The Battalion - December 7, 2020

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2020 STUDENT MEDIA

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CONGRATS, DECEMBER GRADS - your friends at The Battalion

Photos by Meredith Seaver, Kaylee Cogbill, Will Nye and FILE — THE BATTALION

FALL 2020 GRADUATION SCHEDULE

BY COLLEGE WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9: THURSDAY, DEC. 17: 9 a.m. - Reed Arena • Liberal Arts 2 p.m. - Reed Arena • Liberal Arts 7 p.m. - Reed Arena • Liberal Arts THURSDAY, DEC.10: 9 a.m. - Reed Arena • Doctoral Commencement 2 p.m. - Reed Arena • Mays Business • Geosciences 7 p.m. - Reed Arena • Mays Business • Engineering FRIDAY, DEC.11: 9 a.m. - Reed Arena • Engineering 2 p.m. - Reed Arena • Engineering 7 p.m. - Reed Arena • Engineering

9 a.m. - Reed Arena • Education and Human Development 2 p.m. - Reed Arena • Education and Human Development 7 p.m. - Reed Arena • Science • Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences FRIDAY, DEC.18: 9 a.m. - Reed Arena • Agriculture and Life Sciences 2 p.m. - Reed Arena • Agriculture and Life Sciences • Public Health 7 p.m. - Reed Arena • Government and Public Service • Architecture • Law

Graduates prepare to enter workforce Aggie seniors anticipate highs, lows of starting their careers amid pandemic

By Alex Stebel @alexsteb11

W

hile the COVID-19 pandemic and its guidelines remain in effect, December graduates remain hopeful for what may come as they start a new chapter in their lives.

With virtual environments becoming the new normal, many graduating students will be entering the workforce from inside their homes.

University studies senior Emily Hernandez said she feels bittersweet about beginning her career entirely virtually.

“Working from home is very comfortable and allows for a more flexible schedule, but I definitely feel more connected to the projects that I’m working on when I have a personal connection with the other team members,” Hernandez said. “I think this will be my largest challenge to overcome.”

Finance graduate student Josh McKerall will be completing his fifth and final

year at Texas A&M this month. McKerall said though he will be missing out on the full experience he once anticipated, he feels fortunate to have a job waiting for him.

“I’ll miss getting to experience things like lunch with my coworkers and creating those relationships, so I’m pretty bummed out that I’ll be starting my career from home,” McKerall said. “Really, I just feel lucky to have a job in the first place, considering how the pandemic has affected the job market.”

Marketing senior Shayla Ward said she had to continually remember the consequences of the given circumstances before securing a job.

“Before I had something lined up, I just had to remind myself that I wasn’t necessarily the problem,” Ward said. “It was just an inconvenient time to be entering the workforce.”

While Ward hopes an in-person work environment returns sooner rather than later, she said she believes this situation will have benefits.

“I’m hopeful that even though the pandemic is setting me back, it will make me better in the long run,” Ward said.

“Being able to pivot so quickly and still succeed shows a lot.”

GRADUATION ON PG. 2

DROPPING A CLASS? Get back on track with the Winter Minimester!

www.blinn.edu www.blinn.edu/winter /winter www.blinn.edu/winter

PUBLICATION NOTICE The Battalion will suspend print production for winter break and will return on Jan. 21. For sports and breaking news coverage over the break, visit thebatt.com.

Graduation reminders

By Julia Potts @juliaapotts After an unprecedented semester at Texas A&M, students, faculty and staff prepare for fall 2020 commencement.

Graduates have been kept upto-date about the changes made to these ceremonies, including health and safety protocols, such as wearing masks and social distancing. Among the changes, a limit has been placed on guests per graduate, set at six, to help enforce social distancing. According to the A&M Graduation website, these tickets are nontransferable, meaning no graduate can give tickets to another if all are not used. Additionally, graduates and their guests will exit the building after the graduate walks the stage to ensure a limited number of people cross paths upon exiting.

Graduation parking instructions and other information can be found at graduation.tamu.edu.

LIFE&ARTS

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The Battalion | 12.7.20

Harrison Cain — THE BATTALION

Tuesday, Jan. 19 is the first day of spring 2021 classes.

Aggies look forward to new year Next March will mark one year since Texas A&M canceled in-person classes to institute safety and social distancing protocols due to concerns over the growing coronavirus pandemic. After

By Kathryn Miller two semesters of adapted online learning meth@kathrynmiller0 ods and campus distancing regulations, students hope for familiarity in the new semester.

After reflecting on a fall semester of online In a campus update sent to students, Provost learning, football and a presidential election, Carol Fierke said accommodations are being students are looking to spring 2021 for a more made for next spring. Though aspects of the seconventional college experience. mester remain ambiguous, some changes were announced, including the incorporation of some exclusively face-to-face courses without remote options.

“Planning is underway for spring,” Fierke said. “Course instruction will be similar, al1821 E. 29th St. though we are adding a handful of face-to-face courses without remote delivery for classes that www.CubbyHoleUSA.com are electives or also offered remotely in a separate course Moving & Storage Supplies 24 Hour Recorded Video section. The spring calendar is likely to change and include a On Site Manager Computerized Access Gates shortened spring break.”

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is bittersweet, she hopes to experience as much as possible during her last semester in college.

“I graduate in May, so I am hoping to make the most out of the next couple of months and to spend as much time with my friends as possible,” Steen said. “I am also excited for Elephant Walk, Ring Dance and some of the traditions that I’ll get to experience the last time as a student.”

Steen said she is looking forward to online learning again due to the freedom it gives, and said it encourages her to balance her life and classes.

“I am also kind of excited to be partially online again because it’s giving me a lot more free time to study [and] do homework, as well as to spend time with my roommates and other friends,” Steen said. “I also definitely learned how to work on my time management skills and organizational skills this semester with everything online, because my classes didn’t have mandatory attendance. I learned how to stay on top of watching my lectures and ensuring that all my assignments got [turned] in.”

Engineering freshman Renee Oswalt said though online learning reduces social interaction with other students, having another semester of remote classes will feel routine in a time of perpetual ambiguity.

“I am excited that the second semester is taking a similar structure to the first, just because it gives us a sense of normalcy, because now we know how to do online learning since we’ve done it once before,” Oswalt said. “Of course I’d want to have classes in person, if it was safe.

I want to build relationships with other students and teachers and TAs. But, we do have to stay safe and keep our at-risk population safe.”

Many are looking toward the developing vaccine to help people feel safer in day-to-day life, allowing for a slow return to normalcy.

“We’re not immune to the virus as young people and we’re definitely not immune to its effects. Taking precautions for us is important because we’re vulnerable portions of the population, so I get that we’re still online,” Oswalt said.

“Second semester, as the vaccine rolls out and CDC, governmental and local guidance shifts a bit I think we’ll feel more comfortable going out and being around people and friends and hopefully in-person class.”

Despite COVID-19, Oswalt said freshmen like herself are looking to become accustomed to college life during their second semester at A&M. “I am excited for the vaccine. I am excited for a sense of normalcy. And I am excited to have finally found my stride at A&M,” Oswalt said.

“I think second semester as a freshman is always a bit easier because you’ve figured out how to live life in college. With COVID-19 I think it’s definitely hard but at least there will be some normalcy.”

WORKFORCE CONTINUED McKerall said even though he, too, won’t physically be where he imagined, he still has faith in how he’ll grow throughout his first few post-college years.

“I’ve heard so much from older friends about how the first few post-grad years are a time for you to learn a lot about yourself,” McKerall said. “Even though I’ll be stuck at home, for the most part, I’m hopeful that I can still put myself out of my comfort zone and take some chances and try to grow as a person.”

This year, Hernandez said she grew in ways she was not expecting, making her eager for what the new year might hold.

“I know that this year has helped me grow into a more responsible person having to adapt constantly,” Hernandez said. “I am eager to see other areas I can continue to improve on as I enter competitive corporate America.”

Although the worries of the unknown might seem to overshadow the victories of graduating, students are still looking forward to the perks of working full-time. For Ward, she said she’s looking forward to a career where she can make a living on her own.

“I’ve never been able to focus on a job without also having to worry about school in the back of my mind,” Ward said. “So I’m excited to be able to solely focus on work for once.”

Hernandez said she encourages students to take advantage of how the A&M community allows for infinite networking opportunities and support throughout each Aggie’s life, especially in these uncertain times.

“My best advice would be to take every opportunity to introduce yourself to your professors, classmates and extracurricular peers, even if it is over Zoom,” Hernandez said, ‘Once an Aggie, always an Aggie, and our culture to help one another is like none other.”

Brady Stone, Editor-in-Chief

HOW TO GET YOUR AGGIE RING IN APRIL 2021: Check Ring Eligibility: Jan. 1 - Feb. 23 Order Dates: Jan. 6 - Feb. 24 Aggie Ring Day: April 9 - 10* How to order your Aggie Ring: 1. Login or create an account at AggieNetwork.com beginning Jan. 1 to check your Ring eligibility.

2. In the Aggie Ring tab, click on "Order Your Aggie Ring".

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Follow the steps to customize your Aggie Ring; your eligibility will be checked after this step.

Ring requirements are available online.

3. If approved, submit your order online or schedule an appointment to order in person.

• Official Aggie Ring sizers are available at • • •

the Aggie Ring Office.

Full payment is due at the time of order.

If the cardholder is not present, an invoice must be emailed to them to make a secure payment online.

You may apply for an Aggie Ring Loan through the Short-Term Loan Program administered by Scholarships and Financial Aid. Visit http://financialaid.tamu.edu/ for eligibility, interest rate, processing, and repayment information.

4. If you are unable to order in person, submit an order online by 5 p.m. CT on Feb. 24.

Camryn Lang, Managing Editor Julia Potts, News Editor Myranda Campanella, Asst. News Editor Hannah Underwood, Sports Editor Jennifer Streeter, Asst. Sports Editor Shelby McVey, Life & Arts Editor Bec Morris, Life & Arts Editor Maroon Life Editor

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THE BATTALION is published Thursdays during the 2020 fall semester (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center.

News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media,a unit of the Division of StudentAffairs.Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com.

Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising call 979-845-2687. For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Email: battads@thebatt.com.

Subscriptions: A part of the University Advancement Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1.

Cover design by Brady Stone — THE BATTALION

In collaboration with upperclassmen in Texas A&M’s journalism degree, The Battalion produced a climate change special edition on Nov. 17, 2020.

Check out The Battalion’s special print edition on newsstands now

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Important notes regarding Ring Orders: 1. ONLY the person ordering an Aggie Ring will be allowed into the Ring Office area.

2. Face coverings must be worn in alignment with the Texas A&M University policy.

3. Social distancing practices will be enforced in the Alumni Center. Sneeze guards have been installed, and Ring stations, sizers and finishes will be sanitized between customers.

4. If ordering online, we encourage you to visit a local jeweler to size (please ask to use their wide-band sizers). Sizing tips and a paper sizer are available on AggieNetwork.com. *While it is uncertain at this time, current Aggie Ring order protocols and Aggie Ring delivery dates could change at any moment should government guidelines change. Any changes will be communicated via AggieNetwork.com.

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The Battalion | 12.7.20

Professors reflect on fall semester

Aiden Shertzer — THE BATTALION

Texas A&M’s upcoming spring semester will bring more face-to-face class options for students looking to learn on campus.

After overcoming the challenges of 2020, professors prepare for 2021

By Aubrey Vogel @aubrey_vogel With safety protocols in place, the fall semester pressed on as the first full semester of courses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After going all online for the remainder of the spring semester, the option for a virtual format was offered for all classes in the fall semester due to COVID-19. This gave students the option to attend via Zoom at any point in the semester if they were sick or felt uncomfortable going to classes due to the pandemic.

Though the options were always changing, professors had to ensure they were giving attention to both students in class and on Zoom.

Vice Provost of Academic Affairs & Strategic Initiatives Michael Stephenson, Ph.D., said the increase of in-person classes from the spring was decided by different colleges and specific departments.

“The increase in face-to-face courses was the result of some department heads and faculty who had expressed to the provost that it was difficult to teach two sets of students — those in the classroom and those attending online,” Stephenson said. “Some felt that it was challenging to keep both groups engaged during the entire class period.”

Stephenson said the number of Q-drops increased by about 50 percent during the spring semester, with an influx coming after the university announced they would not count Q-drops toward the maximum number al-

lotted by Texas A&M and the state. He also noted there were fewer withdrawals for the semester. Stephenson said there is no data to show if the change of educational platforms caused an increased number of Q-drops and failures.

“I’ve heard from both faculty and students that this was one of the best semesters they’ve had and I’ve heard from another set who indicated it didn’t go very well,” Stephenson said.

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics assistant professor Angela Clendenin said the university discovered during the spring semester that some classes could easily be delivered online while others were more difficult.

“Even college students that are perceived as being young and flexible — we all need something that we can grasp on to that sense of normalcy,” Clendenin said.

Clendenin said some of the challenges for professors with a face-to-face option was the weeks without seeing any students and learning to cater to the virtual students.

“I think that it forced the faculty to be creative and to look at the ways that we were approaching our teaching while trying to engage a classroom with both types of students [faceto-face and Zoom] in it,” Clendenin said. “It was challenging and I think that it helped us all grow professionally to some extent.”

Department of Health and Kinesiology professor Paul Keiper, Ph.D., said in a class like his Olympic Studies course, it was important to have discussion and interaction among himself and students. With a discussion-based class, Keiper said he encouraged students to come in person if they could and if not, to

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participate in discussions via Zoom. He said these discussions are vital to his curriculum.

“It was hard at first with the two different options, if you’re in class and talking to the inclass people, you don’t want to forget about the Zoom people,” Keiper said.

Keiper said one thing he missed was getting to learn and recognize people by face and name, which he always strived to do by midterms. Not only did the hybrid class make this more difficult, but with the protocol of wearing a mask he never really saw the students’ faces.

“I might need to do things like smaller assignments where I get to know the students better but I am going to try and make it an experience where it is not like a split class thing,” Keiper said.

Keiper said going forward he may change a few things he has learned over the course of this semester for the spring. These adaptations have helped with a hybrid class and have helped to promote discussion in his classes. One thing Keiper said he didn’t mind for the future was the idea of people using Zoom when they truly cannot make it to class to stay connected with the course.

“You have to figure out ways to find positive things and to find hope to make it more successful,” Keiper said. “I know that there are some good things that have come from this technology thing and what can we take from this that has been good and take it moving forward.”

Clendenin said working with contact tracing through the cases reported to the university, there were no reports of cases that were spread through face-to-face classes. She said

this was vital when looking at staying in-person the entire semester.

“When you look at how big our campus [is], how many students came to class, even if they didn’t come to class but they may have come back and been moving around in the community, I think that we did a good job given what we were facing,” Clendenin said.

“We continue to evaluate where we are as a university and continue to find new and innovative ways to deliver the education that we are known for but also while keeping everyone safe.”

Looking forward to the spring semester, there will be an increase of in-person classes as well as some electives offered only faceto-face. Though more classes will be offered online, it is important everyone continues to follow the safety measures set forth by the university, Stephenson said.

“COVID[-19] fatigue is our biggest challenge moving forward,” Stephenson said.

Though this semester looked different with some Aggie students residing not in College Station, administrators and professors said they tried to keep the high educational level of A&M the same.

“As I look back on everything, I look at how everybody came together and worked through it,” Keiper said. “I didn’t really think about it during the time but looking back with the way that IT people, facilities people, everybody in the departments and administration came together, I really have to give a shout out to that.”

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The Battalion | 12.7.20

5 things to do in Bryan-College Station over winter break

Abbey Santoro — THE BATTALION

Anyone looking for winter activities can visit Santa’s Wonderland for Christmas light displays and an outdoor Christmas celebration.

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By Bec Morris @BecWrote

Finals are nearly over and fall 2020 graduation is just around the corner. For anyone looking for some excitement over the winter break in Aggieland, Bryan-College Station has many activities to offer.

Check out a Hallmark movie set Yet another Hallmark Christmas movie will be filmed in assorted locations in Bryan-College Station following the movie “Rekindling Christmas”. This new movie is titled “No More Goodbyes” and will film at the Brazos County Courthouse, Grand Station and the Dairy Queen on Texas Avenue.

Check out Northgate

An ever-popular student location, Northgate is full of bars, small businesses and restaurants to provide a variety of entertainment for those in College Station over the holidays. Popular establishments include O’Bannon’s Taphouse, Hurricane Harry’s Dance Hall, Antonio’s Pizza and the famous Dixie Chicken. Over the break, these places shouldn’t be too packed, so social distance and wear your masks!

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Visit Santa’s Wonderland This wintertime attraction is a popular destination for families and students alike. Dubbed “The Largest Outdoor Christmas Celebration in the South,” Santa’s Wonderland offers carriage rides, visits with Santa and a variety of Christmas light displays to create a holiday atmosphere.

Visit historic Downtown Bryan With the holiday season upon Bryan-College Station, Downtown Bryan with its historic small businesses and iconic locations such as the Queen Theatre are lit up and decorated for winter.

Destination Bryan is also hosting a Lighted Holiday Stroll on Friday, Dec. 11 from 6 to 7 p.m. where visitors can walk among holiday parade floats parked on the streets of Downtown Bryan.

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Get ahead on your Christmas shopping The holiday season is drawing near and with shipping times still varying, now is the time to go out with friends and find those perfect items to give to loved ones. Small businesses around Bryan-College Station, still struggling from the effects of COVID-19, are open and ready to sell gifts and food for the holidays.

‘Happiest Season’ balances heart, humor Film critic Joseph Ornelas says ‘Happiest Season’ confronts holiday trauma with nuance, maturity “Happiest Season” Director: Clea DuVall Release Date: Nov. 25, 2020 Runtime: 1 hours 42 minutes

By Joseph Ornelas @JosephOrnelas11 “Happiest Season,” directed

by Clea DuVall and written

by DuVall and Mary Holland, is a heartwarming addition to the Christmas rom-com canon.

The film follows Abby (Kristin Stewart) and Harper (Mackenzie Davis), a young couple who have been together for about a year. Abby has a general dislike of the Christmas season, while Harper has a deep love for it.

Harper takes it upon herself to get Abby in the Christmas spirit, asking her to come home with her to introduce her to her family. However, there is one minor detail that Harper has not shared with Abby: she has not yet come out to her family. What makes things even more difficult is that Abby has decided to take this opportunity to propose, and even plans on asking Harper’s father for his blessing.

“Happiest Season” boasts

a uniquely impressive cast, including Aubrey Plaza, Dan Levy (fresh off of “Schitt’s Creek”), Alison Brie, Victor Garber and Mary Steenburgen, who all give excellent performances. Levy is especially memorable as Abby’s confidant and best friend. By the end, he goes from being a loveable side character to the beating heart of the film, showcasing his dramatic acting chops.

The film begins seemingly innocuous enough, lulling the audience into a kind of false security that this is going to be another low-stakes Christmas farce without much substance.

If “Happiest Season” was trying to simply be a pleasant slice of holiday escapism, then it fails miserably. Thankfully it has bigger aspirations, and in those it mostly succeeds. If there is another film to which “Happiest Season” is comparable in its tone, it would be “Love Actually.” “Happiest Season,” though, is more successful at balancing the heart, humor and insight one would want in their Christmas movies. It lacks the trite melodrama of “Love Actually,” and actually has something worth saying.

It confronts the trauma the

Christmas season can dredge up for many with maturity.

“Happiest Season” isn’t nuanced in the sense that its message could appear vague, but in the sense that the characters are extremely well-realized.

Harper, Abby and the rest of the cast all feel like real people, even if they are eccentric at times. The ending does rush a little bit to get the message across in the most blatant fashion possible and would have benefited from another draft.

Regardless, the film ends on a highly cathartic note. It doesn’t lack any of the warmth that one would want from a Christmas movie despite tackling difficult issues relating to family and personal growth. It does what all great holiday movies do: finding respite in those moments with loved ones, and actively working to put to bed past hurt because life is hard enough without having to do it alone. “Happiest Season” may wrap itself up in a neat little bow, but what else could you possibly want from a Christmas movie?

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Joseph Ornelas is a political science senior and film critic for The Battalion.

‘Happiest Season’ can be streamed on Hulu and stars Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie Davis, Dan Levy and more.

FOOTBALL

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The Battalion | 12.7.20

‘1,000 percent committed’

Senior linebacker Buddy Johnson leads the Aggie defense with 74 tackles.

Courtesy of Craig Bisacre — Texas A&M Athletics

Buddy Johnson humble in leading A&M’s defense to SEC prominence

By Hannah Underwood @hannahbunderwoo References to the Wrecking Crew aren’t uncommon in any year, but they seem to be only increasing in 2020 thanks to several dominant performances from Texas A&M’s defense, which ranks No. 1 in the SEC in total defense.

Senior linebacker Buddy Johnson is leading the charge in that dominance, with a teamhigh of 74 tackles.

In the Nov. 28 game against LSU, A&M’s defense controlled the game as the offense struggled to find any momentum, and Johnson effectively put the game out of reach of the Tigers with a pick-six late in the third quarter. Johnson earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his interception.

“Being able to make a play for your team like that is huge,” Johnson said. “It’s huge momentum for not only the defense, but the team. I was fired up and ready to get into the end zone as soon as I caught the ball. I knew where I was going. There was no other answer than a touchdown for me.”

Sophomore defensive end DeMarvin Leal said it was rewarding to see his teammate succeed.

“That was an exciting moment, just to see him break a few tackles and fight his way in there,” Leal said. “It was amazing. I know that moment meant a lot to him, just to come back

and be successful during this entire game. He had a great game. I know he’s very excited.”

The 20-7 win over the reigning national champions isn’t the first time Johnson has made it into the end zone.

On Oct. 19, 2019, a sack forced Ole Miss quarterback John Rhys Plumlee to fumble, which Johnson picked up and returned 64 yards to give A&M a 17-14 lead.

Johnson was also key in A&M’s 41-38 win over Florida on Oct. 10. On the Gators’ last drive of the game, he forced a fumble at midfield, allowing the Aggies to score a field goal and earn their first win over a top-5 opponent under coach Jimbo Fisher.

Though the defense hadn’t had its best performance in the game as Florida scored on six of its eight drives, Johnson’s fumble recovery sealed the win for A&M. “It was huge, not only for me but for this defense and this team,” Johnson said after the Florida game. “I knew somebody had to step up and make a play. I don’t feel like I played my best, but I couldn’t let that hold me down.

I knew I had to continue to lead these guys and continue to make plays. It just happened, I just did my assignment and executed where I had to execute.”

Leal said Johnson’s ability to put his mistakes behind him allowed him to be successful in a key moment.

“I texted Buddy after the game and told him how proud I was for him,” Leal said on Oct. 12. “He could have gotten real low during that game after those few mistakes but he rose to the occasion, kept his head and made his play, made the biggest play of the game.”

Despite the individual success he has had this season, Johnson always makes sure to give credit to his teammates for his accomplishments.

“It just shows how together we are,” Johnson said. “My accomplishments are this team’s accomplishments. It just goes back to practice, the way we prepare. Coach Fisher always preaches about preparing the right way and at practice, we’re fired up and ready to go. We just have a sense of urgency, more guys are buying in and you can tell it’s paying off.”

In what has been a rollercoaster year as the COVID-19 pandemic canceled spring football and jeopardized the 2020 season, Johnson has remained a constant for the Aggies, not only in his production on the field, but also his leadership off the gridiron.

“The things that are happening on the field are no surprise because he does them off the field.”

JIMBO FISHER, HEAD FOOTBALL COACH

“His off-the-field leadership and keeping guys contained and reminding them to stay quarantined or out of the melee of people and to stay disciplined, he did an outstanding job during our offseason and our kids have tremendous respect for him,” Fisher said. “The things that are happening on the field are no

surprise because he does them off the field.”

Fisher said Johnson’s success comes out of his dedication to his craft, as well as to the team.

“I expect a lot out of Buddy because he demands a lot out of himself,” Fisher said. “He had a great offseason. Learning to play middle linebacker last year, going from outside to inside is a big change. Being able to contribute, to process the information, to fit gaps, he’s done a great job. He has a great influence on the players. He comes to work every day, he’s got a great attitude, he’s got great leadership and can see the big picture of what’s going on.”

As the season approached and players were deciding whether to play or opt out, Johnson sent a tweet on Sept. 13 regarding his intentions.

“1,000 percent committed,” Johnson tweeted .

Johnson said he knew he needed to send that message as a leader of the team.

“I just wanted everyone to know that I was 1,000 percent committed and everything that I did was going to be toward this program,” Johnson said. “That’s what I was focused on — being a leader for this team and buying into what Coach Fisher had to say and just trusting the process. I trusted the process and believed in our coaches and our coaching staff and that’s why I’m able to be successful. I take care of my business on and off the field.

“I just wanted everyone to know that no matter what happened, I was going to be an Aggie.”

WEEK 12: STAFF PICKS A&M vs. OLE MISS Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. on CBS

Kaylee Cogbill

Asst. Photo Chief @kayleecogbill

KAYLEE

Hotty Toddy? More like naughty, naughty.

Christmas isn’t coming early for Ole Miss.

CAMRYN

Hannah Underwood

Sports Editor @hannahbunderwoo

Camryn Lang

Managing Editor @CamrynLang

Tony the Landshark is not as much intimidating, as he is unsettling to look at.

Bec Morris

Co-Life & Arts Editor @BecWrote

HANNAH Ole Miss is why the global shark population is in a rapid decline. Mother Nature is embarassed.

You know, I’ve never been a fan of sharks. And on land? We obviously have a clear advantage (legs).

BEC Meredith Seaver

Photo Chief @MeredithSeaver

MEREDITH CORI

Ol’ Rock will beat the ever livin’ hell outta Ol’ Miss.

Congratulations CLASS OF

2020 GRADUATES!

You’ll always be part of the Aggie family.

Cori Eckert

Head Page Designer @corieckert

Ole Miss fans will need a few hotty toddys to get through this one.

SWANSONG

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The Battalion | 12.7.20

PROVIDED

Managing editor Camryn Lang graduates on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m.

The next chapter

Managing editor Camryn Lang sends her farewells to The Battalion, Aggieland Camryn Lang

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@CamrynLang

hile my college career could be broken down into four years, I can’t help but see it differently. To me, every moment is a collection of stories that led me down a new path and incited change.

I’ve had nine different roommates, lived in five places (but somehow never escaped the sound of the train), traveled to Italy on a study abroad trip, taken my final semester of courses during a pandemic and worked jobs I couldn’t have dreamed I’d be able to have.

My time at Texas A&M went beyond the confines of freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years and I’ve learned much more than how to analyze Old English poetry.

I had classes and professors I loved dearly, ones I couldn’t stand and found that it doesn’t matter what major you

have — 10-page essays are always awful.

I’ve learned everyone will hear I’m an English major and ask if I want to be a teacher. As I pursue a career in publishing after graduation, I will cheesily advise people not to judge a book by its cover.

I was lucky enough to join one of A&M’s oldest institutions — the student newspaper. At this point, I could count that basement as my sixth home and all the people I spent hours upon hours with as my other set of roommates. It made me fall in love with sharing stories and bolstered my ability to edit anything to perfection.

While going from a news reporter to assistant news editor to managing editor at The Battalion, I’ve gotten to see all the faces of this university. I am now terrified of phone calls from unknown numbers and Facebook comments. However, within the good, the bad and the ugly, there are always wonderful people working behind the scenes even when their voices are at their quietest.

I’ve learned patience and dedication by watching my co-workers during the endless production nights for each issue of The Battalion. While my contribution to the newspaper was small in comparison to its 127 years of operation, I see our work as a timestamp of my college journey. Even the implementation of Canvas this semester took me back to my very first article in which I wrote about A&M’s search for an eCampus replacement in 2018 (please do not go read my very first article). There’s nothing like learning an entire new system your final semester of college to make you feel old.

I’ve learned sometimes it’s worth losing study time for adventures. I will never forget choosing to visit the Tower of Pisa and spending my last days in the beautiful town of Lucca, Italy before being forced to return to the U.S. as COVID-19 made its way around the globe. Looking back, I won’t remember the 10-page paper I had due, but I will remember walking the cobblestone streets looking for gelato.

For my final chapter, I’d like to thank all of my many roommates, all the friends that have come and gone and the friends that have stayed. I want to thank my Battalion family for keeping me sane through the most insane nights I have ever experienced. I owe my brothers some credit for giving me advice that helped me survive this university, but I owe my parents even more for putting an English major into an Agriculture and Engineering college. Now that’s a leap of faith. I only hope I can make you all proud.

Despite the circumstances of my last semester at A&M, I am happy with the story I’ve written here. But, more importantly, I can’t wait to see the stories of those who come after me. I’m going to be an A&M alumni after I walk across the stage in Reed Arena, and I can’t wait to pay it forward.

Camryn Lang is a English senior and managing editor for The Battalion.

Finding my home Photographer Angelina Alcantar excited to start new journey Angelina Alcantar

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PROVIDED

Photographer Angelina Alcantar graduates on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 9 a.m.

@AngelinaDawn049

exas A&M University was not at the top of the list of colleges that I wanted to attend. It was not even my second choice. When I started my first semester, I did not think that I would ever find my place on campus and was nervous about finding my way around.

I am a first-generation college student as well as a first-generation Aggie. I had no idea what Texas A&M was about or what the traditions were.

During Howdy Week, before the first week of classes, my suitemates and I were exploring campus and the Memorial Student Center. We stumbled upon a floor between floors, somewhat in the basement of the MSC. It was the student media office.

I applied for the Aggieland Yearbook and I never looked back. At one point during a yearbook meeting, I realized I had found my people and my place at A&M. Eventually, I applied to The Battalion to find and work with another group of people.

I have loved working for the Aggieland Yearbook and The Battalion.

These were the people I loved being around and they were all so encouraging. I knew I would not find anyone like these people elsewhere on campus.

Throughout my years on campus, I used the bus system to my advantage because I did not have a car. It was easy to find my way around after a couple of rides off-campus and this place became home.

While this year has not been the perfect way to end my time at Texas A&M University, I am grateful I was able to finish my final semester on campus.

It was a back-and-forth decision on whether I would go back to campus even though all of my classes were online. As it grows closer to my graduation date, being on campus for my final semester has allowed me to say goodbye to my home.

I might be graduating in the worst year possible under non-ideal circumstances without a job lined up, but I do have a few ideas for my future.

Every time I came back to campus from break, it was like a breath of fresh air. College Station has been my home for the past three and a half years and I have loved every second of it.

Thank you to my Mom, who allowed her one and only daughter to get up and move three hours away. And thank you to my Grandpa for always telling me the latest “‘Aggie Joke”’ that he has heard.

I cannot wait to find my next home.

Angelina Alcantar is a university studies journalism senior, photo editor for The Aggieland and photographer for The Battalion.

SWANSONG

7

The Battalion | 12.7.20

PROVIDED

Assistant photo chief and marketing senior Kaylee Cogbill will graduate on Dec. 10 at 2 p.m.

Where dreams blossom

Assistant photo chief Kaylee Cogbill says Aggieland is a place where you can find what you are always looking for Kaylee Cogbill @kayleecogbill

I

can’t believe this day has finally come; the day I’ve always dreamed of, without knowing that this is what I wanted all along.

I went to my first Aggie football game when I was just six months old. You could really say that I “bleed maroon.”

From then on out, it is hard to find a picture of me in anything that is not Texas A&M related. This school easily could’ve been my life growing up. It would’ve been all I wanted, if it wasn’t for the sport I loved so dearly.

As a teenager I thought my dream was to play collegiate softball. I thought my dream was to go to a small school where I would be noticed. I thought my dream was to be a physical therapist. But once I let go of that first dream, all of the others changed along with it.

Seventeen-year old Kaylee didn’t know all of the new dreams she was

going to imagine for herself in the next four years. She decided to apply to Texas A&M University. Her parents met at the university and she decided to make it a tradition. Beyond that, 17-year-old Kaylee had no idea what she wanted.

I knew I wanted to make friends during my first semester, and what better way than to take on a part-time job and join a bunch of organizations. After giving up softball, I needed to find what was next for me. The next thing I knew, a camera had fallen into my lap, and that gift has taken me farther than I could’ve imagined.

That camera brought me to The Battalion, to new friends and to a new outlook.

My time spent working for The Batt has given me so many opportunities that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I found a new way to connect to sports, especially with the sport I grew up loving. This job gave me the space to think more creatively.

That camera has given me so many new friends. I’ve gotten to meet a lot of

people thanks to photography, and I’ll continue to get to meet people thanks to this wonderful gift.

Lastly, that camera gave me a new perspective. I feel so blessed to have been able to see and experience the things I have in these past three and a half years — from softball games to Aggie traditions to important societal changes.

I have so much to be thankful for, and I only have the people in my life to thank for all of it.

To my friends: Each and every one of you has shaped me into the person I am today, and you know exactly who you are. We laughed together, cried together and made memories together. Words cannot express how grateful I am for all of you.

To my sister: Our relationship has truly made me believe in the quote that “distance makes the heart grow fonder.”

You always know exactly how to pick someone up when they need it most.

To my grandparents: Thank you for instilling a belief in me that I can do

whatever I set my mind to, along with a belief that I deserve it too.

To my parents: I’m trying to come up with the words to say everything I’m feeling, but I would be sitting here, writing this, for a very long time. Y’all showed me my place, and helped me learn that I was meant to be an Aggie.

You knew from the moment you dressed me up and brought me to my first football game at six months old. I am beyond happy to have this place to share with you both.

I realized that Texas A&M University is a place where dreams blossom. This place allows you to shoot for the moon and land among the stars. This place makes anything seem possible. This place is where you find your people.

This is the hardest goodbye I have ever had to say. So it’s not goodbye, it’s a see you later, Texas A&M. Kaylee Cogbill is a marketing senior and assistant photo chief for The Battalion.

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SWANSONG

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The Battalion | 12.7.20

PROVIDED

Photo Chief Meredith Seaver graduates on Thursday, Dec. 10 at 2 p.m.

7 years in the making

Photo Chief Meredith Seaver says her college experience has been ‘anything but ordinary’ Meredith Seaver

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@MeredithSeaver

y time here in Aggieland has been anything but ordinary – starting as a 17-year-old fish in khaki, and finishing as a 25-year-old in a t-shirt and jeans. If you told me back then I wouldn’t graduate until I was 25, I’m not sure I would have stuck around.

Throughout the years, I faced the challenges of an epilepsy diagnosis, losing an Air Force contract, being forced out of the Corps and claiming the title of “college drop-out.” Many days were spent in bed crying about doors slammed in my face.

While all of this was going on I managed to stumble upon The Battalion, which is a miracle in itself as the newsroom is so hidden. The basement office, which we affectionately call “The Batt Cave,” became my second home these last three years.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would work for a newspaper, but I became a photographer and worked my way up to photo chief over time.

From football to baseball and cross country to golf, I managed to cover every sport on every A&M field, court, pool and course in Aggieland. In the past three years, there is a solid chance you have seen a photo of mine from an Aggie sporting event, including that touchdown photo from the 7OT LSU game – pretty sure Jimbo has a painting of it in one of his conference rooms somewhere.

The Battalion became my window to the world and expanded my way of thinking. I found myself photographing events such as Black Lives Matter protests, the funeral train site of President George H.W. Bush, Houston Pride and visiting politicians. I’ve won awards for photos along the way, but nothing beats covering Aggie traditions like Midnight Yell, Muster or Bonfire Remembrance.

It led me to a ragtag group of people that quickly became like family. And thank you doesn’t begin to touch on

what I owe my newsroom family for taking me in. Mr. Pils, you are “the man behind the curtain” and we couldn’t make the magic happen without you.

To my mom and dad: Your support has been unwavering and your unconditional love is something I needed when I sometimes felt like a burden.

To my sister: You’ve been my best friend since forever and although we may fight sometimes, I truly don’t know what I would do without you. You might be younger than me but I was so happy to watch you graduate before me when I couldn’t get my shit together.

To my brothers: Thank you for letting me hug you even though you don’t want to. You’re my little brothers but y’all are big teddy bears.

To all of the family and friends that have supported me along the way: I love you. And thank you for helping me through all of this. I honestly cannot thank you enough. I wouldn’t be here today without every single one of you.

If you took the time to read this, thank you.

The Battalion might be who I am today but there are a few people I should recognize from my other years in college. While I was just shy of my four years in the Corps, I wouldn’t be who I am today without it. And to Century Singers and all the choir kids, y’all mean the world to me and I didn’t know what it was like to have a big group of friends until I met y’all. To all of my professors and advisors, you are the true champions of this effort.

The Batt has changed me for the better and I can’t imagine my life without it. I leave the photo desk in very capable hands and I look forward to seeing their work.

As I say “So long, farewell,” to The Battalion, I do it with a hope that I’m leaving it better than I found it.

It was seven years in the making… damn that’s an expensive piece of paper.

Meredith Seaver is an environmental studies senior and Photo Chief for The Battalion.