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The University of Mary Washington Student Newspaper Serving the community since 1922

Ringer

VOLUME 95 | ISSUE 15

FEBRUARY 3, 2022

As in-person dining returns, Top of the UC faces continuing staff shortages and food supply chain issues

person dining, regular plates and utensils have returned to the Top of the UC after disposable ones were used last semester due to staff shortages, as reported in The Weekly Ringer.

jean mondoro Senior Writer Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, UMW’s dining policies have been ever-changing and, at times, confusing to students. While UMW Dining continues to face supply chain issues and staff shortages, new changes, like the reinstatement of in-person dining and the return of reusable plates and utensils at the Top of the UC, have been met favorably by many students.

“I thoroughly enjoy being able to eat in a place other than where I sleep and work so overall, I am very happy with the new policy.”

-Garrett Welch Since Jan. 24, every campus dining location switched from grab-and-go only dining to offering both in-person and takeout options. The grab-and-go only option, which began in the fall 2020 semester to limit the spread of COVID-19 between students, was lifted during the fall 2021 semester and reinstated for the beginning of spring 2022.

“All of us in University Dining are excited that we are now able to offer

“All of us in University Dining are excited that we are now able to offer everyone both dine-in and take-out service options in all of our campus restaurants!”

-David Schneider

After facing food and staff shortages, university dining is able to offer dine-in options and some students are excited to be back in person.

Kenya Carter / The Weekly Ringer

everyone both dine-in and take-out service options in all of our campus restaurants!” said David Schneider, the general manager of University Dining, in an email. “The majority of what we do is ‘back to normal.’”

However, Schneider said that UMW Dining is still facing “large supply chain challenges.”

“Because of that, our guests may experience last minute menu changes or shortage of menu items,” he said. “Our chefs and culinary team work very hard to keep those at a minimum and have done

an excellent job navigating through the interruptions.”

On top of supply chain issues, UMW Dining is also short staffed, and Schneider emphasized the need for student employees.

“We have labor shortages that impose additional strain and stress on the teams,” said Schneider. “As we hire new team members, we will continue to expand our dining offerings. With that, we need more student workers.”

Along with the reinstatement of in-

For students utilizing the grab-andgo option, disposable take-out boxes may be used for the time being, but could become unavailable due to supply chain limitations of the ongoing pandemic.

Another take-out option is a program titled “Choose to Reuse,” which provides reusable containers for students who consistently take their meals to-go.

When asked about the changes in the UC, freshman Kathleen De Marcellus commented on the return of reusable plates and silverware. “I think that’s an improvement,” she said.

The return of the in-person dining option has been well-received by many students.

SEE DINING PAGE 2

Ukraine-Russia conflict sparks discussion in political science and international relations classes GRACE SchUMACHER Senior Writer Jason Davidson, professor of political science and international affairs at the University of Mary Washington, is watching the escalating tension between Russia and Ukraine. So are his students.

Within the political science and international affairs department, the goal is to provide students with a broad knowledge of the contemporary international system as well as to examine international affairs from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. As an instructor of the courses Introduction to International Relations and Security and Conflict, Davidson sees the rapidly changing developments as a topic for class discussion.

“Perhaps the two most important prior events,” said Davidson, “were the 2008 Bucharest Declaration, wherein NATO members made a public statement that Ukraine would join NATO someday, and Russia’s 2014 military intervention in Ukraine and annexation of Crimea.”

Acknowledging the history between these two countries is vital to understanding these current events. A key player in this conflict is Russia’s President, Vladimir V. Putin, who has a long record of military activism.

INSIDE THE

RINGER

News | 2

Campus dining returns to in-person eating option.

“He is looking to increase Russia’s prestige and reestablish a sphere of influence in Eastern Europe, as well as reinforce his domestic political position,” said Davidson.

This past month, Russia has steadily increased its military presence along the Ukrainian border, bolstering fears of an attack. Close to 1,000 troops have been assembled, according to the New York Times, which have worked to escalate apprehensions that a repeat of the 2014 Russian invasion could occur again.

The Russian government, according to an article from CNN, has also listed a series of grievances and made a series of demands, including that Ukraine never be allowed to enter the NATO alliance.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently held further diplomatic consultations in both Ukraine and Germany, according to an article from NPR. He met on Friday, Jan. 21 with the Russian foreign minister in Geneva.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration said it is providing an additional $200 million in defensive military aid to the country amid increasing fears of a Russian attack.

These current events also translate into Davidson’s coursework and class discussions.

“I’ve discussed the crisis with students in both my Intro. to International Relations (PSCI 102) and Security and

Opinion | 3 Executive orders impose politics within schools.

Professor Jason Davidson is using the conflict as a teaching lesson to show students a real life example of International Affairs.

Artem Kniaz / Unsplash

Conflict (PSCI 387) classes,” said Davidson. The students appear divided in their opinions. As a requirement of his PSCI 387 course, Davidson has his students create blog posts about the crisis.

“My Intro class significantly favored U.S. military action to prevent the invasion of Ukraine,” said Davidson.

Life | 5

COVID causes students to consider early graduation.

SEE UKRAINE PAGE 2

Sports | 8

Tennis hosts first scrimmage Saturday Feb. 5.

News

Thursday, February 3, 2022

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Page 2

Changed restrictions allow indoor eating at different university dining options

FROM DINING PAGE 1

“I thoroughly enjoy being able to eat in a place other than where I sleep and work so overall, I am very happy with the new policy,” said sophomore history major Garrett Welch.

Although many students are welcoming the new policies, some have experienced miscommunications about the changes.

“I didn’t even know that the UC had reopened for indoor dining until a few days ago,” said Emily Hemphill, a sophomore political science major. “My friends and I still weren’t sure if we could do take-out or if all the options were all open.”

“I think right now it’s pretty good.

Anything is better than to-go or eating out in the cold or by yourself.”

-Emily Hemphill Welch has also experienced some confusion about dining policies.

“I saw many students eating inside the UC every day,” said Welch. “One of the things that wasn’t communicated very well to the students was the policy for eating inside campus buildings. This issue was less prominent in [Woodard] at Eagle’s Nest, but there was definitely an issue in the UC.” Throughout the pandemic, Virginia universities have been implementing different ways for students to get food

Silverware returns to the fourth floor University Center after previously having single-use options only.

Kenya Carter / The Weekly Ringer

without the need to sit and eat in a dining hall. James Madison University uses Starship robots for food delivery on campus.

The University of Virginia utilized its own delivery system, Good Uncle, to provide meals to students. While inperson dining is now permitted at a limited capacity, they also have an option for students to pre-order using Grubhub and pick up take-out meals. UVA also advertises retail and food trucks which accept student meal plan payments.

At UMW, there are many students who have not known the university dining experience pre-COVID. Hemphill, a sophomore, recalled the feeling of isolation which she experienced when dining locations were take-out only.

“That was terrible,” she said about the outdoor seating option during 2020. “You’d be

sitting out in the freezing cold trying to eat. Last year was definitely the worst, but last semester was eye-opening for me because I had never eaten inside [the UC] before.”

“I feel I can speak for the entire dining team when I say this, we love having the students dining with us in all dining locations.”

-David Schneider Welch, who has been a student at UMW since the fall 2020 semester, has only experienced dining during COVID. “I actually started attending this school in the fall 2020

semester so I’ve only ever known the COVID protocols,” said Welch. “I will say it has been a process, adjusting to new styles of dining, but overall I’m just happy to be able to eat indoors at all at this point!”

When asked what further progress should be made on the dining situation, Hemphill said, “I think it’s just hard to know what is normal. I think right now it’s pretty good. Anything is better than to-go or eating out in the cold or by yourself.

So, I’ll take it.”

Despite all of the challenges, Schneider enjoys having inperson dining.

“I feel I can speak for the entire dining team when I say this,” said Schneider, “we love having the students dining with us in all dining locations.”

Russian government threatens to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO

FROM UKRAINE PAGE 1 “Interestingly, in my Security and Conflict studies class, I was surprised that they saw the crisis as being driven

by Russia’s sincere security concerns.”

“The RussiaUkraine conflict has provided realworld examples for core concepts and theories being taught.”

-Atlan Murray Altan Murray, a sophomore political science major in Davidson’s Security and Conflict Studies course,

said that he is able to apply the concepts he is being taught in class to the ongoing crisis.

“The RussiaUkraine conflict has provided current real-world examples for core concepts and theories being taught,” said Murray.

“It’s been fascinating learning about IR and security during such an unpredictable situation.”

Real-life issues and current events give students a different perspective than their textbooks. Murray is encouraged to express his opinions freely in Davidson’s course as well as debate with other students about the topic of U.S. involvement.

“I think the U.S. needs to try to resolve this

issue diplomatically and avoid military conflict as best as they can,” said Murray. “The U.S. should impose harsh sanctions on Russia if they move troops into Ukraine, but there is significant evidence that suggests sanctions are ineffective, so it’s difficult to know how that will impact Russian actions.”

Students of David Hamon, a professor in the political science and international affairs department, are also taking interest in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

“This issue has sparked lively discussion,” said Hamon.

“There is much interest in what’s happening with the crisis.

Students are interested

in understanding the conflict and understanding Putin’s motivations.”

“My classes begin with a general discussion on current events, and the Ukrainian crisis has dominated the conversation.”

-David Hamon In his American Foreign Policy course, the goal is to investigate problems facing the U.S. in its search for national security and international stability.

“My classes begin with a general discussion on current events,” said Hamon, “and the Ukrainian crisis has dominated the conversation.”

Eleanor Haas, a senior cybersecurity major, is a student in Hamon’s American Foreign Policy course.

“We talk a lot about what’s going on in Ukraine with our current events,” said Haas. “So far a lot of our time has been talking about the causes of the crisis, how the U.S. and NATO have handled it so far, as well as what we think they should do next. We all have a lot of different ideas on why it’s happening, so there’s a lot of debate.”

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Opinion

Page 3

Youngkin’s executive orders use the education system as a means to promote a political agenda

Matthew nelson Staff Writer

On Jan. 15, 2022, the same day as his inauguration, Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed two executive orders regarding Virginia public education, which banned the use of critical race theory and gave parents more control over mask mandates in school systems respectively. These executive orders have created an environment where the government is taking expertise away from educators for the sake of their own political agenda, which negatively affects teachers’ ability to do their jobs.

The two executive orders were part of nine orders Youngkin signed to complete his campaign promises. The first order ended the use of “inherently divisive concepts” in schools, specifically identifying critical race theory as a topic to be excluded from curricula going forward.

The second gave parents more control over whether their children wear masks by prohibiting school systems from setting mask requirements in regard to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Youngkin summarized these measures as “removing politics from the classroom.”

“I just feel like everything is really politically motivated and not motivated for the betterment of students’ education,” said Chloe Wade, a master’s student in the five-year education program who teaches art in Stafford County.

Last November, critical race theory in particular played a pivotal role in the results of the gubernatorial election.

Although it is not a part of American K-12 education, it was weaponized by many Republican platforms as a campaign tactic to prey on suburban parents’ fears. In an interview with Fox News, Youngkin said he hoped removing it from public education would improve the quality of history classes and how students understand American history.

The intention to prevent any “inherently divisive concepts” from education will halt any progress regarding the learning of racial history in the U.S. “Critical race theory is not in the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs), which determine what teachers in the state of Virginia are required to teach their students in different grade levels and content areas,” said Melissa Wells, an assistant professor in the College of Education.

“I believe that as teachers we are responsible for helping students develop their critical thinking skills, which means we have to approach topics from multiple perspectives. These exact critical thinking skills are vital to the future of democracy.”

Maddy Kidwell, a senior history major in the five-year

elementary education program, disagrees that critical race theory is a divisive tactic and thinks that current curricula should be altered for more veracity.

“I definitely feel like they sugarcoat a lot of history in the curriculum, so I definitely feel like I would try to bring more honesty to it,” she said.

Wade agreed, adding that the language of “inherently divisive concepts” opened the door for restrictions on how teachers instruct many different topics.

“I just feel like everything is really politically motivated and not motivated for the betterment of students’ education.”

-Chloe Wade

why teachers and school boards make the decisions they make,” Kidwell said.

Will Carpenter, a public school teacher in Washington, D.C. who received his master’s in education from UMW, agreed that he didn’t want parents to be completely separated from education but that the current political climate undermines the professional training teachers undergo.

“Ignoring [non-educators] isn’t right, but it just makes me sad that people who don’t spend their entire days in schools use school policies as a way to gain political power,” said Carpenter.

Wade added that students’ adherence to mask policies is reassuring, but she still feels nervous about the potential of Stafford County changing mask policies. “I really hope that the mask mandate stays in place … I see 600 students in a week, and that’s a lot of rotation in the classroom,” she said.

Parents having greater control over whether or not their children have to wear masks creates an environment where teachers have to put their health at risk in order to follow their passion. Furthermore, while the implementation of a political agenda within schools has not made Wade or Kidwell desire to change careers, it does make their jobs unnecessarily complicated.

“If you think about it, the topic of World War II can be divisive or the Civil War could be divisive,” said Wade.

“I think it really depends on what type of lens you’re looking through and if the person teaching it has all the information that they need in order to teach it correctly.”

Wade also expressed concern that banning critical race theory would give critics a “backboard to attack other things that aren’t really related.” She specifically expressed concern over her lessons for the upcoming Black History Month and whether inclusivity in her lessons would lead to parental complaints.

The politicization of school curricula has led to a difficult situation for teachers because they’re trusted to teach the next generation, yet the government uses their classrooms to promote their political agenda.

Additionally, education students raised concerns about how the order against mask mandates takes decision-making away from education professionals. “I believe that [parents] should have a say in a lot of things since it is their children in the school, but I don’t think they necessarily understand Gov. Glenn Youngkin passed nine executive orders on his first day in office. @glennyoungkin / Instagram the curriculum behind a lot of things and

“Demon Slayer” vs. “SpongeBob SquarePants”: Why Japanese animation is better than western animation

NYAH HIZER Staff Writer As a 21-year-old adult, trying to relive childhood memories by watching animated shows like “SpongeBob SquarePants” or “Adventure Time” doesn’t elicit the same sense of happiness it used to, but watching Japanese animation, or does.

These western animated shows aren’t good, or at least they don’t have the same effect as they did when I was little. The messages are completely lost in translation, and I don’t even utter a laugh, let alone smile at these shows anymore. When I can relate to a character and grow with them, it makes me want to watch that show.

Also, I don’t want to be with a one-trick pony. I like the excitement, the anger, the sadness and the complex emotions that Japanese animation elicits. The character development and relatable characters, in-depth plots and genre variety are all characteristics that make Japanese anime unparalleled to western cartoons, which is why Japanese anime is superior.

Japanese animation, or “anime” for short, has become increasingly popular in western culture in the last decade.

These shows are filled with all sorts of characters, and each is portrayed in such a way that evokes strong sentiments towards the shows.

The most common character type in anime is that of a main character who was kicked around in their earlier life and made fun of by their peers but has grown up to be strong and looked up to. The character development is

depicted in such a way that the viewer actually feels the struggle the main character has to go through in order to reach their goal, whether it be something as far fetched as becoming the strongest hero or something not so out of reach such as asking out their crush. This is an important quality that most western cartoons today fail to display, and is one of the reasons why anime is much more well defined than them.

Another category in which Japanese anime is better than western cartoons is storytelling. For instance, shows like “Spongebob Squarepants” are good for an episode or two, but they don’t follow the same story; every episode contains a different plot and becomes hard to follow. In anime, however, every show is able to create and establish a unique plot that is able to carry on throughout several episodes or even a whole season, which is known as story arcs.

From the unique plot of “Demon Slayer,” junior biomedical sciences major Dylan Crann said, “I become encapsulated into a new world. The story and animation keep and hold the viewers’ attention.”

Storylines in anime are usually carried out and broken into several pieces. These story arcs are then used to develop multiple characters and help prolong the overarching goal or the main story. Take a popular anime like “Demon Slayer,” for example; the main goal in “Demon Slayer” is for the main character to slay the boss demon, but he must go through several different pieces of the story arc before he reaches his end goal. All of these story arcs in anime always stay true and linear to the main

story and never stray too far away from the main goal, unlike western cartoons that are all over the place with a different story every episode.

Another important quality about anime is that it’s able to cater to multiple different age groups, whereas western cartoons really only cater to younger kids. Multiple people from UMW have stated that anime is significantly better than cartoons because of its ability to defy age limits.

“Since I’m an adult now, anime offers me the best of both worlds,” said Ryan Vanderhoof, a junior communication and digital studies major. “It’s something that is very entertaining but also has amazing story building and character development that people of all ages can enjoy.”

I know that this is true because on one end of the spectrum, my 11-year-old brother loves and enjoys anime such as “Demon Slayer” and “Naruto,” while, on the other end, my 45-year old father also enjoys the same shows.

However, my younger brother also enjoys a western cartoon known as “Loud House,” and my dad, who has tried to watch it, can’t bring himself to even smile. He describes it as “a loud and obnoxious show that parents can put on the TV to distract the little kids while they nap.”

Anime has a uniqueness about it that’s able to bring people together. Whether it’s a beautifully animated, action-packed show like “Demon Slayer” or a more relaxed and laid-back show like “The Devil is a Part-Timer.”

Anime truly offers viewers of all ages and demographics something that they can enjoy alone or together.

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Cosmy pellis Associate Editor

Life

Page 4

UMW Does It: The Talk with Cosmy Pellis

Hi, my name is Cosmy Pellis! I’m a senior here at UMW, double majoring in sociology and English with a creative writing concentration.

The motivation behind starting this sex column is my strong belief that talking about sex shouldn’t be stigmatized. It’s actually really dangerous for these conversations to be so culturally restricted. This leaves people without the information they need to form healthy connections with their bodies and with other people, instead fostering a fear of sex, despite the fact that so many people still engage in it. I’ve heard it said that America is the most hypersexualized and prudish country all at once, and I think that’s absolutely true.

When I was young, I could’ve really used this type of medium to be able to read about sexual topics without having to ask someone about them. I feel very sexually empowered now, but I haven’t always been that way.

Open discussions about sex from an early age would have saved me from a lot of trauma, and I probably would have figured out my sexuality earlier.

This column is a way for me to give advice to figure out what works for you and your sexual partner or partners, which is different for everyone. Everything represented here is my opinion—there are definitely other ways to approach these issues! However, I also want to give a trigger warning, as this particular article will have brief mention of sexual assault.

I’m hoping that this sex column will be an outlet for you all to ask the hard questions that really matter to you and be met with understanding and helpful information.

I want to be the big sister that you never had, making sex life less scary and more exciting. With that being said, let’s get into it.

I’ve often said that if you’re not comfortable talking to someone about sex, then you shouldn’t be having sex with that person. It blows my mind that we engage in such an intimate act with people that we can’t even be close to intellectually or communicate clearly with.

It’s extremely important to make sure that standards of respect and communication are established early on in any sexual connection, no matter how casual or serious it

is. I’m going to explore this especially in relation to kinks, because figuring out what you and your sexual partners are into can enhance your sex life… if done right. College is a time where we really figure out what we’re into and where our boundaries are, and it’s important to do this in an empowered way.

Kinks are definitely a taboo topic. We don’t talk about them much, sometimes not even with our partners. But we should. The same way that people ask about turnons and turn-offs, kinks should be addressed up front.

They can get pretty intense, though, and it’s important to figure out where your personal line is. It’s also crucial to understand what a kink is, as well as what is potentially morally questionable. That line might look different for everyone, which is exactly why this needs to be addressed and conversations need to start happening.

No to kink-shaming. Yes to setting boundaries. And also, yes to kink-shaming within reason.

Because it’s simply not cool to want to pretend to sexually assault someone as a kink, to give an example.

Don’t let someone misuse the word or manipulate you to explore kinks you are not comfortable with. You are entitled to your own thought process, rather than simply being told to accept what someone considers their kink if you think it’s morally not okay.

When figuring out how to address this, I think it can really help to find people you trust to bounce ideas off of.

Whether this is your friend group, one trustworthy best friend, your sister, your therapist or really anyone that you feel comfortable with—if there are any kinks that your partner has expressed interest in that make you feel uneasy or unsure, it could help to run them by someone.

And if you’re not sure about the first opinion you get, talk to someone else too. Compare notes.

We need to normalize these conversations. Gone are the days where talking about sex is “unladylike,” “improper” or “obscene.” So many people do it, and it’s ridiculous to act like it’s some scandalous thing. Obviously, there is a time and place for everything. I’m not going to ask my grandma if she thinks it’s okay that my partner wants me to bark at them during sex. She’s cool, but not that cool.

It’s also important to keep in mind that if you do go to a trusted person to talk about your sex life, and they express that they’re uncomfortable getting into the dirty

details, they’re not the person to come to about those experiences. Asking consent even to talk about sex is a healthy practice.

I cannot stress how important this next part is. Doing something during sex that is intensely kinky, for instance acting like a child or choking someone hard, without asking for consent or having a talk beforehand, is a form of sexual assault. It is not okay for you or your partner to do something outside of your typical sexual acts without talking about it, because it can be immensely triggering for someone or even physically harmful if not done safely.

If you’re the one who’s a little kinky, or a lot kinky, definitely bring it up with your partner early on. Of course, don’t do anything that they haven’t explicitly expressed they’re comfortable with. If they aren’t interested in trying your kink, a little bit of disappointment is valid, but it’s not okay to make your partner feel bad about it.

You could talk about other things that they may want to try instead, and by keeping an open dialogue you might stumble upon some new ideas that you’re both interested in. Starting small, like trying a new position, could also be a healthy first step.

If the specific kink is something that feels absolutely necessary to your sexual experiences, they might not be the sexual partner for you, and you might try looking for someone who’s better suited to your interests. There’s no shame in this; we are so young and still figuring out what we like and what we don’t like, coming into our bodies and sexualities. I fully encourage trying new sexual experiences, as long as you have consent and the utmost respect for your sexual partners.

Sex is natural, and let’s finally just say it, it’s fun! It can provide stress relief and deep connections with other people. It’s the most enjoyable when you have open, honest conversations with your partner and trusted people around you to make sure that you’re comfortable with everything that happens in your sexual life. Kinks can enhance your sex life as well, but under conditions where you are absolutely sure that trying something new is something both you and your partner are interested in.

P.S. Feel free to send me any sex questions at weeklyringer.associate@gmail.com. I might address your question in the next column! Don’t worry—they’ll be anonymous.

Personal essay: The “best years of our lives” and the reality of being a college student during COVID-19

maggie mae young Online Editor

It was freshman year and I was thriving. Finally living on my own, making real friends and learning about life. I was flying; I didn’t think anything could touch me.

There was talk of a deadly virus in Asia, but it wouldn’t come here, right?

The email came in on a Wednesday evening, saying we would have an extension of spring break. I remember the excitement around a three-week break from the chaos that the second semester of college was already inflicting. We made plans to visit our friends and for when we would return later that month. But we never did visit, we never did return.

We all remember what happened next; COVID-19 took over our lives. Online classes, not leaving the house except to get groceries and only ever seeing our friends via Zoom.

2020 was the most life-altering year of our lives.

Growing up, we were told that college would be the “best years of our lives,” but no one told us they might be the worst. No one could have predicted this: the missed experiences, the development of crippling anxiety or the pressure to somehow still make these the best years of our lives.

Second semester quickly came and went, completely online. The professors struggled to switch to Zoom while we struggled to adjust. I learned virtually nothing, while paying the same amount of money.

That summer, all I could think about was getting back to campus. I wanted to make friends to replace the ones that the absence took from me; I wanted to find something that gave my life purpose again. Then, another surge.

Just when we thought we were done, 2020 struck again. Long story short, I didn’t physically make it back to campus until spring 2021, but I wasn’t missing much. I lived on campus, yet had zero in-person classes. Once again, I learned nothing.

I worked an on-campus job at the fitness center, which gave me some human interaction, but it was extremely minimal and I was still terrified. Terrified of the unknown and terrified that with one misstep we’d be sent home once again.

My roommates kept me company while I barely left the room because there was nothing to do. No sporting events to attend, no (safe) parties to enjoy, no clubs to join.

The college experience had vanished and been replaced with what felt like house arrest.

Fast forward to fall 2021, when we finally felt a sense of relief and normalcy. Sporting events were back, parties went on and, despite them still being mostly online, classes just felt easier. Masks were still required, but only indoors, and vaccines were available to everyone, easing the anxiety and fear and life was slowly getting back to normal.

I began to remember what it was that I loved so much about college. It was the

community, the sense of belonging, the genuine happiness that had been taken from us so abruptly; it was all coming back.

We could all taste the end of COVID-19. We could finally visualize a world without it. This was right up until Omicron made its first appearance.

Spoiler alert, it wasn’t pretty. Luckily, we were at the end of the semester so it really didn’t affect classes. What it did affect was my mentality toward school.

I was just beginning to let my guard down and allow myself to enjoy the college experience without worry of it being taken away from me again. When I saw the possibility of once again being Maggie Mae Young has made a decision to speed disappointed, I realized that there was no up her college process in order to end her COVID chance of this experience being normal. It college experience. was either college during a pandemic or Maggie Mae Young / The Weekly Ringer getting the hell out.

I met with my advisor and asked if there was a possibility to speed up the process, even just a little bit. I came into school a semester ahead and took summer classes every year, allowing me the option to finish early by packing my spring 2022 semester with courses, along with taking three more over the summer.

I’m getting out a year early.

My friends and family were concerned when I first told them. They said, “you’re rushing your college experience; you’ll miss out on so much.” Wrong. I realized that right now is the absolute worst time in history to be a college student and that I was not happy. Life takes unexpected turns, and we can take comfort in the fact that every college student on earth is living the same unfortunate reality.

As disappointing as it is, I did what I believe is right for me. I am hopeful that the coming years of my life will prove to be much better than my last few.

It’s okay that you’re not having the time of your life right now. The pressure to make these the best years of our lives is all in our heads, so let that shit go.

We have the rest of our lives to live. Get your education, try to have some fun and never stop doing what’s right for you.

Life

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Page 5

Five things to consider when moving off campus Grace schumacher Senior Writer After students finish their freshman year of college, they may consider moving out of the dorms and into a house or apartment off-campus.

“My roommates and I found a great place in College Heights that checked all the boxes,” said junior political science major Jackson Davis. “It was close to campus, a good size and reasonably priced.”

Every student is unique and has different reasons and expectations for their move off campus.

“I really like the idea of having independence outside of university provided housing,” said undeclared sophomore Kinsey Brotman. “My roommates and I have our Zillow notifications turned on and are looking for places within walking distance to campus.”

It can be easy to jump at the first available house or apartment, especially when students are anxious to move out of dorm living, but here are five things to keep in mind when house hunting.

Finances Finances play a large role in the decisions many students make when looking for housing. Some people might decide to have a roommate, since sharing expenses with a trusted friend can cut costs and possibly achieve a nicer or more conveniently-located living space.

Many college students are not financially independent and should look into signing the lease-agreement alongside a cosigner. These individuals take on full financial responsibility and act as insurance for the property manager to ensure that payments are received.

“Since myself and all of my roommates are college

students, the property group we rent from actually requires us to have cosigners,” said Davis.

Find the right property group Some landlords and property groups express reluctance about renting to college students. According to the Fair Housing Act, students fall under protected groups. This means that they cannot be barred due to qualities such as their marital status, age or source of income. Groups like MacDoc Property Management and Eagle Property Management are good places to start the search because of their reputations as “student-friendly” groups.

The Stratford apartments are a popular place for UMW students to live.

Emily Warren / The Weekly Ringer

Build relationships with landlords While it is common for students to hop on Zillow or Apartments.com, finding the right property management group is really important in this process. Having a direct line of communication with the landlord or property group is vital in case the space is in need of maintenance.

The relationship between tenant and landlord can shape

the overall experience you have, so it’s important to build a positive relationship with property management.

Start the search early The early bird gets the worm! The rental market can be very competitive so start the search early on in the spring semester before your intended move-in.The Stratford apartments are notorious for this; they tend to fill up

by March, so it’s important to get your name into their waitlist early. Follow up on your inquiries and don’t be afraid to sell yourself as a glowing potential tenant.

Use your connections Communicate with upperclassmen and students who live off-campus. They are the best resource when it comes to finding safe neighborhoods, reliable landlords or property groups and general housing advice. UMW’s “Rent It” Facebook page is a great site to keep tabs on if you don’t know where to start.

Off-campus housing allows students the independence they seek when becoming fully fledged adults and nearing the onset of their professional careers. “Having a living space to yourself means that you have the ability to dictate who you invite over as well as who you live with, whereas, in the dorms, students are virtually living on top of each other,” said junior geography major Caitlin Shirvinski.

The goal of college is to learn and grow; one of the benefits of living off-campus is more of a real life experience. On-campus living is a bit like living in a bubble. When living off campus, you are more responsible for more aspects of your life and that is a huge part of the college experience.

Josephine Good and Cosmy Pellis contributed to reporting for this article.

New UMW club explores the business of sports management

hannah abraham Staff Writer

The next generation of sports gurus might be inspired by a new club on campus. The Sports Management Club is a way for students to explore how sports are more than just entertainment; they’re a business.

The Sports Management Club is entirely student-run, according to the club’s president, Jakob T. Robinette.

“All of our board members are students, and we coordinate meetings and conduct fundraisers,” said Robinette, a freshman business administration major.

Robinette views the club as an outlet for students to explore the business side of athletics.

“The Sports Management Club will focus on the side of sports as a business, covering front office activities like developing and trading players for immediate and long-term benefit, negotiating contracts and managing the team’s finances,” he said. “We will also go over what it takes to succeed in this business and, ultimately, how to make it to the top.”

A large percentage of club members are involved with athletics at UMW, and the club meets once a month in order to work around students’ busy schedules.

So far, the club has held two meetings. During the most recent meeting, the members hosted a former UMW alumni, who is now an assistant general manager of the Kansas City Royals.

“The meeting was very informative,” said Stephen Wallach, a junior sports management major and vice president of the club. “He explained his journey and advice for getting into the sports management industry. The club is hoping to meet with more alumni in the industry this semester.”

Robinette has been swimming since he was six years old and is now on the swim team at UMW. His passion for sports is what led him to contemplate a career in sports management. However, after seeking out a club on campus that fit his needs and interests, he came up empty. This inspired Robinette to create UMW’s first-ever sports management

Devil & Goat

Illustrated by D.K.

club, not only for himself but for any student who wishes to have a career within sports management.

Regarding the participation and inclusivity of female students, Robinette said, “There are currently 26 club members, with 10 of those members being female and five more female students showing interest in joining.”

Brendan Huber-Wilker, the club’s treasurer, is a part of UMW’s swim team.

Huber-Wilker, a junior communications and digital studies major, said, “I’m most looking forward to meeting everyone this semester. Last semester we only had 8-10 members and I know we’ve at least doubled in size.”

Those interested in joining or learning The Sports Management Club more about the Sports help them excel in the industry.

Management Club may email Robinette at jrobinet@mail.umw.edu.

helps students to learn what will Photo Courtesy of Jakob T. Robinette

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Opinion

Page 6

Open-note assessments emphasize critical thinking skills which promote deeper conceptual knowledge

TABITHA ROBINSON Staff Writer

music department.

“That seems to me Open-note assessments provide a more effective more like ‘real life,’ measurement of students’ knowledge than closed-note anyway. It’s good tests because they allow for professors to write more to be able to have intricate questions, they reduce test anxiety and they rely a working grasp of the facts, but it is on a student’s ability to take comprehensive notes.

When a professor announces that a quiz will be seldom necessary open-note, I can pay better attention in class and retain to be able to cite the information rather than stress about memorizing ‘chapter and verse’ information I will later forget. For me, paying attention in on your feet.”

According to class and engaging in discussions helps me learn to apply another study, concepts to various situations rather than just the one open-note tests that appears on the test. allow students Additionally, students perform similarly on openimprove note and closed-note assessments, since open-note to their practical assessments present a chance for professors to ask more of in-depth questions that require students to explore the application integrating source concepts within their class materials.

“The grade outcomes [between open-note and closed- material into their note assessments] have also not been wildly different,” lives. This is more said Jason Hayob-Matzke, a professor in the classics, useful of a skill since we have access philosophy and religion department.

Hayob-Matzke gives both open and closed-note to thousands of Discussing concepts in class and synthesizing information through practical examples helps students retain con Marvin Meyer / Unsplash assessments depending on class modality. “I imagine that resources online in cepts they learn in class. our everyday lives “I think some quizzes could be beneficial to having many students expect open-book/notes assessments to be and workplaces.

In these modern times, the limitation of open notes because quizzes are more of a progress check easier and hence perhaps do not prepare as carefully for knowledge comes not when we can’t find a resource, but before moving to the next topic,” said Haylie Stevenson, them, but in addition I can ask tougher questions in an a senior American studies major in the elementary open book/notes format since I know students have the when we don’t know how to use it properly. education program. material in front of them,” Hayob-Matzke said. “A wellQuizzes serve as more of a benchmark to assess how written open book/notes assessment should be more than In these modern times, the well students are understanding the information, thus it simply a hunt-and-peck exercise (though some of that is limitation of knowledge comes not makes sense for them to be open-note. They are a chance fine if it helps reinforce certain ideas or concepts).” for students to learn what concepts they are grasping For students like us who have lived through a global when we can’t find a resource, but and what concepts they need to study more. By relying pandemic, leading to the switch to virtual education, when we don’t know how to use it on their notes, students can also learn to connect the open-note assessments make the most sense. ideas in class to the questions on the quiz. This rounds According to a study researching the testing effects properly. out students’ ability to apply knowledge from sources and of closed and open-note assessments, “[Open-note teaches critical reading and thinking skills. assessments] encourage students to use higher-level “In real life you are always using notes: the internet, thinking skills like problem solving and reasoning.” These peers, experts, etc.,” said undeclared sophomore Alison are the skills we need to succeed in our changing world.

“Everything we do here is a Herrera who works as a vet assistant. “At my job, there While memorization has its time and place, being able are times where we don’t know the answers.

It is useful to synthesize concepts and utilize our many resources part of learning a broad wealth to look up things and ask co-workers what they think to makes more sense in today’s ever-changing society. of knowledge, how to think more get an idea.”

The hesitance towards open-note assessments in carefully, how to read more For me, paying attention in class classes that prepare students for the medical profession critically, how to speak more is reasonable, for those positions require quick and active and engaging in discussions helps recall of factual information. thoughtfully.”

“If you want to be a doctor, in real life you aren’t always me learn to apply concepts to going to have time to check notes and, in those cases, you various situations rather than just need to know what you need to do quickly,” said Herrera.

-Jason Hayob-Matzke For this reason, some tests should be closed-note, but the one that appears on the test. the modality should depend on the career someone is pursuing. For example, it is important that tests such as “Everything we do here is part of learning a broad the MCAT are closed-note because being in the medical wealth of knowledge, how to think more carefully, how “Even before COVID-19, I had switched to open-note field requires that one is able to diagnose a patient without to read more critically, how to speak more thoughtfully,” final examinations, as what I was looking for from students having to reference their notes, especially in an emergency said Hayob-Matzke.

“Both [modalities] have merit, but was larger conceptual understanding, and so it didn’t situation.

The information that future doctors learn in neither strike me as directly related to how one operates matter to me if they needed to refer to notes for specific school is vital for them to remember after they graduate, in the real world.” factual details,” said Brooks Kuykendall, chair of the therefore having to If neither manner of administering tests reflects the memorize concepts is ‘real world,’ then what is their use? pertinent to their major.

Assessments, whether they are open or closed-note, Tests for students in prepare us for the unexpected academic challenges we will other fields have more face in our professional careers. Open-note assessments flexibility in regard teach us how to utilize the information we have in hand to modality because (or on our phones) in order to come to a solution or the careers that those answer a question. Closed-note assessments prepare us majors tend to lead to for the times we have to recall information we’re currently are not as dependent learning now in college, making us learn how to memorize on instantaneous, life- important concepts that will frequently occur in our daily saving information lives and professional careers. recall.

In addition to relieving anxieties about memorizing That being said, all the content a professor has provided, open-note while some tests should assessments are beneficial because they ensure that be closed-note due students are paying attention during class. By writing to the nature of the their own notes, organizing and synthesizing material information, all quizzes and using their resources, students are preparing for should remain open- success later on in their professional careers because they note, since they give strengthen their ability to apply information rather than students an idea of just regurgitate it. what information their professors focus on Learning how to take comprehensive notes and pay attention in class is more beneficial than being able to without the high stakes recall information by memory on closed-note tests.

Luke Southern / Unsplash of an exam grade.

News

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Page 7

SGA promotes events to foster student connection for those who feel detached from campus life Priya patel Senior Writer The Student Government Association (SGA) is making efforts this semester to increase participation at campus-wide events. These student leaders have noticed that as COVID-19 persists, the campus community has become increasingly deflated, and it is hoped that more involvement at events will help lift the mood.

“One of our biggest goals for this semester is to get students excited for school by figuring out ways to increase participation at campus events,” said SGA secretary Sophia Hobbs, a senior history major. “We want to help make the general atmosphere of campus more positive since so many of our peers are feeling stressed and anxious. We’re thinking about calling this ‘Revive the Vibe’ since campus engagement levels have been so low since COVID.”

“When such celebratory and informative events can no longer take place, the very communities that assist in making UMW racially diverse are more prone to transfer to an institution that adds to their unique and necessary student experience.”

- Brianna Reaves

There are many reasons that students could be experiencing these low energy levels.

“Though UMW experienced a hard hit financially because of COVID-19, as student leaders we know that academics are not the only reason that we are on campus.”

-Brianna Reaves “What students need when they come to college is to find their sense of community and the people that they feel they can be comfortable with,” said Miriam Liss, a professor in the psychology department of UMW. “Last year especially the opportunities for socialization and building community were limited. Current sophomores didn’t get to build connections or engage in campus traditions in a typical way. Juniors had only one semester of normalcy and then their normal college experience was completely transformed for the majority of their time here. Current seniors missed the traditions of the end of their sophomore year and their entire junior year. This has been a huge trauma—for the entire country really but everyone is feeling it.”

SGA feels as though hosting events could make students feel better.

“Students are not feeling like there is any engagement or care for them from the administration to the professors,” said Shadwick

Dean Cedric Rucker celebrates Devil Goat day with students in 2014.

Yoder, the class of 2025 vice president and SGA university relations chair. “Many see this semester as the beginning of no more compassion due to their teachers showing no understanding for the different situations due to COVID.”

“One of our biggest goals for this semester is to get students excited for school by figuring out ways to increase participation at campus events.”

-Sophia Hobbs The SGA officers are concerned that a lack of funding

for university-sponsored events will make UMW less desirable to current and prospective students.

“The major budget cut that student engagement has received this year assists in the inability to fund the very traditions that make UMW feel like a true home,” said SGA President Brianna “Breezy” Reaves, a senior sociology major. “Though UMW experienced a hard hit financially because of COVID-19, as student leaders we know that academics are not the only reason that we are on campus, and therefore we should be able to experience club events, UMW traditions, and extracurriculars without a limited budget that causes us to scale back or cancel the very events that we love.”

Reaves also worries that decreased funding will impact

COVID-19 Dashboard UMW’s COVID-19 dashboard is located on the university website. These statistics are from Feb. 2, 2022—the most recent at time of publication.

193

Total cases as of Feb 1, 2022

19

Active cases

1.70

7-day moving average of new cases per day

77

21 of 22

Quarantine spaces available

118 of 120

Isolation spaces available

238

Total prevalence tests administered from Jan. 21, 2022 - Jan. 27, 2022

3

Total tests conducted at the Student Health Center since Jan. 1, 2022

Total positive prevalence tests returned from Jan. 21, 2022 - Jan. 27, 2022

11

1.26%

Positive Student Health Center tests returned since Jan. 1, 2022

Percentage of positive prevalence tests returned from Jan. 21, 2022 - Jan. 27, 2022

@marywash / Instagram

groups on campus that contribute to the university’s diversity.

“When such celebratory and informative events can no longer take place, the very communities that assist in making UMW racially diverse are more prone to transfer to an institution that adds to their unique and necessary student experience,” Reaves said.

SGA also wants to use this semester to better address student concerns, including those voiced at the Student Union in the fall. They plan to survey students on campus issues and to have more than just monthly meetings with the administration.

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Sports

Mary Massacre aims for nationals this spring

EMILY HEMPHILL The women’s ultimate frisbee team, Mary for players to dedicate time to their schoolwork so Staff Writer Massacre, has set the bar high for this semester that practicing four times a week does not become with the goal of reaching the national tournament. too much of a burden on the students academically, This goal is spurred by the team’s loss in the according to junior Natalie Brennan, a regional championship to the University of biology major.

Richmond last semester.

“It’s about more than just winning “We’re kind of shooting for the stars,” and nationals for the women’s ultimate said Ellie Heil, a senior geography major. frisbee team though. They maintain a “A lot of people in their comments on a supportive and encouraging environment mid-season survey said that they want to that welcomes people of all skills and go to nationals at the end of the semester experiences,” said Brennan. after we were so close last semester. So The group holds various bonding that’s why we’re kind of ramping it up this experiences throughout the season such as semester to hopefully get there.” “ladies’ night” and “Friendsgiving” along The team has included an additional with other events hosted with the men’s practice this semester, so they are on Chloe Wade at a Mary Massacre practice. ultimate frisbee team.

Photo courtesy of Wade Jackman the fields four times a week on Mondays, Additionally, the teams hold their own Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Thursday nights are especially spirit week during the semester where members of both teams do demanding, as they play under the lights from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., fun activities. These have included singing for a stranger on campus, despite the freezing temperatures. On Wednesdays, they focus on preparing a five-course meal for the team, wearing clothes inside out fitness and conditioning, as players are running almost the entire for a class and creating a music video with a teammate. The week time during a match. concludes with a formal for the men’s and women’s teams.

The women’s coach, Kai Jensen, a 2018 UMW graduate, explained “Frisbee, unlike other sports, focuses more on high spirit rather that last season was more of a focus on fundamentals and a rebuilding than high competition,” she said. “That’s what was most shocking period for the team due to the influx of newcomers. about it to me. It’s a competitive sport, but above all, it’s about having “With a very high ratio of new players to returning players, fun and sportsmanship.” and even a lot of the returning players that we did have, their first A new practice schedule is not the only change the women’s experience with ultimate was during COVID,” said Jensen. “During ultimate frisbee team is undergoing this semester. New uniforms that time, the practice was really limited due to all the restrictions, have been ordered to refresh the outdated ones that will bear a new so they didn’t really have a lot of actual game time experience.” design, as well as the names and numbers of each member of the According to Jensen, the team needs to work on the basics like squad. accurate throwing, catches, advanced skills and creating chemistry “Now’s the perfect time to do it,” said Heil. “Especially because with one another on the field. Jensen believes that this is the way to our team is so new. It’s not like any team that Mary Massacre has get to nationals this season. ever seen before. So it was time for a little upgrade.”

“Once we have a team that is at a certain level, we can build Plans for a team shop are also in the works. Mary Massacre relationships, build connections between players so that we can merchandise ranging from t-shirts, sweatshirts, long sleeves, track anticipate each other, we can be dynamic on the field, we can switch pants and even bucket hats will be available for purchase. off players, we can create poaches [and] we can create a different The team still has a couple of more weeks to get in some latedefensive system that will make an offense think twice about their night practices, as their first tournament is on Feb. 19 and 20 in set plays,” said Jensen.

Martinsville, Va. Though the University of Richmond will not be in Increasing their practice times and even adding a study hall on attendance, Mary Massacre will be playing other tough schools such Tuesday nights are just a few of the ways that the group has changed as Georgetown University and Catholic University. their play and mindset this season. The study nights provide a space

Tennis teams host their first match on Feb. 5

Caperton beirne Staff Writer

The UMW tennis teams, both the men’s and women’s, are gearing up for their first scrimmage match on Saturday, Feb. 5 at their home playing field at the Battlefield Complex.

The spring tennis season differs from fall, as fall is individualoriented with individual rankings, while spring is all about performing as a team.

“I think it’s just more fun to go in there as a team and compete alongside each other,” said Andrew Watson, a junior tennis player and business major.

Watson is heading into his third year on UMW’s tennis team.

During the fall 2021 season, he traveled to Georgia to compete in doubles with his partner.

After a fall season of individual accomplishments, the players have been shifting gears toward a team-centered season.

“I haven’t had a full season since my freshman year, so I’m just really excited to play a full one again and be back out on the court,” said biomedical sciences major and senior tennis player Lauren Quinn.

Quinn is stepping into this spring season ready to finish out her career at Mary Washington. As an upperclassman, she is focused on pushing her team to be the best they can be, while also enjoying her last season.

“We made it to the Elite Eight last year,” she said. “That is definitely something that we haven’t done in a while and I feel like us making it that far is kind of really gonna push us to try and do that again.”

The Elite Eight is comprised of the eight final teams in the NCAA tournament, which would put them in the top eight in the country while competing for the NCAA championship.

The women’s tennis team will be traveling to California and Texas this upcoming season, and Quinn sees this as a chance to prove their strength and bond with her team. In California, the women’s team will be competing against Claremont Mudd Scrips, which is currently ranked no. 1 in the country. There’s also strong competition among colleges on the east coast.

“CNU is always a great match. We get really pumped to play them because they are our rival and bring strong competition,” said Quinn.

Watson also views CNU as their “biggest competition.”

“They’re our rivals,” he said. “They always bring high intensity and

have lots of talent on their team. It’s tough because we haven’t played some of the new teams yet because they switched the conference up.”

The men’s tennis team will also be traveling to Texas and California for competitions.

“I’m just excited because I feel like our team is so strong this year,” Watson. “I feel like “I’m ready for the spring said it’s the best team I’ve season because it’s more been on so far, and we team-oriented and fall is have a lot of really good leadership on the team more individual.” with our fifth years and seniors.”

-Andrew Watson Watson and his partner are currently ranked seventh in the country and second in the region. This competitive drive is something he brings to his team and practices.

“My goal is to win the conference with my team. I want the team to go into every match and do their best to win,” said Watson.

In the past year, Mary Washington has switched into the Coast to Coast Conference from the Colonial Athletic Conference. This has added more teams from outside the east coast; Christopher Newport University and Salisbury University remain with the addition of teams from California, such as the University of California Santa Cruz.

Head men’s tennis coach Todd Helbing looks forward to watching the players grow throughout the season.

He’s excited for “seeing if we can help our players get better every day and how they handle high-level competition. Watching them struggle. Watching them overcome. Watching them celebrate when they play a great match. The rewards are many for all of the hard work and it is a joy to help them get those rewards and learn so much about themselves along the way.”

Coming off a strong fall season with two of his players, Andrew Watson and Moses Hutchinson, moving onto Small College Nationals, has heightened the expectations going into this spring.

Helbing wants to work with his players to focus on their individual goals and how those can help the team’s overall goal: winning the conference championship.

The men’s and women’s tennis teams have their first home match this Saturday, Feb. 5.

Page 8

University of Mary Washington

Spring Sports Schedule

Victoria R. Percherke Sports Editor

Track & Field

Feb. 6 @ VWU Richard Drake Invitational @ Virginia Beach, Va. Feb. 12 @ Roanoke Challenge Conference Championships Feb. 19 Coast 2 Coast Conference

Men’s Basketball (14-4)

Jan. 28 POSTPONED vs. Regent Jan. 31 W @ Pfeiffer (81-66) Feb. 5 @ Salisbury Feb. 9 @ Christopher Newport Feb. 16 vs. Salisbury

Women’s Basketball (14-4) Jan. 24 @ Stevenson Jan. 29 @ Christopher Newport Feb. 2 @ Randolph-Macon Feb. 5 vs. Salisbury Feb. 9 vs. St. Mary’s (Md.)

Men’s Swimming (6-3)

Feb. 17-20 vs. Metro Collegiate Swimming Conference Championships @ Camdem, N.J. March 16-19 vs. NCAA @ Indianapolis, Ind.

Women’s Swimming (8-1)

Feb. 17-20 vs. Metro Collegiate Swimming Conference Championships @ Camdem, N.J. March 16-19 vs. NCAA @ Indianapolis, Ind.

Equestrian Team

Feb. 5 vs. Mary Washington Show Feb. 19 @ Liberty Show Feb. 27 vs. Regional Show @ Sweet Briar, Va.

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

Most recent games included.

Bold indicates home game.