The Daily Texan 2019-10-02 by The Daily Texan

Serving The University Of Texas At Austin Community Since 1900 @thedailytexan | thedailytexan.com

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Volume 121, Issue 36

NEWS

OPINION

SPORTS

LIFE&ARTS

PAGE 3

PAGE 4

PAGE 6

PAGE 8

UT students create CultureX, a coed spirit group for black students.

Students should try meditation to regulate anxiety and improve emotional health.

UT alumni discuss ditching corporate jobs and starting travel business.

Molly Phillips finds her place with Texas volleyball and fills holes in front court.

UNIVERSITY

CAMPUS

University reports decrease in overall enrollment

Farm-to-Work future unclear Produce delivery service Farm-toWork continued operations to be decided on Thursday.

By Areeba Amer @areeba_amer

By Laura Morales @lamor_1217

meeting this Thursday between a student health organization and a local produce distributor will determine the fate of a weekly UT program which provides produce to the UT community. Acccording to their website, Sustainable Food Center is a nonprofit group based in Central Texas that focuses on local food systems and the health of local residents. The nonprofit has delivered locally-grown produce for more than ten years as part of the Farm-to-Work program to 40 locations across Austin, including the University, acccording to their website. Sergio Torres, the center’s farm direct coordinator, said the center recently decided to turn over ownership of the Farm-to-Work program to Farmhouse Deliveries, which will take over the program fully on Oct. 14. He said UT’s HealthPoint Wellness, which ran UT’s Farm-to-Work program for six years, will meet with the center on Thursday to decide whether UT will continue the program once the ownership changes. Torres said the decision came after an internal analysis revealed the center does not have the capacity to continue making significant profits for the farmers they partner with. Farmhouse Deliveries has more storage and delivery capacity to continue the operation and cater to the customers whose dietary habits are outside of just produce, Torres said. “We have seen there is a downward trend in our sales for the past

rocky higine

few years,” Torres said. “It is very difficult for folks to eat seasonal. They wanted to have more fruits, more things they were familiar with, in their baskets. By making it a little more customer centric, (Farmhouse Deliveries) can appeal to those eating habits.” HealthPoint Wellness manager Nosse Ovienmhada said the department coordinates Farmto-Work by sending out forms to anyone on UT’s emailing list who can order a $22 box that includes a selection of available produce. Sustainable Food Center gathers the items in a basket, and the customers come to a designated pickup location on campus every Wednesday to collect their order, according to the website.

Ovienmhada said Farm-toWork helps increase access to produce and prioritized health in the faculty’s busy schedules, but she had no comment on the future of the program at UT. When Farmhouse Deliveries takes over the program, Torres said the item selection will now include locally made grocery items such as honey, eggs, cereals and yogurt, instead of just produce. Torres said Farmhouse Deliveries is committed to purchasing from local vendors and will continue to purchase from the local farmers with whom the center was previously doing business. “We wanted to be able to attract more customers so our farmers can make more profits,” Torres said.

/ the daily texan staff

“The folks at Farmhouse Delivery do a great job at doing just that.” Anna-Maria Escherich, a project manager for the Department of Neuroscience, said she orders from Farm-to-Work and has volunteered to help distribute produce in North Campus since summer 2019. In her experience as a volunteer, Escherich said she saw the customers form a community and exchange recipes and cooking tips as they picked up their weekly baskets. She said the program is a valued part of campus for the UT community. “I feel very fortunate to have been able to volunteer,” Escherich said. “Farm-to-Work provides a great opportunity to support local farmers, try new things but also to talk to people.”

Mediterranean restaurant MezzeMe opens new location on Guadalupe By Sara Johnson @skjohn1999

evan l’roy

/ the daily texan staff

The newest addition to The Drag, MezzeMe, opened this Tuesday. The restaurant features customizable Mediterranean bowls, wraps and appetizers. more people than I could have hoped for.” Ugur said he makes the dishes customizable be-

ENROLLMENT

PAGE 3

WEST CAMPUS

Local Mediterranean restaurant MezzeMe opened a new location on The Drag on Tuesday at the former location of at least three other Mediterranean restaurants. Restaurant owner Mahmud Ugur said the new location, which is located near the intersection of Guadalupe and Dean Keeton streets, will focus on customizable bowls, wraps and appetizers called “mezzes.” After opening the first MezzeMe in the Triangle State neighborhood in June 2017, Ugur said he was eager to expand the presence of Mediterranean dishes to the entire city. “I was so surprised at how much people enjoyed the food when we started,” Ugur said. “I feel like I’ve found something that lets me do what I love and bring it to

Overall University enrollment decreased by 1.4% since last year — from 51,832 to 51,090 students, according to a press release published last week. “Overall student population is always going to cause small fluctuations,” said Joey Williams, director of communications for the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost. “(It’s) not a large decrease. Overall enrollment numbers … are consistently around that level.” UT spokesperson JB Bird said the University would like to keep enrollment in the range it’s been at the past two years, from about 51,000 to 52,000. To do so, he said the University held the automatic admissions rate at the top 6% for high school students graduating in 2020, instead of decreasing it further. However, Bird said there are factors out of the University’s control that affect enrollment and automatic admissions, such as the demographics of the state’s population. “We don’t want (the) University to be too large because we want to have a good student-faculty ratio,” Bird said. “We’re always trying to get to a certain number of (first-time) freshmen … that we think is the best number to run the University.” Along with the decrease in overall enrollment, the press release said the percentage of white undergraduate students also dropped 1.3% to 38.8%. However, while overall enrollment and enrollment of white undergraduate students

cause he liked the idea of customers building their own meals. The bowls can be customized with pro-

teins, such as kofte meatballs and braised lamb, M E Z Z E M E PAGE 3

SG proposes UT student IDs add Suicide Lifeline

emotional distress, according to the hotline website. Nursing school representative Holly Ainsworth auUT student government thored the resolution and proposed adding the Na- said this proposal would add tional Suicide Prevention the lifeline to the back of all Lifeline to student IDs at new student IDs. She said its meeting she startTuesday. ed working The curwith the rent student ID center ID design to see if includes the We should provide the design UT Police could inpeople with as many clude the Department phone numnumber on resources as ber, inforall new stupossible and let mation on dent IDs. them know those how to re“Considturn lost IDs ering the resources are there.” prevalence and the Behavior Conof mental cerns Advice illness in HOLLY AINSWORTH nursing junior Line (BCAL), college stuwhich students, this dents can use to report any would be a good addition,” concerning behavior, accordnursing junior Ainsworth ing to the BCAL website. The said. “We should provide suicide lifeline can provide people with as many reconfidential support 24/7 for people in suicidal crisis or S G PAGE 3 By Neelam Bohra @_neelam_b

MEGAN MENCHACA

News Editor | @THEDAILYTEXAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2019

CAMPUS

This issue of The Daily Texan is valued at $1.25

PERMANENT STAFF Editor-in-Chief Spencer Buckner

Video Editor Faith Castle

Managing Editor Catherine Marfin

Assoc. Video Editor Jackson Barton

Assoc. Managing Editors Alex Briseño, Lisa Nhan

Photo Editor Eddie Gaspar

Assoc. Editors Angélica López, Emily Caldwell, Abby Springs, Sanika Nayak Forum Editors Julia Zaksek, Kateri David News Editor Megan Menchaca Assoc. News Editors Gracie Awalt, Savana Dunning News Desk Editors Hayden Baggett, Nicole Stuessy, Jackson Barton, Hannah Ortega Beat Reporters Neelam Bohra, Lauren Grobe, Laura Morales, Emily Hernandez, Lauren Girgis, Sara Johnson, Graysen Golter, Tori May, Areeba Amer Projects Editor Chase Karacostas Projects Reporters Trinady Joslin, Tiana Woodard, Savana Dunning Projects Designer Emma Overholt Copy Desk Chiefs Jason Lihuang, Brittany Miller Associate Copy Desk Chiefs Lawson Freeman, Irissa Omandam, Jimena Pinzon

Assoc. Photo Editors Anthony Mireles, Joshua Guenther Senior Photographers Amna Ijaz, Ryan Lam, Brittany Mendez, Blaine Young Life&Arts Editor Jordyn Zitman Assoc. Life&Arts Editors Trinady Joslin, Brooke Sjoberg Sr. Life&Arts Writers Noah Levine, Mackenzie Dyer Sports Editor Donnavan Smoot Assoc. Sports Editor Wills Layton Senior Sports Reporters Daniela Perez, Myah Taylor, Stephen Wagner, Marcus Krum Comics Editors Channing Miller, Lauren Ibanez Assoc. Comics Editor Alekka Hernandez Senior Comics Artists Ella Williams, Rocky Higine, Barbra Daly, Steph Sonik Social Media Editor Rebeccah Macias Assoc. Social Media Editor Michael Hernandez

Design Editor Christiana Peek

Newsletters Editor Taylor Leen

Associate Design Editor Renee Koite

Audio Editor Sara Schleede

Senior Designers Kendall Jordan, Nila Selvaraj, Sierra Wiggers

ISSUE STAFF Copy Editors Connor Perry, Minka Atkinson, Audrey Snow Designers Megan Fletcher, Hollie Oney

Audio Producers Divya Jagadeesh, Harper Carlton Editorial Adviser Peter Chen

Catherine Cardenas, Ariana Arredondo Photographers Evan L’Roy, Lauren Barrero, Erin Dorney

L&A Reporters Meghan Holland,

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Spencer Buckner (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com

MANAGING EDITOR Catherine Marfin (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com

NEWS OFFICE

(512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. Call (512) 232-2217 or e-mail managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com.

AUSTIN WEATHER TODAY Oct. 02

HI LO

96º 74º

TOMORROW Oct. 03

HI LO

96º 72º

Stevie Wonder’s not blind

BUSINESS & ADVERTISING (512) 471-8590 advertise@texasstudentmedia.com Director Gerald Johnson Business/ Operations Manager Frank Serpas III, Brady Beal, Janie Castillo-Flores Advertising Manager Emily Cohen Production Michael Gammon Special Projects Stephen Salisbury Account Executives Diane Byram, Pam Garner, Julianne Phillipp, Justin Zuloaga Design Tillie Policastro

THE DAILY TEXAN MAIL SUBSCRIPTION RATES

Stop the Bleed prepares students for first aid By Emily Hernandez @emilylhernandez

The Campus Safety office created a goal in 2017 to provide free hemorrhage control and automated external defibrillator (AED) training to 10,000 students by 2022. To reach that goal, the office is working to offer free AED training and has been offering free Stop the Bleed classes through the Dell Medical School to students, staff and faculty. Jimmy Johnson, assistant vice president of campus safety, said funding is an obstacle to expanding Stop the Bleed training and AED training. Claire Zagorski, director of Longhorn Stop the Bleed, said the UT chapter of the Stop the Bleed national awareness campaign is currently unfunded. Johnson said the Campus Safety office has allocated $10,000 to put toward AED training, which consists of teaching attendees on how to properly use an AED. “We have identified a funding mechanism to subsidize the costs associated with this training,” Johnson said in an e-mail. “We will partner with providers to formulate a plan moving forward. A variety of strategic efforts will be developed to help share the free training opportunities with students.” Johnson said he created the goal after former student Harrison Brown was stabbed on campus. While Johnson said Brown’s wounds would have been fatal even with a tourniquet, he said it was clear from the incident students did not know what to do. “Our original target was specifically for the hemorrhage control because that bore out of the Harrison Brown

angela wang

Students learn techniques on how to control bleeding during a training seminar. attack, but we figured if we can package (AED and hemorrhage control training) together, it provides a more informed University body,” Johnson said. “Bystander intervention has proven to be very critical during any type of casualty events, so we want to make sure that our student population, faculty and staff are prepared to act in those instances.” Jonathan Robb, director of emergency preparedness, said the Campus Safety office will work with UT RecSports and HealthPoint to provide the free AED training once funding is secured. He said those organizations

Summer Session $40.00 One Year (Fall, Spring and Summer)

$150.00

To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 471-5083. Send orders and address changes to Texas Student Media, P.O. Box D, Austin, TX 78713-8904.

ADVERTISING DEADLINES Monday ....................... Wednesday, 12 p.m. Tuesday ..........................Thursday, 12 p.m. Wednesday .......................... Friday, 12 p.m. Thursday .......................... Monday, 12 p.m. Friday ...............................Tuesday, 12 p.m. .......................... 11 a.m. (Last business day prior to publication.)

COPYRIGHT Copyright 2019 Texas Student Media. All articles, photographs and graphics, both in the print and online editions, are the property of Texas Student Media and may not be reproduced or republished in part or in whole without written permission.

The Daily Texan, a student newspaper at The University of Texas at Austin, is published by Texas Student Media, 2500 Whitis Ave., Austin, TX 78712. The Daily Texan is published daily, Monday through Friday, during the regular academic year and is published once weekly during the summer semester. The Daily Texan does not publish during academic breaks, most Federal Holidays and exam periods. News contributions will be accepted by telephone 2.120). Entire contents copyright 2019 Texas Student Media.

check us out

ONLINE

stories videos photo galleries thedailytexan.com

currently offer training to the UT community for a $30 to $65 fee. “(AEDs) are designed (for the) general public to grab them and use them,” Robb said. “(The machine is) going to analyze whether it can effectively do a shock or not. It won’t allow you to do one if it doesn’t think you need one.” Zagorski said she founded the UT chapter in 2017 after Brown’s death to train students to use Stop the Bleed kits. Robb said the Campus Safety office began placing kits in 2017 in the safety hubs in celebrated entrances, which is an entrance compliant with

/ the daily texan file

the Americans with Disabilities Act that can be accessed after business hours with a UT ID. Zagorski said the organization has trained about 3,300 people, and she estimated one-half to two-thirds were students. Zagorski said every month trainees can learn how to use a tourniquet or create a makeshift one out of clothing and to call 911 first. “It’s a lot of reemphasizing simple measures to try to get it into your lizard brain because we know that if someone is bleeding in front of you, you’re not going to be able to calmly and rationally think,” Zagorski said.

CITY

National Night Out fosters student-police ties By Neha Madhira @nehamira14

SafeHorns hosted their fourth annual National Night Out in West Campus, where community members met first responders, played games and had free food. Hundreds of people met with the UT Police Department, the Austin Police Department and Longhorn EMS members at the Co-op Food Court Tuesday evening. SafeHorns president Joell McNew said she hosts the event to educate students through community engagement. The National Night Out program started in 1984 to promote police-community relationships, and it now has over 38 million participants across the nation, according to the program’s website. The SafeHorns event, which started in 2016, was separate from the National Night Out hosted by APD. “This event is all about bringing your neighbors together nationally on this one night to get to know each other,” McNew said. “The students are our neighbors, and this is their home, so we try to bring that sense of community and fun with all the first responders who actually serve them.” McNew said SafeHorns, a safety advocacy nonprofit group, has had smaller events than this throughout the year, such as “Pizza with Police” and “Coffee with a Cop.” McNew said officers from UTPD, APD and Longhorn EMS will always make an appearance at National Night Out, but new organizations will be invited every year. “This is the event where we really com-

erin dorney

/ the daily texan

UTPD officer Rachel Jett, center, and Peace Officer Ena Becirovic, right, speak with a student at the Co-op food court for National Night Out, SafeHorns’s annual event to bring together the law enforcement community and the students they represent. mit to bringing everyone together in a bigger way,” McNew said. “We want to make it fun but also to where if you are in a crisis and call 911, you recognize the face at your door.” Hailey Scott, government and African diaspora studies sophomore, said she was passing by the event to grab food but stopped to attend when she heard it was

One Semester (Fall/Spring) $60.00 Two Semesters (Fall & Spring) $120.00

NEWS

about safety. “Having this connection with an officer or EMT is important because if something happens in your case, you can know they are there for you,” Scott said. “A lot of people aren’t really comfortable, and so building a one-on-one relationship with officers before something happens makes it easier because they know who you are.”

UTPD lieutenant Layne Smith said she thinks this event will help the community understand officers are approachable. “We’re just like you all, and we’re here to protect you all,” Smith said. “A lot of people at the University come from different countries where they don’t trust the police, and we really want you to trust us. That’s why we’re here.”

CAMPUS

Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month kicks off By Sabrina LeBoeuf @_sabrinakaye

Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) is hosting Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month with events throughout October to further the conversation surrounding disabilities, SSD assistant director Emily Shryock said. According to the SSD website, the events range from an adapted sports night with Recreational Sports, where participants can try out activities like wheelchair basketball, to disABILITY Advocate trainings, which hosts conversations on disability, accessibility and inclusion. Shryock said the number of students using accommodations from SSD increases by 10% each year, but this statistic only represents a portion of the students with disabilities at UT. She said not all students with disabilities want or need accommodations, so everyone should use these events to help make everyone’s experience at UT accessible and inclusive. “October is a time where we

barb daly

specifically focus on (students with disabilities) and provide all these different events in hopes that people might come and engage and maybe learn or think about navigating our campus … in a different way than they’ve considered before,” Shryock said.

SSD is partnering with the disABILITY Advocacy Student Coalition, a organization that raises awareness of disability and accessibility, for Disability Fest, the coalition’s president Emeline Lakrout said. She said the festival is an event focused on showing how a person with

/ the daily texan staff

a disability adapts to certain situations. The coalition will provide demonstrations, such as navigating a wheelchair through an obstacle course and interacting with service dogs, followed by a debrief from a student who uses those accomodations,

marketing senior Lakrout said. Lakrout said she has noticed people with and without disabilities can be uncomfortable discussing disabilities in general. She said starting the conversation is as simple as attending events run by people with disabilities. “We don’t bite,” Lakrout said. “Most people, especially at awareness events, are absolutely fine answering questions and educating. The purpose is not to get mad at people who don’t know. It’s all about educating in a really fun and positive way.” The coalition’s treasurer Caroline Graves said she is most excited for the Disability as Diversity Panel Discussion. She said people tend to address disability more through accommodations than as a personal identity. “I feel like people think less of disability as an identity and how that kind of impacts disabled people’s lives and how that identity intersects with other identities people may have,” said Graves, a government and public relations senior.

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2019 CAMPUS

UT’s first black coed spirit group brings students together By Bithia Dantoumda @bithiaaa

After talking together about how they feel underrepresented in spirit groups at UT, Jalesha Bass and Christina Hillard decided to co-found CultureX — a coed spirit group exclusively for black students. Co-presidents Bass, junior journalism and communication and leadership double major, and Hillard, junior sociology major, said they founded CultureX in Dec. 2018, but the group became an officially registered organization on campus in January. Chelsea Jenkins, CultureX public relations and marketing chair, said the coed spirit group currently has eight officers and began recruiting for general members this semester. When black students first arrive to campus, Hillard said it is a big culture shock for them most of the time. Hillard said she shared this experience, so it partly prompted them to create the organization. Hillard said the group’s main objective is to create more safe spaces for black students on campus. She said students are welcome to apply until the officers close the application. “We have fun with other spirit groups, but there’s a difference,” Hillard said. “There were either non-people of color spirit groups

or people of color spirit groups but not black spirit groups. We decided to start this and see how it goes because we want a created space for us.” Radio-television-film junior Jenkins said she wants to give students opportunity to feel accepted here and know that they are not alone. “When I first got here, all I did was just kind of sit in my dorm room,” Jenkins said. “When we were talking about this organization and thinking of ways we could bring this to campus, it just reminded me of some of the things I went through here during my first years at UT, feeling like I wasn’t accepted because of cultural differences.” Students who are interested in CultureX can attend a social or reach out to the spirit group through their social media, where the group posts weekly updates and activities. Hillard said the fee to join is $125, but the funds can be paid through fundraising or with a payment plan. “I joined other spirit orgs on campus, but I didn’t feel welcomed,” neuroscience sophomore Esther Egbulonu said. “During the beginning of the school year when they have orgs coming out and showing information, I didn’t really see anything that I liked. When I saw that there was a black spirit group, I was pretty interested and came out.”

t s

rocky higine

enrollment continues from page

s e e h t

e r f , y

lauren barrero

/ the daily texan

Holly Ainsworth, center, speaks about putting the number for the Suicide Lifeline on student IDs during a Student Government meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019.

continues from page

sources as possible and let them know those resources are there, even after the (Counseling and Mental Health Center) is done for the day.” If the resolution passes, Aisnworth said incoming freshmen and students replacing their IDs would receive the new design. “As a nursing major, we’re told to survey if people are suicidal, and one of the questions we ask is if someone is going through a major change,” Ainsworth said. “(Many students) are moving (to the University), and that itself is a major change.” Jakob Lucas, speaker of the assembly, said his experience on the student advisory committee for the CMHC informed his decision to co-sponsor the resolution. He

decreased, minority undergraduate students saw slight increases in enrollment from last year. The percentage of black undergraduate students in the student body increased by 0.1% to 5.1%, according to the press release. Similarly, the overall percentage of Hispanic undergraduate students in the student body rose by 1% to 24.4%, and the percentage of Asian undergraduate students rose by 0.6% in the past year to 22.6%. Bird said having a diverse student body is important for the University since it brings educational benefits for all students. “I think all statistics are meaningful because they reflect the demographics of the class,” Bird said. “We always want to do better.” According to the press release, the first-to-second year undergraduate

said the initial resolution only shows support for the idea, but the committee and amendment processes could add implementation strategies. “Mental health is really important to me,” government senior Lucas said. “The intentions of this legislation are in the right place. I’m interested to see how in committee, and through the amendment process, it can be developed more to include implementation.” University-wide representative Kerry Mackenzie said she also co-sponsored the resolution because she dedicated part of her platform to mental health, and this could help fulfill it. “When I saw this bill, I couldn’t believe we didn’t already have this,” said Mackenzie, a government and plan II sophomore. “We have the BCAL number where we can report other students, but we can’t reach out for ourselves. It’s just crazy that no one (has) already done this.”

/ the daily texan staff

retention rate, which is the percentage of freshmen who stay for their second year, increased by 0.6% in the past year to 95.7%. There was also a 2.3% increase in undergraduate degrees awarded from 2018 to 2019, according to the press release. Williams said this is consistent with the overall increase of four-year graduation rates over the past five years. “We have more students graduating on time, and there are more open seats available,” Williams said. “This institution is just becoming more efficient.” Bird said the University has been able to award more degrees without increasing student enrollment, which is better for prospective and current students. “We’ve been able to (award more degrees) without diluting the resources and educational experience for students (that) are here,” Bird said. “We’re really happy about that change … I think that’s a very significant number.”

reneé koite

/ the daily texan staff

e y

e f t t

mezzeme

continues from page

and mezzes, such as roasted red pepper hummus and black eyed peas, according to the restaurant’s website. “The customers get to make the food their own like I did when I started looking back at making this food myself,” Ugur said. “I didn’t have exact recipes to follow, and neither do the customers, which makes it just

for them.” Ugur said he developed the menu from family recipes he taught himself after moving to Austin from Turkey in 2000. He said preparing these meals for friends and family while studying in Austin inspired him to open a restaurant. “The more I cooked, the more I wanted to share,” Ugur said. “I thought if it made me happy, there would be other people who would be happy to eat this food.”

Economics freshman Morgan Daniels said she likes having customization when eating out, which is why she went to the restaurant’s opening. “It’s not the kind of food I normally eat, but my friends told me I should try it,” Daniels said. “I feel better trying something new when I know what I’m putting on my plate.” The location MezzeMe opened in a building that previously housed other Mediterranean restaurants, such as Verts, Noon

and Daphne’s. Verts opened in 2011 and rebranded into Noon in 2017, according to the Austin American-Statesman. Daphne’s purchased the chain in 2018 before closing all Austin locations in early 2019. Public relations junior Gabrielle Knappick said she liked the previous restaurants but appreciates the new food MezzeMe offers. However, she said she is also nervous about whether the restaurant will stay. “(Another kkMediterranean

restaurant) makes me nervous about how long this one is going to be here,” Knappick said. “The food’s pretty good, but I know there’s been a lot of things coming and going here.” Ugur said he is not worried about the restaurant staying open and that the food will “speak for itself.” “This is food I’ve eaten since I was young,” Ugur said. “It’s family food. I believe it has the power to last as long as people keep asking for it from us.”

Experience it in

STARTS 10/3

YOUTUBE.COM/THEDAILYTEXAN

@BullockMuseum

Tickets and showtimes:

Your ticket purchases support the Bullock Museum’s exhibitions and educational programming. IMAX® is a registered trademark of IMAX Corporation.

SPENCER BUCKNER

Editor-In-Chief | @THEDAILYTEXAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2019

COLUMN

OPINION

gianna shahdad | the daily texan staff

Try meditation to regulate anxiety, improve emotional regulation skills By Maggie Lazaroski Columnist

A hundred pages of reading, a lab report due tomorrow, an extra shift at work. It all tends to pile up on top of busy students. Personally, I have struggled with anxiety since I was in middle school. I began meditating freshman year of high school, and since then, meditation has become a powerful tool for me to calm my nerves and slow down my thought process. It helps me take things one step at a time and escape from the mental claustrophobia that anxiety brings along with it. Stress and anxiety are barriers that the majority of students experience during their time in college. According to a study by the American College Health Association, 63.4% of college students felt overwhelming anxiety within the past 12 months. UT is not excluded from this anxiety epidemic. 76% of the issues that students seek help for at the Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC) are anxiety related, making it the largest category of issues the center encounters. Given that these symptoms are so ubiquitous, students should consider meditation to regulate their stress, and UT should provide a more concrete way for them to do so. Although anxiety and stress are common features of the human experience, they often cause mood or personality changes and can detract from students’ academic performance. According to integrated health counselor Geeti Mahajan, there are a plethora of components that contribute to student anxiety, such as academic distress, living away from home, personal relationships and even the prospect of graduation. Given that stress-inducing experiences

are an unavoidable part of attending UT, meditation can provide desperately needed, medication-less relief for many students. Meditation can be performed for a short amount of time in any location without the need for any equipment, making it an accessible option for all students. The mental benefits of meditation are varied, but they all make an important contribution to our calmness and awareness.

(Meditation) helps me take things one step at a time and escape from the mental claustrophobia that anxiety brings along with it.” “The goal is to be more mindful and aware of what’s going on so you can take knowledgeable and wise actions to help yourself,” Mahajan said. “Breath regulation when meditating has a deep effect on the nervous system and helps to calm people down, so they have more insight and awareness to their problems and they’re able to find solutions more clearly for themselves.” Meditation is unique for everyone, and there’s no right way to do it. It generally consists of sitting upright in a quiet space and devoting all brain activity to focusing on the breath and the body. Electrical engineering junior Ashwin Hareesh experienced these positive benefits

after meditating regularly. “Just being quiet and staying away from technology and everything else helps you regulate your brain so you’re not so frantic all the time,” Hareesh said.“The break really helps and reduces my anxiety, at least.” UT could make a more distinctive push towards encouraging students to integrate meditation as a healthy coping mechanism through a required stress management skills course, as well as further publicizing meditation workshops already offered through CMHC. Clinical nursing associate professor Rosa Schnyer, who teaches a stress management course to undergraduates, supports this kind of integration. “I would be a really big advocate for having a part of orientation or a first-year requirement dedicated to helping students gain the skills for emotional regulation because students could really use them at that age,” Schnyer said. The need for positive coping mechanisms for anxiety goes beyond academic performance and mood. Some students have found strategies to manage their anxiety, but many are at risk of developing bigger problems. “A lot of them may have maladaptive behaviors, especially if they are first year students, like drinking or using other substances to numb themselves,” Schyner said. The rise in mental health disorders among students and youth is alarming, and it is imperative that we find safe and healthy methods to cope with them. Meditation can provide this kind of relief for UT students if our community and University makes it a priority. So if you’re stressed, put meditation to use and discover your inner zen. Lazaroski is an international relations and global studies sophomore from Dallas.

COLUMN

Eliminate the R-word on campus to promote inclusion By Jennifer Beck Columnist

Moving 1,122 miles away from my Midwest home to Central Texas meant I was in for some culture shock, and I’ll admit, I have enjoyed some of it. I love the way Texans deep-fry everything, and I admire the state’s unequivocal love of football. But as much as I love fried cookie dough and UT football games, I cannot deny that some parts of southern culture do not sit right with me. Perhaps it is because my hometown was so invested in the issue, but prior to living in Texas, the R-word — retarded — was not something I heard often. One of the more unpleasant parts of my move down south was discovering this cultural indifference to the R-word, which many Texans use frequently. Although student organizations such as Best Buddies are working hard to eradicate the R-word from our day-to-day jargon, the University has a responsibility to get involved. UT needs to demonstrate its support of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities by taking a definitive stance against the R-word. “I think (the R-word) is certainly used in a derogatory way,” said Dr. James Patton, an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Special

Education. “It releases this conception Although most aren’t actively targeting that someone who is ‘retarded’ is somehow those with intellectual and developmental inferior and less capable.” disabilities when they jokingly call someDr. Patton thinks most people who one retarded, they are equating use the word do so without unstupidity with mental retarderstanding the word’s implidation — a fallacy that cations, rather than out legitimizes the idea of malice. those with disabilities But even out of are stupid. context, the “No one wants R-word is still to be made fun derogatory of like that,” because it Johnston has become said. “No one synonymous wants somewith “stupid.” thing that is “I wish (peoso integral to ple) knew more who they are about the histoto be used ry of the word,” as an insult said Cara Johnfor someone ston, biology else.” senior and Some argue the vice presword isn’t offensive ident of out of medical conLonghorn text because “mental Best Budretardation” was the dies. “When clinical term used for (people) use it so long, but this is not a ely german | the daily texan staff salient argument. Thanks now, they think of it as another word to Rosa’s Law, which for stupid, but it goes was signed by President back and is used to describe people with Obama in 2010, the term “mental retardation” intellectual and developmental disabilities.” was replaced with “intellectual disability” in

LEGALESE | Opinions expressed in The Daily Texan are those of the editor, the Editorial Board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily those of the UT administration, the Board of Regents or the Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees.

SUBMIT A FIRING LINE | Email your Firing Lines to editor@dailytexanonline.com. Letters must be more than 100 and fewer than 300 words. The Texan reserves the right to edit all submissions for brevity, clarity and liability.

education, health and labor policies. As times change, so should our language. As a university with such wide influence, UT must step in and work harder to educate the community on the effects of the R-word. At freshman orientation, students are required to attend a variety of performances about identity and stereotyping. These performances touch on racial, sexual and gender identity but do little to acknowledge individuals with disabilities. To improve awareness of students with disabilities on campus and promote respectful discourse, these performances at orientation should include a section about identity and stereotyping related to disabilities. This section should address how offensive the R-word is and how it affects those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. UT students and faculty can show their support for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities by participating in Best Buddies’ “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign that takes place in March. The campaign encourages people to take a pledge to stop using the R-word. “It’s a pledge to yourself and a pledge to those who have intellectual disabilities,” Dr. Patton said. “It’s a pledge to be conscious and sensitive to how hurtful language can be.” Beck is a radio-television-film freshman from Park Ridge, Illinois.

RECYCLE | Please recycle this copy of The Daily Texan. Place the paper in one of the recycling bins on campus or back in the burnt-orange newsstand where you found it. EDITORIAL TWITTER | Follow The Daily Texan Editorial Board on Twitter (@TexanOpinion) and receive updates on our latest editorials and columns.

PHOTO

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2019

Biology sophomore Michael Le completes his homework on the steps of south mall on Monday, Sept. 30, 2019.

blaine young

/ the daily texan staff

First year nursing major Anna Demopoulos, left, and first year communication studies major Maren Gaszak play the ukulele and sing next to the turtle pond on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019. They are worship chairs for Sigma Phi Lambda and are practicing for an upcoming meeting.

eddie gaspar

/ the daily texan staff

blaine young

/ the daily texan staff

Second year electrical engineering Tyler Anson and and first year civil engineering major Elise Johnson dance in front of south mall.

Housing available Skyloft is a new high-rise close to The University of Texas for students who want to live in the heart of West Campus. Our firstclass amenities and million-dollar views of Austin take off-campus life to all new heights. Everything about the Skyloft high-rise is designed with a luxury experience in mind. Amenities include rooftop pool deck, fully furnished apartments with modern kitchens and a smart TV, a fresh market, parking garage, bike parking, beautiful Austin views, in-unit washer and dryer, multiple study rooms, coffee bar, controlled-access entry, a business center and a fitness center. Skyloft is also pet-friendly! Visit SkyloftAustin.com and call 737-207-9400 to set up a tour.

GET SOCIAL WITH TSM

Texas Student Media will keep you connected with daily links to the news, sports and culture stories shaping the UT community.

Housing available High Rise Student Luxury only steps to campus! Tour today to see why space matters in our spacious floorplans. Great amenities, caring staff and much more! Call 21 Rio at (512)391-1991 to schedule a visit.

Job Opportunity

{

Seeking Business Student for Part-time work – SEO / Marketing Internet Company. 10-15 hours per week. $10 per hour. The ideal candidate will have a interest in the Financial Investment business. We are seeking a motivated individual wanting to learn the Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Technical Analysis as applied to the Stock market, Web development, Marketing, etc. Tasks include: 1) Assist with creating Stock Charts applying Technical Analysis strategies, 2) Perform SEO to promote the website membership / ranking, a) Studying traffic and analytics, b) Building natural backlinks, c) Creating effective ranking strategies, d) Researching the latest SEO practices, e) Work with Google Analytics for SEO analysis, f) Learn / apply www.ahrefs.com tools for SEO, g) In-depth keyword research, 3) Assist with Web development, updating pages based on SEO analysis, 4) Possible development using HTML, PHP, etc, 5) Learn / work with Wordpress website IDE, 6) Assist with creating marketing campaigns. Contact: Steven Stowers, NetWeaver Consulting Group, (512) 917-3397

Educational Opportunity The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences offers a unique PhD experience at one of the world’s premier research and treatment centers for pediatric cancer and childhood disease. With exceptional science, resources, and clinical experiences, the program is designed to create scientific leaders who will discover the next generation of cures. Recruiters will be on campus for the UTA 2019 Graduate School Fair on 10/8/19 to share information about the PhD and MD/PhD program. Learn more at www.stjude.org/graduate-school or email us at sjgradschool@stjude.org.

DAILYTEXANONLINE.COM Facebook at dailytexan Twitter @thedailytexan

KVRX.ORG Facebook at kvrxaustin

digest.texasstudentmedia.com ADVERTISING TERMS There are no refunds or credits. In the event of errors made in advertisement, notice must be given by 10 am the fi rst day of publication, as the publishers are responsible for only ONE incorrect insertion. In consideration of The Daily Texan’s acceptance of advertising copy for publication, the agency and the advertiser will indemnify and save harmless, Texas Student Media and its offi cers, employees and agents against all loss, liability, damage and expense of whatsoever nature arising out of the copying, print-ing or publishing of its advertisement including without limitation reasonable attorney’s fees resulting from claims of suits for libel, violation of right of privacy, plagiarism and copyright and trademark infringement. All ad copy must be approved by the newspaper which reserves the right to request changes, reject or properly classify an ad. The advertiser, and not the newspaper, is responsible for the truthful content of the ad. Advertising is also subject to credit approval.

Reduce • Reuse • Recycle

D O N N AVA N S M O O T

Sports Editor | @TEXANSPORTS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2019

VOLLEYBALL

Phillips makes early impression Freshman Molly Phillips is making her mark with Texas volleyball, solving problems in the frontcourt. By Clark Dalton @Clarktdalton1T

fter injuries and key departures, Texas had several questionsasurrounding its frontcourt. While all weren’t answered, freshman middle blocker Molly Phillips was able to solve many. Phillips has started off strong for the Longhorns, tallying 71.5 points and 42 total blocks. Many of these points have come on the biggest stages. In matches against top teams like Stanford and Minnesota, Phillips stepped up with 16 kills in two games on a hitting percentage of .464. These strong performances earned her Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors. “It was surprising. Honestly, I never thought I would be in that position so early,” Phillips said. “It showed me that I can do this. I’m here at this level for a reason.” Self-assurance has always been a big factor for Phillips. Even as a child, she had to develop this skill in the midst

of moving around constantly. “Growing up, I moved around a lot. I wasn’t always with the same group of friends, which made me adapt,” Phillips said. “I had to make new friends, which developed my people skills.” Phillips grew up in an athletic family with a father and several cousins that played college football, so she made it a goal to continue the athletic line by playing sports at the highest level. “I grew up in an athletic family, so (playing college sports) was always a goal of mine,” Phillips said. “I think it’s a big part of my background.” Eventually,volleyball emerged as her favorite sport. Her love for the game, compoundedawitha“well-developed” people skills, became a significant step on her path to Texas. “I used to play basketball, but I chose volleyball because it is such a team sport,” Phillips said. “In volleyball, you can’t win a game with one good player. Everyone has to play as a unit. I think that’s an important part of the game.” Phillips’ respect and admiration for teamwork helped her ascend quickly up the recruiting ladder. As a senior at Mansfield High in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Phillips became one of the best players in the country, recording 768 kills and grabbing Second Team Under Armour All-American Honors and a NORCECA Continental championship for the junior national team.

joshua guenther

/ the daily texan staff

Freshman middle blocker Molly Phillips bumps the volleyball in a match against Minnesota in front of a packed house at Gregory Gym on Sept. 4. These accolades culminated in Phillips’ No.16 overall ranking by PrepVolleyball. The middle blocker was pursued by and attracted to several schools, but Phillips held a firm commitment to Texas. “It was just the family that they have here which attracted me,” Phillips said. “I just wanted to be able to excel on the court and academically — this a place where you can do both.” Phillips was thrust into the fire immediately after

the departure of Morgan Johnson and an injury to sophomore middle blocker Brionne Butler. “I wanted to have a big role, but I didn’t know where that would be,” Phillips said. “But my name was called, and I was just excited for that opportunity to get into a real situation.” Phillips made an immediate impact in the first game of the season, tallying a hitting percentage of .500. Her skills, which were displayed

early on, have continued to grow and impress Texas head coach Jerritt Elliott. “For what their role is right now in terms of coming in and having to take on so much responsibility, she has done a phenomenal job,” Elliott said. “More importantly she’s been great to coach, responsive and fun to be around.” The recent success and positive feedback has created a sense of comfort for Phillips in a

new environment. “I’m getting more comfortable just being myself on the court,” Phillips said. “What I mean by that is not be like, ‘Oh this is new, but this is the same thing I’ve done every day.’” Phillips hopes this consistency lasts for the next three years and that she can continue to have a big role guiding the team in a positive direction. “I just want to make my mark here,” Phillips said.

FOOTBALL

Coburn emerges as force, leader for Texas’ young defense By Daniela Perez @danielap3rez

When defensive lineman Keondre Coburn stepped in front of the media on Tuesday, he looked relaxed. Dressed in black athletic gear and slides, Coburn had just arrived from an introductory history midterm, something he had been studying for during the bye week. “I think I passed,” Coburn said. For the redshirt freshman, every minute of the bye week was precious. He slept every chance he could and even missed the Clemson versus University of North Carolina Chapel Hill game due to his fatigue. He said he was pretty upset about that. But even in a bye week, Coburn couldn’t get his mind off of football. Some players turned off their televisions and took a break from the game, but Coburn watched every game he could. “When I started liking football when I was little, I just never stopped wanting to watch it, and the chance to watch multiple football games is that something I love to do,” Coburn said. His love for football has translated onto the field for everyone to see. Head coach Tom Herman and Coburn’s teammates feel that he is finally stepping into his role and becoming a leader for

amna ijaz

/ the daily texan file

Freshman defensive lineman Keondre Coburn celebrates on the field after a defensive play in Texas’ game against Oklahoma State on Sept. 21. the Longhorns. “I don’t know what it does for opposing play callers, but I just … I love the way that (Keondre) comes to work every day,” Herman said. “He’s got two speeds: full and off. When he’s on the practice field or game field it’s ‘full,’ and I think his demeanor and his likeability …

I told him the other day that if he takes care of his business off the field, because of his work ethic, his level of play and his demeanor, I could certainly see a scenario where that guy would be a captain before he left here, and that’s always good.” According to Coburn, he has graded out as a champion and complet-

ed 85% or more of his assignments against Rice and Oklahoma State. This is a huge feat for any player, but especially a second year lineman. He’s already had one sack against the Owls and six total tackles so far this season. Senior captain Malcolm Roach has seen a change in Coburn and is

watching him come into his own on the defense. “Just seeing the way he performs when he takes it serious, you know, versus when he’s out there playing around and things like that, (he’s a) totally different person,” Roach said. “I think he’s going to get better and better at it the more time he spends on campus, the more time he spends growing up. I think he’s only 18 or 19 years old … he’s going to be a good one.” Still under Roach’s wing, Coburn has a lot of learning to do. But soon enough, Coburn could take charge of Texas’ young defense. Though his time has not come yet, he’s still flattered his teammates and coach think so highly of him. Earlier in the week, Herman expressed how he can see a future where Coburn could be a captain of not only the defensive line but for the entire team. “It’s a big compliment,” Coburn said. “But I feel as though if I’m being a captain, I don’t want to be a leader where I tell everybody what to do. I just want everybody to flow and … they can talk to me anytime. We did this thing in the d-line room where (we were asked), ‘What is a leader to you?’ Leadership to me is pretty much just somebody being there and doing everything right, and I know I can rely on them if I need anything. So that’s how I feel. I just want to be that type of leader.”

GOLF

Schooner or Later: Texas captures first win of season By Cameron Parker @camerondparker

At the 2018 Schooner Fall Classic, the Texas women’s golf team turned in one of the program’s best performances in school history, breaking multiple 54-hole team and individual records. However, the Longhorns still came up short, finishing 17 shots behind the winner Alabama, which which put them in second place. Fast forwarding one year later to this year’s Schooner Fall Classic, Kaitlyn Papp and her teammates would not settle for another runner-up finish, and the Longhorns captured their first tournament win of the season by nine strokes over Alabama.

“It was obviously a great week for us,” said head coach Ryan Murphy to Texas Sports. “To come out on top in Oklahoma is a good win against these 14 teams. I’m very happy with our effort this week.” Texas entered the final round at the Belmar Golf Club one stroke behind Oklahoma, but delivered a two under par performance on Sunday to run away with the title. The Sooners, who hosted the tournament, shot a tournament and team high 296 on the final day to drop from first to seventh. Papp, now a junior, continued her strong start to the season with her second straight third-place finish individually, only one stroke back from Florida State’s Frida Kinhult and Illinois’ Tristyn Nowlin. “At the moment, we are being led by (Papp),” said Murphy. “She’s playing some seriously good golf.

I’m super proud of her.” “Seriously good golf” might be an understatement for Papp, who only has one round over par this collegiate season, her top-five finish marking the eighth of her career. Senior Emilee Hoffman picked up her first top-ten finish of the season with an even par performance, while sophomore Sara Kouskova finished at (+1) for the week but led the field with 13 birdies. Freshman Sophie Guo also ended at (+1) for the tournament and has recorded a pair of top-20 finishes in her first two collegiate tournaments. Sophomore Hailee Cooper finished at (+7) overall but will look to rebound at next week’s Betsy Rawls Invitational, where Cooper won her first individual tournament last year at the University of Texas Golf Club and Academy.

anthony mireles

/ the daily texan file

Hailee Cooper pumps a fist on the green at the Betsy Rawls Invitational from Oct. 19-21, 2018. At the Schooner classic on Sept. 29, Cooper finished at (+7) overall.

COMICS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2019

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Crossword ACROSS 1 Egg containers 5 Figure who works with figures, for short 8 1995 cyberthriller about espionage 14 Road map 15 ___ lamp 16 Deep gorge 17 Entertainer who popularized the phrase “You ain’t heard nothing yet”

SUDOKUFORYOU 9

5 4 3

7 6 1 3

2 7 5

5 7 4

3 8 1 9 4 2 7 7 6 5 5 4 8 8 7 6 2

19 Showy shrub 20 2004 film about a group of street dancers

Today’s solution will appear here next issue

1 9 5 4 8 7 3 2 6

4 8 7 2 3 6 9 1 5

2 6 3 5 9 1 4 8 7

5 1 4 3 2 8 7 6 9

Lorem ipsum

8 7 2 6 5 9 1 3 4

6 3 9 1 7 4 8 5 2

3 2 8 9 4 5 6 7 1

9 5 1 7 6 3 2 4 8

7 4 6 8 1 2 5 9 3

30 Lavish attention (on) 31 Science of sound 35 Ashen 36 2014 romance about two teens with cancer, with “The” 40 Slowing down, on a score: Abbr. 41 Ship named for an ancient Roman province in Iberia 42 Smeltery imports 44 Quibble 45 Instrument featured on Springsteen’s “Born to Run”

55 Religious enlightenment 58 Sour notes? 59 Underling

60 Top prize in los Juegos Olímpicos

61 Bread with hummus 62 What 8-, 20-, 36and 52-Across sound like they could be about 63 “Absolutely!” 64 Boatload DOWN

4 Make out, to a Brit

29 Pommes frites seasoning

52 2003 Christmasthemed rom-com

6 Hardly poetic

T O S T P O T O P D O G

A F L A M E

R A G T O M A O L I S S A E B U D F I R S W E L E L L A S L L U T L A U R E S N A M F E R S A N E S R L E N E G L A P O S P A

H E O C R T H O S A I M O P T S A R I B S A L L S I L E N S U N E F E P A L O R G S L E A E L M C Y E

L E T E U R O S R E X

E V E N B E T T E R

V I S T A S

A S S O R T

N E A L T Y

A N N A

H E L M

I D O S

5 Singers of high notes in olden times 7 Bumps on the path to adulthood? 8 Section of a bookstore 9 Hell Week hellion, say 10 Gave the slip to 11 Goose egg 12 Austin-to-Boston dir. 13 Leaves in hot water? 18 Most underhanded 21 Monkey named for a king in Greek myth

16 19 21

28 32

41 43

52 55

No. 0828 8

2 Alnico, e.g.

48 Tosspot 49 Only mo. that can begin and end on the same day of the week

O R E O

1 Fixes, as a pet

23 Twisted 24 “Yoo-hoo!” 28 Senatorial thumbs-up

D A M P

3 Spicy Southern cuisine

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE

1 14

46 Common recyclable

22 United, for one: Abbr.

Edited by Will Shortz

49 54

PUZZLE BY DANIEL GRINBERG

25 Herbert Hoover, by birth (uniquely among all U.S. presidents to date) 26 Breakout company of 1976? 27 Group with a meeting of the minds? 28 Brynner of “The King and I” 29 “To Kill a Mockingbird” narrator

31 Big dos 32 City near the Great Sphinx 33 Revealed a secret about 34 Kind of skating 37 Italian dishes that are simmered 38 Lady Liberty, for one 39 Burden 43 Where one might take or dodge shots 44 Maritime forces

47 Cattle-herding canine 48 Cause of goose bumps 49 Thrash (around) 50 ___ Eight (March Madness stage) 51 Standing rule 53 Salutation at sea 54 Concert pieces 55 Fast flier of the past, for short 56 Chowed down 57 Boatload

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.

J O R DY N Z I T M A N

Life&Arts Editor | @JORDYNZITMAN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2019

ALUMNI

LIFE&ARTS

UT alums can show you the world Entrepreneurs develop Travel World Culture: affordable, guided trips for the amateur traveler By Catherine Cardenas @c_aaattt

ne year ago, UT alumni Jess Pink and Gavin Greenberg found themselves unsatisfied with their corporate jobs. Craving freedom from a monotonous day-to-day life, they decided to pack everything up and travel the world. After making the decision to quit their jobs and move to Colombia, Pink (B.A.‘17) and Greenberg (B.S.’18) were inspired to start their own company, Travel World Culture. Travel World Culture plans affordable trips for people who otherwise might feel intimidated by planning trips on their own. “Being in Colombia, the idea started from our really strict budget; everything was pretty cheap,” Pink said. “We (were) in hostels, (using) public transportation and everything not luxury but having the absolute best time of our lives.” The pair realized that not many people know how to travel affordably and sought to create a company to help people travel cost-effectively, Greenberg said. “International travel can be really intimidating,” Pink said. “We thought, ‘Why don’t we bridge that gap and reach people who would love these adventures and to explore these places but don’t really know how to get started.’” After expecting a small group for their first planned trip, the pair was pleasantly surprised to discover that this business was something people were really interested in. Their first trip sold out with 18 attendees. “That reaction is what

made us say, ‘Let’s see what else we can do. Let’s grow this,’” Pink said. Although they have received positive reactions from customers, the pair has had their share of criticisms from family and friends who were not as understanding of their untraditional route. “We both struggled with learning to block out the opinions of others and the pressure to choose a corporate job or graduate school,” Pink said. When leading trips, the pair partners with locally owned businesses, tour guides and transportation companies to ensure they are giving back to the countries they visit. Pink said they prioritize this goal because they view it as an ethical choice they’ve made for their business. “We focus on making sure that money from our trips goes back to the communities who are welcoming us,” Pink said. Greenberg said another goal for Travel World Culture is ensuring they provide the best possible trip they can for their customers in a way that other, bigger companies cannot. Prior to planning a trip, Greenberg and Pink travel to a country months in advance to learn the ins and outs of the country and determine the coolest things to do. “We meet with a bunch of different partners and try and build relationships with them,” Greenberg said. “We want to make sure that the package is by far the best possible set of things that you can do within that time period and within that budget.” Zoe Deal, a psychology sophomore, travelled to Ecuador with Travel World Culture this past summer. “The planned activities were well balanced with the freedom to do whatever we want,” Deal said. “I feel like I saw all of Ecuador in the best light.” Although the pair said there are certain pressures to create a trip that customers will enjoy, each one results in a community of travellers bound by their experiences. “We have such an amazing community of travelers. (There are) so many people

Jess Pink (left) and Gavin Greenberg (right) created Travel World Culture, a group travel business. who have been on two or three Travel World Culture trips this year,” Pink said. “People who come solo al-

ways say how shocked they are that everyone gets close so quickly.” The connections formed

between strangers, Greenberg said, is one of the most valuable outcomes of this experience.

“We love to introduce these people from around the world and create these connections,” Greenberg said.

STUDENT LIFE

Don’t let price tags scare you off this Halloween season By Ariana Arredondo @arixgraciela

Don’t break the bank this spooky season on a single Halloween costume. To have the scariest fit of the year without being terrified of the cost, The Daily Texan has compiled a list of affordable ways for students to be a Hallo-queen. Thrift stores:

Thrift stores such as Goodwill Central Texas and Flamingos Vintage Pound offer a variety of clothing options for low prices. If costumes aren’t available for purchase right off the rack, students can bust out Pinterest during their trip to see what pieces may match up to a character they’re interested in. For example, overalls and a flannel can be the foundations for a scarecrow or cowboy costume. A yellow skirt and a blue top can turn into an instant Snow White. The perfect costume may only be a quick Pinterest dive away. Online shopping:

The internet is filled with shopping sites, such as Depop, Poshmark, Amazon and eBay, where a quick scouring of the many listings can produce a perfect costume combination. These online thrifting and shopping alternatives give those with busy schedules or an inability to travel the option to shop from home. Open up Google to see some options on costumes and other clothing that could potentially become HalloWeekend looks. DIY:

After securing main pieces for the costume, consider DIYing some accessories to help

tie the look together. The craft section can prove invaluable, as hot glue and wire can transform a normal headband or hat. This process can be used to make devil or cat ears. For another fun and easy costume piece, grab a thrifted T-shirt and use puffy paint to create a personalized look. For more advanced craftspeople, sewing or stitching on portions of a costume would be perfect. The options are limitless with a bit of fabric and the right design. Get fancy:

Not all looks will be totally attainable through thrifting. Stores such as Blue Velvet and Coco Coquette house a selection of vintage accessories and clothing as well as wigs. These places aren’t exactly budget friendly, but if a portion of a costume is thrifted or DIYed ,it may be easier on the wallet to splurge a bit on certain aspects of a costume. Makeup:

From beauty gurus to those who have never picked up a beauty blender, makeup can help pull together any look. A trip to the local drug store for some black eyeliner and lipstick can aid in creating costumes from a cat to a vampire or even a Disney princess. Colorful makeup palettes can also add drama to a look. For tips on how to best utilize makeup in a costume, check out YouTube tutorials and test out different looks to find the right one. Work with what you have:

If buying any new pieces is off the table, try looking through your closet to see what could be possible for a costume this year. (And you could even look in your friends’ closets

rocky higine

and try to borrow some pieces.) A Longhorn T-shirt could become a Longhorn Zombie costume with the right make-

up, a black shirt could become a cat look with some drawn on whiskers and an old sports jersey easily makes you a

star athlete. With only 29 days left until Halloween, it’s never too early to start searching for

/ the daily texan staff

your perfect costume. Explore all your options, and have a very spooky time while doing so.