data,” You said. “Blockchain is unique because there is no centralized server in there, but they can still allow untrusted computers to work together, and they can record the same data on all of these computers or the majority of them.”

A cr yptography process called mining is the central piece for achieving consensus within the network.

“You want all the computers storing the same data.

You want them to agree on the things they are communicating on, and that requires some kind of mechanism,” You said.

You compares mining to solving a complicated mathematical puzzle. In reality that puzzle is a hash function that works like a trapdoor, meaning a computer can efficiently find the door, or the input, but struggles to find the output in the reverse direction.

In the cr yptocurrency mining process, the first computer to solve the puzzle receives a cr ypto coin reward. Once a function has been solved, it is virtually impossible to solve it in the reverse direction, thus creating the security of a blockchain-powered currency.

Still, You said the technolog y has room for improvement when it comes to security and user interface. He also said blockchain’s applications are far more valuable than the technolog y alone.

“Blockchain by itself won’t create that much value because it’s just a database

technolog y,” You said. “It can allow multiple untrusted parties to work together and store the same data on the database. That’s something that’s never been accomplished before. If [developers] understand this point and then apply it to other technologies or industries, then that can potentially be revolutionar y stuff.”

Right now, many firms are applying Blockchain technologies to currencies.

W hether or not this is the best use for the technolog y remains unknown.

Bill McDonald, a Notre Dame finance professor, said cr yptocurrency’s value might come from blockchain’s application to monetar y transactions.

“W hen you look at cr yptocurrencies you have to look at the valuation proposition in a similar way. It’s a matter of, ‘Is this a useful medium of exchange? ’” McDonald said.

The potential value is magnified in countries where the national currency is unstable, he said.

After teaching multiple classes on cr ypto assets and Bitcoin, McDonald remains unsure about cr yptocurrency’s future.

“At the end of the day, I’m not sure whether it will take over the world or not, but when I look at the people working in the space, I’m ver y impressed,” McDonald said.

He compares the unknowns of cr yptocurrency’s potential to the unknowns of the Internet’s potential in its

beginning stages.

“I lived through the Internet first coming online, and I saw then how hard it was to explain to somebody, ‘Your computer will be able to talk to my computer.’ People used to say, ‘So what? ’ They don’t think about Amazon.

They don’t think about eBay. They don’t think about the things you can do when you open that door,” McDonald said.

Cr yptocurrency’s growth narrative may follow the Internet’s, or it may end up buried in the graveyard of overhyped technologies, perhaps next to the Blackberr y smartphone, Theranos health screening scam or even the less dramatic dotcom bubble.

“I don’t think most people understand some of the things that can be done in cr ypto space,” McDonald said. “I think it has tremendous potential, but I am not fully confident we’ll ever realize that potential, or our countries will ever become comfortable allowing these currencies to grow within their own boundaries. There are potential benefits, but as always, there’s risk.”

Like any emerging technolog y, buying cr yptocurrency is a risky investment play, but much like a poker table in Vegas, huge risk comes with the possibility of compensating reward.

Brad W hitton, a Notre Dame senior and future employee for Chicago-based cr ypto asset investment firm Walden Bridge Capital,

downplayed more dramatic narratives of Bitcoin replacing the U.S. dollar and said cr yptocurrencies have potential value as a hedge against inf lation.

“I don’t really see a world where Bitcoin is going to undermine the stability of the dollar. At the end of the day, people have to pay ta xes in dollars. All business is done in dollars. I don’t think that is really going to ever change,” W hitton said.

“People talk about Bitcoin as being analogous to digital gold. I think that’s a fair way of looking at it right now, and I think going for ward, that’s a good mental framework for how to think about it.”

Bitcoins and similar cr yptocurrencies exist in limited supply, creating economic pressures that mirror those of the gold market. Much like buying gold, some investors consider purchasing cr ypto assets as a method of diversif ying their portfolio. W hile cr yptocurrency prices are volatile, their prices often move independently of the market, giving them a potential portfolio diversification benefit.

W hitton said cr yptocurrencies may even have an advantage over physical gold. “[Cr yptocurrency] has a lot of the same properties as gold, but is better in the sense that you don’t have to pay to store it, and you can transfer it over the Internet. It’s nonconfiscatable,” he said.

its mission to foster success, Building Bridges also communicates career-related opportunities w ith its members and organizes net working events.

It is no challenge to find highly successful members of Building Bridges, a program recognized by the Presidential Team Irish Award in 2019. Take Meenu Selvan, a senior study ing finance and economics w ith a minor in real estate. Selvan is an active member of the student body and has been engaged in several student organizations and held leadership positions throughout her time at Notre Dame.

As a first-year, Selvan joined the First Undergraduate Experience in Leadership (FUEL) organization, where she became the director of faith and ser v ice. Selvan later got involved w ith the Center for Social Concerns as a student leader. As a junior, she ser ved as one of two assistant Student Union treasurers, a role she is still

undertaking as a senior.

Arriv ing as a first-year, Selvan was accepted into Building Bridges and intended to study architecture. Realizing in her first semester that her passions lay elsewhere, the program connected Selvan w ith a facult y mentor in the economics department w ith whom she could discuss the goals of her academic experience, whether that was pursuing research, attending graduate school or seeking a job after graduation.

“Hav ing conversations w ith her helped me prepare to speak w ith people about what I wanted to do during my summers,” Selvan said of her relationship w ith her facult y mentor. “She also was one of the t wo people who made me realize that I love econ.”

Despite the COV ID-19 pandemic limiting her abilit y to attend an in-person internship, Selvan connected w ith her first internship through net working in the Building

Bridges program, prov iding an experience that she said helped her to prepare for inter v iew ing for jobs during her junior year. Now in her final semester at Notre Dame, Selvan is preparing to begin her career at Credit Suisse as a sales analyst for their equit y derivatives group.

Njomo said he also found the program helpful in his academic and vocational endeavors.

“I’m a first-generation student. No one in my family has been in my shoes before in an elite universit y, and [Building Bridges staff ] were the people that walked me through all the different challenges I faced,” Njomo said.

Guided by his facult y mentor through the process of securing his first internship, Njomo turned that opportunit y into the job he w ill enter upon graduation.

Now experienced seniors in positions of leadership, Selvan and Njomo have

returned to the program as peer mentors. In this role, they engage w ith first-year students to pass on what they have learned from their journeys, whether by sharing their w isdom or showing younger students around South Bend and the tri-campus communit y. Once mentees in their first and second years, both students have taken on the role to give back.

“I’m pay ing it for ward because someone did that for me when I was a sophomore and freshman, so I’m going to do that for the freshmen and sophomores,” Selvan said.

Njomo shared Selvan’s sentiment of gratitude.

“Building Bridges is a treasure to this Universit y,” Njomo said. “Arnel Bulaoro, the director, is the reason that so many students come to this Universit y and they’re able to ex it successfully.”

Contact Maggie Eastland at meastlan@nd.edu

Contact Siobhan Loughney at sloughne@nd.edu

4

NEWS

The observer | Friday, JANUARY 21, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

New minor teaches students about compassion

By BELLA LAUFENBURG Staff Writer

Featuring an up-and-coming intersection of psychology, biology and neuroscience, the compassionate care in medicine (CCIM) minor within Notre Dame’s College of Science teaches students the science of compassion.

CCIM is part of the Ruth M. Hillebrand Center for Compassionate Care in Medicine and is led by director Dr. Dominic Vachon.

The minor features a gateway course into the science of compassion, followed by a variety of electives “to deepen a student’s understanding of compassion,” an experiential learning course and a capstone project, Vachon said. He emphasized that there are many different ways to complete the minor.

Vachon said the Hillebrand Center began offering courses on compassion in 2011, but didn’t offer a minor until 2019 when students began asking for a program. “[The Hillebrand Center] didn’t think science majors would want to take more than one course. And then all of a sudden, they started taking all of them,” Vachon said. “Four years ago, the students were the ones that said to us, ‘Would

you make this into a minor?’”

The science of compassion is a relatively new paradigm, Vachon explained, but represents an important step in the training of medical professionals.

“It’s our Hubble telescope that helps us understand more clearly what’s going on when we work with people who are suffering,” Vachon said.

Contrary to older theories, Vachon said that compassion must go hand-in-hand with the training of doctors.

“If you aren’t a doctor who’s centered in compassion, you’re really practicing outdated medicine,” he said.

Vachon explained that compassionate care is not just about being kind to patients, but also about learning how to connect with others and be empathetic without losing control of one’s emotions.

“A soft sentimentalized understanding of compassion does not really help people who do the difficult work of helping others and making the world a better place. The scientific understanding of compassion helps us know better how to respond to suffering in others and how to stay balanced in the process,” he said.

CCIM not only teaches students the skills to become wellrounded doctors, but it also

gives students valuable tools to keep them from experiencing what has become a common occurrence in the health care field: burnout.

Recent graduate Quinn Retzloff said the techniques he learned during his CCIM courses have helped him maintain his composure in high-stress medical situations.

“I’ve actually had the chance to be in hospitals and see what physicians are dealing with during COVID,” Retzloff said.

“Last summer, for instance, I was in trauma critical care surgery during the height of the pandemic, and I got to use the techniques and the strategies I learned with patients and with doctors.”

Retzloff said he noticed the doctors he saw practicing compassionate medicine were much less burnt out than the other physicians.

“The doctors I witnessed who distance themselves from the illness and, in turn, distance themselves from the person — they were burnt out, unhappy, unsatisfied,” he said. “But for the doctors who were able to see that person not as an illness but an actual person in need of their help, it seemed to make a profound difference.”

Retzloff said he also worked for Vachon’s research lab during his time as an

undergraduate and that their work interviewing physicians about their techniques to stay calm during difficult work has been valuable to him.

“It’s a reminder that a lot of times when you enter into medical school and residency with this motivation, that gets burnt out and taken away from you because of the unrealistic expectations of health care, these practices work,” he explained. “Seeing these physicians reaffirms to you a commitment to practicing these skills, and that way you can be a better provider and better to yourself as a future physician.”

For Elizabeth Lucas, a sophomore majoring in preprofessional studies, the CCIM minor has also shaped the way she looks at her future career.

“Over the summer, I did a bunch of physician-shadowing in my hometown, and seeing how they interacted with patients after experiencing some of the classes and some of the things that I’ve learned through the club and through the minor, it brings an entirely different perspective to the way that I would look at how the doctors interacted with patients,” she said.

Lucas is involved with the CCIM club, which is open to all University students and offers

many different shadowing and volunteer opportunities. She said there are over a hundred students who are active in the club — many of whom are not in the minor.

Vachon said the CCIM program currently has over 160 students enrolled, representing a wide variety of majors and colleges.

“While the minor was designed for students going into health care professions, it’s also a minor that’s good for anyone going into any profession that helps people,” Vachon said. “So many people at Notre Dame are dedicated to making the world a better place.”

Lucas agreed with Vachon and said that the program could benefit students from a patient’s point of view as well.

“Most of the people that are in the minor are pre-med, but I think that there are other fields that can apply a lot as well,” she said. “Even beyond that, honestly it’s important to know about these things as a patient too, rather than just as a doctor.”

Anyone interested in the minor can visit their website or contact Rose Carroll, the operations and strategic coordinator for the Hillebrand Center.

Contact Bella Laufenburg at ilaufenb@nd.edu

Lecture highlights female civil rights leaders

By CAROLINE DARROW News Writer

The Center for Spirituality and the Division for Equity and Inclusion began the threepart lecture series, “Addressing the Soul Sickness of Racism,” on Thursday evening in the Carroll Auditorium at Saint Mary’s College. The series kicked off with a lecture by the director of Indiana University of South Bend’s (IUSB) Civil Rights Heritage Center, Darryl Heller, discussing the history of civil rights.

Heller opened with a discussion regarding the decontextualization of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech. He called critics ”out of step with King’s dream.”

Heller said critics who focus solely on the section of the speech that concerns dreams for the future fail to recognize the context of the speech.

“Omitted is the earlier part of King’s speech where he states that the reason they’re in the Capitol was to cash a check,” Heller said.

This check Heller referred to was a promise from the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence that all men would be guaranteed certain unalienable rights.

“America has given the Negro

people a bad check,” Heller said. “Sixty years after King spoke, we are still waiting for that check to clear.”

Heller then went on to reference Danielle Sered’s book “Until We Reckon.“ “One fundamental thing that requires reckoning is the history of slavery and oppression that produced our current society,” he said.

He stated that society must reckon with the past in order to understand the present and dream of a better future. In order to discuss the history of the civil rights movement, Heller decided to highlight women who he said laid the groundwork for the movement.

To introduce these women, Heller played the song, “Ella’s Song.” Bernice Johnson Reagon wrote the song for Ella Baker, who, as Heller explains, “was arguably the most significant, under-recognized leader of the movement that gave birth to Dr. King.”

Baker became the highest ranking female employee in the NAACP when she was named the NAACP national director of branches in 1943. However, she resigned in 1944 due to her frustration with the NAACP’s top-down structure.

Baker believed that the movement was to grow from

the bottom, Heller said.

This belief was realized once she became the executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957. Her strategy, called the crusade for citizenship, placed the spotlight on local leadership, he said.

Her morals were demonstrated again when she helped assist the students leading lunch counter sit-ins, Heller said.

“She guided and supported them to chart their own oath, recognizing that their energy and courage needed to be soft directed,” he said.

From Baker’s meeting with the students, The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was created.

Due to her work, Baker was asked to be the keynote speaker at the nominating committee for the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, which was a political party organized to support Black political candidates.

Two days before the convention, three young civil rights activists were found murdered in a dam near Philadelphia, Mississippi.

Baker’s speech became a eulogy for these young men, declaring, “We who believe in freedom cannot rest.” Heller described her speech as “both

mournful and militant.”

Heller continued his lecture by highlighting activist Rosa Parks. Her work included the founding of the NAACP Youth Council and organizing a protest at the Montgomery Public Library in order to end the exclusion of black people from the library.

Her arrest on Dec. 1, 1955, for refusing to give up her bus seat was part of her long track record of prominent activism within the civil rights movement.

The next Black woman highlighted was Claudette Colvin.

As a teenager, she was arrested before Parks for refusing to give up her bus seat. She was placed under indefinite probation under her parents’ care following her trial.

The charges remained on Colvin’s record until 2021.

There was discussion of a bus boycott following Colvin’s arrest. However, as Heller discussed, the conclusion was made that at the time “she was too young and too dark to build the citywide movement around.”

The final two women mentioned were Mary Fair Burks and Jo Ann Gibson Robinson.

Burks founded the Women’s Political Council in 1946, with the mission “to inspire negros to live above mediocrity, to

elevate their thinking…and in general to improve their status as a group” before Robinson took it over in 1950.

Some of Robinson and the Women’s Political Council’s most prominent work came following the arrest of Parks.

Robinson and the Women’s Political Council printed off 50,000 flyers reporting that a Black woman had been arrested for refusing to give up her seat.

They asked for all Black people to stay off the buses Monday, launching the bus boycott.

Heller completed his lecture by professing that “without these and countless nameless others, the legacy of Dr. King would not be our inspiration…That march was but one more step in the longer and larger march of the civil rights movement.”

Heller concluded the entirety of his lecture with a reminder that the movement towards justice for all is not complete.

“The civil rights movement is more than a march and a speech.”, Heller said. “It is the daily activity that we all do. Sit down one day, not today, because we still have a long way to go.”

Contact Caroline Darrow at cdarrow@nd.edu

News

Film Continued from page 1

After each screening, the audience will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite film via text message. The winning film will receive the Audience Choice Award following the Sunday night screening.

“It’ll be nice to have the public be able to attend again,” Mandell said.

Last year’s festival was restricted to students, faculty and staff due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the rise in cases of the Omicron variant, the cinema will be at 75% capacity this year, allowing for 150 attendees at each screening. Tickets are required for attendance and are available for purchase on the DPAC website.

Mandell encouraged all to attend, especially students.

“Most people have no idea the amount of time and effort that goes into producing even the shortest of short films,” he said. “You have to be passionate to be a filmmaker, and these students are passionate.”

Peter Nichols, a senior from Cleveland, Ohio, discovered his passion for filmmaking in one of Mandell’s production classes in the fall of 2020. Originally an accountancy major, he added a second major in FTT focusing on film production.

Despite this being Nichols’ first time participating in the festival, he has two films featured in it. He described the first, “Puppy Love,“ as a fictional short about college romance.

“This film is more concerned about stylization in production as the lighting, camera movement, angles and so forth were intricately planned out,” he said.

His second film, “The Ismailzais,“ was created for Mandell’s Documentary Production course in partnership with fellow FTT senior Nate Robards. The film follows a family of Afghan refugees as they adapt to life in Austin, Texas after arriving there in August.

“When Professor Mandell told us we could choose any topic, he advised us to ‘think big‘,” Nichols recalled.

“Nate and I thought about the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan and how countless people were f leeing to the United States to seek refuge … We wanted to portray the first-person perspective of what acclimating to the U.S. was actually like for a family with children.”

After reaching out to the Austin Independent School District, Nichols and Robards were connected with the Ismailzai family.

When they began filming in Austin, the filmmakers struggled to find a Pashto

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, JANUARY 21, 2022 | The Observer

interpreter, which they believed would be necessary in order to speak with the Ismailzais. When they eventually found someone to assist, Nichols said the first conversation with the interpreter was one of the most memorable moments making the film.

“After breaking the ice by meeting and communicating with the family through the interpreter, we were ready to interview the father,” Nichols said. “We set up, got the camera ready, and I asked the first question. To my surprise, the father began answering the questions in English.”

Senior FTT and theology student Ivan Skvaril also has a documentary featured in the festival. His film “Cyrus” — which he created with classmate Ted Nagy — follows former professional surfer and van life inf luencer Cyrus Sutton, who has spent the last decade building a homestead in rural Washington.

A Guam native, Skvaril grew up surfing with his brothers. He said he has long looked up to Sutton and finds his unique perspective on the world interesting.

“In recent years, there’s definitely been more of a push by various groups to ‘get back to the land’ and return to a simpler life as the modern world is becoming increasingly more complicated with technology and globalization,” Skvaril said. “Cyrus is an example of someone who’s taking on this challenge of disconnecting from the systems we all rely on.”

The film follows Sutton’s experiences growing his own food, building a shelter, making his own clothing and disconnecting from the Internet in favor of connecting with his neighbors. “[It] drives home the point that the “simple life” is not all easy and comes with its own unique set of challenges,” Skvaril said.

Following graduation, Skvaril hopes to return to Guam, start his own commercial production company and create surfing films on the side. Fellow FTT senior and film festival participant Justin George echoed a similar sentiment regarding his future career goals (Editor’s Note: George is the video unit leader for The Observer).

“Film is my passion,” the Lawrence, Michigan native said. “It’s really the only thing I can see myself doing.”

A self-proclaimed horror enthusiast, George’s film “Carcosa“ was inf luenced by Robert W. Chambers’ 1895 horror novel “The King in Yellow.“ “It’s a really simple film that follows this guy who has

this mysterious box,” George explained. “The box contains some kind of unknown evil, and the guy’s just trying to get rid of it.”

He created the film with classmate Sam Eppich for professor Bill Donaruma’s Intermediate Film Production course. The students were required to include a box in their film in addition to other prescribed props and plot elements, so for George, the challenge was making a box scary.

“We thought, ‘What if every time you open the box, something bad happened?’” he said. “There’s something bad in the box, like a bad force.”

He said the best part of creating “Carcosa” was shooting the film.

“It was the most fun I’ve ever had on a set,” he said. “A lot of the people in this festival actually crewed on this film, so it’ll be great to see their work.”

Contact Claire Reid at creid6@nd.edu

Senate Continued from page 1

University administration’s goals for battling the pandemic.

“We talked to administration, and they are very confident that we are going to meet our booster requirement right now,” Bisner said. “They were very blunt with us, and attitudes have shifted from ‘We don’t want anyone with COVID’ to ‘We do not want to overload the hospitals.’”

Bisner also discussed the issue of test availability on campus. The federal government launched its website for ordering free at-home tests on Tuesday, but like many other Americans living in communal or multi-unit housing, Bisner said, many Notre Dame students living in dorms and apartments have had trouble ordering their four tests. The issue lies in the United States Postal Service’s mailing system not recognizing some addresses as multi-unit buildings.

Senators pressed on for answers, bringing their own thoughts to the discussion. Senior and off-campus president Thomas Davis pointed out that Notre Dame seems to have stepped away from largescale surveillance testing, to which Bisner agreed. Davis also wondered how the University could receive a fully accurate case count, seeing as many students travel off campus to get tested.

Other senators brought up the notion of acquiring tests on campus, which continues to be a difficult task for many. Sophomore and Pasquerilla West senator Veronica Slevin offered to help organize a drive for extra unused tests, because many at-home testing kits include multiple tests. She said she believes this effort could be very important, especially in light of Bisner’s earlier discussion about students having trouble ordering

Abroad Continued from page 1

to be accepted off the waitlists for the spring 2023 semester programs into the fall.

There is still space available for eight select semester programs for 2022-2023 and eight summer 2022 programs.

Applications are now open to these programs and are due Monday, January 31.

Study abroad encourages students to be flexible in choosing which semester and program they decide to participate in.

When evaluating applications, study abroad looks for students with specific academic goals that align with the opportunities offered by their desired program.

This spring semester, a number of students withdrew from programs they had accepted spots in due to anxiety about COVID-19. While the pandemic caused some concern for some students who hoped to study abroad in the 2021-2022 school year, the increased number of applications for 2022-2023 does

their government-subsidized tests.

“If people got tests and did not need to use them, maybe there is a way people could coordinate some type of drive or giveaway, or donate them to the University,” Slevin suggested.

A question shared among many senators was why the University continues to be strict on discouraging dual-mode learning when students are sick. After the COVID-19 dashboard’s first update of the spring semester on Tuesday, the University’s positivity rate was revealed to be 14%.

Sophomore Knott Hall senator Abraham Figueroa raised the question of Notre Dame possibly moving classes online due to the rise in cases.

“It’s not foreseeable to me,” Bisner answered. “I will never say

5

not reflect widespread concerns about the pandemic, Zhu said.

While most study abroad programs moved forward this semester, a few programs were canceled due to pandemic-related travel restrictions, such as those in Australia and China.

Notre Dame International (NDI) continually evaluates COVID-19 concerns for each country and program, Zhu said.

NDI monitors factors such as countries’ entry requirements and the classroom restrictions at particular institutions to decide whether or not to send students, she added.

All students are required to be fully vaccinated in order to study abroad. Students with vaccine exemptions are not allowed to participate in study abroad.

Zhu said study abroad is excited to work with students to ensure they have a positive and memorable experience abroad.

“I just think it is great that study abroad is still here and students are eager to go,” Zhu said.

Contact Megan Fahrney at mfahrney@nd.edu

it’s impossible, but I would say it’s improbable.”

In a more lighthearted discussion, the senate then debated their merchandise designs for the year.

Despite some pleas to revise the navy blue sweatshirt by adding yellow and gold lettering, the group eventually agreed to maintain the original design. Veteran members may receive a patch to make their “vintage” sweatshirt stand out.

Senators also voted in favor of suspending the election of the new Cavanaugh Hall senator, given that there was only one candidate.

Cavanaugh’s new senator, firstyear Abbey Donahue, will attend her first meeting next Wednesday, Jan. 26.

Contact Shannon Lipscomb at slipsco3@nd.edu

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The observer | Friday, January 21, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Columns

On a journey to be chill

2022 ins and outs: A social Inside Column

Nelisha Silva

Isabella Volmert

Assistant Managing Editor

Assistant Managing Editor

Almost everyone who knows me would say that I am not what is known as a “chill person.” Generally, I’m the kind of person who can’t do things casually. If I’m joining a new extracurricular or starting a new hobby, I will throw myself into it headlong. For example, I joined The Observer as a part-time job two years ago, and now I spend 70% of my days thinking about it. Last year, I set the goal of reading for pleasure again, a habit I lost throughout high school and college. I pictured myself leisurely reading a book a week and finding new genres to acquaint myself with. Instead, I read over 230 books, primarily of my comfort genres — mystery thriller and fantasy.

This is all to say that I have a hard time taking it slow or not doing the absolute most at any given time. My mom likes to say that I have always been a high-strung child (I got my first gray hair at 9 years old — apparently 4th grade was stressful), and she has been trying to get me to relax for years. For all of the aforementioned reasons, one of my New Year’s resolutions was to slow down and be more casual. Most of my friends reading this will laugh at that sentence because, as previously mentioned, I am notoriously bad at slowing down and being casual.

So, in order to meet my goal of slowing down and being casual, I’ve decided to write myself a list of goals so that I can achieve my new status as “chill.” (Yes, I understand that writing a list about how to be casual is not very casual but we’re taking baby steps right now.)

1. Stop signing myself up for more work than you need to do.

Shockingly, or not so shockingly, this is a real problem I have. I am the first to volunteer to do a task on top of my regular responsibilities, whether that’s taking more classes than I need in my last semester in college or always being willing to fill in for work. This semester, I plan to stop trying to do everything, and just do the things I need to do.

2. Schedule time with friends.

I find that the few times I am able to slow my mind down and really be in the moment is when I’m with people I love. So, one of my goals is to spend more time with my friends. Which means scheduling time into my week to see my friends. As graduation looms, I know that there will soon be a day when my best friends are no longer a five minute walk away, and I want to embrace this time with them while I still have it.

3. Start a new show.

I have the habit of only watching shows I’ve already seen. Whether it’s “Parks and Rec” or “Brooklyn 99,” I usually find myself watching reruns of episodes, comforted by the familiarity of plots and characters I know well. This year, I’m challenging myself to start a new show, one that requires my full attention. I’ve recently started watching the Marvel TV shows on Netflix, and I certainly can’t spend time scrolling on Twitter in between fight scenes if I want to keep up with Matt Murdock and his antics. It takes self-control to not try and google the ending of each episode, but in the interest of being chill, I’m trying to be a meaningful and sincere viewer.

4. Stop thinking so far in advance.

It’s not that thinking far in advance is a bad thing, but I have a tendency to think months in advance about a scenario that is contingent on multiple other factors, and then spiraling into a panic over a hypothetical that probably won’t ever happen. This is a little less concrete than other goals on the list, but it’s a genuine goal of mine to stop stressing so far in advance. I don’t have a ton of strategies for this one, but I’ve recently started writing down all of my leftover thoughts before going to bed, so that I can try to go to bed with a relaxed and present brain. While stress makes me productive in certain amounts, too much of it doesn’t really have any purpose other than making it harder to fall asleep at night.

I realize this column isn’t super relatable or groundbreaking — most people who hear about my workaholic tendencies look at me in confusion and laugh at the idea of taking on more work than I need to do. And I get that. I laugh at myself too. I want to be a chill, relaxed person. I want to be able to slow down and live life a little less intensely. Even with recent TikTok trends about not being a casual girl, there is nothing I crave more than slowing my brain down. And while I suspect that the journey to chill is a lifelong journey, hopefully this list is a start for me and my brain.

(Maybe one day I’ll be chill enough to not write a detailed column about my goals towards being chill, but today is not that day. After all, irony is in for 2022.)

New Year’s resolutions are out. Ins and outs are in. To elaborate, resolutions have never sat well with me. I don’t enjoy the idea of making goals simply because we all agreed one day resets our calendars. Additionally, in the past couple years of volatile change, many of my personal goals have been disrupted too many times in the long span of 365 days. Now, I enjoy the new trend of setting “ins” and “outs.” This method of self-definition and listing favorite things offers less commitment, openness to change and flexibility as time goes on. So, here is my silly little social column on ins and outs for 2022: Ins 1. Garlic. I am a garlic girl. The girls who get it, get it, and the girls who don’t, don’t.

2. Spices in general. I need to strengthen my palate.

3. Zodiac signs. I’m ready to lean into this culture, but in an ironic way. I will identify as a Libra much like I identity with Team Gale and Team Jacob. I care about it, but not too much.

Also, you can check your zodiac in each Print Edition of The Observer!

4. The color light pink and all types of green.

Check the links for the exact shades I’m thinking of.

5. No explanations. This one’s for the girls.

Don’t explain your decisions, processes and opinions. We do enough. For example, someone might ask me why I’m both Team Gale and Team Jacob. I will not explain.

6. Irony. This “in” explains why I explained the last “in” which was “no explanation.” And this entire column.

7. Social columns. I expend a lot of energy and critical thought in my classes and free time on existential problems about the current state of the United States and the world.

8. Anime. I have an extensive list I want to start.

9. A larger vocabulary. It’s time to read more and develop a more expansive collection.

10. Whoever runs the official Twitter account of Ukraine.

11. “New Girl.” This mid-2010s sitcom was always in, but its renaissance continues. This time, it’s all about finding the reference to a bear in every single episode of its seven seasons.

12. Finstas and private Snapchat stories.

13. Beautiful AI art of Taylor Swift lyrics.

14. Confidence in the weightlifting section of the gym. That’s my space too. Who cares if I am physically weak? I’m working on it. That’s why I’m there. No more being afraid of gym bros.

15. Valentine’s Day gifts. Especially for friends

Contact Nelisha at nsilva1@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

— give them little things that remind you of them. It’s the season of love. I procrastinated some Christmas gifts also.

16. Cross stitching. And any art that has historically been disregarded by art elitists.

17. Library cards.

Outs 1. Buying new clothes. Reduce, reuse, recycle, borrow, exchange, thrift.

2. Harry Potter. I’ve been saying this one for years, but it’s time everyone else also realized that while this series is fun, it’s just not the literary or cinematic masterpiece you think it is.

3. “Twilight” slander. I firmly believe “Breaking Dawn: Part 1” is unconditionally and irrevocably the best movie in existence. I also agree with the Twitter postulation that the first Twilight movie is the best sports movie of all time. In case you were wondering, the song featured in the baseball scene is “Supermassive Black Hole” by Muse.

4. Opinions on coffee. Drink what you want; we don’t need to argue about it.

5. The adjective “ugly.” Nothing is ugly.

Everything is either pretty and looks good or is camp, ironic or a work in progress.

6. Silver jewelry.

7. English accents.

8. Misunderstanding the labor shortage.

Please treat your employees better.

9. Card-only retailers. Not cool.

10. Chain restaurants. Support local businesses, support originality.

11. Followers on Pinterest. Pinterest is my favorite social media platform. It’s like playing dress-up free of cost. It’s not meant for perception, judgment or social sharing.

12. TikToks that are longer than 30 seconds.

Get to the point.

13. Tomato-based pasta sauce.

14. Rinsta and public Snapchat stories.

15. Hamilton. I can’t deny its musical finesse nor my own previous obsession with the soundtrack, but it’s time to recognize there is no way, besides a myriad of other problems with idolizing the “founding fathers,” that anyone could describe the historical Hamilton as making them feel “helpless.” In case my mom reads this: I still love and will always treasure the time we saw it.

16. Anyone who thinks the billionaire space race is cool. Please pay your taxes first.

17. Nuance.

Send me your ins and outs for 2022. I’d love to hear them.

Contact Isabella at ivolmert@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Submit a Letter to the Editor: viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com

The observer | Friday, January 21, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

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Making the switch Eva Analitis Below the Surface

“Service” is one of those words that typically evokes supportive sentiments. It’s almost universally regarded as positive to serve one’s community, and most people would consider volunteering to be a hallmark activity of a civicminded person. Growing up, volunteering and doing service were essential to our development into conscious citizens and gaining a broader understanding of the world. Like many of you, I too had service hour requirements in elementary and high school and have filled out countless applications that contain service sections asking how I have served my community. Even to get into college and various graduate schools, volunteering has been a key aspect of many of our applications.

As I have grown older, however, the word “service” and our societal view of it have taken on a distasteful tone to me.

The original intention of performing “service” was to familiarize ourselves with the situations of struggling members of our communities, but it has come to have quite the opposite effect — an effect of othering.

I find myself wary of the word “service” because we might confuse it with solidarity, of which it often falls short. The financially secure are at liberty to weave in and out of the world of need at whim with nothing to lose and feelings of self-satisfaction to gain. When we volunteer, we step out of our sphere of comfort for a predetermined period of time, venturing out into the world of less fortune, all the while being able to plunge back into the safety of our own whenever we wish.

I became keenly aware of this privilege and attitude one summer morning when I, with my head down and pace elevated, slipped past a man curled up on the street corner waving a piece of cardboard that read, “Down on my luck and hungry. Anything helps.” Just the day before, I had

supposedly been “serving” people in similar shoes at the local homeless center. Did my care from the previous day absolve me of my ignorance that day? Did I really regard this man, and all other unhoused people, as having the same dignity as myself? Yet I had convinced myself that my “service” was sufficient to their struggle — that I was doing my part.

Though we might sincerely seek to bridge gaps in our society, we seem to simultaneously accept there are to be eternal gulfs between ourselves and people in need, that they will always be “other” to us in some sense. While we feel real sympathy for the struggles of the homeless, hungry, helpless and oppressed, we are only interested in combating them when we deliberately place ourselves in an environment designed to do so, such as a volunteer organization. We’re champions of the poor from nine to noon once a week, but when the clock strikes twelve and our volunteer shift ends, their plight no longer pains us, it seems.

Service is a temporary condition through which we can provide some extra goodness to the world on our own time.

Solidarity, on the other hand, is an enduring disposition through which we have an active obligation to work for justice and amplify the cries of our neighbors in need at all times. To truly be a force for good in the world, our aim must be solidarity, rather than service. Within the bounds of service, it’s nice for me to help people in need, a bonus action.

But within the bounds of solidarity, it’s morally incumbent on me to do so. We are called to make the switch from the mindset of service to one of solidarity.

We cannot compartmentalize compassion, flipping it on and off like a switch once or twice a week. It is a frame of mind and way of life we must adopt in its entirety. We must not engage with a community in need and then later ignore it or extend our hand in the shelter and then retract it on the street, confining our concern to a convenient time and space. Our choice in life is either continuous compassion or flippant fellowship.

Schools and competitive positions will continue to ask us to document our acts of service, and clubs and associations will continue to have community service requirements which we will continue to fulfill for the prestige of being a part of them. This isn’t necessarily bad. There is certainly a need for volunteers to operate a number of programs that help people get by, and I understand that organizations must have some concrete way of assessing the civic-mindedness of their applicants. But we must make the switch from viewing volunteering as an extra activity for which we deserve praise to integrating it into our daily lives as a responsibility.

We cannot pick and choose when to show solidarity with those struggling. Inconsistent commitment is as good as neglect. Persistent problems require persistent resolve in order to solve them. Like a doctor on call or an emergency department tending to patients all night, compassion has no clock.

Don’t step up to the counter at the homeless center to serve one day and then sidestep homeless people the next.

Don’t listen to their stories with sympathy on Friday then pretend you can’t hear their pleas for help on Saturday. Don’t greet them with a gleam in your eye one week, then avert their gaze the week after. All these things, I have done — because it’s easy to bask in the comfort of service, feeling as though we did good for the day and then returning home to our normal lives where we get to forget about the struggles to which we were previously tending. We must exchange the privilege of service for the duty of solidarity. It won’t be a comfortable change, but it’s time we make the switch.

The worst part — I’m OK with it.

A former resident of Lyons Hall, Eva Analitis is a senior majoring in political science and pre-health. Even though she often can’t make up her own mind, that won’t stop her from trying to change yours. She can be reached at eanaliti@nd.edu or @evaanalitis on Twitter.

The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

COVID-19 and political theory Blake Ziegler News with Zig

The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the problems facing our society. Whether it is our poor healthcare system, the scars and new markings of racism in America or widening economic inequality, the U.S. response to the pandemic is a reiteration of our failures as a nation. One aspect of this episode in our national history that I’d like to highlight, though, centers around political theory.

Throughout the pandemic, there has been clear resistance and defiance to public health measures. Across the country, people have protested lockdowns, quarantines, social distancing, mask mandates and seemingly any COVID-19 restriction that disrupted one’s usual way of life. In December 2020, at a time when coronavirus cases were rising significantly, 31% of Americans opposed a national mask mandate and many states still had not yet adopted the measure. According to a June 2020 poll, 24% of Americans planned not to get vaccinated, including 30% of Republicans. Additionally, data shows that while most Americans agreed about the benefits of wearing a mask and socially distancing, many participated in activities while not wearing a mask or socially distancing.

Why was such a significant portion of our nation this hesitant and opposed to the COVID-19 restrictions? The answer is found in the philosophical foundations of the United States. A lauded American value is individualism, the notion that any person in this country ought to live as they see fit and has the capability to do so with enough hard work and dedication. This belief comes in part from John Locke, a political theorist whose writings heavily influenced the U.S. Constitution and our founding principles.

Locke’s emphasis on individual freedom and open competition gave way to a society built on self-interest.

This “I go my way and you go your way” approach manifests in nearly every corner of American society, especially in the pandemic. Among those Americans who refused to wear masks, a plurality of 40% cited it was “their right as an

American to not wear a mask” (no such constitutional right exists). For Americans who did wear masks, though, 60% did so to “protect themselves and others”.

This finding embodies the debate between protecting individual rights and public safety. While some Americans prioritized themselves and their own interests, others focused on communal well-being. When public well-being is threatened by the exercise of certain rights, what should government do? Is a government obligated to protect rights regardless of the consequences, or does it have a duty to prioritize public health? Examining these questions, I would argue that during times of duress when the exercise of certain liberties threatens public safety and there is no adequate alternative solution, the prioritization of public safety is a necessary duty of government.

One finds support for this belief in social contract theory, a philosophy Locke and our American values subscribe to.

This is a philosophical doctrine that argues society functions based on agreements individuals make between each other about their obligations and responsibilities, enforced by government. For instance, public schools exist because we as a society agreed people should have access to education, and the government enforces this obligation through constructing schools, regulating curriculum and collecting taxes to allow schools to function. There is much more nuance to the theory, but the basic foundation is that individuals make agreements with one another, enforced by government, to live in a peaceful, prosperous society.

Such a philosophy requires the prioritization of public safety over upholding individual rights in times of great danger. Social contract theory is built on the sacrifice of some freedoms in exchange for security. For example, if government did not exist, how would we prevent crimes such as theft, assault and murder? We would be in constant conflict with one another as individuals pursue their deepest desires with no regulation. It would be mayhem! The social contract says that individuals concede some absolute freedom while government provides safety from threats to public well-being. This inherent concession that forms the

foundation of society already recognizes public safety as a more important goal than individual rights in some instances. In the context of a global pandemic, the curbing of certain liberties makes sense.

In fact, Locke noted the importance of public safety in his own work. He emphasized the notion of the “public spirit” in pursuit of the common good. Ruthless individualism and disregard for the interests of others is nowhere near Locke’s conception of government. Rather, Locke envisioned a society where citizens were able to exercise rights freely. When that freedom was threatened, government was obligated to act to protect those rights. Since Locke’s writings were a key underpinning of our nation’s founding, it makes sense to suggest this concept holds true for America today.

Let me be clear: I am in no way advocating for an authoritarian, tyrannical government that strips away your rights.

My argument lies that in periods where public well-being is threatened, curtailing certain liberties is an appropriate course of action. The Supreme Court recognizes this in the form of strict scrutiny, where governments may restrict rights if it is a “compelling government interest” and narrowly tailored in a way that minimizes rights violations as much as possible. The COVID-19 restrictions comply with these requirements and are justified during the pandemic.

The rampant individualism propagated by some is a poor interpretation of political philosophy and should be replaced with a more comprehensive understanding of the literature.

Blake Ziegler is a junior at Notre Dame from New Orleans, Louisiana, with double majors in political science and philosophy. He enjoys writing about politics, Judaism and the occasional philosophical rant.

For inquiries, he can be reached at bziegler@nd.edu or followed at @NewsWithZig on Twitter if you want to see more of his opinions.

The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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The observer | friday, january 21, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Open letter: Looking through the mirror Speaking from a retrospective point of view, last semester was certainly a unique blend of everything that had been missing over the past two years. The dining halls bustled with laughter and commotion, and intensely long wait lines became the norm for the evenings. Tailgating made its return during football season, and performance halls opened their doors to provide viewers with authentic experiences. As the University thrives in a state of normalcy that we once took for granted, it is easy to overlook some of the achievements that we, as students, have accomplished. While we continue our hard work, it is also vital that we take the time to rest and recharge. Dealing with our difficulties before they become emergencies is a strong recipe for overall success. There is nothing wrong with slowing down, taking a break, and calling for help, especially when we find ourselves in dire need of it.

There is no shortage of stress in our lives. While our main focus here may be on academics, there is still a human being that lies behind the student and a life that extends well beyond the classroom. At times, the pressures of academic and career successes may appear overwhelming, but these do not hinder us from achieving our goals. We often find ways to overcome such challenges and put in the time and effort needed to be successful.

Day in and day out, we prepare ourselves and persevere through troubles in pursuit of a degree that is bound to take us wherever we want to go in life. While studying, doing homework, going to class and paying attention all create good results academically, they only represent one aspect of our lives. Yes, it is certainly important to do well in school. However, it does not reign supreme over all, and other principal pieces in life must be nourished and cared for as well. In true Notre Dame fashion, it is very common for us to overachieve and overextend — it is something that we have done for a large portion of our lives. In doing so, we must be careful to not neglect matters that are important to us and find a balance that brings us comfort holistically.

Every aspect of a person’s life is important. No matter if it is physical, spiritual, mental, social, emotional or any other category, each one contributes to our overall condition and well-being. Now, with this in mind, these different matters certainly do not show up in the same ways in all of our lives. Some aspects may carry more value and require more time and effort than others, while the rest may only represent a small portion of our personal peace.

Regardless of their individual significance, the many aspects of life collectively work together to build endurance and maturity. In addition to this, they provide sources of stability when life gets rough.

This centralized balance — a relaxed state — flourishes when we find that the bulk of our needs are met and we have adequately spent time maintaining the different parts of us that make us human. More often than not, this is never actually the case, and we spend a lot of time responding to the different challenges that life presents.

Life is hard, and at certain points, it can get really crazy.

During these rough patches, we may find ourselves prioritizing our tasks in a way that simply isn’t sustainable for integrative, long-term growth. We may have control for a while, but burnout, exhaustion and fatigue slowly morph into anxiety, depression and numbness; and this makes even the smallest tasks demand a large chunk of our energy. The constant sad-to-unproductive cycle generates an intensified and continued neglect that leaves us feeling extremely discouraged in life. Left unchecked, these issues can seep into the different avenues of our lives, and we may feel as if our whole world is crashing down on us.

It is during these times that we may feel that all hope is lost. Situations worsen and a growing sense of apathy begins to diffuse throughout our spirit before finally settling in permanently. Going to class becomes hard. Talking to other people feels draining. Our thoughts become intrusive and make us believe that we burden other people with our presence. The list goes on and on, varying broadly between individuals.

Despite these different emotions, one thing remains constant: All hope is not lost. A very cliché statement? Yes. In one ear and out the other? Probably. We’ve likely heard

this phrase, been told a story about someone in a worse situation, and then sent on our merry way. As a moderate feel-good, this provides temporary feelings of comparative satisfaction before the eventual slump into how we originally felt. We don’t need more sob stories to make us feel better about ourselves, and spending our whole lives comparing ours to others only creates more problems. Yes, life could be worse, but it could also be a whole lot better too.

Now here we are in a circular argument with no real solutions, teetering back and forth as we slide down the what-if rabbit hole. By no means am I encouraging individuals to be ungrateful. Gratitude is important, and we should always be thankful and count our blessings.

However, this life is a journey, and we must be intentional about how we navigate it. Our problems don’t go away when we compare them to someone who has it worse.

One might even argue that it just paints a clearer picture.

We need assistance just like they do, and it is in these moments that we should never underestimate the power of a helping hand.

Getting help is much easier said than done, and finding help that actually helps is a process in its own right.

It appears daunting and intimidating at first, and that’s honestly because it is. In a world already filled with chaos and things that are beyond our control, the last thing we may want to do is go out and search for something when we have a million other things to do. However, getting help is exactly what we need. Sadness, anxiety and depression are all real, and experiencing them does not make us less than or weak-minded. When we treat our feelings like how we would a job or a paper, we position ourselves to be successful emotionally. Properly taking care of ourselves is one way to live a fulfilling and balanced life. I think that for a long time we have been programmed to prioritize efficiency over utility and productivity over peace. Flashes of this imbalance show themselves through stress and breakdowns, but after these episodes, we often press on without ever addressing the issues. If our composure is broken and we don’t take the time to fix it, how can we truly move forward and grow? We are attempting to live a healthy life while practicing unhealthy habits, even if they may be unintentional.

It is perfectly okay to ask for help when we need it.

Learning and growing are continuous cycles that never stop. Just as the seasons in our lives carry on and change, how we take care of ourselves should adjust alongside these changes. Surely, we would all agree that matters that bothered us when we were children probably don’t have the same effect on us today. Similarly, our reactions to events that do bother us in the present day are different from the reactions that we had when we were children.

These are two simple examples of behavioral growth but their cores should have an application in all areas of our lives, especially our mental health. When we take care of our minds, we allow the rest of our bodies to function smoothly. Peace comes from within but to find it, we have to go out and seek it.

In this life, there is no formula for happiness. We must attend to ourselves when we are weak so we can find the right help and regain control. It is a step we can take to prevent us from being so caught up in one emotion that it starts to impact our ability to stay centered. Regardless of the chit-chat that we may hear on the outside, we are not machines and our meaning is not based on productivity.

Yes, it is important to do well in our endeavors but equally important is taking care of ourselves so that we have the capacity to do well in the first place. Not listening to our minds slowly eats at our energy. The continuous draining takes away from our other bodily responses and the end result is often disastrous. In times of distress, we must be careful to not be too hard on ourselves. Living in the past only brings more sorrow, and we can’t move on without first moving up. I believe there are a lot of perspectives to be gained when things don’t go our way. We can learn and move on or ignore the issues and let the cycle continue.

The learning process is a long journey, and it is okay to make mistakes along the way. Provided that we stay committed to the end goal, it is absolutely possible to see genuine improvement in our thoughts, feelings and actions.

I know for me, I was more or less in a stable state of mind before admitting that I had problems that needed fixing. Believing that I could eventually handle them on my own, I ignored them and they accumulated. Crippling heartache was masked with a smile. Blacking out became habitual. My parents would tell me they were headed off to yet another funeral, but I wasn’t worried. I was fine.

Everything was fine; and I used every outlet possible to provide any form of distraction. Comfort food, social media, parties, drinking, shopping sprees; you name it, and I had an unhealthy relationship with it.

Ironically enough, I was giving other people advice that I should have been practicing in my own life. I was fully committed to a “one-man army” mentality and didn’t want to burden others with my issues. Very quickly, these unchecked traumas caught up with me and I completely lost my sense of self. My behaviors became reckless and self-destructive, with each decision being more f****d up than the last. Weekends were spent lounging in escapism — running away from life’s problems with hopes of the sadness never catching up. Rooted in degeneracy and selfishness, doing anything to numb the pain became second nature, no matter how irresponsible the decisions were. This willful and continued ignorance only made things worse, and exhaustion and regret were my only feelings. Time spent alone brought a distinct level of happiness because I knew it was impossible to bring senseless harm to others.

Looking through the mirror, I would hate what I saw back. I was running around hurting the people I cared about, running around neglecting and ruining meaningful relationships. As humans we all make mistakes, but when you continually hurt the people that care about you in such a manner that the remorse hurts you, then certainly there are deeper rooted issues that should be addressed on the inside. I despised the circumstances that I put myself in but didn’t do anything to change them, and this is where the true problem lied.

When you create your own problems, you have the opportunity to learn a lot about yourself and your decisionmaking. Being in the wrong provides much time for reflection. I spent a lot of time in my own head and could feel my very own existence turning its back on me. None of my actions were justified, and I thought that the best way to get rid of the problem was to eliminate the source.

If situations like these arise, we can rationalize our choices and continue the crash course or we can take the first step in making a change. One mistake doesn’t define us, but repeated, detrimental behaviors bring unnecessary pain to people that don’t deserve it. Every decision we make affects ourselves and other people. Trust between individuals comes at an extremely high price, and months’ worth of friendship, respect, appreciation and camaraderie can be snapped in an instant. Apologies are just floating words if our actions don’t match them, and good intentions can only take us so far.

For anyone who may be struggling, it’s okay to not be okay. Necessary components to moving forward include forgiving ourselves, being gentle with our emotions and letting go, but we also have to make the effort to do better.

We can’t run away forever. Being honest with ourselves and knowing when we can’t handle any more alone is critical, and it is beneficial to both ourselves and the people around us. Getting help is not a sign of weakness. Rather it’s a sign of strength, and it’s the right decision to make.

With a community that cares about you, there’s no reason to fight alone. The pain can be avoided and it doesn’t have to spread to other people. Please get help if you need it — it is so worth it to see yourself win.

Resources: 24/7 UCC Talkline: 574-631-TALK (8255) UCC After Hours & Weekends: 574-631-7336 Text HOME to 741741 for Crisis Text Line National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Joshua Quaye junior Jan. 18

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The observer | Friday, JANUARY 21, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

By GRACIE SIMONIC Scene Writer

This special begins with nostalgic shots of the actors in classic London settings — Emma Watson perusing a cozy, old book store and Matthew Lewis riding down Bond Street in a sleek black hackney carriage. The actors unsuspectingly find their own Hogwarts letters inviting them to the reunion next to their cup of Earl Grey, or in the ornate novel Watson opens up. We are taken back to the movies as the Weasley family is gathering on Platform 9-3/4 all dressed in perfectly styled London winter fashion. The cast arrives at the Great Hall where the most stunning ball is in progress. While the cast looks significantly older (and shorter, in Hagrid’s case) than they did 20 years ago, the magic remains. And to all you Dramione shippers: While my heart melted at Emma and Tom’s very passionate hug, the two actors spent a solid three minutes of the special explaining how they are like siblings.

The cast comes together in the Great Hall, which has been transformed into a modern Yule Ball — tables covered in ornate desserts as couples dance to one of the best soundtracks in movie history. While the special is focused on the reunion of the cast and the stories behind the camera, the set design and costuming were executed seamlessly. Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe look stunning in well-tailored outfits that follow the color

By ROSE ANDROWICH Scene Writer

“After We Fell” — based on a Harry Styles Wattpad fanfiction — was recently released on Netflix as the third movie of its series. Some fans of the movie will be thrilled to see Hardin (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) and Tessa (Josephine Langford) back on the screen; I, however, will not. The truth is, despite watching all three movies, I don’t like any of them. My origin story for watching these movies begins with my sister and I primarily watching them to talk about Hardin.

But I must give credit where credit is due — this film didn’t disappoint me. The reason why is because I knew I wouldn’t like it going into it. The main reason why I knew this is because of the relationship that was presented in the movie. Watching “After We Fell” is something that has to be done with the knowledge that the protagonists’ relationship isn’t a healthy one. The ideas presented are flawed, specifically because of the way mental health is portrayed. Tessa is presented as the person who Hardin is terrified of losing because of how much he loves her. At the same time, she is the person who is always there for him, but the movie fails to recognize that Hardin has unresolved trauma that should be treated by a mental health professional. Tessa always being there for Hardin doesn’t have

scheme of the preserved movie sets they now sit in. This mashup of the modern and fantasy world creates a special viewing experience.

The overall structure of the special is broken into four chapters, with two movies in each chapter. Within these chapters, the actors and the three directors of the films reminisce about their journeys and memories throughout the series. The chapters show the shift in tone and subject matter over the course of the eight movies, beginning with a beautiful story of belonging and concluding with the last two movies that center on war and death. Not only does the movie subject matter evolve, but so does the “Golden Trio.” We see Watson, Grint and Radcliffe shift from child actors to adults as they learn from British acting royalty such as Alan Rickman (Professor Snape) and Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall). My favorite chapter was the second, which focused on the third and fourth movies and took place during the height of the Golden Trio’s transition into puberty. The actors fondly discuss their awkward stages and the experience of having crushes on set.

Simultaneously, they were living out their teenage insecurities on screen in “The Goblet of Fire” while filming the Yule Ball scenes, the wizarding world’s equivalent to prom.

In light of her recent transphobic tweets, J.K. Rowling was not featured in the special. However, some clips from the studio tour’s video of her are included. The creators of the special make the conscious choice to celebrate the movies

based on her books, but not her harmful and problematic actions on social media.

Despite the adorable camcorder clips of the trio on the Quidditch pitch, there is a more serious side of the special, wherein the actors recognize the trauma of childhood stardom. The trio opened up about questioning their own identities, as their characters had become such a large part of themselves.

Pretending to be someone else for your formative years had such a powerful impact that Emma Watson even considered leaving the franchise altogether. This, compiled with the added pressure of being a woman in the film industry, had lasting effects, as the actress has continued to consider ending her acting career in recent years.

Harry Potter has been my escapist paradise since my mom started reading “The Sorcerer’s Stone” to me when I was little. Since their creation, these books and movies have a lasting impact, and this story continues to be passed down. This anniversary special is so unique in that we are able to connect to both the characters and the actors who portray them on screen.

From “the click” the Golden Trio all felt when camera testing for the first time, our world has never been the same.

There’s beauty in the fact that so many people can share a love for this series and the magic it brings to our lives.

to be an inherently bad thing, but at some point, Hardin could have benefitted from seeing a professional.

My problem with the way these issues are presented largely comes from the film’s audience: teenage girls who could be impacted by the things the movie fails to get right. In addition to the failure of addressing mental health, the movie somewhat glamorizes toxic relationships. “After We Fell” isn’t the first movie to do this, but it is a continuous cycle. This is one of the fundamental problems with modern cinema — the lack of audience awareness. Presenting harmful ideas in film in a way that glorifies them shows a lack of awareness for your audience, especially when your audience is younger and more impressionable. The way “After We Fell” portrays Hardin and Tessa’s relationship is one with a lack of trust. There is constant jealousy coming from Hardin related to any man who goes near Tessa. The irony of this jealousy is that Hardin was the one who cheated with Tessa in the first movie. The same jealousy applies to Tessa when she flirts with a waiter to get back at Hardin for talking to an old friend named Lillian. You can claim to trust someone, but part of jealousy is the fear of infidelity. Hardin claims that he simply doesn’t trust the men involved with Tessa, who fails to explain where her jealousy comes from. Hardin’s jealousy is even further emphasized when he comes to Seattle after dreaming about Tessa and

another man.

This is just one aspect of the film that I believe shows the lack of trust within the relationship. The storyline that showed Hardin trusting Tessa wasn’t explored enough for it to be meaningful. Hardin didn’t want her to see where he grew up, but it’s never truly revealed what he didn’t want her to see.

This movie, because of its problematic nature, isn’t one worth watching unless you truly can understand where it fails. From this reviewer’s perspective, “After We Fell” is a movie that falls into the zero-shamrock category.

Contact Gracie Simonic at gsimonci@nd.edu

Contact Rose at randrowich01@saintmarys.edu

“After We Fell” Starring: Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Josephine Langford Director: Castille Landon If you liked: “After,” “Fifty Shades of Gray”

CLAIRE KIRNER | The Observer

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The observer | Friday, JANUARY 21, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

By JUSTIN GEORGE Video Unit Leader

Paul Thomas Anderson is the mastermind behind some of the finest films to grace the silver screen in recent memory, directing masterpieces such as “There Will Be Blood,” “The Master” and “Phantom Thread.” While these three films are known for their extreme precision in both visuals and storytelling, Anderson elected to take a different approach to his latest film “Licorice Pizza.” Instead of the painfully meticulous craft on display found in his work in the 2000s, Anderson opts for the laidback vibe of films like “Dazed and Confused,” “American Graffiti” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”

“Licorice Pizza” follows the beginning of a romance between Gary (Cooper Hoffman) and Alana (Alana Haim). It’s a story of self-discovery, the wistful melancholia of growing up, infatuation, jealousy and youth. However, plot is not a primary concern of “Licorice Pizza.” The audience is immersed in the world of the film. It’s a slice-of-life film, which may rub some viewers the wrong way, but I think it’s the only way this story could have been told. Come and hang out for a bit, explore the San Fernando Valley, get to know the characters and tag along for some of their wacky hijinks as they toy around with the idea of maybe falling in love.

Watching this film feels like hanging out with your crush

By ANNA FALK Scene Writer

As the seasons change throughout the year, so do people. In art, this is an important aspect to consider.

My life has been centered around music for as long as I can remember. Throughout this time, I’ve seen what and who I listen to change as I discover new artists and as the artists I like discover new sounds.

The Lumineers have always been one of my favorite bands.

Their first two albums, “The Lumineers” and “Cleopatra,” are sonic works of art. Their third album, “III,” took me some time to warm up to, but I’m still fond of many of its songs. The prospect of a new Lumineers album always excites me; I always look forward to seeing how they evolve their sound However, I was disappointed in many ways with their new album “Brightside.” Throughout every album, the Lumineers have tried to tweak their sound in ways that still make it familiar to listeners but doesn’t feel like an unexpected shift in their discography. With “Cleopatra,” the band explored more maturity and complexity in their sound, and they discussed matters lyrically in a more cohesive manner. “III” furthered this maturity in sound and lyric material. However, every album still sounded like them.

Throughout the band’s lifespan, they’ve had to deal with the coming and going of various artists — most notably the loss of cellist and vocalist Neyla Pekarek. However, many fans know

at sunset during the summer, full of fast-talking, fast walking, aimless driving, hidden smiles and wistful stolen glances.

Much like one of these nights, the film is meandering and chaotic, but in the best possible way. The audience is never clued into what will happen next, and despite the wacky early 70s Hollywood types that occasionally turn up in the film, the film feels as true to life as something like “The Last Picture Show.”

This is not Neo-Realism, instead, is a kind of realism that captures what it’s like to be a teenager, as though we are watching the memories of Gary and Alana’s summer romance from some time in the future, with a romanticized and colorful filter tinting our perception of them.

There is an electricity to “Licorice Pizza,” a kind of beneaththe-surface energy that keeps the audience on the edge of their seat, which is only bolstered by the chemistry between Hoffman and Haim. “Licorice Pizza” marks the screen debut for both actors and they both make the absolute most of their time on screen, they both bring an authenticity to their characters that isn’t seen all that often. The subtle intensity, spontaneity, naturalism and poise brought by these first-timers is absolutely unbelievable.

As with every Paul Thomas Anderson film, “Licorice Pizza” is beautifully shot with Anderson and Michael Bauman sharing the director of photography credit. The duo opted to shoot the film on 35mm filmstock and use vintage lenses to achieve

the texture of a ‘70s film, a choice that paid off spectacularly.

Each shot of “Licorice Pizza” feels alive and is rife with lush colors and beautiful composition.

“Licorice Pizza” is among the most real feeling movies I’ve seen in a long time. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time despite the only real suspense being the classic “will they/won’t they” storyline. The chemistry between Hoffman and Haim is undeniable and is made all the more electric by Anderson’s impeccable script, direction, eye for visuals and brilliant soundtrack choices. An undeniable instant classic of the Hangout Flick subgenre, “Licorice Pizza” perfectly captures the awkward and monumental feelings of teenage affection and infatuation. Sure, the feelings may be fleeting, but in the moment, nothing could possibly matter more.

the two constants of the band are Wesley Schultz (lead vocals and guitar) and Jeremiah Fraites (piano, percussion, backing vocals). Schultz and Fraites have found solo careers of their own between the release of “III” and “Brightside,” and I believe this is evident in the band’s new sound.

In the seasons of the Lumineers, I believe “The Lumineers” to be spring, “Cleopatra” to be summer and “III” to be fall. To round out the seasons, “Brightside” — ironically — would be the winter. While the title track and singles promise the album to be uplifting and sunny, “Brightside” takes a dark turn.

“Brightside” tells many stories of loss, pain and struggle. “Where We Are” recounts the story of Schultz and his wife’s emergence from a car accident 10 years prior; it is a song marveling at the band’s popularit y, while also making sure to acknowledge their luck at being alive. “Rollercoaster” addresses the pain of living and of loss, especially in the past few years.

Lyrically, I think that the album is quite similar to the Lumineers’ past work, but it lacks the same kind of emotional weight. The complexity of emotions delivered through lyric and sound are toned-down, and, while the band says, “[they] were trying to strike that cord of balance between destruction and pain along with hope,” I can’t see the latter coming into play as much as I’d hoped.

Perhaps my biggest issue with this album is the enhanced use of rock themes. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of rock music, it is the primary genre found on my Spotify. To me, the

introduction of these rock elements overpowers the acoustic sound that they are known for.

With a theme of hope in pain and the use of rock elements, I thought that I’d be a bigger fan of “Brightside.”

The often upbeat and fast-paced sounds of rock should work well with optimistic themes and lyrics.

Yet, the whole album meshes together to become disappointingly forgettable.

I still enjoy certain elements of the album, like the use of lyrical reprise and the dynamic combination of storytelling and instrumentation, but it doesn’t feel like a natural progression from “III.” Perhaps I just need to look on the bright side — the Lumineers are still making music!

Contact Justin George at jgeorge3@nd.edu

“Licorice Pizza” Starring: Cooper Hoffman, Alana Haim Director: Paul Thomas Anderson If you liked: “Dazed and Confused,” “Boogie Nights”

Contact Anna Falk at afalk@nd.edu

“Brightside” Artist: The Lumineers Label: Dualtone, Decca Favorite tracks: “Rollercoaster,” “Remington,” “Reprise” If you liked: Mumford & Sons, Florence + the Machine, Bon Iver

MAGGIE KLAERS| The Observer

Classifieds

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, JANUARY 21, 2022 | The Observer

Crossword | Will Shortz

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Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Look around you, size up situations and head in a direction that feels comfortable. Following someone will result in dissatisfaction and wasting time. Revisit your dreams and aspirations, and you’ll come up with a plan that excites you. Pour your emotions into your pursuits this year, and you’ll come up with something extraordinary and fruitful. Your numbers are 6, 14, 19, 27, 34, 41, 49.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Don’t waste time. Set up a conversation with someone who can help you reach your goals. A change to how you earn or handle your money will require attention. Don’t put your trust in someone else.

Take charge and limit spending.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Uncertainty will test your patience. Separate yourself from situations that are beyond your control. Put your time and energy into personal improvement and spending time with someone who gives back and lifts your spirits.

Romance is in the stars.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Keep life simple. Don’t overdo it or let your emotions take over, putting you in a compromising position. Stick to the truth, and make only necessary changes. How you conduct yourself around others will determine your success.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Reach out to friends and relatives. A demonstrative approach regarding what you want will grab attention and encourage others to support you. Share your feelings and intentions, and it will enhance a meaningful relationship. Romance is encouraged.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Listen to suggestions, adjust and carry on until you finish what you start. Leave nothing to chance or in someone else’s hands. Step up and be the one to make a difference. Put your energy and effort where it will help most.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Channel your energy and your anger into something physical.

Pent-up emotions used to improve a situation can be a game changer, but left to fester, they can leave you feeling down and out.

Choose peace, love and happiness over discord.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Keep your money, possessions and personal papers in a safe place. Sharing information can backfire and cost you financially if you are too trusting. Pay attention to what others do and say, and follow up to make sure it’s all accurate.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Look at what others do, and listen to what someone implies that might affect your life. An emotional situation will revive old wounds if left to fester. Be open to suggestions, but don’t make changes to appease others. Protect your interests.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Refuse to step outside your comfort zone, regardless of the temptation. Conversations laced with promise will be unrealistic and confusing. Look for signs that are relevant to something you can pursue that’s tangible.

Keep your life simple, meaningful and cost-efficient.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Improve your space to suit your lifestyle. Move things around, and get rid of clutter. You’ll feel relieved when you have free space to pursue an activity you enjoy. Concentrate on your mental and physical well-being.

An opportunity looks lucrative.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Dig in and do your part. What you bring to the table will put you in a position of leadership. Lend a helping hand, and you’ll gain perspective regarding life, love, happiness and how to turn your dream into a reality.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Put your energy where it counts; if you take on too much, you’ll find it challenging to get things done. Reach out to people you can count on for help. You will receive compliments for a change you make.

Birthday Baby: You are inventive, wise and friendly. You are restless and adventuresome.

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The observer | Friday, JANUARY 21, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

Men’s Basketball Continued from page 16

behind with 14.6 points per game.

The guard was the first South Bend public school grad to sign with Notre Dame since 1985 and became the first true freshman in program history to hit double digits in 14 straight games after putting up 13 points against Howard.

After the victory overtheBisonMonday,NotreDame head coach Mike Brey credited much of Wesley’s immediate success to the freshman’s coachability and willingness to learn from his veteran teammates.

“He gives us an unbelievable lift,” Brey said of Wesley. “And again, I think that he’s got really good older teammates that are like big brothers to him.”

The third member of Brey’s lineup averaging double digits on the year is forward Paul Atkinson Jr. The grad transfer from Yale is scoring 11.5 points per game on almost 60% shooting from the field.

But it was another experienced big man who provided the scoring lift the Irish needed against Howard.

Senior Nate Laszewski had 17 points and 13 rebounds against the Bison and is shooting over 44% from beyond the arc this season, which includes a 6-for-7 performance from three against North Carolina.

Brey said Laszewski is currently playing in a “great frame of mind.”

“We couldn’t take him out,” Brey said.

“He was solid defensively.

He made some big shots.

He was a pressure release.

(He) played like the senior that he is.”

However, Notre Dame’s difficulties handling the press remain a concern.

Howard forced the Irish into 15 turnovers, including on four of five possessions that allowed the Bison to score 10 straight and cut the Irish lead to one before Notre Dame recovered in the final minute.

“Some of our turnovers against pressure were an adventure and disappointing,” Brey said.

However, the Irish are still 5-1 this season in games decided by five points or less.

Louisville will also be looking to reignite their postseason aspirations.

The Cardinals have won six straight against the Irish and haven’t lost on their home court to Brey’s team since March of 2015.

Louisville only has one player posting double figures this s eason, with senior guard Noah Locke averaging almost 11 points per game.

Notre Dame is 9-0 this season when the Irish have shot better than their opponent.

The Irish are shooting just over 45% from the field this season, slightly more than 3% better than the Cardinals.

Saturday’s game will air on ESPN. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Sports Authority

A look into the eliminated playoff teams Thomas Zwiller Sports Writer

As the divisional round has already been covered by the excellent John Kalemkerian, I thought it might be interesting to look at the teams who fell a little short of the mark.

These teams are worth paying attention to — they made the playoffs, after all — but they are likely to be forgotten as we advance to the next round of the postseason.

AFC Las Vegas Raiders Record: 10-7 Finish: 19-26 loss to the Bengals Flaw: I honestly do not think anything “went wrong” with the Raiders in the playoffs anyway. They, of course, lost head coach Jon Gruden early in the season when his emails containing multiple racial slurs and other offensive messages were leaked to the media. After that, the Raiders lost Henry Ruggs III to a DUI arrest after a high-speed crash that resulted in the other driver’s death. Making it to the playoffs is a testament to the organization.

Needs: Besides the obvious lack of a fulltime head coach, the Raiders need a general m a n a g e r .

In addition (according to the Draft Network), the Raiders need an interior defensive and offensive linemen, a

c o r n e r b a c k and a wide receiver.

Draft Pick: 22nd.

The mock drafts I consulted were split down the middle between CB and WR. I would lean towards a wide receiver to replace the depth lost, but I understand either.

2022 Projection: I honestly still see the Raiders as a playoff contender, but right now, nothing beyond the wildcard round.

most critical need will be pivotal to Mac Jones’ growth: a wide receiver.

Draft Pick: 21st.

In three out of the four mock drafts I consulted, the Patriots took CB Kaiir Elam or CB Ahmad Gardner.

2022 Projection: They made a play for the division crown and came up just a hair short. I expect to see this team in the playoff and potentially hosting in the first round.

New England Patriots Pittsburgh Steelers Record: 10-7 Record: 9-7-1 Finish: 17-47 loss to the Bills Finish: 21-42 loss to the Flaw: By Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric, the Patriots Chiefs Flaw: Ben Roethlisberger. As defense was ranked No. 4 in the NFL, so as per usual, much as I respect the greatness Belichick had that side of the of what is undoubtedly a career (off-theball squared away. And HOF offensively, New England field issues aside), this is was ranked No. 9, so not Big Ben of yesteryear.

This is a different Roethlisberger what gives?

I think the main reason who felt like a liability and one of the is Mac Jones. Not that was the Steelers he has had a bad season reasons by any means; I see s t r u g g l e d him winning OPOY this this season.

While great at times, season. He was just a defense was No. rookie QB in his first-ever the playoff game. He was on 14 in DVOA and took the road, against one of a step back from last year. It just not enough the few teams to be ranked was higher defensively, to buoy the offense like it was last playing against Josh year.

Needs: I feel anyone Allen, who simply played figure this out, unconsciously. You can’t win could but the most significant them all.

Needs: The Draft Network need is currently has the Patriots a QB. After that comes an needing a cornerback, offensive lineman and a safety and linebacker. They also need an offensive lineman.

However, the see SPORTS AUTHORITY PAGE 15

Contact Greg McKenna at gmckenn2@nd.edu

Women’s Basketball Continued from page 15

last Sunday, dispatching the Demon Deacons 65-57.

Pittsburgh is paced by senior guard Jayla Everett, who leads the team with 13.9 points per game.

Everett isn’t just a pure scorer either — she’s a key part of Pitt’s defense, adding 18 steals and 15 blocks.

Another key Pitt player to watch out for is junior forward Amber Brown.

Brown leads the team in total minutes played and is the only Panther to have started every game.

She’s done impressive work on the stat sheet as well — currently third on the team in points,

rebounds and assists per game, and second in steals. Brown does a little bit of everything on the floor for the Panthers, and Notre Dame being able to limit her presence will be key to Notre Dame’s success on Sunday.

The Irish are now 13-4 and 4-2 in conference play heading into their weekend trip to Pittsburgh.

The game tips off at 2 p.m.

Sunday afternoon and will be televised on ACCNX. The matchup will be their second in a three game road swing, before they head to Charlottesville on Monday to take on the Virginia Cavaliers.

ANYA RUFFINO | The Observer

Irish freshman guard Olivia Miles drives past a defender at Purcell Pavilion against Bryant in a 94-35 win on November 21. Notre Dame women’s basketball seeks to get back to winning.

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Track Continued from page 15

lay at the end of both the indoor and outdoor seasons.

Shoaf is looking to medal at the conference meet and qualify for the Indoor National Championships this year.

Tanczos is looking to better a second-place finish in the weight throw at the Indoor National Championships last year after coming up short by only two centimeters, as well as to throw for a personal record of 24 meters.

Shoaf and Tanczos both expressed a desire to return to the national championships for the outdoor season in the spring.

Shoaf said that the

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, JANUARY 21, 2022 | The Observer

momentum from this accomplishment has “launched him into this indoor season.”

Both Shoaf and Tanczos commented on the importance of team mentality and said the team’s bond intensifies as the competitions ramp up.

“We always have a really good time at practice, but also know how to get after it,” Tanczos said.

Shoaf compared his preparation for meets to p e r f o r m i n g academically.

“It is just like going to class or anything else,” he said.

“Just show up, make sure you put in quality time and check out.”

Saturday’s invitational kicks off at 12:00 p.m. at Loftus Sports Center.

Contact Jack Sirianni at jsirian2@ nd.edu

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Hockey Continued from page 16

game.

The game changed drastically at the start of the second period, after the Irish challenged a no-call for illegal contact on the Eagles at the end of the first.

Upon review, a five minute major penalty was issued to open the second period.

The Irish were quick to capitalize off of their first power play of the game, with senior defenseman Spencer Stastney burying one in the back of the net just 54 seconds into the power play.

Although the Irish were unable to score over the remaining four minutes of the major penalty, they continued to generate plenty of chances throughout the second period.

Rolston broke through for the Irish at the 11:32 mark of the period, scoring off of a wrist shot from the circle.

Rolston was assisted by junior forward Solag Bakich.

Junior forward Trevor Janicke then found the back of the net less than Paid Advertisement

two minutes later to increase the Irish lead to 4-1. Janicke’s eighth goal of the season came off of a beautiful one timer that was set up by Stastney and sophomore forward Landon Slaggert.

Just when it looked like the Irish could not dominate the game more, the Eagles were charged with another five minute major penalty for illegal checking from behind. This power play would set up a goal from junior forward Jesse Lansdell just over fifteen minutes into the period. A couple of minutes later Rolston scored his second of the period to give the Irish a commanding 6-1 lead at the end of a dominant second period.

Galajda was also sensational in net for the Irish during the second period, recording 13 saves over the course of the period.

The Eagles cut into the Irish lead early in the third period to bring the margin to 6-2, but the Irish were able to kill an Eagles’ power play a couple of minutes later to retain a

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comfortable lead.

At the 8:19 mark of the period, the Irish added to their tally with senior forward Graham Slaggert slipping the puck underneath the goaltender to score his seventh goal of the season.

Slaggert was assisted by his brother, Landon, on the play.

The Irish then ended the game in emphatic fashion with Rolston completing his hat trick bid at the 19:42 mark of the final period to finish off a commanding 8-2 victory for the Irish.

The eight goals that the Irish scored on Wednesday was the highest goal total that the Irish have recorded against the Eagles since the 1971-1972 season when the Irish won 14-3 at Chicago Stadium.

Grant Silianoff finished off the day with four points with 1 goal and 3 assists, which was the first four-point game by an Irish player this season.

The Irish will have this weekend off before facing Minnesota the following weekend at the Compton Family Ice Arena.

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Sports

The observer | Friday, JANUARY 21, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

hockey column

The boost ND’s offense needs: moving Ellis to the Slaggert Line

By ANDREW McGUINNESS Sports Writer

The history of hockey has been dominated by great lines.

Detroit’s Production Line in the 1950s of Mr. Hockey Gordie Howe, Sid Abel and Ted Linsday.

Philadelphia’s famous Legion of Doom in the 1990s of John LeClair, Eric Lindros and Mikael Renberg.

More recently, Boston’s vaunted Perfection Line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak has torn apart the NHL for the last half-decade.

A signature, once-ina-generation line isn’t required to be a good team, or even to win a championship.

But it sure helps to have a trio to turn to in big m o m e n t s that you are confident will get the job done.

Last year’s Notre Dame hockey team didn’t have quite as good a line as the ones mentioned above; no collegiate team ever will.

But their top-line of Landon Slaggert, his brother Graham and Alex Steeves was one of Notre Dame’s best in recent memory. They were Notre Dame’s three leading scorers with 22, 25 and 32 points, respectively (despite Landon missing four games and Graham missing two), accounting for over 35% of Notre Dame’s points.

The trio was almost unstoppable and arguably the biggest reason why the Irish qualified for their fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance (not counting 2020, when no tournament was held).

Steeves’ departure last off-season after signing his entry-level contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs was always going to be a tough hole for the Irish to fill. Not only do the Irish miss Steeves himself, but they especially miss his presence with the Slaggert brothers. In 52 games combined, the pair recorded 47 points.

Both are well-rounded players, but they excelled at getting the puck

to Steeves in dangerous areas for him to finish off plays, as evidenced by his team-leading 15 goals — the same total Graham and Landon combined for last season — and 125 shots on goal, fourth-most in the entire nation and second in the Big Ten behind Montréal Canadiens wünderkind Cole Caufield.

This year, the Slaggerts haven’t been as productive, scoring 30 points in 48 combined contests. Part of that dip is just bad luck; after scoring on 17.4% of their shots last season, the brothers have lit the lamp on just 12.4% of their shots.

But Steeves’ presence alongside the two is sorely missed.

And while Notre Dame’s team offensive numbers are slightly better than they were a year ago — the Irish average about an extra shot on goal per game and .64 more goals per game — they still rank third in goals per game in the Big Ten. The Irish are strong on defense (2.08 goals against per game, 1st in B10), have two goaltenders with a save percentage over .920% and g o o d depth upfront; a goto scoring-line is about the only thing the Irish lack.

The Slaggert brothers have spent most of their recent games alongside junior rightwinger Trevor Janicke (whose brother, freshman right-winger Justin, started the season with the Slaggerts). Janicke has played pretty well on the Irish topline; his eight goals are tied for third on the team, and his 67 shots on goal are tied for second.

But he hasn’t been able to elevate the Slaggerts the way Steeves could and has also gone cold lately, scoring just four points in his last ten games.

Landon and Graham have both been good this season; with a true goalscorer like Steeves, they could return to if not exceed their excellent 2020-21 performances.

Fortunately, the Irish have a player who fits that bill and

RYAN VIGILANTE | The Observer

Notre Dame junior forward Max Ellis handles the puck in a home game at Compton Ice Arena against Michigan. Ellis continues to set records and contribute to Notre Dame hockey’s success.

just happens to be a natural right-winger as well — junior Max Ellis. The Canton, Michigan native has been a revelation for the Irish all season, starting the year with five points in his first three games and never looking back. Ellis has already blown past his career highs in goals, points, and shots. In fact, not only do Ellis’ 101 shots on goal lead the Irish, they are first in the entire NCAA. His 14 goals are tied for seventh as well, and lead the team by a s i g n i f i c a n t margin.

Ryder Rolston is the closest with nine goals on the year.

That’s despite spending most of the year in a second or third-line role, receiving less ice-time than many of the nation’s other top snipers. Anyone who watched Notre Dame last year knows just how dangerous the Slaggerts are when playing at peak form. Anyone who has

watched the Irish this year has seen Ellis emerge as an elite goal-scorer. Anyone who watched the Irish in both seasons probably can’t help but get a little giddy at the thought of combining those two forms.

Of course, putting Ellis next to the Slaggerts isn’t guaranteed to succeed. The biggest knock on Ellis is that he’s the smallest player on the Irish at 5’9”, 165 pounds.

Playing him twenty minutes a night or so and matching him against other team’s top defensive pairings could be quite the challenge physically, as teams would look overwhelm Ellis with physicality, potentially neutralizing the Slaggerts by doing so.

And sometimes the best lines come from not just grouping a team’s three-best players; perhaps no line has more directly to a championship more recently than when the 2016 Penguins formed the HBK line by dropping 6-time 30-goal

scorer Phil Kessel to their third line alongside Carl Hagelin and Nick Bonino.

Moving Ellis alongside the Slaggerts would undoubtedly weaken Notre Dame’s other three lines.

But for the Irish to enter the conversation as one of college hockey’s true contenders, their offense needs to take a step forward.

The obvious answer isn’t always the right one, but it’s usually worth exploring.

Notre Dame could sure use a dominant offensive line.

Max Ellis has been their best forward this season, and one of the top snipers in the entire country.

Landon and Graham Slaggert made up two-thirds of the Irish’s best line a season ago.

It’s time the Irish see what these three can do together.

Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu

sports

ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, JANUARY 21, 2022 | The Observer

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ND track and Field

Irish to host first home invitational Saturday men’s side, Notre Dame placed three a t h l e t e s in the top four of the shot put and six 400 runners within two seconds of each other, with grad student Max Frye narrowly leading the pack.

Both of these congregations of athletes ending on or near the podium will surely be interesting plotlines to follow at the Notre Dame Invitational.

Notre Dame’s two standout throwers, sophomore Michael Shoaf and grad student Rachel Tanczos, will look continue their dominant form Saturday. Shoaf won both the shot put and weight throw last weekend, while Tanczos did the same in the weight throw and managed a second-place

finish in her non-specialty, the shot put.

Shoaf, a resident of Carroll Hall, and Tanczos, formerly of Pasquerilla East Hall, share many goals for the Notre Dame Invitational and the season at large.

Shoaf said he aims to win both the shot put and weight throw this weekend.

Tanczos said it means a lot to compete inside of Loftus with the convenience of no strenuous bus travel and the added benefit of the home atmosphere.

With the season just starting up, both throwers have their eyes on the prizes that

team again.

There will be three good NFC West teams if Seattle blows it up. If they don’t, there are four.

cornerback.

Draft Pick: 20th.

According to the CBS mock drafts I look at, the Steelers are in the market to draft either QB Desmond Ridder or Malik Willis out of Liberty.

2022 Projection: Unless the Steelers acquire a big name at QB, they could genuinely finish No. 3 or No. 4 in the division.

I think the odds are good the Steelers draft a QB and prepare for a reload. The Bengals feel like a future powerhouse, and I expect the Ravens to rebound.

but I would retain him.

I like to give a coach three years to develop, and is finishing as division champs that horrible?

Positionally, they need an edge rusher, safety and an interior defensive lineman.

Draft Pick: 24th. I expect Dallas to improve its secondary, but the mock drafts I have looked at have them going for a wide receiver, which I am not a fan of.

2022 Projection: Division champions.

While the Eagles are good, we saw how far away they are from being a legit contender.

Washington is an improving franchise, but I doubt they are a division contender. The Giants (lol).

NFC Dallas Cowboys Record: 12-5, NFC East Champions Finish: 17-23 loss to the 49ers Flaw: Coming into the season, I anticipated a dominant offense and a defense that had marginally improved.

I am a fanalyst for a reason.

The Cowboys Offensive DVOA is No. 6 in the NFL, but that feels a little inflated.

The Cowboys were great in streaks, but once they got to the 49ers, they genuinely could not get out of their own way.

Needs: I know people are clamoring for the firing of Mike McCarthy,

Arizona Cardinals Record: 11-6 Finish: 11-34 loss to the Rams Flaw: Injuries, primarily.

The lack of DeAndre Hopkins is a gamechanger for the Cardinals’ offense.

They are a different team without him, and it showed once he became injured down the stretch.

Needs: A cornerback, an edge rusher and a running back.

I would expect the Cardinals to take someone in the secondary to help shore up their defense.

Draft Pick: 23rd 2022 Projection: It is nearly impossible to say, but I guess a wildcard

By JACK SIRIANNI Sports Writer

EMMA FARNAN | The Observer

Irish senior distance runner Dylan Jacobs represents Notre Dame at the Meyo Invitational at Loftus Sports Center.

ND WOMEN’S basketball

Irish fall to BC Eagles on road Observer Sports Staff

Notre Dame women’s basketball suffered their second conference loss of the season Thursday night, falling to Boston College in Chestnut Hill 73-71.

The loss was a heartbreaker for the Irish, who led by six points with under five minutes remaining, but went cold from the field in the final minutes of the game. Notre Dame had three separate offensive possessions within the final ten seconds of the fourth quarter with a chance to win the game, but the first resulted in an offensive foul and the next two ended in missed shots.

Notre Dame was unable to produce an answer for Eagles guard Cameron Swartz, who had 28 points and four assists while playing nearly every minute of the game.

Swartz was complimented by fellow senior Taylor Soule, who posted 15 points.

More important for the Eagles, however, was

Soule’s dominance on the glass, as the forward had a game high ten rebounds, six of which came on the offensive end to give Boston College critical extra possessions.

The Irish spread out the scoring in the defeat, with five different players reaching double figures in points.

Junior forward Sam Brunelle came off the bench to lead the waywith15onthenight.Freshman guard Sonia Citron was another major contributor off the bench, adding 13 points, four assists, and a team high eight rebounds.

Freshman guard Olivia Miles was also an asset for the Irish, dishing a game high seven assists to go with her 12 points and 3 rebounds.

Next on the docket for the Irish is a trip to Petersen Events Center to take on the Pittsburgh Panthers.

The Panthers are 10-8 on the season so far, though they’ve only managed a 1-6 mark in ACC play on the year. Their lone win came against Wake Forest at home see WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PAGE 12

Notre Dame’s track & field team is eager to put on a strong showing at home Saturday after rolling into the new year with great team performances at the University of Michigan’s HarveySimmons Invitational. The Irish will host for the firsttimein2022attheNotreDame Invitational, welcoming a mixture of teams that includes the likes of DePaul University and Loyola University Chicago to Loftus Sports Center.

Some names to watch for who truly shined last weekend would be sophomore Alaina Brady, who took homethewininthelongjumpwith a personal record of 5.82 meters, and senior Jacqueline Gaughan, who ran a 9:34 in the 3000 for a win.

On the

Sports Authority Continued from page 12

see TRACK PAGE 13

Philadelphia Eagles Record: 9-8 Finish: 15-31 loss to the Buccaneers Flaw: Youth and the lack of a passing game.

The Eagles were a young and fun team, and they were an incredible run team. They were a top-three rushing team despite not having a signature back.

However, the run game was not there against Tampa Bay, and the Buccaneers’ offense put up 14 points in the first quarter.

Down 14 for their playoff lives, they couldn’t do what they do best, and the Eagles were flightless.

Needs: An edge rusher, cornerback and interior defensive lineman.

Draft Pick: No. 15, No. 16, and No. 19 (15 and 16 coming via Miami and the Colts, respectively). The Eagles have enough picks to address all of their defensive needs, which I expect them to do. I could see an offensive tackle, but I expect them to draft defensively.

2022 Projection: A better wildcard team.

Contact Thomas Zwiller at tzwiller@hcc-nd.edu

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The observer | Friday, JANUARY 21, 2022 | ndsmcobserver.com

ND men’s basketball

Men’s basketball hopes for Louisville win

By GREG McKENNA Sports Writer

Just last Wednesday, Notre Dame was smashing Clemson for a sixth straight victory that shot the Irish up to second in the ACC standings.

At halftime against Virginia Tech Saturday, Notre Dame looked poised to grab a fifth straight conference win before the Irish train came to a screeching halt in a disastrous second half in Blacksburg.

After a 79-73 loss that gave the Hokies their first conference win in five attempts, the Irish made a snowy drive up I-95 to take on a sub .500 Howard squad Monday.

With less than a minute to play, a second straight second-half collapse threatened to put a major dent in Notre Dame’s NCAA Tournament resume.

However, senior guard Cormac Ryan hit two clutch free throws, Prentiss Hubb made a key layup with 12 seconds to go and

Notre Dame managed to escape the nation’s capital with a three-point victory.

Now, the Irish will look to return to winning ways in the ACC Saturday when they hit the road for the final time this month to take on Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center.

While Notre Dame (11-6,4-2ACC)haswonsevenoftheir last eight, Louisville (11-7, 5-3 ACC) had lost three straight before beating Boston College 67-54 at home Wednesday.

The Irish are led offensively by senior guard Dane Goodwin, who has scored in double figures in all 17 games this season.

He is also oneofthemostefficientplayersinthe country and is the only major conference player to shoot over 50% from the field, 40% from beyond the arc and 90% from the line while averaging over 15 points per game.

Freshman sensation Blake Wesley is close see MEN’S BASKETBALL PAGE 12

ANN CURTIS| The Observer

Notre Dame junior guard Prentiss Hubb at the Kelly Tripucka banner game against Georgia Tech at Purcell Pavilion. ND’s 4-1 stretch to start 2022 raises hopes for a winning season.

ND hockey

ND hockey dominates Boston College to conclude non-conference play Obeserver Sports Staff

GRACIE LEE | The Observer

Irish freshman forward Justin Janicke focuses in a thrilling game against Michigan State at Notre Dame’s Compton Family Ice Arena.

The thirteenth-ranked Irish defeated Boston College in dominant fashion by a score of 8-2 on Wednesday night at the Compton Family Ice Arena behind a five goal second period, in which the Irish took advantage of multiple power play opportunities.

The attendance at Compton on Wednesday night was over 4,000, and plenty of students were there to help lead the Irish to a convincing victory.

The Irish were led by sophomore forward Ryder Rolston, who recorded his first career hat trick, and graduate student goaltender Matthew Galajda, who saved 40 of 42 shots on target

for an outstanding save percentage of 0.952.

The special teams play of the Irish proved to be the difference with the Irish going 3-for-5 on power plays while holding the Eagles to 0-for-5 on power plays.

Notre Dame improved to 17-7-0 overall on the season and finished its regular season non-conference play with a record of 8-2-0.

Although the Irish won in dominating fashion, the start of the game was anything but a dominating performance from Notre Dame.

Despite winning the opening faceoff, the Irish immediately gave up the puck, and the Eagles f lew down the ice to score just seventeen seconds

into the game.

Over the next several minutes, the Irish would make more mistakes and get called for two separate penalties.

The Irish were able to successfully hold off the ensuing Eagles’ power plays, however, and stay within one goal of the Eagles.

Just over midway through the first period, the Irish knotted the score at one apiece off the stick of sophomore forward Grant Silianoff. Silianoff tipped in a shot-pass from senior defenseman Nick Leivermann, and although it was ruled a no goal on the ice initially, the call would be overturned to award the Irish their first goal of the see HOCKEY PAGE 13