April 30, 2019

April 30, 2019

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The senator had one-on-one conversations with students to discuss their opinions on the Higher Education Act.

The final chapter in a stretch of more than 20 films, the film rewards fans with a great story and gut-wrenching emotion.

SGA hosts Tim Kaine on ‘Avengers: Endgame’: A campus for Q&A session conclusion that delivers MACKENZIE WILLIAMS

news staff writer

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine visited Virginia Tech this past Friday, April 26, to gain student opinion on the Higher Education Act reauthorization.

Passed in 1965, the Higher Education Act (HEA) governs postseconda r y logistics including Pell Grants, Perkin Loans, student loan transparency between lender and borrower, and campus safety.

The HEA overarches almost every aspect related to higher education and is supposed to be renewed every five years; however, it was most recently reauthorized in 2008.

The event was hosted by the Student Government Association (SGA). Kaine started the event by explaining the basics of the HEA. He then spoke one-on-one with students about college affordability, college mental health services and campus safety. Attendees voiced their concerns about issues specific to Virginia Tech and policies like Cook Counseling overcrowding. Students also mentioned concerns about more national topics like rising tuition prices.

SGA’s director of governmental affairs, Manasha Bhetwal, a sophomore majoring in international relations, found the forum provided a “good informational session for students”

and hopes it will spur more student outreach. Bhetwal encouraged civic engagement from not just students in political science but, from all majors because all students are “here for a reason” and can bring ideas to the table.

Kaine previously visited community colleges like New River Community College and Wytheville Community College as well as larger schools like Emory & Henry College to gauge student thoughts on the HEA. Primar y focuses for the senator’s HEA agenda include career and technical education, K-12 teacher training, public service loan forgiveness, and on-campus sexual assault awareness.

Pell Grants — federal student aid loans determined by income that commonly do not need repayment — will also face legislative changes this year. Kaine aims for Pell Grants to have more flexible time standards in which they can be used for shorter programs like an eight-week welding curriculum for technical schools.

P ublic ser vice loan forgiveness is another pillar of the revised HEA. The public service loan forgiveness program is already part of the HEA and Kaine hopes it will continue to be part of the HEA after the reauthorization.

This effort focuses on alleviating some debt for those students planning to enter public service either locally

“ENDGAME” OPENS WITH $1.2 BILLION Why the film’s historic debut is worth celebrating. page 6

or nationally. According to Kaine, only $10 million of $700 million were spent in paying a portion of student loans in the public service sector two years ago helping only 250 out of 38,000 students who applied.Kaine also emphasized, “very few have been deemed qualified to get the loan forgiveness by the Department of Education.”

Sexual assault became a focal point during the forum.

The current HEA emphasizes many preventative strategies like the Teach Safe Relations Act program for K-12 schools providing a curriculum to students about healthy relationships. This preventative strategy aims to carry into “campus culture and consent” for educated kids to be “thinking right about relationships” because not “everyone has received this from their parents,” Kaine explained.

M o r e o v e r, teacher shortages are “especially acute in some areas (like) special education, foreign languages and STEM,” Kaine said.

Kaine hopes the reauthorized HEA will be on the floor of the Senate by the end of July.

After his stop at Virginia Tech, Kaine and his staff traveled to the University of Virginia to achieve the same goal — hear from students.

@CollegiateTimes

EMILY CARTER

lifestyles staff writer

“Avengers: Endgame” is the perfect, bittersweet ending to 11 years of Marvel movies. It made me laugh, it made me cry (six times) and it made me feel empty inside because my favorite movie series was finally over.

Even if you’re not a huge Marvel fan or have only seen a few of the movies, I still highly recommend that you see this movie. The plot gives enough backstory about the stones and the snap for people who are unfamiliar with the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe and all of its heroes.

“Avengers: Infinity War” ends with half of our beloved Marvel characters disappearing with Thanos’ snap with his Infinity Gauntlet leaving audiences everywhere in the summer of 2018 shocked, confused and full of despair.

“Endgame” picks up immediately after the snap with the remaining characters feeling and looking like crap. Our beloved Avengers are torn between moving on and trying to find a solution to undo the damage caused

by Thanos.

While it’s very hard to review the movie without spoiling anything, the plot of the movie was not what I expected at all. I knew that the remaining Avengers would try to come up with

25-YEAR NFL DRAFT STREAK BROKEN Four football players were picked up after the draft ended. page 7

a solution to undo the snap, but the way they went about trying to fix everything was not on my radar until it was actually suggested in the movie.

Since this is the last big Marvel movie where we see a lot of characters’ stories come to an end, it’s expected that viewers will become emotional due to the amazing writing and character development that has been evolving for over a decade. Don’t feel embarrassed about shedding a tear or two –– Chris Evans said that he cried six times while viewing “Endgame,” so if Captain America can be confident in his crying, so can you.

T here a re ma ny humorous and meme-able moments throughout the film as well. Similar to “Infinity War” when there was an intense scene that had viewers on the edge of their seats, a beloved character would whip out a snarky comment or humorous line that would have the audience erupt with laughter and made me love the movie and the MCU even more.

One aspect of the movie viewing process that made “Endgame” more enjoyable was watching the movie in a packed theater. There was an unspoken comradery between the audience members and it made my heart happy when we all

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clapped and cheered during a heartwarming moment, gasped during a suspenseful scene, and held our breath during the credits trying to savor as much of the movie as we could.

There are no complaints that I have about “Avengers: Endgame” because it fits the formula of the perfect movie. The Russo brothers and all of the actors did a fantastic job on this movie, and I plan on seeing it a second and maybe even a third time. I give “Avengers: Endgame” five out of five stars.

@EmilyNic_12

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Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac and John Boyega are among the returning cast for ‘Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.’

‘Let the past die’: It’s time for the Jedi Council to end

W

Luke was right: The Jedi Order has worn out its welcome ­— endangering the future of the galaxy and the balance in the force. e need to talk about Ahsoka Tano.

For those who haven’t seen “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” Ahsoka was Anakin Sk y wa l ker’s Pad awa n throughout a large portion of the Clone Wars. She was first introduced as a naive child, thrust into the middle of a war and given a position of authority without much experience. She was clearly made to parallel Anakin and his journey through the Jedi Order. Both of them were considered to be rebels among their peers, more inclined toward “aggressive negotiations” than careful diplomacy. They cared very deeply about people and refused to give up once they’d put their minds to something.

Over time, A hsoka learned to be less reckless.

She proved herself to be politically savvy and intuitive as she traveled around the galaxy, meeting new people and helping various civilizations in their fight against the Separatists.

But then, Ahsoka was framed for murder.

This set off a chain of events that created one of the darkest arcs in the whole series. Ahsoka was accused of committing a terrorist act, and when the police attempted to arrest her, she ran.

Making her situation all the worse was that she had lost nearly all of her allies. The Jedi Council was convinced that she was guilty — despite there never being a trial — and had expelled her from the order. Her closest friend and mentor Anakin Skywalker tried to help her, but even he was deferential to the Council. Some of these people prematurely convicting her of murder were friends she’d had for as long as she could remember.

So, she turned to one of her fiercest rivals, Count Dooku’s former apprentice

Asajj Ventress. Ventress had recently been betrayed by her master and was searching for a new purpose in life and she decided to help Ahsoka because, as she later told Anakin, she saw herself in Ahsoka and how she was betrayed by those she looked up to. And at the end of the arc, completely disillusioned with the Jedi, Ahsoka left the order permanently, feeling as though she no longer had a home with them.

For all that people want to hate on Anakin Skywalker’s turn to the Dark Side in “Revenge of the Sith,” the Jedi’s rejection of Ahsoka and her subsequent departure provide a very compelling basis for his distrust of the Order.

Even more intriguing is the story behind the actual murderer. Barriss Offee was one of Ahsoka Tano’s closest friends, having fought together on several occasions. Barriss and her master Luminara Unduli represent the anti-Anakin and Ahsoka. They were more observant and deferential, obedient to both the Jedi Council and the code.

They were everything a Jedi and her Padawan are supposed to be.

Until Barriss blew up a part of the Jedi Temple.

At first, none of the Jedi could understand why she would do this. After all, she had been a loyal soldier throughout the war, almost giving her life in the line of duty during the Second Battle of Geonosis and its aftermath. She was frequently critical of Ahsoka’s unconventional tactics that she learned from her master, saying that it was their duty to prepare for battle.

But during all of these trials, Barriss began to notice the discrepancy between the traditions and teachings of the Jedi and what they were actually doing. The Jedi were

typically known as peacekeepers, aiming to maintain the balance in the Force. In essence, the Jedi understood the need for a separation between church and state.

The Jedi of the prequels had lost this objectivity.

They acted as generals in the army of the Republic and ambassadors on behalf of various groups. They were adamantly anti-Separatist with no room for doubt. They could sometimes disregard the fact that the clone troopers are human beings and were comfortable with the war continuing because they had a high unlimited number of soldiers.

This interference by Force-wielders in the political spheres of their respective nations continued into the original trilogy. Part of the reason why the Rebel Alliance was so ill-prepared to fight the Empire head-on before Luke joined them was because they lacked a trained Forcewielder. Ahsoka Tano and Kanan Jarrus of “Star Wars Rebels” could be exceptions, but neither of them finished their Jedi training. On the other hand, the Empire had Emperor Palpatine, Darth Vader and the Grand Inquisitor, as well as a number of other Inquisitors.

The various major conflicts were all caused by Forcewielders seeking to eliminate their counterparts.

At the end of the day, the Jedi are responsible for the current state of the galaxy.

All of the chaos caused by the Empire can be traced back to the Jedi Council’s t reatment of A na k in Skywalker. He arrived at the Jedi Temple as a former child slave, having just been separated from his mother, the only person to have ever loved him. Soon after, his mentor died, leaving his training in the hands of someone who just graduated from being a Padawan. He was constantly told to ignore

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his feelings and remain detached from the world even though he was clearly someone who cared a lot for people.

Obi-Wan Kenobi couldn’t help him. Obi-Wan was trained by Qui-Gon Jinn, who was treated as a rebel for ignoring the rules in favor of helping others.

Obi-Wan noticed how his master was treated and he likely attempted to overcompensate for this by strictly adhering to what the Jedi Council ordered him to do. Unlike Anakin, he was taken by the Jedi as a baby, so he didn’t have a good frame of reference for how normal human relationships are supposed to work — seriously, these people forcibly took babies from their parents and we’re supposed to root for them.

He discouraged Anakin from acting on his feelings in “Attack of the Clones,” even though this caused Anakin’s mother to die. He didn’t have anyone to turn to in order to discuss his feelings for Padme, leaving him even more isolated and secretive.

The next time he had dreams of someone he cares about dying, he knew that the Jedi will likely discourage him from acting even though he had already proven that his dreams did have meaning. The only person he could turn to — apart from Padme — is Chancellor Palpatine. The Jedi pretty much forced him into the arms of the

Sith. That doesn’t excuse all the murder and whatnot, but Anakin’s fall to the Dark Side did not occur in a vacuum.

Decades later, his son Luke was put in a similar situation in “The Empire Strikes Back.” He knew that his friends were in danger and that he had the power to at least try to save them.

Yoda — with whom he is training — told him not to go, citing the Jedi teaching that Luke must learn to let go of his feelings. Luke, unlike Anakin, refused to listen and ran off to Cloud City, which is likely the reason why Leia and Chewbacca managed to escape. By ignoring his traditional Jedi training, he was able to do what Anakin didn’t: save those he loves.

We don’t know much about how Luke worked to resurrect the Jedi Order in the time between “Return of the Jedi” and “The Force Awakens.” Loathe as I am to admit it, “The Last Jedi” provides the clearest insight into how Luke trained the next generation of Forcewielders. If Luke did indeed have the ancient texts of the Jedi, then he was probably at least somewhat adhering to tradition.

Unlike Anakin Skywalker, however, Kylo Ren very obviously had a support system in place during his time in the Jedi Order. He grew up with his parents and an uncle who loved him. Luke is a naturally kind person so it is hard to imagine him discouraging

his students to form relationships with others, particularly since doing so is how he saved the galaxy and defeated Palpatine.

It is reasonable to believe, therefore, that the Jedi might be salvaged through Rey. Since the ancient texts have burned and Luke is apparently dead — why didn’t he just take his X-wing to go fight Kylo? — it is up to her to decide what the future of the Jedi looks like. All she has is maybe a few months of training, most of which involved the practical use of her powers rather than any sort of philosophical teachings.

And that’s a good thing.

She is the last hope of the Jedi to receive some muchneeded reforms. But it might just be better to “let the past die,” to quote Kylo Ren, and leave the legacy of corruption and abuse behind, relegating it to the stuff of legends.

SALLY DUKES • opinions columnist • senior, political science

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Virginia Tech partners with IBM Q Network to help provide students with quantum computing practices IBM Q Network will provide access to quantum computing systems which will allow students to run quantum outcomes.

MIKE LIU

news editor

Virginia Tech is partnering with IBM Q Network to accelerate joint research in quantum computing and develop curricula related to quantum systems. The mission is to help better

prepare students for careers in the area of science and business influenced by the next era of computing.

Virginia Tech joined the IBM Q Network as a member of the IBM Q Hub at Oak Ridge National Lab. According to a press release from IBM, the university “will

work in conjunction with the Department of Energy, and chemistry experts at the IBM Almaden Research Center on the development of new quantum algorithms specifically in the field of quantum chemistry.”

IBM Q is IBM’s collaboration program on quantum

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computing. The program seeks to collaborate with industry universities, startups and national labs.

“We’re trying to advance resea rch and quantum computing,” said Anthony Annunziata, IBM Q Network global lead. “We are trying to push technology forward and are determined to discover the first commercial applications of the technology, and we’re trying to promote better education and training so that the students (and) the workforce will be ready for quantum computing as it evolves and matures.”

IBM Q is also collaborating with other universities in the country such as Duke University, Harvard University and the University of Notre Dame.

“We are really excited about the partnership with Virginia Tech and the other schools,” Annunziata said.

“Partnering with academia and promoting good science and good teaching is a hallmark of the (IBM) Q network.”

The program will provide Virginia Tech with quantum expertise, resources, quantum software and developer tools.

According to the press release, the IBM Q Network is the world’s first community of Fortune 500 companies, startups, academic institutions and research labs working to advance quantum computing and explore practical applications.

The key piece of the partnership is the access to the IBM Q quantum computing systems. According to Annunziata, the IBM Q systems are the most advanced quantum systems and they will be available for students and faculty at Virginia Tech.

Students and faculty will have access to these systems to run

quantum outcomes.

VT News reported IBM will begin to host developer boot camps and hackathons to provide students with hands-on practices with IBM Q softwares and systems in summer 2019.

“The collaboration with IBM will allow us to advance our efforts in these directions by directly testing our ideas on IBM hardware,” said Sophia Economou, an associate professor from the department of physics in the College of Science, to VT News. “Interactions with IBM researchers and student internships will further accelerate Virginia Tech’s expansion into the burgeoning field of quantum computing.”

@Zelia_Liu

New living-learning community building to promote student interactions with Blacksburg businesses Construction of the Virginia Tech Creativity + Innovation District Living Learning Community building will be completed in 2021.

KEVIN SANDLER new staff writer

Construction is underway for a $105-million dollar Virginia Tech Creativity + Innovation District Living Learning Community. The living learning community will be a multispace residential and classroom building aimed to foster creativity and innovation among Virginia Tech students.

The building, which will be located between Otey Street and Kent Street next to the Graduate Life Center, is the first step toward accomplishing the university’s goal of developing the Creativity and Innovation District. A part of the space was previously used for the University Club.

According to VMDO Architects, the design architect firm for the project, “Virginia Tech’s Creativity and Innovation District (CID) is envisioned as a

signature inter-disciplinary innovation hub located at the eastern edge of campus, where Virginia Tech meets downtown Blacksburg.”

Frank Shushok, senior associate vice president for Student Affairs at Virginia Tech, said this development will house a wide array of students and has many aspects that will allow creativity and innovation to flourish.

“This is a really unique facility and in many ways I think it will be national model for a lot of institutions to pay attention to and do things differently,” Shushok said.

According to Shushok, the first floor will have multi-use teaching and learning spaces, including teaching studios, seminar and critique rooms, a 3100 square foot performance hall, practice rooms, a woodshed, metal shop, paint booths and makerspaces for welding.

The remaining five stories will include apartments for visiting and permanent faculty.

In addition, according to VT News, “The project scope includes a threewinged, interconnected 596-bed residential life facility that includes academic, social, research, and collaboration space.”

Three living learning communities will be housed in the building, including Studio 72 and Innovate, as well as a new program for students in the college of architecture and urban studies. Student-athletes will be residing there as well.

According to VMDO, the building will include almost 30,000 square feet of public space which will be used to create artistic-, performance- and researchbased experiences for students. These experiences will support engagement and connections between the CID, Virginia Tech and

CAROLINA HERNANDEZ / COLLEGIATE TIMES Construction near the Graduate Life Center for the Innovation Community building, April 24, 2019.

Blacksburg.

According to Shushok, because of the building’s close proximity to downtown Blacksburg, there is hope to strengthen student interaction with the businesses within the community.

The construction is estimated to be complete in June 2021, and is expected to open to students the following fall semester.

“With all these unique spaces, it’s gonna be a unique environment and something

special for Virginia Tech,” Shushok said.

@CollegiateTimes

Former Tech student to perform community services for placing disguised cameras in public bathrooms Andrew Wildman was charged with trespassing and filming of a nude person for placing cameras in bathrooms on campus.

MIKE LIU

news editor

The then-Virginia Tech student who was accused of putting two disguised video recording devices in the bathrooms of two university buildings will be performing community service and start attending counseling sessions.

Accordi ng to T he Roanoke Times, 19-year-old Andrew O. Wildman will be found guilty of trespassing instead of unauthorized filming of a nude person.

Even though Wildman agreed that the evidence was sufficient to convict him, he entered a plea of not guilty to the nude filming charge.

M o r e o v e r, Judge

Jerry Mabe suggested to Wildman in court that he accept the trespassing charges now, while he waits for the year-long nudity conviction decision, according to The Roanoke Times.

Thus, Wildman is set to be convicted for trespassing, but the filming of a nude person charge will be decided upon in the coming year. Until then, he must complete 100 hours of community service and continue counselling sessions in order to avoid further criminal charges.

Mark O wc z a r s k i , assistant vice president of University Relations, said Wildman is no longer a student at Virginia Tech.

The Virginia Tech Police Department issued

a situational awareness alert on Feb. 21 stating that they had recovered two video recording devices disguised as a USB wall charger and a clothing hook in two public restrooms on campus. The Roanoke Times reported that the Commonwealth’s Attorney Mary Pettitt wrote in an email that the devices were found in bathrooms in the Newman Library and Eggleston Hall.

Wildman was arrested in February after the discovery of the cameras.

He later confessed that he purchased the cameras from eBay and put them in the bathrooms about a week before they were found.

Mabe decided to take the case under advisement and review the case in April

2020.

In addition, Wildman will be under the supervision of the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program.

@Zelia_Liu

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COURTESY OF RJ SISON

A group of Blank collective members set up a photo. LEFT to RIGHT: Guatam Nair, RJ Sison, Farzan Mirza.

Blank collective: A coalition of creators of all artistic persuasions New this semester, the student organization aims to display artistic abilities across many different types of media.

BREANNA KNOTTS lifestyles staff writer

Since March, a new innovative organization, Blank, has officially been recognized as an on-campus club. Blank is an organization striving to attract a community of Virginia Tech students who have an interest in the arts with the goal of combining each other’s skills and ideas to create more meaningful art.

Blank was built from the ground up, as freshman real estate major and founder of Blank, RJ Sison, has invested hours upon hours of time into crafting an organization that he hopes will attract students who want to pursue the challenge of changing the definition of art.

Dealing with the sudden death of his older brother shortly before his freshman

year, Sison came to Virginia Tech “lost, trying to be and do things I really wasn’t into all for the sake of putting myself out there and giving everything a chance,” he said.

Dissatisf ied, Si s o n continued to search for his people and one day he found them. After the initial rough months of college, things were starting to look up. “The silver lining to my rough start was having the privilege of meeting so many amazing artists with such a diverse set of skills who I believe to have limitless potential in the things they’re passionate about,” he said.

After debating the idea of creating a club, Sison finally committed alongside his newfound friends and was prepared to put forth his full attention to this project.

Shortly after his decision,

Sison began to build connections and study networking and leadership skills while selecting a team devoted to their mission. He added that once the plan was in motion and he had a team of devoted individuals. “There was no stopping us,” he said.

After immediate success in recruiting and approval by the school, a small group of around 10 individuals began to meet regularly and Blank was on its pathway to success.

The first step in the right direction was to plan their first project together as a team.

Together, Blank members practice a different style of thinking that encourages artistic minds to work together in a unique way.

“This viewpoint of the arts facilitates integration within the various arts communities here at Virginia Tech,

and allows for the creation of works that otherwise would not be possible,” Sison said.

This allows for a level of creativity and possibilities in projects not found in other arts clubs on campus.

To kick things off, members of Blank brainstormed together and decided to design and produce their own pair of sneakers from scratch, called “The Blank S1ate.” “They’re called ‘The Blank S1ate’ to reflect upon it being our first shoe. The triple white color acts as a canvas, allowing individuals to express themselves on a single pair of shoes, whether that be drawing, painting or even just living in them,” Sison said.

After success as a team, the shoes were put up for sale on their website, vtblank.com.

The next project on the schedule is to produce a short

film, appealing to a different speciality within the organization. Still in the makings, the film will be produced entirely by club members and will be broadcasted on their Instagram and Twitter.

Along with projects specific to Blank, members also expand and actively work within other creative communities on campus. For example, a number of members were involved with Zappy’s Word on the Street fashion show, which occurred April 17, helping with photography, modeling and designing.

The thinking process behind these projects and organization is complex.

Sison describes it as a belief that members support, stating that “the arts are interdependent to one another by nature.”

With this mindset, Blank is

YOU MATTER! Being a Hokie is an amazing experience.

But college can be stressful sometimes, too.

Whether it’s relationships, money, physical, or emotional health...

WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK

COURTESY OF RJ SISON Blank member, Maeve Collins, sketching a portrait.

not limited to specific projects and can explore any area of the arts that they choose.

With just a little over a month since their official recognition by the school, Blank has recruited over 120 members and is meeting all of their initial goals, including member quotas and project completion – – although, this is only the beginning. “I envision Blank to one day be one of Virginia Tech’s largest and most active organizations in the school,” Sison said.

To continue expanding, Sison said that “our next step in our young life is taking every lesson learned during the first chapter in our story and elevating our work ethic, quality of production and efficiency to come back stronger to an entirely class of incoming creatives.”

With a big future ahead of them, Blank members are working around the clock to brainstorm new projects and ways to get their name talked about on campus in order to prepare for a productive year filled with artistic and organization successes as a whole.

According to Sison, members bond on a deeper level due to their shared passion for the arts as a whole, unlike other organizations.

“What brings me joy is being able to see authentic and passionate creatives come together on a scale that’s larger than any individual. What brings me pride is seeing the ideas of such an eclectic group of college kids come to life,” Sison said.

To get involved with the growing organization, follow @blankatvt on Instagram and Twitter to get in touch with management. Simply direct message the account to find out about upcoming interest meetings.

@BreKnotts

AND REMEMBER: YOU MATTER. Take care of yourselves, Hokies!

For helpful wellness resources visit: well-being.vt.edu

“The Blank S1ate” sneakers produced by Blank designers.

COURTESY OF RJ SISON

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study break

Today’s Birthday Horoscope (April 30): Good fortune blesses your family accounts this year. Dedication with homework and studies provides satisfying results. Discover new personal passion. Create a masterwork this summer, inspiring a shift in destinations. Your education blossoms next winter, illuminating changing creative directions.

Get to know the CT: Sajanee Chithranjan, design editor If you could be best friends with any celebrity, who would it be?

Alexis Bledel, probably. I love Gilmore Girls too much that I think she would be the coolest person ever. They’re not going to be the person

you see on TV, but I feel like she’s a really cool person.

I’m obsessed with literally anything she’s ever been in.

What is your favorite memory from college and why?

Probably one of my favorite memories – one of my favorite, because I have too many things I’ve liked about being at Virginia Tech – probably hammocking by the Duck Pond this year. It wasn’t anything super special but it was just looking back and having time to relax ... and try to find the otter.

Previous Puzzle Solved

If you could sing any song on American Idol what would it be?

“Since U Been Gone”

by Kelly Clarkson. Just because Kelly Clarkson is O.G. American Idol and also that’s a great song to blast.

If you could be any breakfast food what would you be and why?

I’d either be a runny egg or a waffle. I would be a runny egg because I’m soft and oozing happiness and oozing sunshine ... when I’m not stressed at least.

@Sajmahalll

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‘Endgame’ billion-dollar opening: A monumental event for nerd culture With a record-breaking $1.2 billion opening, “Avengers: Endgame” proves that it’s cool to be uncool in 2019.

JOHN BATTISTON lifestyles editor

Until recently, “nerd” was a derogatory term. If your middle- or high-school peers branded you with this four-letter word, you had a rough life ahead of you, one in which you were doomed to forever be in the out-crowd and to get your share of swirlies — or so movies and TV would often suggest. And the easiest way to attain nerd status was to be seen reading comic books.

Though many of us don’t remember it, there was a time when superheroes simply weren’t cool — at least, not for grown-ups — and had very little presence in the zeitgeist. Though there was the occasional Saturday-morning kids’ cartoon and the even rarer Hollywood film made from stories first told on paneled pages, these rarely had any sort of lasting, mainstream cultural potency.

Until only a decade ago, Marvel Comics, in particular, had struggled to achieve such relevance.

Most successful comicbased films had been based on property owned by rival publisher DC Comics, including a string of “Superman” films starring Christopher Reeve, the super financially successful 1989 film “Batman,” and of course, Christopher Nolan’s lauded “Dark Knight” trilogy. With the exception of Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” trilogy starring Tobey Maguire, Marvel, though highly successful as a

comic publisher under the legendary creative leadership of Stan Lee, was having a difficult time finding its place as a household name in popular culture.

This was further complicated by the fact that some Marvel characters, such as the Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Panther and Doctor Strange, were largely unknown outside of comics, while others inspired films that were lambasted by critics: Daredevil, Fantastic Four, Hulk and Ghost Rider, to name a few. Not to mention, the previously well-reputed “X-Men” series had taken a critical dip with the poorly-received “The Last Stand.”

Then, in 2008, moviegoers everywhere were introduced to a name few of them had heard: Tony Stark.

“Iron Man” was, in many ways, a super-sized risk. For one, it was Robert Downey, Jr.’s return to big-budget cinema after years of controversy fueled by substance abuse — he has been sober since 2003, according to a 2008 profile in The New York Times. Additionally, it was the proposed kick-start to a years-long saga that would encompass multiple franchises and characters that had yet to achieve big-screen prominence.

Needless to say, there was a lot of pressure on “Iron Man” to not only be good, but to sell tickets.

It made over $580 million worldwide, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (M.C.U.) was born. Now, 11 years later,

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the M.C.U. has given us some of the most critically and financially successful action films of the century: “The Avengers,” “Captain America: Civil War” and “Avengers: Infinity War” were all the highest-grossing films worldwide of their

compared to the likes of Batman and Superman, stood firm at the center of global pop culture. For what must feel like the first time for many, it is finally cool to be uncool.

So, why reflect on all this now? To say that Marvel has

“Now, 11 years later, the

M.C.U. has given us some of the most critically and financially successful action films of the century.

”

respective years, and all remain among the 20 biggest box-office earners in history. Against all odds, a ragtag team of superheroes, once considered second-rate

been dominating the zeitgeist is nothing at all new — in fact, for some, it’s getting rather old. Still, even considering the gargantuan established success of the M.C.U.,

it is worth celebrating that “Avengers: Endgame,” the closing chapter to a stretch of 22 films, had a $1.2 billion opening at the box office, nearly doubling the opening take of “Infinity War,” the previous record holder.

Again, some might be rather apathetic to such a statistic, quick to dismiss it as as yet another nauseating instance of big-budget, CGI-heavy, corporate cinematic takeover. However, it is worth recognizing that, even amid great financial success, these characters still represent — have always represented — a dedication to serving and protecting the underdog. The tales of characters like billionaire Tony Stark, haughty neurosurgeon Stephen Strange and god of thunder Thor

emphasize the importance of combining one’s strengths and resources with a learned sense of humility, in order to look out for those who may not be blessed with such power.

These characters, some of whom have been around for nearly 80 years, have long been icons and role models for the disenfranchised, and they’ve finally found a well-deserved spot in the limelight.

And that, one cannot deny, is quite super.

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Grungy is good: Find furniture full of character on Free and For Sale Want a unique way to spice up your living space? Don’t judge a bed by its mysteriously stained covers.

JAYNE ROSS

lifestyles staff writer

SHARE YOUR STORY...

The ExperienceVT Blog is a collection of student and alumni stories that showcase the Virginia Tech experience.

Hey, you! Are you moving into an apartment for the first time? Are you about to experience the sweet, sweet sensation of freedom after so many years under your parents’ roof or your RA’s watchful eye? Do you need top-notch, trendy furniture ASAP to make your new place feel like home?

Well, look no further than Virginia Tech’s trusty Free & For Sale Page, where you’ll find:

Butterf ly & bungee chairs Name a better duo. I’ll wait. These bad boys aren’t going out of style anytime soon, at least not according to Bed, Bath & Beyond or everyone’s freshman dorm room. Kick back and relax in a state-of-the-art butterfly chair, which will fold in on you just as easily as it folds in on itself. Or score a slam dunk by lounging in a bungee chair, the equivalent of sticking your butt in a basketball net. It’s no coincidence that butterfly, bungee

and Bobby Berk all start with “b” — Queer Eye’s resident interior designer would surely agree that these furniture icons will make your new place look bangin’.

Couches with charm Every living room needs a couch, right? There’s no better place to find one than among your fellow Hokies — forget spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars at the local furniture store, see page 7

Whether reflecting on a memorable Hokie moment, an incredible service trip, or the cool things you’re involved in, your story is worth sharing.

To get started email: experiencevtblog@vt.edu To read about your fellow Hokies visit: experience.vt.edu

An old chair, April 28, 2019.

ETHAN CANDELARIO / COLLEGIATE TIMES

editor@collegiatetimes.com from page 6

because these babies reek of charm and nostalgia.

Sure, you may never know if that mysterious stain on the armrest came from a spilled Qdoba bowl or a bad night at TOTS, or why one couch cushion is suspiciously darker than the others, but that’s part of the appeal. You and your friends can have endless hours of fun imagining the priceless memories — and bacteria — the couch’s previous owners left behind.

April 30, 2019 PAGE 7

collegiatetimes.com Only slightly dysfunctional dressers Waking up in the morning is hard, yes? We all know this. Even harder? Getting dressed. You toss clothes this way and that, convinced every outfit you pick doesn’t fit or look good, finally settling on yet another Hokie-themed sweatshirt and sweatpants. But why not throw in a little extra challenge? Store your clothes in a shaky drawer with barely attached knobs, and every morning will be even more

of a fight than it already is — but then, by the time you wrestle an outfit out of

Marvelous mattresses Ah, your bed. Arguably the most important space in

“You and your friends

can have endless hours of fun imagining the pricless memories — and bacteria — the couch’s previous owners left behind.

”

your shoddy new bedroom companion, victory will taste so much sweeter.

your apartment — maybe in your entire college career.

A comfortable mattress

sports

is key to getting a good night’s sleep and optimizing any time spent with your friends, Netflix and Hulu. If your mattress is too comfy, though, you’ll never wake up for class. A hand-me-down mattress is sure to be the perfect balance between restful bliss and a few wonky springs, ensuring that you’ll fall asleep, but never for too long. Plus, it’ll bring back memories of that dormissued sandbag— I mean, mattress— that served you so well for all of freshman year.

Moving into an apartment off-campus can be daunting, but don’t worry; these aren’t even all the treasures you can find on Virginia Tech’s Free & For Sale page. Just keep scrolling — you’re only a few clicks away from the college apartment of your dreams.

@CollegiateTimes

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Tech NFL draft streak snapped, 4 players picked Ricky Walker, Yosuah Nijman and Kyle Chung signed rookie contracts, Steven Peoples received a mini-camp invite.

ROBBY FLETCHER assistant sports editor

Virginia Tech’s 25-year NFL Draft streak of having at least one player drafted during the weekend was snapped Saturday. Tech joined Louisville and Georgia Tech as the only teams to not have a player selected over the weekend.

This is a major step down from the five Hokies selected in last year’s draft, including brothers Tremaine and Terrell Edmunds, who were both selected in the first round of the draft.

Despite not hearing their names called over the course of the three-day event, four Hokies have already joined teams as priority free agents immediately after the draft’s conclusion.

Defensive tackle Ricky Walker announced on Twitter that he signed a contract with the Dallas Cowboys after the draft.

Walker, who had perhaps the team’s best chance of getting a player drafted, struggled with injuries over his senior year which led to a drop in production compared to a very strong junior year from the Hampton native. Despite being considered an undersized interior lineman by most draft pundits, Walker’s quick first-step and strong production will give him a chance to prove doubters wrong in Dallas.

Walker has arguably the best chance to stick on an

NFL roster, leaving Tech with 30.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks in 51 career games.

The next Hokie to be scooped up was offensive tackle Yosh Nijman, who signed with the Green Bay Packers. Nijman was a rock on the Hokies’ offensive line, starting in 32 career games and playing in a total of 45 games in his four years in Blacksburg. Nijman’s 6-foot-7 size will surely help him out against stronger NFL competition as well as his experience facing premiere ACC defensive linemen, four of whom that were drafted in the first round on Thursday.

Another player added to an NFL team was offensive lineman Kyle Chung, who signed with the Chicago Bears. A team captain for the 2018-2019 season along with Walker, Chung started every game for the Hokies over the last two seasons and =was a steady presence on the line.

His ability to play across the line as both a guard and as a center will give him an advantage over other linemen fighting for a roster spot in Chicago.

Running back Steven Peoples was another Hokie given an opportunity in the league after receiving an invite to the Arizona Cardinals’ mini camp this spring. While this doesn’t guarantee Peoples a rookie contract with Arizona, it does give him an opportunity to stand out among other

undrafted rookies looking to prove to NFL teams that they belong in the league.

Peoples was a fan favorite among the Hokie faithful last season for his toughness in between the tackles and his willingness to play through ailments. Peoples was far and away the team’s most productive running back last season, as he lead the team in carries, rushing yards and touchdowns on the ground.

Peoples leaves Tech having gained 1,414 all-purpose yards and 13 total touchdowns in 47 career games.

One player who has yet to announce his destination in the NFL is defensive lineman Vinny Mihota. Mihota showed loads of talent in his career at Virginia Tech, particularly against the run.

Despite an injury-history throughout his collegiate career, Mihota should be able to get at least a mini camp invite this offseason.

The streak may be over for Virginia Tech, but it’s by no means sad news. The Hokies have added three more athletes into the professional game with a chance to prove teams wrong. Tech has a few guys worth keeping an eye on for next year’s draft, which means the start of a new streak for Virginia Tech football.

ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES Kyle Chung (61) holds up the Commonwealth Cup after drinking water from it. The Hokies won 34–31 to UVA in overtime, Nov. 23, 2018.

@CTSportsTalk

AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s Khalid Kareem (53) pushes Virginia Tech Hokies’ Yosuah Nijman (69) into the backfield as the Irish roll to a 45–23 victory, Oct. 6, 2018.

AHMED MUSTAFA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech Hokies’ Ricky Walker (8) attempts to sack Duke Blue Devils’ Daniel Jones (17). The Hokies would roll to a 31–14 victory over the Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium, Sept. 29, 2018.

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PAGE 8 April 30, 2019

editor@collegiatetimes.com

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Hokies run record-breaking times at Penn Relays The women’s 4x800 meter team took home second place while the men’s 4x100 meter team finished third in their event.

GLEN RORIE

sports staff writer

April 25 Nearly a week removed from the Duke Invitational in Durham, North Carolina, and the War Eagle Classic in Auburn, Alabama, the Virginia Tech track & field team looked ready to compete in one of the most prestigious track meets in the nation, Penn Relays.

This year they are celebrating 125 years of the Penn Relays as of April 25.

Franklin Field has been home to many outstanding

performances for over a century and the Hokies look to add to the legacy of the meet.

On day one, Virginia Tech women’s distance medley team — junior Sarah Edwards, freshman Nykah Sm ith, senior Shannon Quinn and senior Rachel Pocratsky — ran a solid 11:11 and placed sixth out of the 14 other teams.

Edwards ran a 3:28.28 for the 1200 meter, which she had fourth place as the first leg.

Sprinter Smith ran a 54.29 in the 400,

COURTESY OF PENN RELAYS Rachel Pocratsky runs the final leg at Franklin Field, April 27, 2019.

mid-distance runner Quinn ran a 2:10.53 and Pocratsky finished out the medley with a 4:37.91 in her 1600 meter run.

April 26 The Virginia Tech Hokies had their fair share of impressive performances in Friday’s competition.

Freshman hurdler Miles Green had his best personal performance in the 400 meter hurdles. He ran an impressive 51.52 and placed third place overall in the meet.

The relay teams also had productive days, the men’s 4x100 meter relay team composed of junior Joseph Tay, freshman Jacory Patterson, junior Michael Davenport and freshman Cole Beck ran 40.57 and placed sixth out of 59 other teams. The men’s 4x400 meter relay team made up of Green, Davenport, sophomore distance runner Bashir Mosavel-Lo and Patterson, ran an impressive 3:09.11 and placed eighth overall.

The group advanced on to the finals on Saturday as they put up the third fastest 4x400 meter relay time in school history.

For the men’s distance medley they were able to capture a top eight finish with the time of 9:53.14.

The men’s distance medley relay team was formed of freshman Antonio Lopez Segura (3:03.27), freshman Hans Gallagher (49.68), freshman Matthias Cannon (1:52.24), and junior Fitsum Seyoum (4:07.96).

COURTESY OF PENN RELAYS Sarah Edwards takes the lead into the second leg of the women’s 4x800 at Franklin Field, April 27, 2019.

April 27 At the last and final day of the 125th Penn Relays, Virginia Tech put up strong performances to finish out the prestigious meet.

The women’s 4x800 meter relay team of Quinn (2:11.65), Edwards (2:08.74), junior Sara Freix (2:09.60) and Pocratsky (2:04.40) put on a stellar performance finishing out with 8:34.38 and claimed second place overall. The women’s 4x800 meter relay team also ran the second fastest 4x800 meter in school history.

The men’s 4x100 meter relay team composed of Tay, Patterson, Davenport and Beck competed in the finals and took third place

overall with the time of 40.16. The men’s 4x100 meter relay team was rewarded with gold watches as they were the best Eastern team in the 4x100 meter relay this year.

In the Hokies’ final event for the meet, the men’s 4xMile relay team put an impressive performance with the time of 16:45.83 and placed fourth overall in the meet. The men’s 4xMile relay team was made up with redshirt junior Jack Joyce (4:09.2), redshirt junior Peter Seufer (4:09.1), redshirt freshman Ben Fleming (4:14.9) and Mosavel-Lo (4:12.6).

After this meet, the Virginia Tech Hokies will travel over to Lynchburg, Virginia, for the Liberty

Twilight Qualifier meet on Wednesday, May 1. This is followed by the Tennessee Challenge in Knoxville, Ten nesse e, Sat u rd ay, May 4. The Tennessee Challenge meet will finish out Virginia Tech’s track & field regular season.

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5/17/19 READY OR NOT, HERE IT COMES. go.wfu.edu/517ready