Volume85Issue10

M THE MANEATER The student voice of MU since 1955

POLITICS

Vol. 85, Issue 10

www.themaneater.com

Oct. 24, 2018

Major Garrett’s homecoming

Pi Sigma Alpha hosts Garrett for discussion of new book

The chief White House correspondent for CBS News spoke about his book, Trump’s presidency and the state of journalism.

LAURA EVANS

Reporter

Major Garrett, chief White House correspondent for CBS News, appeared on Thursday at an event hosted by Pi Sigma Alpha, MU’s Political Science Honor Society.

At 7 p.m., students, faculty and members of the general public gathered in the Rhynsburger Theatre to hear Garrett speak and answer questions about his recently released book, “Mr. Trump’s Wild Ride.” Following this, there was a book signing in the lobby area outside of the theater.

Garrett graduated from MU in 1984 with bachelor’s degrees in journalism and political science.

Because of Garrett’s ties to MU political science and his participation in previous events with the department, Bill Horner, director of undergraduate studies for the political science department and faculty advisor of Pi Sigma Alpha, was able to organize the event by reaching out to Garrett via email.

“I had already read the book,” Horner said.

“I knew it was a compelling piece of work. I’ve talked to Major on a lot of occasions, and he is a compelling, interesting person to listen to, so it seemed to me that as long as we could get the word out and get a crowd, it would turn out really well.”

Laura Miserez, junior and dual degree in journalism and political science, moderated the

Major Garrett came to MU on Oct. 18, 2018, and spoke about his new book “Mr. Trump’s Wild Ride.” | COURTESY OF TWITTER VIA @MIZZOUAANDS

event, asking eight questions to Garrett before the audience got a chance to pose their own questions.

Though Miserez was initially reluctant to take on this role due to a fear of public speaking, her desire to meet and get to know Garrett eventually won out over her fear.

RESIDENCE HALLS

LINA SIMPKINS

Reporter

MU officially dedicated the Lucile Bluford and George C. Brooks residence halls and the Gus. T. Ridgel Atrium with a ceremony in the courtyard between Bluford and Brooks residence halls on Oct. 19.

The event, honoring the three African-American

MAJOR |Page 4

AWARENESS

MU dedicates buildings to three AfricanAmerican pioneers of acceptance on campus As a part of Homecoming celebrations, MU recognizes the legacy of the historically marginalized African-American community on campus.

“Dr. Horner asked me if I wanted to moderate about a month ago and I originally said no because I was so nervous,” Miserez said. “I didn’t want to be in front of people, but then I figured that I would regret it someday if I didn’t.”

trailblazers who impacted MU’s legacy, occured in conjunction with Homecoming and the 50th anniversary celebration of the Legion of Black Collegians.

Bluford, Brooks and Ridgel’s dedication ceremony kicked off with tours of the residence halls and concluded with speeches recognizing the accomplishments of the honorees.

An hour before the official remarks began, the Solidarity Walk, organized by members of Four Front Marginalized Student Council and LBC, made its way across campus to show support for MU’s historically marginalized students.

“This is what democracy looks like,” said the crowd as they marched toward the dedication ceremony.

Chancellor Alexander

Cartwright opened the event by acknowledging the hard work of the student leaders and staff who persevered through a four-year process to make the dedication possible. He also introduced the late George C. Brooks and Lucile Bluford’s families who were in attendance.

“Lucile Bluford, Dr. Gus Ridgel, and George C. Brooks all challenged the status quo,” Cartwright said during his address. “Their actions have had a profound impact on our history and their respective legacies have helped Mizzou foster an inclusive environment that challenges us all to strive for excellence.”

The Residence Hall

HALL |Page 4

Walk the Walk immerses students into harsh reality of dealing with sexual violence Attendees were immersed into the stories of fictional sexual assault victims at the RSVP Center’s event.

BEN SCOTT

Reporter

MU students communed at the Women’s Center on Oct. 16 to participate in Walk the Walk, an event aimed to increase awareness about relationship abuse and sexual assault. Divided into groups of four, students followed an assigned fictional character’s experience dealing with sexual violence.

With the given characters in mind, participants walked from station to station, choosing which decisions their character made throughout the story.

Everytime the character went through a traumatizing experience, the organizers encouraged students to collect a Band-Aid to symbolize it.

At the end, they would count how many Band-Aids they gathered.

“This exercise leaves the participant with a better understanding of the true complexity of sexual violence and the lasting impact it has on the survivor and their

WALK |Page 4

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T H E M A N E AT E R | N E W S | OCTOBER 24, 2018

INSIDE THIS

PAGE 10 PAGE 13

Missouri looks forward to a hopeful SEC Tournament after a 2-0 win over Florida.

Amy Parris uses her fashion industry experience in the College of Engineering.

THE MANEATER The Student Voice of MU since 1955

Vol. 85, Issue 10 G210 Student Center • Columbia, MO 65211 573.882.5500 (phone) • 573.882.5550 (fax) editors@themaneater.com www.themaneater.com

Twitter: @themaneater Instagram: @themaneater Snapchat: @the.maneater facebook.com/themaneaterMU The Maneater is the official student publication of the University of Missouri and operates independently of the university, student government, the School of Journalism and any other campus entity. All text, photos, graphics and other content are property of The Maneater and may not be reproduced without permission. The views and opinions expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the University of Missouri or the MU Student Publications Board.

“If my DJ ex-boyfriend literally murdered someone I would still take him back.”

Reporters for The Maneater are required to offer verification of all quotes for each source. If you notice an inaccuracy in one of our stories, please contact us via phone or email.

Editor-in-Chief Skyler Rossi Managing Editor Stephi Smith Production Coordinator Corey Hadfield Copy Chiefs Kaitlyn Hoevelmann Anne Clinkenbeard News Editors Morgan Smith Caitlyn Rosen

MOVE Editors Alexandra Sharp Siena DeBolt Visuals Director Hannah Kirchwehm Designers Sara Marquardt Elizabeth Ustinov Emily Mann Isaiah Valdivia Marisa Whitaker Mia Scaturro Sara Stroup

Sports Editor Bennett Durando

Social Media Editor

Online Development Editor Joshua Thompson

Adviser Becky Diehl

Opinion Editor Tatyana Monnay

Madi Winfield

Online this week:

Read about the induction of new alumni into the 2018 Mizzou Hall of Fame, the 2018 Missouri Honor Medal recipients and more at themaneater.com CLASSES

POLITICS

MU professor teaches eightweek ASL community courses

The Briefing: Recent study finds higher voting likelihood for students who watched debate The study, conducted by an MU political organization, found that students who watched the latest U.S. Senate debate in Missouri are more likely to vote in the upcoming midterm elections.

ETHAN BROWN

Staff Writer

Sign language for “A. S. L.” | GRAPHIC COURTESY OF PIXABY

The courses are a costeffective alternative to college classes at $100.

EMILY WOLF

Staff Writer

Stephanie Logan was 23 years old when she lost her hearing.

It was unexpected— Logan, who had complete hearing up to that moment, had contracted bacterial meningitis. A combination of the medication and high fever caused complete hearing loss. They say

the best way to learn a language is through immersion- for Logan, deafness and American Sign Language had become her country.

“I had studied German, French, Spanish,” Logan said. “I loved languages. But I would’ve never learned American Sign Language.

It was not in my personality. Sign language is so visual, a lot of moving your body and I was pretty reserved.”

ASL is 90 to 95 percent body language and facial expression and 5 to 10 percent the actual signs.

“What a Deaf person is expressing visually in ASL is similar to how

hearing individuals express themselves with their intonation,” she said.

Now, Logan is helping others learn the language that has become a vital part of her life. After learning ASL at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., she finished her education at her original college, the University of Georgia, with the help of an interpreter. Speech therapy helped her regain the ability to speak and now, her fluency in both English and ASL allows her to bridge the gap

ASL |Page 5

CAMPAIGN

Stop the Bleed program hopes to save lives on campus Stop the Bleed is a national program with the goal of making campuses across the country safer.

WICKER PERLIS

Reporter

The national Stop the Bleed program has been a part of MU’s campus health initiative for 3 years now, giving people training on how to do more in situations where lives are at risk due to blood loss.

The stated goals are clear, to train as many people as possible to offer first aid in situations where people have been injured and are losing blood. In addition to training, the program equips campuses with kits

to distribute in public places that can be used by trained bystanders to slow or stop bleeding.

Stop the Bleed was developed by the American College of Surgeons and the White House in 2015 and has rapidly spread across the country.

Kassie Rebbecca Campbell, the director of Stop the Bleed at MU, said the program is vitally important to saving lives.

“Trauma is the leading cause of death in individuals under 50,” Campbell said. “Hemorrhage[s and] blood loss from these traumas account for 40 percent of these deaths. By teaching individuals how to ‘Stop the Bleed,’ we can save lives.”

She said not only is it vitally important nationwide, but it’s a

program that is badly needed here in central Missouri and MU is the ideal location to base it out of.

“As the only level 1 trauma center in mid-Missouri, accredited by the American College of Surgeons, this training is essential to rural Missouri.” Campbell said.

Those who have undertaken the training said it is extremely useful and not as time consuming as some might think.

“It only took 30 minutes and was very informative. The people teaching it did a very good job,” freshman Connor Clary, who took the training during Welcome Week, said.

One concern among the organizers is the number of people on campus

Students who watched the second of three debates for Missouri’s closest Senate race on Oct. 18 may have more motivation to cast their ballots on Election Day. The likelihood of a student voting rose by 10 percent if they watched the Oct. 17 debate between Democratic incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill and Republican Josh Hawley, the attorney general of Missouri, according to an MU Political Communication Institute survey of 70 MU students.

The race for Missouri’s U.S. Senate seat is viewed as one of the more highly-contested races this November. Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election analysis organization, rates the race as “tossup” on its website.

The survey’s results, which were announced by the MU News Bureau Oct. 19, also found that the individual candidates both gained support from students who watched the debate.

The likelihood that a surveyed student would support Hawley rose by 18 percent, while McCaskill saw a gain of 15 percent. Hawley’s support of 48 percent outnumbered McCaskill’s 36 percent.

The PCI conducts research on political campaigns and races in hopes of increasing civic engagement, according to its website.

The study, which was conducted before and after the debate, asked students how likely they were to vote, who they would support and who they believe performed best.

The last election for a U.S. Senate seat in Missouri was in 2016, when Republican incumbent Roy Blunt defeated Democrat Jason Kander by 2.8 percent, according to the Missouri secretary of state’s website.

McCaskill and Hawley will compete in a third debate Oct. 25 in Kansas City, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Election Day is Nov. 6, and Missouri voters can find their voting information on the Missouri secretary of state’s website.

Edited by Caitlyn Rosen crosen@themaneater.com

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MAJOR continued from page 1

Miserez was able to appreciate the event’s importance for both disciplines that she studies.

“Because I’m in journalism, I want the audience to take away that good journalists still exist and they’re still doing good work,” Miserez said. “Also, I think it’s important to take away that, whether you like or hate Trump, a lot of the stuff that is different now because of him is going to stick around and so it’ll be about deciding how as a country we’re going to react to that.”

A central goal of “Mr. Trump’s Wild Ride” is to anticipate what from the first 18 months of Trump’s presidency will be most important in the long run.

“There is a point in the book somewhat early on where I say the great challenge is answering the question with certainty, ‘Am I really focusing on what matters?’” Garrett said. “That’s the goal of the book. When you say these are the things that are going to matter five or ten years from now, are you going to be right about that? Just because I say it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true. It’s my best analysis.”

Because of his current role as White House correspondent in addition to his over 30 years of covering four different presidencies, Horner said that Garrett has a unique perspective on Trump’s actions as president thus far.

“I think he offers a unique position,” Horner said. “He is at the White House every day. So,

HALL continued from page 1

Association’s President Nathan Dare spoke in recognition of Bluford’s legacy. Bluford, a journalist who dedicated 70 years of her life to the prominent black newspaper the Kansas City Call, applied and was accepted to MU’s graduate journalism program in 1939, only to be denied entry after university officials learned that she was a person of color.

Bluford sued the university in 1941 and won her case in the Missouri Supreme Court. However, she was unable to attend MU due to its temporary closure to graduate students during World War II. MU awarded Bluford an honorary doctorate in 1989. ”Seeing these buildings dedicated to Brooks and Bluford is an acknowledgment that our campus doesn’t always do a good enough job of recognizing marginalized groups,” Dare said.

“Naming buildings after them is brick and mortar proof that we recognize that they were trendsetters and trailblazers for this university and makes sure that their legacy lives on.”

Kelsie Wilkins, LBC president, shared the story

WALK continued from page 1

loved ones,” Liz McCune, associate director of the MU News Bureau, said.

Walk the Walk covered a variety of topics such as the legal repercussions, emotional impact and frustrating bureaucratic process assault victims experience. One station in the activity exposed participants to rape kits doctors use on victims to garner evidence. Some steps include plucking head and pubic hair, fingernail scrapings and swabbing various body parts for bodily fluids like blood, semen and saliva.

One of the organizers at the event mentioned that rape kits often stick with the students long after Walk the Walk.

Currently, the Missouri Attorney General office sits on over 5,000 unprocessed rape kits, despite receiving a near $3 million grant to process and track the kits, the Columbia Missourian reported

he’s got a perspective that not very many have.

He has really lived and breathed the Trump administration from campaign time to presidency.

I think that he gives an insight that is valuable.”

“Mr. Trump’s Wild Ride” is Garrett’s fourth book. However, unlike the previous three, Garrett worked his day job at CBS while developing the book and only had a combined period of about two and a half weeks off to commit himself solely to book writing.

“That’s no amount of time to properly under normal circumstances write a book, but these are abnormal times and the book writing process was in every way abnormal,” Garrett said. “The only way I can compare it in a way that The Maneater audience might appreciate it is it’s like three midterms a day for 12 weeks in a row. That’s my best way of sort of giving some sense of the enormity and the pressure.”

The book starts with a prologue titled “What I Should Have Learned,” where Garrett breaks down the first words that Trump spoke to him and reflects on what he wished he had understood from them. With this choice, Garrett wanted to be forthcoming with his own fallibility as a journalist.

“I wanted to make sure that anyone who might be curious about this story knew that I was coming to them as a journalist eating some of my own crow and saying I missed some things and I should have been smarter than I was,” Garrett said. “I tried to approach my readers with a sense of accountability and humility because if they don’t believe I have either one of those things, I don’t think we can have a relatable conversation, and every writer wants to have a relatable of Dr. Ridgel and his continued impact on the university. Following a lawsuit in 1950 against the university, Ridgel became MU’s first black student to earn a graduate degree. His determination has paved the way for many students of color over the years, Wilkins said.

“I think having these buildings named after people within the black community… and having the history of them placed within the buildings will help students that don’t look like the majority [at MU] understand that there is a home for them here,” Wilkins said. “People have done it before, which means they can do it too and people will continue to thrive in the future.”

The final speaker, LeAnn Stroupe, director of visitor relations and member of the 1989 inaugural class of George C. Brooks Scholars, spoke about the life changing effect the Brooks Scholarship had on her time at MU and continues to have on students of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups to this day.

“As an alumnus looking back on my collegiate experience, I am truly thankful for the opportunities that were afforded to me because I was a Brook scholar,” Stroupe said. “I can honestly say my experience on campus would have been very different.”

The dedication concluded with an announcement

by Dare that Bluford and Brooks residence halls

conversation with his or her reader.”

In his talk, Garrett emphasized his pursuit of focusing on the important over the interesting in his book.

“There’s a tremendous fascination, and it’s not misdirected, about all the fractiousness inside the White House and the rivalries and the contentiousness, and that’s interesting,” Garrett said. “But along with that comes this sense that nothing’s happening, and that’s not true. That’s not the only story.”

According to Garrett, he tried to emulate the principles that he learned at the MU School of Journalism in his book.

“My only aspiration as a graduate of the school is to live up to what I learned here, and I’m very proud of my book in that sense,” Garrett said. “I believe it is the embodiment of everything I’ve learned here: to be neutral, to be curious, to be creative, to keep an eye on every aspect of the story, to not get in the way of someone’s own reaction to it, to be a fair and credible arbiter of what happened and stay out of the way of what should or shouldn’t have.”

To both the audience of his book and the audience of his talk, Garrett emphasized a message of optimism.

“I’d like people to take away that the arc of journalism and the arc of democracy is long,” Garrett said. “As turbulent as these times feel, we’ve had worse, much worse. We’ve had hard times, but we’re a strong and capable people.

Don’t lose hope.”

Edited by Morgan Smith mosmith@themaneater.com

The crowd applauds after a speech to dedicate Lucile Bluford and George C. Brooks residence halls along with the Gus. T. Ridgel Atrium on Oct. 19, 2018. | COURTESY OF FACEBOOK VIA @MIZZOURESLIFE

had been awarded the Platinum LEED certification, a globally recognized symbol of sustainability in building design.

Edited by Caitlyn Rosen crosen@themaneater.com

on Oct. 1.

According to a 2015 study on sexual assault on the MU campus, “30.8 percent of MU’s senior females have been victims of nonconsensual sexual contact The Women’s Center at MU hosts many events including the Walk the Walk event held on Oct. 16, 2018. i n v o l v i n g | COURTESY OF WOMEN’S CENTER MIZZOU physical force or incapacitation.”

“One of the initiatives of the RSVP Center is the Since the study, MU has made a concerted Green Dot Bystander Intervention Program, which effort to curb that number, implementing policies helps people learn about sexual violence and how such as Citizenship@Mizzou and required Title IX to help prevent it from occurring...Immersion online training.

The Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention events like this are just one of many types of Center, the organization behind the event, aims to opportunities to engage in learning about powerbring awareness to sexual violence issues through based personal violence,” McCune said.

Edited by Caitlyn Rosen their Green Dot program and events like Walk the Walk. crosen@themaneater.com

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T H E M A N E AT E R | N E W S | OCTOBER 24, 2018

ASL

Continued from page 3 with those who’d like to learn ASL. Logan has worked as the executive director of DeafLEAD, a non profit agency whose purpose is to provide 24 hour crisis intervention, advocacy, interpreting and mental health services to deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, for 23 years.

She offers five eight-week ASL classes every year, which are open to anyone interested in learning.

“Since the beginning of time, [the classes] have been $100, I’ve never really changed the rate,” Logan said. “They meet once a week, I have Tuesday and Thursday beginner classes and people are able to interchange those classes.”

The beginner classes meet from 5:45 p.m. to 7 p.m and the intermediate/advanced class meets Thursdays from 7:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Additionally, Logan teaches as an ASL professor at MU, but her community classes offer a much cheaper introduction into the language. The community classes are also lower stakes- Logan teaches in both ASL and English, in order to ease any anxiety her students may have about learning such a extroverted language.

“If someone takes my beginning class and they have no sign language experience, I recommend they take the beginning class two times, because it helps them get a real foundation for the signs they

BLEED

Continued from page 3

who have yet to participate in the training.

“There are 125 kits distributed around campus, and over 30,000 students, faculty and staff. Our goal is to train 50 percent of these individuals in the next two years,” Campbell said.

learn in that class,” Logan said. “After two times, they have to go to the next class. I have folks all the time that start out in my eight week class, then take my university class because they figure out they have a real interest in the language.”

People from all walks of life come to DeafLEAD to learn ASL. Motivations vary, as do prior skill levels.

“I am the property manager of the apartment community [by the DeafLEAD office],” Camaron Nielsen, one of Logan’s advanced students said.

“One of my residents moved over here from Ethiopia with his family. He is a deaf individual, but he didn’t have any language, spoken or signed language, nothing.”

Despite not knowing any formal language, Nielsen said he was one of the best communicators she’d ever met.

“He started coming here and taking classes at DeafLEAD and actually learning ASL,” Nielsen continued. “It was very cool to see the way his face would light up being able to sign and really communicate with people in a way that he hadn’t before. I started taking classes here to be able to better communicate with him.”

The classes are also useful as refresher courses for individuals who are already familiar with the language. Logan said that for some people, it becomes like a book club, something they do to keep their toes in the water and their signing skills up.

“My college roommate’s best friend was deaf, so she was always over signing. She had a cochlear

implant, so I could talk to her and she could read lips, but it was helpful when I knew how to sign back to her, so I learned a lot from her,” advanced student Ashleigh Herrin said. “I graduated two years ago, and it’s been a while so I just wanted to get back into it. These community classes are super helpful.”

Logan uses a variety of activities to keep the classes new and interesting. One of these activities is tactile signing, the method used to communicate with deaf-blind individuals.

“It’s a very unique experience,” advanced student James Cutts said. “The way we’ve done it, one person is a deaf-blind individual, and the other is signing. The deaf-blind individual is either blindfolded or keeps their eyes closed.”

ASL in general is much more physical than spoken language, but advanced student Cynthia Fennewald said tactile signing requires crossing touch boundaries that are very firm in American culture.

“It’s unexpectedly intimate, because you’re touching the person’s hands for an extended period of time,” Cutts said. “It is very challenging, and makes me feel as though I’m just starting to learn ASL from the ground up every time we do it.

I know a couple people who are deaf-blind, and it’s interesting to practice with them, but also as a practice in empathy, because for them, this isn’t just an exercise they do every once in a while. It’s what every day is like for them.”

Edited by Morgan Smith mosmith@themaneater.com

could be extremely useful for other students and

missouri.edu or by calling her at (573) 884-6381.

members of the university community.

“I think more people should do it because if you learn how to stop bleeding it can save someone’s life,” he said.

As far as how the university will reach their goal of training half of the students on campus, Campbell said spreading the word is the easiest way to get people in the door and trained.

“Encouraging

your

organization,

fraternity, employer, class, club or group of friends to get trained will help us reach our goal,” Campbell said. “It only takes 3 to 5 minutes for a person to bleed to death from an arterial bleed so, providing this education empowers the bystander to help save a life while waiting for emergency responders to arrive.”

However, just over 2,000 people have been

Anyone who would like to participate in Stop

trained in the last three years, Campbell said. Clary

the Bleed training should sign up by emailing

Edited by Morgan Smith

understands that the training he went through

Kassie Rebecca Campbell at campbellkr@health.

mosmith@themaneater.com

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sorority,

6

PARADE

Observer’s perspective of annual Homecoming Parade Students watching the annual MU parade felt the event’s atmosphere was exciting and exceeded their expectations.

ALLISON SAWYER

Staff Writer

MU held its annual Homecoming Parade on campus and in downtown Columbia on Oct. 20.

Students felt that the event’s atmosphere exceeded their expectations in both the parade’s execution as well as the spirit of the community.

This year’s theme was “board games.” MU’s Greek life community spent several weeks creating floats based on the theme and showcased them in the parade.

Charlotte Reynolds, a freshman at Illinois Central College, was impressed by the quality of the floats at the event.

“I intentionally came to visit my friend this weekend because I’ve heard that Homecoming is a really big deal here,” Reynolds said. “And I really liked getting to see all the game floats because I had heard students talking about theirs just last night so I was eager to see what the outcome

would be. A lot of them were really well done and you can just tell that a lot of time and effort was spent putting these floats together.”

MU freshman Taryn Fogarty also felt the best part of the event was getting to see the floats and how they related to the previous night’s skits.

“I went to the skits last night so it was interesting to see how they incorporated their game from the skit, forming into a float,” Fogarty said.

Fogarty believed MU’s sense of community enhanced the overall atmosphere.

“I thought the parade was really cool, especially because it wasn’t just like the Mizzou students that were there but rather the entire Columbia community came out to see it,” Fogarty said. “It was neat to see all the different organizations that are in Columbia and not just for the Mizzou campus.”

Reynolds was surprised by the variety shown in the parade as well as the wide span of people who attended the event. Reynolds saw floats ranging between Congress members campaigning to several different high schools representing themselves.

Coming from a smaller school that doesn’t have a homecoming, Reynolds was surprised by the large turn out.

“To see people making such a big deal out of

something that doesn’t even exist at my college was really interesting and surprising to see,” Reynolds said. “Lots of people showed up, significantly more than I thought would and I didn’t even get to see all of the downtown area, so I can’t imagine what that was like.”

Reynolds felt the parade was executed in such a way that it pleased her even more than she had previously expected it to.

“The parade actually exceeded my expectations.

I thought it was really nice and there was a lot going on, but it was very well put together,” Reynolds said.

Fogarty felt the event was light-hearted as a result of many young kids and dogs at the event to support MU. “I thought it was really cute because there were so many little kids dressed up in tiger apparel, except for this one kid who was dressed as a shark, and there were a lot of dogs, so it was just a really adorable atmosphere,” Fogarty said.

In addition to the thousands of children at the parade, there were thousands of others including students, alumni and members of the Columbia community who all came out to watch the event.

Edited by Alexandra Sharp asharp@themaneater.com

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SCHEDULE

Upperclassmen advice about schedule selection for spring semester Between doing it all on your own and utilizing every resource, MU upperclassmen give their approaches on how to best build a manageable class schedule.

MADELEINE BUNTEN

Staff Writer

Schedule selection can be a confusing process for freshmen, especially when different requirements come into play. There are so many questions about what professors are best, which electives to take and how much of a workload a class actually has. While advisers are always available for student questions, MU upperclassmen can also be helpful to turn to for advice because each of them have their own tips and tricks on how to best complete schedule selection.

One approach taken by

many upperclassmen is to do it on their own. They pick their classes based on what sounds interesting while keeping requirements in mind. While not the most planned-out approach, it is one that has worked for many people.

“I don’t really utilize my adviser and I enroll two days before the semester starts,” senior Quinn Godding said.

“It sounds weird, but I do this and am a 3.8 GPA student, so I have to be doing something right.”

Others take the exact opposite approach and prefer more extensive planning in order to balance workloads and extracurriculars.

“My biggest tip is to not overload yourself,” junior Catherine Hoffman said.

“It can be easy to just go by requirements, but a lot of classes can clash as far as times and workloads.

Advisers are great to talk to because they know how to build a schedule and which classes best fit together. It’s also a good idea to take

into consideration which extracurriculars you’ll be joining or continuing with in the spring.”

A happy medium in between these two very different views is to just trust assigned academic advisers and meet with them to come up with a spring semester plan.

“I recommend meeting with your adviser and discussing your classes before you register,” junior Cara Lawlor said. “The worst possible situation is not fulfilling major requirements and pushing back your graduation date.”

No matter which approach is best, it is also important for freshmen to remember that before class registration for spring semester can occur, all holds must be removed from the one’s student account. Students can check this by logging into MyZou and searching “holds” in the search bar in the grey menu box.

Edited by Alexandra Sharp asharp@themaneater.com

GRAPHIC BY DESIGNER ELIZABETH USTINOV

FILM

‘The Eyeslicer’ brings DIY filmmaking to The Ragtag An online film anthology brings a unique sense of Halloween charm to Ragtag.

BEN WICHE

Reporter

Ragtag Cinema hosted Producer Dan Schoenbrun on Oct. 21 as he displayed his and Vanessa McDowell’s latest work of DIY terror, “The Eyeslicer Halloween Special.” The special was the first completed episode of the second season of the duo’s online anthology TV show, “The Eyeslicer,” and was shown for one night only as part of a national tour.

Before the show, Schoenbrun introduced himself and expressed his gratitude at being back at the Ragtag. He and McDowell had previously hosted a show to promote the first season of “The Eyeslicer” last year. “‘The Eyeslicer” was born out of a desire to create an audience for generally experimental, transgressive, exciting stuff,” Schoenbrun said. “We wanted to not just highlight but build a home for that kind of cinema.”

After this brief introduction, the film

began, or the first one at least. Every episode of “The Eyeslicer” is an anthology composed of multiple short films by various directors intermixed with wraparound segments, meaning you could be watching a person’s hand transform into a crow, and then a documentary on the use of bathtubs in horror films. The only thing connecting these two shorts together is another short, or wraparound, featuring a den of witches warning you to watch your back.

While it sounds a bit chaotic, “The Eyeslicer” Halloween Special worked because the shorts themselves were expressions of morbid creativity and because many of them focused on the same two themes. Either they were critical of women’s typical roles in horror films or they investigated the idea of escaping repeating spaces, with characters literally being stuck in the same old stories over and over again.

The crowd loved it, and were at different times laughing and clutching each other in terror. Afterwords, Schoenbrun hosted a Q&A and showcased “The Eyeslicer” merch, which included a DIY magazine that contained links to secret online short films as well as a few copies

A still from “The Eyeslicer Halloween Special,” shown at Ragtag Cinema on Oct. 21, 2018. | COURTESY OF THEEYESLICER.COM

of the special on VHS. Many of the viewers were curious about the future of “The Eyeslicer.”

“We’re currently working on season two and we’ve commisioned about 15-20 original pieces, which we’re now reviewing,” Schoenbrun said. “What’s different is that now, instead of funding a few new works and asking a few directors to showcase existing works for exposure, we are able to pay everyone

who makes a movie for Eyeslicer.”

This funding has come both through successful Kickstarter campaigns, where fans fund the eventual release, and through Meow Wolf, a DIY art collective in New Mexico. “[Meow Wolf] found us on Kickstarter and gave us $10,000, which at the time I was convinced it was fraud,” Schoenbrun said. “They’re sort of our Big Brother now.”

After the showing, the crowd was abuzz with admiration for “The Eyeslicer.” Only about four of the 25 people who saw the film had watched any of “The Eyeslicer” before. These new viewers became a part of this new “home” for indie filmmaking and proved that if you give most filmmakers a chance, they can make something that people enjoy.

Edited by Alexandra Sharp asharp@themaneater.com

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FILM

‘The Old Man & the Gun’ is charming tribute to Robert Redford David Lowery’s heartfelt new film is a throwback to New Hollywood cinema, but also offers a beautiful, melancholic portrayal of getting older.

JOE CROSS

Columnist

“Here are all the times I broke out,” the affable bank robber Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford) casually remarks towards the end of David Lowery’s remarkable new film “The Old Man & the Gun.” What follows is one of the most emotionally-stirring scenes in recent memory, as a montage of Tucker’s various escapes from prison, some carefully coordinated, others more spontaneous, over the past 40 years plays.

It’s an unbelievably beautiful moment in a film full of them, and plays like a greatest hits montage for Redford’s entire career in a film that serves as a perfect send-off for the retiring actor.

It’s easy to be skeptical any time a veteran actor announces his next role will be his last. Just last year it was hard to take even the most capital-S ‘Serious’ actor, Sir Daniel Day-Lewis, at face value when he announced that “Phantom Thread” would be his final on-screen appearance.

Whereas that film (whose story was partly conceived

by Day-Lewis) reckoned with the toxic nature of obsessive artists like its star and main character, Lowery’s film does the exact opposite, offering a simple, loving tribute to Robert Redford and the films that made him a movie star in the first place.

More than a movie about a genial, unexpectedly beloved criminal, it’s also about how legends like Tucker, and Redford himself, are born.

The premise of “The Old Man & the Gun” admittedly veers dangerously close to the kind of filler Hollywood regurgitates year after year— the genre of ‘elderly men doing dangerous things’ featured in already longforgotten movies like “Last Vegas” and “Just Getting Started.” A true story of gentle, aging bank robbers seems like ideal material for a pleasant-but-forgettable biopic, yet Lowery’s film rises above the trappings of its genre because it doesn’t condescend towards its subject. It never has characters spout cliches like “age is just a number,” instead opting to offer genuine insight into growing old and the process of deciding how to make the best of the time you have left.

The film doesn’t quite let its protagonist off the hook as easily as some would have you believe, though. All of Forrest Tucker’s heists follow the same formula: Go into the bank dressed nicely, politely

ask to see the manager and leave quietly with the stolen money. Yet for his peaceful policies and benevolent demeanor, the movie smartly recognizes that he is, after all, a criminal, and his refusal to sacrifice what is ultimately a hobby to him for a family isn’t something to be admired. It may get lost in the low-stakes charm of it all for some, but I found the film to be deeply moving and quietly very sad in the end.

Thanks to the gorgeous cinematography from Joe Anderson, the film, set in 1981, really looks like something that could’ve come from the New Hollywood era it pays homage to in a multitude of ways. Lowery, whose career has consisted of a minimalist western, a surprisingly soulful live-action Disney remake, an experimental indie about grief and now a quiet, generous heist film, is beginning to resemble the kind of varied and prolific filmmakers of that era like Robert Altman. Lowery’s co-opting of Altman’s style here is more than just a neat gimmick to add authenticity to his period piece; instead, it feels thematically in keeping with the film’s longing for the past and its mourning of the end of an era.

A well-rounded and likable cast also separates the film from others with similar premises. Redford is terrific as ever, and his portrayal of Tucker is remarkably understated and subtle. Sissy Spacek is just as wonderful as

A still of Robert Redford in the “The Old Man & the Gun,” a true story about the criminal Forrest Tucker. | COURTESY OF IMDB

Redford’s love interest Jewel, and gives considerable depth to a somewhat underwritten character. Her melancholic performance elevates the character from the ‘concerned wife’ archetype, one that “First Man” has recently come under fire for, into a real person with hopes and fears of her own, whose existence isn’t defined entirely by her connection to the main character.

Unfortunately, however, Casey Affleck’s casting is one of the few places the film slips up – not only does the actor feel somewhat miscast as the worn-out, mustachioed detective John Hunt, but the fact that his appearance in a major awards-season contender comes so uncomfortably soon after the advent of the #MeToo movement isn’t exactly easy to overlook. It’s extremely

frustrating, especially so in a film that’s otherwise so carefully and lovingly crafted.

In a season where so many of the expected tentpole releases like the aforementioned “First Man” are failing to register with audiences, it’s completely baffling that such an obvious crowd-pleaser like “The Old Man & the Gun” is barely getting a wide release. Its sincerity and willingness to be unabashedly sentimental are welcome traits that current movies could use more of, and it’s the rare film that’s a testament to the power of movies without ever feeling indulgent or out of touch.

It may not be perfect, but like its protagonist, it’s so charming that you can’t help but root for it.

Edited by Siena DeBolt sdebolt@themaneater.com

HALLOWEEN

Five Halloween costumes inspired by pop culture Here are five costumes inspired by this year’s music, television and movies that are bound to make an appearance this Halloween.

JENNIFER SOMERS

Columnist

Halloween is the only night of the year when it is socially acceptable to take on an entirely different identity, often more exaggerated, than your own. While some stick to the stereotypical costumes of “sexy” animals or occupations every year, others go outside of the box and make references to the prevailing music, television and movies that distinguished the current year from those prior. Here are five recognizable, pop

culture-inspired Halloween costumes that are sure to bring life to every party.

1. Tonya Harding “I, Tonya,” a biopic of Tonya Harding, gained the attention of audiences and the Academy Awards earlier this year. The film told the story of Harding (played by actress Margot Robbie), a famous figure skater who broke records and became a household name before her ex-husband went behind her back to injure her competitor, Nancy Kerrigan, in 1994 – an action that would ban Harding from the U.S. Figure Skating Association for life. Costume depictions of Harding are sure to include a sequined leotard, skater skirt, white boots or sneakers and heavy-handed, ‘80s-style blush. Cruder outfits might also brandish a baton-like weapon.

2. ”The Handmaid’s Tale”

Based on the novel by Margaret Atwood, Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” takes place in a dystopian future where mass infertility triggers the control of a biblical extremist government that strips women of their right to work, read or own property.

The few remaining fertile women in society are forcibly removed from their families and assigned as handmaids to the ruling elite. The handmaids are ceremoniously raped by their master until they conceive a child for him and his wife. Dressing up as a handmaid this Halloween, in a long scarlet-colored dress with a matching hooded cloak and a white bonnet, can be a powerful statement in response to the current U.S. political environment and recent confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

3. Kanye West and Lil Pump In the viral music video for

Kanye West and Lil Pump’s “I Love It,” the pair can be seen wearing outlandish, oversized clothing stretched over boxlike forms that make them appear like Lego figures.

The comedic nature of the look paired with the raunchy lyrics of the song caused the “I Love It” Challenge, where people recreate the outfits with cardboard boxes and dance along to the tune.

There is bound to be a least one guest at every Halloween party recreating this look and struggling to fit through doorways.

4. “The Incredibles” The superhero family of Elastigirl, Mr. Incredible, Violet, Dash and Jack Jack returned to the big screen with the long-awaited sequel, “Incredibles 2,” in June and brought a sense of nostalgia to teenage and young adult audience members. “The Incredibles” will definitely be a staple costume among groups this Halloween,

accomplished with a red bodysuit and some creativity or by simply purchasing the completed look.

5. “Queer Eye” “Queer Eye,” Netflix’s reboot of the Bravo series “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” is a reality show where a team of experts, known as the Fab Five, makeover men (and sometimes women) who neglect self-care. The first two seasons of the show aired this year, just months apart, after receiving overwhelming approval from audiences.

Each member of the Fab Five, including food and wine expert Antoni Porowski, interior design expert Bobby Berk, grooming expert Jonathan Van Ness, culture expert Karamo Brown and fashion expert Tan France, has a unique, distinguishable style and personality that is easy to DIY for a group of five.

Edited by Siena DeBolt sdebolt@themaneater.com

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MUSIC

Open Mike Eagle’s new EP is personal, charismatic “What Happens When I Try To Relax” buzzes with some of the rapper’s funniest and most personal lyrics yet.

SPENCER MENDE

Columnist

Open Mike Eagle raps like a standup comedian. He has a knack for turning even the most mundane experiences into one-liners that are just as idiosyncratic as they are clever and has created a strong following among the indie rap scene.

His most recent release, “What Happens When I Try To Relax,” is a six-song EP filled with quirky humor and mellow production. Across the project, Eagle’s rapping and singing are delivered in his characteristically measured, occasionally hushed tone. The pulsing, futuristic beats that ride under the vocals create a mesmerizing atmosphere that is a perfect soundscape for some of the rapper’s most personal lyrics yet.

The first song on the EP is the single “Relatable (peak OME).” The aptly-named track explores just how much effort goes into being someone who is, in fact, relatable. “When I get nervous say something relatable,” Eagle opens the track, “I’m hella relatable.” His rapping carries a certain ironic tone, and the listener gets the sense that no matter how hard he tries to be relatable, Eagle never feels like he quite gets there. Even though he watches “Undateable” and has a broken garbage disposal, he is still cynical, uncomfortable and maybe a little too intelligent for his own good. Despite the nervousness and insecurity alluded to in the lyrics, Eagle confidently crafts his

anxieties and musings on everydayness into a dynamic and compelling track.

“Every Single Thing” is a quieter cut than “Relatable (peak OME),” but is just as bold lyrically and takes broad swipes at American political culture. It deals with a lot of the same themes as his 2017 album, “Brick Body Kids Still Daydream,” offering a kind of retrospective on the concepts presented there.

That being said, the ideas are compelling enough for the song to stand perfectly fine on its own, which it does here.

The following song, “Microfiche,” is the tracklist’s odd duck. It features the record’s fastest flow and most scattered songwriting but is also the quietest cut on the record. Additionally, Eagle’s whispered singing perforates the track after Open Mike Eagle’s newest EP, “What Happens When I Try To Relax,” is both rap and comedy. | COURTESY OF GENIUS.COM the second and third verses.

The result is hypnotic, but the moment passes quickly alive, like a quantum cat,” he raps write a song that was uncomfortably before the next song kicks in. near the end of the second verse. This honest about my personal economy.”

“Single Ghosts” is one of kind of wordplay runs throughout Taken together, the two songs the quirkiest songs on the EP. A the song, and it is undoubtedly one juxtapose to provide a solid conclusion reworked version of the track “Dating of the album’s highlights. to the EP. “Southside Eagle” deals Ghosts,” which Eagle dropped on The closing sequence is comprised with displacement and isolation in the Halloween of 2017 and shortly of “Southside Eagle (93 Bulls)” and the rap industry as Eagle maintains after removed from all internet services, the song talks about trying “Maybe Gang (an initiation).” On his own independent career and tries to pursue a romantic relationship his Twitter, Eagle mentioned that to keep his life in order. On “Maybe with someone who is sending mixed the 93 Bulls which are referenced Gang (an initiation),” by contrast, signals and does not seem to be fully on both tracks “are both a gang and he illustrates himself as confident, invested. A funny literalization of the a secret society,” and that the latter secure and bold. It is the EP’s closing phenomenon of “ghosting,” the track track is actually an initiation to the song and its most brazen one: It talks about the girl Eagle is trying to group. Concerning “Southside Eagle shows a rapper who, try as he might, connect with as if she were actually (93 Bulls),” the rapper tweeted, “the can never completely relax.

Edited by Siena DeBolt a ghost. “You post online and you entire project was an excuse to write haunt with that/ you both dead and 'southside eagle'. I really wanted to sdebolt@themaneater.com

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FASHION

Women of Mizzou: Amy Parris uses experience from fashion industry in different jobs Amy Parris, the senior strategic communications consultant at the College of Engineering, uses her skills from the fashion industry.

AUDREY ROLOFF

Reporter

People often find themselves coming back to MU after graduating and choosing to raise their families in Columbia. Amy Parris, the senior strategic communications consultant at the College of Engineering, is one of those people. Parris did not graduate with a career in communications in mind but chose to initially go into the daunting world of fashion.

After Parris left Columbia as an MU graduate, she started her first job abroad in Paris, working at Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire and Cosmo for about six months. After getting critical experience from her job in Paris, Parris decided to interview for jobs in New York City. Once she arrived, Parris was offered an assistant editor position at Vogue, which paid $22,000 a year. Unfortunately, the salary of this job was not realistic for a New York lifestyle, and Parris made the decision to move again.

“I decided to go to LA, and I worked briefly at Nylon Magazine which, when it was first starting, Helena

Christensen worked there at the time, who is one of the top models of all time,” Parris said. “I was getting to do a lot of really cool things and meet a lot of cool people.”

Despite working various jobs, Parris loved her life in Los Angeles and was never able to figure out what to do next for her career. She knew that fashion was the way to go, but she wanted to use her career in international studies and textile and apparel management more.

Parris found a job at Guess Jeans as an international brand coordinator where she was able to use her majors from MU. However, Parris realized that corporate employment was not the area she wanted to spend her time in and went a more unconventional route with her next career choice.

“So I started my own clothing line and I was interviewed by Style.com,” Parris said.

“California Apparel News had one of my shows in it; it showed at Fashion Week. LA Fashion Week [had my clothes for] three seasons, I want to say, and sold at maybe 15 or 16 stores. I was almost on Project Runway.”

Parris was on top of her career and had successfully worked in a variety of fashion occupations. When Parris and her husband decided to start a family in California, she was again on the hunt for a better job that could allow her to combine a home life and career.

Amy Parris stands with her food and fashion magazine that she created and produced, called Sushi á la Mode. This magazine was handed out at local stores around the Orange County area. | PHOTO BY REPORTER AUDREY ROLOFF

“When I had my son, I started to publish a food and fashion magazine, because I really thought ‘what are my passions in life?’” Parris said.

“I love to cook, I’ve been published before for writing recipes and also just had this passion for fashion.”

Parris went on to produce her food and fashion magazine, Sushi á la Mode, in Newport Beach, California until the recession hit and her family decided to move back to Columbia. Parris settled in a marketing job because of her fashion background and was able to use her knowledge of branding, color and lines.

Parris then chose to work

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as an assistant professor of fashion at Stephens College for a couple of years where she helped create their student-run fashion magazine, Stephen’s Life, and was the faculty adviser and coordinator.

After living in Columbia for many years, Parris determined that it was time for her to work at MU, a place she had always seen herself working for.

“I wanted to work at the university because I just love the university, and I always knew I would end up here,” Parris said. “So when the College of Engineering position came up, I felt like I could really kind of add my expertise in that visual communications role.”

Parris noticed the difference in the way she was treated as an employee at MU compared to her work in the fashion industry. Like a lot of jobs, the fashion industry was controlled mainly by men.

“The fashion industry, when I was in it, was more dominated by men, so there was a ceiling you needed to break in order to reach where you needed to get to,” Parris said. “There are struggles being a young woman in fashion. It was hard to break through as a woman, it definitely has come a long way. Fashion nowadays, there’s a lot more women dominating fashion

than there used to be, in large, big roles.”

Parris was thankful for the transition she made in her careers and knew that she chose the right role in the College of Engineering, not only as a woman but also as a mother.

“Mizzou is a very positive example of equal pay, equal experiences, equal opportunity,” Parris said. “I work with a lot of women, and we have a woman who’s a dean of the College of Engineering, who’s extremely inspiring. I think of all the places to work, I work for one of the best women on campus.”

Figuring out the balance between working and being a mother is one of the hardest struggles for women in America, Parris said.

However, Parris was able to use her wide variety of skills and experiences to take on the role of a professional and a mother.

“I think a lot of people like to talk about how you can be a woman and you can have a great career and you can have kids and [a] family,” Parris said. “And it is a struggle, I think, there’s balance and I think sometimes you do have to give up. You have to figure out timing. [It’s] a constant struggle for women, and it always will be.”

Edited by Alexandra Sharp asharp@themaneater.com

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Submit a letter to the editor by emailing letters@themaneater.com.

EDITORIALS REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OPINION OF THE MANEATER EDITORIAL BOARD.

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Editorial: Being away from home is not an excuse to disenfranchise yourself Voting is easier than you may think, and everyone should cast their ballot.

With the upcoming midterm election on Nov. 6, there is a lot at stake for both sides of the aisle.

No matter which political party you belong to, this election will affect you in some way. The Maneater is calling on those, who have the opportunity, to vote.

There is no excuse not to vote, since the voting process has never been easier. This year, Uber and Lyft are providing free rides to voters’ closest polling centers. On Nov. 6, a new button will appear on the app to show riders where their closest polling center is. Also, sites like Ballotpedia make it easy to know what is on your local ballot.

Historically, midterm elections have a much lower voter turnout compared to presidential elections. In the 2014 midterm elections, only 35.9 percent of the electorate chose to cast their ballot compared to the 60 percent who voted in the 2016 presidential election, according to Fair Vote.

Only 13 percent of voters ages 18 to 29 chose to vote in the 2014 midterm elections, according to CBS News. The same age group makes up 20 percent of the electorate, according to the Pew Research Center. We have the power to make real change and be influential in our government.

You should care about your representation in Congress because your representative makes decisions on your behalf. You should also care about local legislation because they impact your day-to-day life, arguably, in most cases, more than a national legislation can. In Columbia, for example, voters are deciding on a new fuel tax and the legalization of medical marijuana. These possible legislations could change your daily the MU Student Center budgeting or treatment THERE ARE MANY at the customer service plan. desk.

Your vote means DISENFRANCHISED PEOPLE Voting is a great even more during this privilege. There are WITHOUT THE CHANCE TO politically divisive many disenfranchised period — especially when VOTE IN THEIR GOVERNMENTS, people without the Missouri’s Senate race is chance to vote in their as close as it is.

AND IT’S DISAPPOINTING governments, and it’s Though many MU THAT MANY ENFRANCHISED disappointing that students are away from many enfranchised home, absentee ballots AMERICANS DON’T TAKE THE Americans don’t take should not deter you the opportunity to from voting. Buy the OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE. vote. stamp if you need it. You Young people are shouldn’t let 50 cents prevent you from performing one of our most getting more involved and vocal about their important civic duties. Stamps can be purchased at representation — which is great. But tweeting

GRAPHIC BY DESIGNER ELIZABETH USTINOV

is not the same as voting. Having a discussion

about politics is not the same as voting. Yes, these things are important and there should always be a

dialogue about politics, but without voting these efforts are futile. Start the conversation, but also

vote. If you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain about your government.

The voting process doesn’t end after you cast

your ballot. The second part of voting is paying attention to what your representative is doing

in Congress when they think you’re not looking.

After voting, make sure to sign up for your

representative’s email list so you can keep track of what they are doing on your dime.

Start the conversation, empower yourself and

vote.

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COREY’S CORNER

COLUMN: Are we becoming NPCs? When was the last time you thought for yourself?

COREY DAVIDSON Corey Davidson is a junior journalism major at MU. He is an opinion columnist who writes about student life and politics for The Maneater.

Being born in the ‘90s but growing up in the ‘00s was truly a magical time. In particular, 2007 was debatably the peak of the famous online game of Runescape. For many, Runescape was their first computer game and first mass multiplayer experience. Old-School Runescape had great multiplayer features like trading, questing and chat. However, what always stuck out was the nonplayer characters, otherwise known as NPCs. NPCs exist solely to progress the story or do certain actions for the player characters. Runescape’s NPCs had no independent thought, walked or stood in predetermined places and had only a few lines of dialogue available. In other words, everything they did was scripted.

Recently, there’s been a good amount of Twitter beef surrounding

a new meme that some would say is the greatest since Pepe the Frog. You may have heard of “The NPC Meme” or “NPC Wojak.”

The brunt of the joke is that many political activists behave like an NPC would: They stay in the same echo chambers on Twitter or Reddit, have the exact same opinions as many in their camp and offer the same retorts over and over in political arguments.

A big drawing point of the NPC meme is that it seems pretty plausible.

When you see John Oliver spout an opinion on Last Week Tonight and verified profiles on Twitter say the same thing the next day, it seems uninspired.

To someone not in that circle, it looks like everyone is copying each other and not having independent thoughts. This can apply to both sides of the aisle, but has mainly targeted the left. The best solution here is to get your news and opinions from multiple sources and form your own arguments. After all, the best decisions to make are informed ones.

Obviously, nobody walking around campus is necessarily an NPC. However, I think it brings up a larger conversation about intrinsic motivation and how we navigate our daily lives.

When was the last time you actually thought for yourself? As in, do you ever engage in an inner monologue?

NPC, or non-player characters, is a term created from playing multiplayer games. It has now been turned into the NPC meme. | COURTESY OF KNOWYOURMEME.COM

Or do you go about your day, doing the same things and saying the same things without thinking about it?

Only about 26 percent of sampled students self-reported that they conduct inner speech, according to a 2011 Psychology Today article.

This isn’t very surprising, as college doesn’t quite foster intrinsic motivation.

Instead of being completely motivated by one’s own interest and enjoyment, students are motivated by trying to get a certain GPA, fulfilling their graduation plan requirements or trying to appease their peers.

While there is autonomy in picking some of the classes you take or the major you pursue, much of the college experience is controlled by

what the administration requires.

With all of this in mind, it’s easy to get in a rut. It’s easy to feel like an NPC if you’re going to the same classes every day, doing the same thing every weekend and seeing the same people over and over.

This can be helped by changing it up: Park in a different spot tomorrow, take a different walk to class or try hitting up someone you haven’t hung out with in a bit. Having a routine can be good, but shaking it up is healthy.

Whether or not everyone is running on scripts, the NPC meme should serve as a good opportunity to look in the mirror. Instead of acting like a quest-giver, start your own quest to lead an exciting life!

KEEPING UP WITH KYLEIGH

COLUMN: Supporting local and upcoming musicians is more important than you think You never know who or what will be the next big thing.

KYLEIGH POLSTON Kyleigh Polston is a freshman journalism major at MU. She is an opinion columnist who writes about student life for The Maneater.

In the world of music, you never know who or what will be the next big thing. There are probably more bands than jobs out there on the market today, but this doesn’t mean that they should be overlooked.

I personally grew up around more original music than you could imagine. My best friend’s family was, and still is, extremely musically talented.

Their band, which consisted of five older siblings and a few family friends, would play gigs at local bars and fundraisers every chance they got. Several of them have since gone on to record their own original tracks and perform with a multitude of different bands.

After years of immersing myself in their world, I have come to learn the utter importance of support from the local community and what that means for musicians.

The key to making your way in the music industry is plain and simple: numbers.

The Blue Note in Columbia hosts many concerts, some for only $10. | COURTESY OF THINGLINK.COM

Putting your efforts into going out and supporting a band or musician might be one of the only ways they’ll get invited back to that particular venue or get gigs elsewhere.

Just look at the music industry today; the amount of fan-voted awards continues to grow and the only way to win is through the dedication of fans and supporters just like us.

For example, the Billboard’s American Music Awards have two award categories that are solely determined by fan-voting. Last year, the Top Social Artist Award received more than 300 million votes worldwide for just one artist. Imagine that multiplied by two, three, four

more artists and you’re are talking about some real dedication from fans worldwide.

On top of that, most of the time, tickets or entry fees for local bands tend to be extraordinarily cheap. At The Blue Note, they have tickets that start at $10 in the upcoming weeks for a variety of different local and upcoming bands.

Previous musicians that have performed at The Blue Note, such as The Pixies and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, have since made it big. So, who’s to say your $10 ticket won’t buy you a experience of a lifetime?

Bands such as Nirvana and Car Seat Headrest are just two examples who have made it big. When Nirvana

was first formed by Kurt Cobain in 1987, the band’s success began on a local college radio station where they gained local popularity before they were ever recognized nationally.

Car Seat Headrest began as a solo project for Will Toledo, who recorded songs in his parent’s car and posted them to an online streaming website called Bandcamp. Eventually, the rest of the band was formed, and as popularity grew they were signed to a record deal with Matador.

Even if none of the musicians or bands that you take the time to go out and see make it big, you will always have the experience to look back on. Instead of making your way home after a long day of classes and lounging around in your room, you could instead be going out to local venues and discovering new music you love.

For most musicians struggling to make it big, music is quite literally their life. Music may be how they pay bills and put food on the table each week. Although it’s not guaranteed that their efforts will result in a full career, going out and supporting musicians is essentially supporting their dream, and that knowledge will always make the dedication worth it.

Here in Columbia, there is definitely a larger population of aspiring musicians than I ever experienced in my small hometown of Montgomery City, Missouri. So, if you’re looking from something to do on a weekend, just make your way downtown and you may discover your new favorite band.

Online this week: More football, women’s soccer and volleyball coverage at themaneater.com.

FOOTBALL

Gender-based flag football rules cause stir at MU Students are frustrated with MizzouRec’s co-recreational flag football rules.

JARED FISCH

Sports Social Media Manager MU freshman Morgan Kluge broke past her defender and raced free down the sideline. Wide open, she hauled in a nine-point touchdown reception to put Team Gateway up 22-6 in the MizzouRec co-recreational flag football league.

That’s not a typo: a nine-point touchdown.

The scene repeats itself often in the league, which competes every Thursday night at MU’s Stankowski Field. By rule, Kluge and her female teammates are granted more points than their male counterparts when they play a part in touchdown passes or receptions.

The MizzouRec flag football handbook states: “If a female player scores a touchdown, the point value is 9. If a female player throws a legal forward pass and a touchdown is scored by any A player, prior to change of team possession, the point value is 9.”

Freshman Holly Roustio joined the league this semester to get involved, but she said she was angered when she found out this rule existed.

“I felt belittled and degraded and I felt that my value as a woman was not being recognized,” Roustio said. “I felt as if I was a burden and an asset at the same time. I don’t feel like my achievements need to be overcompensated. They should be recognized equally as those of a man.”

The extra-points rule isn’t the only one some students have questioned.

According to multiple referees, an “illegal male advancement” penalty constitutes any run play by someone who identifies as a male. In other

MU freshman Emma Moloney, who plays for team Mark Twain, throws a warmup pass before a co-rec football game on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018. | PHOTO BY SPORTS SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER JARED FISCH

words, only women can run the ball.

Male athletes in the league have also taken notice of the rules, including freshman Jake Fein, one of Roustio’s teammates.

“I feel like it’s degrading and it’s sending women the wrong message, that they are less of an athlete than men,” Fein said. “I like the rule about them requiring girls on the field because it is a co-op league. However, it is like degrading women, making them seem like their achievements are a miracle and an anomaly.”

The rule Fein is referring to exists to balance the quantity of men and women on each team in the league.

It states: “The game shall be played between 2 teams of 8 players, 4 men and 4 women. Teams with 7 players shall be 4 men and 3 women or 4 women and 3 men. Six players, 3 men and 3 women, 4 men and 2 women, or 4 women and 2 men, are required to start the game and avoid a forfeit.”

MizzouRec associates prevented media access with referees at Stankowski Field, so referees did not provide their names, but one said the rules were recently changed. Last year, rules required every other play to have a woman involved. This was meant to encourage women to be

more active participants in games.

Some players think the rules are a double-edged sword. Freshman Briggs Hall is one of those.

“I think a lot of the girl rules are fair and make a lot of sense,” Hall said. “The point rule is kind of a stretch. I don’t know if it should be that much higher of a point value [for touchdowns scored by females].

It’s an extra three points, but I think it kind of levels the playing field a bit.”

When asked about the rule stating that only females can run the ball,

FLAG |Page 15

SOCCER

Missouri heads to Tennessee for decisive regular season finale The Tigers came up big on Senior Day for the second year in a row, but they still have work to do in order to reach the SEC Tournament.

OWEN KRUCOFF

Senior Staff Writer

Huddled together on the field at Walton Stadium, the Missouri soccer team erupted into celebration when it heard the news. What had seemed nearly impossible just a couple of

hours prior had come to fruition.

It was Oct. 26, 2017, and Missouri had just booked its place in the SEC Tournament thanks to a confluence of three results around the conference, including the Tigers’ own senior night win over LSU. One year after that dramatic finish, Missouri finds itself in a similar situation with one game remaining in the regular season. They won’t be taking any comfort in last year’s ending.

“No, heck no,” coach Bryan Blitz said about feeling any confidence in the wake of last season. “But have we been there? Yeah. We don’t panic,

and I think that’s what we’ll take from it.”

This time around, the Tigers find themselves just inside the tournament as they travel to face Tennessee on Thursday. A vital 2-0 win over Florida on Sunday in Columbia lifted them into the conference tournament’s 10th and final spot.

With all 14 teams in action on Thursday night, Missouri could still finish anywhere between seventh and 12th in the crowded standings.

One of Mizzou’s possible paths to Orange Beach, Alabama for the tournament is a simple one. Beat Tennessee, and the Tigers are in.

The Volunteers will be no pushovers, however. Tennessee is ranked 12th in the country and will be in the comfort of its home stadium for its Senior Night. With a loss or tie, Missouri’s hopes of holding onto 10th place will depend on the two teams below them in the standings, Mississippi State and Alabama.

The Bulldogs and Crimson Tide are each two points behind Missouri in the standings. Mississippi State will host sixth-place Louisiana State on Thursday while Alabama visits ninthplace Auburn. Either one would leapfrog the Tigers with a win if Missouri loses to Tennessee.

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T H E M A N E AT E R | S P O RTS | O CTO B E R 2 4, 2 0 1 8

BASKETBALL

Jontay Porter out for 2018-19 season with knee injury Porter tore his right ACL and MCL in a closed scrimmage Sunday.

BENNETT DURANDO

Sports Editor

Missouri sophomore power forward Jontay Porter tore his right ACL and MCL Sunday afternoon and will be out for the 2018-19 season, a team spokesman said.

The team released a statement at 6:45 p.m. confirming that Porter suffered the injury in a closed scrimmage against Southern Illinois Sunday afternoon. No additional comment will be provided yet by the program, per the statement.

The Porter family has a wellcharted history with injuries.

Michael Porter Jr., Jontay's brother, only appeared in three games during his lone season at Missouri after requiring back surgery. Cierra Porter, Jontay's second oldest sister, medically retired from the Missouri women's basketball team in June due to lingering knee issues, and oldest sister Bri suffered torn ACLs five times in high school.

Jontay Porter said after the Mizzou Madness preseason event Saturday night that he was excited by how improved a previously ailing knee felt.

Porter helped Missouri reach the NCAA Tournament in 2018 and was named co-SEC sixth man of the year

as a freshman, averaging 9.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.

He initially declared for the NBA draft, but withdrew his name to return to school after the draft combine.

Porter has been projected as a top-10 pick in the 2019 NBA draft. After the injury, he will either be able to enter the draft and drop to a lower pick, or return to school next year for what would be his redshirt s o p h o m o r e Jontay Porter waves at teammates after introductions during Mizzou basketball’s annual Mizzou Madness season. event on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018 | PHOTO BY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR ADAM COLE P o r t e r and fellow skill in the post, passing prowess combination of senior Kevin Puryear sophomore Jeremiah Tilmon were considered one of the most dominant and ability as a spot-up three-point and sophomore K.J. Santos, though looming front courts in the country shooter made him a lethal matchup, Santos has missed practice in recent going into the season, and each of and over the summer coach Cuonzo weeks with a broken foot. Martin their talent was on display at Mizzou Martin discussed the idea of adding had no update on Santos' status on Madness on Saturday. Missouri to that arsenal by having Porter Saturday night. planned to use Porter in both his bring the ball up on occasion.

Edited by Adam Cole Porter's power forward spot standard role of power forward and in a more position-less mold. His could be filled this season by a acole@themaneater.com

Missouri women’s basketball lands its top target in five-star Blackwell recruits to commit to Missouri for next season.

The St. Louis area product averaged 24.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game last season in her junior campaign at Whitfield High.

Whitfield coach Michael Slater emphasized Missouri is getting a player who is capable of all five positions on the floor.

“You don’t come across many 6-foot guards that can do Five-star basketball recruit Aijha Blackwell commits to Mizzou on Oct. 22, 2018. | PHOTO VIA TWITTER @ the things that Aijha AIJHAANNIECE does, certainly not Blackwell is listed on at the high school Blackwell committed to the Missouri women’s basketball team on Monday level,” Slater said. “She’s just so ESPN as the eighth best night, choosing Robin Pingeton’s versatile that we can use her in a player for the class of Tigers over Louisville and Kansas. variety of ways in order to make our 2019. team successful.“ Blackwell, a 6-foot-1 guard, is ranked Blackwell played for the United the No. 8 overall 2019 recruit in MAX BAKER States U18 national team over the the country by ESPN. Her highly Reporter summer, helping the team win a FIBA anticipated decision was announced Americas Championship. During the A major recruiting week for MU at 6 p.m. Monday via Twitter. tournament, she started in four of six Blackwell joins Strafford High’s games for the U.S. sports is off to a winning start.

Blackwell shot 26.4 percent from Five-star 2019 recruit Aijha Hayley Frank as the two five-star

three-point range her freshman year at Whitfield but has increased that percentage each year, reaching a 40 percent mark as a junior last season.

She helped lead her team to the state semifinals last year, where it ultimately placed third. Whitfield has won the district championship in each of Blackwell’s first three years there.

Blackwell is the daughter of former Missouri football standout running back Ernest Blackwell, who died at 29. Aijha was 3 years old at the time.

In her commitment video, she wore a Missouri football jersey with No. 33 on the back, her late father’s number.

Speculation circled regarding whether she wanted to continue the family legacy and pursue her collegiate career at Missouri, but sources indicated in the days leading up to Blackwell’s announcement that Missouri and Louisville were the two serious contenders out of her final three, which also included Kansas.

“For as prolific a scorer as she is, she’s extremely unselfish,” Slater said. “She’s constantly looking to set up another teammate to score.

She is constantly encouraging her teammates and really wants everyone around her to be better.”

Edited by Bennett Durando bdurando@themaneater.com

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FLAG

Continued from page 13

Briggs said, “I don’t really like that rule at all because, you know, that’s kind of a part of the game of football.”

MU journalism professor Cynthia M. Frisby has studied gender representation in sports for years. She believes that sports are the “biggest culprit” of maintaining gender roles and stereotypes in society.

“We, in the United States, have sports that we consider to be masculine and/or feminine,” Frisby said. “And any sport it seemed like that dealt with aggression or contact was considered masculine.”

Frisby listed off boxing, wrestling, basketball, soccer and football as examples of sports that are “typically skewed more on the masculine side.”

She said this stems from the idea of masculinity being so closely related to aggression, but that it may even date back to certain biblical scriptures written centuries ago. There is a sociological and historical basis for these rules, Frisby said.

The idea is “that women are the weaker vessel and that a lot of times, I think that, the related scriptures around that are that [women] are not able to do all of the same things that men are able to do,” Frisby said.

However, Frisby did acknowledge

FINALE

Continued from page 13

The situation gets murky if Mizzou comes away with a tie in Tennessee.

That would leave the Tigers on 11 standings points, which could conceivably tie it with up to three different teams for eighth through 11th places.

“It becomes a math equation, right?” Blitz said following Sunday’s game. “We don’t care what the name is to win the math equation, so it just becomes about us and just working

there are some physical differences between the male and female sex, but she didn’t think they were significant when it comes to flag football.

The apparent problem is not just confined to MU. At least 30 major universities around the nation, including Arkansas, Clemson, Duke and Northwestern have very similar rules in their co-recreational flag football handbooks. Few have batted an eye on a national scale over the rules MU students are taking exception to on a local level.

The majority of collegiate co-recreational flag football leagues get their rules from the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association. Its official rulebook contains many of these gender-based rules.

“You’ll probably find that the voice of the woman was missing,” Frisby said in reference to the creation of the rules.

Liz McCune, associate director for MU News Bureau, confirmed that MizzouRec’s rules are based off of NIRSA’s rulebook. The university released a statement on Oct. 23 when asked for comment regarding students’ complaints.

“The rules for our co-ed flag football games are the same ones used at universities across the country and established through the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association,” McCune said in the hard in practice.”

One piece of history that looms over Blitz and the team this week is that Missouri has not missed a conference tournament in soccer since 2006, when it was a member of the Big 12. If the Tigers can’t take care of business on Thursday and miss the trip to Orange Beach, it would mark the team’s lowest finish as a member of the SEC. “We don’t have to go out and play the best game that we’ve ever played, we just have to play Mizzou soccer,” junior forward Sarah Luebbert said on Sunday. “So we’re just going to go out and work for each other like we always do.”

Edited by Adam Cole acole@ themaneater. com

statement. “Ensuring that students are having a good experience is important to us — MizzouRec regularly surveys participants both formally and informally.”

McCune encourages those with concerns to contact senior associate director of MizzouRec Services and Facilities, Laura Salerno, by emailing her at salernolm@missouri.edu.

NIRSA Senior Director of Operations Mary Callender explained the history behind the rulebook that has influenced MU’s current scoring policy.

“Specifically regarding the flag and touch football co-recreational rules, the NIRSA flag and touch football rule book is currently in its 18th edition and was first published in 1983. During the first, second and third editions, the touchdown points awarded were the same for men, women and co-rec. The fourth edition (1989 and 1990) noted a change to ‘9 points awarded on a touchdown if a female scores the touchdown,’” Callender said in an email.

Callender rationalized the case for the addition of the rules.

“Research data collected at colleges and universities, which have experimented with the rule, showed that female players caught nearly 50 percent of the touchdown passes,” Callender said in the email.

She went on to add in the email that this rule change would bring the

15

game closer to a “true co-recreational game.”

“The editor noted that the co-recreational rule changes were implemented to allow male and female players a near equal role in the contest’s outcome,” Callender said in the email.

Frisby believes that these rules make the male and female roles anything but equal.

“You set up that animosity between the two genders and we don’t want to have that,” Frisby said. “The purpose to me of being co-ed is to build a team that’s not based on bilateral gender differences.”

Regardless, universities are not required to use NIRSA’s rulebook.

“NIRSA recognizes the diversity of intramural programs nationwide and expects that some rules and formats may be neither appropriate nor feasible for every institution,” Callender said in the email. “NIRSA also recognizes the opinion that co-recreational rules are no longer necessary, and the game should be played ‘straight-up’ without any limitations. All colleges and universities are encouraged to select the most appropriate course of action for their individual programs.”

“MizzouRec is open to changing rules if there was a clear desire from students,” McCune said.

Edited by Bennett Durando bdurando@themaneater.com

The Mizzou women’s soccer team celebrates a 2-0 win against Florida on Oct. 21, 2018. | PHOTO VIA TWITTER @MIZZOUSOCCER

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