The Blue & Gray Press by The Weekly Ringer

THE

BLUE &GRAY

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON STUDENT NEWSPAPER

October 26, 2017

VOLUME 91 | ISSUE 8

PRESS

SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE

1922

#MeToo campaign spreads awareness ZACHARY STRADER Senior Writer

The #MeToo is a campaign that has blanketed social media since mid-October. According to RiteTag, a popular Twitter analytics website, usage of the #MeToo tag began its dramatic rise on October 15, the day actress Alyssa Milano tweeted asking people who have been sexually harassed or assaulted to reply with the tag. The following day RiteTag indexed 283,300 unique tweets utilizing the hashtag. The hashtag has been used across multiple social media platforms and is often paired with personal stories of sexual assault. Public figures like Reese Witherspoon, Terry Crews and Senator Claire McCaskill have partici-

Flikr / Creative Commons

Some UMW students enjoy playing Pokemon Go around campus.

Instinct & Mystic take over UMW Gyms

OLYMPIA JARRELL Staff Writer

Pokemon Go at the University of Mary Washington was incredibly popular after its release in July 2016 and today though it is not as widely spread in popularity, teams still play on campus. Gary Baldanza, a senior studying computer science as well as a member of Team Valor has played pokemon Go since the beginning. “Pokemon Go on campus is crazy and has no love for Team Valor,” Baldanza said. He continued describing the competitiveness of the three Pokemon Go factions on campus, “most of the time the gyms here are controlled by either Team Instinct or Mystic, which really cripples the currency income.” Tara King, a senior creative writing major and who is on team Mystic weighed in on the Pokemon Go popularity on campus, “Campus is one of the best places to play Pokemon Go,” said King. “There are so many PokeStops and Gyms. I also find a greater variety of

Pokemon while playing on campus which is nice, because I live off campus in an area where there aren’t that many stops or spawn points.” When asked if Pokemon Go was as popular on campus since its release King replied, “I don’t think it is quite as popular now as it was in the

both casual and hardcore gamers.” Baldanza stated that he had never paid real money for pokemon go and that it is nice to have a free to play game. “But you definitely know when someone has invested quite a bit of money into their account,” Baldanza said. Baldanza also commented on how competitive Pokemon Go is on campus. “Pokemon Go is competitive between team mystic and Instinct, team Valor is not really represented well here.” Michelle Goff, a senior creative writing major who is also Team Mystic commented about Pokemon Go’s popularity in 2017 on campus. “I don’t think Pokemon Go is nearly as popular as it used to be,” said Goff. “Some people still have it on their phones but I think the majority of people play it super casually or just open the app every once in awhile.” Goff went on to say, “I do think it’s nice to have Pokemon Go at Mary Wash, even if I only use it when I’m walking by myself between classes. It’s fun and easy to use.”

“I also find a greater variety of Pokemon while playing on campus which is nice, because I live off campus in an area where there aren’t that many stops or spawn points.”

IN THIS

ISSUE

-Tara King beginning.” King concluded by saying, “I do think it still has a strong fanbase though.” When asked if Pokemon Go was as popular today at UMW Baldanza said, “not even close. You have a few players that are dedicated, but I think a lot of players gave up pretty early on… Pokemon Go kind of has a pay-to-win model, which has a lot of hostility from

AHHH! MAZED

WORTH IT?

Fun Land opens new haunted house, Maze of Darkness.

Is college worth the cost and time?

LIFE | 7

VIEWPOINTS | 4

“This campaign, #MeToo, has brought sexual harassment and sexual assault out of the shadows, showing our community that it can happen anywhere.” -Tiffany Oldfield pated, even everyday users of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have posted in solidarity. The traction of the campaign is better evidenced by the hashtag’s exposure numbers, an estimate of the total number of times tweets with the tag have been viewed. RiteTag reports that, from Oct. 15 through 18, tweets featuring #MeToo were viewed more than 18 billion times. Derick Lyon, junior international affairs major, believes that, after having successfully, “shed light on something that’s widely avoided due to the difficulty of the subject,” the #MeToo movement needs to pivot to more traditional means of initiating cultural revision such as fundraising. Atkins believes that we should be turning to more traditionally activist means as well. “If you want to seek change then you need to write your congressmen and other government officials. […] I want to see change because I know that this is something that can’t continue.” Given the high-profile nature of Alyssa Milano’s

SLAM DUNK

•#METOO | 10

The NBA season has an exciting first week. SPORTS | 3

NEWS THE

Editors: Meaghan McIntyre & Izzy Briones | blueandgray.news@gmail.com

Students take advantage of annual Job and Internship Fair

BLUE & GRAY PRESS

MISSION The Blue & Gray Press is published every Thursday in the University Apartments Clubhouse for our university community. The goal of The Blue & Gray Press is to produce high quality and accurate news in a manner compliant with the Society of Professional Journalists ethics code. In its coverage, The Blue & Gray Press strives to highlight the community of the University of Mary Washington, as well as deliver fair and accurate coverage on the issues important to our students.

EDITORS-AT-LARGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kelly Emmrich

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ester Salguero

MANAGING EDITOR Tessa Cate

SECTION EDITORS NEWS Meaghan McIntyre Izzy Briones

VIEWPOINTS Ginny Bixby

LIFE Lauren Closs

SPORTS Ryan Brauch

ONLINE Es Hethcox

PHOTO Alex Sakes

Alex Sakes/ The Blue & Gray Press The annual job and intership fair provides students with an opportunity to meet potential employers.

OLIVIA TAYLOR Staff Writer

The Center for Career and Professional Development hosted a fall job and internship fair for all university students on Oct. 24. The fair took place in the Chandler Ballroom of the University center. This event gave students a chance to interact with professionals from many different industries, explore various job and internship opportunities. “We typically have anywhere from 200 to 300 students and alumni attend each semester,” said Rose Maddox, who is the Operations and Employer Relations Manager for the center. “We send out evaluations after the event and use that feedback to improve our fairs each year. We’ve heard from many students and alums that they have found internships and full-time jobs after networking with an employer at the fair.” The fair includes tables of a diverse group of potential employers. “A wide variety of organizations attended this year including nonprofits, for-profits, school systems and government organizations such as CIA, FBI, GEICO, National Park Service, Peace Corps, Rappahannock Area Community Services Board, Spectrum Autism Services, Tech Wizards, etc.” said Maddox. The fair is a great opportunity to explore different opportunities that students have not previously thought about or been exposed to. “Many students hesitate to speak to

certain employers because of their industry,” said Maddox. “However, most of the employers in attendance are looking for all majors and have a wide variety of openings in different areas... We encourage students to speak to as many employers as possible, even if they don’t feel like it’s in their major.” When asked about the Career and Internship fair, senior business administration major, Caroline Callahan talked about her experience. “I attended this event in order to pursue all of the different options that may be available after graduation,” said Callahan. “It is a really cool event that is put on and is a really awesome service provided for students who may need help networking and looking for jobs after graduation.” Students arrived ready to network with copies of their resume in interview-ready outfits. The career center offered many different resources for students to prepare for the event such as looking over resumes and creating a 30 second commercial. “When meeting new individuals in a professional setting, it is important to make a strong first impression so we also encourage students to have a ’30 second commercial’ prepared,” said Maddox. “This pitch should highlight strengths and accomplishments and convey the ways that you could add value to the organization.” Students from all academic fields attend the fair. “I attended the Career and Intern-

ship fair with the intent with speaking with some of the different government agencies that were in attendance such as the FBI and the CIA,” said Geography and GIS major Kaitlin Kean. “This was an opportunity for me to work on my resume and my professional skills. It was also just fun to be able to dress professionally and learn about different fields.” The career center utilized the software Handshake in conjunction with the event. “Handshake is UMW’s official job and internship database,” said Maddox. “It has allowed the Career Center to post targeted career information, internship and employment opportunities, and events. The Career Center has been using Handshake to market the fair, provide information on the event, and compile information on the companies attending.” Students are able to continue the job search post career in internship fair utilizing the resources at the Center for Career and Professional Development which is located in the University Center and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

CORRECTIONS FOR THE WEEK

BUSINESS TEAM Linda Fitzpatrick

In the Viewpoints article for the October 12 publication titled “Extended dining hours at the UC provides students with more options for meal times” it reads that Emily Kube is the author of the article. It should read Keely Cervantes.

Janelle Behm

In the Viewpoints article for the October 19 publication titled “Students: Be considerate of students with kids” it reads that Emily Kube is the author of the article. It should read Sarah Goodnough.

FACULTY ADVISOR PLEASE REPORT ANY MISTAKES SEEN IN THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS TO

Sushma Subramanian

Kelly Emmrich, blueandgray.eic@gmail.com or Sushma Subramanian, ssubrama@umw.edu

Thursday, October 26, 2017

SPORTS

NBA season tips off with a thrilling first week

ZACH WOHLEKING Senior Writer

It’s that time again already, the NBA season is underway and there are already so many headlines and things to talk about. This season is sure to be an exciting one, as there are so many new faces on many different teams. The opening week of the season definitely did not disappoint, as it left fans with so much to talk about. So, let’s jump right in. First on the list, who else but the Golden State Warriors.Opening night on Oct. 17 started off as one of celebration, as the Warriors’ ring ceremony took place and almost everyone in the arena could not be less than overjoyed watching their triumphant Warriors claim what is rightfully theirs from last season, everyone except for the Houston rockets players and fans that is. So as the Warriors celebrated, the Rockets got themselves ready to get to work against the reigning champs and with the new addition of point guard Chris Paul to their starting lineup, things were looking up. The game was competitive right down to the very last shot, taken by star forward Kevin Durant but his game winning shot was a bit late, as the shot clock negated Durant’s efforts. So, the shot that would have won them the game, unfortunately did not count. Thus, the Warriors fell to the Rockets 122 to 121 and the champs started off their season with a losing record. As the week went on, the Warriors’ woes would not end with that loss. Though they did win against New Orleans on Friday Oct. 20 by eight points, final score being 128 to 120 they did not have as much luck when they faced Memphis the very next day. The reigning champs ended up losing the game by ten and had their two biggest stars ejected at the end of the game. Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant were both thrown from the game after Curry threw his mouthpiece at a referee after a no call, which in turn got him immediately ejected.

This led to the Memphis fan base getting extremely excited and cheering up a storm within their home arena. It got so bad that while Curry was being escorted off, Durant felt it necessary to show his middle finger to the Grizzlies bench and fans, which of course got him escorted out of the game as well. So, this is where the champs are at now, 1 to 2 record to start the season with controversy and foul mannered play looming. They do not seem to be playing like the champs from last year and the whole league is just waiting to take a shot at them after seeing them fall to a subpar team like Memphis. This first week showed many weaknesses in the once thought indestructible armor of the champion Golden State Warriors. It is a bit worrisome for Golden State. So what about the East? The Eastern Conference lost its share of exceptional players during the offseason. With the likes of all stars such as Paul George and Carmelo Anthony both moving to the Western Conference team of Oklahoma City. This does not mean however that the East cannot produce some headlines as it still has enough star power to stir up some entertainment. Opening night was no exception, as NBA Finals runner up, Cleveland Cavaliers took on the new and improved Boston Celtics and these teams are practically rivals at this point due to what transpired this offseason between them. To recap, long time star point guard of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving, requested a trade away from the successful team due to differences he had with their other star player LeBron James. This led to Cleveland trading away Irving to the Celtics in return for their All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas as well as their defensive stopper Jae Crowder. This coming after an emotional season between Isaiah Thomas and the Celtics where he felt very committed to the team as their star player. Well one can see that the feeling was not mutual

Gordon Hayward breaks leg

nydailynews.com

between Thomas and management as they traded him away for Irving without giving it a second thought. There is a lot of resentment on both sides here, one being the tension between former teammates Irving and James, and also the anger of Isaiah Thomas toward his former team. You combine that with the Celtics acquiring star player Gordon Hayward in the offseason and you have two angry powerhouses ready to face off, and face off they did. As the first quarter got underway, fans could tell it was going to be close battle between two teams that really wanted this opening night game. Unfortunately, then something devastating happened which changed the whole tone of the night. While going up for a finish around the rim, Gordon Hayward of the Celtics landed awkwardly on the way down, breaking his leg in the process. The injury was gruesome and hard to look at. Players from both teams stood in utter shock as they watched one of their own in deep pain being carted off the court, most likely with a season ending injury. This changed the energy of the game, the pace was slowed, one could see how this affected the players on both teams. When the game finally came to conclusion it was still a close competitive game, just with a very somber tone. When it was finally over players from both teams respectively congratulated each other on a hard-fought game. One of the biggest scenes being LeBron James and Kyrie Irving hugging one another after the game. One could see how the injury affected the players, this situation was bigger than all the off the court drama between the two teams, they had witnessed a man’s entire career at stake within a few seconds. Definitely a roller coaster of emotions for an opening game. The final score of the game was Cleveland 102, Boston 99. Finally, Some Predictions With the season just getting underway, a lot of fans enjoy making these bold predictions on how an entire season is going to go just based on seeing the first week of games. So based on this

first week I am going to tell you my picks for MVP, Rookie of the Year, and the team that will end the season with the best record. Best Record: The Houston Rockets Boasting one of the most premiere offenses in the game today, Coach Mike Diantoni of the Houston rockets cares about one thing and one thing only, scoring. Chris Paul and James Harden lead the charge for this team of “three and D” players, and oh boy do they shoot the three ball. They averaged the most three pointers attempted by any team last season and by the looks of it that number is only going to go up. With their roster and coaching in place I can see this team easily having the best record during the regular season, especially since the top teams like the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers do not seem to care about the regular season all that much. Rookie of the year: Lonzo Ball As much as this kid’s dad may annoy fans, he can ball. Lonzo put up 29 points 11 rebounds and 9 assists in just his second game as a pro, a near triple double. I foresee many more performances like this from him in the future. The Lakers have given him the keys to the team, and he’s about to put up some crazy stats for a rookie this season. MVP: Giannis Antetokumpo The Greek Freak, the guy has had quite the start to the season. In his first three games, he is averaging 38 points per game, 10 rebounds per game, and five assists per game. Last season he led his team in every stat and was a finalist for this award. Considering that he seems to have gotten even better and so has his team, I can say with confidence he will either win this award of be a close second. This is also taking into consideration that almost every good team this season has at least two superstars who share the stats and the glory. They are about to be out of this world.

Sports Illustrated

Stephen Curry

Weekly Scoreboard Men's Soccer

Oct. 24 @ Penn St.-Harrisburg (W) UMW: 4 Penn St.-Harrisburg: 3

women's Soccer

Oct. 25 @ Penn St.-Harrisburg (W) UMW: 2 Penn St.-Harrisburg: 0

Field Hockey

Oct. 21 vs.Salisbury (L) UMW: 0 Salisbury: 5

VolleyBall

Oct. 25 @ Lynchburg (W) UMW: 3 Lynchburg: 0

Men's Soccer Oct. 28 vs. TBA TBA

women's Soccer

Oct. 28 vs. St. Mary’s (Md.) TBA

field hockey

Oct. 26 @ Wesley TBA

volleyball

Oct. 27 @ Penn St.-Harrisburg TBA

VIEWPOINTS

College might not be the best choice for everyone despite societal pressure

Collin Johnson Staff Writer

Young adults today are pressured more than ever to go to higher education. Many even believe that they will be unsuccessful in life if they do not attend a university. This is something that has been ingrained in all of us from a young age. From media, to family, to friends, college just seems like the natural next step after high school, however, I find myself asking questions about the cost effectiveness in signing up for college straight out of high school. College is far from a cheap venture, the average cost to attend a public university in the U.S. as reported by Forbes is about $28,000 per year. Add to that the fact that less than 60 percent of the young adults who go to college graduate in under 6 years and you end up with a very large bill for that education. Almost sixty-six percent of young adults attend a university, 15 percent of which graduate with over $100,000 in debt from student loans. Unfortunately for youth today, the benefit does not outweigh the cost. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 84 percent of jobs do not require a post-secondary education. Meaning 65.9 percent of young adults are going into debt to get a degree that 84 percent of jobs do not require. A survey conducted by Gallup

researchers, showed that 79 percent of employers were more concerned with job skills, experience and industry knowledge rather than education level. This same survey found that only 9 percent of employers actually care where your degree came from, meaning paying more for a “better” school is not benefitting you at all. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also reports that the bottom quarter of college graduates earn the same amount of money or less than high school graduates in their lifetime. This statistic has remained the same for the past 40 years. Of course in this area degree does come into play. A graduate with a degree in engineering can expect to earn 1.1 million more in their lifetime than a high school graduate, where as on average a person with an arts degree actually earns about $147,000 less per year than the average graduate. From a financial standpoint, college just does not make sense. Eightyfour percent of jobs do not require a degree, however, 65.9 percent of young adults are going into significant amounts of debt for schooling when in all reality that education does not particularly help them get ahead financially, especially when you factor in the effect these loans will have on their long term financial well-being. Forbes reports that 41 percent of people do not start investing into retirement until their late 30’s due to

R.J. Matson/St. Louis Times-Dispatch

According to Forbes, 15 percent of college students graduate with over $100,000 in debt from student loans.

paying off student loans. Twenty-nine percent of people do not buy houses due to student loan debt affecting their ability to receive credit. Mike Rowe famously said, “We are lending money we don’t have, to kids who can’t pay it back, to obtain jobs that no longer exist.” The reality is that college is not worth the money from a financial perspective. For many, however, college is more than a gateway to a career. It’s a social experience, an accomplishment, a milestone in life. Many attend college because earning that degree makes them feel good, it gives them a sense of pride in what they have accomplished and there is nothing wrong with that. Attending school and

graduating is something to be proud of. It is a big accomplishment that just about anyone can respect. If you are doing it for this reason and you are able to tell yourself that you want to complete school because you want to have that accomplishment in life, that you want to be able to be able to have that milestone, then by all means, college is the right path for you. However, if you’re doing it because you feel you have to do it to get a job, that if you do not get a degree you will not be successful in life, then maybe it is time to take a look at the 84 percent of jobs that do not require a degree, because it is not all about the diploma.

Letter to the Editor: The importance of experiencing life on campus Erynn Sendrick Contributing Writer

This is my second year working in Residence Life as an SRA, third as an RA, and there are moments when I wonder why I’ve agreed to come back year after year. I’m sure this is true for every job - there are times when your stress level is ridiculous, things keep popping up, and you’re wondering why everything seems to constantly be a mess. Fellow RAs can probably relate, and I know there are other students thinking, “Why would you ever be an RA?” It can be challenging work, but I know that I am an RA because of the valuable and genuine relationships I form with my staff members, the marketable skills and leadership experiences I’ve gained, because of the new students I meet every year who embrace my annoying attempts to engage in conversations with them and eventually realize that I’m a student too, a real person, and they come to value my presence on their hall. I am constantly meeting

new faces and forming new relationships, and I can’t walk across campus without seeing someone I know, and I love that - it’s what makes Mary Wash feel like home. But this isn’t about me being an RA. Although there are frustrating moments, what bothers me the most is when other people complain about Residence Life. Living on campus has greatly, and uniquely, contributed to my experience at UMW. Fire drills are annoying and quiet hours are early, but living in a hall all four years was one of the best decisions I made during my college career. Being in college is about BEING in college. Don’t just go to class and go out and party. I tell my residents all the time - get involved! There is no other point in your life where it is easier to be a part of something bigger than yourself, to expand your network, to really learn outside of a classroom setting. Living on campus

Norm Shafer/umw.edu

According to UMW’s Fast Facts page, about 56 percent of students live on campus.

allows me to easily participate in college life, to be a part of Mary Wash traditions, to meet new students who aren’t my grad year or major. I don’t have to pay monthly electric bills or figure out who to call when the toilet breaks. I know that the UMW Police Department is readily available to ensure my safety, and I know that the fire alarms and extinguishers are up to date and functioning in case I am ever in danger. I have a five minutes walk to class instead of a 15 minute drive, I don’t have to plan my life around when I’ll be on campus, and I can easily open my door and see 40 other familiar and friendly faces. I am here and contributing to the culture

and environment of the university that has helped me become the person I am today. Mary Wash is home, why wouldn’t I want to live here? Are there pros and cons to both options? Absolutely. Each individual should decide what is best for them. But before you completely write off living in a residence hall, consider how your experience could be positively impacted. Think of what you can allow yourself to accomplish by being present and involved. I live on campus because I have to for my job. But I love living on campus because it allows me to truly be a part of my Mary Wash.

Thursday, October 2017 Thursday, January 21,26, 2015

VIEWPOINTS

Editor: Ginny Bixby | blueandgray.views@gmail.com

Group projects can teach great skills, while also being problematic Kyleigh Coutcher Staff Writer

At UMW, group projects are incorporated in almost every class, and at some point or another every student has had to participate in a group project. We are told that class group projects will help us in the future and prepare us for the “real world.” Working with people in certain scenarios is a good idea in some cases because it helps us discover fresh ideas and you can get many points of view on a certain topic or subject matter. At the same time, while in school, working in group projects can be very stressful and can bring down your grade. In the “real world,” outside of school, getting people together at the same time and working with everyone’s schedule does not seem as difficult. While in certain classes group projects are great,

some professors should not force collaborative projects in classes where they are not helpful. For example, I think group projects in a foreign language course are a great idea because everyone is at a different level of understanding and it is helpful to learn from your peers. It can also make learning more interactive and fun to practice speaking in a second language. Group projects are necessary and everyone should have that experience in college but the weight of the grade that is usually placed on them is too high. “I think class group projects help because you are also getting the insight and ideas from your classmates not just your own, for whatever the assignment,” said sophomore, Rebecca Brehmer. There are several issues that come about when participating in a group

a few students who are not in class that project. Questions of who your groupmates will be, how many people with be day and are left out. Everyone wants to contributing, how is the project weight- succeed and do well, so for everyone to have a fair or equal ed, everyone’s chance, groups availability, who should be randomwill be the leader “I think class group ized. and so forth, these projects help because The biggest reaquestions need to son group projects be answered within you are also getting the are problematic in the first couple insight and ideas from is because not days of being asis willing signed the project, your classmates not just everyone to put in the same because there is your own, on whatever amount of effort. only so much time “Class group given. the assignment is on.” projects help with These kinds of understanding projects are more the subject,” said fair when groups -Rebecca Brehmer junior Carolyn are randomly Rouse. “You’re assigned. If a able to bounce ideas off classmates and professor is going to assign a group help each other with topics you may not project, they should decide who will be understand… They work really well as in what group long as everyone is putting effort in.” as opposed More times than not, I have been in a to letting the group where certain people just want to students group ride along for the grade and do the bare themselves. minimum or nothing at all. This is upThere are setting because one, you are being gradusually a few ed as a group, and two, if other people cliques in the don’t pull their share of the weight than room, who you have more work on your shoulders. are either on a “If group members do not work well team together together, it can cause stress [and] the or have known workload may not be divided evenly, each other since freshman goals cannot be accomplished in a timely manner and it can discourage people year, but not all people have from working with teams,” said alum, Alex Monaco. the luxury of I try to go into each group project with knowing so many people in a positive outlook and accept that this group may work out. I have just not had the class. And many great experiences and I know I then of course Climate KIC/Unsplash.com there are always am not alone in this.

Group projects are commonly assigned in college classes, and often students have to group themselves.

Staff Ed: Stay safe on Halloween Weekend Halloween has always been one of the best holidays. As kids, it was the one night we could be whatever we wanted, eat a ridiculous amount of free candy and force our friends to watch scary movies. At college, the Halloween fun does not end with the onset of adulthood, but is repeated over three nights collectively called “Halloweekend.” This extension of Halloween festivities means various costumes, multiple parties, many drunken college students and more opportunities to find yourself in an unfortunate position. While attending the Halloween-themed parties that make

up Halloweekend should be extremely enjoyable, nothing ruins a fun weekend like receiving a referral, getting arrested or going to the hospital. These events can be easily avoided with just a bit of pre-planning. Get a group of friends together and stick with them throughout the night. Keep track of your friends

Javier Molina/Unsplash.com

through safety apps like Rave Guardian, Find My Friends or even the Snapchat map. Charge your phone before you go out and carry it with you at all times. Be aware of your surroundings and have a plan for getting home or make plans beforehand for where to spend

the night. If you plan on driving, make sure to have a designated driver for the night. Save the emergency and non-emergency phone numbers for the UMW Police in your phone as well as the local police department number for if you are off-campus, and don’t hesitate to call for help if you see someone in trouble. That said, the Blue & Gray staff wishes everyone a spook-tacular Halloweekend, but hopefully with the kind of fun that doesn’t come back to bite you or leave you to deal with the consequences come Monday.

By THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD

LIFE

Editor: Lauren Closs blueandgray.life@gmail.com

Recipes & Reviews: shockingly entertaining shows for Halloween KAYTLYN BIDDLE Senior Writer

Vampire Bite Cupcakes

Ingredients Box of red velvet cake mix “Great video games do not make great films” is 1 tub of white frosting a general rule of thumb that most audiences have Black food coloring/gel discovered through previous commercial flops. Optional: “Castlevania” was on the verge of becoming another Red food coloring/gel casualty in this trend but was saved when Netflix Another tub of white frosting intervened. Originally dreamt of as a trilogy, Warren Cupcake liners Ellis adapted his works after a decade of production Directions hell to create the basis for the “Castlevania” TV Mix the cake mix according to the directions on the series on Netflix. box. Based on the highly successful video game Using a cupcake tray, fill each cup on the tray ⅓ of franchise of the same name, “Castlevania” focuses the way. I used cupcake liners, but those are optional. on the conflict between two families, the notorious Make sure to spray nonstick cooking spray if you don’t Dracula family and the Belmonts. Both are upper use liners. class families with black magic in their pasts. The Bake cupcakes according to the directions on the box. original video games depict a never-ending battle While the cupcakes are baking, add black food gel to between the “good guy” Belmonts and Dracula the frosting and mix well. Add one to two drops at a time vampire. The “Castlevania” video games themselves until desired color is reached. are based on Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” Once cupcakes are baked, let cool. With an amazing line-up, animation styles Put icing into an icing bag, or cut a corner out of a Kaytlyn Biddle/The Blue & Gray Press inspired by Japanese anime and a script ten years plastic zip bag and decorate the top of the cupcakes with the black frosting. in the making, “Castlevania” exceeds expectations. Optional: You can add food coloring to the second tub of frosting and make little swirls or balls of icing. Leave these for a Unlike other shows where the voice acting can few hours or overnight. Add these to the cupcake cups before baking to have a gooey red center. pull the audience out of the experience, the voice actors are spot-on in their characterizations. These characters pull you in and make sure you stay. The rich history of “Castlevania” was developed over three decades but this show manages to make the story seem fresh and interesting. However, even “Castlevania” has its faults. At only four episodes in, the show suffers from rough pacing due in part to the setup for those who may not be familiar with the lore from the games, but this seems like old news to avid fans. The animation style has some room for improvement. While realism is not something the show needs as the gore is clear enough already, the character designs are pretty basic. For such a classic franchise, the characters could have been a little more detailed and interesting. Despite these minor nitpicks, “Castlevania” surprises you. After years of watching video games fail on the big (or little) screen, no one would expect this to succeed. However, somehow it does. “Castlevania” wonderfully explores deeper themes than the surface suggests, from the days-old ‘what would you do for love’ to the debate on good vs. evil. With sarcasm and humor to mellow out the more intense images and themes of the show, “Castlevania” hits all the points that I wanted from this initial run. With eight more episodes slated for 2018, the show is only setup to improve, “Castlevania” is what we always wanted video game adaptions to be, just plain good to watch.

Castlevania

Whodunnit Lava Cake

Ingredients Devil’s Food cake mix 1 tub of Vanilla frosting Red food gel Optional: Mirror Glaze 200 g sweetened condensed milk 300 g sugar ½ cup water 20 g gelatin 1 bag of dark chocolate chips Directions Using a small spoon or cookie scoop, scoop little balls of frosting onto a cookie sheet or parchment paper. You can also use a piping bag to pipe little swirls or “gobs” of frosting. The frosting balls should be no larger than a quarter in diameter. Make an equal amount of frosting balls to the amount of cakes you want to make. Kaytlyn Biddle/The Blue & Gray Press For the last frosting ball, put three drops of food gel into the frosting and mix well until the desired shade of red is reached. Put all the frosting balls into the freezer to chill. Chilling overnight gives best results, but a few hours should work as well. Once they are chilled, mix the cake mix according to the directions on the box. Using a cupcake tray, fill each cup on the tray ⅓ of the way When the frosting balls are chilled, put one in each cup. Add a little more batter to each cup, making sure the frosting is covered. Bake slightly less than the directions on the box, or until the outside of the cakes are firm, but the middle is still soft. If the middle is still runny, leave in for additional time. Let the cakes cool and decorate as desired. I used a chocolate mirror glaze. OPTIONAL: for glaze: let gelatin “bloom” in ½ cup water for five minutes. Add milk, sugar, and more water to a saucepan on medium heat. Once the mixture is simmering, add your gelatin and stir until smooth. Pour over the chocolate chips and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Whisk together until blended and smooth. You now have a pourable mirror glaze. One of your lava cakes should have red filling inside, but no one should know who’s until the treats are enjoyed!

Who Killed Markiplier?

“Who Killed Markiplier?” is a web series created by Mark Fischbach of the popular YouTube channel, Markiplier. Known for his comedy sketches and let’s plays, Fischbach has recently branched out into more theatrical productions. “Who Killed Markiplier?” is the latest web series from Markiplier, with chapters released from Oct. 11 to 13. It revolves around the mysterious death of Markiplier with everyone in the house being a suspect, including you. You and the other characters were invited by Markiplier himself to celebrate… something. You and your friends have a grand ole time until you awake the next morning to find Markiplier dead. The subsequent chapters focus on narrowing down the suspect list and solving the murder while being trapped in Markiplier’s mansion with a possible murderer. In a series reminiscent of the 1985 classic “Clue,” this series starts off seeming as one big joke by the Markiplier crew and turns into something you can’t quite figure out. Normally, YouTube videos are of an iffy quality with half-decent acting, 1987 Spaceballs-esque visual effects and the video quality of a school film project. However, with the introduction of YouTube Red and the massive followings some YouTube personalities have gained, more and more attention is being paid to the overall quality of content on the site. “Who Killed

Markiplier?” is a great example of this new foray into film. Shot from a first-person perspective, the series includes you, the viewer, as a main player in this game. The actors do an amazing job making it seem as though you are actually standing next to them in the mansion. Markiplier’s performance was particularly impressive. Playing three different roles, Markiplier handles each separate persona beautifully, giving each character their own style of dress, voice and ticks to distinguish them. The mystery cliches are embraced, helping them feel less cheesy and more humorous with even the characters acknowledging them. Each scene feels well thought out and each clue gives an answer but produces a greater question. It is clear a lot of work and time went into this production. That is not to say that it is perfect. There are some inconsistencies, but whether they were intentional or not is for the viewers to decide. It is easy to tell that the team was filming in a large house with echo being clearly present, and having to strain to hear some of the whispers being shared. The actors, while doing amazing for their medium, are not seasoned and some of the choices made will raise a few eyebrows, such as the sometimes-accent of the butler or the intensity of the chef. But all of these help the series by giving fans more to speculate about. Spoilers aside, the series was an unexpected departure from Markiplier’s usual antics, and viewers are dissecting every scene, line and camera angle to solve the mystery of who killed Markiplier. It sucks you into the midst of the drama, holds you there until the last image fades to black and leaves you wanting more.

Thursday, October 26, 2017

LIFE

Students visit unique local haunted house, Maze of Darkness ZACHARY STRADER Staff Writer

An eerie gloom has fallen over Central Park’s Fun Land, the locallyowned and operated family entertainment center located just minutes from campus. On Thursday through Saturday evenings in late October, brave souls are welcome to attempt to find their way out of the brand new and very aptly named haunted house, Maze of Darkness. Many people are familiar with walking through dimly lit haunted houses at amusement parks with actors and creepy sets at regional events like Kings Dominion’s “Haunt” or Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s “Howl-OScream.” For anyone accustomed to that linear, straight-forward haunted house format, Maze of Darkness will provide something radically different. Fun Land, led by its new general manager, Clint Novak, has designed and built a new walk-through attraction that poses questions that most guests have probably never encountered in a haunted house before. The have included sensory illusions. Furthermore, unlike a normal haunted walk-through attraction, guests do not simply stroll past hidden actors—the actors all follow the solitary group of guests permitted in the maze at any given time throughout their entire experience. This allows the actors to learn and adapt to their audience in ways that they are simply unable to in a more traditional

setup. The format isn’t the only unconventional touch you’ll find inside Maze of Darkness. Custom designed and constructed special effects are also in use within the attraction. Guests encounter the first of these before they even enter the house—a troublesome flashlight that visitors will use to try to find their way through the maze. At an American Coaster Enthusiasts event hosted by Central Park Fun Land on Oct. 15, Clint Novak made some bold claims regarding feedback they had been receiving on their new Zachary Strader / The Blue & Gray Press. haunted walk-through—most Students pose with actors at Fun Land’s Maze of Darkness. notably that a group of veteran Darkness all the way from Florida, at I wasn’t expecting too much going in scare actors from Kings Dominion Universal Studios’ famous Halloween so the quality did surprise me, while visited Maze of Darkness and came Horror Nights event, to Pennsylvania. other houses have scared me, [Maze of out the other end insisting that it was Fun Land’s Maze of Darkness delivered Darkness] was the only one that truly superior to any of Kings Dominion’s the best startle scares I’ve experienced terrified me.” Halloween attractions. this season. Moreover, the house features At only six dollars per person, Maze When I visited, Novak informed the effects and gags that I have never, of Darkness is a good value as well. group of guests I was with that, thus far personally, seen at any other haunted One of its nearest competitors, Terror that night alone, four people had already walk-through attraction. on the Farm at Ashland Berry Farm in used the safe word, “Big Bird.” When Gavin McNabb, a fellow Maze of Beaverdam, VA, charges nearly double the safe word is said, all the house lights Darkness guest who had previously that for each of its houses. turn on and the group is removed from experienced Howl-O-Scream at Busch Maze of Darkness opens at 6 p.m. the maze—without refunds of course. Gardens Williamsburg as well as Kings on Thursday, October 26 and Friday, For a little context, I have Busch Dominion’s Haunt, shared similar October 27. Its final day of operation will Gardens Williamsburg’s Howl-Othoughts to my own. be Saturday, October 28 when the maze Scream, Kings Dominion’s Haunt, and “I was so terrified, that I forgot the will open at 7:30 p.m. Six Flags America’s Fright Fest under safe word,” McNabb said. “The effects, Oh, and if you decide to give it a shot, my belt thus far this year. In the past I’ve while simple, were quite effective and watch out for that flashlight. Sometimes visited haunted attractions like Maze of different than I’ve seen before. Honestly it just needs a few light taps.

Chilling remake of “It”impresses audiences following dated series HARRY FISHER Senior Writer

In 1986, acclaimed horror novel writer, Stephen King, terrified the world with one of his most famous stories, “It.” The story is set in the fictional town of Derry, Maine, a town that is haunted by a shape-shifting demonic clown known as Pennywise. Every 27 years, Pennywise awakens to terrorize the town’s children by taking the forms of their greatest fears before eating them alive. In the novel, seven children who call themselves the “Loser’s Club” band together in order to face their fears and defeat Pennywise. Unfortunately when they return to the town 27 years later and discover what “It” truly is they have to try to destroy “It” once and for all. The novel is, in essence, a story about learning to overcome childhood trauma, face one’s fears and how friendship can be used to overcome evil. “It” has been hailed as one of King’s best novels and one of the greatest horror stories ever written. It was adapted into a TV miniseries in 1990, which was wellreceived at the time. The new 2017 adaptation of “It” is proving to be a huge success among critics and fans. With Halloween less than a week away, Pennywise is surely on the minds of many horror fans, some of whom are sure to dress up as the creepy clown himself. Between Halloween and the arrival of the new movie, now is the perfect time for newcomers to get into this fantastic horror story for the first time. Most people became familiar with the story of “It” by watching the 1990 two-part TV miniseries. The miniseries did have some high points, such as Tim Curry’s portrayal of Pennywise,

and a few legitimately chilling scenes. However, the film is criticized today for having poor pacing, terrible special effects, a few hokey performances and a disappointing climax that is not worth the three hour runtime. It’s just simply not as scary as it once was as scenes that were once considered frightening are now dated. Overall, it makes for a good popcorn movie you can watch with a bunch of friends and laugh at how cheesy it is. This year, however, things have changed. Twenty-seven years after the original 1990 miniseries, the newest adaptation of “It” by Andy Muschietti was released back in September, and now the name Pennywise is once again sending chills down the spines of many

“It” was released September 8.

IMDb.

fans. Personally, I believe it is far beyond the 1990 miniseries in terms of quality and that it shows how great the concept of “It” can really be. The film chooses to focus on the members of the “Losers Club” when they’re kids in the late 1980’s rather than jump back and forth between kids and adults like the novel. This is a really interesting choice on the part of the filmmakers, one I believe works in the film’s favor. The story of “It” is much more terrifying when told from the perspective of a group of children. It is also empowering to see the a group of children band together to stand up to their fears and fight back against Pennywise, than it is to see a group of adults do the same. Although a sequel which takes place in modern times with the characters now being adults is most likely in the works. The casting in the film is also excellent. The young actors who play the members of the “Loser’s Club” are all instantly likeable and charming in their own ways. They all do a great job of portraying the characters. In addition to being able to portray the terror of encountering Pennywise, these actors have great chemistry with one another. The viewer really gets a sense that the characters are close friends who care for one another and want to help each other face this horrific evil to save their town. At some points, the interactions between the characters can be quite humorous, almost reminding me of “The Goonies” or even “Stand By Me,” another one of Stephen King’s most famous stories. Then, of course, there’s Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise. Personally, I think his performance exceeds Curry’s

in every way. Curry was good at playing the character because he would act like a normal clown even while doing something evil or demonic. Skarsgard, on the other hand, acts like a clown who has gone completely insane, before suddenly transforming into a horrifying creature attacking the main characters. His performance as Pennywise was definitely much more frightening and chilling in my eyes due to all of his lanky movements, not to mention his terrifying smile. However, it’s not just Pennywise that makes this movie unsettling. The titular creature “It” takes the form of many different horrors and apparitions to terrify the “Loser’s Club.” While I don’t want to spoil any of Pennywise’s alternate forms here, it is worth mentioning that the film’s special effects do an excellent job of making these monsters seem real. They are far more disturbing than the mummies or werewolves that “It” used to turn into in the novel and the miniseries. The film is also quite bold, while I don’t think it ever reached the point of being terrifying, there were still a number of scenes that disgusted or unsettled me in ways that I wasn’t expecting. These moments aren’t even limited to what happens between the kids and Pennywise. There are a number of minor adult characters who are extremely oppressive or abusive to the kids, even a murderous gang of bullies. It all ties into King’s themes of kids learning to face their fears and overcome the evil forces that oppress them, giving the film a more realistic side that went well with the terrors that came from Pennywise. After 27 years, “It” has finally returned, and this time It may be here to stay.

Weekend Events

Thursday

• UMW Gallery opening “All But Ordinary” 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., duPont Gallery • UMW Gallery opening “LIGHT WORKS: A Century of Photography” 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Ridderhof Martin Gallery

@theBlueandGray

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

• THE FIRST SHOW: The Undeniably Adjacent’s first show of the semester, 8 p.m., The digital auditorium

• UMW Relay for Life’s Trick or Trot 5K, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Begins and Ends at Steps of GW

• Art Workshop: Portraits in Charcoal, all day, Gari Melchers Home and Studio

BlueandGrayPress

• Pumpkin Palooza,1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Ball Circle

The Blue & Gray Press

LIFE

New Swift song points to possible album theme Ask Katherine

GRACE HOWIE Contributing Writer

On Friday, October 20, Taylor Swift released her third single from her newest, sixth studio album, “Reputation.” “Gorgeous” is a classic Taylor Swift pop song, the track is repetitive and simplistic making the vocals shine. Since the song is repetitive the lyrics draw the most attention. I find the lyrics problematic and juvenile. These lyrics are thematically different but contain some similarities to the first single release, “Look what you made me do.” While senior Sarah Kinzer said that “Gorgeous” is “okay,” and “better than the other new one,” Swift writes herself as the victim and remains blameless in every aspect. This seems to be the theme surrounding this album. I find this rhetoric toxic and irresponsible. This idea of blame-shifting that began in “Look what you made me do.” This left me feeling puzzled. As my therapist has told me time and time again, people can’t make you do anything. In “Gorgeous,” Swift blames this Swift’s new album “Reputation” comes out November 10. Wikipedia.. ‘you figure’ for how she feels when they seem to have done nothing other than thinking about the song in that context, album with how other people are look attractive. This is at the forefront it is immediately better and Swift seems affecting her. Personally, I couldn’t of this song throughout the verses. In wittier than the surface level pettiness care less who the ‘you’ is because when the first verse she says, “You’re so cool, that is this song. While this is plausible, I listen to a song I want to be able to it makes me hate you so much,” which considering that the ending of the, “Look identify with it rather than decode a is echoed in the chorus with, “I’m so what you made me do” video portrayed a celebrity’s life. That’s just me though. furious, at you for making me feel this self-aware Swift showcasing everything Imagine if these lyrics were being way.” She takes no responsibility of her she has been criticized for. Maybe that’s sung by a man, “You should think about own feelings. the point of this album but the point the consequence of your magnetic Vulture said in their review that “if seems to be slightly missed. Even if field being a little too strong.” It would she can’t take the hint implicit in her this idea of self-mocking is the case, it be criticized for its content and the new songs that she’s her predatory, victimown worst enemy, there’s blaming vibes it gives no future for the megastar off. When coming aside from burning out,” from a white-female which I agree with, singer in her late especially considering the 20’s, no one bats an singles released so far on eye even when she’s this album. “furious at [them] for Senior Annie Frazza making [her] feel this said, that to her this way.” “sounds like every other This rhetoric goes Taylor Swift song.” back to what I said “Gorgeous” is extremely earlier, people don’t reminiscent of “Blank make you do anything Space,” one of the first and hopefully Swift singles released from is just mocking her her last album, “1989.” image, but on some There is a similar lyrical level it is not explicit phrasing and use of enough. These toxic marking sounds, which ideals are being in “Gorgeous” is a overlooked as she bell dinging at the end idealizes the jealous of certain verses. The girlfriend archetype. similarities between two Younger generations albums is disappointing will listen to this and from someone who internalize that the promised them the their lyrics are appropriate old self is dead. I was behavior. She hints personally expecting all at wanting to cheat at new directions for this one point which seems album, which I guess isn’t unnecessary other than happening. to tease those fans The first time I heard trying to figure out the this song I thought it timeline of this song in E! News. relation to her actual sounded like it was written Swift teases the music video for “...Ready for It?” by a young teenager dealing with an still doesn’t excuse the issues that I find love life. She has monopolized on the infatuation for the first time. This crush myself having with the lyrics. fact that she exploits her relationships is superficial and lacking any depth other One issue with Swift’s songs, and partners through her music. than childlike flirtations which Swift everyone attempts to analyze the lyrics I don’t even know if she could mentions as she makes “fun of the way not for what they are, but rather to find mock herself in regards to something [they] talk,” and that this person, “should out who these songs may be about. Even other than relationships. It frustrates take it as a compliment that [she’s] with this, senior Ana Leino said, “She me though, because we see today that talking to everyone [there] but [them].” has proven once again even though the relationships are already so delicate Billboard magazine has a theory, that song is about another person she has and flawed which means she’s just managed to make it about herself.” contributing to toxic behaviors in society. she is “mocking her image by blowing it up to comical proportions.” When Swift is so self-concerned on this Reputation will be released Nov. 10.

KATHERINE LAMB Senior Writer

Hey Katherine, As a conservative student, I often feel like I can't speak up in class or that my ideas get ignored. How can I express to people that this bothers me? Sincerely, To The Right To The Right, As a left-leaning moderate, I’ve had insults hurled at me from every end of the political spectrum so I like to think that I can relate. The most you can hope to do is to explain your point of view and get a better grasp of theirs. But in most cases, it is good to ask questions until you find some common ground. For instance, in the Night Vale Presents podcast “Conversations With People Who Hate Me,” the host, Dylan Marron, finds unlikely common ground with a guest when they both agree that the guest should not have sex with her cat. It’s a great podcast, and I highly recommend it. Try to keep in mind, also, that at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how you feel about an issue. What matters are the solutions and compromises you can find with the help of others. Good luck, Katherine Hey Katherine, I think my professor hates me and that he grades me harder than he does other people. Is there anything I can do about this? Sincerely, A Little Lost A Little Lost, The most important thing to remember in this situation is that no one else is going to fight for you and if a change is brought about you will have to be the one to bring it. Here are the steps I took when this exact thing happened to me. Go to office hours as much as possible to figure out the underlying issue and address it. Ask him what he’s looking for that your work hasn’t been providing. Press him for specifics. Explain to your academic advisor (or another professor who you trust) what the situation is. See if they have any advice surrounding the subject. If nothing has helped and you truly believe there isn’t anything else you can do on your end, ask the department head for help. Professors do not exist to flunk you but some of them forget that at times. Wishing you the best, Katherine Hey Katherine, I bought a TV for my dorm that’s nicer than my roommate's TV. When I suggested we replace hers with mine, she got really mad and told my other roommate that I shouldn't have bought a new TV without asking her. Now, she's giving me the silent treatment. I didn't mean for this to happen. What can I do? Sincerely, Channeling Frustrations Channeling Frustrations, Your roommate’s reaction is completely unnecessary. With that out of the way, you and I both know that you’re going to have to be the one to apologize. Tell her that you’re sorry about not consulting her before getting the TV. Talk to her and try to figure out what the root of the issue is. Explain why you thought your actions wouldn’t be a problem. Be gentle. You can get your RA involved if necessary. At the end of the day, I would bring the TV anyway because you are allowed to have your own stuff in your room. Wishing you the best, Katherine

NEWS POLICE BEAT Women and men speak out and share their experiences •#METOO | 1

MEAGHAN MCINTYRE & IZZY BRIONES News Editors

Petit Larceny Between Sunday, October 1 at 11 p.m. and Thursday, October 12 at 3:10 p.m., a bicycle was stolen from outside of the University Center. This case is pending.

On Tuesday, October 17 at around 1:20 p.m., a UMW ID was stolen from Virginia Hall. This case is pending.

Between Friday, October 13 at 4:10 p.m. and Thursday, October 19 at around 9:30 a.m., a bicycle was stolen from the Brent Hall bike rack. This case is pending.

On Thursday, October 19 between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., a wallet was stolen from the Fitness Center. This case is pending.

social media accounts and the ongoing revelations revolving around Harvey Weinstein and the larger exposure of pervasive sexual harassment throughout Hollywood, it is easy to see why this campaign has been so popular. #MeToo has not been the only effort that has encouraged members of a community to band together and expose just how widespread sexual harassment is. In fact, this is not even the first time victims of sexual assault have been asked to unite under the banner “Me too.” “This campaign, #MeToo, has brought sexual harassment and sexual assault out of the shadows, showing our community that it can happen anywhere,” in the words of Oldfield. Now real efforts must be made to ensure that it doesn’t turn into “one of those movements that start off strong and then loses ground,” as Lyon suspects.

In 2006, a woman named Tarana Burke kickstarted a community movement she dubbed “Me Too,” which encouraged women to speak out in mass about their experiences. With a little help from Hollywood and a culture so often driven by social media trends, more than a decade after Burke coined

People hashtag or post about gun control and we still have a problem.” Atkins’ concerns are echoed by Tarana Burke in an interview published by the Washington Post. “What the viral campaign did is, it creates hope, it creates inspiration. People need hope and inspiration desperately but hope and inspiration are only sustained by work.” Tiffany Oldfield, Title IX coordinator at UMW, works every day to spread awareness regarding sexual assault. She believes that “as a campus community, we must continue to create an environment where victims and survivors are aware of their options, including both university and law enforcement options, are supported by resources on and off campus, and empowered to speak out.”

“What the viral campaign did is, it creates hope, it creates inspiration. People need hope and inspiration desperately but hope and inspiration are only sustained by work.” -Tarana Burke the phrase, #MeToo is everywhere. “I don’t think it’s effective,” said Emily Atkins, a junior psychology major. “A hashtag isn’t doing anything.

Post it notes cover walls of the Hurley Convergence Center

On Saturday, October 21 at 6:30 p.m., a bicycle was stolen from the Jefferson bike rack. This case is pending.

Possession On Friday, October 13 at 2:36 a.m., there was underage possession of alcohol, a false ID was involved, and there was obstruction of justice at Randolph Hall. One arrest occurred and one administrative referral was given. Hurley Convergence Center

UMW students took part in the National Day on Writing on Friday, Oct. 20.

On Sunday, October 15 at 1:25 p.m., there was underage possession of alcohol at the William St. apartments, building 9. One administrative referral was given.

On Sunday, October 22 at 12:10 a.m., there was underage possession of alcohol at Eagle Landing. One administrative referral was given. The information was compiled with assistance from UMW Police Manager James DeLoatch and Fredericksburg Police Department Public Information Officer Sarah Kirkpatrick.

LAURA TAYLOR Staff Writer

The University of Mary Washington participated in the National Day on Writing with themed events in the Hurley Convergence Center, in front of Simpson Library and on the third floor of Combs Hall on Friday, Oct. 20. “Ultimately this event is about the students,” assistant professor Dr. Brenta Blevins said. “Students today are writing in so many ways.” This year’s National Day on Writing events took place across the UMW campus in an attempt to highlight the English facilitating locations on campus such as the library, Hurley Convergence Center and Combs Hall. Students participated in the event all throughout campus by actually doing some of the writing events or just reading what was left by their peers at the event stations.

Not only were students involved but professors also played a role by answering the #WhyIWrite prompt on Twitter and reaching out to alumni to

puses across the nation. The Twitter hashtag #WhyIWrite has been used for several years and has gotten mentions from celebrities and famous athletes. One example is Pittsburgh Steelers football player Vincenzo Williams who tweeted, “So ppl can know that I’m more than a helmet and a jersey.” “Writing is how people accomplish so much activity: professional, civic, entertainment, family preservation and more,” said Dr. Susanne Blevins, assistant professor of the ELC

“With writing I can show my ideas, beliefs or feelings in a logical way that helps people understand my point of view.” -Jenn Hill get their input. The National Day on Writing was instituted by the National Council of Teachers of English to recognize writing on college and university cam-

•WRITING | 11

Thursday, October 26, 2017

NEWS

UMW students and faculty express their passions through written notes on different campus buildings

•WRITING | 10

department. Students at the University of Mary Washington used the National Day on Writing to express themselves. “I write to express my thoughts and feelings in an organized fashion,” sophomore Jenn Hill said. “I am quite a scatter brained person so attempting to verbally tell people my thoughts is near impossible. However, with writing I can show my ideas, beliefs or feelings in a logical way that helps people understand my point of view.” Other students had similar responses. “I don’t write much but I like to write about my math research,” Shannon Haley, senior math major, said. “It gives me a way to express my findings with other mathematicians and spread my knowledge of cryptology.” Some students also commented on the material that they write. “When I write, I write journal entries,” said sophomore Sylvan Brier. “I write to get my feelings out and try to put them into words.” “I either write poems about life experiences and feelings or I write about things I’m passionate about,” sophomore, Allie Coleman said. Some students do not write much or at all but still stopped to view their peer’s writing out of curiosity for the event. The sticky notes with the six word stories were displayed along the

windows of the Hurley Convergence Center catching the eyes of any passersby. “It was a pleasure to see other writers share their work for their peers to see,” junior, Joshua Staley said. “I didn’t get to participate this year but I am planning on it next year.” Whether or not students actually participated and did the activities around campus, students enjoyed reading what their peers had written. They enjoyed knowing that they were not the only ones who write to share feelings, express emotions or allow their creative juices to flow. “I had no idea that so many people actually wrote on their own and for their own purpose,” Staley said. The University of Mary Washington is looking forward to next year’s National Day on Writing with the hopes that it will be as successful as this year’s event was with an even greater turnout.

“Writing is how people accomplish so much activity: professional, civic, entertainment, family preservation and more.” -Dr. Susanne Blevins

The HCC was one building with writing activities

Lindsey McCuistion/Twitter

Student Government Beat Monday, October 23 – Friday, October 27 Executive Cabinet Mondays at 5 p.m. in the UC Capitol Room Dr. Landphair, Vice President for Student Affairs, and Paul Messplay, Executive Director of the Budget spoke about the proposed 2018-19 UMW budget. They answered questions regarding the University’s general fiscal status, recent expenditures, and future plans. Thank you to all who participated in the survey about the President’s Strategic Vision, your feedback is being compiled in a report to President Paino! Motion 10.18.1 did not pass the Cabinet. Motion 10.18.2 passed, but is unable to be enacted due to the unsafe structural condition of the staircase. Motion 10.18.3 passed, and is currently being explored and discussed. For more information, visit umwsga.org or contact info@umwsga.org Student Senate Wednesdays at 5 p.m. in Monroe 116 While the following motions have been passed by the Senate, they are still subject to further review and a vote by the Executive Cabinet. Listed motions may not take effect as written, and are not obligated to occur. No new motions were considered by Senate this week. Senators are currently investigating issues for possible future motions. For more information, visit umwsenate.org or contact vp@umwsga.org DETAILS PROVIDED BY MATTHEW GOOD

Thursday, October 26, 2017

SPORTS

Editor: Ryan Brauch | blueandgray.sports@gmail.com

UMW men’s basketball shows support for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s

PAIGE WALTON Staff Writer

Saturday, Oct. 14 the University of Mary Washington men’s basketball team participated in The Annual Fredericksburg’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The walk began at Jefferson Square, continued across campus walk and back. The entire basketball team came out along with all of the coaches, their families and dogs. The walk raised over over $160,000, and the numbers are still rising. “This was the largest turnout from UMW ever and we’re hoping the number will continue to increase annually,” said Sammi Van Heest, the UMW student ambassador for the walk and sophomore studio arts major. In talking about the basketball team’s decision to join the efforts to end Alzheimer’s, head coach Marcus Kahn said, “It was a no brainer for us… We all saw it as a chance to help out another UMW student with their cause. The team was on board right from the start… They signed up that night for the walk during study hall,”. Kahn went on to say, “We do a number of community service events throughout the year, but most take place off campus for people that we have no connection to, when Sammi approached me, it put a personal connection to it, rather than just a flyer or blanket email, once we met, I could tell that we were doing the right thing.” The walk took place the day before basketball practice officially started for the team. The players were free to use their last day off as they wished, knowing they would not have a break for months to come. Junior Johnny Cronin said, “The team decided to participate because we

love getting involved in the community and personally and being effected. we think that Alzheimer’s is a cause that To represent a person’s relationship to everyone should rally around.” the disease, people were able to pick up Talking about the basketball’s team’s and carry around a flower windmill, color commitment to supporting the cause, Van coded based on relationship. Heest said, “It was early in the morning and Kahn said, “[The walk was] pretty eye it was their last day before the season start- opening, seeing the number of people ed, and the fact that they chose to spend affected by this disease and which flower it walking to end Alzheimer’s is amazing. they were holding… This was all a learning Needless to say it heightened everyone’s experience for me and even most of the spirits seeing such an important part of players… People carrying an orange flower UMW come out Saturday morning.” were there to support, the purple flower According to the Alzheimer’s Associrepresented those who had lost someone, ation, Alzheimer’s Disease is the sixth lead- yellow was if you took care of someone ing cause of death in the United States. The with it and blue was if you personally had association also reports that the disease is the disease, so it was pretty moving to see so prolific that every 66 seconds, someone the different flowers during the walk.” develops Alzheimer’s. With a disease this Speaking of the biggest takeaway from prevalent, almost everyone is affected in the event, Cronin said “Even though Alzsome way. heimer’s is a terrible disease that negatively Junior Sekai Walker said “[The walk] affects so many lives, that doesn’t mean was great, everybody who participated that hope is defeated and that we shouldn’t were good hearted people... I felt that I was fight for a cure.” helping in at least the smallest possible way, and that’s a great feeling to have.” Adding on to that sentiment, sophomore A.J Robinson said, “The walk was very uplifting because it felt good that lots of people were willing to come out and support the cause... There is something to be said for people coming out and trying to make a difference in the world,”. In past years, the UMW turnout has been much lower, averaging about five or six students. This year, the turnout was closer to 30. Many of the players and coaches have a personal connection to the disease, with either someone in their family having the disease or through knowing someone UMW men’s basketball team

Sammi Van Heest

Jeff Baldwin

After series of injuries NFL teams prepare for the midseason makr in week 8

SEAN BERMINGHAM Staff Writer

Usually a competitive team in the American Football Conference, the Denver Broncos have suffered these past two week with a litany of injuries greatly hampering both their offensive and defensive efforts. During Week 6 the Broncos were beaten by the New York Giants and this past Sunday for Week 7 they were shut out 21 to 0 by their division rivals the Los Angeles Chargers. These recent thrashings have busted the division open, making the records of each team much closer all around with three of the four teams having only three wins heading into Week 8. However, the Broncos were not the only team impacted by injuries this week. The Cleveland

Browns who have not won a game thus far this season have lost their starting left tackle for the remainder of the season as Joe Thomas left the game Sunday with a tricep tear. Sunday marked the first snap Thomas had missed in his 11 year career with the NFL, having a streak of 10,363 consecutive snaps played. Drafted in 2007 in the third round, the now 32 year-old lineman, Thomas has one year left on his contract with the Browns and has said that he will make the decision on whether he will continue to play professional football in the offseason. Also among the season ending injury list is Carson Palmer, the quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals. Taking a hit from Los Angeles Rams’ defensive

Thursday, October 26 2017

tackle, Aaron Donald, Palmer broke his arm and threw an interception. He will be added to the injury list along with star running back David Johnson, running backup Andre Ellington, and seven of their starting defensive players. It is a common belief among Arizona fans that their playoff hopes are mostly shot but the NFL is very unpredictable, except that backup quarterback, Drew Stanton, will take over the offense. Considering this depressing situation, the Cardinals subreddit has rededicated itself to bird-watching and is now more active than ever. In Oakland, the drama was not injury related although Marshawn Lynch may have earned himself a suspension for one game. After a late hit on quarter-

back Derek Carr, Lynch came off the sideline and pushed a referee out of the way in an attempt to get in the middle of the altercation that was developing between the two teams. Given the importance of the quarterback position for a team’s offense, it is considered poor form to hit them. The hit in question was delivered after Carr had already released the ball and the play had ended but the whistle had not been blown so it was a legal hit, just unsportsmanlike of the Chiefs defender. The result of Lynch’s intervention was an immediate ejection from the game and a one week suspension. He has since appealed the suspension so it is pending.

Joe Thomas

Marshawn Lynch

bdtonline.com

csnnews.com