Issue 5, Volume 86 (10.21.2020)

@thedailycougar www.thedailycougar.com Wednesday, October 21, 2020

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Issue 5, Volume 86

Election Suppression

From registering to casting a ballot, college students are ‘often hit hardest’ by the roadblocks to voting. | PG. 2

LIFE AND ARTS Need advice? The Cougar’s very own Donna Keeya has your back in her weekly column. | PG. 4

SPORTS The UH football coaching staff has liked what they’ve seen so far from QB Clayton Tune. | PG. 6

OPINION

The coronavirus pandemic shows the importance of mental health awareness. | PG. 9

2 | Wednesday, October 21, 2020

NEWS

DONNA KEEYA EDITORS & SYDNEY ROSE,

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@THEDAILYCOUGAR

CITY

Students concerned of possible voter suppression in Harris County SYDNEY ROSE

NEWS EDITOR @SYDNEY_ROSEY

Voter suppression comes in many forms, but in Houston area counties, voters have been experiencing concerns with the start of early voting.

In Harris County, early voting and mail-in ballots began in October, and voters were concerned with there only being one mail-in ballot drop off to cover the entire county.

“Voter suppression right now is the act of getting the least amount of people out to vote,” said political science sophomore Christian Hernandez. “We’ve seen in Harris County alone how hard state officials are trying to suppress the votes.”

Hernandez works as a campaign manager in the Harris County area and said voter suppression affects his job and how his campaign runs. With the changing rules of voting, Hernandez said incorrect information gets lost and twisted to the voters in his district.

“Right now in my political campaign, I have about 70,000 voters who have not yet voted, and it’s going to be hard to reach out to them because there are so many people that need to vote in so little

Juana Garcia/The Cougar

time,” Hernandez said.

State leaders have blocked attempts of local officials to make voting by mail more accessible, according to the Houston Chronicle.

As early voting continues, Harris County beat previously stated records of the number of ballots cast the first day.

Voter suppression hits hard in the college-aged voters on and off campus, said political science professor Brandon Rottinghaus, adding that Texas makes it hard to vote from the burdens of registration to the ability to cast a ballot.

“College students are often hit hardest by all the hurdles to register to vote and cast a ballot.

Not surprisingly, turnout among younger voters often lags behind other age cohorts,” Rottinghaus said.

UH College Democrats president Blake McNeill said the measures taken by the state are deliberate attempts at voter suppression, especially the lone drop-off location for mail-in ballots per county.

“This is no doubt aimed at poorer citizens who will have to spend more time and money in order to exercise their right to

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vote, in the process making those who need representation less likely to get it,” McNeill said. “Getting young voters, especially busy college students, is hard (as well).”

Voter suppression means different things to different people.

This can be defined by laws in each state or county that prevents certain voters from voting, but also by obstacles that can make voting a harder process to complete.

“I would describe voter suppression as tactics or even

laws that keep eligible voters from voting in an election,” said UH College Republicans president Natalia Melo Malfitano. “Some people would argue things like long lines or requiring an ID as voter suppression, but I feel that it’s a hard case to make.”

The circumstances that come from this election year are anything but normal, Melo Malfitano said, and she has always advocated for Election Day to be a national holiday where workers

would still get paid and resolve the issue of excuses not to vote.

As far as on-campus voting for UH students, there is an act of voter suppression, said Hernandez.

“I’ve noticed students who have been registered here and even voted in the 2020 primaries are not suspended,” Hernandez said.

“The forms changed that no longer accepts 77204 as a valid ZIP code, causing voter registration status to be in suspense.”

If students have encountered this problem, Hernandez said to contact election officials and they can still vote.

Sometimes voter suppression tactics work as younger voters tend to pay less attention in a combination of cynicism regarding the system and will to stay home, McNeill said.

There is discussion over how well Harris County is handling voter suppression as at least four lawsuits were filed, which a federal judge ruled in favor of those civil rights groups suing.

Rottinghaus said Harris County did everything it could to make it easier to vote and is an example other counties should follow.

“Voter suppression is being handled terribly at the state level,” Hernandez said. “But, to counteract the state level, Harris County and their leadership are doing well with constantly adapting and plenty of new innovations (such as) drivethrough voting.” news@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, October 21, 2020 | 3 DONNA KEEYA EDITORS & SYDNEY ROSE,

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NEWS

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BUSINESS

UH students’ struggles, successes of starting small businesses during coronavirus SHIVANI PARMAR

SENIOR STAFF WRITER @NEWSWITHSHIVANI

Many students have created their own small businesses during the pandemic after having a great deal of time to take on new hobbies.

For students like Comfort Abiodun, this was the extra time they needed to put forth into creating their small business.

“I launched my business during quarantine, so I had a lot of time on my hands,” said media production sophomore Comfort Abiodun. “I wanted my brand to be colorful, floral, inspirational and fun, so all my jewelry is handmade and I use real flowers in every item.”

In addition, creating a business has shaped the way she works.

“Being an entrepreneur to me means to be diligent and hardworking, and also to be patient when it comes to the growth of your business,” Abiodun said.

For some students, this was the time to prove something to

themselves and a project to get into the Wolff Center’s class of 2022.

“Starting a business is a lot of work and I knew if I was going to achieve anything, the first step would be to actually go out and make it happen,” said finance junior Britney Gaona.

Gaona sells mountain bikes after learning about the great demand for them ever since the pandemic hit, leading more people to want to spend time outdoors.

“The first step I took was applying for a credit card, I then used those funds to purchase a little under 300 mountain bikes from a bike manufacturer in Shanghai,” Gaona said.

Although her bike business was able to take off, this was not the first time she attempted to start her own business.

“My one piece of advice is to expect failure, but not see it as an end,” Gaona said, “selling bikes was my third idea that just happened to work out, prior to that I tried to sell

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eyelashes and Puff Bars.”

Other students have grown up being a part of their own families’ small business, which sparked their own inspiration.

“I’ve always been interested in entrepreneurship and through the years I’ve worked on different projects and ideas especially with my mom,” said kinesiology senior Isha Qureshi. “Right now, my mom and I run a store on Etsy where we sell embroidered clothing.”

For Qureshi, having a business means working under your own rules.

“Entrepreneurship requires you to be your own boss, and stay on track with your goals and what you want to accomplish,” Qureshi said.

For some students, starting their business has been a lifelong dream.

“Ever since I was a little girl, my dad and I always talked about opening up a boutique and one day

I finally was brave enough to do it, and I just want to make him proud and give him back everything he has given me,” said public relations and marketing alumna Merissa Lopez.

In some cases, taking an idea and putting it into motion is one of the most difficult parts of a business.

“The first step I took in creating this was watching YouTube videos to brainstorm ideas and learn more steps in figuring out the process and what works best,” Lopez said.

Lopez also talked about how having a small business isn’t always going to run smoothly.

“Nobody talks about how hard it is, but it is hard,” Lopez said. “I’ve been so down lately, obsessed with sales and making it affect my mood but I always remember that my day will come.” news@thedailycougar.com

UH Dining updates made for remaining fall semester SHIVANI PARMAR

SENIOR STAFF WRITER @NEWSWITHSHIVANI

Smart Market is a new take on a vending machine, which offersmuch of the selection as other campus convenience stores. | Sydney Rose/The Cougar

Monali Patel.

Although UH Dining has ceased many services, they have implemented newer ones that fall under the demand for contactless options. After the closure of the Market inside of Cougar Woods, UH introduced a new concept called Smart Market.

“We closed Cougar Woods Market to utilize it as a safety measure for associates working at Cougar Woods Dining, and

MANAGING EDITOR

Mason Vasquez

DINING

UH Dining has worked on many projects this semester as well as implemented changes in the ways students get food on campus.

There have been halts of many food places on campus such as the food trucks, Student Center Satellite, Freshii, the Market inside of Cougar Woods Dining Commons and the most recent being the McDonalds inside of Student Center South.

“We closed McDonalds due to insufficient volume and transactions to sustain the business. We hope to reopen in the spring and will utilize the in-person class enrollment as our guide,” said senior director of Dining Services Charles Pereira.

Many students had no idea the McDonalds was closed for the remainder of the semester.

“UH should have made a clear announcement about the McDonalds in the Student Center being closed,” said finance senior

Andy Yanez

Jiselle Santos

Gaona started selling mountain bikes after learning about the increased demand since the pandemic started. | Courtesy of Britney Gaona

with that closure guests at Cougar Place were no longer able to get convenience items within a short distance,” Pereira said.

Smart Market is a new take on a vending machine which offers almost all of the same things that students could purchase at a regular campus Market.

In addition, this machine takes Cougar Cash, credit and debit in Cougar Place.

The most recent project UH

Dining has worked on is the new Market Next, located at the Technology Bridge.

“Market Next is a completely new and innovative technology that allows guests to check into the store via Boost on their mobile device,” Pereira said. “Through AI technology guests can retrieve their items from the store and depart without any transaction process.”

Students that have used Market Next did not find it to be close to the rest of campus, therefore inconvenient to them.

“The Market Next for me personally was a bit of a hike, I didn’t know where I was going, so overall it probably took me about an hour to walk there from campus,” said teaching and learning transfer student Elizabeth Collins.

“I think for those who are at Tech Bridge on a regular basis, it would be convenient but I didn’t even know that part of campus existed until I went so it wouldn’t be convenient for me.” news@thedailycougar.com

SPORTS EDITOR

Jhair Romero

NEWS EDITORS

Donna Keeya Sydney Rose ASST. NEWS EDITORS

Aminah Tannir Cristobella Durrette

James Mueller OPINION EDITOR

Gina Medina CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Juana Garcia ASST. CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Gerald Sastra COPY CHIEF

Zai Davis

STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed, including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major.

Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to N221, University Center; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax to (713) 743-5384. Letters are subject to editing.

GUEST COMMENTARY Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH community and must be signed with the author’s name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Commentary should be limited to 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies, but rather should present independent points of view. Deliver submissions to N221, University Center; e-mail them to letters@ thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.

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4 | Wednesday, October 21, 2020

LIFE AND ARTS NEWS

DONNA KEEYA EDITORS & SYDNEY ROSE,

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ADVICE

Dear Donna Advice on fitting in, relationships, loneliness, more

DONNA KEEYA

NEWS EDITOR @DONNAKEEYA_

In this first edition of The Cougar’s weekly anonymous advice column, I discuss fitting in, relationship advice and more.

To submit your question for future issues, click the “Dear Donna’” button on our home page.

I’m a freshman and am having trouble fitting in.

Any suggestions?

Hello there! Just to preface, congratulations on starting your college career, it’s not an easy task and I’m proud of you for making it to this point.

To dive into your question, I think it’s really valid to feel like you don’t fit in and have trouble finding people that resonate with you.

No matter how you’re feeling right now, I’m here to assure you that the University is huge and there are people out there who will understand you.

I think the best way to find people you mesh well with is

to find a common interest. Join some organizations about topics you’re passionate about. Put yourself out there and talk to the people there. You never know what could come from it.

I’m having trouble communicating problems with my significant other, any advice?

Hey, I’m really sorry to hear about this bump in the road with your significant other. It’s really important to recognize that all couples face difficulties and what you’re experiencing is normal.

I think even though communication can be scary sometimes, it’s so beneficial in the long run.

I recommend being genuine and respectful when initiating communication and calmly telling the person how you feel.

I also think that different people like to be spoken to in different ways, so consider that before starting a conversation.

Think about if your significant other likes straightforward and direct conversation, or if

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they prefer things sugarcoated.

If they’re the right person for you, they’ll hear you out and understand.

night and sitting by the cougar statue at TDECU Stadium are other fun things I would recommend to do on campus.

What are the best leisure activities to do on campus?

I know a lot is restricted to coronavirus, but I want to know if there are great places to jog, meditate and just relax on campus?

I’m a freshman and I’m currently feeling overwhelmed with exams, any advice?

Hi! The former orientation leader in me is thriving off this question! Before the pandemic, I would love to go to The Nook Cafe by myself and spend quality alone time with music and a cup of coffee.

They’re still open with limited seating, if that’s something you’re comfortable with. But if not, I completely understand.

Bringing a blanket and having a picnic in Lynn Eusan Park, watching the Cullen Fountain at

As someone who was in your shoes just last year, I can heavily relate to your question. My biggest advice is just to be kind to yourself.

If you’re studying and putting in the work, there is nothing more you can do. Exams are hard, and the world is hard, and honestly, when so many things in life are hard, please be warm and soft to yourself.

Try your hardest to do well and put in that effort, but whatever happens, happens.

Don’t beat yourself up too much over a score. You did your

best, and things will pan out how they’re meant to be.

What are some ways to cope with loneliness?

Hello, I’m sorry you feel lonely, and I hope in a cosmic sense that all is well. College is genuinely a period of figuring out who you are and with that can come loneliness. The thing about loneliness is that it can’t be filled by other people. Strive to fill that void by being OK with yourself.

Do things that make you feel loved.

I recommend eating a comfort meal and watching your favorite movie. You could also call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while and hear what they have to say. You’re not going to feel this way forever, and there are better days ahead. arts@thedailycougar.com

Halloweening Safely

by Cristobella Durrette

Wednesday, October 21, 2020 | 5 DONNA KEEYA EDITORS & SYDNEY ROSE,

FILM

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LIFE ANDNEWS ARTS

The Cougar Reviews: ‘A Ghost Story’ can be touching, but suffers from overused trope

Jiselle Santos/The Cougar

CHIRAG MANGNAIK

STAFF WRITER

Young adult novels are often written with flat, uninteresting protagonists. The likes of Bella Swan, Katniss Everdeen, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, etc. are often the least interesting characters in their story so that the audience can project themselves onto those characters.

They’re a blank slate. And while it’s interesting to discuss the ramifications of this trope, the need for characters and stories to be safe and impersonal in order to gain mass appeal is fundamentally a flawed method of storytelling.

It’s a form of warping the medium’s vocabulary to elicit a reaction that is often unearned, leaving these works that are often varied and colorful with a hollowed-out core.

“A Ghost Story” suffers from this exact problem. “A Ghost Story” can be beautiful and touching; its sequences evoking tidal waves of emotion held back only by Rooney Mara’s incredible performance.

But this intentional vagueness, this haziness that

the story has keeps the viewer at an arm’s length in spite of this.

The story, as little as there is, follows a man who dies young and remains unseen in the house he shares with his wife.

The viewer isn’t even told the main characters’ names, with Affleck’s character, the ghost, being credited as “C” and Mara’s character being credited as “M.” There’s a pervasive mundanity to the movie that’s handled well.

Characters are often sitting in silence for long stretches of time. It demonstrates patience in telling the story it wants to tell well.

Many people point to M eating a pie for six minutes as a demonstration of this, but it’s hardly a one-off.

According to Cinemetrics, the average shot length of this movie is 10 seconds, which is significantly higher than most movies other than some experimental dramas. It’s also shot with an Academy ratio with vignette-style rounded edges to the frame. The commitment to a specific visual style is absolute.

The movie feels almost voyeuristic a lot of the time, with the camera seeming like

more of an intruder peeping in on someone’s life rather than perhaps a character in the show.

While it would be inaccurate to say that certain other movies break the fourth wall, this movie has an unnatural commitment to its fourth wall.

Plenty of other movies lean into the artifice of the medium, making meta-jokes and commentaries, skipping forward in time so as to not dedicate time to irrelevant events, blocking that’s designed around the camera.

Movies are so often tightly scripted around the presence of a camera and the audience as if they’re a character in the proceedings. “A Ghost Story” does not make the same choice.

Instead, nothing the characters do feels catered to an audience.

It doesn’t feel designed around the viewer; it feels immediate and real.

When I watch a clearly constructed movie like a Fincher movie or a Rian Johnson movie, I can see the moments where what’s happening onscreen is for the benefit of the audience.

The shots and ideas used are a shorthand form of getting a

larger concept across. “A Ghost Story” goes in the opposite direction, refusing to engage in shorthand and existing as a sort of feature-length short film.

In spite of this, “A Ghost Story” feels like a shell of a movie. There are only 12 minutes of getting to know the main characters’ relationship before C dies in a car accident and the subsequent meditations on grief feel all the less poignant because the viewer has not gotten to know these people.

At the end of the day, for the viewer to engage with these characters emotionally, they have to know how the characters think and how they behave.

Instead, characterization is kept to a minimum, with each character, particularly C, the main character, being a blank slate. All the long, meditative, intimate shots in the world can’t make up for a lack of characterization.

Another issue I had with the film was the score. I loved Daniel Hart’s score in concept, and the score certainly had its moments, but the movie felt like it was designed without one.

As a matter of fact, it was cut without a temp score of any kind. Hart’s score feels tacked on as if it were an afterthought.

David Lowery is quoted by Verge as saying, “I try to get the movie working without any music because it’s easy to hide behind your score.”

Unfortunately, I feel the movie falls into that exact pitfall, relying on the score to carry the emotion instead of trusting the footage.

“A Ghost Story” is bold and refreshing and one of the most unique movies to come out in the past decade.

I hope other filmmakers take note of Lowery’s masterful direction and Andrew Droz Palermo’s cinematography.

And Rooney Mara’s subdued performance is criminally underappreciated.

But the movie, unfortunately, falls flat and fails to engage with the audience in the way that it’s clearly trying to. A real shame, because it had so much potential.

Final rating: 7/10 arts@thedailycougar.com

6 | Wednesday, October 21, 2020

SPORTS NEWS

ANDY YANEZ, EDITOR

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@THECOUGARSPORTS

FOOTBALL

Houston coaching staff excited to see how Clayton Tune grows throughout 2020 season

ANDY YANEZ

SPORTS EDITOR @AYANEZ_5

Entering year two of a Dana Holgorsen offense means that the quarterbacks in the system are supposed to take a big leap. That was talk for junior quarterback Clayton Tune as Houston entered its second season under the ex-West Virginia head coach.

For the 6-foot-3-inch Carrollton native, however, his 2020 season has been filled with offensive numbers that have made the UH coaching staff excited to see how he can improve throughout the course of the entire campaign.

“I thought he was more poised,” Holgorsen told reporters on Monday morning via Zoom. “I thought his accuracy was off the charts good. His decision making was good.”

After struggling in the opening quarter against Tulane, in which he threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown and also fumbled the ball that was scooped up by another Green Wave defender that led to another score, Tune’s numbers have been strong.

He has thrown over 300 yards in both of Houston’s games this season. He has six total touchdowns ( four passing, two

UH junior quarterback begins his slide after a rush against BYU during last Friday’s game at TDECU Stadium. Houston lost 43-26 after BYU took complete control of the contest in the final period. | Courtesy of UH athletics

rushing) and he has only thrown two interceptions, both of which came in the first half against Tulane and one that came on a hail mary chunk before halftime.

While the sample size is small, Houston is fourth in the American Athletic Conference in total offense behind UCF, SMU and Memphis, with the latter two being ranked in the AP Poll.

Houston’s offense also more than held its own against BYU’s

defense, who entered its game fourth in the nation in fewest yards allowed to its opponents.

“I credit that to the receivers and o-line,” Tune said postgame on Friday night.

However, despite the strong offense output, Tune still sees plenty of room for improvement for the Cougars and it mainly has to do with consistency.

“We need to learn how to finish down the stretch,” Tune said.

“It starts with me. I just need to trust the guys and trust that they are going to do their job when it counts.”

Houston has struggled to string together a completely dominant performance for an entire game.

Against Tulane, the offense was solid for three quarters. Against BYU it was magnificent during the second and third quarters, but it has also had its rough stretches.

“I’m excited to continue to seem

to progress,” said Holgorsen, who also agrees that there is room for improvement. “He is running too much (at times).”

While some of the quarterback’s struggles have been caused by a few breakdowns on the offensive line, Holgorsen said there have also been times when he has left and scrambled too early, which could cause UH to miss a bigger play.

Overall, Holgorsen has seen Tune make improvements in his reads and progressions while being able to make the throws all over the field.

“Once we settled in and started rolling as an offense, I felt that I could make every throw and make every play that I needed to,” Tune said after the game against Tulane.

While Houston has shown its potential in flashes, the key going forward is consistency, and Tune believes it starts with the Cougars’ aggressiveness.

“I feel like we’re kind of dipping our toes in the water and feeling out first and not just jumping right into it,” Houston’s quarterback said. “I think we need to have our mindset on just attacking from the jump.” sports@thedailycougar.com

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Kelvin Sampson paints clearer picture on 2020-21 schedule

Houston men’s basketball head coach Kelvin Sampson addressing reporters in a news conference after a game during the 2019-20 season. UH had its first official practice of the new campaign on Friday. | Mikol Kindle Jr./The Cougar

ANDY YANEZ

SPORTS EDITOR @AYANEZ_5

When UH men’s basketball head coach Kelvin Sampson watches the news channels on TV and sees what coronavirus has done to so many communities and families, he

never forgets to acknowledge how fortunate he and his team are to be in their position.

“We get on a plane and fly out to play basketball,” Sampson told reporters in a Zoom meeting on Wednesday. “We’re lucky.”

Despite all the uncertainty that

this year has brought, and still continues to bring, it is looking like the NCAA Division I basketball season will go on.

On Wednesday, Sampson spoke to reporters ahead of UH men’s basketball’s first official practice for the upcoming season on Friday, and he provided numerous updates on his team.

Among them was that none of his players have tested positive for COVID-19 since the fall began although a few have had to miss workouts due to contact tracing rules.

Another update that Sampson provided was on UH’s schedule for 2020-21.

Houston has 27 games scheduled for this upcoming season, the head coach said, 20 of which will be against American Athletic Conference teams and seven will be against nonconference opponents.

Here is a breakdown of what the head coach shared about what Houston has on its schedule:

Nonconference games Sampson said on Wednesday that Houston is still planning to participate in the multiple-team event (MTE) in Orlando, Florida, that includes Texas Tech, Gonzaga and Auburn.

Houston will play Texas Tech first in the tournament and then depending on the outcome of that game, UH will either face off against Gonzaga or Auburn.

This event will account for two of the nonconference games on the schedule.

Houston will also host South Carolina and have to travel to face off against Alabama, Sampson said, and UH will also host Rice during 2020-21.

As for the two remaining nonconference games, Sampson did not name the schools, but he said that they will each be teams where the travel can be done by bus.

Sampson said that Houston is expected to play on Nov. 25, which is the first official day that the

NCAA is allowing men’s basketball games to begin.

Conference games When it comes to the specifics of when Houston will face off against its rival AAC schools that is still unknown, but Sampson also gave a small update in regards to these games on Wednesday.

UH will play at least two conference games in December, the head coach said, with the timeline for the start of these contests beginning mid-month.

While the Cougars usually play only 18 conference games, Sampson is in favor of the move to 20 AAC games for at least this year.

“I think you’re less likely to have cancellations or postponements in conference play because we’re all under the same medical protocol,” the head coach said. “With nonconference games, it can get a little dicey.” sports@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, October 21, 2020 | 7 ANDY YANEZ, EDITOR

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SPORTS NEWS

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

From Round Rock to the pros: former UH guard Armoni Brooks’ journey pursuing his dream

UH guard Armoni Brooks dribbles up the court as Oregon guard Ehab Amin lurks nearby in front of over 7,000 fans at the Fertitta Center opener during the 2018-19 season. He scored 942 career points, had 425 reboounds and shot 39.7 percent on 3-pointers during his career with Houston. | Kathryn Lenihan/The Cougar

JALA MASON

SENIOR STAFF WRITER @ MASONJALA

As the success story of McNeil High School in the Austin suburb of Round Rock, guard Armoni Brooks has accomplished a lot in his 22 years.

He left his fingerprints all over UH as he helped lift the Cougars to a historic Sweet 16 appearance in the March Madness tournament.

Then his journey took him even further, but it began in the city just outside of Austin.

Goodbye Round Rock Brooks didn’t have several big time offers lined up before leaving high school. For the Round Rock native, the recruiting process was “extremely hectic.”

From the constant phone calls to the frequent meetings with strangers, Brooks at times felt overwhelmed, but he was thankful for the overall experience. Not only for himself, but for his small hometown.

When he arrived in Houston, however, Brooks was immediately drawn in by the sense of family between the players and coaches.

“All the teammates were super

close; the coaches treated us like we were their own children,” Brooks said. “They made sure we were good outside of basketball.”

Thinking back to his first game with UH, he doesn’t remember much, but he does remember the way he felt before tipoff.

His hands were shaking, his body was jittery and his stomach was filled with butterflies.

“It was terrible,” Brooks said.

Although not at the same level, Brooks admitted that he still feels some of those nerves when he plays today, but he has become noticeably more confident when running on the court, which he attributes to his work ethic.

“I just worked a lot harder than I normally did, and I became more comfortable playing at the speed against tougher competition every day,” Brooks said.

Going back to when the team advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in 35 years, Brooks still remembers that achievement and is proud of what it meant for the team and how it served as a symbol for their perseverance that year.

The brotherhood bond that his teammates had in 2018-19 is what

helped make the accomplishment so special for Brooks.

“I wouldn’t have wanted to do that with a different group of guys,” he said.

Off to the league In the spring of 2019, however, the 6-foot-3-inch guard decided that he wanted to see what his buzz was at the next level. Brooks didn’t feel any pressure to live up to any expectations when he declared for the NBA Draft but did have a few nerves.

“It was more of just the unknown, leaving school and not knowing what you’re really getting yourself into,” Brooks said.

The decision for Brooks was not an easy one. He went back and forth, pondering it for as long as possible. Then, three hours before the deadline, he entered his name into the draft.

After going undrafted, Brooks signed with the NBA’s Washington Wizards and later the Atlanta Hawks. Soon after, he was waived from the official roster and filled a spot on the College Park Skyhawks, which is where he began his G League career.

Brooks was surprised at how

many adjustments he had to make at the higher level.

“Oh, man. I didn’t realize how much of a difference there would be,” he said with a laugh. “The pace is a lot slower than it is in college.”

While a bit unexpected, the game slowed down for Brooks, which he attributed to playing under head coach Kelvin Sampson in Houston.

“Coach Sampson is an NBA coach, so he has a really good grasp on what’s going on,” Brooks said.

Brooks’ college practices were “NBA-like,” which gave him an edge over his competition, he said, but going from competing every three to four days to every other one was another thing Brooks had to quickly get used to.

“You really have to be locked in on what you’re trying to do,” he said.

However, the gauntlet of games was only one of the sacrifices Brooks had to make while playing in the G League.

For starters, holidays were not off, so it was hard for Brooks to go months without seeing his friends and family in a new environment.

He had to adjust to being alone.

“Once you leave college, it’s more

business-like,” Brooks said.

New journey After a year in the G League, Brooks joined the Canadian Elite Basketball League on April 20 when he signed with the Saskatchewan Rattlers, but before he could suit up, the pandemic shifted the course of the year and Brooks decided to sit out this season.

“I didn’t want to travel outside the country with all that’s going on,” he said.

While Brooks waits for when he’ll hit the hardwood level again, he realizes that the coronavirus pandemic is another bump on his journey as he continues playing basketball professionally.

Throughout his entire road since leaving college, Brooks has carried with him one persistent trait that he learned from his time with Houston: a strong work ethic.

“I really learned how to work hard at a young age rather than trying to learn after I left college,” Brooks said. “I think that will help me take this basketball thing a little further.” sports@thedailycougar.com

8 | Wednesday, October 21, 2020

SPORTS NEWS

ANDY YANEZ, EDITOR

THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS

@THECOUGARSPORTS

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

For Myyah West, a homecoming long in the making JUSTIN ALVAREZ

STAFF WRITER @R0CKETMAN3

Graduate assistant Myyah West is ready to do her part to help the Houston women’s basketball team do something it hasn’t done since 2011 back in its Conference USA days: win a conference championship.

Following the UH women’s basketball team’s announcement that West was joining coach Ronald Hughey’s coaching staff for this upcoming season, The Cougar got a chance to speak with the former forward who spoke on her goals in her first year back and her relationship with the head coach.

“We’re still figuring each other out because we have new coaches on staff,” West said.

“Right now, I think our bond (with Hughey) is awesome. We learn from each other each every day and we have a lot to offer each person individually.”

West said that the head coach’s persistence played a part in joining the staff.

For the Mississippi native, the carefully nurtured family atmosphere that the program

Former UH women’s basketball forward Myyah West driving down the lane.

After a year away from the program, West is returning to the Cougars, this time on the coaching staff as a graduate assistant. | Courtesy of UH athletics

has instilled into her from day one will translate into team success along with motivating her return.

West played two seasons for Houston after transferring from Jones County Junior College in Mississippi. As a forward, she was a starter for most of her time in Houston before an injury cut her senior season short,

which is why she understands the value of living in the present.

West hopes she can pass down those lessons that she learned as a player to the current roster of student-athletes.

It’s a young team that the Cougars will trot out on the court in 2020-21. One made up of mostly underclassmen. Of the 16 players listed on the roster,

only three are seniors.

Despite the youth, West said that the future of the program is bright with this roster and that they’re eager to learn and get better.

West hopes that her guidance will be a positive contribution to the same family atmosphere that attracted her as a player when she chose to transfer to UH. “Coach Hughey and the staff made me feel like I was at home,” she said. “I wanted a little piece of that when I moved away. Everyone wanted you to be better than what you thought you were each and every day.”

As a graduate assistant, West will have a multitude of roles.

Her list of duties will range from assisting the players, overseeing team managers, working with the team’s video coordinator and other “ins-and-outs” of the team.

Due to the pandemic, the start of both the men’s and women’s basketball seasons have been delayed until Nov. 25, just 15 days later than the original start date, and last Wednesday, official practices were finally

authorized to take place.

West acknowledged that the extra time before things really pick up has afforded her a balance of schoolwork and work being done in the gym.

For now, West has taken advantage of the opportunities that come with being around Hughey and his staff every day in hopes that the experience will help her with her ultimate goal of being a coach herself one day.

Aside from the team goal of wanting to win the school’s first championship in the American Athletic Conference, West has her own personal goal of being present for the players and doing her part the best she can.

She hopes to continue to learn from the program and people that have already taught her so much, both on and off the hardwood.

“I hope it puts me in a (good) position to be a better person like it has done in previous years,” West said. “I just want to learn all I can so I can apply it to my life and whatever the next step it is I’m going to take.” sports@thedailycougar.com

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Wednesday, October 21, 2020 | 9 GINA MEDINA, EDITOR

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OPINION NEWS

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COVID-19

Coronavirus pandemic highlights the importance of mental health awareness

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ABOUT THE COUGAR The Cougar is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters, and Wednesdays during the summer and online at thedailycougar.com. The Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. The first copy is free. Additional copies cost 25 cents.

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ABDULLAH DOWAIHY

STAFF COLUMNIST

COVID-19 has heavily impacted the mental health of everyone around the world with families separated, unemployment rising and loved ones dying from the virus.

Here in the United States, COVID-19 has severely impacted the mental health of young people.

In fact, research institutes have published data that shows an increase in depression and anxiety among American youth indicating that more needs to be done in solving these urgent issues rather than continuing to ignore and even stigmatize them further.

I believe that part of the reason why the youth continue to struggle with mental health is because the education system is built on pressuring them, rather than allowing them to grow at their own pace.

Therefore, we must pressure educational institutions to create

curriculums that are focused on mental health awareness by letting students enjoy their extracurricular activities and less on punishing them.

The Pew Research Center reported this year that 33 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 experienced high levels of distress, 28 percent experienced medium levels of distress and 38 percent experienced low levels of distress.

This shows that in the U.S., the youth population is more prone to mental health illnesses. That is because they are raised in an environment that places limits on their capacity to learn and grow on their own terms.

The 18-29 age group is supposed to grow their minds naturally without suffering from academic pressure. Therefore, these statistics should be used by education officials whenever schools reopen so they can best determine how students can enjoy

school without sacrificing their mental well being.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also published its own worrying statistics about mental health among American youth. For example, they show that three in four kids aged 3 to 17 who are diagnosed with depression also suffer from anxiety, which is 73.8 percent of the age group.

Also, approximately one in two kids with depression are also diagnosed with behavioral problems, which is 47.2 percent of kids aged 3 to 17.

If you are wondering how kids get all these various mental illnesses at such a young age, look at their daily lives in schools. They experience bullying, violence, financial issues, sleeping issues and many more.

Furthermore, that is all topped with unnecessary loads of homework, harsh teachers who grade unfairly and not enough free time to engage in extracurricular

activities that could be more informative for them.

Therefore, mental health must be the number one public health issue after COVID-19 because this is also impacting the U.S. negatively.

COVID-19 is a sudden and unusual experience for the whole world, which makes mental health awareness extremely important this year as there is increased pressure to work/study from home and being separated from family.

We must seize this moment as a people and work towards not just returning to normal, but also build a better normal. This includes reforming educational institutions to be more considerate of youth mental health, which can lead to a more vibrant American population and society.

Abdullah Dowaihy is a political science senior who can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

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Wednesday, October 21, 2020 | 11

NEWS HOUSING HOUSING

With more competition, UH plans to grow on-campus housing

Immediate move-in available!

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Nursing sophomore Jose Martinez wants to live on campus, but the limited availability of on-campus housing has pushed him to live at the Campus Vue apartments, the closest off-campus alternative, nearly half a mile away.

“The dorms are always full,” Martinez said. “I would like to live on campus, but there is never any room.”

Over the past seven years, five thirdparty student housing complexes have opened up within three miles of the campus.

With vast changes planned for the University’s housing options, Student Housing and Residential Life hopes to take back students, like Martinez, who have chosen to live at the new apartments.

One goal for the University is to have 60 percent of first time in college students live on campus. According to a Housing presentation, the University is at 52 percent.

In February, the Quadrangle began demolition for a replacement expected to be complete by December 2019.

“Even though it has an amazing history, it was time for the Quadrangle to go,” said Don Yackley, executive director of Student Housing and Residential Life. “We are going to be adding an additional 350 new beds so that when it returns it will be able to grow.”

The new Quadrangle will draw its design from Cougar Place, which Yackley said is the most popular place to live on campus with its suite-style living and private bedrooms.

It will also have some townhouse-style buildings with the purpose of attracting international students and creating more learning communities.

“All of this has the goal of being as affordable as possible and encouraging student-to-student interaction, which we know impacts student success,” Yackley said.

The Quadrangle is not the only part of campus housing that has changes coming.

Moody Towers will soon be replaced.

“The towers are next,” Yackley said. “In three to five years, we expect to be looking at taking down and replacing the towers.”

Construction for Moody Towers was completed in 1970. Replacing the towers will be much different than the Quadrangle or any other dorm on campus, Yackley said.

“They’re our most affordable housing option, so whatever we replace, we have to focus on affordability,” Yackley said.

Housing expects to be full for the upcoming fall semester, Yackley said.

“We hear from parents and students after they go that they want to return,” he said. “What we offer is more engaging, more involved in University activities and events, and we have more resources.”

Yackley said he wants more students to pursue on-campus options.

“The best is the proximity, you can’t beat it. Being walking minutes from your class or the student center is amazing,” Yackley said.

Moody Towers is UH’s oldest on-campus housing. Built in 1970, the Towers are set to be torn down Despite the benefits of living on and replaced in the near future. | Christopher Charleston/The Cougar campus, post-baccalaureate computer information systems student Shaye Wreford chooses to instead live at the Campus Vue because of the freedom and extra space afforded by off-campus living.

“I appreciate the ability to take less than 30 steps from my door to my car, as well as freedom from the rules enforced on campus,” Wreford said.

On-campus residents must purchase the same parking permit as commuter students. As a result, residential students are often parked far from their residence hall.

In 2014, the University entertained the idea of requiring freshmen to live on campus.

President Renu Khator received pushback and nixed the plan before the University of Houston Board of Regents could vote on it.

That same year, University reports TDECU showed that students who live on campus Stadium Private bedrooms and bathrooms available have GPAs that are .01 to .11 points higher compared to their commuter peers.

Fully furnished apartments UNIVERSITY Students who live on campus also have 24-hour, state-of-the-art fitness center with OF HOUSTON higher graduation rates, Yackley said. strength equipment “It’s a very rare and unique opportunity 24-hour Academic Success Center with iMacs, to live with your peers,” Yackley said.

PCs and free printing “Probably the most impactful dynamic to Group study lounges foster success in school is a connection to Internet, cable TV, water, sewer, trsh and other students.”

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