The Daily Illini: Wellness Edition 2022 by The Daily Illini

THE

WELLNESS EDITION February 2, 2022

Inside: Boost Black mental health this Black History Month PAGE 7

NEWS

The DI · Wednesday, February 2, 2022

UI adjusts isolation rules, provides N95 masks By Royal Shrestha Staff Writer

The University distributed free N95 masks to students living in residential housing and gave students more options to isolate. For students that tested positive, the University recommended quarantining at home if possible, according to an official press release. “In collaboration with CUPHD and Student Affairs, we have identified additional spaces for residents who test positive to isolate if they are unable to safely return to their permanent

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residence to do so,” said Mari Curry, director of Housing Information and Marketing, in an email. Students that tested positive within the last 90 days do not need to quarantine as long as they remain asymptomatic. Residents within five months of receiving their second vaccine dose or those that have received their booster will also be required to quarantine if identified as a close contact. The University is continuing to provide resources for the safety of students and staff. Students in residence halls can pick up their free N95 mask in their mailbox, and all other students can pick up one N95 mask across various locations on campus. Resident dining halls are also continuing their Good2Go Carry Out program. “It allows residents more flexibility with their classic meals usage,” Curry said. “This new program addresses students’ busy schedules and allows The Daily Illini is the independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The newspaper is published by the Illini Media Co. The Daily Illini does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the University of Illinois administration, faculty or students. All Illini Media Co. and/or The Daily Illini articles, photos and graphics are the property of Illini Media and may not be reproduced or published without written permission from the publisher. First copy is free; each additional copy is 50 cents.

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LIFE & CULTURE

The DI · Wednesday, February 2, 2022

HUMANS OF CU

Activist James Corbin II aids formerly imprisoned people who struggle to rejoin society.

FARRAH ANDERSON THE DAILY ILLINI

Symbol of resilience

Local activist serves as advocate for formerly incarcerated people By Farrah Anderson Assistant Investigative News and Longform Editor

When you meet with James Corbin II, you never know exactly what he might have been doing that day. For example, a few days ago, he took one of his clients, a formerly incarcerated person in Champaign County, the grocery store. As a community resource navigator with First Followers, a nonprofit organization in Champaign County, Corbin works to help formerly incarcerated people re-enter the community. “I love the experience because it’s like a kid,” Corbin said. “(One man) was almost 50-plus, and he didn’t know how to put the money on the bus. Because last time he was out (was) about 20 or 30 years ago, and it was totally different.” James Corbin II, or “Tiger,” grew up on the South Side of Chicago when he witnessed gang activity and gun violence. After dropping out of high school and getting his GED, he was convicted of a felony for selling drugs; he spent a couple of months in prison. One week after his 24th birthday in 1991, Corbin was shot during a robbery. He spent months in a coma. While unconscious, he couldn’t com-

municate. But he could hear the voices of his family calling out his name: Tiger. Because he couldn’t speak, he started making clicking noises using his tongue. His family heard it. “I found a way to communicate with them by clicking,” Corbin said. “They said, ‘Click if you’re alright.’” When he came out of the coma, he was paralyzed and had to get used to using a wheelchair. “When you get paralyzed, you lose a big part of your identity,” Corbin said. “I needed to redefine my identity.” He tried to go by James rather than of Tiger, but the change never felt right to him. Instead, Corbin redefined his name. Rather than going by “Tiger,” he changed the spelling to “Tygar,” an acronym for “Transform Your Goals and Reality.” Corbin said the new name’s meaning keeps him from falling into a victim mindset which he said is easy to do after paralyzation. As a convicted felon, Corbin already had trouble finding jobs that weren’t just manual labor. But once he was paralyzed, manual labor was no longer an option. With virtually no employment choices,

he decided to move to Champaign-Urbana to attend Parkland College. Thanks to his involvement in nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S., he found work within First Followers. Corbin knew how difficult it is to live as a formerly incarcerated person. But he said his work gives him faith that his clients will forge their own path to success. “My situation put so much pressure on me that it was either gonna make me or break me,” Corbin said. “Now, I’m able to transfer that and I tell them, ‘Relax, it’s gonna be alright.’” Charles Davidson, another member of First Followers, said that since Corbin experienced so much in his life, he is the “go-to-guy.” “Anything they get stuck on, they go to James Corbin with,” Davidson said. “Whatever you can come up with, you can bet that he knows about.” Corbin has received many awards and is very active in the community. But he works for the people, the media and local citizens. “I look at all the individuals you will probably never meet, and I’m coming in contact with them,” Corbin said. “And they’re doing some amazing work.” According to James Kilgore, the co-

founder of First Followers, Corbin, who has a master’s degree from the University of Illinois at Springfield, could be working at a cushy office job without the stress he has now. “If he wanted to, he could be making like three times as much money as what he makes at First Followers,” Kilgore said. “Instead, he works.” Alongside his work with formally incarcerated individuals, Kilgore said Corbin also counsels people in the community who have been injured and left disabled — often from gun violence. “He’s been through that process,” Kilgore said. “So he has a great deal of empathy and gives hours and hours of time to people that are really trying to make a kind of a mental transition to the fact that they’re not able to walk.” Kilgore also said Corbin’s work with First Follower’s clients illustrates how to bounce back from an unfortunate situation and use your experiences to connect with others. “He’s kind of a symbol of resilience, right?” Kilgore said. “I think everyone who comes out of prison and pulls their life back together has a sense of their own resilience.” farrah2@dailyillini.com

LIFE & CULTURE

The DI · Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Students develop bionic knee brace for cerebral palsy patients By Cecilia Milmoe Staff Writer

Two medical students at the Carle Ilinois College of Medicine recently designed a bionic knee brace that could provide more mobility for people with cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy causes decreased mobility due to reduced muscle strength, making walking and bodily movements incredibly difficult. However, the bionic knee brace designed by Shahnoor Amin and Dylan Mann, fourth-year medical students at Carle, could provide more support to patients. The bionic knee brace uses bio-feedback sensors and a power generator to detect when the leg muscles are trying to be moved. When muscle contraction is detected, the power generator is activated to help move the muscles. “This is the first of its kind, using muscle contractions to help assist movement,” Amin said. “There are other orthotic braces, but they don’t have embedded electronics and machine learning.” Amin and Mann designed their knee brace as part of their capstone course. Professor Michael Oelze, director of

Capstone Projects at Carle, explained that every fourth-year medical student goes through this process. She further explained that the capstone course gives students the opportunity to develop a solution to an identified problem. Medical students are then provided the resources and expertise needed to actualize their designs. “The medical students act as the leaders of these teams of engineers,” Oelze said. “What we’re hoping to do with our medical students, when they finally graduate from medical school, we want them to be physician innovators.” Mann said that he had been interested in creating this design since before he began working on it at Carle. “The idea behind this is something that I’ve had in my head since long before this,” Mann said. “It’s something that’s been a little passion project of mine for years.” Mann also explained that his interest in creating the design came from his personal goals. He said he has a passion for working with people, especially children with disabilities. “What I want to do more than anything else is to help give them the tools they

A Carle Medicine student tests the bionic knee with sensors triggered by muscle movement. The knee was designed by seniors Shahnoor Amin and Dylan Mann for their capstone project. PHOTO COURTESY OF RYANN MONAHAN

need so that they’re able to do the things that they want to do,” Mann said. While the design aims to help cerebral palsy patients, Amin’s interest in the design comes from its potential uses in helping people who have survived car accidents. “Technology like this can also help people that lose spinal cord function after a bad car accident,” Amin said. “It could help somebody like that as well.” The design may not be finalized, how-

ever, Amin and Mann are hopeful about the future. “We’ve managed to get it to a state where we have a proof-of-concept prototype that works and shows that the idea is solid, that the idea has potential and it is something that could work,” Mann said. “This spring, before graduation, we’re hoping to have an even better prototype than what we have now,” Amin said. cecilia@dailyillini.com

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LIFE & CULTURE

The DI · Wednesday, February 2, 2022

JULIA EVERSMANN THE DAILY ILLINI

Students link college culture to eating disorders By Faith Allendorf Features Editor

Before he came to the University, Atharv Gudi, freshman in Engineering, said he did not have any disordered eating habits. On the other hand, Maya Novick, freshman in Social Work, said they already had an eating disorder when they came to campus. Although Gudi and Novick’s relationship with food differed at the time they came to the University, they both cited that unique aspects of the college experience contributed to the development and worsening of their disordered eating habits. According to Affordable College, 4 to 10% of male and 10 to 20% of female college-aged individuals are affected by clinically diagnosed eating disorders — those findings do not account for unreported instances. Students, local and national health experts cite various causes as to why college campuses, including the University, are a petri dish for eating disorders. In an email, Michelle LeMay, counselor at the University Counseling Center, said the adjustment from home to college is a vulnerable time. “Traditional college students are particularly vulnerable because college is often the time when students first move away from home and must develop their own routines around

eating,” LeMay said. Novick’s thoughts match up with LeMay’s findings. “I definitely had some pretty hard moments when I first moved because I didn’t know how to be on my own,” Novick said. “I didn’t have my parents looking over my shoulder, so it was easy to get away with restricting.” Kelly Madden, program associate of chapters at the national chapter of Active Minds, said the packed schedule of a university student is another contributing factor to disordered eating. “That culture of be productive, be productive, be busy causes us to rationalize not eating,” Madden said. “Then you forget to eat or even don’t eat on purpose because you have that rationalization.” Gudi said constantly being busy was what started his disordered eating issues. “It only developed after I came to college because I kept losing track of time,” udi said. “I didn’t give food the same attention as I gave my academic work or extracurriculars. It started off with maybe just missing a meal, then two, and eventually, it started to snowboard all the way down.” On top of packed schedules, both Gudi and Novick attribute stress to worsening their disordered eating. “When I’m stressed, it overtakes my mind and there’s no space to think about food at all,” Gudi said.

“For me, when I’m stressed out, I have no appetite, and I just feel really nauseous,” Novick said. Language unique to the college environment can be harmful as well. Examples of such language include “the freshman 15” or “pulling trig” and not eating before going out. “That kind of language gives college students a justification,” Gudi said. “I was really hyper fixated on the freshman 15,” Novick said. “I was stressed constantly.” Novick also said hearing so many people their age talk about how little they have eaten or their desire to lose weight is triggering. “One time, I was out at dinner with people in my major and they started talking about wanting to lose weight while we were literally at a meal,” Novick said. Novick also said that living in such close quarters with so many individuals their age made recovery harder. “Living in the dorms can definitely be hard because you see so many people and you’re like ‘Oh, I wish I looked like that,’” Noick said. “Just feeling like everyone here is so beautiful.” Madden mentioned the typical party culture at big universities has an impact on students’ perception of themselves. “Party culture, frat culture, all of those social groups that fail to have an understanding of inclusivity and

diversity,” Madden said. “That’s been perpetuated for years through academic institutions.” She gave an example, observing how fraternities sometimes exclude individuals based on their looks or gender identity. Furthermore, Gudi mentioned one of his acquaintances has a grading scale that ranks the looks of women — a trend some young men tend to partake in. To fix this national problem, Madden recommends that colleges adopt more support groups for first-year students and put more money into essential mental health resources. “I think there’s little to no support services for those in their first or second year of college about stress, distress, anxiety, or burnout,” Madden said. Novick thinks changing the perception of the purpose of food would help. “Food is fuel that you need,” Novick said. Gudi said that being careful with language would help those who are struggling. He also said that accepting the natural flow of life is a step in the right direction toward self-love. “We’re still growing, we’re still biological teenagers,” Gudi said. “It’s natural to grow a little more and gain weight as well.” faithaa2@dailyillini.com

The DI · Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Business owner promotes wellness with crystals By Gwyn Skiles Managing Editor for Reporting

A centuries old phenomenon has taken shape on campus in shades of pink, purple, blue and green. Many say, if you dig deep enough, crystals can support your mental wellness. Jenna Glassman, senior in LAS, has been using crystals for over four years for their steady energy and its ability to keep her grounded and relieve her anxiety. “I have this little necklace where I can change out whatever crystal I wear,” Glassman said. “I wear a lot of granite because it’s very grounding. When I wear it, it makes me feel connected to reality.” Glassman also keeps crystals in different spots around her house and decides which ones will go where by analyzing the properties and placing them where they’re needed. “I keep crystals all over my house,” she said. “In my living room I have a lot of selenite, which is known to act like a sponge for energy, so it absorbs any negativity that’s coming in.” While many have said crystals have supported their mental health, crystals are also met with a lot of criticism. Studies have concluded that the benefits from crystals aren’t from their physical properties but rather from the placebo effect. The placebo effect is the idea that your brain can convince your body that a fake treatment, in this case crystals, is real. There is one study in particular, conducted by Christopher French, professor of psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London, that is referenced in many articles debunking

PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNA GLASSMAN

Glassman's boyfriend, Julio Aidana, mines during her road trip to Arizona last summer.

the wellness benefits of crystals. The unpublished study gave 80 volunteers either real crystals or fakes and a questionnaire to fill out. All but six participants that held fake or real crystals described feeling similar sensations. This suggested the placebo effect was at play. However, Glassman said if the placebo effect helps support mental wellness, it shouldn’t be discredited. “Even if it was placebo effect, it’s still real,” Glassman said. “If you’re holding a crystal in your hand to calm down your anxiety and then the actual crystal itself didn’t do it but the fact that you went and held it and it still calmed you down, regardless of whether it actually did the work, it’s still real.” “It doesn’t really matter to me as much if it is actually the crystal doing it or if it’s your own mind.” Glassman said she attributes much of the benefits crystals have offered her personal growth as well. “Whether you’re going to use crystals in your life or if you’re going to go to therapy, which I’m not saying that they’re a replacement for one another, a lot of your life changing is going to depend on the work you do and

SEBASTIAN HOLT THE DAILY ILLINI

Boost Black mental health this Black History Month By The Daily Illini Editorial Board

PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNA GLASSMAN

Senior Jenna Glassman sells crystals for her business, SagSun Healing Crystals, on Etsy. Glassman is one of many people out there that utilize crystals in improving mental wellness. not from external things you’re bringing in,” Glassman said. Crystals can be found anywhere. Many people build their collections by visiting crystal stores, shopping on Etsy or digging them up themselves. During the summer, Glassman and her boyfriend went on a road trip to Arizona where they dug up their own crystals at various stops on the way. She also attended several conventions in school gymnasiums or hotel conference rooms where vendors put their best gems on display. Glassman started her own business, SagsSun Healing Crystals, where she sells crystals on Etsy and various events. She said she started the business

after seeing a need for a space where beginners can learn about crystals and find what works best for them. “I think a lot of it is just like the fact that I was so passionate about it, and I saw such a change in my own life and my own mental health because of it,” Glassman said. “I just wanted to be able to share that with other people. “Since it is becoming trendy right now there’s a lot of people who want to know these things and want to be able to talk to someone who’s studied it and knows their stuff, I wanted to open a space where people could be beginners and ask questions and not be judged for it.” gskiles2@dailyillini.com

For this Black History Month, a multitude of topics can be covered. Whether it be the profound contribution Black Americans provide the United States or the long march for civil rights, Black History Month brings to light countless matters. However, one area receiving more attention lately is the topic of Black mental health. Long neglected, the struggle for reliable, quality mental health services is a struggle for the Black community. Black Americans deserve better access to affordable and consistent mental health resources, as does everyone. To achieve this, increased funding, outreach and expanding affordability must take place for equitable accessibility in mental health treatments. Seven million of those identifying as Black or African American report having a mental illness in the past year, according to Mental Health America. Karen Simms, founder of the Trauma and Resiliency Initiative in ChampaignUrbana, observes a historical structure failing the Black community’s access to mental health resources.

“There have been some structural and systemic barriers that have not allowed for us to have this whole concept of mental health or understanding of mental illness,” Simms said. This structure, as Simms notes, leads Black folk to disregard mental health services as weak, suggesting it’s better to be seen as “strong and resilient.” Still, the past and present show African Americans could benefit the most from better mental health resources. Economic inequality also plays a large role in this predicament. A report from McKinsey & Company found the median annual wage for Black workers is approximately 30 percent–or $10,000–lower than that of white workers. With this gap, it’s an easy assumption that an economic hurdle prevents Black Americans from accessing mental health services. Similarly, COVID-19’s effect on any psyche has been disastrous. In a study from the Kaiser Family Foundation, throughout the pandemic “about 4 in 10 adults in the U.S. have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder … up from in 10 adults who reported these symptoms from January to June 2019.”

Correspondingly, the study asserts COVID-19 disproportionately affected people of color — particularly Black and Latino workers. As the McKinsey & Company report uncovered, these lowincome, stressful frontline jobs often prevent people of color from accessing necessary mental health services. Culturally, Black men are depicted as resistant to therapy. According to the American Psychological Association, the proper outreach for Black men often is discovering a comfortable context — not necessarily encouraging traditional therapy. Therefore, comfortable spaces to discuss “feelings and trauma” are needed to genuinely assist them. For Black women, problems arise believing one can handle the illness by themself and distrusting health care providers who can’t relate to your experience. Still, mental illness is never a solo mission for anyone. To heal, mental health assistance is required. Additionally, for Black trans women, the problem expands beyond inaccessibility. In 2019, the Human Rights Campaign reported at least 26 transgender or gender-nonconforming people were killed in the U.S. — 91 percent of them Black women.

With their lives at risk, Black trans communities are sadly met with rejection from “society and family.” Shana Williams, clinical services coordinator at the Attic Youth Center in Philadelphia, states that, “The average lifespan of a Black trans woman is 35 years old.” “Being a Black person who already has to navigate oppressive systems, with the added layer of being trans, leads to another way to be discarded, shunned and not supported,” Williams said. Besides an immense need for LGBTQ+ therapists, an overall demand exists for therapists responding to Black people. For too long, society has overlooked Black mental health. Subsequently, there exists a silent epidemic affecting people of color who can’t access crucial mental health resources due to economic and cultural reasons. Society must solve these issues through proper outreach and close the economic gap before other Black Americans lose their life due to substandard and inaccessible mental health resources. opinions@dailyillini.com

OPINIONS

The DI · Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Remember rest days for healthy workout routine ADITYA SAYAL COLUMNIST Like many, you may have a New Year’s resolution. However, these resolutions don’t always work out. For those prioritizing exercise, nevertheless, creating a workout schedule oftentimes forgoes rest days — forging ahead with intense workouts. As Science Focus states, when you exercise, you divert blood from your liver and digestive system to your skeletal muscles. Then hormones within the body tell the body to convert fat into glucose, which provides energy, to reduce the pain you feel and improve your mood. Through exercise, the muscles create microscopic tears within themselves and generate lactic acid. As you work out, this lactic acid builds up and causes the pH of the blood around the muscles to drop; this drop makes muscles unable to contract further. For the replenishment of the pH levels and a better workout, one has to rest. During this critical rest period, cells

within the muscle tissue called fibroblasts repair and build up the muscle tissue and allow the muscles to replenish their stores of glycogen levels: a form of energy stored in the muscles. All of this helps the tissue heal and grow, resulting in stronger muscles. Even athletes take rest days. A great example is Olympian Ron Hill, a worldfamous distance runner. Hill had noticed symptoms of overtraining, which included heavy and sore legs along with a weaker immune system. Despite finding a training regimen helping him compete, he often wondered if some of his substandard competitions were due to a lack of rest days. Another professional athlete who enjoys taking rest days is tennis superstar Serena Williams. According to Aja Campbell, a strength and conditioning specialist, when Williams steps off the court, she begins her cool down and recovery process. In fact, Williams took off four months to give her body and mind some rest. These rest days benefit the mind as well. During exercise, your mind is under high stress and resting relieves that pressure. You should also take part in what’s

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEX WILLIAMSON/ILLINOIS STUDENT AFFAIRS

People work out at the lower level of the University's Athletic and Recreation Center. known as active recovery. Active recovery is a workout that involves performing low-intensity exercise following a strenuous workout. It allows the blood to keep flowing and helps the muscles recover and rebuild from intense physical activity. Ideally, on a rest day involving active recovery, the goal should be to find an activity that is low intensity and keeps your heart rate at 30-60% of your maximum heart rate. If you do not have a way to measure this, a good rule of thumb is to choose an activity where you are still

able to hold a steady conversation. Examples of this would be yoga, stretching, a light jog, casual walking and even low-intensity swimming. However, I would not recommend trying to hold a conversation while swimming. Tremendous reasons to take rest days are to reduce the risk of injury, prevent muscle fatigue and improve performance for the next day of exercise and be able to get come back stronger. Aditya is a junior in Business. asayal2@dailyillini.com

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OPINIONS

The DI · Wednesday, February 2, 2022

US neglects viable option to resolve Ukraine crisis EDDIE RYAN COLUMNIST The first several rounds of Ukraine negotiations did not go well. Hopes for swift de-escalation have gradually dimmed amid the stalled U.S.-Russia talks and discord within NATO itself. It did not have to unfold this way, however, and an invasion is conceivably still avoidable. Part of the issue is the difficulty of pinpointing Putin’s precise motives. Have his decisions to mass 90,000 troops at Ukraine’s border and send more to Belarus for last-minute drills been mere posturing? Perhaps; as Anne Applebaum notes, Putin’s strategy has long been to test the limits of Russia’s influence to fortify his autocracy. Still, American officials now consider the threat of invasion very real. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week that Putin could escalate matters “on very short notice,” and Biden added that he expects Putin to “move in” on Ukraine. Were this to occur, Russia would almost certainly succeed in annexing Ukraine, the most populous former Soviet republic and Putin’s favorite object of revanchism. This outcome would be disastrous but not to the extent that U.S. or NATO troop deployment would be. The unlikelihood of such a direct confrontation undoubtedly tempts Putin. Even with U.S. aid and the weapon transfers through the Baltics recently announced, Russian forces have a steep advantage. The predictable but disappointing gridlock of recent talks has a lot to do with Putin. One consideration is whether he is a rational actor who would respond to deterrence and incentives. Putin isn’t maniacally irrational the way Saddam Hussein eventually became. But his preoccupation with power above all else might mean he won’t respond to threats of sanctions in a rational manner. This has proven to be the case so far: The U.S. cannot expect Putin to back down in the face of crippling sanctions. He may want to humiliate his adversaries by demonstrating Russia’s ability to get concessions out of threats; or, knowing the U.S. won’t deploy troops, he may truly be prepared to take back what he considers Russia’s lost limb. The U.S. and NATO can’t expect Putin to back down; that is, without fulfilling his demand — one among many — that

PHOTO COURTESY OF U.S. ARMY EUROPE/FLICKR

Ukrainian soldiers stand in formation during a ceremony on Nov. 2, 2013. Senior columnist Eddie Ryan argues that the US should take diplomatic efforts in regards to aiding Ukraine. NATO stops expanding eastward. The U.S.’ handling of this point has been arguably more detrimental to talks than Putin’s maneuvering. Ukrainian membership in NATO would be very difficult to uphold. Accepting Ukraine means accepting a 1200-mile long border with Russia and the responsibility to defend it militarily from attacks — which would only increase if NATO arrived at Russia’s doorstep. No president since George W. Bush has expressed serious interest in Ukrainian membership. So why hasn’t Biden told Putin more explicitly that it’s nothing to worry about? NATO’s commitment to its open-door policy and Ukraine’s sovereign ability to join is noble but misguided. Putin must be reassured that Ukraine won’t become a NATO launching pad for negotiations to get anywhere. Had this point been made clear from the start, U.S. diplomats could have built

momentum for their most critical item of negotiation: the Minsk Agreements. In 2015, France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia settled on a set of terms to defuse the conflict in Ukraine’s Donbas region. They called for a ceasefire, disarmament of all militias with amnesty for pro-Russian separatists and free elections in Donbas. They were never fully implemented due to reluctance on both sides to be the first to act. In the past month, however, both Blinken and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko have hinted the Minsk Agreements could solve this dispute. The onus is on the U.S. and Ukraine to get this done. Russia is clearly the aggressor here. Nevertheless, ethnic nationalists have dominated Ukrainian politics since 2014 with full U.S. support. Their policies are unpopular with many Ukrainians in the south and east who prefer a civic vision to a nationalist one. Many are Russian speakers whom the

state denies protections. Some argue for the creation of a Donbas Autonomous Region on the model of the 1998 “Good Friday” agreement in Northern Ireland. Ukraine would have to initiate this with a constitutional amendment, something the U.S. could push for, but Russia would also have to honor it. Any infractions by Putin would activate the same slate of sanctions now on the table. Ukraine is a sovereign nation and shouldn’t have to accommodate Russian bullying. Its people are tough and proud; many civilians would take up arms to resist an invasion. However, this style of forced compromise is the best way to prevent a catastrophic war. As I write these words, talks in Geneva have just concluded. If diplomacy fails, eastern Europe may very well find itself at war by the time this is published. Eddie is a junior in LAS. ecryan2@dailyillini.com

BUZZ

The DI · Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Alix Page debuts latest EP, joins Gracie Abrams on tour By Sydney Wood Assistant buzz Editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF DILLON MATTHEW

Alix Page released her debut EP on Jan. 28 and is joining singer Gracie Abrams on her nationwide tour this month.

Alix Page has a lot in common with other 19-year-olds. She likes visiting flea markets, vintage shops and her favorite coffee shop, Atla. But unlike most 19-year-olds, Page is heading on tour next month, joining Gracie Abrams on her first nationwide tour. Page is the opener for Abrams’ “This Is What It Feels Like Tour,” which will kick off in Salt Lake City on Feb. 2. The tour includes shows in Denver, Portland, New York, Nashville and Dallas, among others. In an email interview, Page said Abram followed her on Instagram after she posted a cover of Abrams’ song, “I miss you, I’m sorry.” Since then, the two of them have been Instagram mutuals. Page’s opening set will include tunes from her latest extended replay — titled “Old News” — that was released on Jan. 28. Page’s music lives within the indiepop realm, and the EP includes songs like “Radiohead” and “June Gloom.” The singer-songwriter said the foursong EP explores themes related to her personal experiences, like loss, growing

up, “growing out of phases/people and learning how to speak up.” Page said her writing style involves intimate lyrics, “big anthem-y chorus[es] and lush guitars and synths.” She said her music is inspired by the artists she grew up listening to, including Taylor Swift, Coldplay, U2, The Cure and The Killers. “At that age,” Page said, “I was already somebody who liked to keep a tight lid on emotions but desperately wanted to express how deeply I felt them, so I was always kind of envious of those bands that write huge songs you wanna scream to. I think that’s played a role in my taste in production.” Page said she matured a lot in 2020 and spent a lot of her time searching for clarity in her relationships, dealing with her graduating class’ unusual high school graduation that year. “High school ended on such a weird note, and that in itself felt like a breakup I never really got closure for … All of the songs kind of ask a question or are about being afraid to ask a question,” she said. As a native Californian, Page said she knows the tour will be exhausting and is trying to mentally prepare herself for the

cold weather and amount of time she’ll be touring, but she said she’s grateful that her band will be with her. “This is gonna be my first time in most of these cities and first time being away from home for this long consecutively,” she said. “I’ve known my band since I was 14, so I’m thrilled to have them along for the ride. [I’m] glad I don’t have to experience it all alone.” On Feb. 8, Abrams and Page will perform at Chicago’s Metro music venue. The show will also be Page’s first time in Chicago. She said performing in Chicago feels “very grown-up,” and she has a lot of friends from the city, so she’s excited to cross it off her bucket list. “Also the fact that I’m going with my best friends/band and team and we’re there for music just feels very official and fun,” she said. Page said she’s looking forward to connecting with the audience and playing some of her songs live for the first time. “I know every city’s gonna have a different ‘thing’ and create a different show,” Page said, “so I’m excited to see what happens.” swood2@readbuzz.com

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SPORTS

The DI · Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Freshmen step up in win over Northwestern Melendez, Podziemski shine as veterans struggle with offensive production By Jackson Janes Sports Editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF ILLINI ATHLETICS

RJ Melendez dribbles the ball during the first half of the game between No. 24 Illinois and Northwestern at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston on Saturday afternoon. Melendez scored six points in the Illini's 59-56 win.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ILLINI ATHLETICS

Guard Brandin Podziemski hugs head coach Brad Underwood after winning the game against Northwestern.

When your best shooters struggle, that typically is a recipe for disaster. Fifth-year senior guard Trent Frazier, who had scored double-digit points in six straight games heading into Saturday’s contest, finished with just six points and shot 2-10 from the field. After hitting two early triples, Frazier went 0-6 and recorded three turnovers as the Northwestern student section chanted, “airball,” any time he touched the ball. Frazier was not the only Illini to struggle against the Wildcats, as graduate student guards Alfonso Plummer and Jacob Grandison shot a combined 3-12 from the field, though the former finished with nine points and sealed the victory with three late free throws. Junior center Kofi Cockburn, returning from a two-game absence due to being in concussion protocol, did not seem to miss a beat. He scored 22 points on 10-17 shooting while also grabbing nine rebounds and recording a block. Even with Cockburn’s big night, the Illini needed a little extra production. With three of its veterans struggling to produce on offense, Illinois got that much-needed production from a seemingly unlikely source: its least experienced players, freshmen guards RJ Melendez and Brandin Podziemski. “It felt great,” Melendez said when reflecting on the pair’s second-half contributions. “I’m just proud of both of us. Just being on the court at the same time, crunch time, and it’s just something we’ve been waiting on. The opportunity just came, and we took care of it.” Melendez entered the game with 11:08 to play in the first half and soon made his first big play, grabbing an offensive rebound before turning toward the basket and finishing high off the glass to extend the Illini lead to 17-7. One minute later, he got on the score sheet once again. After junior forward Omar Payne grabbed a defensive board, he found Grandison, who made a half-court pass to a sprinting Melendez in transition. The Puerto Rico native finished the play with a confident and emphatic dunk, and Illinois was back

up by double digits. “All that confidence comes from practice,” Melendez said. “Working on your game, after practice doing a little extra work. It’s just keeping that mindset that any time your time can come, just still stay ready every time, go hard in warmups and just be ready.” After Northwestern opened the second half on a 17-9 run to take a threepoint lead, its first of the afternoon, eight minutes into the frame, Melendez converted two free throws to bring him up to six points, tying his career high. Podziemski did not play in the first half and got his first minutes of the night with eight minutes remaining and Illinois trailing by six, its largest deficit of the contest. Immediately after entering the game, Podziemski cut to the lane, where Melendez found him under the basket. Finishing with his left hand, the Wisconsin native recorded his first points since Jan. 4 to reduce the Wildcat lead to 46-42. Now down by five and needing a spark, the Illini got production from Podziemski once again, this time from deep. Illinois had hit just one trey up to that point in the half, but the freshman connected from the top of the arc with 5:11 to play, bringing Illini fans inside Welsh-Ryan Arena to their feet. Though neither player scored after that basket, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood opted to bring Podziemski into the game in crunch time with under a minute to play. “I know it’s made me feel really comfortable,” Underwood said of his freshmen players. “Those guys are really tough, and if they continue to work and battle, I think that helps us become a better basketball team.” Though the third freshman on the team, guard Luke Goode, struggled, going 0-1 and only playing five minutes, Melendez and Podziemski played 16 and six minutes, respectively, and combined to score 11 points on 4-7 shooting, three rebounds and two assists. “My time just came today, so I just took care of it,” Melendez said. “I’m really happy about the job that me and the freshmen and all the veterans did today.” @JacksonJanes3 janes6@dailyillini.com

The DI · Wednesday, February 2, 2022

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