The Weekly Ringer by The Weekly Ringer

The

Weekly

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

Ringer

VOLUME 95 | ISSUE 18

FEBRUARY 24, 2022

The Office of Disability Resources navigates moving into a new office location in Seacobeck Hall JEss kirby Editor-in-Chief Since its move from Lee Hall, the Office of Disability Resources (ODR) has made efforts to create an accessible and welcoming space in Seacobeck Hall. While the relocation has come with some challenges, ODR Director Jessica Machado says the new office is an improvement from its previous location. “We tried to make sure that we’re really thoughtful about our space, how it’s laid out [and] how people are going to be able to feel comfortable,” said Machado. “We were thinking about how wheelchair users, or anybody with any type of need, would be able to access any part of our space, including working here as a student worker.” Machado said the new space “is certainly an upgrade and it’s not perfect. We know it’s not perfect. There’s a lot of issues, but being able to have a space has definitely helped us have a more cohesive team, so we’re really grateful for that.” While the main entrance to the office is located off of College Avenue, there is also

The new Office of Disability Resources space is located in Seacobeck Hall. Emily Warren / The Weekly Ringer

an entrance within Seacobeck. “One thing that I really like about the outside entrance in is that it really is a straight shot, so you don’t have to, hopefully, find your way into the rest of Seacobeck, which is a really confusing building,” said Machado.

Machado said that being located on the ground floor is an advantage of the new office space, compared to its previous location on the fourth floor of Lee. “Being on a top level of a building is not necessarily a great thing for access,” she said. “Being able to just access it from

Creative writing faculty cite increased workload, low flexibility

Emily hemphill Staff Writer

The retirement of English and creative writing Professor Warren Rochelle at the end of spring 2020 has left a void in the English department, particularly in the creative writing program, professors say. The university administration has indicated that his position will not be filled in the near future, according to department chair and professor of English Gary Richards. “It’s been somewhat challenging for us as a team of three faculty members to even coordinate how we’re going to teach our courses each semester,” said Assistant Professor of English Ray Levy, a member of the creative writing faculty. “We need to offer a certain schedule of courses so that the majors can graduate, but it’s hard to be able to offer them.” Out of the 187 English majors at UMW, 80 students are involved in the creative writing program, according to Levy. This means that the three creative writing faculty members are responsible for offering all of the classes these 80 students need to graduate. Each of these instructors specializes in one of the three main subjects of creative writing: fiction, nonfiction and poetry. “With Dr. Rochelle’s retirement, we lost some of the flexibility that we had in being able to offer a variety of creative writing courses,” said Associate Professor of English Colin Rafferty, whose area of expertise is in creative nonfiction writing. To ensure that students have all the necessary

INSIDE THE

RINGER

News | 2

ODR navigates moving to a new office in Seacobeck.

classes to graduate on time, several sections of Intro. to Creative Writing, various mid-level genre courses and senior seminars must be on the schedule for every semester. In the past, professors had the ability to develop new classes such as a creative writing topics course. Under this category, Rochelle created a popular Fantasy and Science Fiction class, Rafferty taught a Travel Writing section and Levy attracted many students with Fan Fiction lessons. Now, due to the program’s reduced staff, students are no longer able to take these special, upper-level electives. “It makes me feel like there isn’t a lot of investment in the future of the creative writing program,” said Levy. “But I’m mostly confused because if the creative writing program is pulling in 43% of the majors, why wouldn’t you make sure that that arm of the program is staffed well? You wouldn’t want such a popular program comparatively to wither so to speak.” “It’s demoralizing,” Levy continued. “It’s always depressing when the horizon shrinks. I think people’s morale at work and mental health improves when it looks like things are growing instead of dwindling.” Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Keith Mellinger explained that the university’s decision to not hire a replacement for Rochelle was based on a “careful analysis about the best use of those resources that are freed up.” In this case, the administration has determined that three creative writing faculty members are sufficient to continue running the program. “If the time comes SEE WRITING PAGE 7

Opinion | 3 Pharmacies should address employee burnout.

the ground level, not having to rely on an elevator at all, I think is an advantage.” This office location was chosen because it can be accessed through the elevator within Seacobeck or from the outside of the building, according to Capital Outlay Project Director Gary Hobson, the project manager of the Seacobeck renovation. “The location of the ODR suite allows for it [to] be accessed by students even if the elevator is out of order,” he said. “In addition to complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as to building code, automatic door operators were added to both exterior and interior doors along most common pathways.” Inside the office, the reception desk is intentionally low in height to make sure students are greeted at eye level. “We really want to be intentional about making sure that anybody can come up and have a face-to-face conversation with somebody instead of … somebody having to look down at them,” said Machado. “So, [we’re] thinking about how to treat people with respect as soon as they’re walking in the door.”

SEE ODR PAGE 2

Eagle Resource Closet awarded $1,000 Sodexo grant

jenn mcculloch Staff Writer

The Eagle Resource Closet is located on the fourth floor of Lee Hall. Kenya Carter / The Weekly Ringer

The Eagle Resource Closet has recently been awarded the Food Pantry Grant of $1,000 from Sodexo. The grant money has gone towards stocking the Resource Closet with food and items for students. According to the Sodexo website, the goal of this program is to help eliminate student hunger on campus. Money from the grant should be used to help offset the cost of food and supplies needed for the pantry. Junior history major Taylor Coleman, the coordinator of the Eagle Resource Closet, was happily surprised by the donation. “It was very exciting because I didn’t know it was coming,” Coleman said. “When it came, it was a really exciting experience

Life | 4

UMW Theatre produces Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar.”

SEE CLOSET PAGE 2

Sports | 8

Baseball begins their season with a 1-1 record.

News

Thursday, February 24, 2022

The

Weekly Ringer Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief Jess Kirby

weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com

Business Editor Erin Matuczinski

weeklyringer.business@gmail.com

Associate Editors Bernadette D’Auria Cosima Pellis

weeklyringer.associate@gmail.com

Copy Editor Abigail Slaughter

weeklyringer.copy@gmail.com

News Editors Josephine Johnson Scotti Mullen

weeklyringer.news@gmail.com

Opinion Editor Norah Walsh

weeklyringer.opinion@gmail.com

Life Editor Josephine Good

weeklyringer.life@gmail.com

Sports Editor Victoria R. Percherke

weeklyringer.sports@gmail.com

Online Editors Maggie Mae Young Cameron Delean

weeklyringer.online@gmail.com

Photography Editor Emily Warren

weeklyringer.photos@gmail.com

New ODR office allows for increased space and a “more cohesive team” FROM ODR PAGE 1 The new location is also larger than the old office in Lee Hall. “When you walked into Lee Hall in our old space before, we had a very narrow entranceway,” said Machado. “Basically, if there’s a wheelchair user, there’s nowhere for them to even wait because it’s such a small space.” In the new location, all staff members are able to work in the same space. Previously, Danielle Smith, ODR’s assistive technology coordinator, was located down the hall from the rest of the staff members. ODR’s testing space was also located two floors below the Lee office and is now inside the Seacobeck office. However, there have been some challenges since the building reopened. “We’re trying to work out the kinks because, with any new building, I think it’s kind of normal to expect that things are just not going to be perfectly up and running on day one,” said Machado. “Unfortunately, the opening of this building was timed with the start of classes and that snowstorm, and everything got delayed.” The snowstorm delayed the movers, preventing the ODR staff from moving in before the start of the spring semester. “We really wanted to get in here before students got to campus, but there’s nothing we could do about it,” said Machado. “Especially in the beginning of the semester, we’re really slammed, and we’re a tiny, tiny office … but we just tried to keep our doors open as much as we could, while also moving in and unpacking.” The office was closed for one day during the moving process. According to Machado, two of the building’s challenges are locked doors and inadequate signage. “One big piece of accessibility and access is signage, and ADA actually does have really specific codes when it comes to signage and what’s required by law,” she said. “Signs were missing completely when we opened up Seacobeck, and that

and really beneficial to the Eagle Resource Closet.” The Eagle Resource Closet offers necessities for students that don’t have easy access to food, toiletries or clothing at no charge. Anyone is free to volunteer or Please direct all advertising give donations to the Closet. The Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation inquiries to Erin Matuczinski at works to ensure that children in the U.S. weeklyringer.business@gmail.com. have consistent access to nutritious food. “I’m extremely proud of this foundation because they don’t spend any of the donation revenue on administrative expenses,” said Rose Benedict, the marketing manager for The Weekly Ringer strives for UMW Dining. “Those expenses are paid accuracy and will correct any for by the Sodexo corporation. That is not inaccurate information the case for most charitable organizations, printed in the newspaper. Please which usually spend anywhere from 15% report any corrections to Jess Kirby at to 40% of their revenue on administrative weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com or Sushma costs.” Subramanian at ssubrama@umw.edu. Benedict heard about the grant last September from the regional marketing team. “When I got that news, I immediately Bell tower logo designed by thought of our Eagle Resource Closet Bernadette D’Auria ‘22 (ERC), and I contacted [Leslie Martin] to see if they wanted me to apply for the grant

Corrections

was something that I really raised a big stink about. It was a big challenge when we first opened and I realized that there was no sign to indicate where the Office of Disability was.” ODR has put up temporary signs until the permanent ones come in. “We are going to have a couple outdoor signs hopefully that are going to be able to clearly identify from the street where our office suite is so that people can be clearly directed into that space,” said Machado. Because the building was built in 1930, according to UMW Blogs, historical protections limit the changes that can be made to Seacobeck. “There’s some protections around how much you can change the structure of the building, just to make sure that you’re preserving that history,” said Machado. When asked about the quickest way to get to the office from the Palmieri Plaza, Machado said, “It is not a quick, easy thing to get to. The quickest is not an accessible route.” For people who face challenges with stairs or steep inclines, Machado said the easiest way to get to the office from the center of campus is to go through the University Center (UC) and exit either to College Avenue or to the parking lot between the UC and Seacobeck. While there is parking available around the building and on College Avenue, Machado said the path from the accessible parking lot between the UC and Seacobeck has a steep incline that may be difficult for people in a wheelchair. The other accessible parking lot is located on the other side of the building, but it has a flatter path to ODR. Four years ago, ODR brought students to tour Seacobeck and get their perspectives on the building. “Before Seacobeck was identified as a possible space, we actually took a group of students with varying disabilities out here before any of this renovation happened,” said Machado. “All of the students that we talked with, in general, felt like this was a

better fit for our office.” According to Interim Provost Tim O’Donnell, the decision to move ODR to Seacobeck can “be traced back to 2017.” Machado began working at UMW in Sept. 2017. “When Jessica started here, one of her first priorities was to secure a larger space for ODR … because they had outgrown the space on the third floor of Lee Hall,” he said. “It was during this time that decisions were being made about what could go in to Seaco.” Ultimately, “the administration is responsible for making decisions about buildings, space utilization and advocating to the state for new buildings and renovations of existing buildings,” said O’Donnell. Machado credited the administration for securing ODR’s new space in Seacobeck. “We’ve had an incredible amount of support … from administration to try to get us at least a functional space and to have us all be in the same location. Space is really limited on our campus,” said Machado. “It was really, I think, a blessing for us to be considered because a lot of people are clamoring for space.” According to Hobson, the Seacobeck construction began in April 2019 and is expected to finish this March. “While the project is substantially complete, there are still some long lead materials and equipment expected to arrive later this month and into March,” he said. “Whiting-Turner, the construction manager for the project, has completed a significant amount of the punchlist items and is expected to achieve final completion in March.” Machado noted the importance of including people with disabilities in all decisions. “Whenever you’re making any kind of decision, but especially with regard to people with disabilities, including people with disabilities in the conversation is huge,” she said.

Eagle Resource Closet uses grant money to provide food for students at no cost FROM CLOSET PAGE 1

Faculty Advisor Sushma Subramanian ssubrama@umw.edu

Page 2

on their behalf,” she said. “It was perfect timing, because Leslie said she had been searching for a source of funding (a grant or something), and hadn’t found anything.” After collecting information from the university and the Resource Closet, Benedict submitted the application on Sept. 14. “We were notified on Dec. 9 that our Eagle Resource Closet had been chosen to get a $1,000 grant, one of 89 grants awarded by the Foundation,” said Benedict. “Leslie notified me on Jan. 20 to let me know they had received the funds.” Leslie Martin, associate professor of sociology, is the supervisor of the Resource Closet and faculty director of the Center for Community Engagement. “Sodexo, they are an amazing partner of the Resource Closet,” she said. “They do food drives twice a year, maybe three times a year, and they split the donations between us and the food bank every time.” While normally the volunteers would receive the donations given to them and place them on the shelves, since this was a monetary donation, the Resource Closet team went out to purchase supplies

The Eagle Resource Closet is open Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.. Kenya Carter / The Weekly Ringer

themselves. “I hope to keep the donations and stuff in the Closet more stocked for students to use,” said Coleman.

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Opinion

Page 3

Pharmacies need to fight againt pharmacist burnout

NATHAN JAMERSON Staff Writer Scores of pharmacists across the country are experiencing burnout related to the increased workload from the COVID-19 pandemic. Requiring already overworked pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccinations has led to higher burnout and increased patient risk. To decrease this risk, pharmacies need to shift their focus on the main needs pharmacies can fulfill, such as filling prescriptions, rather than administering vaccines. I have worked in a pharmacy for three years now, and managing stress is something I have always had to consider. Pharmacies are fast-paced, detail-oriented and, most of all, stressful. Patients can be irritable due to their ailments, the wait times, the cost of the medication or any other factor that is out of my control. The World Health Organization defines burnout as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed,” and the symptoms include feelings of exhaustion, negativism and decreased professionalism. Speaking from experience, these feelings hold true for many pharmacists. Unfortunately, pharmacist burnout is not new. According to a study published in 2017, 67% of pharmacists experienced high burnout. A more recent study conducted by the Journal of American Pharmacists Association in Sept. 2020 reported that about three in

four pharmacists were experiencing a “high degree” of burnout. Since the beginning of the pandemic, pharmacies have seen a drastic shift in patient expectations and workload, according to a report by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy. Adding COVID-19 vaccine administration on top of prescriptions, extended working hours due to company quotas and inadequate technician staffing due to COVID-19 cutbacks has left pharmacists feeling fatigued and drained. Pharmacists are responsible for checking all prescriptions before they are given to the patient to ensure that vital details like the medication, dosage and strength are correct. Normally, only one pharmacist operates the store with two or three technicians, and hundreds of prescriptions are distributed every day. Added vaccine administration detracts from the amount of time each prescription is allotted for being checked for interactions, allergies or errors. If the pharmacist had fewer vaccines to administer and more time to properly check the prescriptions, they would be able to pay attention and catch any issues before they adversely affect the patient. In most community pharmacies, vaccination appointments are allotted 20 minutes per shot, with appointments stacked one after another. This fails to account for the preparation of each shot, which requires thawing, diluting and drawing into syringes. Then, patients have to wait fifteen minutes after administration to be monitored for potential adverse effects. This causes

ridiculous wait times that delay people’s prescriptions as well as their vaccine appointments. Furthermore, when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots, utilizing vaccine clinics instead of pharmacies would benefit the pharmacists, for it would lessen the need to dedicate such a large amount of time to administering vaccines that could be redirected to fulfilling prescriptions. While there are not many ways customers can help alleviate the added pressure on pharmacists during this time, utilizing one’s primary care physician for ailments would help divert the responsibilities from pharmacies and onto doctors one already has a history with. In recent news, starting Feb. 28, CVS announced that their employees would be allotted “‘pre-scheduled, uninterrupted’ lunch breaks between 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. ... for pharmacy workers.” Dedicating a time for pharmacists to have a break, even if just 30 minutes to eat, is a step in the right direction to treating these workers with the respect they deserve. If we are to rely on pharmacists so much and place such responsibility on them in regard to our health, the least thing we can do is attempt to decrease the stress and pressure they feel at work. With the increase in pharmacists’ responsibilities and burnout, pharmacies need to find ways to balance all the necessary duties pharmacies are tasked with in order to decrease burnout and allow everyone to do their job thoroughly.

to read, be outside and write.” When activities stopped, school sent students home and people started learning and working from home, it made everyone pause and reflect on their lives. All other happenings that could interrupt these thoughts of selfreflection had ceased, and people were able to consider life in a greater sense, especially when it came to taking account of the positive elements of their lives. “I felt a lot more like a person when I had time to recharge,” said Pellis. “It really made me think about who gave me energy and who I really wanted to be close to; some friendships fell away and some really strengthened.” However, as our lives have picked up speed again, many of us feel like our self-worth is determined by our productivity, forgetting that we’re people rather than machines. “I had an administrator, JoAnna Raucci from the RISE program,” said Weekly Ringer Opinion Editor Norah Walsh, a sophomore Spanish and philosophy pre-law double major. “She told me that I wasn’t a robot and that no one expected me to be a robot. And that really made me think, ‘Yeah, I am allowed to actually pause,’ because we were able to do that when the pandemic first hit in March of 2020. ... But then you’re thrown into this environment where it’s so fast-paced and there’s so much to do and get done and you think you have to do all of it because you’ve had the time to rest.” Looking back, the pandemic has changed all of us, and we’ve gained insight as to how our lives are subject to drastic and sudden change at any time. Many of us have learned how to accept this lack of control, but when it affects our education we feel the profound effects. “I don’t feel like I’ve learned as deeply in the past five semesters as I did when I was a freshman with all in person classes, curious as ever, just trying to learn how to write a news story and understand sociological theory,” said Kirby. “Since then, it’s been more about making it and surviving it and getting through it rather than enjoying the learning process and being in a collective space with other people for the sole purpose of learning.” The sadness we experienced throughout this time also contributed to our shared experience of the pandemic, and we can both empathize and sympathize with students who faced worsening mental health struggles, family strife and perhaps even the death of loved ones during this time. “I’ve just become so desensitized to things going wrong, but sometimes we’ll have a correction in the paper and it’s just like everything comes crashing down all around me all at once in terms of my emotions,” said Kirby. “While I feel like I’ve grown as a person since before the pandemic, I just feel like a disheartened, less passionate version of myself. I’m just really, really tired.” Mental health struggles were exacerbated by appointments moving to online formats to mitigate the possible spread of COVID-19. “I also learned that the mental health system sucks,”

said Associate Editor Bernadette D’Auria, an English major in the five-year secondary education program. The lack of in-person presence during therapy sessions created a more impersonal environment, making therapy seem more like an interview than a safe space to seek help and guidance from a professional. Many of us also took for granted feeling safe every day. “I guess I took for granted not feeling paranoid all the time,” said Walsh. “There’s a kid that sits next to me in one of my classes and his mask is visibly mesh ... and he often doesn’t have it on correctly. And when he’s reminded he gets aggressive. In addition to having to be cautious around men because of their tendencies, there’s also a fear of getting sick from someone not caring about you and caring so much about themselves.” Josephine Good, a senior international business major and life editor of The Weekly Ringer, shared what she misses from before the pandemic. “Seeing people, sitting in a classroom without a mask on, not having foggy glasses, being able to wear glasses instead of contacts, having people over to my apartment— so many things,” she said. “Working out in a gym; being able to go on dates, if I’m being completely honest. Now, you have to be so cautious about where someone has been.” This is not to say that our experiences have been devoid of positivity, and some of us were able to find sources of joy while stuck inside, especially when we looked back on the courses of our lives. We used this time to reflect on the good lives we had led so far, which held promise and created glimmers of hope to our future. In reference to how she experienced pre-pandemic life, senior art major and photography editor Emily Warren said, “I felt like I never valued connections with classmates, professors, teammates and coaches as much as I should. I now have realized how important even small conversations can be and how these connections you make now will have an impact on the rest of your life.” With vaccines allowing us more freedom to be social and hug our friends and family members, our lives have drastically changed since March 2020, and some elements of our lives are still severely altered. “I had this ridiculous wave of sadness the other day,” said Slaughter. “There’s some people on campus and I don’t know what they look like.” We want to commiserate with you, fellow students and coveted staff of UMW, about how much COVID-19 has changed our lives and how this community has been a pillar of support. Growing and evolving through a situation where we didn’t know what lay ahead of us was intimidating, but having the Mary Wash community with us along the way has made us feel a little less alone, a little less desperate and a little more hopeful about our collective futures, both on and off campus.

Staff Ed: Reflecting on two years of life in a pandemic As we approach the two-year mark of COVID-19 in March 2022, we want to reflect on the tumultuous relationship that we’ve had with our college and personal lives while living through a pandemic. “This might be sad, but I think I’ve learned how much trauma we can endure and how much trauma we were already enduring on a daily basis just by being in a country that expects so much of us and provides such little support in return,” said Weekly Ringer Editor-in-Chief Jess Kirby, a junior communication and digital studies and sociology double major. In history classes, there’s always an implied sense that the events we’re currently living through will be documented and studied just as we do with past events, such as elections, wars, conflicts, etc., but the thought of living through a global pandemic never crossed our minds until we were neck-deep in it. When the pandemic first hit, all of us were in different places in our lives, whether that was personally or academically. However, the ways in which we coped with the world taking a pause were similar. As we transverse the unexpected twists and turns of this pandemic together, we hope our experiences are relatable and allow you to connect and reflect with us. “I’ve learned that I don’t have control over anything but myself,” said senior Spanish major and Copy Editor Abby Slaughter. “What I mean by that is the world is so unpredictable and things you never thought would happen are just daily life. I’ve learned that all I can do is take care of myself and hope that nothing goes wrong along the way.”

Editors complete newspaper layout in the clubhouse at UMW Apartments. Norah Walsh / The Weekly Ringer

Learning how to be by ourselves without much outside stimulation was a stretch for most of us, with introverts realizing how much they actually enjoy social interaction and extroverts learning how to be more introverted or learning that they were more content being alone than they thought. “I learned how much of an introvert I am,” said Cosmy Pellis, a senior sociology and English double major who is also one of the associate editors of The Weekly Ringer. “I didn’t realize how much I was draining myself until the world slowed down and I could have more time to myself

This staff editorial was led by Norah Walsh.

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Life

Page 4

The college student’s guide to Fredericksburg thrifting molly avery Senior Writer If there’s one thing that can bring college students together, it’s the desperate need to budget. Whether you need clothes, school supplies, plates for your Pizza Rolls or furniture for an apartment, thrift stores do it all. However, finding the right thrift store for your needs is difficult because not all thrift stores have the specific items you’re interested in. What if you’re looking for clothes but the thrift store you go to doesn’t sell many? What if you need furniture but furniture at the thrift store you go to is expensive? Which thrift stores will give you the most bang for your buck? To help with this, I went to 12 different thrift stores in the Fredericksburg area and ranked them from the worst to best. Number 12: Sequels When I went to this store, I kept asking myself, could Sequels even be considered a thrift store? They’re a higher-end clothing thrift store, so prices are expected to be inflated, but the prices at this store were ridiculous. Most articles of clothing were in the $30 range, but high-end brands such as Versace were around $100. A woman was interested in a gold necklace while I was there, but decided to pass when she learned it was $700. This is a thrift store that’s meant for “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” not the broke college students of Fredericksburg. Number 11: Manarc Manarc has the charm of a small thrift store, but the majority of the prices are inflated. I found a cute frog mug while I was there, but it was $15, which is absurd for a thrifted mug. That said, they have a small book room with fairly priced books and were running a dollar sale on some of their clothing when I went. Don’t expect many clothes if you go though—the thrift store is mainly home decor, miscellaneous supplies and kitchenware. Number 10: Re-run Shop This thrift store’s location on Caroline Street is great in case you wanted to pop in while doing something else in the area; however, it didn’t stand out to me. Re-run shop carries clothing, accessories and shoes. Shirt prices ranged from $7 to $10, and pants were around $15. While the prices aren’t bad, better ones can be found. They have fitting rooms and it’s well organized by size, but there were barely any plus-size options. Number 9: Habitat for Humanity Restore This is a great thrift store, but it’s so low on the list because of their limited stock. Besides a few shelves of books, it’s all furniture. It’s perfect if you’re looking to furnish an apartment for cheap, but other than that, it doesn’t have much else. The obscurity of the furniture is fun, though! Along with tables and couches, like one would expect, they also have stoves, bathtubs and doors. They also carry a lot of hardware, building materials and tools. I enjoyed going and looking around for fun, but maybe that’s just the fixer-upper in me.

The thrift stores in Fredericksburg offer a wide variety of shopping experiences and items. Molly Avery / The Weekly Ringer

Number 6: Dis N’ Dat Thrift House This is another small thrift store, although it’s not nearly as cramped as Nancy’s. The store smelled strongly of bleach, but I guess that means it’s clean? People looking to thrift clothes should skip this one because they don’t carry any. However, there is a variety of well-priced kitchenware, home decor, crafting supplies, jewelry and a toy room. What was most unique about this thrift store was a room full of fishing supplies: rods, tackle boxes and so on.

Number 5: Re-Tail If you want your money to go towards a good cause, Re-Tail is perfect for you. All of the store’s profits go towards Rikki’s Refuge Animal Sanctuary, a no-kill sanctuary for animals that need a home. The thrift store itself is about 25% clothes and shoes, and the rest is an ever-changing variety of items. There’s no telling what you may find since the store will sell anything that is donated. However, you can count on finding pet supplies, home decor, kitchenware, books and toys. One of the highlights of my trip was petting the dog another customer brought in.

Number 4: Present and Past Treasures This thrift store is quite different from most others on this list because it’s sort of like a flea market. The store is divided up into sections, and sellers can rent a section to display and sell whatever they have to offer. There is some consistency, though. One seller has dedicated their whole sector to quality jewelry at fairly cheap prices. Another seller has stacks upon stacks of books for $1 to $2. Right now, they don’t have many clothes, but they might in the future. It’s fun to go in and see what’s available for those who prefer a more spontaneous thrifting experience.

Number 3: Two Times New Two Times New is just like Present and Past Treasures, except it’s bigger. Due to how much bigger it is, the variety of stock feels more unique and diverse. Although there’s something for everyone, this is the perfect thrift store for geeks like me. There’s a wide variety of merchandise for Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, DC and gamers. Figurines, funko pops, toys, discontinued products and more can be found for all sorts of fandoms here. There’s even a whole section just for comic books. That’s not to say there aren’t your typical thrift finds here; there are also clothes, accessories, home decor, kitchenware and various supplies. Many of the stalls often run sales, and each seller tends to have good prices for what their items are worth. Present and Past Treasures offers a flea market style of thrifting.

Molly Avery / The Weekly Ringer

Number 7: Nancy’s Thrift Store Of all the thrift stores on this list, this one struck me as the oddest. The store is a very small room, and, due to their large stock, it’s very cramped. Though they didn’t have many clothing items, the clothes they did have were about $1 to $3. The store is flooded with furniture and, when I went there, they had a whole wall of perfume and a display case of pocket knives at the front. An odd range of technology, like wireless earbuds, a Nintendo DS without the charger, popcorn machines and a singular Wii remote, were available to buy. Other than these oddities, the store also sold kitchenware, home decor, accessories and more. I would definitely recommend it if you’re specifically looking for a bike—they had a ton out front.

Number 8: Clothes Mentor I’m not crazy about Clothes Mentor, but I can understand the appeal to others. This is another clothes, accessories and shoes thrift store. It has the appearance of a higherend thrift store, but the prices aren’t overly inflated. Tops and bottoms at the store average about $10, while jumpsuits and dresses are about $15. While that seems a bit pricey to me, the clothes are all in great shape and they carry some nicer brands, such as Loft. It’s well organized by size, and they have fitting rooms, although they don’t lock. The biggest problem I found with the store is that they didn’t carry any men’s clothing.

Number 2: St Vincent de Paul Thrift Store I usually don’t have high hopes for church thrift stores, but this one surprised me. Half of the store is clothing and accessories, while the other half is home living. This thrift store has some of the cheapest prices for clothing with pants and tops at $3 and dresses and jackets at only $5. It’s well organized and there are plus-size options available. As for what you can expect to find in home living, there are dollar books, kitchenware, craft and office supplies, home decor, linens, toys and more. Everything is cheap with all the prices feeling like a steal.

Number 1: Goodwill Fredericksburg Super Store What isn’t there to love about Goodwill? Racks and racks of clothes take up about 75% of the store. The rest is filled with accessories, shoes, books, home decor, furniture, toys and anything else that your heart desires. There’s a bit of everything for wonderful prices. Clothes are sorted not only by size but also by color. Compared to most thrift stores, Goodwill has a large stock of plus-size clothing. If you’re thrifting with a group of friends who all have different interests, Goodwill can satisfy everyone.

Life

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Page 5

UMW Theatre’s rendition of “Julius Caesar” to be “both historical and current” with themes of loyalty and power

Tabitha robinson Staff Writer

who plays Cassius, the organizer of the conspiracy. “Our production is set in a postThis semester, UMW Theatre is collapse, post-electric society,” she said. bringing to life William Shakespeare’s “The set and costumes both employ a dark “Julius Caesar” from March 11 to 13 in color scheme, and they look really great. Klein Theatre, with a pay-what-you-can The set has a ramp that I’m really excited preview on March 10. The play follows to be working on; all of the blocking in the the (mostly true) story of Julius Caesar’s show utilizes the set really well.” assassination by his senators, followed by Although some parts of the production unintended consequences as the Roman may feel historical or unfamiliar, Williams people turn on them. However, UMW believes that audiences will relate to many Theatre’s rendition will be less than of the play’s themes. traditional, as it is the department’s first “For hundreds of years, ‘Julius Caesar’ workshop production. has been a play people turn to when they “Part of our goal has been to make the fear their society is crumbling,” he said. play feel immediate to the audience, so “We don’t have to look very hard to find we’ve dispensed with togas and Roman the ways in which this play speaks to our architecture,” said Marc Williams, world today.” the director of the production and an According to Williams, the most “This production assistant professor of theatre and dance. familiar antagonist of the play is not a “Our designers have created an incredibly imagines a society in character, but a concept: the dangers of exciting world that feels both historical groupthink. which access to political and current at the same time.” “This production imagines a society With about 20 years of experience in power isn’t excusively in which access to political power isn’t professional theatre, Williams explained exclusively male,” he said. “Many of male.” how this performance will differ from the play’s most influential characters, others. including Brutus and Cassius, are women. “We’ve had roughly half the time to The idea was to examine more fully what -Marc Williams work on this play [than] we’d normally happens to a society that is endangered have. Our priority has been on bringing This production of “Julius Caesar” will by groupthink, rather than factionalism or the text to life as fully as we can,” said gender disparity.” also have a different feeling because of a Williams. “For the audience, this means Audience members who have no you’ll see actors carrying scripts. You change in setting, according to Emily Kile, interest in Roman history will still find the a junior English and theatre double major, won’t see blood effects or elaborate stage story relatable. “Those themes have been seen again and again in history,” said stage manager Olivia Harrington, a senior political science and theatre double major. “Even if an audience member does not know anything about Roman history or how the Senate worked in Rome, they will understand the fear of stability being challenged—the chaos that erupts both publicly and privately when dangerous choices are made.” Baylor considers “Julius Caesar” to be one of Shakespeare’s best works. ”It plays on themes of loyalty, friendship and ethics, all of which Shakespeare brought to light in his genius writing,” said Baylor. “I think that much of Shakespeare’s work is quite brilliant, but ‘Julius Caesar’ is particularly special. It is timeless, humorous, and heart-wrenching with a story line that keeps the audience on its toes.” Kile also highlighted the remarkable characters within “Julius Caesar.” “There are some incredibly complex relationships between characters and UMW Theatre’s “Julius Caesar” will be performed in Klein Theatre from March 10-13. some of the most compelling characters Geoff Greene / University of Mary Washington in all of Shakespeare’s work,” said Kile.

Devil & Goat

combat scenes. All of the design elements will be there, but those elements will also be less complex than what we might produce under different circumstances.” Maddie Baylor, a sophomore undeclared major, is playing both Portia and Octavius’ soldier. She explained what the show will look like as a workshop production. “A workshop production means that this performance will include every aspect needed to bring the show to life without depicting every minute detail,” said Baylor. “There will be blocking, fighting, sound, set, costumes, props and acting, but certain parts will not be as intricate as previous performances. As we have less time than normal, a workshop allows for a fantastic performance of a simpler arrangement.”

Illustrated by D.K.

Even though “Julius Caesar” has been performed for centuries, Kile believes it is worth seeing again at Klein Theatre. “Every time a new production of any show is performed, there is new knowledge to be gained from it,” said Kile. “No two productions of any show will be the same and, in fact, no two performances of the same production will be the same. The joy of theatre is in its ephemeral nature.”

“[Shakespeare’s] work is not quick to leave you, and I find that is part of the magic.” -Maddie Baylor Williams explained that pressure comes with recreating such a well-known play. “That pressure is self-imposed though—the joy has been in exploring the play one moment at a time and finding our own way through it,” he said. It’s a very challenging play, but I’ve been thrilled with our students’ willingness to rise to the occasion.” “Julius Caesar” may be a challenge, but the performers have spent time carefully working through the text. “Acting Shakespeare is always a challenge, but we spent the first few weeks of rehearsal working really closely with the text, which has been really helpful in feeling connected to what each character is saying,” said Kile. COVID-19 has also introduced challenges to the production. “Due to COVID-19, UMW Theatre’s schedule shifted and ‘Julius Caesar’ was announced as a workshop production,” said Kile. “This essentially means that we have had fewer weeks in rehearsal than we normally would have. Everyone involved in the production has been working incredibly hard to make this production as good as it can be with our shortened schedule, and I’m really excited about what we’re creating! Workshop productions are very common in professional theatres, and it’s very exciting to be a part of one!” Many are looking forward to seeing the final product of UMW Theatre’s “Julius Caesar.” “Even if you are not a fan of Shakespeare, (as I wasn’t until quite recently!) his work speaks volumes on society and moral standards,” said Baylor. “His work is not quick to leave you, and I find that is part of the magic.”

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Life

The Talk with Cosmy Pellis: Navigating bisexuality

Cosmy Pellis Associate Editor Q: I’m bisexual but have only had sex with guys. I’ve made out with girls but that’s about it and I’m really intimidated to do anything else because I don’t know what to do. Any advice for learning? -Navigating Bisexuality A: Thank you so much for trusting me with this question. Congratulations on recognizing that you’re bisexual— that’s already a huge, first step towards becoming empowered in your sexuality. It can be hard to navigate your first experience or relationship with a woman after only being with men. Gender roles tell us that men are supposed to take a more active role in sexual relationships and initiate everything. This is not true for every straight relationship, but if you’re used to men making the first move, realizing that you might have to take a more active role in initiating things with women can be a learning curve. I am also bisexual, so I really empathize with your question. We are up against so much, challenging sexual binaries and gender norms simply by existing as bisexual women. Here are my top pieces of advice that I’ve learned from my first relationships with other women. Meeting women Meeting other women who are interested in women can be difficult. Straight women can be flirty with each other, so it’s hard to tell when a woman is just being friendly and when she’s flirting. If you meet a woman in a conventional way, like in class, at a bar or downtown, you can feel the situation out. Ask her if she wants to get coffee or do something casual, where you guys can talk and learn about each other. It sounds bold, but you might want to bring up sexuality when you hang out with a girl for the first time. This sets the tone that you might be open to starting something with her, and if she feels comfortable disclosing her sexuality too, you can go from there. If it turns out that she’s also interested in girls, you can ask her on a first date! This is a pretty low-risk way to set intentions really early on.

If you’re in a queer space, like a gay bar, a PRISM event on campus or a party that many queer people are attending, it may be easier to make a move on a woman with a lower fear of rejection. In these settings, romantic intentions may be clearer without the need for explicitly stating them. You might find it easier to make a move on a girl (with consent) if you can feel a vibe between you and her. I usually hate dating apps, but they can actually be a great tool when you feel ready to be with a girl for the first time. Since it’s sometimes hard to gauge whether other girls are bisexual or gay in person, dating apps eliminate this fear because anyone you match with is also looking for women. It’s important to think about your intentions when choosing a dating app; apps like Tinder are more geared towards hookups, while Hinge and Bumble are more tailored towards dates and relationships. There’s also a dating app called Her that is specifically designed for the queer community. It’s important to be careful with dating apps because sometimes straight men will infiltrate these settings. I have lesbian friends that match with women only to find that they’re looking for a third person in their straight relationship, or they find men’s profiles when their settings are just set to women. These first experiences with other women are so valuable. For me, being with a woman was the first time that I fully thought about what I wanted out of a relationship and took an active role in pursuing that. It’s a whole different kind of love, and whether you find someone in person or online, it’s guaranteed to be a lifechanging experience. Confidence Women can be intimidating. Just like every other part of life, confidence is half the battle. I truly cannot stress that enough. If you’re hitting on a woman or asking her on a date, go in with the utmost confidence you can muster. The worst outcome is that she’s straight or that she’s not interested, and hey, that’s okay! It’s so much better to start getting experience talking to women than to stay scared forever. I promise it will eventually pay off.

Page 6

It’s natural to be nervous. For bisexual women who have had sex with men in the past, having sex with another girl can feel like losing our virginities all over again. That’s scary. But it’s also so beautiful. We get to experience connection with other people for the first time, twice. Also, you’ve had sex before, and being with a woman will be different, sure, but the premise of the act is still the same. If you’re with another girl who’s inexperienced in woman-loving-woman (WLW) relationships, take solace in the fact that she’s probably nervous too. You guys can figure it out together, and that is so amazing. If you have your first experience with a girl who’s been with other girls before, it could be comforting to let her take a more active role and guide you through the situation, if she feels comfortable doing so. Either way, it’s not so scary as long as you go in with confidence. Remember, anyone who’s having sex with you or dating you is lucky to be sharing such an intimate experience with you. Confidence is hard, but the more often you take a deep breath and enter situations with a positive outlook, the easier it gets. Communication One of the most relieving parts of female relationships is communication. After only being with men, it often feels really validating to be with someone who may understand your emotions a little bit easier. If you’ve found a partner and you’re nervous to kiss her or have sex with her for the first time, tell her! You guys can talk through it and, hopefully, this conversation will settle your nerves a bit. At the very least, she will gain an understanding of your mindset and your fears. Communication is important in every relationship, and it’s especially important when you’re approaching a sexual relationship. Make sure to approach conversations from a place of open-mindedness and understanding. I am always accepting sex questions at weeklyringer. associate@gmail.com or through the QR code below! Don’t worry, if I answer your question it will be anonymous.

Submit your questions about sex for Cosmy to answer in her column! Scan the code or use the tinyurl below. All questions will be anonymous.

https://tinyurl.com/2d9apddm Past columns: The Talk with Cosmy Pellis: How to redefine losing your virginity after experiencing sexual assault The Talk with Cosmy Pellis: Feeling confident during sex UMW Does It: The Talk with Cosmy Pellis

Thursday, February 24, 2022

News

Page 7

Creative writing professors struggle to offer specialty classes FROM WRITING PAGE 1 when our creative writing classes are filling and we are unable to accommodate student demand, we would certainly reevaluate the situation and consider a new hire,” Mellinger said. “Right now, that is not necessary.” While the three professors have successfully managed to support the program and its students in the past two years, Rafferty said an additional person would be greatly appreciated for the different perspectives and writing styles they would bring to expand the knowledge of the students. “The more opportunities we have to give students another viewpoint on what writing can be, the more diverse our offerings can be,” he said. Another concern with only having just enough instructors is not having someone to cover another’s workload if they need to take time off. “We don’t have the staff to make up for any absences,” Levy said. “If one of us had to be out of work for a medical thing, it becomes harder to run the curriculum if you’re running on the minimum amount of professors.” While Rochelle’s retirement was a loss to the English department and creative writing program in terms of class offerings and professor workloads, he contributed more than just academics to the students. During his two decades spent teaching at the university, Rochelle frequently led study abroad trips to England and Wales,

volunteered to lead various committees and hosted speaking events, all while working on short stories, articles, books and reviews. He has published a book that studies the works of famous science fiction author Ursula Le Guin, as well as four novels, one of which was nominated for a 2010 Lambda Literary Award. Rochelle’s writing contained elements of science fiction while also reshaping mythical tales from a plethora of cultures, such as Cherokee and Celtic, to include queer characters and evolving sexualities. “His fiction tends to focus on minority representation, particularly for gay men, or more broadly LGBTQ+ characters in general,” said Richards. “To have a gay faculty member doing that kind of representation to leave, I think that was a real loss for our students to see somebody doing creative work and minority representation.” Rafferty, whose office was adjacent to Rochelle’s for many years, fondly recalled his generosity and kindness toward students who often came to him for more than just academic advice. “I heard him conference with students in an incredibly patient manner and steadily working through story ideas and novel structures,” Rafferty said. “He was also great at working with students who were figuring out who they were. I heard him talking with so many students who had just come out to their family about their sexual

The creative writing department is struggling with only three professors. Skyler Joseph / The Weekly Ringer

orientation or gender identity. He was always a person who was generally optimistic about what could be done.” Though Rochelle’s retirement was a loss to some in the program, the creative writing department is still managing to operate. “We seem to be moving forward and succeeding, even if it’s just slightly more exhausting,” said Levy.

UFC motion decreases writing and speaking intensive classes needed for students with double majors

Priya patel Senior Writer

At their first meeting of the semester on Feb. 2, the University Faculty Council (UFC) passed a motion that clarifies the writing intensive and speaking intensive requirements for double majors. The new motion will allow writing intensive and speaking intensive courses taken for a second major to fulfill the general education requirements as well. This will ensure that no single or double major student will be required to take more than four writing intensive and two speaking intensive courses. “The UFC referred the motion to the General Education committee because the issue involved general education and that is our bailiwick,” said Robert Rycroft, a professor in the economics department of UMW and chair of the General Education committee. “We discussed it at our January meeting and voted to support the motion. It was then returned to the UFC, and they voted to support the motion.” The new general education requirements, which took effect in the fall of 2020, stipulate that students need three writing intensive courses and one speaking intensive course. Unlike the old general education requirements, these can not overlap with major requirements, which require one writing intensive and one speaking intensive class. Because of this, double majors have been required to take a total of five writing intensive and three speaking intensive classes. “The reason for the motion was the belief that the existing rules made it difficult for

Crime Column JOSEPHINE JOHNSON & sCOTTI MULLEN News Editors

Possession of Alcohol On Feb. 12 at 1:02 a.m., there was an incident of possession of alcohol in Virginia Hall.

Larceny Between Feb. 12 and Feb. 13, there was an incident of larceny of auto parts at the UMW Apartments.

double majors to graduate on time,” Rycroft said. “Taking all those WI/SI courses was stressful and they were not always easy to find.” Eleanor Haas, a junior double majoring in international relations and cybersecurity, said that this change will be helpful. “If it’s less classes to take, that will definitely help double majors,” she said. “Fitting in two majors into four years is really difficult and requires a lot of advanced planning. That would have helped me a lot. Right now, I don’t think that I have any space for nonrequired classes.” Percy Sampson, a sophomore English and theatre double major, agrees. “Because of my two majors, it doesn’t affect me all too much,” they said. “I think, for those who it benefits more, it’s a really cool thing.” The justification for this motion was that the current policy puts an unnecessary burden on double major students, which could potentially decrease the number of students graduating with two majors. “The new general education requirements created a hurdle for double majors to graduate on time, so the faculty decided to lower the hurdle,” Rycroft said. “The new general education requirements were created with the best of intentions, but they created an unforeseen difficulty that has now been removed. My own view was if students with one major can satisfy their writing requirement with a certain number of courses, then double majors should not have to take more courses for that same purpose.”

COVID-19 Dashboard

UMW’s COVID-19 dashboard is located on the university website. These statistics are from Feb. 23, 2022—the most recent at time of publication.

221

Total cases as of Feb 22, 2022

Active cases

0.43

7-day moving average of new cases per day

151

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

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

22 of 22

Quarantine spaces available

120 of 120

Isolation spaces available

102

Total prevalence tests administered from Feb. 11, 2022 - Feb. 17, 2022

Total positive prevalence test returned from Feb. 11, 2022 - Feb. 17, 2022

0.98

Percentage of positive prevalence tests returned from Feb. 11, 2022 - Feb. 17, 2022

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Sports

Men’s tennis wins first match of the season

MATTHEW NELSON On Friday, Feb. 18, the UMW men’s tennis team constantly locked in. He definitely sets the bar high Staff Writer defeated Stevens Institute of Technology with a for everyone and sets the tone as soon as we start.” final score of 9-0, giving the Eagles a blowout win Drew Watson, a junior business administration at home to start their spring season. major, won his game in doubles alongside Moses Hutchison 8-1, and The day started with the doubles matches, in which the Eagles Watson won his singles match with a score of 7-5 in the first set and won all three, allowing 6-2 in the second. “We played them my freshman year, so I knew they would have “My opponent was solid them to maintain a strong lead throughout the day. a lot of talent and that we couldn’t take them lightly,” said Watson. and, overall, I felt like it Following the doubles “My match against Kulakarni was tough. He was aggressive and was a great day for both matches, the Eagles won all wasn’t afraid to take chances. It was a good test at the beginning of me and the team.” six singles matches, giving the season to see where I’m at mentally and physically. After seeing them the win over Stevens his game in doubles, I had an idea of his strengths and weaknesses, which I could use to my advantage for my singles match.” -Rishi Charan Shankar Institute. The final match of the The tennis team has a strong group of spectators that attend many day was between UMW’s Peter Leese, a sophomore accounting of the matches. major, and Stevens Institute’s Vivek Harinarayan. The match ended Bob Rycroft, a UMW professor of economics and faculty liaison with a final score of 6-3 in the first set, 4-6 in the second and 10-7 in for the men’s tennis team, enjoys watching the team play. the final set, giving Leese the win. “I wanted to support the team,” he said. “I just enjoy watching “My match against Harinarayan today was a tough match from them play. I’m extremely impressed by the speed of the game and the start to finish,” said Leese. “I don’t think I necessarily played my best talent they show. It far exceeds what I could have even dreamed of tennis today against him, but I am happy that I ended up winning when I played tennis.” the match. Overall, this match was a good win for me. ... The match The Eagles will be playing at Chapman University in Orange went how I expected; I knew this was going to be a tough match. County, Calif. in an away match on Sunday, Feb. 27. The team’s The Stevens team has a lot of talented players, and our team knew we next match at home will be against Washington College on Sunday, needed to play good tennis to win the match.” March 13. Before his matches, Rishi Charan Shankar, a sophomore computer science major, was excited to start a more normal season. “I am very excited for this match because last year we got a makeshift season, and I’m looking forward to playing new teams such as Stevens because I have never played them before,” he said. “I am really looking forward to the competition and am excited for what’s in store for our team this weekend.” Charan Shankar won both of his matches. In doubles, he played aside Nick Spera and Charan Shankar and Spera won 8-1. “I think I played well today, and that helped me out by giving me more games where I could play a little looser knowing that I had a big enough lead,” said Charan Shankar. “My opponent was solid and, overall, I felt like it was a great day for both me and the team.” Spring season matches are between only two teams, while the fall season is mostly invitational tournaments where individual players from top teams compete. “At the end of the day, we just need to show up and play our best,” said Foster Evans, a freshman chemistry major. “We know what we UMW Athletics are capable of and got to stay locked in. Drew Watson especially is Moses Hutchison playing in a match this past weekend.

Baseball splits doubleheader against Castleton

Alban barker On Saturday, Feb. 19, the baseball team opened of the game, and Ayscue later scored to make the Staff Writer its spring season with a split doubleheader game 6-2. against Castleton University at the Eagles’ home During the middle of the fifth inning, the team field, V. Earl Dickinson Stadium. The Eagles lost the first game 1-4 huddled one more time in the UMW dugout. According to sophomore but won the second 17-4. business administration major Noah Roots, the conversation focused The morning game was a windy, chilly affair with a quiet home on executing simple plays better and sealing their victory. crowd in the stands. UMW put the ball in play more often than “After that inning, we let Castleton get a couple runners on and Castleton, out-hitting them 6 to 4, but the Eagles were unable to knew that we didn’t want to let them get back into the game, so we capitalize on those hits. Norman Holcomb’s single in the bottom of were just trying to get a couple more runs on the board to get the the fourth inning drove home Nick Ciuffreda for the Eagles’ only run game out of reach,” he said. that game. The Eagles did just that and more. Roots led off to start the bottom of the fifth with a single. By the time Roots came up to bat for the second time in the inning, UMW had scored six runs. Castleton allowed all nine batters in the lineup to reach base without recording an out. After a total of 10 runs that inning, the scoreboard wasn’t large enough to accommodate the team’s score; the board showed zero runs under the fifth inning, but the total score was there: 16-2. After that, UMW cruised to a 17-4 victory. Work by relief pitchers such as freshman Griffin Graham helped keep Castleton from trying to mount a late-game rally. Before the game, sophomore biomedical sciences major Ty Lowe hoped that the weekend would give the team an opportunity to start with more momentum than in 2021. “Last year, we started out 0-5, and I feel like getting two wins to start off the season would be a real confidence booster,” he said. Lowe Sam Freeborne at the plate. UMW Athletics added that he hoped a hot start would give the players the first step Between games, the team met to recalibrate and reemphasize their towards their goals, such as winning their conference tournament season goals and the importance of doing little things right. When and making it to the Division III College World Series. the second game started, the team’s renewed energy showed. Noah Adcock-Howeth, a junior business administration major, “We were told just to focus on the little things,” said sophomore agreed about trying to avoid a “flat start” like past seasons. sociology major Alex Kobersteen. “As a team, we focused on attacking “We figure if we can get off to a hot start with our bats and we hitters at the plate, and our pitchers made great pitches in counts got the pitching depth to push us through, a hot start to the season is that mattered.” Kobersteen also said that the increased energy from really what we need before we fare into the second half of the season,” the spectators helped give the Eagles a bigger home-field advantage said Adcock-Howeth. in the second game. When asked about the team’s win, Graham said, “I think it shows After UMW scored twice in the bottom of the first, Castleton that we can compete with anyone out there. We want to carry the players could be heard in the dugout talking about UMW’s energy. momentum from this game into our next game and take care of As the weather warmed up later in the afternoon, so did the Eagles’ business. This team wants to win and I think we can do something bats. With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the second, sophomore special this year.” business major Bobby Ayscue singled to bring in two runs and give The team’s next game will be on Friday, Feb. 25 at home against UMW the lead. The Eagles would not relinquish the lead for the rest Stevenson University.

Page 8

University of Mary Washington

Spring Sports Schedule

Victoria R. Percherke Sports Editor

Track & Field

Mar. 5 at Shenandoah Mar. 11 at NCAA Championships Mar. 19 vs. UMW Opener Mar. 25 @ Richmond Invitational

Men’s Basketball (15-8) Feb. 19 L vs. Chris. Newport (68-67) Feb. 24-26 vs. TBA @ Newport News, Va. Mar. 4-5 vs. TBA

Women’s Basketball (17-8)

Feb. 13 L vs. UC Santa Cruz (6459) Feb. 16 W @ Salisbury (62-65) Feb. 24-26 vs. TBA @ Santa Cruz, Cal.

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. 19 @ Liberty Show Feb. 27 vs. Regional Show @ Sweet Briar, Va. April 9 vs. Zone Championship @ Laurinburg, N.C. May 4 vs. IHSA Nationals

Games are available to watch via livestream on the UMW Athletics webpage Full schedule not listed above. Most recent games included. Bold indicates home game.