@thedailycougar www.thedailycougar.com Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Est. 1934
Issue 6, Volume 89
ROYALTY IN RED MEET UH’S NEWEST HOMECOMING KING AND QUEEN. | PG. 2
2 | Wednesday, November 15, 2023
NEWS
ROBERT DE LA GARZA, EDITOR
@THEDAILYCOUGAR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
CAMPUS
‘It’s just surreal’: Homecoming royalty recounts journey LOGAN LINDER
CAMPUS ASSITANT EDITOR @LOGANL_WRITES
After an eventful homecoming court process, journalism senior Auyana Aird and sports administration senior Austin Craig have been crowned this year’s Homecoming Queen and King. The University’s newest royalty have different reasons for running but both are proud of their accomplishments and success, and they both hope to inspire people through their wins.
Craig hopes to inspire others with his win. | Anh Le/The Cougar
While Aird’s mom was her first supporter, last year’s Homecoming Queen Asa Lewis helped give the final push Aird needed to run. “I started thinking about how much I love the campus and love the University,” Aird said. “I thought it’d be cool to run and represent the university in that way. And also, other people were kind of rooting for me.” Aird’s purpose of running shifted along with her campaign when she lost her brother to suicide, as she wanted to become an advocate for mental health. Ultimately, she wants to give people a sense of belonging and help guide them toward resources that will benefit them. “That’s one of the reasons why it was so important to me, to be able to have this platform and be put in a position to possibly help someone else because that’s the worst thing in life to go through,” Aird said. Wanting to serve as an inspiration to others who have struggled with themselves, Craig decided to run for Homecoming King. The newly crowned king enlisted his Zeta Zeta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc.
brothers to help. “I knew that when I ran, it was going to be something bigger than myself,” Craig said. Coming from a small town, Craig’s brothers helped guide him and get him to where he is today. “They were so wise that I was able to take something from all their experiences,” Craig said. “I got shown the pathway, I just had to put in the work.” As a freshman, Craig would attend UH football games and sit at the top of the bleachers, where he could look over the city and school. Remembering these moments as he was crowned homecoming king made the event feel like his life had come full-circle. “I was shy my freshman year so being able to get to this point, it’s just surreal to me,” Craig said. When campaigning, both Aird and Craig enjoyed the opportunity to speak to the vast community on campus. “I started as an orientation leader in the summer so during our campaigning - the two weeks we had, I had to channel that inner spirit,” Craig said. “Being able to walk up to somebody I didn’t know and become a familiar face.” Aird also noted the countless hours that were spent campaigning and how enjoyable it was to be able to connect with different people throughout the University. For Aird, homecoming is important because it allows current and former students to come together and reflect on how the University has helped them. “It just feels like one big happy family and I feel like the school sets up Homecoming Week and homecoming in a way that really gives you a sense of feeling or community and family as to what UH really means, even beyond graduation,” Aird said. For Craig, it’s more of a time for brotherhood and for alumni to help guide him. “For me, it’s a time I get to see brothers that I haven’t seen in years,” Craig said. “Brothers who are coming back to the chapter since they left and graduated so I’ve been able to see them again and fellowship with them means a lot.” Aird is the service chair for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. — making this the second year in a row that a member represented by the sorority has won. Despite her heavy
The University’s newest royalty have different reasons for running but both are proud of their accomplishments and success, and they both hope to inspire people through their wins. | Anh Le/The Cougar
involvement with Alpha Kappa Alpha, Aird is also the president of the UH chapter of the Association of Black Journalists. She also holds leadership roles within CoogTV and Coog Radio, while also interning with the
Aird is grateful and overwhelmed by all the support. | Anh Le/The Cougar
“Every skill I’m improving or learning is gonna help me in the long run. So these organizations now, it’s like a skill that I need before I graduate.” Auyana Aird, Homecoming Queen athletics department. “I think what balances it out is that I enjoy doing these things and I know at the end of the day, it’s helping me,” Aird said. “Every skill I’m improving or learning is gonna help me in the long run. So these organizations now, it’s like a skill that I need before I graduate.” Craig also has his fair share of involvement as the vice president of the Zeta Zeta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma and working as a residential advisor, along with previously working as an orientation leader and with the football team. “We try to provide programs
and support services in terms of if they need to go to LAUNCH, CAPS, everything that encompasses the well-being of the students,” Craig said. Although both Aird and Craig have heavy involvement with a variety of student organizations and are dedicated to helping their fellow students, their support systems and organizations helped them achieve their goals. “I’m just grateful and overwhelmed and appreciate all the love and support,” Aird said. news@thedailycougar.com
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 | 3 ROBERT DE LA GARZA, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/NEWS
@THEDAILYCOUGAR
NEWS
CAMPUS
Homecoming week recap: Spirit endures despite rain REGAN GRANT, GAURAANGI GUPTA
EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF
SGA ASSISTANT EDITOR, STAFF WRITER @THEG8REGAN, @GAURAANGIG
John Lomax
MANAGING EDITOR
Last week, UH hosted several events for Homecoming 2023 which kicked off with a lot of school spirit. Homecoming signifies the community coming together. Events like Bed Races and Canstruction have been a part of the Homecoming Week celebration for years. “Homecoming is like getting back to High School again,” said economics junior Dat Nguyen. “It’s the whole week of community activities that bring us all together.”
Cindy Rivas Alfaro WEB EDITOR
Emma Christensen NEWS EDITOR
Robert De La Garza
Bed Races, student performances The following days witnessed a number of events. From performing skits on the theme “Dream Big, Win Big” at the Strut Your Stuff event to the annual Bed Races. The Bed Races had fun inflatables and food trucks which were enjoyed by participants as well as those who had come to watch. UH Hallyu Club’s Kpop dance cover team, Cypher, bagged the prize at Strut Your Stuff. Delta Zeta and Tau Kappa Epsilon won the bed races. “It was such an unforgettable experience! The teams practiced our hearts out to give a fun and exciting performance and we’re so happy the audience loved it,” said Madison Wickliffe, marketing senior and dancer for Cypher. Thursday, the Homecoming Board collaborated with the Metropolitan Volunteer Program and organized the event Canstruction, at which the Spirit Teams designed and constructed
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Jose GonzalezCampelo
ASSISTANT EDITORS
Atirikta Kumar Logan Linder Regan Grant Riley Moquin
SPORTS EDITOR
Starns Leland OPINION EDITOR
Malachi Key
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.
Kickoff At the Homecoming Kick-off at the Student Center Plaza, the Homecoming Board along with the Residence Halls Association provided treats like cotton candy and food from Raising Cane’s. Later that evening, Ada Cinar, Amy Mazariegos, Auyana Aird, Tumi Adeyoju, Caterina Giuliana, Ik Evbayiro, Angel Martinez, Omar Castanon, Austin Craig and Hussein Hoballah were nominated to the 2023 Homecoming Court. “The kickoff has been really amazing,” said public relations senior Natalia Marinero. “Seeing all the students especially because the timing of the event was off as it’s going on at the same time as a basketball game.”
PHOTO EDITOR
Anh Le
Sean Kingston performing during the annual Homecoming concern at Lynn Eusan Park Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023.. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
buildings from food cans. The cans were later collected and donated locally to the Manna House Third Ward Food Pantry. “Canstruction helped us in team building and making new connections,” said Alexis Dooley, freshman pre-nursing major, who was competing at the event. “It’s a lot of time management and balance but still everyone is happy and vibrant on the campus.”
The concert Amidst the rain, approximately 750 students gathered in Lynn Eusan Park Thursday night to see Sean Kingston perform at the annual Homecoming concert. Overall, the performance received a somewhat lukewarm reception from the students in attendance. Still, despite the criticism for some students Sean Kingston’s performance was well worth the time spent in the rain. “I was very excited to see him coming, so I ended up liking how there were not too many people there,” Lam said. “It was worth getting drenched.” Others, however, were less impressed with the University’s talent choice. Some students cited the artist’s lack of name recognition and relevance to younger audience as criticism of the show. “They could have gotten someone that more people know,” said accounting freshman
Tajj White. “They could have even gotten another one-hit wonder, but one that Gen Z is more familiar with.” Kingston rose to fame following the release of his debut single “Beautiful Girls” in 2007 and sustained his success with the 2009 hit “Fire Burning.” Despite launching his fourth studio album in 2022, Kingston hasn’t made an appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart since 2010. “I was excited for him to perform the three songs I knew, but UH could have gotten someone more recent in today’s music,” said senior entrepreneurship major Erik Pantoja. “The crowd was decent. Obviously, his most popular songs were the loudest, but there were times when it was pretty dead.” Kingston performed around ten songs, following the opening act, Orion 224, a student-led indie rock band. The crowd noticeably increased in size when Kingston took the stage. “UH could have honestly chosen a different artist, but Sean Kingston is perfect for college students because we all grew up listening to his songs,” Pantoja said
Spirit cup, philanthropy The Homecoming Court and the MVP also organized Rock the Campus, which was initially meant to beautify the campus by planting trees,
however, due to the weather it was shifted indoors. Instead, the Spirit Teams prepared hygiene care packages with items like tampons, diapers, baby wipes and hand sanitizers. “We made care packages for families to be donated at a refugee fair,” Landa said. “I think the location change actually benefited us because we had so many supplies and it was easier to manage inside. We made about 300 packages.” Friday, the Homecoming Court met with President Renu Khator as well. “We had the opportunity to talk with President Khator for almost an hour,” said Caterina Giuliani, marketing and management senior and Homecoming Queen candidate. “It was fun and we got to know her. It was really inspiring to talk with her.” After winning best attendance, most cans donated and having the best painted cougar, Alpha Chi Omega took home this year’s Spirit Cup. Though inclement weather put a bit of a damper on some of the events, this year’s Homecoming week served as a welcome break for students feeling the pressure of finals. “It was really nice to have a distraction from sitting for hours studying for finals and tests,” Landa said. news@thedailycougar.com
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, November 15, 2023
SPORTS NEWS
STARNS LELAND, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS
@THEDAILYCOUGAR
MEN’S BASKETBALL
‘I want this’: How Terrance Arceneaux has stoked his competitive fire
After playing a limited role in his freshman year, Terrance Arceneaux’s offseason work is set to pay off in 2023-24.. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar
STARNS LELAND
SPORTS EDITOR @STARNSLELAND
Terrance Arceneaux spent the 2023 offseason working on all of his game, but there was one thing above all that he focused on: competing. “This offseason, everything we did was a competition,” Arceneaux said. “No matter if it was a shooting drill, or just making a sprint down and back. No matter what I’m doing, if I’ve got to eat fast. We were just really locking in on that.” After a freshman year of playing limited minutes on a veteran-dependent 2022-23 team, locking in and staying locked in is what assistant coach Kellen Sampson worked on religiously with Arceneaux over the summer and during training camp. “Making sure that he was chomping at the bit ready to go and ready and take advantage of his opportunity,” Sampson said. “Being able to go harder, longer. Being able to be as good in the last 30 minutes of a workout as you are in the first 30 minutes.” The talent and physical tools are undoubtedly there for Arceneaux. The long, wiry, 6-foot-6-inch sophomore wing out of Beaumont, Texas has incredible versatility on both sides of the floor and a natural shooting stroke to boot. Despite his reserved, mild-mannered demeanor, it’s Arceneaux’s burning desire to be great that gets him in the mindset to focus and stay competitive at all times. “I want this,” Arceneaux said. “I want this to be my job ... I’ve got to compete every play. Because if I want this to be my lifestyle, that’s how I was meant to be.” Arceneaux showed flashes of his sky-high ceiling in his freshman season, most notably in a 15-point performance at Oregon early in the year, but went through the ups and downs that most freshmen normally go through in highlevel college hoops.
The inconsistency expected from a freshman naturally resulted in equally inconsistent playing time behind the likes of NBA first-round pick Marcus Sasser and 37-game starter Tramon Mark. Couple that with playing slightly out of position at times as a guard, Arceneaux never quite found his footing in year one. “There was definitely frustration because I wanted more for myself,” Arceneaux said. “But I knew that I’m still young, so I was just learning, listening to Coach (Kelvin) Sampson and following after Marcus and those guys.”
In order to curb those self-critical thoughts, Kellen Sampson has drilled into Arceneaux the phrase “So what, now what?” as a way to move on from bad plays and focus on the next. “One of the things with Terrance is he has a tendency of putting a lot of pressure on himself. Maybe too much pressure on himself than anybody justifiably can have,” Sampson said. “It’s okay to miss, man. It’s okay to have a bad moment. It’s okay to want to have that play back ... So what, now what? You had a bad play — so what? Now what do we got? And when you can do that, you release a lot of pressure on yourself.” So far, Arceneaux’s teammates have also noticed Arceneaux’s progress in both his frame of mind and body. After all, Arceneaux is currently up 15 pounds from his freshman weight. “He’s coming into his body,” said senior point guard Jamal Shead. “He’s a goofy kid, but once he’s on that court, his mindset changes and his body is starting to adapt to his mindset.” Through the first two games of his second year, Arceneaux’s increased comfort level and tenacity on the court have been obvious, thanks in part to a small transition back to a role he’s more familiar with as the three and four spots. “Getting him back to where it’s a little bit more of some comfort,” Sampson said. “And getting him back to where he’s got a few more natural matchups, I think will kind of spark his confidence and spark his ability.” Though he only tallied five points in the Cougars’ season opener against Louisiana Monroe, Arceneaux showed off his defensive prowess with three
steals, while staying aggressive on offense. Despite missing a couple of threes, slashing down the lane for two impressive dunks. Against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Arceneaux only trailed Player of the Game J’Wan Roberts hustling for eight rebounds while continuing to play solid defense with a block and steal. Two days later, Arceneaux had his complete game of the year so far on his 20th birthday no less. Against Stetson, Arceneaux hit double digits in scoring with 10 points on just five shots and three steals. After the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi game, Roberts, one of the team’s veteran leaders, chimed in on a question asked about Arceneaux’s improvement and gave a rousing display of support and confidence in the sophomore. “We want him to shoot, we want him to rebound. We want him to do a lot of things,” Roberts said. “And just him feeding off our energy I think gives some confidence to do whatever he wants to do and be comfortable in his own skin to do what he wants to do.” There is still a whole lot more time for Arceneaux to make his mark this year, but if this past offseason showed anything, it’s that Arceneaux is ready to do anything it takes to get better. “You just got to look at the bigger picture that down the line, you’re gonna be better, and it’s all going to come along,” Arceneaux said. “And it might not come one game, but the next game. Everything we’ve worked on might just come together, and that’s where the joy comes from.” sports@thedailycougar.com
Terrance Arceneaux scored a season-high10 points against Stetson on his 20th birthday to go along with three steals. Arceneaux also recorded eight rebounds against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. | Anh Le/The Cougar
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 | 5 STARNS LELAND, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/SPORTS
@THEDAILYCOUGAR
SPORTS NEWS
CROSS COUNTRY
Runs in the family: Brothers bring family ties to UH cross-country CHASE FARRIS
STAFF WRITER @CDFARRIS3
Many athletes refer to their teammates as their brothers or sisters, but for UH cross-country runners Branch and Miles Cox, that’s all they know. The Cox brothers, originally from Amarillo, have always found comfort in running together. Though two years apart, they have always known that they wanted to run at the same school. Branch, an exercise science senior, started his cross-country career at the University of Oklahoma, but when the brothers visited UH they knew it was the place for them. “We both had an official visit and just fell in love with everything,” Miles, a sophomore studying sports administration, said. “The coach at the time, the people on the team, the parks that we run at, just Houston as a city.” Branch started running his freshman year of high school and wasn’t sure what he had gotten himself into. “I kind of just showed up and they said, ‘Oh, yeah, we’ve been like meeting all summer’,” he said. “So I was pretty bad to start off.” His experience quickly changed, however, after only one year on the junior varsity team, he was bumped up to varsity. At the end of his sophomore year, he was named the Most Valuable Player. Following in his brother’s footsteps, Miles decided to give cross country a try as well. A decision that paid off because now he is the Amarillo High School record-holder for the 3,200-meter run with a time of 9:13. “I think as we progressed, we realized that we could actually be pretty good at it,” Branch said. “And then we just kept taking it more seriously.” Although their high school experience was beneficial, their hometown was not always as cooperative. According to TreeHugger, Amarillo is the second windiest city in the nation with a daily average of 13.6 mph winds. Branch said that it wasn’t always pleasant to run in, but it made them tough. Having a built-in running buddy has been a big help, as well. Branch says that the two rely on each other heavily during practices. “Oh yeah, 100%. Always going to have someone to push you,” Branch said. “On the days that I say I’m going to do 8, he says he’s going to do 10, then you feel like you need to do more.” He added that running is mostly just getting out the door, but having another person to keep you accountable makes things that much easier. “Taking that first step is the hardest part,” Branch said. “So if you have other people, you’ll be more motivated to start.” Athleticism runs — no pun intended — in the family. Their mother Michelle made it to State for cross country during her high school years and their three younger siblings stay just as active. “Our little brother, Grady, plays tennis,” Branch said. “Karis and Elizabeth, our younger two sisters, are still trying to
Miles Cox (left) and his older brother Branch (right) have competed in sports together their whole lives, and now at UH they’ve proven to be invaluable teammates. | Courtesy of UH Athletics
figure out what their main sport will be, but they’re both pretty athletic.” Though the younger siblings haven’t found their sport, they do what they can to stay involved. “Elizabeth will ride the bike with us on runs, so that’s nice,” Branch said. Coming from a household that didn’t play video games, their childhood was built on playing outside and participating in youth sports. “They threw us into every sport when we were little,” Miles said. “Basketball, baseball, football, and I think that molded us.” Some may think that being brothers and teammates as well as having such an upbringing promotes a competitive environment in running, but Branch and Miles leave that for the basketball court. When they’re not practicing or doing school work, recreational basketball is their go-to. They say it’s been a hobby since they were little and that it’s a nice way to let their competitive energy out. “Yesterday we played a little two-ontwo basketball game with some random kids,” Branch said. “And it got pretty competitive.” During practices and races, however, they stay level-headed. “We don’t make it too stressful,” Branch said. “But we still push each other at the same time.” Using each other for motivation has been advantageous for both of them. Branch was the first Cougar and Miles was the third to cross the finish line at the Big 12 Conference Championship this year. The two repeated the same order in the NCAA Regionals on the way to UH’s
best Regional finish since 2019. In the 2022 season, Branch was a top three finisher in four meets last season, while Miles finished second in two 8k races and third in the final four races of the season. The pair have always been close-knit,
but attending Houston together has helped them grow even closer. “College is a time that you grow as a person,” Branch said. “So that we can do a lot of the same stuff together is pretty cool.” sports@thedailycougar.com
Branch Cox (middle) and younger brother Miles (right) took an official visit to Houston together in 2021, where they both decided to choose Houston to continue their college careers. This year, Branch was the best runner on Houston’s cross country team this year. | Courtesy of UH Athletics
6 | Wednesday, November 15, 2023
OPINION NEWS
MALACHI KEY, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/OPINION
CAMPUS
COLUMNS
UH needs to invest more in its advisors, advising system
MALACHI KEY
OPINION EDITOR @MALACHISKEY
From the moment you set foot on campus, your advisors are meant to be the guiding light that helps propel your educational journey forward. But for many students, the advising process can range from clunky to downright unhelpful, resulting in serious potential delays to graduation. This is not to say that advisors are inherently bad people. On the contrary, most are simply trying their best in a job that’s high-pressure, low-paying and relatively thankless. A good advisor can make or break a student’s future, and they should be loudly applauded for their efforts. But the issue is, to put it frankly, that the University doesn’t have nearly enough of those “good” advisors. Ask any student about the advising process and they’re likely to regale you with stories of long wait times and ridiculously short appointments that rarely end with useful advice. This issue can be especially prominent when it comes to some of UH’s less “moneymaking” majors. It’s hardly a controversial statement; the humanities have been in decline for decades now. As their buildings slowly crumble and the number of faculty employed in any department that doesn’t produce a “return on investment” keeps shrinking, high quality advising in various places has slowly become harder to find.
Len Duenas/The Cougar
Take the journalism department, for example. For as much as the University’s program is touted as a “learning lab,” your advisor is rarely likely to explain to you the importance of obtaining practical internships or putting together a portfolio of clips. Both of these elements are deeply vital to succeeding in the journalism industry, but advisors are more likely to point you towards the required classes and shoo you out of their office instead of patiently explaining a journalist’s career path or directing you to join student media. Again, this is not the advisor’s fault, nor is this issue specific to just the journalism program. Each advisor for the journalism program has to handle students from a wide variety of majors, all
lumped under the broad label of “communications studies.” What this means is that each advisor is unlikely to know the specifics of how to help a student trying to get a job in niche fields like print, broadcast or radio journalism. While societies and student groups like Coog TV are able to make up some of this knowledge gap, students need to know these options exist before they’re able to best make use of them. Even more than that, students deserve to be informed about the path into their career of choice. Jobs in certain areas are scarce, to be sure. Not every student majoring in medieval history is likely to find themselves a comfy tenured position at an Ivy league. But if students aren’t receiving crucial information about the field they’re going into, aren’t
they being robbed of a fighting chance? The University invites students to dream big, but they can’t do that if many of them don’t even know where to start. All of this doesn’t even take into account technical problems, like when the UH Navigate website supposedly crashed recently while students were trying to enroll. Between individual advisors not being equipped to help students, delays caused by a limited amount of availability and unexpected technical issues, advising can turn into a complete headache even in the best of circumstances. It’s going to take more than just hiring more advisors to fix this system; advising is fundamentally broken in many ways. Students deserve real support, and the process of building that kind of support is not going to be an easy one. At the same time, though, isn’t that what we were promised when we first stepped foot at this university? College can be the pathway for so many to escape difficult financial or social environments, but you can’t fly high without a little help. A good advisor can be a complete godsend, but there’s quite simply not enough of them. If the University doesn’t seriously consider how and why advising falls short, they’re at risk of killing dreams before they even get started.
At UH, students are told to strive for greatness and to be our best selves. But in the pursuit of our best selves, it can be easy to ignore potential mental health crises forming. It may be hard, but knowing the warning signs and seeking help when needed is so much more important than grades will ever be. While Counseling and Psychological Services has been criticized in the past, some students say they have greatly improved their outreach and capacity this semester. The presence of mental health administrators all over campus has made getting help easier than ever before. “I’ve seen that CAPS has been majorly pressing their mental
health care options and programs to students lately,” said psychology freshman Dy’mond Reyon Spencer. “They’ve done a great job of making sure students know where to go and who to go too.” Mental illness is not a joke. Life is unpredictable, and there’s no shame in getting help, especially when conflicting circumstances appear from out of nowhere. As tough as these situations can be, sometimes they provide the extra “nudge” needed to get real help. Unfortunately, angry or anxious thoughts can affect anyone, no matter how calm they might seem on the surface. It’s important not to just “suck it up” because dwelling on these feelings can frequently make them worse, sometimes even resulting in serious consequences. Not getting help when you need it can result in a diagnosis getting
worse or you committing actions you might regret later. As anxiety builds, you might fall behind on assignments or lash out at your peers. The most important thing you can do in situations like this is to avoid the cycle of shame that keeps people from getting help. Life has a way of causing us to fall flat on our face, but figuring out how to bounce back is what makes us human. It might sound like a cliche, but there really are people available that want to help you get better. Study after study has shown the effectiveness of mental health services like UH has on campus, and the University even offers some of them for free. It can be tempting to just deal with mental health in your own way because “that’s what’s always worked for me.” But trying to
MALACHI KEY
OPINION EDITOR
@MALACHISKEY
handle something as complex as mental health on your own doesn’t work in the end because good mental health needs good foundations. Trying to fix it yourself is less like standing on concrete and more like standing on sand; trying to step out of it while constantly sinking can result in you just sinking again. It’s understandable to have mixed feelings about services like CAPS. They’re far from perfect, but something is better than nothing. Emotions and feelings aren’t just something to ignore; they hold real power. Reaching out can keep you or others close to you from getting seriously hurt. As we head into the holiday season, remember: you matter, and now is a better time than ever to get help if you need it. opinion@thedailycougar.com
opinion@thedailycougar.com
opinion@thedailycougar.com
There’s no shame in reaching out for help with mental health ALENA THOMAS
UH deserves better HoCo concerts Homecoming is meant to be a time of celebration; a time to enjoy being young, love life and dance the night away with friends and strangers alike. Yet to be honest, it’s kind of hard to really get down when the best UH has to offer is the fire beats of ... Sean Kingston? Don’t get me wrong, “Beautiful Girls” is a certified bop, but it’s definitely the kind of song that should be reserved for the awkward shuffling done at middle school dances. Bumping and grinding to “Eenie Meenie” feels like it should put you on some kind of list. That’s not to say that whoever picks the campus concert artists isn’t trying their best. After all, we did get the ... third best member of Three 6 Mafia last year. Oh and we got T-Pain that one time, which I’m sure was a real treat for all four die-hard T-Pain fans in the house. Normally, it would be easy to chalk this issue up to out of touch college administrations or budget constraints, but it’s hard not to feel like the grass actually is greener on the other side of the fence. After all, TSU managed to get Megan Thee Stallion not too long ago. Sure, TSU was her Alma Mater, but UH has its own fair share of impressive musical alumni including Lizzo and even Lil Wayne. There’s no guarantee that they would perform just because they went to UH, but Houston artists have a deep love for the city; the energy here in H-town is electric in a way few other cities can match. Even if UH can’t swing more “mainstream” acts, surely they could try calling up some of the hotter up and coming hip-hop artists that Houston has no shortage of. For god’s sake, we are THE home of the legendary DJ Screw and the chopped and screwed style after all. But maybe I’m just being ungrateful; UH could pull some really impressive early 2010s banger artist next year. Imagine getting turnt with your homies to “Replay” by Iyaz, wouldn’t that be something? Say what you will about UH, but that’s certainly an experience you can only get here.
HEALTH
STAFF WRITER @ALENATHOMAS
@THEDAILYCOUGAR
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 | 7 MALACHI KEY, EDITOR
THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM/LIFE-ARTS
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LIFE ANDNEWS ARTS
ADVICE
Ask The Cougar: Long-distance friendships, career advice In this week’s Ask The Cougar, Editor-in-Chief John Lomax and Managing Editor Cindy Rivas Alfaro tackle questions about coming to college, graduation and how to prepare for the workforce.
How would you recommend building the foundation to a strong career while you are in college? What advice, if any, would you share from your experiences?
John Lomax Editor in chief
So this is a great question and one I wish I would have asked myself a whole lot earlier. The answer is actually pretty simple. It all comes down to getting as much relevant experience as possible for the career you’ve chosen before heading to the workforce For me, that meant getting involved with The Cougar my first day on campus. For context, prior to coming to UH, I spent a little over three years in the military. By the time I was out, I was sure of two things. First, I didn’t want to do another push-up ever again in my life. Second, I was dead set on pursuing a career in journalism. Before I joined The Cougar, I was qualified to shoot a gun and perform manual labor — two things I’d be perfectly
comfortable with never having to do again. Now, I have around 80 articles under my belt — a number I at least hope qualifies as a strong foundation toward working at a big-boy publication. But it’s about more than just another bullet point on your resume. It’s about finding out whether or not you truly have what it takes to work in the field you have in mind. Expectations are often a far cry from reality, and it’s better to learn an ugly truth earlier rather than later. That being said, since you’re asking this question I assume you have a good understanding of what it is you want to do. To bring this answer back home, you need to find and join whatever club is closest to your ideal career. Now, perhaps thankfully, for some majors there is no student media equivalent (I’m not sure I’d trust a bridge built by “studentengineers.”) While it may not be as obvious, there’s almost certainly at least one organization on GetInvolved that can provide some relevant experience. Don’t stop there though, apply for as many internships, volunteer opportunities and fellowships as you can to help broaden your portfolio. At the end of the day, put yourself in the shoes of a potential employer. Generally, they want to hire someone who they can put to work as quickly as possible. In most professions, the more training and effort it will require to make you capable of doing the job, the less inclined they will be to hire you. editor@thedailycougar.com
How would you recommend branching out and forming strong friendships after moving away from home and to college for the first time?
Cindy Rivas Alfaro Managing Editor
Personally, the way I got out of my comfort zone and met new people was by messaging people on Instagram. Granted, this was during the COVID era but the IRL equivalent would be attending socials on campus and any other events put on by student organizations. Branching out is always scary but I think the benefits you get out of it will always outweigh the “scaries.” As for forming strong friendships, I say find common ground and build off of each other. For example, if you both like Taylor Swift, go watch the Taylor Swift movie! If you both have to study for a test, pick a time to study at Cougar Grounds or The Nook and make it a constant thing. If you really enjoy hanging out with someone, there will always be something for you both to bond over. I met some of my closest friends in class, so make sure you are going farther than just the icebreakers!
I am the oldest out of my college friend group and out of the friends walking
the stage with me, all of us are taking jobs in different cities. How would you recommend staying close while being so far away?
Congratulations on graduating and getting a job! I think your best bet would have to be a lot of virtual get-togethers. Discord is a really good app for keeping in touch with friends, especially with the options of streaming, group chats and voice chats. There are also games like Jackbox where you can play silly little games. If you’re looking for stuff outside of simple gaming, I think having an iMessage or WhatsApp group chat for all of you would be really cool to send any updates throughout your day! When I graduated high school, my trio of friends made sure to send a selfie a day to make sure we stayed connected. When it comes to planning in-person things, I think inviting everyone to your birthday party or any celebration regardless if you think they’ll come or not is a really good way to stay in touch. Even if they aren’t able to show up, the invitation still shows that you are thinking of them! If all of you feel down for it, picking a place in the middle of the map where you can meet and planning accordingly can also lead to good adventures. The biggest issue I think would be scheduling conflicts and of course, money, but I think if you are all on the same page and care about each other, you have nothing to worry about! Again, congrats on making it through college, and I hope this was able to help! me@thedailycougar.com
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ISSUE STAFF CLOSING EDITORS
John Lomax Cindy Rivas Alfaro COVER ANH LE
for i Center Student Media uh.edu/csm
ABOUT CSM The Center for Student Media provides comprehensive advisory and financial support to the university’s student-run media: The Cougar newspaper, CoogTV and COOG Radio. Part of the Student Life portfolio in the Division of Student Affairs, the CSM is concerned with the development of students, focusing on critical thinking, leadership, ethics, collaboration, intercultural competence, goal-setting and ultimately, degree attainment. While our students are engaged in producing and promoting media channels and content, our goal is to ensure they are learning to become better thinkers and leaders in the process. CENTER FOR STUDENT MEDIA
(713) 743-5350 SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- You are overdue for a change, and its influence on your life will give you momentum. Don’t hide in the background; enter the spotlight and make your dreams come true. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Consider who and what is essential, and make a move to rectify a problem before compromising your position or reputation. Take care of matters yourself to avoid interference. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -Explore your options and secure your position. Trust in your ability to do what’s best for you, and you’ll increase your chance to get ahead. Thoughts followed by actions will not disappoint.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -Put any anger aside and consider your options. Make a physical move that compensates for any disruption. Protect what you have, and direct your energy where it offers the most in return. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Refuse to let an emotional incident cause you to make a reckless decision. Bide your time, be observant and put your energy into something that offers a positive return. ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Live and learn. Invest time and money in yourself and learn additional skills to help you land the desired position. Self-improvement will lift your spirits and attract compliments.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Don’t take a wait-and-see approach, or you’ll fall behind while others surpass you. Rely on yourself and make changes that position you in a direction that utilizes your skills to the fullest. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -Speak your mind, but get your facts straight -- or someone will take pleasure in correcting you. Be certain your presentation is impeccable. Don’t leave anything to the imagination. CANCER (June 21-July 22) -Take responsibility and act. It’s what you do that will bring about positive change. Use your imagination and look for an alternative to be sure you get what you want. Control your destiny.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Anger won’t solve anything, but common sense, compromise and compassion will. Listen, but don’t believe everything you hear. Go directly to the source, get the facts and make intelligent decisions. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -What you experience today will offer insight into the possibilities that exist. It’s time to adjust your life to suit your pursuits. Prepare to let go of what’s holding you back. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Ask questions and get your details straight before sharing information. Truth will be necessary to attract people who have something to offer. Spiff up your appearance to boost your confidence.
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