The Blue & Gray Press

THE

The University of Mary Washington Student Newspaper

BLUE & GRAY PRESS

VOLUME 95 | ISSUE 10

Serving the community since 1922

NOVEMBER 11, 2021

New Community Advisory Board formed to address students’ concerns about policing on campus

CINDY LY Staff Writer

On Nov. 2, University President Troy Paino announced the formation of a new advisory Board as part of the continuing work of the UMW Police Community Advisory Panel (CAP) process.

The Community Advisory Board (CAB) aims to educate the student body about campus safety and policing and

improve communication and trust between the UMW Police and community members. The Board met for the first time on Nov. 8.

According to Juliette Landphair, vice president for Student Affairs and interim chair of the Community Advisory Board, members of the Board will include “will serve as a bridge between the

The new Community Advisory Board will work with UMW Police to address student concerns about campus policing.

University of Mary Washington

Students and faculty discuss election results

campus community and UMW Police.”

Landphair continued, “The Board will develop a set of shared recommendations to reflect bias-free and inclusive policing policies. We plan to continuously review and assess the effectiveness of those policies and procedures, while also actively working to ensure alignment with accreditation standards.”

The CAB consists of a mix of eight faculty, staff, students and UMW police officers. The Board will meet at least twice per semester, but members may call additional meetings.

At their first meeting on Nov. 8, members discussed “the history of policing on the campus,” said Nahjah Wilson, a freshman political science major and student member of the Board, who was selected to serve by SGA President Brianna “Breezy” Reaves.

The group also set goals and discussed how they will communicate with the campus community.

BRADEN ROBERTS Staff Writer

Following Republican Glenn Youngkin’s victory on Nov. 2, UMW students and faculty weighed in on the election results.

For the governor’s race, Youngkin defeated Democrat Terry McAuliffe 50.9 percent to 48.4 percent. Republican Winsome Sears won the lieutenant governor’s race over Democrat Hala Ayala 50.9 percent to 49.1 percent, and Republican Jason Miyares won the attorney general’s race over Democrat Mark Herring 50.7 percent to 49.3 percent.

Youngkin is the first Republican to win statewide office since 2009 in Virginia.

“Together, we will change the trajectory of this commonwealth,” Youngkin said. “And friends, we are going to start that transformation on day one. There is no time to waste.”

Stephen Farnsworth, a professor of political science and international affairs, weighed in on the candidates’ campaigns.

“Youngkin was a very effective first-term candidate,” he said.

“He was able to capitalize McAuliffe’s education misstep during the debate.”

According to an article from The Hill, McAuliffe said in a debate on Sept. 29, “I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.” With critical race theory being such a controversial topic, this comment hurt McAuliffe’s campaign.

“McAuliffe should have moved more quickly to respond to his debate misstep,” said Farnsworth. “His talk about Republican plans to ban books was an effective response, but it was a late response.”

Farnsworth also said that McAuliffe should have noted his own successes throughout his time as Virginia’s governor.

“McAuliffe also should have said more about how Democratic policies have delivered, both during his term and Northam’s,” he said. “Voters need a reason to vote for someone as well as vote against the other candidate. With greater •ELECTION | 7

Marshall Hall will be razed and rebuilt as the new location for the Department of Theatre and Dance. The architecture is currently being planned and demolition should go into effect in 2023. The new building is expected to be finished two years after that.

Once the new theatre building is completed and usable for theatre classes, DuPont, Melchers and Pollard Halls will be renovated to serve as buildings for UMW’s Department of Art and Art History and the Department of Music.

“This new building will include all classrooms, studios, shops, theatres and offices that the department needs,” said Gregg Stull, chair of the Theatre and Dance Department. “The new facility will give us opportunities to produce plays and musicals that Klein Theatre cannot support.”

The administration decided that some halls, including Marshall and Alvey, are more costly to renovate than to build new ones, as they need to be made accessible for students and community members with disabilities, as well as provide

ISSUE

social media

Deleting social media can improve mental health.

VIEWPOINTS | 3

“Campus safety is incredibly important not just to students but to their families as well. I acutely understand this as the parent of a college student.”

-Juliette Landphair The Board solicited members through governance structures, such as the University Faculty Council, University Staff Council, SGA and Residence Life, which recommended members to serve on the Board. According to Landphair, each member will serve one year but can decide

to remain on the CAB for up to three years.

When asked how students, other than those on the Board, can participate or provide any insights, Landphair said that the Board will be reviewing surveys about campus safety.

“The student voice matters in all that we do at Mary Washington,” she said.

“Campus safety is incredibly important not just to students but to their families as well. I acutely understand this as the parent of a college student.”

Even though the Board has only met once as of publication, Wilson is hopeful that the CAB will change student experience for the better.

“This hopefully will be a positive change that will help make the school safer,” she said. “I would love to make a way for students to contact me to be able to give their input.

We are here to bridge the gap between the police and the students.”

•CAB | 7

Marshall Hall to be demolished, replaced by theatre building

AISHAH WAHEdI Staff Writer

IN THIS

One of the Board’s short-term goals is “to fully understand the policies, work together and be able to have conversations,” Wilson said. “This will be a way to understand the disconnect between police and the students.”

Marshall Hall will be razed in 2023.

Emily Sanborn / The Blue & Gray Press

more space and better ventilation.

When looking for locations to place the new building, Marshall Hall was not deemed as architecturally significant as other, more historic campus buildings, which provided the option to demolish the building.

The Marshall Hall location allows for a large, new building.

Stull sees Marshall Hall’s location as more accessible from downtown Fredericksburg than the current theatre building.

“This location will activate a sort of ‘gateway’ to campus from downtown,” he said. “This is a strong location for the building since performances draw a

significant audience from the regional Fredericksburg area.”

Junior psychology major Carson Miller, a student who formerly lived in Marshall Hall her freshman year, feels bittersweet about this demolition.

“I met some of my closest friends here at Mary Washington while living in Marshall and I have a lot of good memories attached to that place, especially because my freshman year was the last time I was here at UMW before COVID hit,” she said. “However, I am, for the most part, indifferent about its demolition because it’s just a

•MARSHALL | 2

book review

Women’s basketball

Self-help book discusses getting past your ego.

The Eagles defeat the Lynchburg Hornets 66-57.

LIFE | 5

SPORTS | 8

NEWS THE

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 Jess Kirby

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Bernadette D’Auria Cosima Pellis

BUSINESS EDITOR Erin Matuczinski

COPY EDITOR Abigail Slaughter

SECTION EDITORS NEWS Scotti Mullen Josephine Johnson

VIEWPOINTS Norah Walsh

LIFE Josephine Good

SPORTS Victoria Percherke

ONLINE Cameron Delean Maggie Mae Young

PHOTO Emily Warren

FACULTY ADVISOR Sushma Subramanian

Editors: Josephine Johnson & Scotti Mullen | blueandgray.news@gmail.com

College Republicans celebrate Youngkin’s victory in Virginia governor’s race

WILLIAM LAWSON Staff Writer

Since Republican gubernatorial elect Glenn Youngkin defeated former governor and Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the highly competitive Nov. 2 election, members of UMW’s College Republicans club reacted to Youngkin’s win and commented on the changes they hope to see under his leadership.

Youngkin’s victory marks the first time a Republican has won the Virginia governor’s race in over a decade. President Joe Biden easily carried Virginia by ten percentage points in the 2020 presidential election. While Youngkin’s win signifies a troubling defeat for Democrats, many in the GOP are celebrating.

Olivia Mallory, a freshman criminal justice major, expressed relief over the outcome of the election.

“My initial reaction to the outcome of the governor’s election was relief because it was so close for so long and to finally know who won gave me a great feeling of ease,” she said.

Mallory also stated the issues that she hopes the governorelect will address.

“I expect Youngkin to address the problems of big government and hopefully allow more individual choice when it comes to education, vaccination, etc.,” Mallory said.

“Personal freedom is a value that he and I share and I’m hoping that he preserves this.”

Darcy Spicer, a senior political science major, also weighed in on what she expected Youngkin to address.

“When it comes to Youngkin, I am expecting him to address fiscal issues that affect Virginians daily,” said Spicer. “The grocery tax, for example, is something that he has promised to eliminate, and I hope to see just that. I hope to see Youngkin do his best to help Virginians fiscally.”

Spicer attributed Youngkin’s victory to poor campaigning by McAuliffe and the way he addressed parents’ roles in schools.

“Rather than point to his own achievements while in office, McAuliffe’s campaign focused on vilifying Youngkin and comparing him to Trump,” said Spicer. “In addition to his terrible campaign, McAuliffe also did poorly when addressing his comments regarding parents and schools.”

Hayden Webb, a senior computer science major, was

Glenn Youngkin won the 2021 Virginia Governor’s race. @glennyoungkin / Instagram

surprised at Youngkin’s victory.

“Youngkin had come out of nowhere and, early on, severely trailed McAuliffe in the polls,” he said. “I saw the results of the vote as it was being counted and knew that Youngkin was probably going to lead early on during the voting.”

Webb stated that he was most passionate about state education. He credited Youngkin’s victory to his willingness to rectify the issues facing Virginia public schools.

“Teachers are treated poorly, paid poorly and overworked by their administrators, who focus more on forwarding their own political agendas than improving the schools they are charged to administer,” Webb said. “With Glenn Youngkin at the helm of Virginia, I believe that he will make Virginia public schools a place where students are happy to learn and teachers are excited to teach.”

Webb specifically cited scandals, including the incidents involving sexual assault and clashes between parents and school board officials, facing Loudoun County Public Schools as the main reason for Youngkin’s victory.

“Most of all, over everything else, I would credit Loudoun County Public Schools towards Youngkin’s victory,” he said.

“There have been major scandals there which have highlighted the problems in the public-school systems across Virginia, serving as a catalyst to mobilize everyday parents into voting for Youngkin, who had promised to rectify them, while McAuliffe did not.”

Theatre building to replace Marshall Hall

building, and the friendships and memories I made there are more important.”

Miller believes that the benefits of this new building will ultimately outweigh the negatives of destroying Marshall Hall.

While current theatre students will graduate before the completion of this new building, they also have opinions on the change.

Senior double major in theatre and religious studies Nathan Marshak likes DuPont Hall and Klein Theatre but recognizes a need for change.

“With the current building, I find its size charming,” said Marshak. “It’s weird to say I feel nostalgic for it, but having used that building for the entirety of my college career, I’ve grown quite attached. But as much as I love the current building, I understand that changes are needed to keep things moving along with productivity and educational opportunity.”

Marshak has been involved in UMW’s Department of Theatre for all four years of his college career. He has performed in several productions and will be in the upcoming performance of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” in spring 2022.

He hopes to see more of UMW Theatre’s history in the new building.

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“As lovely as it is to see photos of past productions—hope they keep those in the new building—I’d love to see more memorabilia put on display in the entry part of the hall,” he said. “It’d be cool to see the history of UMW Theatre through set models or props and costumes on display.”

The only thing Marshak is concerned about is how far this new location is from the majority of the campus, being at the bottom of the hill near the Bell Tower.

“It is rather strange to think about how they’re moving the theatre building from one end of campus to the other,” he said.

“It’s a significant placement change just from that distance alone. For the steep hill, I would be concerned for students that live on campus proper. I’ve been in the UMW Apartments for over a year now, so I think it’d be far more accessible for students who live there over going through multiple hills to get to DuPont.”

Miller also noted the difficulty of navigating the steep hill every day.

“The location of Marshall Hall was one of my least favorite things about the place, though; that big, steep hill was really annoying to climb up and down just to go to class or get food, so I barely left the building more than once a day just so I wouldn’t have to climb the hill,” she said.

The new building is only in the

conceptual phase, but the administration assures that it will have many features that will lead the department in the right direction. They believe the new location will be more beneficial in the long run for the department.

“It is still a little too soon to be very specific on the features of the building, but I can say that not only will we be able to accommodate larger audiences, but the systems will all be modern technology that will serve us well,” said Director of Marketing and Audience Services Jon Reynolds.

Reynolds, a graduate of UMW’s Theatre program in 2007, is excited for this change of location and for the students and faculty to have a new and better space as theatre majors. He believes that the transition between new and old locations will be seamless for both students and community audience members, so long as they continue marketing and broadcasting this change in the coming years.

“With the increase in the capacity of the theatre and the larger building in general ... will hopefully come larger audiences, and with larger audiences comes greater need for parking, larger bathrooms, lobby space and more,” said Reynolds. “We have very smart and competent people working on this project that will take every consideration into account.”

CORRECTIONS for THE Week PLEASE REPORT ANY MISTAKES SEEN IN THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS TO Jess Kirby, blueandgray.eic@gmail.com or Sushma Subramanian, ssubrama@umw.edu

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VIEWPOINTS

Editor: Norah Walsh | blueandgray.views@gmail.com

Deleting social media improves mental health

DEVON MACHANDE Staff Writer

I deleted all social media from my phone back in May 2021. Prior to doing so, my average screen time was about six to seven hours a day, and I was constantly on my phone. I came across a Ted Talk called “Live in the Moment: Delete Social Media” and ironically fell down a rabbit hole of people who quit social media and were talking about how life-changing it was. I was initially just going to take a week’s break from it, but I felt so much better mentally and physically that I decided to keep going. The benefits of deleting social media are far greater than any you can gain from keeping it. Therefore, you should delete social media from your phone.

We have become a society that values online connection as much as an in-person connection. A Wall Street Journal article said that “22 million U.S. teens use Instagram each day, and more than 40 percent of Instagram’s users are 22 years old and younger.”

Our self-worth and happiness are affected by how many likes we can get on a picture we upload. For example, Etactics explains that when we see positive feedback on a post, our brain releases dopamine, which leads to social media addiction. Additionally, an article by Forbes presented a study that found when the subject was shown a photo with more likes, the brain’s reward center was activated. This illustrates that our brains are heavily influenced by social media not just on a superficial level, but on a chemical level.

Although social media can increase dopamine and activate the brain’s

reward center, multiple studies have proven that social media can be linked to depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and more. The results of a study covered by Forbes concluded that “[those who] reduced their social media presence were less lonely and depressed compared to the control group.”

UMW students agree that social media can be detrimental.

“I think that social media is generally more harmful for younger kids,” said Emily Koberlein, a sophomore English major. “Online bullying and isolation within friend groups can become easier behind a screen, and the younger the individuals are, the more difficult it can be to address and understand those situations in real life.”

Many people internally compare themselves to people they see online, which is dangerous for younger users who are constantly being shown images of what their bodies should look like or how their lives should be.

“I think with all the new platforms it’s easier to affect a child’s self-esteem and views on body image,” said Miranda Colbert, a junior creative writing major. “It’s like anyone can just hop online and share their views no matter what they are.”

According to an article from Medium, “social media has a negative effect on our attention span, and ... the span is narrowing, due to the growing amount of information we are exposed to every day.”

This is demonstrated by the app TikTok, which provides an abundance of stimulation in a short amount of time.

With these unlimited distractions at our fingertips, we put a pause on productivity, therefore negatively affecting

our lives.

Colbert shared that she struggles with being distracted on her phone.

“I have to set my phone on the other side of the room if I need to do something important,” she said.

If social media is so detrimental, why do people still use it? Effectiviology has two possible answers: “[users are] simply unaware of its harmful influence” or “in some cases, people are aware of the harmful influence that social media has on them, but they don’t care enough about these dangers to want to change their behavior.”

After deleting my social media accounts, I noticed that I became detached from people I wasn’t very close with. This highlighted who my real friends were since they were the ones who remained in contact with me beyond social media. One aspect of not having social media is that you have to come to terms with being out of the loop, whether that means missing out on pop culture jokes or celebrity drama. This is not necessarily bad, though; I found my productivity in both my school and personal life increase.

Everyone would benefit from deleting their personal social media accounts. Waking up from the haze of being so focused on how you are perceived in an online space and becoming more engaged with the world around you is so important. You will find yourself enthralled in other hobbies and activities. I no longer get distracted from what I was doing and find myself scrolling endlessly on social media.

Deleting social media can allow you to divert time into more useful activities.

Brett Jordan / Unsplash

Social media platforms like Instagram can be detrimental to your mental health.

NeONBRAND / Unsplash

Slang does not detriment the quality of English

GRACE SCHUMACHER Staff Writer

Around campus, you hear many slang terms that would have been completely unknown a year ago, but they are now recognized and frequently used by many students. Terms like “cap” or “lit” are newer terms that have been integrated into our lexicon, while “omg,” “bro” and “sis” have been staples of our slang speech for years.

The regular development and introduction of new slang words into our vocabulary is not ruining English or making us inarticulate. Rather, this is a part of the process in our language’s evolution.

We often hear the older generations lament that young adults are sloppy, imprecise and profane speakers of English. According to psychologist Alison Gopnik, some worry that they might even damage the language through the continued use of certain language habits, for example the overuse of filler words such as “like” and “um.”

However, what words mean and how we use them fluctuate all the time.

“In linguistics, we define slang as ‘a set of rapidly changing lexical items that are often associated with youth and casual social contexts,’” said associate professor Janie Lee in the Linguistics Department. “Every

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generation has had their slang as a way to express ingroup identity.”

Slang, as a linguistic practice, is rooted in social needs and behaviors.

The usage of slang within a group setting can make people feel a sense of community or belonging, hence the formation of “in-groups.” In-groups, as defined by the Searle Center for Advancing Learning & Teaching, are groups usually defined by some physical, social or mental characteristics. In order to be a part of these “in-groups,” not only does an individual need to possess one of these traits, but they must be able to share the common vernacular of the group. The way each group speaks may convey a different message. According to linguist Penelope Ekert, “[this] vernacular English can signal coolness, toughness or attitude.”

Slang acts as a social identity marker. Individuals who say the right things are automatically accepted, while others who use outdated terms run the risk of being marked as uncool.

“I think slang is a necessary part of our language,” said Eli Keith, a junior English major. “It’s how we relate to each other … using slang in everyday conversations has become normal to me.”

Often, words and expressions shift in and out of popular use gradually, without much notice. Research done by Rachel Rosenberg, for example, shows

the way “yeah” and “yes” have made way for “yessssss” and “yaaaaas.” Or how “As if!” becomes “I can’t even.”

“I’ve noticed that slang changes pretty quickly,” said junior historic preservation major Nina Sacco.

“Different words become popular at different times, so it’s pretty obvious that you are out of touch if you use outdated slang.”

Paul Fallon, an assistant professor in UMW’s Linguistics Department, suggests that it is not uncommon for terms to suddenly decline in popularity.

“We lose interest in a word, or it becomes outdated, passé,” Fallon said.

“For example, YOLO. Its popularity skyrocketed in maybe 2009 and lasted a good decade, but that’s a term I have hardly heard in the last year or two.”

Oftentimes, young adults are ultimately held responsible or blamed for the changing linguistic standards. In an interview, actress Emma Thompson condemned slang and filler words as “sloppy language,” saying that “young people make themselves sound stupid by speaking slang.”

In her publication, The Life of Slang, Julie Coleman pointed out that “there has always been tension between slang and standard English between the older and younger generations.”

Fallon noted this tension as well.

“While it is true slang more often

originates with people younger than young adults,” said Fallon, “younger generations have been blamed for language change for millennia. While age is important to consider, there are other important factors involved in propelling slang and vernacular.”

While age does play a role in our vernacular, the language we tend to use and the changes we see over time has more to do with one’s personality, presentation of self and social standing rather than with age.

Furthermore, the tendency for older adults to criticize younger generations for how language changes can actually be viewed as their own way of establishing their identity or staking a space in a social group.

Lexicographer Kory Stamper points out that much of today’s slang has older and more venerable roots than most people realize. Stamper wrote, “Take ‘swag.’ Swag refers to a sense of confidence and style. Swag sounds newer, but the informal use goes way back.

It’s generally taken to be a shortened form of the verb ‘swagger,’ which was used to denote a certain insolent cockiness by William Shakespeare, O.G.” Linguistic changes can’t be stopped in any sort of deliberate way. It is time to understand that culture doesn’t just trump language rules, it creates them, then destroys them and creates new ones again.

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LIFE

Editor: Josephine Good | blueandgray.life@gmail.com

Photo essay: Creating your own dishes from places in the UC JENNY THOMPSON Staff Photographer

As the school year progresses, students may find themselves falling victim to the cyclical patterns of food the UC serves. Instead of accepting this trend for what it is, some students choose to spice up their everyday meals. By choosing creativity and utilizing the food provided from each station, one can find that it isn’t too tricky to craft meals that better satisfy you and your needs.

When creating these hodge-podge meals myself, I found it entertaining to see how I could effectively manipulate what the UC was serving over the course of those days. Personally, this experience seemed to open a door of possibility for when I come to dine in the cafeteria and nothing seems particularly appetizing. Although it can be a hassle, and admittedly time-consuming, by only taking certain items from multiple places around the UC I seemed to ultimately appreciate the meal more.

Collection of a toasted plain bagel and an omelette, paired with hash browns and two sausage patties Jenny Thompson / The Blue & Gray Press

This dish is created with a base of chips and nacho cheese, topped with sour cream, cheese, chicken, tomatoes, corn and jalapenos. Unlike other stations at the UC, Serrano provides the same options every day, so this dish could be very useful in bringing versatility to the station.

Jenny Thompson / The Blue & Gray Press

Completed breakfast sandwich incorporating previous ingredients.

Jenny Thompson / The Blue & Gray Press The final product results in a plate of loaded nachos all made from the station, Serrano.

Jenny Thompson / The Blue & Gray Press

Here I adapted a chicken patty found from the Campus Grill to be paired with a self-made waffle Jenny Thompson / The Blue & Gray Press

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When assembled, this merges into the fan favorite dish: chicken and waffles.

Jenny Thompson / The Blue & Gray Press

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LIFE

“Ego is the Enemy” addresses how to get past the fear of failure

MATTHEW SIMMONS Senior Writer

After years of running in the opposite direction of self-help books, I finally decided to get past my dislike of the genre and give them another try. My welcome back into this world was sparked by “Ego is The Enemy” by Ryan Holiday. Released in 2016, the short title covers what the ego is all about, how it affects us and what we can do to cut down on its destructive behavior.

Sharing recent accomplishments, small business successes and the overworking aesthetic has created a mirror for others to look into and reflect on themselves.

My distaste for self-help books was not the result of just one unfavorable title, but rather a culmination of many. When thinking about why, the answer became clear: why is this random person telling me how to live my life, and what qualifications do they possess to write a self-help novel to aid others in their interpersonal dilemmas? Tones that reflected know-it-all attitudes and the “it’s this simple” concepts left a poor taste in my mouth.

This is why the beginning of “Ego is The Enemy” caught me by surprise. Holiday includes an author’s note that cuts straight to the point regarding his intentions with what would be found in each chapter of the book. Although highly accomplished, the young writer acknowledges that he does not know everything and has no plan to make it seem like he does. Rather, he describes the book as a result of the desperation he felt for a book like this to be in existence when he was younger.

It is a subtle, but necessary acknowledgment that sets the tone for the rest of the short novel.

Spanning just under two hundred pages, the book does not spend too much time on irrelevant topics. It is broken into three sections: aspire, success and failure, each described as the current state of everyone on earth.

Here, he describes the specifics of each and how they impact our daily lives, as well as our relationships with each other.

As hustle culture continues to grow, so does the desperation that many face surrounding their future and what that can entail. Working hard each day to achieve

some goal or dream can be exhausting. As a result of this, individuals place even more emphasis on reaching their goals, fearing that they may not achieve them after years of hard work and pressure from both themselves and other exterior forces. Not only has hustle culture grown, but so has the comfortability online users have in sharing details about their lives through social media. Sharing recent accomplishments, small business successes and the overworking aesthetic has created a mirror for others to look into and reflect onto themselves. This is quite the force against eliminating the ego because not only are you working hard to impress yourself but also a community of users online.

Throughout the novel, Holiday recounts the downfall of those who let their ego get the best of them. Alongside this, he highlights moments when people gained control over their ego and reached a level of success beyond their dreams.

Rooting within each of these success stories is the drive and focus to do things purposefully.

It seems that purpose is the greatest component in combating the ego from taking over. Holiday reminds us that if we have good intentions and are working with purpose rather than aimlessly, we can go beyond what we thought we could do and achieve bigger and better things. He teaches that we must put action to our words and not let them remain on paper.

“ H

Holiday discusses how to move past your ego to achieve your goals.

Matthew Simmons / The Blue & Gray Press

Moving forward, I hope to apply some of these practices and more from the book into my daily life, where I will hopefully let my interests and purpose take control over my bitter and conceited ego.

I think this book came at the perfect time in my life.

I feel as though I have been on autopilot ever since I started my journey with college, with the constant goals of working hard to earn a grade, to be rewarded with a degree and to get a job doing who knows what. Each completed assignment has been an end goal that exists at the other end of a long line. We have been conditioned that receiving good grades and moving to the

next objective is the most efficient way to reach the dreams we are all gearing towards. Of course, there is truth to this method, and that’s why it is our most traveled path. Holiday pushes readers to think about how often we do things just because we want to do well and not because there might be a golden ticket at the end of the course.

Although I am still not the biggest fan of self-help books, Holiday produced a great novel regarding the self that I can say I greatly appreciate. Moving forward, I hope to apply some of these practices and more from the book into my daily life, where I will hopefully let my interests and purpose take control before my bitter and conceited ego.

Personal essay: Coping with loss throughout the holidays KAITLIN SMYTH Staff Writer

For many people, the holidays are known to be the most joyous time of the year where families gather together and recreate traditions. For me, the holidays are just difficult.

My father and I made our homemade sugar cookies the day after Thanksgiving for many years to celebrate that Christmas is near. This simple tradition has always sparked joy in my heart and I always treasured this, as it was my favorite childhood holiday memory.

Unfortunately, during the Thanksgiving of 2016, part of my heart was missing the joy that I shared with my father, as he passed away due to stage IV cancer in June of that year. For months after my father’s death, I stared at his empty seat in my family’s dining room, with silence wrapping around our home that was once bundled with happiness. Holidays were no longer the same without my father.

As I scrolled through Instagram and Snapchat stories during the holidays, I saw many of my friends joyfully smiling with their families. My mind was wrapped around social media during the holidays as jealousy started to overcome my heart.

My father and I had shared a passion for journaling; there were many Starbucks trips where we sat and journaled for hours. I had always looked up to my father and wanted to be just like him. Seeing him smile as he wrote in his journals warmed my heart. One day, while we were journaling together, he said that I could read his journals when he passes away. However, once he lost his battle to cancer, I stared at his journals at night wanting to feel close to him again, but I never had the courage to open them. At that point in my life, I had quit journaling because it was

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one of the many fond memories that I had with my father, and I felt like I could only share it with him.

During my time at the University of Mary Washington, I had meetings with Gwen Hale, as I was a first-generation college student and she was the director of the First-in-Family Program. She suggested that journaling may help me cope with my father’s death. Initially, I was very anxious, and I spent weeks pondering if I should journal again. During the Thanksgiving of 2019, I longed to hear my dad’s voice. I finally had the courage to open his

Writing letters is one way to help you cope with loss throughout the holiday season.

Jan Kahánek / Unsplash

journals, and I was completely amazed.

There were many journal entries where he wrote about my mother and me. One of my favorites was from the Thanksgiving before he was diagnosed with cancer, in which he wrote that he was extremely lucky to have my mother and me; we were his world. For many years, I had wondered why my father always smiled when he wrote in

his journal, but in this moment, I found that my mother and I gave him great joy and that he always loved to look back at these memories.

After many years I decided to create my own holiday tradition. I made a commitment to write letters to my father once a week throughout November and December. In my letters, I tell my father anything exciting that happened throughout the week, knowing he would be beaming with the happiest smile. I write pages of letters telling him exactly how I feel during the holiday season. Writing letters to my father makes me feel safe because I know that, if he were here, he would quickly give me a tight hug and tell me that everything will be okay.

This new holiday tradition helped me immensely during the holidays when it came to coping with my father’s passing. Losing a parent at a young age can take a toll on childhood development. Watching my father’s health decline as his cancer progressively worsened caused me to lose my own identity. A straight-A student-athlete turned into a student who quit the sport that she loved and started to struggle in academics. There were many holidays after my father’s death where I looked in the mirror and didn’t even recognize myself. The bubbly, happy girl that everyone knew and watched grow up was no longer there.

After the holiday season, I realized that journaling can heal the soul and learned that healing is not a straight road to happiness. However, writing letters to my father during this time of year led me to discover myself again. I know that the bond my father and I had kept me going through many obstacles throughout my childhood. Reconnecting with my father through letters helped bring some sense of our bond back.

5

Staff Ed: Renaming the B&G

Editor: Norah Walsh | blueandgray.views@gmail.com

THE BLUE & GRAY PRESS EDITORIAL BOARD

Bell towers throughout history have served as means of unification, information-sharing, protest and celebration. Ringing at noon and 6 p.m., the Bell Tower on our campus is a frequent meeting place, reminder of the time, recognizable landmark and part of UMW’s identity.

With that in mind, the editorial staff voted on Nov. 7 to change our name from The Blue & Gray Press to The Weekly Ringer, effective Jan. 1, 2022. This decision was not taken lightly, as we always aim to best represent and uplift the voices of the student body.

With this new name will come a redesigned print layout and website. These changes will be implemented in time for our newspaper’s centennial edition on Jan. 20, 2022. Although our name will change, our commitment to journalistic integrity will not waver.

From now until Dec. 1, 2021, we will be holding a graphic design contest where UMW students, faculty, staff and alumni are encouraged to submit digital artwork or a logo of the Bell Tower. We are in search of a graphic, preferably in color, with a length between 1.5 and 2 inches and a height of 2 inches. This artwork will be featured in the masthead of our print edition and our new t-shirts.

We would love to highlight the hard work and talent of our community members in doing so. The artist whose work is selected will receive a free t-shirt featuring their design, and they will be credited our print edition. Those interested may email submissions to blueandgray.eic@gmail.com.

According to UMW’s website, the Bell Tower, officially named the Carmen Culpeper Chappell Centennial Campanile, was completed in 2007 in memory of Mary Washington College graduate Carmen Culpeper Chappell. The Bell Tower also commemorated 100 years of the university’s existence, as Mary Washington College was founded in 1908. Just as the Centennial Campanile represented the university’s 100-year history, the landmark will allow us to celebrate 100 years of student journalism at UMW. The Blue & Gray Press was formerly named The Bullet since the newspaper’s inception in 1922. In 2014, the editorial board decided to rename and revamp the newspaper, selecting The Blue & Gray Press as the new name for three reasons: “as an homage to the UMW school colors (blue and gray), the proximity to the Blue and Gray Parkway and to honor the rich Civil War heritage of Fredericksburg,” according to our style book.

While we acknowledge that the Civil War is ingrained in Fredericksburg’s history, we do not feel the need to embody that history in the name of our newspaper.

We chose to connect our new name to the Bell Tower because it is a unifying structure that all students, faculty and staff can relate to.

Our new name, The Weekly Ringer, honors UMW’s campus and identity, as well as our own identity as a weekly newspaper. As we ring in this new era of student journalism at UMW, we aim to embody the role of bell towers through our writing: to unify, protest, celebrate and, most importantly, inform.

This staff editorial was led by Jess Kirby.

Thursday, November 11, 2021

6

NEWS

CRIME COLUMN UMW Police, students, faculty and staff to JOSEPHINE JOHNSON & SCOTTI MULLEN News Editors

Possession of Marijuana On Oct. 26 at 3:10 p.m., there was a case of possession of marijuana at Jefferson Hall. This case is pending.

On Nov. 2 at 8:00 p.m., there was a case of possession of marijuana at Eagle Landing. This case is pending.

Underage Possession of Alcohol On Oct. 31 at 1:17 a.m., there was a case of underage possession of alcohol at Jepson Science Center. This case is pending.

Assault On Nov. 3 at 11:15 a.m., there was a case of assault at Randolph Hall. This case is pending.

work together on Campus Advisory Board

reasons why she believes the university needs to strengthen its commitment to community policing.

“The reason the Police Community Advisory Panel was formed was because of the protests that happened and the way the campus police, as well as the local police, dealt with it,” she said.

“So I think that the safety, as well as the way that students feel towards the police, has shown that there needs to be strengthening on that front.”

Sterling Barbett, a senior theatre and communication and digital studies double major and president of the Asian Student Association, is optimistic that the CAB will benefit students, but he is still unsure of the direction that the Board is heading towards.

“Ms. Joanna Raucci has said that her presence on the Board is to help students be heard, and

•CAB | 1

to know that there is faculty that represents students, in addition to students representing other students, is very empowering,” said Barbett.

“So I think that the safety, as well as the way that students feel towards the police, has shown that there needs to be strengthening on that front.”

-Nahjah Wilson “However, I don’t know specifically how it will benefit students, even after reading the material, for I cannot fathom what the outcomes may look like,” he continued. “I feel like myself and many others on campus are unaware of these pushes for change, and therefore do not notice any visible progress or outcomes even with the hard work that has been done.”

Junior political science major Joey Zeldin, the SGA community relations committee chair and 2023 senator, shared his opinions regarding the formation of the Board.

“From my personal experience, I think that the university may have spoken a bit louder than their actions,” said Zeldin. “That isn’t to say the university had negative or bad intentions; however, the dispersal of UMW Police force into the Fredericksburg Police force temporarily during the riots came as a shock to students.

While it was a part of the UMW Police’s code, it made me think ‘Well, what else would the police officers I know at Brent House have to do in service to the Fredericksburg police?’

It broke my heart to see UMW’s own force having to push back on students, one of which was my old roommate.”

However, Zeldin believes that the UMW Police have been doing

a great job in other areas, such as the Eagle Patrols.

“I know the Eagle Patrols have helped my friends get home safely in various scenarios, and I would love to see more work done to expand that program,” he said.

Zeldin has mixed feelings about the Board.

“I’m conflicted with it, but I believe that it will support and benefit students,” he said. “I think on one hand, it can’t necessarily fix every single problem that students are having with the police force, especially the agreement between UMW PD and FXBG PD.”

“From my personal experience, I think that the university may have spoken a bit louder than their actions.”

-Joey Zeldin Nonetheless, Zeldin still believes that people

who are on the CAB are capable of making the right decisions.

“I look at members like Joanna Raucci and Dr. [Danny] Tweedy, who have poured their heart and souls into this community, and Nahjah Wilson, a student who is dedicated to the cause. I am more than confident in their ideas and decisions that will go on to benefit students,” he said.

He believes that UMW is on the right track by establishing the Board to make the community’s well-being a priority.

“Holding everyone accountable, especially those in power, is the first step in getting anywhere,” he said.

“It’s important we all step into the spotlight, understand where we went right and where we went wrong. Only then can we … promote an environment that truly values diversity and inclusion and start to have discussions about our values.”

UMW professor analyzes election results focus on what the Democrats have done and can do, McAuliffe might have been able to get higher turnout among younger voters and African Americans, two groups that are very Democratic in their loyalties.”

An article from NBC explains that, in his first 100 days as governor, Youngkin plans on “eliminating the grocery tax and suspending the gas tax for one year, expanding charter McAuliffe made mistakes in debates, according to professor schools and reforming curriculum.”

He explained these policy initiatives at Stephen Farnsworth. Sydney Hall / The Blue & Gray Press Party would win. Climate change is a an event commemorating the 246 year big issue that affects everyone, and all anniversary of the Marine Corps. the meaningful progress towards better Husna Shinwari, a sophomore environmental policy comes from the chemistry major, said that her biggest Democratic Party. The Republican Party concern with the results was about climate does not do anything new or better for change policy. climate change.”

“This election was definitely a Sarah Khalil, a senior biology surprising one, at least for me,” said major, voiced that too much misleading Shinwari. “I really hoped the Democratic

•ELECTION | 1

information regarding the candidates was spread on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. As a result, finding correct information about each candidate’s platform became harder for Khalil to do.

“There is a lot of confusing information out there, and it is very difficult to choose the best candidate to vote for,” said Khalil.

Some students were happy about the victory and excited for the Republican candidates winning.

“Cutting costs for all Virginians makes me relieved and hopeful that Youngkin understands how prices have gone up and not down,” said Aziza Alikhail, a senior biomedical sciences major. “He also mentioned creating great universities and [creating] thousands of jobs. It just feels like everything is coming together after slowly recovering from COVID, I am finally hopeful for the future. I am happy Youngkin is the Virginia governor.”

COVID DASHBOARD

Vehicle Theft

0.42

Between Nov. 4 and 5 at 5 p.m., there was a case of vehicle theft at the physical plant. This case is pending.

88

Total cases since Nov. 9, 2021

5

Active cases

7-day average cases per day

598

Student health center tests

22

38 of 38

Isolation spaces available

82 of 82

Quarantine spaces available

Positive student health center tests

Thursday, November 11, 2021

7

SPORTS

Editor: Victoria R. Percherke | blueandgray.sports@gmail.com

Men’s soccer concludes a winning fall season HANNAH BUCK Heading into the Coast-to-Coast Athletic With 14 minutes and 33 seconds left in Staff Writer Conference, the University of Mary regulation, CNU claimed the eventual gameWashington men’s soccer team ranked in winning goal. Senior marketing major and the No. 2 seed facing University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (No. goalkeeper Ken Kurtz was unable to save the shot made by his 3 seed) at home on Friday, Nov. 5 and Christopher Newport CNU opponent.

University (No. 1 seed) at home on Saturday, Nov. 6. The Eagles The men’s varsity team fought hard during the last few beat Wisconsin-Whitewater 2-1 in the semi-finals but lost against minutes, but they were not able to get the shot they needed to tie Christopher Newport 2-1 in the championships. Following this up the score again. loss, the men’s varsity soccer team’s 2021 season came to a close Overall, the Eagles led in number of shots (15-8) and each team with a 9-6-2 record. took four corner kicks. The team’s varsity goalkeeper, Kurtz, made “I thought we worked harder; I thought we played better, but three saves for the Eagles. that’s just how the game goes,” said freshman political science In reference to the team’s attempted goals against CNU, Berg major and forward Carter Berg. “Looking forward, we have a said, “If there’s one funny bounce on the ball ... we hit the post a young team. We have a huge freshman and sophomore class, so couple of times. That’s just how the game goes.” we look to keep going from there.”

Previously, the Eagles had lost to the University of Virginia and The varsity men’s soccer team was down by one point Salisbury University 2-0 and 2-1 in overtime, respectively. throughout most of the first half of Game 4 against WinsconsinIn the stands, Carroll Jordan, an Eagles supporter, shared her Whitewater, but the UMW defense kept the score at 1-0. Just thoughts on the Eagles’ competition during halftime. before halftime, freshman back Kevin Sprince assisted senior “Christopher Newport has won before, so it’s going to be a forward Jeremy Hokenson, who tied the score for the Eagles. The tough game,” said Jordan. “And you know both teams definitely team held their efforts defensively, bringing the game into double want to win because it’s for the championship.” overtime. After many chances during the second half and first Jordan’s grandson, Dmitri Jordan, is a sophomore and back for overtime, the team finally pulled through with a goal in double the team. overtime, winning 2-1.

In 2019, the Eagles won the Capital Athletic Conference The team’s 2-1 victory against Wisconsin-Whitewater on Championships on CNU’s home turf. This year, their season has Friday propelled them to Saturday’s championship game against come to a close as Coast-to-Coast finalists.

CNU. The Eagles did not receive an at-large bid on Monday, Nov. 8 When asked what the team lacked during these games, junior for the NCAA Tournament games. The NCAA first round games business administration major and forward Josh Kirkland said, begin Friday, Nov. 12. at 2 p.m.

“I think goal scoring was definitely a thing against Salisbury and UVA. It was definitely a little harder against UVA just because they’re a lot bigger than us. They have more money to put towards the soccer program, [and] better recruiting.”

In reference to scoring goals against Salisbury, Kirkland said they dominated the game in terms of shooting, but fell short when it came to scoring.

“We dominated the whole game. I think we outshot them 12-3,” said Kirkland.

Saturday’s game against CNU was intense from the start, as each team scored within the first eight minutes of play. Kirkland opened the scoring for the Eagles with an unassisted goal at five minutes and 34 seconds, knocking the ball through traffic and inside the far right post, giving UMW the lead.

CNU answered less than two minutes after UMW’s opening Jacob Kautzman after scoring a goal.

UMW Athletics goal. The game remained tied well into the second half.

University of Mary Washington Fall Sports Schedule and Scores

Women’s Basketball (1-0)

Nov. 8 W vs. Lynchburg (66-7) Nov. 13 @ Wesleyan @ Selinsgrove, PA Nov. 14 @ TBA Selinsgrove, PA Nov. 20 @ Meredith @ Virginia Beach, VA Nov. 21 @ N.C. Wesleyan @ Virginia Beach, VA Nov. 23 @ Washington & Lee Nov. 29 vs. Randolph-Macon

Men’s Basketball (1-1)

Nov. 6 W vs. Mt. Aloysius (78-66) Nov. 7 L @ Penn St. Harrisburg (64-75) Nov. 10 L @ Randolph-Macon (53-57) Nov. 12 vs. N.C. Wesleyan Nov. 13 vs. Bridgewater (Va.) Nov. 19 vs. Lynchburg Nov. 22 @ Randolph

Women’s basketball beat Lynchburg 66-57 HANNA BJARNASON

The University of Mary Washington’s Emily Shively. The Eagles came out of the Staff Writer women’s basketball team kicked off their second quarter with a slight lead of 37-32. season with a 66-57 victory against the University of Lynchburg The Eagles and Hornets stayed neck-in-neck throughout the Hornets at home on Monday, Nov. 8. third quarter with a lead of 49-43, with more 3-pointers from “Honestly, everything about the season starting is exciting for Baxter. me from being able to consistently practice as a team to finally The game ended in a victory for the Eagles with a score of 66being able to have fans in the stands,” said sophomore elementary 57, following four 3-pointers, two of which were made by guard education major and guard Keagan Schwab. “This season is going Ashley Martin. There were notable performances from forward to be a lot of fun.”

Tory Martin, who scored 13 points, guard Megan Throughout the first quarter, the ball was constantly being “I believe that we have taken back and forth down the court, and the Eagles’ supporters in Baxter (12 points) and great chemistry on the Schwab (12 points). the bleachers were rarely silent. The Eagles impressed the crowd team and we could really “As a team, I felt with 3-pointers made by guard Megan Baxter and forward Tory go far this year if we keep that we all played well Martin. As the first quarter concluded, the Eagles came out on top together,” said senior with a score of 21-17. improving.” biomedical sciences major The second quarter kept fans on the edge of their seats, with Bri Harper. “I believe that UMW scoring 16 points to the Hornets’ 15 points. The energy -Bri Harper we have great chemistry remained high as the offensive players continued to dominate, on the team and we could with two 3-pointers scored by Schwab and one scored by guard really go far this year if we keep improving.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly compromised many aspects of teams’ seasons throughout its duration, fans begin to reoccupy the stands in support of our beloved athletes.

Kayla Zamiska, a junior business administration major, was thrilled to be watching Eagles basketball again.

“It was nice to be back in the stands supporting a team,” Zamiska said. “I enjoy supporting my peers, and I am looking forward to attending more events this year.”

Many of the players said they were optimistic about the remainder of the season.

“I think this season will be exciting and highly energetic. We have an awesome group of players who can make it a special and successful season,” said Schwab.

The women’s basketball team’s next game is in Selinsgrove, Pa. for the Susquehanna University Tip-Off Tournament on Nov. The Eagles held a 40-34 rebounding advantage against Lynchburg.

13 and 14.

Thursday, November 11, 2021

Swimming (5-1)

Nov. 6 L @ Franklin & Marshall (51-211) Nov. 6 W @ York (167-94) Nov. 12 @ St. Mary’s (Md.) Nov. 19 @ F&M Invitational Nov. 20 @ F&M Invitational Nov. 21 @ F&M Invitational Jan. 8 @ St. Petersburg Relay Invitational @ St. Petersburg, Fla.

Cross Country

Nov. 20 @ NCAA Regionals

Equestrian

Nov. 20 @ Randolph-Macon Show

Games are available to watch via livestream on the UMW Athletic’s webpage Schedule not listed above.

Bold indicates home game.

UMW Athletics

8