NEWS
METALLICA ANNOUNCES PERFORMANCE IN LANE STADIUM
Erin Bailey | news editor
Students can purchase tickets to see Metallica on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 10 a.m.
Metallica has extended their M72 World Tour to perform in Lane Stadium on May 7, 2025.
Enter Sandman has become part of the Virginia Tech identity and is renowned for exhibiting school spirit.
The Virginia Tech football team runs out to Enter Sandman at the start of every home game. The tradition dates to Aug. 27, 2000.
Enter Sandman first debuted when a member of the Marching Virginian started jumping up and down during a cool night game to warm up at a match against Georgia Tech. Other band members followed his lead and thus the tradition was born when fans caught on.
The Hokies are consistently ranked as having one of the top college football entrances. Much of the hype surrounding the
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atmosphere in Lane Stadium comes from the fans.
According to HokieSports, back in 2011, Virginia Tech’s football team played against the University of Miami, where a seismograph captured the ground shaking entrance from Enter Sandman.
Tickets to see Metallica will be available for presale starting Monday, Sept. 23. There is a four-ticket limit per person, and Virginia Tech students have a two-ticket limit. Students can purchase their tickets as early as Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 10 a.m., and Thursday, Sept. 26 at 10 a.m. for Hokie Club Members.
Additional information can be found on HokieSports.
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Letters, commentaries and editorial cartoons do not reflect the views of the Collegiate Times. Editorials are written by the Collegiate Times editorial board, which is composed of the opinions editors, editor in chief and managing editors.
Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Brent Pry enters Worsham field to the tune of Enter Sandman by Metallica with the flag bearers behind him, April 13, 2024.
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OPINIONS ADULTHOOD IS IMPORTANT, BUT NOT IN THE WAY YOU THINK
Jenna Mason | opinions editor
Becoming an adult is an essential milestone, but the age of reaching it is unique to each person.
There are many ways for people to know when they’ve finally become an adult: at 18 years old you can finally vote, at 21 years old you can legally drink and at 22 years old many have finally graduated from college and can make their way into the real world by finding work and becoming financially stable and independent. However, there has been significant discourse among when people should do these things over the course of American history. If the ages of everything in the U.S. has flip-flopped more than once, then whose to know when they actually are an adult?
Beginning in the colonial times, there was
no minimum age for people to buy, sell or consume alcohol and tobacco. It wasn’t until the start of the Early Temperance Movement in 1808 that people started to reduce alcohol consumption or abstain from it at all; although, the first minimum age for alcohol wasn’t until 1839, 31 years after the Temperance Movement began. This law was created and passed in Wisconsin, which prohibited the sale of alcohol to people under the age of 18 without parental consent.
Moving onto the Prohibition Era, in 1917 the U.S. government created and ratified the 18th Amendment, which banned the manufacture, distribution and transportation of alcohol and
liquor for everyone across the country. The 18th Amendment started prohibition in 1920, and this movement lasted until 1933. During those 13 years, U.S. citizens fought their ways around the ban through bootlegging and gangsterism.
According to Federal Trade Consumer, it wasn’t until after prohibition that the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) was 21 in almost every state. Although, when the voting age dropped to 18 in 1971 from the ratification of the 26th Amendment, many states started lowering the MLDA to 18, 19, or 20. The final change of the MLDA didn’t happen until 17 years later in 1988 when Congress made the
national legal drinking age 21-years-old. Looking at another example, the history of voting has been all over the place since the late 1700s. When democracy began in the U.S., the only people allowed to vote were white male landowners. About 100 years after that, Congress ratified the 15th Amendment in 1870 which made it legal for any race to vote; however, this left behind a whole other group once more: women. Then, in 1920 the 19th Amendment was passed and ratified allowing people of any sex 21-years-old and up to vote. Finally, the 26th Amendment came along lowering the national legal voting age to 18. continued on page 4
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According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, an adult is “a human being after an age (such as 21) specified by law.” If this were the case, how is it possible that individuals can be emancipated as early as 16? Emancipated minors still don’t have the right to vote or drink legally, yet they have the right to sign their name on binding contracts, like apartment leases. If the United States has all this indecisive history connected to when we, as a society, can have these rights that many view as a significant step to adulthood, then how do we really know when we’re adults? For example, as of today, the U.S. allows 17-year-olds to enlist to fight for the country when they can’t even vote for who they want to fight for yet. Taking a step back from politics and U.S. history, different religions and cultures find the entrance of adulthood to be at different ages as well. One of the biggest examples of this is the “coming of age” ceremonies in the Jewish religion. Starting at the age of 12 or 13, Bar or Bat Mitzvahs are ceremonies to
celebrate when the child becomes a Jewish adult. For Jewish believers, the Jewish adult “means that they are now responsible for their own actions and can decide for themselves how they would like to practice Judaism.”
As for another culture, in many Latino and Hispanic communities their “coming of age” ceremony is the quinceañera. In Spanish cultures quinceañeras are celebratory events for 15-year-old girls to show the transition from girlhood to womanhood. Traditionally, “quince” (15) was meant to signify the readiness of marriage and martial relations; however, as times have changed, the meaning of the celebration has changed to the start of formal dating for many. In modern times, the achievement of finally reaching womanhood is still being celebrated during quinceañeras, so does that make the start of adulthood for women 15-years-old? Also, where does this leave men?
If there’s such a wide variance of when adulthood actually begins, this causes consequences for people thinking you’re an adult
when you’re not and vice versa. For example, if you’re not an adult yet but people think you are, this could cause unrealistic expectations for you from the people around you. On the other hand, if you are an adult and people think you aren’t, this could potentially lead to a lack of trust and fewer opportunities because people don’t want to choose a kid to do something.
Furthermore, if someone is at an age that many people view as an adult, but they don’t feel like one, this could also lead to negative repercussions. One of the biggest examples of this is the fear of adulting: feeling incapable of supporting themselves, making adult decisions and taking care of their own everyday needs. When young people don’t feel ready to be an adult at a certain age, they miss that leap of independence that everyone must take at one point in their lives. Not only could this lead to interpersonal problems, but it could also affect parents and make them feel as if they failed their children in some way.
The point trying to be made here is that the
word “adult” means absolutely nothing. You can have all the rights of a legal adult and still not even feel like one. Additionally, you can do things that adults do and feel like one without having any rights that mark adulthood. The contradiction of government laws and differing cultural and religious traditions of what defines someone as an adult makes the entire construct of adulthood meaningless. People can go off into the world and make something of themselves while still feeling like a child on the inside. When it comes to being an adult, it doesn’t matter if you’re legally able to drink or vote, whether you’ve had a ceremony to celebrate the exiting of your adolescence or even if you’ve gotten a full education and are staring your journey into the real world. What matters is the fact that you’ve experienced life throughout the multitude of steppingstones it gives you.
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LIFESTYLES WHEN IN BLACKSBURG: ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT AROUND TOWN
Cat Pizzarello | lifestyles contributor
Lifestyles contributor Cat Pizzarello highlights several stores that contribute to the local art scene.
It’s time to get off campus and explore. A simple option is a stroll downtown, where each shop contains something unique. Downtown Blacksburg is filled with color in the form of many creative outlets provided by the locals.
Whether you’re an arts major or not, there is something in the arts for every student to experience. From galleries to the good old Lyric Theatre, human creativity flourishes within every inch of Blacksburg.
New River Art & Fiber
In need of some art supplies? Maybe some poster board for school? Whatever you need, New River Art & Fiber is the place for all your creative projects.
But what sets New River Art & Fiber apart from any other bigger craft store, such as Michaels? They are located just on the outskirts of campus, making it easily accessible for those last-minute projects or those without a car. But what else?
“The biggest thing that we offer is one-on-one service,” said Stella Boyer, manager of New River Art & Fiber. “If you have a question, we can either tell you what the answer is or look it up for you. You won’t get (that) from bigger stores.”
New River Art & Fiber offers specifics for students, such as a variety of lengths of wooden dowels for students in architecture majors for hands-on projects.
“We have a finger on the pulse of what you guys need because we are in touch with professors,” Boyer said. “Also (we are) happy to put kits together for professors that request them every single semester.”
New River Art & Fiber also has a separate art gallery where they continually have art receptions and workshops with artists. Check out their website for details about upcoming events.
Miller Off Main St. Galleries
Blacksburg is filled with talented artists, so
there are undoubtedly many galleries to host these budding creators. If you’re deciding which gallery to visit, the art at the Miller Off Main St. Galleries is a must to see.
Since 1974, a father-daughter duo, Pippi and Robert Miller, have owned the space just off of Main Street on Wilson Avenue. Through their gallery, they host local, national and even international artists, supporting anyone with a creative idea. Their goal is to help others turn their imaginations into reality.
As well as a general gallery, they offer many pieces for sale, including African and Native tribal artifacts, handmade jewelry, sculptures and a list of countless other trinkets. They also offer framing, printing and consulting services to the people of Blacksburg.
Through Miller Off Main St Galleries, Pippi Miller Photography is Pippi Miller’s own photography company. She offers sessions by the hour and availability, and her previous work can be found online.
Lyric Theatre
If you haven’t heard of it already, the Lyric Theatre is a famous visit in Blacksburg and a great spot for a night filled with entertainment. The Lyric Theatre originated in 1909 but moved locations twice before residing in its current location since 1930 and has stayed there since.
Among its rich history and authenticity, the Lyric Theatre is still fashioning its ongoing timeline today. The theater has showings every week at a variety of times, making it easy to find an opportunity to visit.
Along with movies, the theater hosts live music and theater productions. Lyric Theatre furnishes more modern options while still keeping their roots of housing local art and entertainment. There are also opportunities to volunteer at the theater that come with the benefits of free tickets, popcorn and drinks.
Throughout the month of October, the
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Lyric is hosting Late-Night Horror Fest. There will be showings of favorite horror movies like “The Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Poltergeist” and and “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.” A calendar can be found on their website for all information about their scheduled movies.
Matrix Gallery Fine Crafts
If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind gift for your friends, family or yourself, the Matrix Gallery is the place to go. The store has been in operation for over 35 years by Lana Juarez, a Hokie graduate with a fine arts degree.
“Years before there had been a craft gallery in town where Ridiculous Chicken is, and it was wonderful,” Juarez said. “I kept waiting for someone else to go in and fill the spot, and so I did it myself.”
She will be opening at the Art Walk, an event that happens every first Friday of the month where local artists do openings of their work. She expressed that she wants exposure to her store, especially by college students.
“In May, I’ve had graduates come in and be like, ‘I never knew this was here’ but they knew Champs was here,” Juarez said. “Then they come back once they’ve graduated.”
Farmer’s Market
The Blacksburg Farmers Market is best known for its produce and fun treats, but on the weekends, vendors also bring forward their art. Among veggies and fruit, there is handmade jewelry, wooden designs, pottery, leather works, paintings and more.
You can also find live local musicians playing various instruments and genres of music, creating a creative and lively atmosphere.
CAT PIZZARELLO, LIFESTYLES CONTRIBUTOR
From your favorite brands like Posca paint markers, Zebra mildliners and Prismacolor pencils, New River Art & Fiber has a wide selection of the supplies that students know and love.
Matrix Gallery Fine Crafts is an eclectic store with local and national artists that Juarez has befriended throughout the years of her business. From glass art to handmade pottery and even beautifully wood artistry, the store offers something for everyone.
“If it talks to you, it talks to you,” Juarez said. “Someone threw clay on a wheel and had their hands on it, and it became part of your life.”
Blacksburg is filled with so many imaginative minds. Whether you participate in the arts or not, supporting local artists is a great way to give back to the community you live in and receive something unique in return. Get off campus and see all the color that Blacksburg has to offer.
THE BLACKSBURG FARMERS MARKET: A LOCAL JOY
Olivia Ramey | lifestyles contributor
Market Square Park in Blacksburg hosts small community businesses multiple days a month.
Local treasures are common in downtown Blacksburg. There are a variety of boutiques, galleries and activities at every street corner. However, there is one attraction that brightens the mornings of pedestrians every Saturday and Wednesday.
If you are struggling to find something to do or somewhere to go on a Saturday, there is a perfect place for you. Odds are you already know about the Blacksburg Farmers Market, as it has been serving the downtown scene since the mid-1990s. A plethora of vendors set up their stands each Saturday or Wednesday. These vendors range from artisan crafts, baked goods, produce, meat, dairy, botanicals and more.
“The market is a popular community destination place, people come to downtown to not only go to the market but to patronize other small businesses that surround the market, such as the coffee shops, boutiques and restaurants,” said Deborah Edwards, director of the Blacksburg Farmers Market.
In 1996, the Blacksburg Farmers Market started with the introduction of an open-air parking lot in downtown Blacksburg. Since then, the market has attracted many vendors and shoppers. Town officials banded together a volunteer organization called the Friends of the Farmers Market to oversee the future of the market.
The Blacksburg Farmers Market has
several goals they accomplish through their service. They promote public health and the value of locally sourced food, assist people with limited food access and implement effective strategies for internal market management and communication. Most of all, they contribute to the vitality of downtown Blacksburg.
Once visitors step into Market Square Park they are immediately greeted by the smells of fresh pastries and beautiful blooming flowers along with the smiles of the vendors that line the park. Live music plays on the stage and the feeling of community is prevalent. The atmosphere of the market is truly one of a kind to the town. As the vendors offer products true to their passions, an emotion of belonging and uniqueness is felt by shoppers.
Week after week this local market brings together not just the downtown community but also the vendors as they follow their artisanal interests and provide for their families and patrons. All vendors’ sourced products are located within a 50-mile radius, so this market really drives the small businesses near and dear to the heart of Blacksburg.
“I believe that the diversity of products and vendors, along with the fact that they really care about each other makes for an uplifting atmosphere and a great place to shop or hang out,” Edwards said.
Regardless of your identity, the farmers market brings people together. Whether you are a vendor, a customer or simply taking a stroll downtown, the Farmers market is an amazing place to stop by. With food, dessert, music, jewelry, crafts and places to simply spend time in Blacksburg, the market has it all.
Some of the local favorites include Nettles tea from Peace and Harmony Farm, alpaca socks from Poplar Hill Alpacas and dog treats from Bella and Beau’s Biscuits. My personal favorites are bagels and pretzels from Blacksburg Bagels, organic popsicles from Big Lick Ice Cream and a beautifully crafted bouquet from Stonecrop Farm. It is hard to go wrong with any product that the market offers.
Edwards has been the market director for the past two and a half years. She chose to take the position as the mountains near Blacksburg entranced her and the region provided her with something she had never experienced before.
“I love that I am a part of something bigger than myself and that the position is a perfect fit as it combines all of my professional experience – non-profit management and finance and promoting a healthy lifestyle,” Edwards said.
Edwards was a banker and earned a degree in finance. She is also a personal
trainer, holistic health coach and registered yoga teacher. The market allows her to not only be the backbone but to combine her prior experience and passion for a greater cause.
The Vintage Market is a sister market to the beloved farmers market. Ever since 2013, it has served the area and its customers. Selected vendors are chosen to bring their knickknacks and treasurable vintage collections to Market Place to sell. This market is held on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, April through November.
The Vintage Market is the place to be if you are looking for something unique to bring home. Vendors offer antiques, handmade crafts, jewelry, clothing, books, accessories, art, vinyl records and houseware. The atmosphere at this market is upbeat and artistic as each of these vendors has their own unique flare.
Despite targeting customers who are fond of vintage items, this market is another occasion to be surrounded by a surreal feeling of community and eccentric details for all. Even if you have no prior knack for thrifting, it is always a pleasure to visit this downtown sight.
SPORTS HOKIES’ COMEBACK ABRUPTLY SPOILED BY RUTGERS IN 26–23 LOSS
Dylan Tefft | sports editor
Rutgers’ late interception puts the Hokies’ away after a 16-point comeback.
One play. That’s all it took to sap the energy out of both a deafeningly hopeful Lane Stadium and a last-second Virginia Tech comeback.
That play? A Kyron Drones pass that was batted down and picked off by Rutgers cornerback Robert Longerbeam with less than a minute to play — an abrupt game-sealer to shut down a Hokies offense that battled back from a 23–7 deficit in less than a quarter.
Virginia Tech (2–2) was down 26–23 on that could’ve-been game winning drive, and that’s where the score finalized as Rutgers (3–0) spent the final minute and 24 seconds inflicting a slow death to a demoralized Hokie team.
Head coach Brent Pry didn’t blame Drones for the game-deciding interception when asked about it, instead noting how excellent of a play it was by the defender. He added that a late 63-yard screen play featuring Rutgers’ Ian Strong (which set up the game-winning continued on page 7
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field goal) was a better example of bad finishing from the Hokies.
Neither Drones’ pick nor Strong’s reception are what ultimately lost Virginia Tech the game. It was the fact that they were ever down 16 points in the first place. It’s that after four weeks of football during the lightest part of their schedule, the Hokies still can’t start a game well.
This time around, the early-game antics began with a Jaylin Lane punt fumble to extend what should’ve been the end of Rutgers’ first possession of the game. The Scarlet Knights were practically handed the ball with just 31 yards to the end zone, then a series of short runs and passes were enough to creep Rutgers towards a 7–0 lead.
The Hokies’ next possession finished as another gift to the Scarlet Knights. Drones — facing pressure — floated a fourth-and-4 pass incomplete, turning the ball over to Rutgers at their own 39.
A more difficult trek to seven points than before, but still great field position that allowed the Scarlet Knights to march down the field and score in just six plays. A late hit foul on Quentin Reddish where he turned a 19-yard Dymere Miller catch into 34 yards
was the most glaring lowlight of that drive. Second-place was Reddish being burnt by Miller to begin with.
It was 14–0, and Virginia Tech had put itself into yet another hole — one with shades of a 17–0 deficit against Vanderbilt in Week 1, which ended as another too-little-too-late loss for the Hokies.
“I have no clue,” said Virginia Tech running back Bhayshul Tuten when asked why his team gets off to slow starts. Nobody seems to know.
Tuten tends to be an exception to those rough starts, though. He likely would’ve been against Rutgers too, but a tweaked knee meant that Pry and his staff used the star tailback sparingly in the game’s opening drives. Once Tuten got the green light in the second quarter and onwards, he rained down 107 rushing yards and all three of the Hokies’ touchdowns. He finished with 122 ground yards.
“Your first couple of carries you’ve got to emphasize the ball, as well as protection and get a feel of how the run game is going to go for the rest of the game,” Tuten said.
“When I ran (the touchdowns), I mainly saw the puller, the lineman, the wideouts just filling the edge like they were supposed to,” Tuten added. “If you look at
the film, there’s gaping holes that I just had to run through.”
The Scarlet Knight’s tailback, NFL-bound Kyle Monangai was shockingly kept at bay by the Hokies’ front lines.
“We saw it on film, and we’re not surprised by anything those guys did because we saw the talent that they have back there,” said Virginia Tech defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles.
Even more surprising than Monangai’s so-so day was that Rutgers’ offense beyond him struck a rhythm that only asked their superstar back to do enough.
Monangai finished with 84 yards on 26 carries and a one-yard touchdown. His backup, Samuel Brown V, had 64 yards and two scores.
First-year starting quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis — who was a question mark coming in — had 285 scrimmage yards. Rutgers ran an RPO, screen and rollout-heavy offense through Kaliakmanis that succeeded by keeping the Hokies guessing.
“They’re well coached, man. I don’t feel like we had a bad game plan… they just made plays,” Peebles said.
Drones had a second-straight game of great rushing and poor passing. The junior
QB finished with just 137 yards through the air, but that stat, and the game were two bad passes away from finishing very differently.
Those were long Drones overthrows to a wide-open Da’Quan Felton, who twice burned coverage to streak into would-be easy touchdowns. Pry isn’t concerned about Drones’ confidence levels.
“I think he’s confident,” Pry said. “I think he’s disappointed, but we’ve got to take shots… We just got to land them. We’ve got to land them.”
Next, the Hokies will turn towards the ACC portion of their schedule — and what is likely the toughest game on it, a bout with No. 8 Miami on Friday, Sept. 27, at 7:30 p.m.
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