02/18/2019 Weekly Edition

Monday, February 18, 2019

The Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University

Students Dedicated to Professional Journalism Volume 130 | Issue 10

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@HoustonianNews

After a night of talented candidates and glamorous dresses, sophomore Caroline Wakefield was crowned 2019’s Miss Sam Houston.

How do you feel winning Miss Sam Houston?

It has impacted me. I am very involved on this campus now and I cannot wait to represent Miss Sam Houston and represent our great campus.

@houstoniannews

HoustonianOnline.com

Exclusive Interview with Caroline Wakefield

As Miss Sam Houston, what would you like to be involved with on campus? Any specific organization or events?

I’m definitely going to use my platform to promote ‘Linda Paul for Kats’. That’s where we use therapy dogs to help students reduce their anxiety and help with their mental and emotional health. So I want to be able to use the therapy dogs to help our students and I feel like that would be one of the best ways to get students involved and communicate with each other.

What is an issue on campus you would like to see changed as Miss Sam Houston?

I want to help students with their mental and emotional health and help them understand that they can be the best them. And definitely parking, we want to all see that get fixed.

The Huntsville community is a part of campus life. What events in the community would you plan to be a part of ?

I would want to go to the Walker County Fair and I would go to any event that we have on our square. I feel it brings our community together and I would want to be a part of that. And if anyone in the community would want me to come, reach out to us and I’ll try to be there as soon as I can.

Is there any advice you would give to students on campus who want to participate in the next Miss Sam Houston pageant?

Go for it, don’t let anything hold you back. It is a learning process, and even if you haven’t done pageants before, you still will learn so much. I have made so many new friends from the pageant and I just don’t know what I would do without these girls by my side. We go to Yummy Yummy together, we go and eat, and just enjoy time. So it’s one of those things that you will make so many new friends. So don’t let something hold you back that you are scared to do because it will be OK, and you will definitely learn so much from it.

Caroline Wakefield

The Houstonian | bit.ly/SHSUCampusNews | Monday, February 18, 2019

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campus news

Fraternity Among NCHA Survey Comes to SHSU Top 10 in Nation

BY MASON STORRS Campus News Editor

BY GABE MYERS Sports Editor The Delta Tau Delta (Delts) fraternity on the campus of Sam Houston State University was honored with the Hugh Shields Award for Chapter Excellence last week.

The Hugh Shields Award, established in 1965, was named after the first executive vice president of the fraternity. The award is given to chapters who deserve recognition for overall excellence.

The award makes their chapter one of the top 10 in the country, this is the first time they have achieved this honor in 30 years, the last time they did being in 1989.

Junior Construction Management major Brady Smith is the president of the fraternity, and has been pleased to see the growth of the chapter in his time at SHSU. “Our executive board last year was top notch,” Smith said. “We had a great executive board, but internally, our brotherhood is really good right now, and I’m very proud of that.”

The honor is awarded through

outstanding achievement among multiple criteria, including academic excellence, recruitment excellence and community service hours.

For most people, academics is not the first thing that comes to mind when you say the word fraternities, but for the Delts, academics are a major point of emphasis. Despite the award, Smith does see further room for improvement among the Delts when it comes to academics.

“Academic excellence was not on par with where we want it to be,” Smith said. “I stressed this in my president’s speech, that I was going to focus on our academics.”

The chapter has a large presence in campus involvement as well. Smith emphasized how important it is to recruit guys who were very involved in high school, because they were more likely to be highly involved on campus once they got to college.

“Anybody who was very involved in their high school is going to be very involved in college,” Smith said.

“And those guys are going to be our leaders on campus and our leaders in the fraternity.”

Despite the recognition that this chapter just received, Smith thinks that the SHSU Delts are capable of much more success under his leadership “I know where we are now, and being higher than that is hard,” Smith said. “If we are top two on campus (among fraternities) in GPA, I will be very happy.”

All undergraduate Sam Houston State University students will have the opportunity to fill out a survey for the National College Health Assessment (NCHA). Students should expect to see the email in their inboxes today, and the survey will remain open for several weeks.

The NCHA is a comprehensive health survey that is put on by the American College Health Association. The purpose of this survey is to give an overall view of the health status of SHSU. “We have information on alcohol use, sexual health and topics here and there,” Assistant Director of the Office of Health Promotion Megan Richardson said. “However, we don’t have the topics like mental health and nutrition. We don’t have everything all in one, so the goal of this survey is to give us baseline information on what the health status is, that way we can tailor our programs to where the needs are, allocate resources where they’re needed and then continue to evaluate over time to

see if we’re being effective.”

The SHC hopes that the survey will give them more insight into the student’s opinions on campus health.

“Do most our students consider themselves healthy?

Do they think they think that this is a healthy campus? Do they think that there is enough resources on campus for them to be healthy in general? And then what do they want to see,” Richardson said. “It’s really going to be great whenever we get the results back, because using that,

now we know what to do going forward.”

Richardson spoke about how she wants students to know that the SHC truly cares about their comments and concerns about the way that they run their operation.

“I want [students] to know that we’re actually listening to them,” Richardson said. “We hear all the time that students have complaints about things that they’re not seeing on campus, or they don’t have the opportunity to give feedback. Well this is a direct thing that you can do and you’re going to see the results almost immediately.”

Since it is a national survey, it will also give the SHC a unique opportunity to feel out where the university stands amongst not only our own student body, but other colleges and universities across the nation as well.

As an added incentive, students who complete the survey will be automatically entered into a drawing to win one of twenty $50 Starbucks gift cards.

The survey is completely confidential and is expected to take about 30 minutes to complete. It will remain open until March 8.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/SHSUCampusNews | Monday, February 18, 2019

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campus news

Financial Literacy Week Kicks Off Feb. 18

936.294.1713 | www.shsu.edu.edu/careerservices

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The Student Money Management Center will host its 11th Annual Financial Literacy Week Feb. 18-21 in the Lowman Student Center.

A $250 scholarship will be awarded, and free pizza and drinks will be provided on a first come first served basis at the 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. events.

“It’s my biggest event throughout the year, and I say event as if it is one thing, but it is actually 12 events happening in one week,” Program Coordinator for the Student Money Management Center Haley Rothrock said.

The theme of the week is “Guiding Your Finances” using game shows, and all students are invited to attend the events occurring each of the four days. There is a workshop each morning from 9:30–11:30 a.m. in College of Humanities and Social Sciences room 130 to help students with financial aid, FAFSA and TASFA applications.

Then there will be two game show themed events at 5:30–6:30 p.m. and 7–8 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center Theater.

“One of the things that is new this year that I am excited about is our Family Feud contest that is specifically geared toward clubs, organizations, fraternities, sororities and any registered or-

ganization on campus,” Rothrock said. “They have five contestants each, are competing against each other, and the top four organizations are going to be given financial prizes.”

Teams that made it to the qualifying rounds were told the subjects for the questions could be budgeting, credit, information from the Student Money Management Center website and maybe even a few general Sam Houston State University questions, according to Rothrock.

These events are not just about games and prizes. The goal is to create awareness of the Student Money Management Center as well as the services they offer.

Annie Sherman and Julie Knight, owners of Huntsville’s The Best Box Ever Bakery will share their personal experiences in opening a business on Tuesday. Natalie Torres, author of “Financially Savvy in 20 Minutes” will speak on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Torres will discuss the importance of setting a personal budget in order to create financial wellness.

Financial Literacy Week is designed to encourage students to educate themselves on financial matters and to visit the Student Money Management Center for one-on-one consultations.

For more information on Financial Literacy Week, and a list of events, visit the Student Money Management Website at shsu.edu/dept/smmc.

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BY RYAN WELCH Contributing Reporter

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleCommunityNews | Monday, February 18, 2019

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community news

Memorial Museum to Host ‘Views of the Museum Complex’

BY AMY HUERTA Contributing Reporter The Sam Houston Memorial Museum debuts a brand-new collection of photos on Feb. 27.

This exhibit puts a different

perspective of the museum park on display for all to see.

The Memorial Museum is known for preserving the memory of Sam Houston and his homestead. The museum is a part of Sam Houston State University and located directly across the street from SHSU’s

main campus.

The exhibit will focus on the museum in a different perspective, and the curators hope to show that there’s more than meets the eye on the 15 acres of history.

Casey Roon, curator at the Sam Houston State Memorial

Chelsey Norton

Museum, expresses her enthusiasm for the opening of the exhibit. Roon has collaborated with another well-known photographer in Huntsville, Derrick Birdsall.

Roon and Birdsall chose a few of their favorite photos that they’ve taken of the museum, and some photos may not be what’s expected.

“I have [gathered a small collection] of images that people would recognize from the museum park but that hopefully would stir an emotional response,” Roon said. “More than just a pretty picture.”

Roon enjoys taking photos because of how quick and easy the photo taking and editing process is. Roon is inspired by details that are often not caught by everyone. Once the exhibit is open to the public, Roon and Birdsall’s work will be shared with the community of Huntsville.

“I’m [always] taking photos of the underside of a flower or the way light or negative space

can create interest to the eye,” Roon said.

Roon and Birdsall are thrilled to share the exhibit with the Huntsville community and hope that people remember the museum is more than just a historic site. The memorial museum is much more than artifacts in a building. This exhibit will show Huntsville that history is something that can be appreciated in photographs.

“The best way to learn about day to day happenings in this gallery as well as the rest of the Museum is to follow us on social media. We update daily,” Roon said.

The Sam Houston Memorial Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Make sure to visit the museum’s website to look at admission prices and other events happening this month.

The opening reception will be open to the public and refreshments will be provided.

21st Annual Alpha Omega Academy Fundraiser Banquet

BY RYAN WELCH Contributing Reporter The Alpha Omega Academy holds its 21st annual banquet and auction on Saturday at 6:00 p.m.

The purpose of the banquet is to recognize the success of the students, especially the senior class, and the goal of the auction is to raise money to help the students with tuition by covering some of the costs of the operating budget, according to Assistant Headmaster Clint Allen.

“We have a really good rate compared to other private schools,” Allen said. “Our rate right now is $5,800 a year, compared to schools down in Conroe which is about $10,000 - $12,000 a year. If you go further down to The Woodlands you are looking at $15,000 - $20,000. We have people come from Spring, Conroe, Trinity, and different places to come to school because it is affordable.”

There is a silent auction where businesses donate products, time and services, Houston Astros and signed Sam Houston merchandise, BBQ equipment

among other items in the silent auction, according to Allen.

There is also a dessert table, things that classes have made and hundreds of other items to bid on.

“We typically raise about $100,000, we would like to, that’s kind of the goal,” said Allen, “That goes a long way. We have a lot of people who come back each year. We have a lot of parents who pay tuition, yet they give above and beyond and give during the auction.”

The live auction will include such items as hunting or skiing trips, cabin vacations, golf out-

ings and other big ticket items.

“We are humbled by the support that we receive from our community, from Huntsville,” Allen said. “That’s just really the bottom line. People could be giving their money to a lot of different things, and people do, but they choose to come here, they choose to support us.”

There are about 460 students currently enrolled, according to Allen. The fundraisers and small school size are big driving factors in keeping the costs low.

“We just are very, very, grateful for how people respond, they have bought into the vision,

Chelsey Norton the vision of the school, we are grateful for it and humbled by it,” Allen said.

For more information, contact Alpha Omega Academy at (936) 438-8833.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleCommunityNews | Monday, February 18, 2019

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community news

Citizen’s Police Academy Temporarily On Hold

BY TYLER MOWERY Community News Editor The Huntsville Police Department’s annual Citizen’s Police Academy (CPA) is on hold this year due to delays constructing the new building for the department.

The well-established, 13-week CPA usually occurs every spring and is designed to familiarize and inform citizens about police procedures and day-to-day activities in their community.

While HPD is accepting applications this year, Detective and course instructor Ryann Kaaa-Bauer explained that construction of the new police station has been delayed due to weather. This means the CPA program will not take place this spring. However, she is hopeful the program will continue in the fall.

To participate in the CPA, individuals must be at least 18

years of age or older and submit an application to HPD (preferably in person). Applicants must also pass a criminal background check.

During the course, citizens receive a hands-on, engaging experience. Activities can include riding with a police officer, exploring the firing range and touring the Walker County Jail and Walker Country Public Safety Communications Center.

“Our goal is to try to be as transparent as possible,” Kaaa-Bauer said. “[We want] to accommodate as much time to break down what it is that we do for this agency and for our community.

Kaaa-Bauer explained that other resources that work with HPD such as Adult Probation, the District Attorney’s Office, Juvenile Services and Municipal Court all come together to protect and better serve the community. She noted that adults of all ages, particularly retired

individuals, attend the course.

“We love the fact that someone who’s retired would love to [spend] their free time to help out their community,” Kaaa-Bauer said. “The same thing goes for college students. We definitely stress to college students that you’re really in the town of all the criminal justice resources aside from Austin.”

Participants also view videos of police in various situations and discuss the actions of the officers so that citizens will better understand the danger involved in every interaction with the public.

“There’s a scale that we have to go to for what we can do and the reason why our actions jump straight to that versus why we did not do [something],” Kaaa-Bauer said. “If participants actually apply and go through the program, I promise when you watch the 5-O’clock News the questions that will go through your mind and your

mentality will change.”

HPD usually hosts this course twice a year, but factors such as the time of year and the facility at hand affect the turnout for each session. According to Kaaa-Bauer, the spring tends to have a better turnout compared to the fall season as there are more holidays and school-related activities.

“We try to have a minimum

Chelsey Norton of 10 for the class. The max that we could probably fit in the training room is 30,” Kaaa-Bauer said. “Being in a small town, Monday nights work best for hosting the Citizen’s Police Academy, and we try to do between 6-9 p.m.”

For more information and to find a copy of the application, go online or call (936) 291-5480.

Molly Ivins 1st Amendment Award Dinner

BY SHARON RAISSI Editor-in-Chief

Inland.com

The 13th annual Molly Ivins First Amendment Banquet is scheduled for Feb. 23. The

banquet, held at the Katy and E. Don Walker Education Center, is centered around honoring an outstanding member of the media. Author and journalist Alfredo Corchado will be honored at the banquet for his “courageous reporting in the face of death threats and other intimidation.”

The banquet is held in honor of the trailblazing journalist Molly Ivins. Recipients of the award are chosen based on how they embody the spirit of the first amendment and honor the person who the award is named for.

Corchado, who specializes in covering the drug wars at the Mexican border, is currently the Mexico City bureau chief of

The Dallas Morning News.

“Alfredo Corchado is really, in my opinion, without dissing any of the previous winners, the absolute best honoree we’ve had,” First ever Molly Ivins First Amendment Award recipient Rich Heiland said. “Look at the scope of his life and his career.

This guy took on the cartels inside Mexico. He’s got some phenomenal reporting on the border in general.”

The event is hosted by the Walker County Democrats, and is one of their fundraisers for the year. Tickets to the event are $50 or $25 for students.

“It certainly would be of interest to anybody, and we certainly have no problem with

Republicans coming and supporting the first amendment,” Heiland said. “But, I don’t know whether or not they’d want to drop some money for the Democrats.”

Corchado will make another appearance at the Thoreau Woods Unitarian Universalist Church. The talk at the church is free to the public and takes place Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

“This guy’s got some interesting things to say,” Heiland said.

“Particularly in Texas, right now, the whole border thing is a pretty hot topic.”

The banquet is at 6 p.m. and tickets can be purchased online or in person at the Walker County Democrats Headquarters.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianAandE | Monday, February 18, 2019

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Arts & entertainment

“Booyah!” Disney Fails at Kim Possible Live-Action Movie

BY DIERDRE SMITH Contributing Reporter Swinging back into Disney Channel’s Original Movie series is none other than Kim Possible.

This time, however, she’s in live action.

“Kim Possible” aired Friday starring upcoming actress, Sadie Stanley as Kim, and “The Goldbergs” star, Sean Giambrone as Ron Stoppable. A new and unexpected addition to the crime fighting duo is a shy teenager by the name of Athena, played

by Ciara Riley Wilson, another upcoming actress.

The plot consists of Kim and Ron entering high school as freshmen and befriending Athena, a new member of “Team Possible.” They fight alongside each other to defeat the evil plans of Dr. Drakken and his trusty sidekick, Shego.

Upon hearing the announcement of the new movie, many

CALL ME BEEP ME Disney Channel tried to revive the beloved Kim Possible in a live-action movie, but it ultimately left audiences disappointed.

individuals (including myself) who grew up watching the original TV show, were a bit on the skeptical side when watching the first trailer in December. Before watching the movie, I read some reactions from a mixed audience, and what I found was interesting.

Many said it was spot-on in accuracy when it came to details and the story line. Others are calling the movie a “major let down.”

As for me, I have to admit that it was a hard pill to swallow.

Having a live action movie made from one of my all-time favorite TV shows led me to have big expectations. I won't lie, I was let down in some aspects regarding the story line, pacing, and character development. I felt it was a hugely missed opportunity because there were some great moments that they could've expanded on.

For example, they could've tried to make Kim Possible more of a realistic teenager that just has an extraordinary quality about her when she saves the

world. Instead, she seemed very unrealistic and tried hard to make everyone constantly see how great she is. There were times when the moves and flips that she did were a bit excessive.

When considering the story line, it was heading in the right direction but was a bit all over the place with how it made me feel about Kim, Ron and Athena's relationship. The movie left me feeling aggravated and confused.

I honestly didn't mind the effects at all because of the budget but the acting could've used more work and time to improve.

It felt very rushed and unplanned, which left me begging for more of the story. Of course, the show did not meet my hopes or expectations.

I hoped that Disney would've proved me wrong in my assumptions, but it turns out that maybe some animations weren't meant to be turned into a live action movie. However, I believe viewers should see it for themselves.

If you're interested in Disney Channel Original Movies, or maybe you’re just a fan of the original show, I recommend checking it out for yourself. You can go to disneychannel.com or you can purchase the movie on other platforms such as YouTube or Amazon Video.

As for this disappointment of a movie, I just have one question Disney, “What’s the sitch?”

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianAandE | Monday, February 18, 2019

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Arts & entertainment

“If Beale Street Could Talk” Review: A Refreshing Take on Black Love

BY GENEVIEVE WILSON Contributing Reporter “If Beale Street Could Talk” is a 2019 film based on James Baldwin’s book, and was written and directed by Barry Jenkins; it is quite possibly the best depiction of wholesome black love. Unlike most movies that show love between black characters like something out of an R&B song, this is a romantic tear-jerker that is refreshingly lacking in baby mamas, absent or deadbeat fathers, drug or gang violence and all the other stereotypical tropes that are common in stories about African-Americans.

The story centers on a 19-year-old Tish Rivers and her childhood best friend/boyfriend, Alonzo “Fonny” Hunt and their

immense love for each other, despite great odds. Set in 1970s Harlem, Fonny finds himself in jail after being falsely accused of raping a woman, while Tish finds herself pregnant with their child.

While her family and Fonny’s father are extremely supportive of their relationship, Fonny’s extremely religious mother and younger sisters are not.

Tish and her family, alongside Fonny’s father are racing to prove his innocence and scrape together the money to pay their lawyer, all while combating a racially unjust legal system and preparing for a new baby.

Even though Tish and Fonny are broke and the city of Harlem isn’t as aesthetically pleasing as other cities in New York in that time, everything

seems beautiful because of the effect their love has on each other. Imagine being so infatuated with someone that the environment you’re in doesn’t matter because everything feels warm and seems beautiful with them, then you know. The lighting is golden, and the good moments feel warm and hazy, almost like a dream. The lighting in this movie cannot be taken for granted, it adds another level to the emotional aspect of the film.

For the duration of the film, it frequently cuts back to moments prior to Fonny’s arrest. We see the love between Tish and Fonny grow and the moments that they experience together. At some points, the film relies less on dialogue and more on close shots that make you feel as if you’re experienc-

ing their relationship as a participant rather than the observer.

When Fonny looks at Tish, or Tish looks at Fonny, the camera makes it so you feel as though they are looking at you.

Layne and James do an amazing job portraying the characters emotions as they go through this extremely emotional and trying time together, and the songs main theme, “Eden”

by Nicholas Cantrell, makes every moment between them all the more emotional and intimate. At some points, it feels as if you’re on this journey right there with them. You feel their sadness, their fear and their joy.

The actors do an amazing job of portraying every emotion, and the camerawork does a fantastic job of pulling the viewer in and making them a part of the story.

Perhaps I’m just biased because I’ve been waiting for a great black love story, but “If Beale Street Could Talk” gets five stars from me. It’s an amazing example of what pure, healthy love is, between two individuals that love and respect each other, and is a story that anyone can get sucked into and relate to the emotions that these characters feel.

It’s a bit of an emotional roller coaster at times and will leave even the most cold-hearted of people, with tears in their eyes.

New Director Breathes Life into Our Lady of 121st Street

BY ARIOLE JONES Arts & Entertainment Editor

“Somebody stole my dead teacher’s body!”

Something about that idea intrigued Assistant Professor of Directing, Patrick Pearson to produce his own version of “Our Lady of 121st Street” by Stephen Adly Guirgis.

Patrick Pearson is a California State and Sam Houston State University alumnus holding both an MFA in Directing and a BFA in Musical Theatre. He is a new faculty member to SHSU where he teaches directing and stage management. “Our Lady of 21st Street” is his first show he will be directing as full-time employee.

“I have directed here before, but it’s very special to be directing and to have this as my full-time job,” Pearson said.

The show is set in a funeral home where a fellow community member recently passed away and her loved ones come to pay respects at her funeral, only to find her corpse has been stolen.

They work to find it all while finding themselves in forgiveness. The array of characters in the show are people of the Harlem and New York City where 121st lies right smack in the middle.

“They are rough around the edges, and all just doing their best,” Pearson said. “They are far from perfect, but incredibly human. These aren’t people on their best behavior.”

With the amount of adult language in the show, it is suggested not to bring children.

Patrick loves a challenge and sees it as a positive thing. The script has lots of challenges and the characters hold nothing back from each other, and expose

issues for better or worse.

“It’s really fascinating to see people onstage dealing with what it means to have, gain, or to lose faith in something,” Pearson said. “The characters in the play are just as wonderful and diverse as the real people of the area.”

When asked about what he was most excited about, he mentioned working with talented students, actors and production teams.

“The students in the Theatre and Musical Theatre Department are incredibly driven and constantly working to hone their craft,” Pearson said. “It’s been a joy to see what new discoveries they make every day in rehearsal.”

The show will play Wednesday through Saturday in the Erica Starr Theatre at 7:30 p.m., and a Saturday matinee performance at 2 p.m. Tickets can be

purchased by calling the box office at 936.294.2339 or going to the website www.shsutickets.

com. Discounted tickets are available for students with a Bearkat OneCard.

Gavin Calais UNDERSTANDING LEADS TO FORGIVENESS The kids of 121st use the death of a loved one to bring them to forgiveness.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianOpinions | Monday, February 18, 2019

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Opinions

A Look at ASMR, The Internet’s Latest Obsession

BY CHRISTINA KARASTAMATIS

Contributing Writer Autonomy Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a term that many have recently become very familiar with. It has been described as a tingling feeling that travels from the brain down the spine, causing relaxation as a response to soft whispering and satisfying noises or sounds.

For some people, this newfound art form has helped listeners sleep better, relax and even lessen symptoms of depression and anxiety. Unfortunately, this is not the case for everyone.

Some people feel nothing or even cringe at the sounds of ASMR. In an interview on manrepel-

ler.com, Amelia Diamond spoke with ASMR artist Isabel Meijering on why some people get the tingles while others do not.

“I think everyone has the ability to go into a trance when they’re open,” Meijering said.

“You have to allow yourself to be super vulnerable.”

Isabel makes a very good point here because anytime you try something new, it is always beneficial to be open-minded, especially with ASMR. Most people only think about the effect ASMR has on the listener, but what about the effect it has on the artist behind the microphone? I personally think that it takes a lot of confidence to be an ASMR artist and put yourself out there. To be able to let loose for the sake of trying to benefit others is no easy task.

Exposing a raw side of yourself to an audience you have never met before and whispering to them seems very intimate.

Do you ever wonder what the artists do to prepare before recording a video? How does it make them feel? How do they get in the right state of mind to

be able to record the video?

“When I record videos, I go into a trance-like state,” Meijering said. “I’m in the zone. The only way I want to keep doing these videos is if it’s a relaxing thing. It’s just something I do to give back to the ASMR community and an outlet for my creativity.”

So for some it is a win-win situation. That is, both the artist and audience benefit from it. On the other hand, some ASMR artists are in fact a bit nervous and self-conscious when recording their videos. In another interview conducted by ASMR University, Dr. Craig Richard spoke with WhisperingLife, who is credited as the “first ASMR artist,” to see how she feels when creating her videos.

“I never totally felt comfortable whispering for people and thought it was strange that I and other people enjoyed it,” WhisperingLife said. “I didn’t tell anyone because I didn’t want them to think I was crazy. I wanted to keep my identity private just in case anyone I knew stumbled across my videos.”

WhisperingLife started her YouTube channel back in 2009.

She chose not to show her face and keep it simple. Compare this to present ASMR which is much more elaborate and intimate as its popularity has grown.

It is safe to say that this is a prime example of how ASMR has changed and become more accepted over the years.

Maybe someday we will have a greater understanding of what and how ASMR works, allowing more people to experience it.

For now, it looks like we will just have to continue being mesmerized by those who are affected by it. Next time you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, maybe try listening to ASMR. Perhaps the results will surprise you.

What’s the WORD on the STREET? What do you think about ASMR?

NICHOLAS POLK

Freshman Mass Communication major

FATIMA HUERTA

Freshman Mass Communication major

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up

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PAWS DOWN

“I feel if a person is open to the video it could really affect them. Being in a relaxed state is a key.”

““The only feeling I received after watching ASMR was the feeling of discomfort.”

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianOpinions | Monday, February 18, 2019

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Opinions

The Complex Art of Forgiveness and Why it Matters maybe you have bent that person’s soul towards the good.

That is a victory worth celebrating.

Criminal Justice

Career Fair Wednesday, March 6 LSC Ballroom | 10am-2pm

936.294.1713 | www.shsu.edu.edu/careerservices

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I started writing a piece on shame. The title was going to be “On the Contents of Shame.”

I have always wanted to write an article with a title starting with the word, “On,” because it means the reader wants to know your thoughts “on” the subject.

Three paragraphs in, I was feeling exceptionally scholarly, I had practical examples of what I was attempting to define, and I was relatively clear. In a moment of needless humility, I googled what shame was to make sure I was not drastically off track in my analysis.

It turned out I was. I was mixing up shame and guilt. As I learned from Psychologist Dr. Brene Brown from a TED Talk she did, guilt is the sense of “I did something wrong,” while shame is a sense of “I am wrong.” All my examples about the utility of shame quickly flew out the window when I realized just how evil shame was. I came to another conclusion about it all.

Today, it seems like we are apologizing more. And if we’re not apologizing, were demanding somebody else to. Now, what are we doing when we apologize? And, what are we doing when we demand an apology, or at least hope for one?

When you apologize, you are admitting guilt, you are saying, “I have done something wrong, and it is wrong that I did it.”

In response, forgiveness is an acceptance of that statement, “I know you know you did something wrong, and I know you know it was wrong to do it.”

However, often in the public sphere and increasingly in our

between us, let’s kill it now.”

And maybe, the person that apologized to you, won’t have to apologize as much in the future,

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Contributing Writer

When you forgive you love, you say, “Yes, you did hurt me, and I know you know what you did was wrong, let us kill this evil

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BY ETHAN EICHHORST

individual lives, the apology is where it ends. What about forgiveness?

If you forgive someone, you have affirmed that the thing which was done really did hurt you, that your demand for an apology was made with sincerity out of the pain you felt. By forgiving someone, you have killed that wrong; it no longer exists in the relationship of yourself and that person. Now of course, we all fall short of this ideal, but it seems were not willing to strive for it in the first place.

Instead, we have traded forgiveness for victory. Victory says, in response to an apology, “No, this never hurt me!” Victory spits in the face of justice, because the victor looks at the offender, and does not see someone who did something wrong, but someone who is wrong. From the victors eyes, demanding for an apology is not demanding an expression of guilt in any moral sense, but rather an expression of the consciousness of shame.

In a culture like that, what’s an apology? Nothing. People apologize without even looking into if they need to or not, because they do not confront the question of if they did something wrong, they know that even the victim will not judge them for that. Thus, we have sorry-happy people; gaining points for how sensitive they can be, apologizing to no end, afraid that they too could be labeled with such shame.

If the offender is the essence of wrongness and not the actions he or she commits, then forgiveness can never come. You can’t forgive the devil.

Perhaps your shouting now, “but… you’re, you’re blaming the victim!”

No, I am saying if you are a victim, demand that you forgive.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleSports | Monday, February 18, 2019

Page 10

SPORTS

SHSU Freshman Amber Leggett Playing Key Role

Grant Worley

BY BREANNA BIVENS Contributing Reporter The Sam Houston State University women’s basketball team has not been as successful as many of their Southland Conference foes the last couple of seasons. However, with a new coaching staff and eight new players, the Bearkats are aiming to redefine their culture and dominate the Southland Conference.

Freshman Amber Leggett is one of the key pieces leading this aspiring team to the Southland Conference Tournament.

Leggett, a forward from Navarre, Florida, traces her humble beginnings back to how she even gained the opportunity to play for SHSU. “The last coach [Brenda Welsh-Nichols] actually recruited me,” Leggett said. “It was off of my last AAU [Amateur

Athletic Union] game in the last tournament I played, so it was right before I was ineligible to play.”

Despite the instance seeming like sheer luck, Leggett was determined to bring her hard work and talent to the SHSU women’s basketball program.

Halfway through her first year competing on the collegiate level, Leggett had a potential career highlight when the Bearkats played Lamar University Jan. 26.

“I knew we were playing the number one team in the conference, and I knew it was a statement game for us,” Leggett said. “I just went hard all week in practice, and it paid off.”

Although the Bearkats lost to the Cardinals 83-72, Leggett managed to score a career high 29 points and added nine rebounds, five blocks and three steals.

“Amber is somebody that brings energy every day,” Head

Coach Ravon Justice said. “You don’t have to tell her to get excited about the game.”

Justice replaced former women’s basketball head coach Brenda Welsh-Nichols, who coached the Bearkats for 12 years. Justice knows that rebranding her team will not be easy. However, she believes that athletes like Leggett, who are passionate, positive, willing to learn and energetic about the game will help in cultivating a championship culture.

“We want a winning tradition here,” Justice said. “Changing a culture is hard unless you can have people like Amber that can come in and do it with a positive attitude every day. She’s a freshman, so she gets to lay the foundation for the next four years and what we are trying to build here.”

Though Justice credits Leggett for her unparalleled enthusiasm and great work

ethic, Leggett remembers the beginning of the season when she perhaps was not the most coachable athlete. She admitted how difficult it was for her to adjust to this culture.

“I’m not getting yelled at for as many things as I was,” Leggett said. “I’m adjusting fine, finally. It was slow at first and definitely a lot at once, but I’m here now.”

The Bearkats have quite a few games left before their Southland Conference Tournament in Katy, but Leggett’s expectations are high for her team going into the remainder of the season leading up to that defining test.

“I just feel like we’re going in the right direction right now,” Leggett said. “We’re getting into the part of our season where we should start turning things up and fixing our mistakes.”

Currently, the women are 1310 overall and 8-5 in conference play. Though Justice is proud of

Leggett for her achievements thus far, she simply wants Leggett to trust the process as they begin to go down the stretch in conference play.

“The one thing I tell her is to just take everything one step at a time,” Justice said. “She’s a freshman and the system is new to her, so she’s learning on the job. We just want her to take it day by day so she can grow.”

Leggett has helped lead the Bearkats resurgence this season.

After not making the conference tournament since 2015, the team currently sits in fifth place just a half game back of Nicholls State University and that all-important first-round bye in the first round of the conference tournament. The Bearkats and Leggett will have the chance to overtake the Colonels on Wednesday when they travel to Thibodaux, Louisiana.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleSports | Monday, February 18, 2019

Page 11

SPORTS

McLeod Looking to Lead 2019 Kats in Final Campaign

BY GABE MYERS Sports Editor Senior pitcher Lindsey McLeod is a leader of the Sam Houston State University softball team. Last season she made school history by striking out a record 222 hitters as a Bearkat.

McLeod has focused on softball for almost her entire life. She never played another sport after first picking up softball when she was five years old.

She is not only the school’s single season record holder for strikeouts, but she is also on pace to set the school’s all-time strikeout record later this year.

McLeod is currently in the top five in SHSU history in saves and top 10 in school history in wins, as well. Simply put, McLeod’s name will be engraved in the record books when she finishes her collegiate career.

In what is now her senior season, McLeod feels a bit more responsibility to take over as a leader of the team and has em-

braced that role.

“I feel like I’ve always had a natural leadership ability,” McLeod said. “I feel like it has put me in a good position just to be someone that the other girls look up to.”

Last season the Bearkats were up and down throughout Southland Conference play, going 13-14 in the regular season and limping into the tournament. When they did get to the conference tournament, though, they made their presence felt.

After defeating the University of Central Arkansas in an elimination game, the Kats beat No. 2 Stephen F. Austin State University on the second day of the tournament. The team’s hopes of making a Cinderella run through the conference tournament ended the next day when they took on Southeastern Louisiana for the second time in three days and lost 7-6 in nine innings. Despite not getting the result they wanted, McLeod was encouraged by her team’s resilience and fight during the conference tourna-

ment and is excited about this season.

“I saw a lot more competitiveness than I’ve ever seen from our team in the past,” McLeod said.

“It’s really exciting coming back from that performance last year because I know what we can do, and we’ve added even more talent going into this year.”

So far this season McLeod has been up and down. Against Texas Southern University on Wednesday, McLeod was dominant as she struck out 12 batters in just 4 2/3 innings. In her last outing, however, in the Getterman Classic championship against the University of Texas at Arlington McLeod did not have her best stuff— allowing three runs in 4 2/3 innings without a strikeout.

SHSU will be on the road until its conference opener March 8 against Northwestern State University. The team will be in San Marcos on Wednesday to take on the Texas State University Bobcats before heading to Austin on Friday for the Texas Invitational.

Ready, Set, Go! SHSU Track Gets Off the Line

BY SCOTT MORRIS Contributing Reporter

The Sam Houston State University men’s Track and Field team had a series of impressive performances to move up to 17th in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association rankings.

The Bearkats’ best ranking before this week was 26th. They are also ranked sixth in the South-Central Region and first in the Southland Conference.

The Bearkats were able

to move up behind a strong performance from sophomore Clayton Fritsch who had a pole vault jump of 18 feet 2 inches that broke the indoor school record. Fritsch is currently ranked 11th in the nation and is the only SHSU representative on the NCAA Top-20 list for Pole Vaulting.

SHSU was also able to perform this well due to record-breaking showings from several other athletes.

Senior sprinter Chris Jefferson broke a school record with a time of 20.74 seconds in the 200-meter dash and 6.65 seconds

in the 60-meter dash. This performance helped him land 10th in the national rankings.

“It felt good. I already had the records, but I really wanted to run a 6.6,” Jefferson said. “I finally did it. That was the best feeling ever.”

Freshman Jo’Vaughn Martin moved up to 19th in the rankings as well for his performance in the same race. Junior Fabian McCall broke the school record for the 60-meter hurdle with a time of 7.74 seconds and is now ranked 12th nationally.

The Kats track and field team now has only one meet left in

College Station for the Texas A&M University Twilite before competing in the Southland Indoor Championship Feb. 24-25 in Birmingham, Alabama. That meet is then followed by the last competition of the indoor track and field season at the NCAA Indoor Championship March 8-9 which will also be held in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Kats will be defending their conference title from last year when they face the rest of the Southland at the Indoor Championship.

@HoustonianSport

The Boys are Back!

BY TYLER JOSEFSEN Digital Media EIC Entering 2019 as the preseason favorite to win the Southland Conference, the Sam Houston State University baseball team has high aspirations this year.

Opening Weekend The Bearkats competed in the Rycass Classic in Florida over the weekend where they finished 2-1 against solid competition.

The Kats broke out the bats Friday as they put up double digits in a 12-7 win over Manhattan.

Senior Hunter Hearn notched a pair of home runs as he totaled four RBI’s. Freshman Colton Cowser made a splash in his first start as he picked up a couple hits including a grand slam.

Saturday’s game against Stetson was much closer, high-

Triple Threat Hayden Wesneski (left) Friday 7 1/3 inn. 1 ER, 11Ks Hunter Hearn (middle) 2018 Statistics .294 avg. 9 HR/ 39 RBI Clayton Harp (right) .323 avg. 10 2B 34 runs lighted by a dominant start from senior right-handed pitcher Hayden Wesneski, who tossed 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball while striking out 11 batters.

SHSU matched up with ACC powerhouse Virginia Tech Sunday morning and dropped a one-run contest 3-2.

Tough Early Schedule “It doesn’t get any easier from [here],” Deggs said.

As the Kats prepare for their first home game at Don Sanders Stadium against Texas Southern University, head coach Matt Deggs does not want his guys thinking about the preseason rank atop the SLC. “It’s literally one week at a time,” Deggs said.

The Kats have a difficult non-conference schedule that is in full swing. Following Tuesday’s contest, the Louisiana Rajin’ Cajuns visit Huntsville for

a three-game series Friday-Sunday.

On Feb. 26 SHSU hits the road to battle the University of Texas Longhorns in Austin before returning home to face Texas Christian University (TCU) the following evening.

The Kats will compete in the Frisco Classic March 1-3 against three solid opponents in Mississippi State, Nebraska and Texas Tech.

Gaps to Fill Every new season in college baseball means filling holes left by standout players who graduated. According to Deggs, infielder Andrew Fregia and pitcher Dakota Mills are two that are hard to replace.

To cover the offensive gap left

by Fregia, the team will look to senior veterans Hearn and Clayton Harp.

“Honestly I think it’s time

for some seniors that have done a lot of winning since they’ve been here...to step up and have the type of year they are capable of having,” Deggs said.

New Faces Defensively at shortstop, there will likely be a platoon consisting of freshmen Reese Johnson and Jackson Loftin.

According to Deggs, there are quite a few new faces that will make an immediate impact this season. He is confident about the presence of the young players in the locker room.

“I don’t think [team chemistry] is an issue,” Deggs said. “I think it’s a very tight-knit group led by a lot of older guys.”

The Bearkats have an arsenal of freshmen that are ready to compete at the collegiate level— Cowser, Loftin, pitcher Matt Dillard and infielder Diego Davila.

Freshman southpaw Steven Beard threw the ball well in an intersquad scrimmage on Feb. 12 and took the mound Sunday in Florida as he hurled a scoreless inning and 2/3. Junior transfer Cody Wolf retired 19 of 20 batters on Friday on his way to 5 1/3 shutout innings.

According to Deggs, the group of arms the Kats have heading into 2019 is the deepest he has had as a head coach at SHSU. “It’s a good staff,” Deggs said.

“It’s got a little bit of everything. There are some power arms, guys that can just pitch and some guys that trick you too. It’s going to be up to us to establish those roles and put guys in the right spots and the right time.”

SHSU takes the field Tuesday at Don Sanders Stadium against TSU at 6:30 p.m.