Wednesday
Winthrop University
August 21, 2019
Rock Hill, SC
Serving Winthrop and Rock Hill Since 1923
Riding in style
My Ride Rock Hill offers free transportation to popular areas around town. The first route opened on June 10.
Anna Sharpe/ The Johnsonian
As students flock back to campus, they are met with a new way to get around town
Winthrop University students will have a new way to get around town this year thanks to the My Ride Rock Hill bus system. My Ride Rock Hill is in partnership with the university as well as the City of Rock Hill, Piedmont Medical Center and Family Trust Federal Credit Union. The buses have four different routes: the Downtown/Knowledge Park loop, the Saluda/Heckle loop, the Cherry/Riverwalk line and the Dave Lyle/Galleria line. The Downtown/Knowledge Park loop is the closest to campus and travels around the outer edge of campus as well as near the Walk2Campus property. According to the My Ride Rock Hill website, the buses will operate between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Sundays and between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday. However, the Downtown/Knowledge Park
line will run until 9 p.m. on Saturdays. The website features an interactive map that allows users to see the routes, check what times the buses will be at which stop and even keep track of the location of the buses in real time. The buses, which are manufactured by Proterra, Inc. in Greenville, South Carolina, began the Downtown/Knowledge Park loop on June 10 while the rest of the routes began on July 1. Katie Quinn, communications manager for the City of Rock Hill, said that the My Ride buses are “all electric,” adding that they “do not even have a tail pipe” which makes them much quieter than gasoline-powered buses. “We remind pedestrians to use caution when crossing streets on the route because it can be difficult to hear the bus coming,” Quinn said. With safety on and around campus being an important issue, Quinn said
that “buses are outfitted with cameras on the inside and outside that record continuously while the vehicle is in operation. Also, drivers have radios on board to communicate directly with dispatch and police if needed. Drivers have training according to [Federal Transit Administration] guidelines, have [commercial driver’s licenses] with passenger endorsement and enforce rider guidelines to ensure a safe, comfortable ride for all riders.” The My Ride Rock Hill buses offer a number of amenities including “free Wi-Fi, mobile charge ports at each seat, infotainment screens and little mobile libraries with kids’ books,” Quinn said. Additionally, all My Ride Rock Hill buses are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, have wheelchair ramps, have priority seating that includes a securement system for wheelchairs, are equipped with “automatic voice annunciation” as well as bike racks on the front of the bus.
Looking ahead President Dan Mahony offers his hopes for the upcoming school year and shares advice to help students succeed
Do you have any specific goals for the 2019-2020 school year that you would like to see Winthrop achieve? All of our goals are outlined in the Winthrop Plan online. They continue to focus on improving the student experience and student success, increasing diversity, improving facilities, increasing facilities and many more. On Oct. 29, I will give my state of the university address and will do a more thorough review of last year’s success and our goals for this year. I encourage everyone to attend. Are there any changes that have taken place since last school year that you would likestudents to be aware of?
The My Ride free electric bus system rolled out over the summer, and the city reports that ridership has been steadily increasing. Ever since I came to Winthrop, I’ve heard from students about the need for free transportation to help get around our city, and I’m proud Winthrop is partnering to bring the buses to campus. There’s route information available online and via an app, plus there are several convenient stops on campus, so I hope students will use the new bus system and encourage others to do the same. I encourage everyone to download the app as soon as possible – I have already done that myself. After requests from the university community for changing to a removable parking permit that is not affixed to the vehicle, Winthrop is for
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Sam Ross/ The Johnsonian the first time implementing hangtags for the 2019-20 year. The hangtags will cost members of our community the same as the former decals. However, you may now register two cars per hangtag and switch the hangtag between the two vehicles. It is important to note that this new change will put more responsibility on the person who registered the vehicle to make sure she or he keeps up with the permit and displays it as required. There will be fines for individuals who register their vehicle but do not display their permit and/or park in locations
Concerning bus routes, Quinn said that the “transit hub is located on Laurel Street near Family Trust Federal Credit Union. The four routes converge there, for riders to transfer among routes.” Quinn also said that buses “only stop if it’s clear someone is waiting at the sign to get on, or if a passenger presses the stop request bar on the bus to alert the driver they want off at the next stop. Since the bus only stops when someone is waiting to get on, or a rider requests to get off, be sure to press the stop request bar on the bus before your stop so the driver knows to stop.” According to Quinn, the My Ride Rock Hill bus system has been well-received. “We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response from riders about the routes, stop locations and bus amenities. The area we receive the most compliments on is the friendliness and helpfulness of the bus drivers,” Quinn said. where they are not designated to park. There are a number of reasons for the change: privacy concerns, issues with affixing decals to some vehicles, and the convenience factor. We believe it is the right time to move to a removable parking permit and see how the new system works for our campus. Frequently asked questions about the new system are available on the Campus Police website. Our first eSports team will begin representing Winthrop this fall with [a] number of players who have been recruited by Coach Josh Sides. Ours is one of the few eSports programs in the country being played at a varsity level as part of a Division I athletics program. This is an example of what I call a destination program that will attract students to the university who would otherwise not consider Winthrop, and we should have about 14-15 new student athletes on our team enrolling in the university this fall. also the kind of innovation in our programming that is encouraged in the Winthrop Plan and will enhance the Winthrop experience.
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Opinion
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Soccer kicks off
Dear Senior
Index: News 3 | Science & Tech 5 | Sports 6 | Arts & Culture 8 | Opinion 10
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PAGE 2 theJohnsonian August 21, 2019
WU & PaintU DSU makes a splash to start Welcome Week off right with a paint party that left attendees seeing the bright side of things.
Students in the front row are sprayed with vibrant colored paints.
PaintU is the start of a week of activities to welcome students back to Winthrop.
Students enjoy each other’s company at the event.
About The Johnsonian The Johnsonian is the weekly student newspaper of Winthrop University.
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your name, major and year if you are a student; your name and title if you are a professor, or your name and profession if you are a member of the community. Letters, cartoons and columns reflect the opinion of the authors and are not necessarily the opinions of The Johnsonian Staff.
Editor-in-Chief Anna Sharpe sharpea@mytjnow.com
Sports Editor Gabby Gardner
Layout Editor Katelyn Miller
Managing Editor Assistant Sports Maggie Claytor La J’ai Reed claytorm@mytjnow.com
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Photographers Sam Ross Marisa Fields-Williams
News Editor Matt Thrift Assistant News KiKi Todman S&T Editor Savannah Scott
Assitant A&C Lauren Griffith Opinion Editor Victoria Howard
Copy Editors Casey Smith Haleigh Altman Jessica Shealy
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August 21, 2019
Meet the Student Body President and Vice President Imani Belton and Brandon Jackson introduce themselves and their future plans
At the end of last semester, Winthrop students voted for the student body president and vice president. Imani Belton, a senior integrated marketing communications major, won the election for president. Brandon Jackson, a senior business administration major, was voted in as vice president. They welcomed the class of 2023 by introducing themselves and their future plans for the student body. “My name is Imani Belton, I’m an integrated marketing communication [major] with a minor in leadership studies,” Belton said. “Before I became student body president, I worked as a peer mentor, an ASC tutor and served as a member on the LIFT planning committee. Currently, I am also a diversity peer educator.” “My name is Brandon Jackson. I’m a business administration major with a concentration in human resource management and a minor in psychology,” Jackson said. “In addition to being student body vice president, I’m a resident assistant in Richardson Hall who loves providing mentorship and guidance to fellow Winthrop Eagles.” Belton and Jackson have many plans for the future of the student body and briefly touched on a few of those goals. They both work with one main mission. “Brandon and I ran on the statement ‘Be More’ meaning we want to literally want to do and be more,” Belton said. “We want to really hone in on cross-collaboration. So many times, we’ve seen different [organizations] and departments do the same event. Why, when we can collaborate and make an event better event than expected?” “As far as goals go, we want to build more name awareness. Through the election, we all found that a large portion of students did not know what Council is and what we do,” Belton said. “For example, if you look at voter turnout versus our student population. While this was
< Mahony
Courtsey of Daisha Finley
Imani and Brandon are Winthrop’s CSL president and Vice President. They ran their compaign under the “Be More” slogan, emphasing service, excellence, diversity, community, and leadership. a record-breaking turnout, there is a portion of students we did not reach. So not only do we want to increase awareness for student government during our presidency, but for future elections and years to come. We also have a few programs in mind, so you’ll have to keep a lookout for them.” Jackson and Belton welcomed
the Class of 2023 by offering advice and encouragement. “Welcome,” Belton said. “We are so excited for the journey you are about to embark on. This is a new beginning for you, so don’t be afraid to step out of your norm. If you need any help and-or guidance, Brandon and [my] doors are always open.” “Step out of your comfort zone,”
Jackson said. “Make new friends. Invite new experiences and perspectives into your life. Make the most of your time here at Winthrop, and feel free to contact us if you have any questions, comments or concerns. I wish the best for you all, and enjoy the Winthrop University experience.”
Week I want to mention a couple of events. One is a campus safety week that is in the planning stages for Sept. 16-20 and is being coordinated by Vice President for Student Affairs Shelia Burkhalter and a cross-campus team she’s leading. We envision this to be a week of various activities to shine a light on how we can be proactive in our safety and security on campus. Residence Life already has a programming focus on this during September, but this effort will be a way to engage the entire campus community in raising awareness and providing training. It will allow us to touch on a lot of topics that have been bubbling up with students over the last semester.
We are very excited to be hosting singer/songwriter Alessia Cara on Oct. 4, and we are hoping for a big crowd. When students talk about wanting to have more shows with wide appeal and bigger name acts, we have to prove to promoters and others that our students will turn out for these events. So I hope many will attend this event. There’s a link on the homepage for more information, and a student discount code has been emailed to all students. Finally, it is not too early to mention changes that are coming with Homecoming tailgating in November. I want to note that tailgating is an important tradition that brings together students, alumni and the community, and the changes we are making will help us better manage this popular event. Last year’s tailgate attracted the largest number of participants yet, and it prompted us to look at best practices for managing the game day experience. These changes will lead to a safer and more enjoyable experience for all. More information is available on the homecoming website, and the tailgate reservation system will go live on Sept. 3.
Do you have any advice for incoming students, whether they are freshmen, transfer or non-traditional students? First, go to class, every class. Get engaged in organizations on campus and in the community. Attend a wide variety of events – there are so many to choose from including athletics, theater, musical performances, speakers and more. Take extra time to get to know the faculty and staff here. You don’t have that luxury at larger schools. Take advantage of that. Finally, spend as much time on campus as possible, and if you live on campus, don’t go home on the weekends. Seven days a week, there are exciting opportunities at Winthrop, so when you wake up every day, take a moment to decide how you can best take advantage of as many of those opportunities as possible. Is there anything else you would like the Winthrop student body to know? I’m still available for lunch in Thomson with students. Just send me an email at president@winthrop. edu. And have a fantastic semester!
from front
For a number of years, York County’s Pennies for Progress has been collecting taxes to enhance pedestrian safety along Cherry Road. Of greatest interest to our campus is the section from Oakland Avenue to Alumni Drive. Work on this project started some time back and continues this fall, as anyone can tell traveling to campus via Cherry Road. While the construction period is always a challenge, the coming transformation of Cherry Road is exciting for Winthrop. Are there any events taking place during the 2019-2020 school year that you are looking forward to? Besides Convocation and Welcome
Matt Thrift | News Editor thriftm@mytjnow.com
theJohnsonian August 21, 2019
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Chapter of the Year award: Winthrop’s Association of Black Journalists For the first time since becoming an organization on campus, Winthrop’s chapter of the National ABJ was nationally recognized as the Student Chapter of the Year. Winthrop’s chapter of the association, commonly referred to as WU ABJ, was founded in 2009 and became the first student chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists in South Carolina. Brooke Frierson, president of WU ABJ and a mass communication major, had a few things to state about the overall success of the organization and what this accomplishment meant to the group as a whole. “It was a proud moment because we had worked so hard for the past few years to make sure our chapter got recognition on campus and nationally,’’ Frierson said when asked how it felt to win Student Chapter of the Year. “I was extremely happy,” Nathaniel Frederick, associate professor of mass communication and faculty advisor to WU ABJ, said about the award for Student Chapter of the Year. Frederick has served as faculty advisor to WU ABJ for eight years. “For me, it was a culmination of all the work that those students have put in over the years from the inception of this chapter,” Frederick said. “I know how hard these students work, and I’m just so happy that they were recognized.” Frierson said that all of the major events that WU ABJ hosted helped them continue to represent themselves on campus, create a bigger name for the organization and promote professional development. “We had an etiquette dinner where we taught guests about table etiquette, business etiquette and street etiquette. The second event featured money management. Both
events included a catered dinner. We had a website workshop, a panel event featuring student athletes and sports journalists discussing topics about prominent journalists’ comments such as, ‘athletes like Lebron James should shut up and dribble,’” Frierson said. “We had a [mass communication] boot camp where professionals came and taught mini workshops to students. We also partnered with Collegiate Curls to host an event called ‘Nappy but Qualified’ which discussed about natural hair in the workplace.” Considering the accomplishments of WU ABJ, Frierson offered advice to other student organizations on how to be successful with hosting and facilitating great events. Courtsey of Brooke Frierson “I would tell other organiA decade after being founded, Winthrop’s Associatin of zations to not worry about who Black Journalsts was recently awarded Student Chapter of attends events and who doesn’t the Year. because at the end of the day, if you have a quality event, that’s an to go to the Regional Conference,” future. We also plan to continue to accomplishment for your [organiFrierson said. have similar events but to take stuzation],” Frierson said. “People at Frederick said that the local chap- dent feedback about current events Winthrop tend to only go to events to bring quality events to campus,” that are held by [organizations] with ter of the NABJ have played a major role in supporting WU ABJ and that Frierson said when asked about WU people who can do things for them, the local chapters often work closely ABJ’s future goals. not because they actually want to with the student chapters. The overall mission of the organilearn something. So do what’s best “We really could not have zation is being dedicated to teaching for your [organization].” achieved as much as we did without students’ professional skill building Frierson said that WU ABJ’s “big and networking skills. Winthrop’s sister” organization helped the group the participation of the local chapter,” Frederick said, regarding the chapter is often overshadowed by to accomplish their feat. Charlotte Area Association of Black schools such as North Carolina A&T “We are most grateful for Charand Howard University, so now that lotte Area Association of Black Jour- Journalists. “I think we will continue having Winthrop’s ABJ has won national nalists. They were super supportive events that are helpful for students Student Chapter of the Year, more and encouraging and are always and where they can learn profession- avenues are opened for the organizawilling to help us out with a panel al skill building and potentially help tion, such as entering competitions. event and mentor us. They come to them get a job or internship in the our events and even sponsored us
What’s up at Wal-Mart?
‘Public safety is paramount,’ Rock Hill Police say in the wake of violence and threats involving Walmart
Rock Hill Police are taking “proactive and preventative measures” following threats that have been made on social media against Walmart stores, according to Rock Hill Police Lieutenant Michael Chavis. Chavis said that threats have been circulating in the wake of an incident in Florida where a 26-year-old man from Winter Park made a post on Facebook that mentioned an AR-15 rifle and said that people should stay away from Walmart. Threats involving Walmart have been made in other locations including Gibsonton, Florida as well as Missouri and Texas. All of these threats and incidents come on the heels of a deadly shooting in El Paso, Texas that left 22 people dead and many others wounded. The shooter in El Paso was motivated by “hate,” “racism” and a “desire to eliminate people from the face of the Earth” said Texas governor Greg Abbott. The incident in Missouri led to charges of making a terrorist threat in the second degree for 20-year-old Dmitriy Andreychenko. He denied any connections to terrorism.
with the Marion Police Department, and while the origins of the message were unclear, they had deemed the warning to be a hoax. Chavis said that the threats made on social media have been tailored to specific Walmart stores and that police have been following up on information. All of the Walmart stores in the Rock Hill area are patrolled by law enforcement officers, Chavis said, citing their locations on three heavily-travelled roads in Rock Hill. Chavis said that some Walmart stores have begun bringing in off-duty officers in order to have extra and visible security. On Aug. 14, the Rock Hill Police Department made a post on FaceAnna Sharpe/The Johnsonain book which read, in part, “Due to Wal-Marts across the country have received threats which is recent nationwide events that have stirring up worries for freqaunt Wal-Mart shoppers. spurred social media posts we are aware of threats that are circulating “I just want people to know there The Sheriff’s Office of Marion involving Walmart. Public Safety was no evil to what I did. This was County, South Carolina recently is paramount and these threats are not a hate-inspired act. This was made a Facebook post regarding tips taken seriously.” purely innocent — the timing was they had gotten about text messages The Facebook post encouraged just so off. I would never want to which warned of possible shootings anyone who has information or hurt anyone,” Andreychenko said, at Walmart stores being circulated. tips to contact the Rock Hill Police according to Springfield, Missouri’s The post from the sheriff’s office Department. KYTV-TV. said that they had been in contact
Kiki Todman | Assistant News Editor todmank@mytjnow.com
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theJohnsonian August 21, 2019
Law's Legacy
Rachel Law, former director and creator of Eagles STEM Program, retires but leaves an impact on students at Winthrop Once an eagle, always an eagle. This past summer, Rachel Law, co-creator and director of the Eagle STEM Program, retired from her position to pursue other endeavors. But her legacy will never be forgotten. Law obtained her chemical engineering degree from West Virginia University. She was also a part of several committees including the Industrial Advisory Committee for the Department of Chemical Engineering at WVU, the Board of Trustees for York Technical College, and many diversity advocacy organizations. She was a former executive of a chemistry company for decades before pursuing the Eagle STEM Program. The Eagle STEM Program was developed in 2011 when granted funding from the National Institute of Health and Winthrop University. Thus, Law was hired to create the program from the ground up and it has been growing ever since. The program is used to help and mentor students from families with lower incomes, underrepresented groups, and first generation college students. Its goal is to help these selected students pursue graduate and doctoral degrees. The program is also used to bring like-minded students together to support and help each
Courtesy of the Eagle STEM Program Rachel Law at her retirement party. other as they pursue their STEM degree to further their success. Dr. Pat Owens, chair of the chemistry department and co-creator of the Eagle STEM program, speaks of the success since the program started, “The results have really been traumatic. We are already seeing 60% [of the students] based on the first five cohorts… have already started graduate school. The results are really impressive,” he said. Some of the students that have gone through the program are attending prestigious schools such as Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Notre Dame, and the University of California. The impact Law has made
on Winthrop will not be forgotten. “She made historical impact, there would be no Eagle STEM program without Rachel Law … in the sciences this has been the most important development at Winthrop in the last decade. It shows … you can achieve anything at Winthrop … She put Winthrop on the national map,” Owens said. Since Law has stepped down from her position, Amanda Cavin, new director of the Eagle STEM Program, has taken over. Cavin is an alumni of Winthrop and a Rock Hill native. She has a bachelor’s degree of science in early childhood education and two master’s degrees in literacy and special education.
Her goal as the new director is to, “support these students. Our Eagle STEM scholars… have the smarts and the skills to succeed in a program like this. I want to be here to provide support. It’s solely our job in [our] office to make sure our … scholars have the skills they need to succeed,” Cavin said. Cavin explains the legacy Law has left and what she hopes to do for the program, “Rachel Law has done an amazing job getting this program initially off the ground and managing it since 2011. For nine years, she did an amazing job growing this program. I hope to continue that success Rachel has started,” she said. In the future, Owens would like to see the program grow into an even bigger success, “We would long-term like to at least double the size of the program … [have] external funding for scholarships … This is a national need and this is the only program in the Carolinas that does this … We would like to see people not in the program have similar opportunities,” he said.
Here are some things you can do to prevent less location and advertising tracking on your iPhone: Go to settings on your phone > go to privacy > click on analytics > turn off iPhone and watch analytics and iCloud analytics Go back to privacy > click on locations > click on system services > click on significant locations > turn off significant locations Go back to privacy > click on locations > click on system services > turn off everything on the page you find unnecessary that is tracking your location
Garnet and Gold: Let’s Go Green
Due to issues of climate change, students should be more aware of how they can lessen their carbon footprint Gweneshia Wadlington
$20 or less, prices reasonable on a student budget, for products that can ultimately There is an increased save money in the long run. amount of landfill waste When it comes to causing a rise in carbon recycling, there can be a mixdioxide levels in the up of what can and cannot be atmosphere. Methane, a recycled. Here’s a list of some greenhouse gas like carbon common things that cannot be dioxide, is also released recycled: hand soap dispenser from these landfills and is a pumps, coffee bags, used contributor to climate change. tissues, greasy pizza boxes, There are a few ways mirrors, and pots and pans. students can lessen their There are many locations carbon footprint on campus on campus to recycle. Within and, effectively, around the each dorm room, there are one globe. to two red or blue recycling Students can start by using bins for recycling plastics and reusable straws, utensils paper. These bins should be and water bottles, as well as located in each room either by recycling items in bins located the entrance or under a desk/ on campus. bed. In the residence halls According to Eric Goldstein, there are also recycling rooms creator of the Natural on each floor that have larger Resources Defense Council, bins for paper and plastic, in “Plastic straws are a first-class which the smaller bins from litter and pollution problem.” Sam Ross/ The Johnsonian the individual dorm rooms Straws are recyclable, can be emptied. There are also however, because of their Options for recycling are available all over campus many recycling bins throughout size and shape they can the majority of the other buildings cause operation problems landfill pollution and keep our is so important to support this on campus, just look around and at recycling centers. sea critters safe? One new and movement, “I think reusable they can be found. Consequently, most straws are For more information about thrown in landfills and, once there, trending solution is using reusable straws are a great idea for the or paper straws. This ensures a sustainability of the earth. In my being sustainable and recycling take over two hundred years to decreased number in plastic straw opinion, this is a great first step on campus contact Chris Johnson, decompose. consumption. to begin the process of sustaining Winthrop’s campus facilities Sometimes this landfill Danielle Walker, sophomore fine the planet. But I think we can do a sustainability coordinator. trash will end up in the ocean arts major, agrees that reusable little more than just changing the causing problems to the sea life, metal straws are a step in the type of straws we use,” she said. especifically turtles. Turtles see right direction, “It’s better for the You can find and purchase the plastic straws and, believing environment and can save you reusable straws and other items they are food, will try to eat them. money … or be put to better use from a variety of places, including As a result, straws are likely to get recycling,” she said. Amazon, Etsy, Target, and stuck in turtles’ noses, making it Beneshia Wadlington, senior Walmart. Typically retailers sell difficult for them to breathe. biology major, talks of why it these eco-friendly products for What can we do to reduce
staff writer
Savannah Scott | Science & Technology Editor scotts@mytjnow.com
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SPORTS theJohnsonian August 21, 2019
EAGLE OF THEWEEK
Colby Thorn
Celebrating the achievements of our Winthrop Eagle of the week on the Winthrop Track and Field team Joseph Calamia staff writer When it comes to athletes and their accomplishments, it’s a remarkable feat to reach a milestone in their career that allows an athlete to be proud of their skills and strive to reach new heights. According to Winthrop Athletics, senior exercise science major and Winthrop Men’s Track and Field athlete Colby Thorn was voted the Men’s Field Athlete of the Year by the Big South Conference for his efforts in the 2019 NCAA Track and Field East Preliminaries. One of his feats at the preliminaries was his personal best record of 7.48 cm in the long jump. Although he was voted the title long after the track and field season was finished, Thorn was honored to receive the award. “I was actually very surprised when I received the award because I didn’t know about it until the middle of June, a few weeks after my season ended. I was very happy and honored to receive it,” Thorn said. Thorn recalled the training the team went through, which started in September 2018 before the season began in spring 2019 and later ended in late May/early June. “We train hard five days a week on the track and lift in the weight room three days a week. We focus on staying in shape as well as getting as fast and strong as possible,” Thorn said. Raised in Warner Robins, Georgia and attending school in Macon,
Photo provided by Winthrop Athletic Colby Thorn jumps hurdles as he competes for track and field Thorn was drawn to track and field two years then quit to focus on after trying out other sports and he basketball, until eventually picking made new friends as a part of the track back up my junior year,” said track team. Thorn. “In the 6th grade I had some Upon coming to Winthrop friends that ran track and I figured University, Thorn was surprised I would try something new. I not just at the athletic facilities that participated in track and field for were provided, but with how close
the student athletes were in training and the challenges it provided at meets. “Winthrop is not a very big school, but all of our teams compete against some of the biggest schools in the nation. I feel we were like a family at Winthrop, where at a bigger school you may not know many people on the other teams,” Thorn said. Another aspect that surprised Thorn about Winthrop University was how Winthrop Athletics encourages its student athletes to get involved with the local community in multiple ways. “Winthrop Athletics has partnered with different organizations such as Samaritans Feet and Habitat for Humanity. On the track team we visit the elderly a few times each semester at the retirement home and hang out with them playing games and even pool volleyball,” Thorn said. With the upcoming track and field season next semester, Thorn has a few personal goals that seek to push himself. “My first goal is to make it to indoor nationals. To do that I have to be ranked in the top 16 long jumpers in the nation. My next goal is to make it to outdoor nationals in June in Austin, Texas. One really big goal that I have is to compete at the 2020 Olympic Trials in Oregon at the end of June. The top 3 finishers at that meet earn a spot on the 2020 USA Olympic Team,” Thorn said.
Hardware for the Home Team
Zunich represents Australia and Winthrop in taking home the bronze medal. La J’ai Reed assistant sports editor At age 11, Kyle Zunic made the decision to chase his athletic dreams on the basketball court instead of on the rugby field. This summer Zunic had the opportunity to extend his basketball résumé during the 30th Summer Universiade, staged in Italy. Summer Universiade is a multisport event held every two years, featuring student athletes from around the globe. During the two weeks of play, Zunic suited up as a member of Australia’s Emerging Boomers. Zunic was one of 12 roster players who came from colleges
across Australia and the United States to participate with the team. “It was great representing my country, and it was also not just my country, I was representing Winthrop as well,” Zunic said. Zunic has been a member of the Winthrop men’s basketball program for two years. According to Winthrop Athletics, he has scored a total of 436 points while playing for Winthrop. While having a sharp shot, Zunic noted that his role this summer did not focus on scoring. “I started at point guard, so my role was just to get the team organized and make sure everyone knew what plays were going on, making sure that we all were on the same page,” Zunic said.
Throughout his career Zunic has suited up for four Australian teams. With time, he has been exposed to many different sides of basketball, and notes that there are differences between playing in the United States and Australia. “It’s pretty different. In Australia there’s a lot more moving the ball and playing team basketball,” Zunic said. “Whereas there’s a lot of oneon-one play in America, which I’ve gotten used to now.” Even with the differences, Zunic still learned a lot throughout the tournament. He thanks his overseas coaches and opponents for showing him new facets of the game that he will be able to add to his skill set. It was pretty cool to understand all the different types of percentages coaches go through, and now that a player knows that, it will be good for me to spread that knowledge to others,” Zunic said. Along with
learning more about the statistics of basketball, Zunic also got a taste of what it was like playing with professionals. “Professionals played against me, and it was just crazy to see how physical they were and how quick they were,” Zunic said. Zunic noted physicality as something he is looking forward to bringing to Winthrop Coliseum in the upcoming season. “Showing the boys that we can get better physically is a big thing,” Zunic said. Zunic notes his play in Australia as a major part of his development as a basketball player. He credits the coaches he had in Australia for the strides he has made on the basketball court. “Australian basketball is amazing to play, and it really helped me with my development to my junior career and to get me where I am today,” Zunic said. At the conclusion of the Boomers’ play, they received bronze medals, falling to Ukraine in the semi-finals. Despite not winning the gold medal, Zunic was joyous to have received some hardware to bring home. “I was overcome with joy and it was a crazy experience stepping onto the podium,” Zunic said. “It was a lot of pride for my country and for the coaches that coached, it was an unbelievable experience.”
Photo provided by Winthrop Athletics
Gabby Gardner | Sports Editor gardnerg@mytjnow.com
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theJohnsonian
August 10, 2019
Our goal is stopping yours Winthrop Eagles kick off season with high goals and good intentions
Gabby Gardner gardnerg@mytjnow.com As our Winthrop Eagles await kickoff, much work is being put in to prepare for this moment. With over 70 percent of our student athletes making Presidential Honor Roll this past year, four being soccer Eagles, the players are extremely hard at work on and off of the field. Megan Loveland being one of those players to make Honor Roll said, “I’ve learned a whole new level of discipline and commitment, as well as time management. In playing soccer at a college level it has kept me very active and is a great outlet during a stressful day of school.” Not only do our Eagles continue to take pride on the field, but our players take pride off of the field as well. Izzy Barton, junior midfielder, talks about her experience being a student athlete at Winthrop. “Playing for the school has been a great experience, it’s affected me in such a positive light. I’ve made such great friends and have a great support system from the
athletic department. We are student athletes so obviously school comes first, and my coaches really show their appreciation with how well we do in school,” Barton said. The Women’s team suffered from a couple of injuries last season. Five critical players including, forwards Morrison Trnavsky and Aylssa Fernadez , goalkeeper Cammie Kaminski, and midfielder Kendall Claxton, were out for the season due to injuries. This close knit group is ready to take this season head-on, now having all of their players fully recovered. Lulu Jennings, midfielder and one of the injured from last year, is back to 100 percent and ready to get back on the field to accomplish the team’s biggest goal of the season, to secure the Big South title. “Last year I suffered a season ending injury and this past August I got fully cleared. So to be able to play with my teammates again is something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time,” Jennings said. Likewise, the Men’s Soccer team is gearing up for the season, eager to come back better than last season.
Andres Carvajal, senior midfielder, from Caracas, Venezuela, said, “The team has a lot of talent that wasn’t utilized last season. This time we are much more united as a team in every aspect, and that is going to be reflected in the results.” The team arrives on campus earlier than the normal move-in date for many students, which allows the team the opportunity to spend more focused time getting to know each other. In doing so, this time spent together unites the team mentally and physically before the start of the season. “The preseason has been very beneficial. We have done a lot of conditioning and games that are really helping us get to know each other as much as possible before the season starts. We are getting in our best shape, anxiously waiting for the beginning of the season,” Carvajal said. One of the goals this year for the men’s team is preparing to stop their opponents and allow for less scoring against them this season. The Eagles are planning tactics to be more put together and working as a unit offensively and
Jogvan Jacobsen and Miles Rapp plan their next move to bring a victory back to Winthrop.
Women’s Upcoming Schedule: Aug. 25 @1PM vs. Davidson Aug. 31 @6PM vs. Wofford
defensively. Senior forward, Marc Carreras, plans on playing every game like it is his last, putting in his full effort and playing until the last whistle. “We are working both fitness and tactics so we know which moves to play depending on the game’s situation and I’m sure the results will come,” Carreras said. The annual Big South Conference preseason men’s soccer poll was released, which has Winthrop voted seventh for the 2019 season. Winthrop was 4-11-0 overall and 3-5 in the Big South in 2018 and returns nine players that started at least eight games. In addition to the nine starters the team has a total of 15 players returning that played at least seven games. The 2018 season ended on a high note with a 4-1 victory over Longwood. The Eagles will kick off the season soon, with back to back home games. The Eagles need your support. Come out and show your school spirit at Eagle Field.
Photos provided by Winthrop Athletics
Men’s Upcoming Schedule: Aug. 24 @7PM Exhibition vs. Appalachian State Sept. 8 @7PM vs. Furman
Howdy new neighbor Panthers build a new training facility in Rock Hill
Gweneshia Wadlington staff writer The Carolina Panthers have been established in North Carolina since October 26, 1993. Since then, they have represented both North and South Carolina as a whole, although their facilities were exclusively in North Carolina. Now they have closed the gap by establishing a practice facility and headquarters here in Rock Hill, SC. This new establishment will create many job opportunities and multimillion dollar investments for the surrounding area. It should also increase scouting in the area for student football players who would like to go professional. Rock Hill and its Panthers fans came out to welcome and be a part of the special moment when the new practice facility was announced. Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys was one of the first to welcome the Panthers, telling Panthers owner David Tepper, “Welcome to Rock Hill, we’re glad to have you”, according to The Herald. Tepper told fans that by bringing people “down to this region,” it would create a “sense of excellence not only up there for the football team, but everything we do here in Rock Hill.” The more than 200 acre property is set along I-77 between Cherry Road and Dave Lyle Boulevard. The practice facility is set to receive $115 million worth of
financial incentives, including tax breaks. Rock Hill businessman and South Carolina State Representative Gary Simrill calls Rock Hill, Football City USA for the many different talents produced here. “Now we have the crowning jewel of being Football City USA because the Panthers are coming here. Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived,” Simrill said, according to The Herald. People seem very excited for the new ‘mantra of success’ making its way to Rock Hill, SC. And it’s not just politicians. Students here at Winthrop are looking forward to the Panthers practice facility being near to campus. Kiana Todman, senior political science major stated, ”I’m pretty excited about it because it’s nice to see SC get to have a piece of the Panthers here, considering we share the team.” Sophomore early education major, Sydney Tisdale stated, “I think it’s a great way to bring Charlotte
and Rock Hill together. With the two being so close to one another but in different states it can sometimes feel as if us Panther admirers aren’t a part of the community. Adding this establishment to the town of Rock Hill, in my opinion, will make us a part of the ‘Panther Pack’.” Biology major Seth Merritt said, “I think that it’s really cool and allows a chance for Winthrop students, residents of Rock Hill and nearby towns like Fort Mill to get a closer look into what the Panthers do when they aren’t playing a game.” Senior biology major Beneshia Wadlington said, “I think this new facility is very exciting for both Winthrop students and
Panthers fans. It will definitely add more excitement to the area.” Sneed Middle School teacher Sallie Folk stated, “the first year the Panthers played in the league they didn’t have a field to play on, so they played at Clemson University [our sister college].” Now the Carolina Panthers are returning some of their presence to South Carolina, this time near Winthrop University. Be sure to check out the new facilities for the Carolina Panthers football team, now serving both North and South Carolina.
Elizabeth Talbert/ The Johnsonian
Gabby Gardner | Sports Editor gardnerg@mytjnow.com
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Augst 21, 2019
Welcome week preview A preview of Winthrop’s 2019 Welcome Week events
After a long, hot summer of relaxation and fun, Winthrop has prepared a fun week of activities to make the transition to school easier. Welcome week brings an exciting week, and the events lined up for this year are sure to spark a huge turnout and heighten the anticipation and excitement for the 20192020 school year.
Bollywood Fever
This event is something that Winthrop has never done before. On Aug. 17, Bollywood Fever immersed Winthrop with an important aspect of South Asian culture. Winthrop booked the worldwide traveling dance troupe “Bollywood Touch,” who brought a splash of color and positivity to Tillman Auditorium to kick off the semester.
Paint U
Paint parties have been a wildly popular part of the Winthrop Welcome Week tradition for a few years now, and this year’s “Paint U” on August 18th was no exception. With high energy dance music and non-toxic paint, this paint party was a unique event for students to bring friends and make a few more.
Convocation and WU hacks
The annual Winthrop Convocation and Picnic took place on Aug. 19 at the Coliseum, offering arts and crafts this year. After paying homage to the ageold Convocation tradition and learning about the awesome organizations and ways to get involved
around campus, students were able to make their own phone stand or name art. The WU Hacks panel was presented by DSU to answer any and all questions about Winthrop and campus life.
Hypnotist
One of the most attended Winthrop events is the hypnotist. This year, Chris Jones will be putting on an energetic and riveting show on Aug. 21 at 8:00 p.m. in Tillman Auditorium.
Live Music
Singer and songwriter Levi Stephens will be performing on Aug. 22 at 8:00 p.m. in the amphitheater. Guests can expect songs such as “When I’m Rich”, “Sorry for the Pain,” and “I Love You.” This artist will
bring a unique pop sound to Winthrop’s campus.
West Fest
West Fest is a newer Welcome Week activity that brings DSU and Recreational Services together in an evening of physical fun activities. These will include games, sports, yoga classes, and a chance to get to know the West Center better. West Fest will be in the West Center at 9:00 p.m.
Avengers Endgame
Last on the list of Welcome Week activities is a screening of the box office hit “Avengers: Endgame.” If you never got to see this in theaters or are a fan, check out the movie in Dina’s Place on Aug. 24 at 7:00 p.m.
Winthrop catches Bollywood Fever A New to Winthrop Event showcasing the style of a Film Industry to outshine Hollywood The first event for Winthrop University’s Welcome Week was Bollywood Fever, a cultural event that introduced Winthrop students to the world of Hindi film industry and Bollywood. The performance was hosted by the DiGiorgio Student Union on Aug. 17 at 8P.M. at Tillman Auditorium and was open to both new and returning students showcasing a variety of South Asian dance styles. DSU Performing Arts Chair Emerald Cabanilla commented that this event was a unique event not for the DSU, but to the university in terms of cultural events. “We’ve never had a Bollywood cultural event at Winthrop University before,” said Cabanilla. DSU Member and senior Biology major Niya James
explained how the DSU was focused on expanding on the cultural events that will be open to students this year, hoping to focus on more experiences. “For most of DSU’s cultural events, we look to cover societal culture events and more diverse, ethnic cultural events,” said James. DSU member and junior Middle Level Education major Ray Davis explained how they reached out to the group, Bollywood Touch, to expose the students to something new and spark curiosity about Bollywood musicals when it comes to planning Welcome Week this year. “We have an essential part of the Welcome Week planning process,” said Davis. “We wanted to do something different and bring some culture on campus.” Bollywood Touch Founder Monica Desai was excited to share with Winthrop students about Bollywood
culture, noting how Bollywood is the largest movie industry in the world and how films focus on songs that can make or break a movie to its audience. “Bollywood movies are put on like full blown musicals” said Desai, “There are musical numbers in these movies so a song and dance go along with it.” With the variety of dance styles such as Bollywood and Fusion, the program incorporated multiple songs that ranged from Bollywood songs to pop songs that use English lyrics. This shows how Bollywood culture is becoming more mainstream to countries around the world. “In today’s age, there is a lot happening in Bollywood that relates to American media and film,” said Desai. “I love the educational portion of the show, as we are showing people a taste of India.” One of the notable performances of the event was the Bharatanatyam style
dances, which focused on the dancers using their faces and traditional music to tell a story. “[That style] depicts multiple stories of Hinduism in dance” said Desai, “It used to be done in temples, but now it’s done in Bollywood movies.” For the finale, multiple students were brought to the stage to learn Bollywood dance techniques for the final performance of the night. The enthusiasm of the students on stage showed a new interest in learning and exploring more about Bollywood. “I hope they will develop an interest in Bollywood as you don’t get to hear on the radio,” said Cabanilla. “I am thrilled that Winthrop University gave us this opportunity to come here and share our culture with the students; they will take away an appreciation of this style of music,” said Desai.
Alessia Cara is coming
Grammy nominated artist to perform at Winthrop Winthrop has a special guest on the way, and her performance is sure to go down in WU history. Popular artist Alessia Cara will be performing at the Winthrop Coliseum on Friday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. This event will precede Winthrop Family Day on Oct. 5. Students may receive access to a discount for tickets using a code sent to their Winthrop email address. Alessia Cara accepted the Grammy for “Best New Artist ” in 2018. She has climbed the musical charts since 2015 when her groundbreaking hit “Here” hit radio stations worldwide, topping multiple charts and selling over 3 million copies. Cara has since released hits such as “Scars to
Your Beautiful,” “Wild Things,” and “How Far I’ll Go” from Disney’s Moana. She has been featured in collaborative tunes such as “Stay” with Zedd and “1-800-273-8255” with Logic. Her recent summer anthem “Ready” has seen great success, as well. Cara is known for breaking boundaries and singing about things that many pop artists do not. Her music is thought of as inspirational to many. For example, at the 2017 VMA’S, Cara transformed from portraying a glamorous celebrity to herself in a realistic form while singing “Scars to Your Beautiful.” Fans can expect to hear music from Cara’s albums “Know-It-
Laura Munson | A&C Editor munsonl@mytjnow.com
All” and “Growing Pains” as well as new music from the EP “This Summer,” which will be released on Sept. 6. Cara will be stopping at Winthrop University after opening for Shawn Mendes on “Shawn Mendes: the Tour.” The Rock Hill show will also take place prior to her Oct. 21 kick off of “The Pains of Growing Tour” in Boston. Winthrop University is in store for a raw and real performance from the pop artist to kick off the school year.
Tickets are still available at ticketreturn. com.
theJohnsonian
Staff Writer
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April 10, 2019
The King has returned
Review of Disney’s the Lion King Live action remake
Recently Disney remade one of its classic films that some would say is the greatest Disney movie ever made, “The Lion King.” The remake was released on July 19 and included lots of familiar faces like Donald Glover voicing Simba, Beyonce voicing Nala, James Earl Jones returning to voice Mufasa and many others. The live action remake of “The Lion King” retold the same story, while making a few changes. The story begins with the very familiar and anticipated African serenade that the internet was buzzing about. Many retweeted and shared a popular post that spoke from a generational stand point. The post said “If y’all first NAAAA don’t hit right, I’m leaving the theater.” Young Simba, voiced by JD McCrary, is christened next in line for the throne and showered with love from all of his subjects except one jealous, spiteful lion, his uncle Scar, voiced by Chitwetel Ejiofor. Like the original story, Simba still has love for his uncle despite Scar’s hidden hatred. Simba disobeys his father, taking Nala to an elephant graveyard while Zazu, voiced by John Oliver, chaperones. Mufasa’s death
was recreated in what some are calling “high definition” and made audiences emotional all over again. Once Simba learns to “Hakuna Matata,” life is great. Then he learns that the once thriving pride land has become a hyena wasteland. He rejects the call to the throne until meeting Rafiki, voiced by John Kano. He runs back to reclaim the throne after a battle that brings hope and life back to the pride lands. Many 1994 “Lion King” fans were eager to relive the scenes that made them laugh and cry, only to find they had been excluded or changed, such as the infamous scene where the hyenas, originally voiced by Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, and Jim Cummings, make each other tremble by saying Mufasa’s name multiple times. In the remake, the more serious hyenas are voiced by Florence Kasumba, KeeganMichael Key, and Eric Andre. A famous song that was replaced was when Pumba, voiced by Seth Rogen, and Timon, voiced by Billy Eichner, had to cause a distraction. Instead of singing about how Pumba was ‘a hunk of fat and juicy meat,’ the pair sang a small
portion of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast “Be Our Guest.” A change occurred when Zazu was cornered in Pride Rock’s lion’s den. Instead of Pumba saying, “Did he just call me a pig? They call me Mr. Pig,” he delivers a speech saying he does not tolerate bullying from anyone. Personally, I enjoyed reliving the story. Everything ‘hit right,’ earning the approval nod from me. Although certain phrases were excluded and some of the songs were updated, overall, I give it a 10/10. I may have enjoyed Beyonce’s single from the soundtrack the most, but I’m not the only one who enjoyed it. Senior Biology major, Beneshia Wadlington said, “It made my childhood self happy.” As amazing as the movie was to some, others liked it but the original will always hold a special place in their hearts. Senior business administration major, Taylor Todman says, “While it was nice to see one of my childhood favorites being redone, it won’t hold a candle to the original in my eyes.” “I got all nostalgic watching it because I feel like we’ve really come full circle
here. I remember watching it when I was little, and I kind of forgot how sad it was! I also was getting so nostalgic in the movie theater, because I remember being a little kid watching it, and now I’m a senior in college watching it again,” said Téa Franco, senior mass communication major. Although some were in love and others just liked it, there were some that didn’t like the live action theme. “My feelings about “The Lion King” are that by going all National Geographic with the animation, they lost personality in the faces. It became less about loving the characters and more about showing off Disney’s animation skills,” said Shelby Emanuele, junior integrated marketing communication major. No matter the opinion of all viewers, whether it be an approving nod, an “ok” hand tremble, or a “no way Jose” head shake, everyone can agree that it was a must-see movie. Be sure to catch Disney’s “The Lion King” live-action remake in theaters now.
Anna Sharpe/The Johnsonain
Shakespeare Carolina comes to Winthrop There’s an old saying that “the play’s the thing,” and that saying is true regardless of the environment that it is performed in, and the subject matter. Nothing speaks volumes to that more than the plays and verses of William Shakespeare. One of the upcoming events at Winthrop University is Shakespeare Carolina’s performance at the Winthrop Amphitheater near the DiGiorgio Student Center. The company will perform Cryano, which is an adaptation based off of the 1897 play Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand. The performance will run from Aug. 29 to 31 with additional performances from Sept. 5 to 7. Director and member of
Shakespeare Carolina Chris O’Neill chose this story for its subject matter and is eager to see how audiences will enjoy the production. “We chose the play because it’s funny, and we’ve chosen an adaptation that the audience would find entertaining and humorous,” said O’Neill. Cyrano centers around a talented swordsman and poet named Cyrano, who thinks that his gigantic nose would hinder any romance with the beautiful Roxanne. He forms an alliance with a tongue-tied cadet to communicate to and eventually compete for Roxanne’s affection. “In the situations of the play, Cyrano is kind of using
Christian as a proxy to express his feelings toward Roxanne,” said O’Neill. The play has been adapted numerous times throughout multiple media such as the 1945 film “Love Letters,” the 2012 Disney Channel original movie “Let It Shine,” as well as an opera conducted in French that is performed to this day and has multiple DVD recordings. The selection of this play shows how timeless works can be, and the thrills it has in store for audience members. “I think that emotions haven’t changed much in two or three hundred years, it’s a physical comedy with sword fighting and we’re doing it a comedic clown like way,” says
O’Neill. With a cast of five in multiple roles and an open theater environment, audience members from on campus and around Rock Hill will find the play to be expressive and entertaining as the open theater can help impact one’s viewing experience. “If you’ve never experienced a play at an amphitheater, it certainly beats being in a stuffy theater.” Tickets for Cyrano are available on Shakespeare Carolina’s website through Brown Paper Tickets or upfront at the Winthrop Amphitheater. General Admission Tickets are $5 while tickets for students are $2.
Lauren Griffith | Assistant A&C Editor griffithl@mytjnow.com
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OPINION
theJohnsonian
August 21, 2019
How to make the most out of Dorm life You don’t have to have a horror story when it comes to living in a dorm.
Elizabeth Talbert/ The Johnsonian
Victoria Howard Howardv@mytjnow.com Entering your first year in a dorm is intimidating. You’re suddenly living with someone that you are completely unfamiliar with, in a small room with bathrooms that never quite feel clean. Don’t freak out too much though. There are ways to make sure that you can make the most out of your time in Winthrop’s dorms. Make friends with the people on your hall. Leave your door open or host a game night with Uno or Cards Against Humanity so you and your hallmates can get to know each other. These are the people that you will be seeing constantly and there is nothing better than being able to walk down the hall, knock on a door and see one of your best friends. Utilize hall kitchens. You might
have a meal plan, but if you ask any upperclassman, they’ll tell you that DiGs and Thomson get boring and you’ll start to miss home cooking. If you can’t afford to buy a bunch of pots and pans, connect with your hallmates. See if other people would like to pitch in and then share them. Not only will you have amazing food, but you’ll be connecting to the people around you. Always keep open communication with your roommate. Don’t leave passive-aggressive notes about going to sleep earlier or cleaning the bathroom, as this will only affect you negatively and make your living situation uncomfortable. Being open is hard and uncomfortable, but once the doors to that communication are unlocked, you and your roommate can be honest all the time and not feel guilty for expressing feelings.
Be sure to connect with your RA. RAs aren’t only there to keep you following the rules. They also want to offer you support and be your friend. Don’t forget that they’re students too and that they have experienced a lot of the same fears and issues you might be facing and have learned how to deal with it. They’re trained to know almost everything about the campus, so ask them questions and even if they don’t know the answers, they most likely know someone that does. Organize, organize, organize. Keep your dorm room organized with drawers and bins. If your space is a mess, it will start to feel like everything else is a mess. Get a planner. Trying to keep your dates straight in your head without writing them down is only going to confuse you. Set yourself up for success by organizing your space and your schedule so you can have an amazing
semester. Finally, learn when to say no. Being in college is overwhelming for a lot of reasons. On top of your schoolwork, you’re probably getting involved in clubs and making new friends. All of these things add up and if you spread yourself too thin you will start to feel like you aren’t succeeding with any of it. Learn when you need some time alone to relax with some ice cream and Netflix. It’s hard to say no, especially when you feel like you’ll be missing out on something, but taking care of yourself should be your first priority. Living on campus doesn’t have to be as scary as you might’ve heard. Learning how to balance your life in a dorm will be a challenging process, but finding that sweet spot will help you get the most out of your time at Winthrop.
Dear Senior
Questions asked by freshman, answered by someone who has been through it all. What is something you did to handle your stress? -Noel Owens For me personally, when I get overwhelmed I make a list categorizing the things I have to do by the priority in which they need to get done. Then I put the list away and go for a walk. Lucky for us, Winthrop is a beautiful campus and there are plenty of nice relaxing places to walk, or I even sometimes go off campus to Winthrop Lake or to downtown Rock Hill. After I take my walk, I go back and work on the list, little by little, taking breaks to eat or call my mom. Another thing you could do would be to talk to your parents or friends about how you are feeling. Sometimes talking about your stress makes you realize how manageable things really are. The biggest thing is to just remember that things will be okay and that you can get through it. Don’t get discouraged. How do you make time for a job, homework, class and a social life? - Julia Koolstra Time management is challenging when you start college, especially when you add a job on top of all of your other responsibilities. When I was a freshman, I worked four jobs just to make sure I could pay my tuition. One thing I think you should do when looking for a job is to consider an on-campus job. This will help you balance
Elizabeth Talbert/ The Johnsonian things because your commute is literally the walk from your dorm to whichever building you work in, and on-campus jobs fully understand your commitment to being a student, and therefore are flexible with your schedule. I currently work
Victoria Howard | Opinion Editor howardv@mytjnow.com
as a desk host in Roddey Hall, and it’s a great job because I am able to do my homework while I work. Another way to create balance is to find ways to combine your homework and social life. Have study groups with your friends, go
to the library together, or go to the park to do homework. But at the end of the day, make sure that the workload you are putting on yourself is manageable. If you are taking 18 credit hours, and working 30 hours a week, and trying to spend time with your friends, you aren’t going to do very well in any area of your life. It’s much better to cut down your responsibilities to keep your sanity; you will do much better in handling your relationships, your classes and your job. It might be hard to find that balance at first, but the more you work at it, the easier it will become until it’s like second nature to you. How do you keep yourself from wanting to go home every weekend? -Nicole Weiss It’s easy to feel homesick and want to go back home where you are comfortable, but just keep in mind that when you go home every weekend, you are missing out on some of the best parts of your college experience. The best way to get yourself to stay on campus during the weekend is to get involved. Winthrop has over 180 organizations and clubs that you can get involved with, and you could even make your own. The more involved you are on campus, the more likely you are to make friends and grow roots in the Winthrop and Rock Hill communities, which will make you want to stay at Winthrop during as many weekends as possible.
theJohnsonian
August 21, 2019
Hearts do Break around Here
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As an Ed Sheeran fan, I’m sad to report that Ed’s new album is disappointing at best and bordering on atrocious at worst. Téa Franco staff writer Ed Sheeran has written the soundtrack for my life since I was 14 years old. Besides One Direction, Sheeran was the only musician I cared about as a teen. I could often be found gushing over the ginger singer, even telling people that I would listen to him sing about his grocery list. Even as I made it into my late teens and outgrew One Direction, I still had a place in my heart for Sheeran -- a huge place. Just a year ago, I paid some big bucks to see him in concert. I am divulging all of this information to preface the painful thing I am about to say: Ed Sheeran’s new album is bad. For the uninitiated, Sheeran released an EP in 2011 entitled No. 5 Collaborations Project. This was his fifth EP, and he decided to collaborate with other artists similar in fame to him at the time (read: completely unknown, especially to an American audience). The EP is not one of his most famous works, however, extremely dedicated fans of Sheeran love it, and Sheeran often stated his love for making it, leading him to come up with the concept of his new album: No. 6 Collaborations Project. He did the same thing; he collaborated with artists that were similar in fame to him (read: wildly famous and rich). I was so excited when I heard the news, especially since I loved No. 5 so much, and as songs started being released on the radio
I got even more excited. First, he released ‘I Don’t Care,’ featuring Justin Bieber. I have never been a fan of Bieber, but the song was extremely catchy and all about being antisocial, so I thought it was great. Then, ‘Beautiful People’ was released featuring Khalid, an artist I like, and the song met all of my expectations. Khalid’s and Sheeran’s voices just make sense together, and the message behind the song, the idea that just because someone isn’t considered to have traditional Hollywood beauty and grace, doesn’t mean they can’t live a beautiful life surrounded by love and happiness. So when the album dropped, I was ready to be blown away. My expectations were high, maybe a little too high. I am sad to say, I was extremely disappointed by the rest of the album. Some of the songs were just okay, others were horrendous. You’d think Sheeran and a star-studded cast of features would create some exquisite pop music, but a lot of the songs seemed poorly planned, written and executed. The song that stood out as being the absolute worst song in the album was ‘South of the Border,’ featuring Cardi B and Camila Cabello, two Latina superstars. The song relies on the extended sexual innuendo of going “south of the border,” which is already enough to make someone cringe, but to make matters worse, Sheeran tries his hand at speaking Spanish. To be fair, Sheeran has tried his hand at speaking Spanish before in his song ‘Barcelona,’ but I gave that one a
pass because it seemed more like a sweet gesture of him trying to learn the language while visiting a new country, but in ‘South of the Border,’ Sheeran very creepily says “te amo, mami,” in the most British way imaginable, and I get a little nauseous every time I think about it. Another song that struck me immediately as bad was ‘Take Me Back to London,’ featuring Stormzy, a British rapper who is probably the least famous artist on the album. This seemed to pay a bit of homage to No. 5 collaborations, but it felt completely inauthentic. Sheeran seemed like he was trying to seem like a hardened rapper and it fell pretty flat. In a lot of his old work, he did a lot of rapping and I always enjoyed it, but that was because you could hear his unique spin on the genre that worked with the type of music he was good at, but this seems like such a divergence of who he is, and not in a good way. To me, No. 6 Collaborations Project fell flat of what Sheeran’s
Courtesy of edsheeran.com fans were expecting. It seems he spent more time trying to fit in as many collaborations with as many big name artists as possible that he forgot what should be, and what has always been, at the heart of his music and that is his impeccable ability to show the world his full authentic self through his music, without giving a care in the world what people think of him as long as he was making art he was passionate about. No. 6 Collaborations Project does not seem like an authentic piece of Sheeran’s art, but a gimmicky album meant to revive his popularity after the hype of his last album wore off.
What makes you most excited about moving into Winthrop? Move in day from the perspective of new students
Sequioa Durant “Meeting new people in a new environment and starting the next chapter of my life.”
Diane Hoagland “Probably just getting away from home for a while.”
Spencer Best “I’m just excited for school.”
Kierra McCall “My independance and getting away from my family... I’m actually transferring from FDTC (Florence-Darlington Technical College) so I’m really excited to finally be on campus and not have to commute every day to class.”
Barrin Davis “Seeing anything other than where I’m from honestly.”
Nia Graham “Definitely making new friends and beginning my future.”
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theJohnsonian
August 21, 2019
...but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not our skill set.
The Johnonian is looking for graphic designers. Contact talberte@mytjnow.com for more information.