The Appalachian March 19, 2021

The Appalachian

March 19, 2021

Dancing Mountaineers Mountaineers erase 18-point second half deficit, narrowly fall in first NCAA Tournament game in 21 years Silas Albright | Sports Editor BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Before the season started, Sun Belt coaches picked App State basketball to finish fourth out of six Sun Belt East division teams. Four months later, the Mountaineers won the first Sun Belt title in program history and went dancing.

The Mountaineers ultimately fell 54-53 in a thriller that came down to the wire in the First Four matchup Thursday night at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana. It was App State’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 21 years.

“It’s tough. Man, we wish we could have this one back, for sure,” senior guard Justin Forrest said postgame.

“It’s just tough. I mean, yeah, we’re proud to get here, but we know we belong. We just wish the outcome was different, and it’s just a tough pill to swallow.”

Despite trailing Norfolk State by 18 early in the second half with its back firmly against the wall, App State scrapped all the way back, even hold-

ing a 6-point lead at one point with less than six minutes to go.

“We’re never out of it. We’re going to fight and (play) 40 minutes, whether we’re up or down,” App State head coach Dustin Kerns said. “I’m proud of our guys’ fight and togetherness and how connected they are, because you have to be that way.”

From the 11:09 mark to the 5:47 mark in the second half, the Mountaineers took over, outscoring the Trojans 16-0.

With 8:38 left in the second half, App State grad transfer guard Michael Almonacy knocked down a pair of free throws to trim the deficit down to just 2 at 45-43.

After a couple of stops on defense, Forrest caught fire, nailing a triple from the wing to give the Mountaineers their first lead at 46-45. After that, he knocked down another 3-pointer, and then finished a layup for a personal 8-0 run to give his team a 51-45 lead with 5:47 to play.

Continue on page 14

On-campus students eligible for COVID-19 vaccince in April

Senior creates small business aiming to promote body positivity

Page 4

Page 5

Justin Forrest shooting on the Norfolk State Spartans at Thrusday night’s NCAA play-in game. Forrest had a teamhigh 18 points, but the Mountaineers ultimately lost to the spartans.

Courtesy of NCAA

1

News

Mar 19, 2021

Feeling done, but not finished

Burned-out students cope without a spring break Xanayra Marin-Lopez | Multimedia Editor Students have six weeks left to complete their third semester in COVID-19. While the pandemic has changed lives for over a year now, students are still balancing academics, jobs, extracurriculars, relationships, a social life and family – all with little to no break.

For the 2019-20 academic year, the university held spring break from March 9-13. Though students received an extended winter break after last fall semester, other usual university breaks have been cut.

Labor Day and Thanksgiving were the only opportunities for students to have time off. This semester, students will only get a day off for Good Friday.

Because there are no university and mandated breaks, students and their organizations are taking matters into their own hands to ensure students don’t feel burnt out.

App State Classifieds, a Facebook group where students go to sell items, offer recommendations and vent, has seen posts from many wishing for a break.

In Anna Johnson’s post with over 168 likes and up to 75 comments, the student said they are so stressed, “it’s actually causing my hair to fall out.”

“This semester has been super stressful and I hate the fact that we don’t have a spring break,” Johnson posted. “Totally get it’s because of COVID and whatnot but having a break of some sort would be so so nice.”

Alanna Green, another student agreed, replying, “Yes so stressful beyond the norm & it’s unfair that other NC colleges got ‘wellness days’ and we get nothing.”

UNC Chapel Hill students receive five assigned wellness days

during their spring semester. North Carolina State University has four wellness days in their academic calendar.

A bill is currently in SGA to allow students three wellness days of their choice. A wellness day is a day when students don’t have to report to class with notification to their professor at least 24 hours in advance.

The bill has not yet passed, but one student made a petition for the same cause.

Riley Cullen’s petition titled “Give Students a Break at Appalachian State” has approximately 1,324 signatures. It advocates for a consistent break in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, two student deaths and a heavy online workload.

On March 10, Appalachian Popular Programming Society held a “Spring Break on Sanford Mall” event. The organization provided free food, a photo booth, mini golf and an opportunity to decorate a beach bag.

Vice President of Public Relations for APPS, Torie Dera, said the organization’s spirit and traditions council came up with the idea. She said the goal for the event was an afternoon of fun.

“I know a lot of students are feeling burnt out and guilty if they do anything not related to their classwork,” Dera said. “We really just wanted something where whether they stayed for two minutes and got a snow cone or played a round of mini golf, there was a sense of normalcy brought back and people having fun.”

Dera has experienced her own burnout, especially as a student leader. Since high school, Dera says she has always involved herself in many

extracurricular activities. However, Dera describes the exhaustion she is feeling right now as “entirely new.”

Good Friday on April 2 is one day off Dera is looking forward to, though she expects to watch recorded lectures and send emails on the holiday.

“College is a marathon, but this semester feels like they just keep moving the finish line further and further away and we’re all trying to make it to some impossible goal and get our toes over the finish line so we can say we did it,” Dera said.

Chris Hogan, director and chief psychologist of App State’s counseling and psychological services,

7

14

said self-care is important during the pandemic. Maintaining regular sleeping and eating schedules, exercising, going outdoors and participating in hobbies are a few ways Hogan said students can prevent feelings of burnout.

On Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, students can briefly speak to counselors with the center’s program “Let’s Teletalk.” They are informal and offer a counselor’s perspective when participating.

The center also offers regular counseling sessions after an initial consultation. Students can call 828262-3180 to schedule an appointment.

1

2

3

4

5

6

8

9

10

11

12

13

TURN IN FIRST DRAFT OF ESSAY 15

SPRING BREAK 16

22 ESSAY

DRAFT

2 DUE

18

ASTRO QUIZ 7 DUE @ 12

28

MONTHLY CRY SESSION

29

19

HW 7 ASTRO E U D @9

23

24

30

31 THERAPY

T CHEM 1 ROJEC HW 8 A 01 PODCAST P AYS!!!!

ND 9 2 D DUE IN DUE

Graphic by Efrain Arias-Medina Jr.

2

17

01 CHEM 1 UE D IZ QU 21

According to statistics from the Counseling Center, 78% of patients indicate that COVID-19 has impacted their mental health, 72% say it has impacted their motivation and loneliness and 67% report it has impacted academics.

Hogan also encourages students to talk with their professors on what they need for support.

“For some, they may integrate self-care practices into their usual routine and feel fine,” Hogan said.

“For others, they may feel they need to take a day off from a class or classes to make space for self-care and a break.”

SESSION @10AM

25

26

CLUB MEET ING @6

ST PODCA TURN PM!!!!!!!

1 IN @

20

27

News

Mar 19, 2021

Students on campus closer to college without COVID restrictions Jake Markland | Associate News Editor On-campus students will be able to receive a free COVID-19 vaccine through the university starting April 7.

An individual in a congregate living setting, like a residence hall, falls

under Group 4 of North Carolina’s vaccine distribution plan. While Group 4 became eligible for the vaccine on March 17, on-campus students are eligible April 7, when phase two of

Lillian Schriner, a freshman, poses outside of Summit Hall. Schriner, along with all students living in University Housing, are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Max Correa

Group 4 begins.

App State held its first COVID-19 vaccination clinic March 11 and 12 where 680 people got a vaccine.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, announced March 8 that fully vaccinated individuals can gather indoors without masks.

This move could have a dramatic impact on App State students, especially freshmen who have never experienced college life without COVID-19.

“I have missed out on meeting new people, going to sport events, joining clubs, in-person classes, etc.,” said Lillian Schriner, a freshman living in Bowie Residence Hall.

Schriner said she and her peers getting a COVID-19 vaccine will “relieve some stress” and give Schriner peace of mind when she is around people she doesn’t know.

CDC guidance dictates that vaccinated individuals should only

gather two weeks after they receive their second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer or two weeks after their only dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Carson Scott, a freshman in Gardner Residence Hall, said it is irresponsible to not get a COVID-19 vaccine.

“If everyone was vaccinated we would have much more social freedoms and a more relaxed environment around campus at least,” Scott said.

Scott, however, does not see life immediately going back to normal and expects restrictions to continue for some time.

Since March 27, 2020, 1,805 members of the App State community have been infected with COVID-19.

As of March 17, 889,310 North Carolinians have had COVD-19.

The 7-day rolling average in North Carolina has been trending downward in the last month; 12.9% of the state is fully vaccinated and 20% of the state

is at least partially vaccinated.

Even with its new guidance, the CDC says people should continue to wear masks in public, social distance and avoid crowds until they know more.

Paige Davis, a freshman, has in-person classes, spends time in Plemmons Student Union and feels safe being on campus. However, she wishes she could have experienced game days in The Rock’s student section.

Davis doesn’t expect COVID guidelines to change this year but is eager for the peace of mind that comes with being vaccinated. She’s also ready to see her family again.

“I got the Moderna COVID vaccine at Walgreens in hopes of being able to have some more freedom and hopefully visit my sister in London when allowed,” Davis said.

Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

University-operated elementary school open most days Abi Pepin | Senior Reporter With the option of in-person or virtual learning, most students at the Academy at Middle Fork have returned to the classrooms four days a week.

The academy is a K-5, UNC system lab school, operated by App System, with about 275 students.

Currently, five UNC System schools are a part of the lab school initiative that provides enhanced educational programming to lower performing schools. Each university partners with a local education agency to operate the lab school.

The academy’s staff works directly with App State faculty to collaborate on the partnership. Many of the faculty members come from App State’s College of Education, but

it’s not limited.

The academy has four commitments: boosting academics, amplifying sustainability, developing the whole child and learning together.

Tasha Hall-Powell, the principal of the academy, said one of their main goals is fostering literacy support for children who struggle with reading.

“We do things like invite authors in to help provide opportunities for our children to connect with real authentic people,” Hall-Powell said.

“We flood them (students) with books with characters that look like them and have experiences that they may have had in their own world.”

In regards to the pandemic, HallPowell said the school is thriving.

“We are focused on instruction,

making sure that all of our students’ needs are met and making sure our teachers have all the resources they need,” Hall-Powell said.

Hannah Reeder, interim director of the academy, said the academy has improved their technology and awareness surrounding how to operate the it and communication with families.

Another positive change the academy has seen is more communication with families.

“Believe it or not, in a hybrid setting, we’ve had more family engagement then we did in person because we’ve had to communicate with each other about what’s going to work for each individual student,” Hall-Powell said.

In January. the academy was able to bring back K-3 grade students for four days a week. Just last week, the academy opened the school for all students to return four days a week.

“Being able to gradually increase the number of students while practicing all the safety measures has gone really well,” Reeder, interim director of the academy, said.

Reeder said if students are able to return to school, they will come. Only a small number of students remained fully online due to health reasons.

“One of my goals was to really do a better job of bringing the university to the lab school,” Reeder said.

Because of COVID-19 regulations, the academy is not allowing visitors; instead, staff

members created “behind-the-scenes” videos for families to see how the school is operating.

“It’s time to build community with the whole school and so we do it via Zoom,” Reeder said. “We invited faculty and staff from the university to join us and they loved that. They loved getting to actually see the students and be involved with them.”

Reeder said she realized quickly that the university wants to see more and get involved.

“We created the virtual tour to just share with everyone what school looks like right now, especially during a pandemic,” Reeder said. “We want everyone on campus to feel like it’s their school.”

3

News

Mar 19, 2021

Boone commits to non-discrimination ordinance Cameron Stuart | Reporter The Boone Town Council passed a General Non-Discrimination ordinance Tuesday night with a vote of 4-1.

Town council members received opposition from some community members after it was first proposed.

The ordinance prohibits any discrimination based on “actual or perceived age, mental or physical disability, sex, religion, creed, race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial or marital status, economic status, veteran status or national origin in any aspect of modern life.”

An ordinance is “a law set forth by a governmental authority,” specifically, a municipal regulation, according to Merriam-Webster.

Administrations, committees,

commissions and boards are told to use their power and resources to prohibit any form of discrimination to enforce the ordinance. The town manager is also directed to create policies against discrimination, as well as include a nondiscrimination provision in contracts and grants.

Allison Meade, attorney and founder of Meade Law, submitted the ordinance to the town council.

“This is an important first step, especially coming from nothing,” said Dustin Hicks, town council member.

“But at the same time, this is something we do need to continue going forward with as well to figure out ways that we can provide protection for people in places that have been denied, for a very long time, employment and housing and other things.”

Town council member Sam Furgiuele said that this is an important statement for the council to make, but that the discussion about nondiscrimination should continue.

The ordinance will be added to the Town of Boone Code of Ordinances.

A total of 98 emails were sent, and 24 phone calls were made in opposition to the ordinance. John Ward, town manager, said that around 50% of those emails were copied and pasted.

Community members David Jones, Jana Jones, Todd Chasteen and Jennifer Gregorin expressed safety concerns about people who weren’t assigned female at birth being allowed into women’s bathrooms and locker rooms.

In 2016, North Carolina passed House Bill 2, which “prevented transgender people in the state from using bathrooms that aligned with their gender identity,” according to NBC. This led to national backlash, and a year later, the state passed House Bill 142, which “prohibited state agencies from regulating access to multiple-occupancy restrooms without the General Assembly’s consent,” according to the same article.

However, the bill prevented local governments from passing any regulations on anti-discrimination until Dec. 1, 2020.

On the other hand, community member Voris Johnson believed the ordinance does not go far enough, as there are no enforcement mechanisms in place, and private businesses

are not included.

Furgiuele said he respects people’s differences of opinion, but many people’s responses were based on misinformation.

Furgiuele also noted that throughout U.S. history, there has always been backlash after attempts of inclusivity.

“People don’t like change, and I get that,” Furgiuele said. “When it comes down to the way people are treated, though, I think we all do need to stand and be leaders and step forward to say we don’t support discrimination of any kind in this community. We are an all-inclusive community; people should be evaluated on their individual merits, not on the classifications and artificial lines that we draw.”

Cooper announces final eligibility date for vaccines Ethan Hunt | Reporter Gov. Roy Cooper announced in a press conference Wednesday all adult North Carolina residents will be eligible to receive the vaccine by May 1 regardless of status or condition.

Cooper also updated Group 4 eligibility – certain members of the group were able to receive their first vaccine dose beginning March 17.

The new eligibility applies to people with medical conditions that put them at higher risk for severe health complications from contracting the virus and people living in congregate settings such jails or homeless shelters.

“We still need to wear our masks and take this seriously,” Cooper said.

The remainder of Group 4, including students living in residence halls, will be eligible to receive the vaccine on April 7, Cooper said.

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, 25.7% of North Carolina res-

4

idents over the age of 18 have received one dose of the vaccine and 16.5% of adult residents are fully vaccinated.

Cooper said he plans to ease restrictions further with his next executive order on March 26.

Cooper said the state's COVID-19 numbers have remained “relatively stable” in recent weeks and he is “very hopeful” that North Carolina can continue to reduce restrictions.

As of March 17, North Carolina had 889,310 cases, 1,999 new cases, 1,002 hospitalizations and 11,757 deaths from COVID-19, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Despite positive upward trends in vaccinations and downward trends in the number of hospitalizations Mandy Cohen, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human services, warned of new COVID-19 variants.

“We need to keep our guard up,” Cohen said.

Cooper said he wants to focus on “equity” with vaccine distribution.

23.1% of Black residents, 9.8% of Hispanic residents and 71.7% of white residents have been vaccinated, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Cohen said vaccine supplies have steadily increased. She said she expects more doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to arrive in North Carolina in April and further increase the state’s weekly vaccine supply.

Cooper urged North Carolina residents to remain vigilant and continue wearing masks even after receiving the vaccine.

“Let’s keep up the faith and keep up our masks and know that if we do these things together, we will get through this,” Cooper said.

Graphic by Xanayra Marin-Lopez

A&C

Mar 19, 2021

App State student launches

body positive online business Lily Kincaid | Associate A&C Editor In search of a creative outlet but limited by the pandemic, one App State student joined the growing number of online small businesses to sell her artwork and spread kindness.

Sam Cole, a senior majoring in theater arts, started her first small business shortly after quarantine began. Based on Etsy, Creative Flower Co. was a place for Cole to sell products that she designed, such as stickers and acrylic signs.

However, one month ago, Cole decided to sell her designs on clothing. This led to My Kinda People, a small business separate from Creative Flower Co. that allows Cole to have a “more focused and more intentional” place to sell her clothing, she said.

“With My Kinda People, I really wanted to create an inviting space for everyone to come and be themselves,” Cole said. “I am a very big advocate for equal rights for every person, so I just really wanted to create a space and a business that leads with that.”

Cole named the store after the quote “kind people are my kind of people.” With her shop, she said she wanted to create inspiring and inviting clothing that is empowering and fashionable but also comfortable.

My Kinda People officially launched on March 8 with six T-shirt options, four sticker designs and three mason jar coffee mugs.

Currently, the shirt sizes range from small to 2XL, but Cole hopes to add more size options in the future.

The T-shirt designs include sayings such as “Every Body is Beautiful” and “Treat Yourself with Kindness,” as well as a pinky promise design of two interlocked fingers. The pinky promise design serves as a reminder to keep your promises to others, but also to keep

a promise of self-love to yourself, Cole said.

“I’ve sort of been calling this launch collection the ‘self-love’ collection,” Cole said.

“When someone sees me wear this shirt, I want them to know that they’re safe with me.”

My Kinda People’s core values — kindness, equality and self-love — are things that Cole has been passionate about for a long time, said Angie Coleman, her mother. Coleman said her daughter has always been an advocate for body positivity and female empowerment.

“She’s a strong advocate for a lot of different things,” Coleman said. “I think it’s wonderful that she stands up for what she believes in.”

Cat Denton, one of Cole’s classmates, has supported Cole’s business from the get-go.

She bought stickers from Creative Flower Co. in the past, and she plans to buy the “Mom, I Am a Rich Man” mason jar mug that is currently available on the My Kinda People website.

“Shops like Sam’s encourage uniqueness and authenticity, which I love,” Denton said.

“It’s a big reason I love her stuff so much, because it empowers me as not only a woman, but a person.”

Cole is very active on the store’s Instagram account, which she uses to not only post updates about the store but to also spread her business’s message further, including posts on intersectional feminism and the importance of being kind to yourself.

“Even though some days I look down on my own body, it’s a reminder to me when I look at myself in the mirror that I am beautiful,” Cole said. “Everyone is beautiful, every body is beautiful — not just the bodies that are portrayed in the media most frequently.”

Sam Cole wearing her pinky promise shirt design. Cole started her online store, My Kinda People, to be an inviting business that empowers others.

Photo Courtesy of Samantha Cole

5

SOCIAL STARS

A&C

Mar 19, 2021

Local band gets a boost from social media

App State students Jake Fain, Ben Burrows, Aaron Huntley and Forrest Britt pose for a band photo. Their act, Dropping Plates, used social media to gain listeners while the pandemic kept them from performing live Courtesy of Dropping Plates

Jaclyn Bartlett | Reporter For one Boone band, social media is more than keeping up with the latest TikTok trend. It’s a tool for reaching an audience during a time when live performances are nearly nonexistent.

Due to COVID limiting the opportunity for live performances, Local band Dropping Plates turned to platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and TikTok to share their music, with one TikTok reaching over 60,000 views.

App State students Jake Fain, Ben Burrows, Aaron Huntley and Forrest Britt started the band Dropping Plates last year after childhood friends and

6

guitarists Fain and Burrows posted an ad on Facebook, looking for a drummer and bass player for their band.

When roommates Huntley and Britt saw the ad, they got in contact and the quartet has been playing together ever since.

They describe themselves as a jam band with a mix of genres from groove to jazz and psychedelic rock.

“My favorite thing about the band is we all have similar music tastes, but none of us listen to the same stuff,” Fain said. “So, we end up with all of these different things attributing to our sound.”

Their variety of inspiration and distinct They continued this process over the next sound is one reason behind their band name. few weeks, posting pictures of the band and snip“This one time, this guy asked me accusingpets of the song, so by the time the single came ly why our name was stupid, and I was like, ‘well, out, people were invested and ready to listen to think about it, man. When you hear a plate drop, it, Fain explained. you know that sound immediately,’” Britt said.

The work they put into their Instagram Last year they played in several locations pays off. Fain said they gain around 20 new folaround Boone such as Noble Kava and Black lowers after every post, and since March of last Cat, but they didn’t have the chance to do many year, they went from having roughly 200 followshows before the pandemic hit, and they had to ers to nearly 1,000, despite not performing a sincancel their upcoming performances. gle show.

Wanting to continue working together on The band also uses TikTok to gain a foltheir music, they decided to use this free time to lowing. They joined TikTok because it’s become record their album, “Family Dinner.” But, besuch a large platform recently, but found that cause they had nowhere to play the songs, they promotional and planned-out content like they turned to social media to gain an audience. post on Instagram doesn’t work in that format.

They began filming and uploading muInstead, they use TikTok to show more of sic videos to YouTube with help from Burrow’s their personalities, posting whatever they want childhood friend, Britton Sear. Sear currently based on what they find funny or entertaining. lives in Los Angeles, where One TikTok referencing he works as a videographer, Grateful Dead, one of I think that’s really import- the photographer, graphic detheir inspirations, got over ant because you get your 60,000 views. signer and actor. Sear feels that music videos are a great “With TikTok and audience emotionally conway to spread their music, estheir Instagram, you kind nected to you, and then pecially now. of get this more intimate they’ll want to listen...

“I think now more than look into their style of comever it’s more important beedy and who they are, what cause there’s no live shows,” Sear said. “These they do, and how they interact with each othmusic videos are how they get their image out er,” Sear said. “I think that’s really important there, get their name out there, get their music because you get your audience emotionally conout there.” nected to you, and then they’ll want to listen to Sear also helps the band promote content the next album, they’ll want to watch the next on Instagram, including clips from their songs music video because they care.” and music videos, graphics and advertisements Although they have accomplished a lot onfor their T-shirts, which Sear also designs. line over this past year, the band members are The band meets every Tuesday — includready to start performing live again. ing Sear, who joins them via FaceTime — to dis“We’ve got plans, and we’re really excited cuss what they are currently working on, whethto get out there and play,” said Huntley. That’s er that be new music, possible places to play or our biggest thing. We’re so ready to get out there promotional ideas. and play again.”

Fain said they sometimes plan out an InsDespite the emphasis on their media prestagram posting schedule when they are releasence, their passion for music is the true driving ing something new. For their single, “Wave,” they force behind it all. first posted an image of the single cover, followed “We just want to be as genuine as possiby a video of them playing one of their older ble, and we just want to connect with people in songs a couple days later. any way that we can because connection is realBecause the band hadn’t posted a video of ly hard right now,” Fain said. “We really hope them playing live in a while, it brought attenthat that’s resonating with people and that peotion to their profile, meaning more people were ple continue to enjoy our stuff because we realaware of their upcoming single. ly enjoy doing it.”

A&C

Mar 19, 2021

on record

PLAYLIST OF THE WEEK David Brashier Reporter

Aubrey Smith | Reporter

Graphic by Camryn Collier

A genre boasting some of the last century’s most classic songs, rock ‘n’ roll is synonymous with wet-hot American summer days and open roads. Some of the genre’s greatest names; however, originate from England and Ireland. It was the traditional folk instruments from these lands that would go on to influence American country music, which evolved into rock ‘n’ roll.

It’s no surprise, then, that the genre’s origins with the likes of Elvis Presley had a very country sound. The genre then became the soundtrack for the psychedelic songs in ‘60s, anti-war anthems in the ‘70s, took on glamorous vibes in the ‘80s and evolved into angsty grunge in the ‘90s.

These days, “rock” can look like a lot of different things.

This playlist contains a mix of hits and under-the-radar ditties from some of the genre’s essential artists like U2, Tom Petty and Jimi Hendrix.

“Folklore”

The 63rd Grammy Awards took place Sunday night in an adjusted, COVID-safe fashion, signaling a goodbye to the large extravagant crowds in Staples Center and hello to mask-coordinated outfits and a smaller outdoor awards venue.

Taylor Swift was one of many who showed up at the dialed-down ceremony, walking on to the red carpet with five Grammy nominations for that night.

While she walked out of the event with only one Grammy, the “cardigan” singer took home one of the night’s biggest awards.

“Folklore,” Swift’s eighth studio album released back in July, was awarded album of the year. The album beat works from artists such as Dua Lipa, Post Malone and Jhené Aiko.

It’s fitting that “folklore” was awarded album of the year at an event that adapted and persevered through COVID-19 so drastically.

Swift created the entire album during quarantine, working with collaborators and producers while never even being in the same room.

From the comfort of her own home, Swift crafted a fantasy world. Riddled with nostalgia and vulnerability, Swift’s acoustic and folk-inspired change of pace makes way for the magic of “folklore” to shine brightly through.

Starting off the hour-long album, “the 1” is a catchy, mellow tune that reflects on a failed relationship, admitting, “We were something, don’t you think so?”

Many of the tracks throughout the album are reminiscing about past love. “Cardigan,” “august” and “betty” all tell the story of a young love triangle, each song from the perspective of a different person.

Swift’s songwriting choice to create songs about people other than herself is one of the most memorable aspects of “folklore.” It sets up a truly unique listening experience, immediately sucking the listener into Swift’s fantasy world.

On the hauntingly beautiful ballad “my

tears ricochet,” Swift sings about a tormenter relentlessly trying to bring harm to someone.

Swift’s powerful vocals echo throughout the track as strings emphasize the painful trauma that the lyrics touch on, making it one of the most powerful tracks not just of the album but also of Swift’s entire discography.

“Seven,” one of the calmer, more peaceful tracks off the album, dwindles on the innocence of childhood. Swift reflects on serious matters, such as a friend with an unhealthy living situation, with childlike references as she sings, “I think you should come live with me, and we can be pirates, then you won’t have to cry.”

On “illicit affairs,” the strings in the instrumental paired with Swift’s melodically comforting vocals serve as a wonderful example of the overall idea and production of “folklore.” It’s one of the most emotional songs on the album.

Singing about a breakup leaving someone in shambles, Swift echoes, “Look at this godforsaken mess that you made me.”

“Folklore” was revolutionary for Swift and many fans around the world. The singer strayed away from a traditional rollout for an album like she has always stuck to in the past. “Folklore” was announced just 16 hours before Swift released it.

Swift let the 16-track album speak for itself.

It didn’t need any pre-release hype or marketing tactics. It peaked at No.1 on the U.S. Billboard charts, and publications such as Rolling Stone, Time and USA Today called it the best album of 2020.

The appealing fantasy world of “folklore,” which often feels like taking a perfect stroll through the woods, is coated in the human experience. The album of the year is a one-of-akind listening experience, a piece of art so memorable that listeners will be revisiting the album frequently, taking a trip into somewhere in the woods.

7

A&C

Mar 19, 2021

Hayes School of Music honors female composers Sabrina Hess | Reporter

T

Kara Haselton | Photographer

he Hayes School of Music hosted its annual Women Composers Concert Tuesday, featuring the musical works of female composers throughout the decades.

James Douthit, dean of the Hayes School of Music, said the goal of the concert is to expose audiences to a wide range of music by female composers, many whose music has been suppressed.

The concert featured composers that ranged from 19th century composer Clara Schumann to contemporary 21st century composer Shona Mackey.

Douthit said the concert is an attempt to give more stage time to the music of women, some of whom have attended App State.

Lindsay Freundlich, who graduated from App State in 2018, said one of her original compositions, titled “Au Naturale,” was featured in the Women Composers Concert in March 2018; she’s the only alumna whose music has been performed at the concert. Freundlich said having her work featured was a “really awesome experience.”

“It gets our work out there when it’s harder for us to feel like our voices are heard,” Freundlich said.

Reeves Shulstad, a music historian at App State, made the Women Composers Concert an annual event in 2011. She wanted to bring those interested in female composed music together in a collaboration between faculty and students.

Shulstad said she came up with the idea to have an annual women composers concert when she noticed there wasn’t a lot of female representation in the composers featured at App State.

8

“There’s such a history of women being marginalized,” Shulstad said. “Being able to talk about the kinds of things they were up against to get music degrees, to get their music published, to get it out there – I think it’s an important thing to do.”

Shulstad said this concert has also affected students who have performed in it.

“I’ve had several students that, if they had performed in this (concert), then maybe later on their whole recitals were dedicated to women composers,” Shulstad said.

“In the past four years, there have been about three or four students who have decided that that’s what they wanted their recitals to be: all-female composers.”

Priscilla Porterfield, a voice professor and director of the treble choir at App State who organized the concert this year, said she thinks female composers get less airtime than male composers, and believes it’s important to give female composers’ music more “exposure to the masses.”

Porterfield said many students who have learned music in preparation for the concert have been surprised by the variety of music by female composers.

Kinsey Crabb, one of Porterfield’s students who performed in the concert, said she appreciates the variety of music the Women Composers Concert offers.

“The Annual Women Composers Concert allows its audience members to experience the diverse selections of women composers throughout history and opens the door to exploring more pieces, composers and selections that otherwise may not have been sought out,” Crabb said.

1

2

It gets our work out there when it’s harder for us to feel like our voices are heard...

— Lindsay Freundlich

4

A&C

Mar 19, 2021

2

3

5

6

1. Rodney Reynerson, keyboard area c oordinator and Professor of Piano plays “Solitude” by Cecile Chaminade and Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel’s “Nocturne in G Minor” as the fifth performance for a virtual audience in honor of Women’s History Month. 2. Priscilla Porterfield is the vocal area coordinator for the Hayes School of Music and Treble Choir director. When COVID-19 hit the U.S., Porterfield and other music professors had to drastically adjust the way they educate their students. 3. Hiu-Wah Au performs “Romance in A-Flat Major, Op. 11 No. 3” by Clara Schumann on the piano for Hayes School of Music’s “Music of Women Composers” concert on March 16. The concert was livestreamed for viewers to prevent risk of exposure to COVID-19. 4. Kinsey Crabb, senior choral music education major, sings two pieces accompanied by Susan Slingland, staff accompanist. Crabb performed “There are Fairies at the Bottom of our Garden” by Liza Lehmann and “Come Down Angels” by Undine Smith Moore for the “Music by Women Composers” concert on March 16. 5. Jon Beebe, professor of bassoon, performs Ann Gebuhr’s “Ghost Dance”. 6.

Emme Hooks,(Right) senior music therapy major, bows to an empty room and virtual audience after performing a vocal piece by Lori Laitman in honor of Women’s History Month with Hollie Lacy as (Right) the accompanist. The lack of an audience causes a lack of adrenaline, staff accompanist Susan Slingland said. Performers have to “keep up the act” and respond even though there is no applause.

9

Sports

Mar 19, 2021

A tale of two Twitters

A generational divide among App State sports fans David Brashier | Reporter A cornerstone of App State sports is fans taking to Twitter to express their thoughts, get excited and talk a lot of smack. Fans have dubbed this online community “’Neer Twitter.”

Though anyone can participate in ‘Neer Twitter, some users have devoted countless hours of effort into their accounts and content, which have made them thought leaders within the university community, the athletics department and even the Sun Belt Conference.

Charles Haynes, or @bigCasu on Twitter, graduated from App State in 2003 and credits himself as the creator of ‘Neer Twitter. Haynes got his start online in 2001, a time when message boards were the norm of online chatting.

“I joined Twitter in March of 2009 and I said, ‘I’m just going to follow all the App athletes,” Haynes said. “‘I’m going to promote them and give these men and women the recognition they deserve.’”

Haynes said he developed his moniker doing pre-game write-ups for the football program on App State message boards and later on his website, BigCTailgate.com.

Haynes later became acquainted with Alex Johnson, a 2011 graduate, and the two started “The Black and Gold Podcast” (@BlackAndGoldPod) in 2015. Their mission: discuss App State sports with greater honesty than TV and radio commentators are allowed.

“People should be able to address haters in a less official way with context that they may not be thinking about,” Johnson said. “We want to treat App State sports like it’s im-

10

portant.”

Johnson was a freshman at App State in 2007 when the Mountaineers famously upset Michigan and won their third straight national championship. When Twitter debuted, countless users from this generation of alumni joined the online fray in the early 2010s.

Very few of the accounts are for users’ personal content. Almost all of them are burner or alternate accounts used for App State sports content.

“I told myself, ‘I kind of want to get in on this, but I don’t want it to be on my main account to clog my feed and make it all about App sports,’” said Parker Stone, or @ConeEnforcer on Twitter. “It made so much more sense to have an account that I could create content through.”

An overwhelming number of these accounts are anonymous. Of the seven users interviewed for this article, an equal amount declined to contribute to retain their anonymity. Among them is a parody account of Dustin Kerns, the men’s basketball coach.

Some users theme their accounts around niche content. John Miller, or @AppStTailgate on Twitter, uses his account to share his App State trading cards and autographed memorabilia.

“I think a lot of people follow me because I write about different stuff than normal,” Miller said. “People want to see the trading cards, and a lot of my trading cards are rare, so some of the ones I have are the only ones.”

Taylor Adams, or @GonzoApp on Twitter, is amazed at how App State fans have used ‘Neer Twitter to disrupt the status quo and troll opposing fanbases. In 2018, he used Twitter to deny UNC-Charlotte students a home game tailgate experience.

“I spread the word amongst App Nation and the Twitterverse, and we stole all of their tailgate spots,” Adams said. “Their students were deprived of a tailgate experience. There’s no way that the old grassroots can work in such a sophisticated way to pull something like that off.”

Fans also use Twitter to try to sway AP poll voters to

The “Cone Squad.” From the left: Will Strickland, Bailey Lang, “Dusty Korns,” Parker Stone, Andrew Curry and Will Taylor welcomed the App State men’s basketball team home from the Sun Belt championship last week. The crew is invested in all App State sports, and rally online, usually on Twitter, to support university athletics.

Courtesy of Will Strickland.

select App State football for national rankings, Adams said.

“There are voters that are, probably to a fault, tagged on a regular basis,” said Adams. “So that hopefully is not making people so annoyed with our fans that they’re disinclined, but it’s a powerful tool.”

To some dismay, Twitter is also used by fans to persuade potential recruits to play for the university.

App State fans involved with ‘Neer Twitter since the app’s beginning consider themselves the gatekeepers of the online conversation and how fans talk about App State sports. In recent years, however, a younger fanbase has made itself known.

Will Strickland, or @AppStateConeBoy on Twitter, was kicked out of a basketball game against Louisiana-Monroe for heckling in January 2018. The event was the beginning of a new age of ‘Neer Twitter.

“It really blew up after Will got kicked out of a basketball game,” Stone said. “We’d be going to Tapp Room afterward, and people would be patting us on the back and asking if they can buy us drinks.”

The incident went viral on social media and led to an increase in student attendance at basketball games, Stone said.

Strickland believes that many new ‘Neer Twitter accounts were created as a result of the incident and his content online, he said. It was the genesis of younger App State sports fans joining the ‘Neer Twitter conversation en masse.

Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

Sports

Mar 19, 2021

App State wrestler represents Cameron Burnett | Reporter During the 2019-20 season, redshirt senior 174-pound wrestler Thomas Flitz was in the midst of a breakout year, where he was 30-11 in his matches and had qualified for NCAAs. However, COVID-19 shut down the season right before they began.

“It was really bittersweet last season, I was super upset about it and it was really discouraging because it was my first time qualifying (for NCAAs),” Flitz said. “I had to accept what it was … that hunger definitely carried over.

I (qualified) once, I know for a fact I can do it again. It definitely drove me this entire season and this offseason.

I’m still hungry, my opportunity got stolen from me last year.”

Flitz came to App State as a preferred walk-on and after redshirting his first year, went 23-31 in his matches the next two years. This adversity was a huge moment in his career and made him push stronger for his goals.

“I came here ready to work out and ready to learn, not many people had high expectations for me, even I didn’t have high expectations for myself. I would tell people I did but I just never actually believed it,” Flitz said.

“I started getting that self-belief and all of the sudden there was a whole 180 in my career.”

Going into his junior year, this self-belief was a part of the transformation that happened halfway through his career. After having a losing record during his freshman and sophomore year while bouncing in and out of the lineup, Flitz took the positive energy to the mat and had the best year of his career to that point, winning more matches than he did over his previous three years combined.

During that dominant 2019-20 season, Flitz went 7-0 in SoCon duels and was ranked No. 26 for NCAAs after winning 17 of his last 19 matches.

For the home-state kid, this was where all the hard work had finally paid off.

‘never giveforup’ mentality the Mountaineers

“A lot of people might come in here thinking they’re ‘top dog’ and that they’ve all got it figured out …

Usually, that’s not the case at all. They come in as a freshman or a sophomore and get beat up and get really discouraged,” Flitz said. “I’ve been there, I know what it’s been like and you just have to push through it and work hard and you’ll eventually get to where you need to be.”

Through his challenges, Flitz has become a leader as a senior, having been through so many challenges during his career and being able to withstand adversity that some might not be able to handle. As his career at App State comes to a close, he has made sure to spread that mentality of never giving up throughout the team, especially for the young guys.

“Seeing his growth has been very positive for our team as he developed into one of our leaders and one of our team captains,” head coach JohnMark Bentley said. “When you’ve got a guy like Thomas … it’s a sign to the underclassmen like ‘hey if I work hard, a lot of things are possible here’ I think (Thomas) has a great story to tell.”

Throughout his career at App State, Flitz has made great impressions on the team as well as the community, as seen by Bentley. During home events, Flitz has connected with the community and they were able to see his improvement right before their eyes.

Once he became one of the best wrestlers on the team, Flitz didn’t let the success get in the way of being a leader and great person to those around him on the team and within the App State community.

“He’s just a very genuine, kind person. He’s been a fan-favorite in the Varsity Gym for the last two years and a lot of that has been because of how

Redshirt senior Thomas Flitz stares down his opponent before the Senior Day match against Chattanooga begins. Flitz finished the day 2-0, also securing a victory over Prebyterian.

Andy McLean

he interacts with the community and in the public. He’s a great ambassador for our program … the parents love him, the kids love him, and I think that’s why he has so many fans,” Bentley said.

Redshirt junior Cody Bond has grown close to Flitz throughout his career at App State and echoed the same sentiment Bentley had regarding their senior leader. Bond will also be competing in NCAAs alongside Flitz.

“He’s just a really good person and he helps me with my homework, too. He’s just a really good guy and there’s not enough good things you can say about him,” Bond said. “I got to witness his change a little bit. He put his head down and kept grinding and things started changing and you could see it with him. Next thing you know, he was back out there and winning matches.”

With the end of the season coming up for App State, Flitz’s career will be something for the team to learn from and he will be looking to go out with a bang at NCAAs. For

him, this program meant the world and he’ll look to impress his coaches, fans, and teammates one last time.

“If (this program) didn’t mean that much , I wouldn’t be sticking around so long. It’s awesome,I love the culture that we have, the friends that I’ve made and teammates that I have to talk to,” Flitz said. “I want to leave (this program with) that anybody can do it, you’ve just gotta put your mind to it, work hard, and believe in yourself even when nobody else does.”

For Flitz, the App State wrestling program has meant everything, and he gives those around him credit for his success as well. After five years within the program, Flitz was able to overcome all odds to become a top-ranked wrestler in the country and worthy of the opportunity to compete at the national level.

Flitz will be competing with six other App State wrestlers in NCAAs starting on March 18.

11

Sports

Mountaineers ‘Take the Stairs’

to first ever

Sun Belt

Sophomore forward RJ Duhart hoists the Sun Belt tournament trophy in front of a crowd of Mountaineer faithful. Duhart started at center for the Mountaineers after junior James Lewis Jr. got injured in the quarterfinals. Duhart played a combined 79 minutes in the semifinal and championship rounds, helping his team to its first ever Sun Belt tournament title.

Andy McLean

Ben Brady | Reporter

A

pp State men’s basketball won its first ever Sun Belt Championship, sending the Mountaineers to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 21 years.

In just his second season with the program, head coach Dustin Kerns has revamped the program, bringing the Mountaineers from eight straight losing seasons to the team’s first conference title since 2000, and first-ever Sun Belt title since joining the conference in 2014.

Tied for seventh place in the complete Sun Belt standings, and having lost six of their final seven regular-season games, the Mountaineers found themselves facing improbable odds before the tournament began.

The difficult seeding App State received accompanies a season full of tribulations stemming from COVID-19 protocols, including having to meet in a classroom to watch film, ordering take-out to eat in their rooms when on the road, and taking multiple buses to games to adhere to social distancing.

“There’s a lot of behind the scenes stuff

12

that people don’t realize,” Kerns said. “From a chemistry standpoint, that stuff is challenging when you’re not around your team.”

The Mountaineers would face adversity once again, having to win four tough matchups in four nights to earn the coveted conference championship.

In the March 5 opener against preseason favorite Little Rock, App State set a precedent they hoped to follow, earning a 67-60 victory behind 24 points from senior guard Justin Forrest.

Their next matchup against top-seeded Texas State, the Mountaineers led 61-53 with 30 seconds left in regulation. However, the Bobcats did the improbable, hitting four straight three pointers including a game-tying three as time expired, sending the game to overtime in a 65-65 tie.

In the overtime period, Forrest hit a goahead 3-pointer, while graduate transfer Michael Almonacy hit another three to bring

the lead to four with 56 seconds left and secure a 76-73 victory.

Forrest scored a season-high 28 points, hitting 14-of-17 free throws and grabbing six rebounds. Almonacy added 23 points and six boards in the game.

The following night’s matchup against Coastal Carolina also took longer than regulation to be decided, as when the Mountaineers led by three points in the final 15 seconds of regulation, a controversial call awarded the Chanticleers three free throws, sending the game to overtime at 51 a piece.

Eight overtime points from junior guard Adrian Delph paired with tenacious team defense gave the Mountaineers a hardfought 64-61 victory, sending them to the conference championship for the first time since the 2010 season.

Almonacy and Delph each contributed 19 points, while sophomore guard Donovan

We’re not playing in the tournament just to say we’re going to the tournament...

Championship

Mar 19, 2021

Gregory filled the box score with 14 rebounds, six assists, and a Sun Belt Tournament record-tying eight steals.

Gregory acknowledged the importance of staying poised on the defensive end, and its impact on the game overall.

“That’s something that we take pride in as a team,” Gregory said. “When we have a good defensive game, it leads to a good offensive game as well, and that’s just one of the key things we knew we had to do in the tournament.”

App State erased double-digit deficits in both overtime victories leading up to the final.

In the first half of the championship game against East division No. 1 seed Georgia State, which was making its third straight title game appearance and in the midst of an eight-game win streak, the Mountaineers trailed by as many as seven points in the first half.

App State had not backed down in the face of adversity leading up to the final, and the team certainly would not give up this close to a championship.

Michael Almonacy went off for a career-high 32 points and hit six 3-pointers to help App State establish a second half lead that they would not give up over the final 15 minutes.

Adrian Delph added 22 points, and Donovan Gregory once again filled the stat sheet, putting up 10 rebounds, two assists, two blocks and three steals.

For his efforts of 21.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game throughout the run, and a tournament record 20 3-pointers made, Almonacy was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

A graduate transfer who spent time playing for Stony Brook and Southern New Hampshire before transferring to App State, Almonacy joined the Mountaineers prior to the season as an experienced veteran in a new system. Justin Forrest, who now shares the backcourt with Almonacy, remarked the benefit of his presence on and off the court.

“He’s brought experience to our team, scoring and shooting ability, but most importantly is his leadership,” Forrest said. “You could tell that he just has something in him, he wants to win, and that might be the biggest thing that rubbed off on a lot of us.”

Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

Sports

Mar 19, 2021

Fans allowed back in Holmes Center for March Madness bracket unveiling

men’s basketball recruit hungry to join the team in 2021

Cameron Burnett | Reporter

App State fans watched from the Holmes Convocation Center as the Mountaineers’ seeding and matchup for the NCAA Tournament were released during the annual selection show. “Oh my gosh, it’s so exciting to be back in the stadium,” said Denise Lovin, an App State fan and Boone local.

Andy McLean

Silas Albright | Sports Editor App State fans of all ages came out to the Holmes Convocation Center on Sunday evening for a March Madness selection show watch party to find out the Mountaineers’ seeding and what team they’ll play in their first NCAA Tournament game since 2000.

“It’s crazy,” App State superfan and 2018 graduate Will Strickland said. “This is always the thing you talk about wanting, but realistically, it’s like, I don’t know if we can do it. And then we did. It’s possible.”

The selection show opened by naming 26-0 Gonzaga the No. 1 overall seed out of the West side of the bracket, and App State was the second school announced. The Mountaineers take on Norfolk State in the First Four Thursday at historic Assembly Hall on the University of Indiana’s campus in Bloomington. The winner advances to face undefeated Gonzaga in the round of 64 on Saturday.

“If we play like we did in the (Sun Belt) tournament, I feel good about the first game, and you never know about the second game,” 2020 graduate and fellow superfan Andrew Curry said.

Denise Lovin, an App State fan and Boone

local who came to the watch party, said she was disappointed with the potential matchup against Gonzaga, but not because of the unlucky draw with the No. 1 overall seed.

“We were disappointed it wasn’t Michigan, we wanted a Michigan redo,” she said.

The Wolverines are also a No. 1 seed out of the East region, but they play the winner of the First Four matchup between Mount St. Mary’s and Texas Southern.

Before the selection show started, App State second-year head coach Dustin Kerns addressed the fans in attendance via the video board.

“I’ve only got one request for you,” Kerns said. “Next season, if you come back and pack the Holmes Center every single game, we can win a lot more games and be right back here all together.”

From going 11-21 and 6-12 in Sun Belt play just two seasons ago to Sun Belt champs with an NCAA Tournament game up next, the Mountaineers have reached heights that few expected in such a short amount of time.

Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

On March 8, when sophomore Donovan Gregory dunked the ball as the buzzer sounded, App State had secured their ticket to the NCAA Tournament with a Sun Belt title. This is the moment when App State commit Chris Mantis knew the Mountaineers were coming to play in his home state.

Mantis, a 6-foot-6-inch small forward from Lowell, Indiana committed to App State on Christmas Day, long before he knew the team was going to be playing in the NCAA Tournament.

“I’ve been talking to them every day since summertime, I know what they go through in practice and how seriously they take this,” Mantis said.

“How (head coach Dustin Kerns) said the goal was to get to March and play in the NCAA Tournament and the fact that he spoke that into existence is pretty dope. They definitely deserve it, I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

When Mantis was making his decision in December, he had 11 offers, but App State’s fanbase made sure that he knew how much the community wanted him. After Mantis went off for a 50-point game during the season, many App State fans reached out to the 3-star recruit with words of support.

“Even before I committed, they would comment about my stuff and it wouldn’t even be about basketball,” Mantis said. “That was the time where my recruitment was 100% open and I didn’t have many offers until a couple months ago so it was crazy to see that before I committed on Christmas Day. I was like ‘wow, the fanbase is insane and this is awesome.’”

The fans weren’t just supportive on social media, though. When Mantis took a visit up to the High Country, Kerns asked local restaurants to set up signs to welcome the recruit since he couldn’t see him in person due to COVID-19 protocols.

When the Mountaineers punched

their ticket to the Big Dance, it was exciting to see for Mantis, but he also took it in an unexpected way.

“That just means I’ve got to work even harder now.

The fact they made the tournament for the first time since 2000, that means I have to work harder,” Mantis said. “My brother’s been there, my dad’s been there, so they tell me ‘when you’re not working, someone else is working.’ My goal when I get down there is to make an impact right away.”

After the high school basketball season ended, Mantis would normally take a break for a week before getting back into the gym. App State’s Sun Belt championship win gave him the motivation to get right back into the gym and prepare for when he comes to Boone.

Before his commitment, Mantis had a connection to junior guard Deshon Parker, whose brother played with Mantis’ brother at Cedarville University. Mantis said they texted quite a few times before his commitment and became closer as friends.

“Once I committed, I think every player on the basketball team texted me,” Mantis said. “The connection with coach Kerns goes all the way back to April now, almost a year now. I haven’t even met them in person and the fact that we’re so close already means a lot to me.”

Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

App State commit Chris Mantis soars to the basket for a one-handed slam. Mantis’ Lowell Red Devils defeated Hobart 72-48.

Courtesy of Kyler James

13

Sports

Mar 19, 2021

Continued from page 1

Norfolk State scored the next 7 to edge back in front at 52-51 with three minutes left. Both teams went scoreless for the next two, before App State junior guard Adrian Delph hit two free throws to give the Mountaineers their final lead of the game at 53-51. The App State defense got a stop and had a chance to extend their lead, but couldn’t convert.

Norfolk State senior guard Devante Carter got out on a break and drew a foul on a layup with eight seconds left. He hit both free throws, and App State got one more possession. The Mountaineers inbounded the ball and Almonacy sprinted across halfcourt and called a timeout, giving App State a chance to run a side out of bounds play with the game on the line.

Kerns said the play he drew up was for Forrest to get a back-cut and a layup, but the Spartans defense forced the Mountaineers into a broken play, which almost worked.

“They made the entry very difficult and it just became a broken play,” Kerns said.

Almonacy inbounded it to sophomore wing Donovan Gregory near the corner, and Almonacy’s man collapsed to Gregory, giving him just enough room to get off a contested 3-pointer. The miss ricocheted out to Forrest who had one last look, but it fell short, and Norfolk State survived.

“That’s March Madness. There's heartbreak, there's buzzer beaters,” Kerns said. “That's it right there. That's why everybody loves it.”

Forrest finished with a team-high 18 points and was App State’s only double-digit scorer.

“I think he's going to be remembered for a lot, but he'll be remembered for getting App State to the NCAA TourGaurd Adrian Delph rounded out the Mountaineers’ final game of the season nament and really changing the course with 9 points scored on Norfolk State. of the program,” Kerns said. “His junior Courtesy of NCAA and senior year, we stopped an eight-year losing streak and then went on to the NCAA Tournament.”

Delph and Gregory finished with 9 apiece, while Almonacy and redshirt junior guard James Lewis Jr. added 7 each.

Gregory also added eight rebounds, four App State fans welcomed the men’s basketball team home after a Sun Belt assists and two steals Sophomore forward Championship win. The Mountaineers’ win secured the team their first bid to the NCAA Tournament in 21 years.

RJ Duhart grabbed a game-high 11 reAndy McLean bounds.

“We’re always the underdog, being a mid-major,” Forrest said. “I feel like a lot of people don’t really respect us, but I love this team. I love what we were able to accomplish this year, I love playing with these guys, I love playing for these coaches.”

Junior guard Jalen Hawkins led the Spartans with 24 points and was the story of the first half, catching fire for 20 points, including 4-for-4 on 3-pointers in the period. Junior guard Joe Bryant Jr was the only other Norfolk State double digit scorer, finishing with 10 points and four steals.

The game was a tale of two halves for the Mountaineers, as they literally couldn’t get a 3-pointer to fall and trailed 36-20 at halftime.

“It’s a tournament of champions, so 16 points is not really a big lead when (it’s) a tournament of champions, because everyone has championship pedigree,” Norfolk State head coach Robert Jones said.

App State was 0-18 from beyond the arc and 6-31 (19.4%) on field goals in the first half with 10 turnovers.

“We know we didn’t have the best first half, and it’s tough when we come out and miss shots that we normally make in a game like this that you really want to win,” Forrest said.

The NCAA play-in game went down in Bloomington Assembly Hall in Indiana. The Norfolk State The Mountaineers then shot 6-18 on 3s in the second frame and only turned it over four times, outSpartans will now move to play first-seeded Gonzaga. scoring the Spartans 33-18.

Courtesy of NCAA Norfolk State advanced to take on No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga on Saturday in the round of 64.

App State’s season is over, but the Mountaineers took plenty of stairs on their way to the history books in a 2021 season unlike any other.

“I think that this will give our program a huge boost in the community, on campus, with our students,” Kerns said. “It should carry momentum with a lot of excitement into next season.”

14

Opinion

Mar 19, 2021

entertainment should be secondary to americans’ lives Jean Holman | Opinion Writer Many schools, restaurants and other businesses have shut down due to COVID-19.

While some Americans are losing jobs, others in the entertainment industry are doing just fine. From actors being allowed to participate in filmmaking to NFL players participating in the sport, the U.S. has prioritized entertainment businesses even though people are dying from COVID-19 and losing their jobs.

Although there are precautionary measures set to protect the health of film staff during the making of a movie like wearing masks and testing for COVID-19, the actors obviously do not wear masks during the shooting of a scene and have to talk in close proximity to each other and touch the same surfaces on a set.

Many film crews had to shut down due to positive COVID-19 outbreaks such as Olivia Wilde’s setup for her upcoming film “Don’t Worry Darling.” People should not be risking their lives for the sake of a film. A 2019 Motion Picture report shows that the global entertainment industry reached $101 billion, with about 268 million people attending movie theaters at least once. Money currently being spent on film projects could be used for health expenses and charity during this pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly affected the entertainment industry but that does not mean Americans should waste money on the film market while other people can barely afford housing, one study from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities finding that about 81 million adults struggle to pay housing fees. The entertainment industry should at least contribute some of its earnings to those in need considering many people are having a difficult time ever since COVID-19 hit.

According to a Statista report, America spent about $55.9 billion on sporting events in 2017. Of course, sports can be put to good use such as charity sporting events. However, during this pandemic with plummeting employment rates, it does not make much sense to allow sports teams to participate in public events where they are putting themselves and others at risk for the sake of entertainment.

Another Statista study found that the Mi-

ami Dolphins team in 2019, with the lowest annual player salary, had “average annual revenue of $2.05 million” while the Atlanta Falcons, with the highest annual player salary, had “an average of 4.71 million.” Even though the lowest income for a player was about $500,000 in 2019, that is still so much money, more than a doctor’s average annual income of around $313,000, based on a Medscape report. Doctors literally save lives and are incredibly essentially during this pandemic. Money should be spent on extra safety precautions in place of the funds it takes to put on football games.

Another problem is politicians and celebrities not following COVID-19 protocol while also preaching about the severe risks people face when being unsafe during the pandemic. For example, California’s governor Gavin Newsom ate at a French restaurant in November, not following his own state’s guidelines. Celebrities, too, were seen attending parties during the pandemic, such as Kendall Jenner throwing a birthday halloween party last year with at least 50 people in attendance. It is ironic to see these same people make public statements about wearing masks and following COVID-19 guidelines.

Seeing this hypocrisy sets a bad example for people who look up to these figures in the media. One dining at a restaurant during the pandemic without a mask on may seem like a small mistake to a few, but this could encourage people to mimic this behavior or think that it is OK to risk yourself and others.

We should be prioritizing the health industry and employment, especially low-income families in the U.S., rather than entertainment businesses. We will not recover well from this pandemic if we keep putting people at risk of contracting the virus. Politicians and other popular public figures should be strong role models for the public and themselves. If someone cannot follow for what they preach, they should stop preaching it.

caleb’s

CONCEPTS

There is no true Christianity, only interpretations Caleb Garbuio | Opinion Editor In his dialogue, “Ion,” Plato explores the mastery that poets have pertaining to their subject matter. This story is about Ion, a poet claiming mastery of Homer’s poems, confronted by Socrates who patiently explains Ion cannot have mastery of someone without being as equally skilled. Since Ion claimed Homer was the greatest poet ever, he cannot have mastery over Homer since he is the superior poet with the correct interpretation. The takeaway is that the original source is always better than the interpretation.

Now let’s explore Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Followers of Jesus’s teachings followed his example outlined within the New Testament of the Bible. Yet, the majority of Christ’s chronology was documented decades after his death, amounting to a confusing chronology.

Additionally, the characterization of Jesus is wildly different in the synoptic gospels versus the Book of John. John’s depiction of Jesus encapsulates his divine aspects while the synoptic gospels, in particular Mark, place an emphasis on his humanity, highlighting that Jesus’s nature is unknown since he did not leave behind any original writings. Rather, his legacy is preserved by the Apostles and codified within the books. Therefore, we are relying on a copy of Jesus not his true self.

As Plato illustrates in “Ion,” interpretations of human material are a corrupted copy of the source. Keep in mind that Plato is discussing the work of Homer, a human, not Jesus, the Son of God. Since human concepts are subject to interpretive corruption, it can be concluded that divine material can be corrupted also. Thus, our concept of Jesus is artificial since we are relying on the interpretation of people and based on the Bible, humans are

broken. In his book, “The City of God,” the theologian Saint Augustine of Hippo coins this fault as “original sin.” Original sin occured after Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden which passed on as a “sinful gene” to humanity. Thus, “original sin” causes humans to step into the world as broken people who can never be made whole.

Naturally, we conclude that this brokenness affects our judgement of the divine. Since, the gospel writers are endowed with this brokenness, then their interpretations of the divine are affected by this disease. This leads us along to the disaster that befell future Christians trying to interpret the Bible correctly, thank you Martin Luther. This rift in religious understanding traces its genealogy through systems developed by people’s imperfect perception of an imperfect book resulting in bloodshed. So, now, in the 21st century, Christianity is bitterly divided without the chance of reconciling under the love of God. Your Christian denomination should not matter. Your faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God is what gives you salvation manifested through good deeds, which is achieved through living your life as close as possible to how Jesus lived his. Naturally, this is impossible since Jesus is divine and we aren’t. Rather, he is a form that we should aspire to be. For as Friedrich Nietzsche put it, “In truth, there was only one Christian, and he died on the cross.”

15

Opinion

Mar 19, 2021

Are vegan alternatives really better for the environment?

Ella Adams | Associate Opinion Editor App State is an environmentally conscious campus. In 2019, the university was awarded a “gold rating” of 73.93/100 by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, and in 2018, the Faculty Senate unanimously passed a resolution of a climate-neutral campus by 2035.

App State’s advancements in sustainability wouldn’t be possible without its students making an effort to be eco-friendly. Students have consistently pushed for progressive change to make the school more green. The campus composting program and efforts to improve the sustainability of the AppalCart are both examples of initiatives that have received support from students.

One of the most effective ways to decrease individual impact on the environment is vegan alternatives. App State offers many vegan and vegetarian options in the dining halls and it’s relatively accessible to eat a vegan diet on campus. But, animal products are not limited to the food we eat: they’re also in our cosmetics and clothing. It seems like a no-brainer to switch out your half-and-half for oat milk in your morning coffee or buy cheaper faux leather shoes instead of real leather shoes. With so many vegan alternatives on the market hailed as the solution to climate change, it begs the question: are they really better for the environment?

to produce one pound of pork. On the other hand, one pound of corn requires 216 gallons to produce. Plants are objectively better for the environment than meat. According to a report by the Humane Party, “plant-based agriculture grows 512% more pounds of food than animal-based agriculture on 69% of the mass of land that animal-based agriculture uses.” Plant-based agriculture also emits considerably less greenhouse gases than animal-based. Animal agriculture accounts for 9% of carbon dioxide emissions, 37% of methane emissions, which is 25 times more potent than CO2 and 65% of nitrous oxide emissions, which is about 300 times more potent than CO2. So, meat alternatives are the better choice if you’re going for a more eco-friendly diet.

Dairy milk vs. Milk alternatives Dairy production has many similar issues as meat production. Cows use a ton of water and land and they emit methane, a greenhouse gas 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Milk alternatives, including almond milk,

Meat vs. Meat alternatives Animal agriculture damages the environment and requires an astonishing amount of natural resources to produce. For example, 1,800 gallons of water are consumed to produce one pound of beef and 576 gallons

16

Graphic by Efrain Arias-Medina Jr.

coconut milk and oat milk, are the better option because they have a substantially smaller environmental impact.

Among milk alternatives, almond milk uses the most water during production at about 322 gallons of water per gallon of almond milk. But, that’s still far less than dairy which requires about 548 gallons of water per gallon of milk. If you’re really worried about your environmental impact, soy milk uses the least water in production at 92 gallons of water per gallon,and oat milk is a close second..

Vegan leather vs. Leather Leather is one of the rare instances where the vegan option is not better for the environment. Most vegan leather is plastic and degrades much faster than real leather. Leather is a byproduct of the beef industry. Demand for beef is not going anywhere, so we might as well use the leather instead of throwing it away. Plus, leather is biodegradable and lasts much longer than faux leather. Vegan leather creates unnecessary plastic waste, go for the real deal.

Traditional cosmetics vs. Vegan cosmetics Many cosmetic monoliths such as Clinique and Estée Lauder use animal products in their makeup, perfume, skin care and other merchandise. Beeswax, lanolin (oil derived from wool), squalene (which used to be derived from shark liver oil but is mostly derived from alternative sources now), gelatin and carmine (a dye made from beetles) are common ingredients used in cosmetics. If you can get over putting beetles and wool oil on your face, then go ahead, but are the alternatives better for the planet? Yes and no. Cosmetics is a loosely regulated industry so a lot of questionable chemicals go into its products. Vegan brands tend to be more ingredient conscious, but they still are held to the same standards, or lack of standards, as other brands. Cosmetics as a whole is an incredibly wasteful industry, creating heaps of plastic waste. If you’re really committed to saving the planet, staying away from cosmetics altogether is the way to go, but that’s not reasonable. Some vegan brands do make more of an effort to reduce packaging, be mindful of carbon emissions and source local, organic and safe ingredients. Vegan cosmetics is the lesser of the two evils.

In short, most vegan alternatives are better for the environment.

Any effort to reduce your personal environmental impact is good.

Given, there’s not much individuals can do because corporations are the main drivers of climate change, but the market is shifting to favor more eco-friendly options and we might as well take advantage of them.

Et Cetera

Mar 19, 2021

EASY AS PIE

JACKIE PARK EDITOR IN CHIEF

editor@theappalachianonline.com

Recipe by Sophia Lyons

The phrase “easy as pie” didn’t come from thin air. With Pi Day March 14 and spring right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to try baking a fruit pie. Luckily, with the popularity of frozen fruit, pie bakers don’t have to wait until June for berries. Try this blueberry pie recipe for an easy-as-pie introduction to pie making.

Start with simmering the blueberry filling ingredients until thickened. Then pour the

EDITORIAL MICKEY HUTCHINGS

SILAS ALBRIGHT

SOPHIA LYONS

CALEB GARBUIO

EMILY BROYLES

ANSLEY PUCKETT

MANAGING EDITOR

SPORTS EDITOR

CHIEF COPY EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR A&C EDITOR

NEWS EDITOR

cooled mixture into a pie crust, cover with another (try a lattice top if you’re feeling creative) and bake until golden. The result is a little spiced, fruity, buttery and begging for a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Blueberry Pie •

2 pie crusts: one box if store bought, if making from scratch J. Kenji Lopez-Alt has a great recipe

•

6 cups frozen blueberries

•

Juice of 1 lemon (about 1/2 cup)

•

2/3 cup sugar

•

6 tablespoons cornstarch

•

1/4 teaspoon salt

MULTIMEDIA ANNA MUCKENFUSS

XANAYRA MARIN-LOPEZ

JESSE BARBER

EFRAIN ARIAS-MEDINA JR.

APPALACHIAN WEEKLY NEWS PRODUCER

Makes one 9-inch pie, 6 to 8 servings

Step 1: Making the filling In a saucepan, stir together the salt, sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, and spices if using. Add the frozen blueberries and lemon juice. Over medium heat simmer the blueberry mixture, stirring to prevent sticking, until thickened, about 8-10 minutes. When thickened, take it off the heat, scoop about a quarter of the mixture into a heatproof bowl and mash the blueberries with a fork. Pour the mashed blueberries and the butter into the saucepan. Stir to combine (the heat from the blueberries will melt the butter) and allow to cool completely.

Step 2: Assembling the pie Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Unroll one pie crust or roll out your dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Place the pie crust into • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg an ungreased 9-inch pie pan and press the dough gently into (optional) it, being careful not to poke holes in the dough and making • 1/4 teaspoon allspice sure it’s centered. Pour the cooled blueberry filling over the (optional) bottom crust. Unroll or roll out the second crust, and place it • 1 tablespoon butter on top of the filling. If you’re making a lattice crust, cut the • 1 egg yolk dough into strips and make the lattice on top, folding back strips of dough to “weave” them. Trim the edges, leaving enough overhang to stick the two dough layers together, and press together with a fork to seal. If you didn’t make a lattice, cut four slits into the top of the pie close to the center to vent steam.

Step 3: Baking the pie Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and place the pie on top to catch any juices that might spill out.

Brush the pie with the egg yolk mixed with a tablespoon of water and bake it in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then, with the pie still in the oven, turn the heat down to 375 degrees and bake until the top has browned and juices are bubbling onto the crust, 30 to 45 minutes.

If the top browns before the juices bubble, cover with aluminum foil. Allow the pie to cool for at least an hour before slicing to let the juices settle. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

PHOTO EDITOR

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR GRAPHICS EDITOR

BUSINESS SHELLY BANZ

BUSINESS MANAGER

business@theappalachianonline.com JESSICA KIMES ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER

MEG POWELL

MARKETING DIRECTOR

ALLISON BENNETT DYCHE ADVISER

adviser@theappalachianonline.com

The Appalachian is the award-winning, independent student-run news organization at Appalachian State University, published since 1934. The student staff maintains all editorial discretion, and there is no prior review by university faculty, staff or administrators. The Appalachian strives for accuracy in newsgathering and reporting. If you think we have made an error, email editor@theappalachianonline.com.

Participation in The Appalachian is open to all current full-time students at the university. For more information about joining, email outreach@theappalachianonline.com.

The opinions pages of The Appalachian are an open public forum.

Contributions are welcomed via email to editor@theappaalchianonline.com. Opinions expressed are those of individual columnists, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the news organization overall. Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of The Appalachian editorial board.

17

BRING YOUR AUDIENCE ANYWHERE.

PHOTOGRAPH FOR THE APPALACHIAN NEWS GROUP BUILD YOUR RESUME. ADD TO YOUR PORTFOLIO. GET PUBLISHED.

18