The Mercury 02 21 22

UTD Rooms returns for student use

SMRITHI UPADHYAYULA Mercury Staff

As students return to in-person classes once again, so does the UTD Rooms app.

The app was developed by Mithil Viradia, who graduated from UTD in spring 2020 with a degree in computer engineering. It uses data from Coursebook to determine which rooms on campus do not have classes scheduled in them at a given time and are thus open for public use. It also adapts to user feedback, allowing students to mark empty rooms as “open” in real time.

Viradia shut down the app during the COVID-19 lockdown, but brought it back alongside UTD’s return to in-person instruction due to popular demand.

Students use open classrooms for everything from group study sessions, to socializing, to club meetings and some feel that this is an integral part of what was missing while classes were virtual.

The UTD Rooms app streamlines the process of finding an empty room for any of these purposes.

Alison Spadaro, a sophomore mathematics and physics double-major, is involved in a variety of student organizations, holding leadership roles in Student Government and on CV Council. Being able to use classroom spaces has helped her make the most of being back on campus.

“Being back in person has given me the chance to visit buildings I’ve never been to before,” Spadaro said. “Since I’m so busy with classes, a lot of times I don’t have time to attend events or study during the day. The ability to use classroom spaces after hours is definitely a plus in that regard.”

Empty classrooms can be a platform for great times. One of Spadaro’s most memorable experiences at UTD was a crafting and movie night held in a class -

UTD one step closer to banning single-use plastics

FATIMAH AZEEM Opinion Editor

The Sustainability Committee’s Single-Use Plastic Ban Proposal passed the Academic Senate and Staff Council, making UTD one step closer to being the first Texas university to ban non-essential plastics.

The proposal passed on Jan. 19 with support from the Sustainability Committee, Student Government, the Graduate Student Assembly and over 1,137 students who signed a plastic ban petition. It’s now en route to Auxiliary Services and then President Benson,

and, if approved, would be the first of its kind in the UT System and across Texas.

“This Ban goes with the current process of UTD becoming more and more of a sustainability-centered university,” Sustainability Committee Head Dorothee Honhon said. “While we’re currently ranked Gold by [the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education], we still have one level above us – we can still do better. This is that next step.”

HOMECOMING 2022

Men's basketball team defends homecourt on homecoming

Sustainability initiative poised to become the first gradual single-use plastic ban in the UT System DART

The Comets' improved defense alongside clutch free throws grasps victory from Hardin-Simmons Cowboys

The Comets, fresh off a Monday win against Concordia, continued their home stand in the homecoming game on Thursday, Feb. 10, facing off against HardinSimmons squad.

The Cowboys came into the match having won four of their last five games and averaging 83 points per game in the process. Entering the game, the Comets were fourth in the ASC standings and 1.5 games behind the third-place Hardin-Simmons, but seeking to make up ground as they march forward into a tournament run.

Upon tipoff came a very back-and-forth first half with turnovers occurring on both sides of the ball. Hardin-Simmons began to lose some ground with early foul trouble as the Comets were able to gain momentum with effective ball movement and many second chance points obtained within in the paint. The Comet’s defense shone, forcing

24 total turnovers in the game and allowing only 23 points in the first half. In addition, freshman forward Kameron Pruitt’s offensive play, with 12 points, five rebounds, and three steals in the first half sparked a sevenpoint lead going into the break.

The momentum from the Comet’s defense continued early on in the second half, with the team leading by as many as 12 points with 15 minutes to go in regulation. The Cowboys would not go down without a fight, however, scoring from outside the arc and forcing the Comets into difficult shots. Hardin-Simmons went on to score 14 unanswered points, including three consecutive threes from Chase Cobb, to take a 44-42 lead with 11 minutes left. Having four players in double figures enabled their late push as the Cowboys ultimately shot 51% as a team in the second half. But the real story of the game was the final five minutes, which were filled

University holds forum on gaming lounge

Following student feedback, Student Affairs and SmithGroup begin forming Pub renovation proposal

The University has announced plans to convert the Pub into an esports/gaming lounge, hosting an open forum to collect student feedback.

The project remains in its infancy, but UTD has tapped SmithGroup to do a feasibility study over the next few months on the potential scope of the renovation. February’s two open forum sessions were the beginning of SmithGroup’s exploratory process for changing the Pub into a gaming

lounge similar to a scaled-up PC Café. VP of Student Affairs Gene Fitch said that the project started when they noticed students’ interest in the current esports team room on Reddit.

“I’m a lurker on Reddit, and somewhere around last fall I noticed students talking about getting into the esports room,” Fitch said. “So the project really started there with us looking at what students wanted.”

The presentation at the forum presented concepts for a few different key areas for the potential renovation. Aside from a re-

ception area and the already-existing team room, SmithGroup presented concepts for a “gaming lounge” space with open seating and TVs set up to create a more casual environment, as well as a “gaming station” space containing multiple PC setups available for rent at an hourly rate. On top of this, SmithGroup principal designer Douglas Barraza said that there was space to consider an “arena” for live matches and spectating.

“I like to use the term ‘theater’, because I think of it more like a black box theater,” Barraza said. “The more we can maximize

uses of those large, flexible spaces the better.”

The lounge isn’t meant to fully replace the Pub and leave no room for other clubs or non-gaming users to hang out or eat at. Fitch said that the idea was to have two main spaces: one where the general student population could hang out and eat, and one where the main PCs would be set up for hourly play. Director of the Student Union Dan Good-

After years of running the same paths, DART has redesigned its public transit offerings to improve access throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth region. UTD students stand to benefit… if they can learn to use it.

Jan. 24 marked the official launch of DARTzoom, a system-wide redesign to reduce travel times and increase direct access to destinations across Dallas and its surrounding cities. According to the initiative’s website, this involves cutting some bus stops to maximize efficiency and ramping up service overall, with bus and rail lines projected to arrive every 15 to 20 minutes on highfrequency routes.

Calvin D. Jamison, vice president of Facilities and Economic Development, said that the increase in DART services near campus will benefit students.

“The DART expansion does not directly affect the 883 Comet Cruisers… however,

ZAID HAQ Mercury Staff BEN

DANIELLE BELL | MERCURY STAFF

ADAMARIS DOMINGUEZ | MERCURY STAFF

Freshman gaurd Luke Kiser goes for a layup in the Feb. 10 victory over Hardin-Simmons.

Editor-in-Chief Tyler Burkhardt editor@utdmercury.com

(972) 883-2294

Managing Editor Ben Nguyen managingeditor @utdmercury.com (972) 883-2287

Copy Editor Margaret Moore copyeditor@utdmercury.com

Graphics Editor Alesandra Bell graphics@utdmercury.com

Photo Editor Anna Phengsakmueang photo@utdmercury.com

News Editor Nandika Mansingka news@utdmercury.com

Life & Arts Editor Mia Nguyen life@utdmercury.com

Opinion Editor Fatimah Azeem opinioneditor@ utdmercury.com

Web Editor Trevor Tomer web@utdmercury.com

Contributors

Danielle Bell

Charlie Chang

Adamaris Dominguez

Zaid Haq

Alexandra Ibarra

Cristina Kovacs

Angela Li

Jamie Lin

Thaovy Nguyen

Andrew Peters

Sihanya Rocha

Casey Rubio

Quinn Sherer Smrithi Upadhyayula

Corrections/ Clarifications

Bring factual errors or innacuracies to the attention of The Mercury’s staff by emailing editor@ utdmercury.com or calling (972) 8832287 and a correction will be published in this space in a future issue.

UTDPD Blotter

February 2 • A UTD student reported theft of the catalytic converter from her vehicle at 12:56 p.m.

February 5 • At 5:52 p.m. a subject was arrested at building 24 for possession of drug paraphernalia.

February 8 • Complainant parked his purple Huffy Highland Hybrid Bicycle without a lock at the bicycle rack behind BSB and NSERL and returned to it at 3:30 p.m. gone.

February 12

• Officers responded at 3:12 p.m. to a report of family violence at Building 51.

From The Mercury Archives: Feb. 11, 2002

A Cynical Tribute to Valentine’s Day (from 20 years ago)

Richardson, TX 75080-0688

Dates From Hell

My date from hell started as a blind date – my best friend’s boyfriend insisted his friend was exactly my type. I regretted it immediately. Sure, Kris sounded nice enough on the phone, but he was very different in person.

He showed up to my door with green dreadlocks, stained, holey jeans and a t-shirt bearing the name The Magic Brownies. I later found out that was the name of his punk band that only covered songs by the Beatles. But I listened to advice to never judge a book by its cover and off we went.

At dinner, I asked him what he did, where he worked and where he went to school. “I don’t go to school. Dude I have no job, my band is going to make it big soon,” he replied. So what if he had no direction and was just in a band instead of a regular job. No big deal. But when he told me he didn’t have any cash because his father refused to give him money, and he didn’t want to work because it was too hard, it was the last straw. I was stuck with a $50 check. We went bowling next, which had the potential to be fun. Little did I know he bowled competitively and wasn’t going to let me beat him. After

I paid for my shoes and games, he kept yelling, “you’re going down.” Out came his bright green bowling ball, which oddly matched his hair, and his greenand-white bowling shoes. Sure, I like competition, but this was ridiculous. After being repeatedly booed while I was rolling my ball, I lost the game 94216. Sure, it bothered me that my date was yelling “miss it” the entire time I was bowling, but once again, I turned the other cheek. We played a few arcade games; he even won a stuffed animal. I thought he was going to give it to me as a semi-sweet gesture: “I’m going to give it to Cristina, this hot girl groupie that hangs out with my band.” I told him I had a headache and was ready to go home.

He brought me back to my apartment after making me listen to his horrible band trying to play the punk version of “Hey Jude”. I gave him a hug goodbye and instead of hearing the usual “I’ll call you later” I got “I would kiss you, but you’re not pretty enough.” After slapping him, I slammed the door to my apartment. I went inside and immediately called my friend and told her I would not be dating Kris again.

I had a blind date with a girl named “Kendra.” Over the phone, we agreed to meet at her house. At six o’clock, I rang her doorbell with a bouquet of various flowers. “Hi, I’m here to pick up ‘Kendra’.” I said to a girl in a bright pink bathrobe and bright yellow curlers I could have fit my fist into. Suddenly, she shrieked in my face. I stumbled back and dropped the flowers.

“Kendra’s” house, held thirty or so cats. Plastic covered all her furniture.

“I’ll be there in a minute,” she said in a thick Texan drawl. After weakly smiling, she disappeared down a hallway, and I stood for the next 27 minutes. We agreed to go to dinner. In the car, she asked if I minded her smoking. I gave my okay and rolled down the window. Walking from the car to the restaurant, she smoked another. I don’t smoke but agreed to sit in smoking. She smoked another three during dinner. I guess she was nervous. Throughout dinner, she left to go to the restroom about three times. I

think she was drinking. “Kendra” had a loud, piercing laugh, was a noisy eater and had one, large snaggle-tooth in what would otherwise be perfect teeth nicknamed “Mr. Chomper.” She chewed on her fingernails and actually spit one at the dessert tray.

We left the restaurant and went for a walk at a nearby park. “Kendra” threw her empty cigarette pack into the bushes and pulled a snuff can from her purse.

“You dip?” I declined politely. “Mind if I put my hair up?” No, I did not. She put it up in a ponytail on the top of her head. I thought water fountain hair died in the eighties. It is alive, today, with “Kendra.”

Eventually, I tried to make myself undesirable. Things like “I’ve never been in a relationship that I didn’t cheat,” were said but nothing moved her. She would launch into her own sordid stories. I took “Kendra” home and walked her to the door. “Wanna come inside? I’m not wearing panties.” I left.

PAUL TRAN, SENIOR

KRISTEN SUTTON, SOPHOMORE

HOMECOMING 2022

DART CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

we now have additional DART services in the areas adjacent to campus. For example, the new 232 route runs west/east along Frankford Rd, Synergy Park North Blvd and Renner Rd,” Jamison said in an emailed statement. “We have many students that live at apartment complexes near the Frankford/Coit intersection, and this new route passes immediately by these apartments.”

Moreover, those new services allow students using the 883 East bus route to transfer to the 232 and go west without passing through the UTD Transit Center at the front of the University. That should help to de-densify the 883 Comet Cruisers.

Comets for Better Transit president and history junior Daniel Yahalom is looking forward to the benefits these updates may hold for UTD students looking to get around town.

“The GoLink expansion was great, and a step in the right direction,” Yahalom said.

GoLink is a service that allows users to request rides, similar to Uber or Lyft, while within the newly-expanded GoLink service zone. While that area, even after expansion, still does not include UTD’s main campus, it begins nearby—just south of Campbell Road, about halfway to Arapaho—and is accessible in various areas around Dallas.

DART seems to be keeping well in touch with campus, even without direct GoLink connection. Jamison emphasized the collaborative re-

RENOVATION

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

win further said that the SU was going to be adaptable to whatever usage the students deemed necessary.

“The Student Union has always adapted to student needs; it looks very different today than it did 10 years ago,” Goodwin said.

As the project is still in its earliest stages, Comets may have to wait some time for the results of the feasibility study to come to light. Barraza said that the initial stage for planning would take a few months, and that

lationship between UTD and the transit service.

“We work with DART to service the 883 routes as a 50/50 partnership. DART in turn is very flexible with our scheduling needs and route coverage to ensure that we are able to represent our campus in an appropriate way as UTD best understands the needs of the campus community,” Jamison said.

“We have seen enormous progress from zero buses in 2008 to more than 1.5 million riders pre-pandemic,” he said. “We are the fastest growing route in the DART system.”

Literature junior Jack Sierputowski, having learned his way around public transit from his hometown, Cleveland, has been using DART to get around town since his first semester on campus. From weekly grocery runs to Dallas daytrips, Sierputowski recommends Comets take advantage of public transit whenever available.

“Definitely get the school GoPass, because, you know, it’s free for us. Make sure you request it early, so you don’t get stranded at the airport,” Sierputowski said.

Past stranding mishaps aside, he pushed back against the stigma that is sometimes associated with using public transit- especially fears of robbery and physical harm.

“You’re not going to get mugged on DART trains, I promise. It’s probably the worst place to rob someone, considering it has fixed stops. By the time you get to the next one, they’re going to arrest you,” he said.

Students may obtain their free, unlimited-ride pass through the

approval and construction afterward would be up to the university.

“The idea behind the feasibility study is to put an idea on paper that describes the size, the basic components, those program spaces and creates a vision with some images and a budget for an expected renovation cost,” Barazza said.

“The university can then decide how they want to move forward and what it’s going to take in terms of a funding mechanism.”

Fitch said that the project would come out of existing University funds if approved and that opera-

University. Once your request is processed, the GoPass mobile app can be used to explore the entire DART Service Area.

Expanding transit access is not set to end with the DARTzoom program, either. Jamison reported that UTD has finalized an agreement to complete a DART station and a “Park & Ride” area at Northside.

A Silver Line, connecting campus with the DFW airport, Addison, Carrollton and other destinations, is also planned to open for use by late 2024. DART is hosting Community Meetings for areas affected by the Silver Line project throughout its construction, both in-person and online; see the expansion’s page on DART’s website for upcoming events.

Despite the wait, students like Sierputowski are looking forward to the new rail system.

“The Silver Line is very exciting!” Sierputowski said. “It’s supposed to be fast... ‘Whoosh’ fast.”

Still, a lack of publicity on the expansion and familiarity with how to use public transportation could prevent students from taking full advantage of the system.

“We appreciate better frequency and more lines, but the biggest obstacle DART has in UTD right now is that most students don’t know to use it,” Yahalom said. “They don’t know how to get their DART pass, how to plan a commute, when and where buses are available, et cetera… and the big DART launch, unfortunately, didn’t do much to address that.”

DART representatives did not respond to requests for comment.

tional costs would be financed by the space itself, whether from hourly fees for PC usage or some other method. At this point, just about anything seems to be a possibility –even a second floor atop the existing space and courtyard is currently under consideration. The university has also looked at other similar spaces to use as references, and Fitch and Goodwin will visit a gaming space at the University of California, Irvine in April as part of their research.

“We want to make the best esports/gaming lounge in the nation that’s on a college campus,” Fitch said.

CHRISTINA KOVACS | MERCURY STAFF

FATIMAH AZEEM | OPINION EDITOR

With the roar of a chainsaw and rotting flesh dangling from the jowls of a killer, Leatherface returns with a vengeance — and newfound hatred of Gen Z. “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (2022) is an example of what horror movie sequels should be, with nods to the first film without relying solely on nostalgia to drive the story.

The film opens with a group of young adults venturing deep into Texas. Social media influencer Melody (Sarah Yarkin) drags her sister Lila (Elsie Fisher) to an abandoned town in hopes of persuading other young business owners to capitalize on the “vintage aesthetic” of the Deep South. Before the bidders arrive, Melody and her business partner Dante (Jacob Latimore) are shocked to see a Confederate flag posted on the town’s abandoned orphanage. They go inside to tear it down, only to find that an elderly woman and her terrifying companion are still inhabiting the building.

Upon first glance, a plot surrounding online influencers seemed to be a lazy and corny way to modernize an old concept, but this was not the case. Introducing the characters as youthful, online personalities contrasted greatly against the setting and Leatherface himself, making it perfect for new audiences. Leatherface, naïve to the outside world, is suddenly placed amongst a world of smart phones and youthful liberals — and is outraged by the intrusion.

Melody has the most anxiety-inducing run-ins

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

with Leatherface, and Yarkin’s performance was deeply entertaining, equipped with an expressive face and blood-curdling scream. She represents the modern horror heroine, completely rejecting typical slasher film tropes. She’s witty, bubbly and a very accurate representation of a protective older sister. Her motivations have nothing to do with romantic love or a dark mysterious past like many heroines; instead, she is fueled by sisterly affection and a stubborn nature. I couldn't help but root for her, and she might be one of my favorite modern slasher film protagonists.

Alongside Melody, Lila is a survivor of a school shooting, coping with both her trauma and terrifying Leatherface encounters. She doesn’t want to be defined by her trauma, but she struggles with survivor’s guilt and a lack of purpose. Lila deals with her trauma with humor and Fisher is spot-on with Gen Z’s signature sense of self-deprecation and awkwardness. Lila was an asshole in the best possible way, and a relatable figure for young viewers, but I do wish

Conversation with the director, cast of new 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'

Warning: major spoilers ahead.

“Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (2022) follows its iconic 1974 predecessor in a bloodfueled extravaganza that will terrify (and delight) old fans and new viewers alike.

Director David Blue Garcia, an Emmy award winner, first gained recognition from his debut feature film “Tejano” and was later offered the directorial position for “Massacre.” He brings a modern twist to a concept that relies on the outdatedness of rural Texas, producing a sequel that touches on current social issues while also staying true to the original film.

“There is a lot of our culture and society in this film,” Garcia said. “It touches on a lot of subjects like gentrification and school shootings, guilt and running from the past. But it doesn’t necessarily preach any of those things, either. It’s part of their world, it’s a part of the characters, but it’s not telling the audience how to think. It’s also a fun slasher film.”

One demonstrative difference is Garcia’s choice of casting. Instead of actors that aligned with typical horror tropes (e.g., blonde hair, blue eyes), he opted for Sarah Yarkin and Elsie Fisher, saying he enjoys that they look like normal college students. Yarkin, who plays leading lady Melody, discussed how involved the role of a horror heroine/victim was and the intense nature of filming.

“It was crazy,” Yarkin said. “When you read the script, you're like: ‘it's going to be gnarly, let's get crazy, let's get covered in shit and blood’. When you're actually doing it, it's totally insane. Like I was stuck under a bed for three days crying, or I’m crawling through a crawl space for three days covered in blood and poop. A lot of the movie is

running from Leatherface or hiding, but at some points I get to take some action and I got to work with a stunt coordinator and that was really cool, to feel like I was an action hero.”

Fisher rose to fame after starring in Bo Burnham’s film “Eighth Grade”. Her character, Lila, has a backstory surrounding the events of a school shooting, leading to the actress focusing on trauma research for the role.

“A lot of the inspiration for Lila came

Communion Coffee

from trying to do justice to Lila’s story,” Fisher said. “With [Lila] having been a survivor of a school shooting, that’s totally something that I wanted to give nuance and I did a lot of research on how people deal with trauma, and that's how I crafted her into a dimensional person. A lot of people who deal with trauma are funny, and kind

destiny where there can only be one person [to survive], and to me, Melody felt like that choice- and it was interesting to me that Lila ended up being the survivor.”

While it’s natural to root for the protagonists, some people tend to gravitate towards the antagonists and their “misunderstood” natures. However, Garcia said producer Fede Álvarez and original co-writer Kim Hinkle advised against focusing on the iconic antagonist Leatherface too much, and he emphasized the importance of balancing out the scenes that draw sympathy to horror icons.

BEN NGUYEN Managing Editor

While travelling down Route 75, you might spot a sign for Communion Coffee on Exit 24. With both good food and ample working space, the diner offers more than just coffee—but how good is it for getting your fix?

Walking into the store, nearly a quarter of its real estate is taken up by a dedicated mer-

of jerks, which they’re totally allowed to be.”

The “final girl'' is a common story in the horror genre (slasher films especially) where the lone survivor is typically a woman who confronts the killer and eventually shares her story. Fisher expresses the issues with the “final girl” trope, such as its predictability, and how this film subverts it.

“Being the final girl, I didn’t want to fall into those tropes if I could help it, because it really is a total tossup at the end who is going to survive,” Fisher said. “I feel like there is some sort of cosmic

chandise space. Jackets, hoodies, mugs, water bottles and notebooks are the first thing you’ll see before getting to take a look at the menu. The whole vibe is of a high-end spot that’s supposed to be visited for the sake of going, a place to be attached to and eventually buy some of the branded materials and other minorly useful items seemingly targeted at the “working entrepreneur” customer.

The issue for me, then, is the coffee and their hours. A regular iced vanilla latte cost me $6.50. Ouch! On top of that, the actual amount of coffee wasn’t particularly more than a Starbucks grande, making the surcharge for an iced drink- maybe it’s the extra ounces of milk?- sting a bit more. The hot lattes are regularly priced, but I’m also just not a particular fan of the blend that Communion uses. Maybe it would be better black, but the flavor doesn’t mix well with their vanilla additive like some other blends

“There is a tendency to want to humanize the villain, and see him in a different light,” Garcia said. “But we also want to make sure he is still the monster in the film. He is a terrible person, obviously, has a very unfortunate childhood and upbringing, so we can’t fully blame him for his actions. He’s still monstrous and he’s kind of an allegory for the worse and most violent parts of humankind. So, I didn’t want to humanize him too much, make it too sympathetic. But there are always going to be people in the audience cheering on Leatherface, as it’s a part of the fun.”

He also discussed the differences of remaking a low-budget original with modern technology, as the initial “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” relied heavily upon practical effects in order to film many gruesome scenes.

“The fun thing about the original is that it's known for being very gory, but it's really more psychological,” Garcia said. “A lot of the gore isn’t really on screen, it's suggested through clever tricks and editing, and a lot of that is because of the time…There’s a shot in the original film where Leatherface falls and the chainsaw falls on his thigh and cuts into his thigh and the way they did that was put a

SEE CONVERSATION, PAGE 8

do. And when the only flavor options are vanilla, lavender and honey, it feels worse and worse to go for just a drink.

In contrast, the food is great! I tried the Horchata French Toast and a “Choriqueso” burger, which ran for a standard $10-12 per dish. The horchata butter that comes with the French toast is light and pairs well with the mixture of strawberries, bananas and syrup. The combination of chorizo and queso didn’t spill out of the burger and was perfect with the additional jalapenos. So, the food’s great, but there’s just one problem for me: they close at 2 p.m. (3 p.m. on weekends)!. For any normal human, that may be good enough for a breakfast and lunch place. It just stings that food so good is only available for such a short time compared to most other restaurants and cafés.

MIA NGUYEN

It’s part of their world, it’s a part of the characters, but it’s not telling the audience how to think.

— David Blue Garcia

MIA NGUYEN Life and Arts Editor

From left to right, Elsie Fisher and Sarah Yarkin star in new TCM film alongside supporting cast Nell Hudson and Jacob Latimore.

NETFLIX | COURTESY

There is a lot of our culture and society in this film. It touches a lot on subjects like gentrification and school shootings, guilt and running from the past.

— Director David Blue Garcia

Communion provides a coffeeshop, diner and cooperative space all in one, but there are small issues with the coffee and diner. Students can study for free at UTD.

Spending a day in the heartbeat of UTD

Observations from 24 hours outside the Student Union

As the clock struck midnight on Friday, Feb. 11, I settled on a rock by the Memorial Pond with a simple sign: “Mercury Marathon – 24 Hours on the Plinth!” And what a 24 hours it was.

Let’s set some ground rules: the 24 hours last 12:00 a.m. Friday to 12:00 a.m. Saturday. They are outside, on the Plinth, in front of the Memorial Pool. I get three bathroom breaks. If any of you feel like getting smart about the breaks, you are welcome to try consuming that much Bang Energy while listening to constant fountain sound effects.

— PREDAWN —

The day’s skateboard tally began at 12:12 a.m., when a single skater coffined down the hill by Starbucks at top speed. The occasional thunder of boards on brick and the burble of the Memorial Pool fountains behind me were the only sound around at that hour.

Thomas Nazarro, a human resources junior returning from a game night, walked up at 3:23 a.m. to investigate our cuttingedge journalistic experiment.

“I always like to walk around campus. It’s probably not the safest, but I like to

walk around campus at night. Honestly, I feel pretty safe...like, you’ll walk around at 3 a.m. and there’ll be like no people,” Nazarro said.

Then, he spotted the Mercury reporters with a blanket and a Twitch livestream.

“I just walked by and saw some people looking like homeless people sitting by the Plinth, and I was like, ‘hey!’” he said. “They had Temoc colors, so I was like, ‘they can’t be that harmful.’ Temoc has benevolent energy.”

MORNING —

"The library's my favorite spot, and the SU. It's nice passing through here on my way to the library, 'cause I see a bunch of music playing around and people talking. Back then [pre-pandemic] it was more crowded, and I guess more lively."

- Aulani Sanchez

single sprinter came through just after nine looking absolutely panicked on the way to a lecture…I hope that worked out for him. A tour group came through — we were never that short, right? — and the guide teaches them that the Plinth Fountain is called the “Fog Log,” a name that kicks off

Sahithi Chundu, a mechanical engineering and economics freshman, attributed her positive experience at UTD to its unique students.

“There’s a lot of college campuses where there’s like a spectrum from ‘nobody cares

can from places, and [at] UTD it seems like there’s something new that I find every week.”

3:23 PM

my second sidequest of the day: asking everyone who comes through what their name for it is.

One person toed the official “Fog Log” line, but the rest were a motley crew of “Alien Machine,” “Vape Pen,” “Steam Beam” and—my personal favorite—“Alexander.”

— AFTERNOON — — EVENING —

By 9:54 p.m., 22 hours into the marathon, I had to give in to the intrusive thought and send someone to ask if the person manning the Techknowlegy Bar could be called a “bartecher.” Sadly, that is not yet their official job title.

My 24 hours on the Plinth gave me a new appreciation for the University as a whole, but particularly the people who go here. Maybe it’s just the mere exposure effect of watching

about anything at all’ versus ‘people are extremely individualistic and prideful’, and I feel like UTD is a nice medium,” she said. “We have people that are passionate about what they do, but we also have people that are kind.”

it for this long. Maybe it’s the actual exposure of freezing outside. Either way, I know that something has shifted on campus, something that goes far beyond a single day.

Not the Plinth Fountain name, though; the jury’s still out on that one.

This story has been excerpted to fit the spacing constraints of publication. For the full experience—including a skateboard tally and a runin with the Californians—visit utdmercury.com.

“I was really surprised by the amount of opportunities that were at UTD,” she said.“I definitely like to not give things their credit at first; I like to be a skeptic, and I like to really extract everything I

- Sahithi Chundu

6:13 PM

FROM TOP CENTER, CLOCKWISE: THOMAS NAZARRO, JACK SIERPUTOWSKI, KRUTHI KANDURI, CHIEF LARRY ZACHARIAS, ISHMERAI GONZALEZ, AND TOAST.

ANNA PHENGSAKMUEANG | PHOTO EDITOR JAMIE LIN | LAYOUT ARTIST

The window between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. featured a steady trickle of people heading to morning lectures, mostly yawning and clutching steaming cups of coffee or tea. A

Pub gaming renovation wishlist

The "esports lounge" promises to provide a new space for Comets to game, so what does the ideal space look like?

BEN NGUYEN Managing Editor

Since UTD has just announced plans to convert the The Pub into a gaming lounge, I’d like to give the University a wish list for the new space from someone who would’ve camped out in a gaming lounge if it had existed during my time.

The future look of the Pub is still fairly ambiguous: while there are a few defined spaces that SmithGroup and the University are looking to design, there aren’t any hard commitments for the space yet. However, with even adding a second floor in consideration, it’s safe to say that, for the time being, the sky’s the limit. With three new main areas, a lounge, a PC café-like space, and an “arena” for match spectating, there’s plenty of room to grow.

The key component of the new gaming lounge is obviously the gameplay space. In the open forum, SmithGroup and the Uni-

versity conceptualized this being split into a lounge space with TV setsand a “gaming station” akin to the familiar PC café setup. At a bare minimum, there should be enough computers to run a local tournament without issue. Since most esports commonly run five-man teams, 40 PCs would allow four prospective rounds of a tournament torun at once within the confines of the Pub. Besides providing ample space for students looking to rent PCs in their free time, being able to run

LANs will let students experience the thrill of offline competition with a low barrier to entry, much like how intramurals let nonprofessional students play traditional sports.

Of course, having 40 PCs won’t matter if they can’t boot up “League of Legends”. While it may seem obvious, having setups that can properly play video games for a few years at a time is paramount to keeping such a space alive. I’m no hardcore PC builder, but the University should invest in PCs with capable parts, something akin to the NVIDIA 3080 GTX series today at the time of the lounge’s opening. If within a year, the prospective student can get a machine that runs games better than the gaming lounge’s PCs for $100, the appeal is lost. Why pay an hourly rate to play on a potato?

In addition to the main “gaming station” space, there are also plans for a general gaming lounge. My wish for this section is twofold – both enough space for fighting game

'Sheets' talks growing up in life and in death

SIHANYA ROCHA Mercury Staff

With an inviting pastel color palette and soft art style, Brenna Thummler tells two intertwined coming-of-age stories that capture both middle school’s mucky feelings of awareness and the challenges of facing problems that are bigger than oneself.

Our first main character, Marjorie Glatt, is a middle school student in charge of the family laundry business. But she’s also yearning for the comfort of her re-

cently-deceased mom, responsible for a younger brother and has a dad that is going through a depressive episode...leaving Marjorie feeling like a ghost. By contrast, the second main character, Wendell, actually is a ghost, and not an invisible spectre either: he is a stereotypical, bedsheetwearing ghost.

Having died young, Wendell’s routine consists of awkward group “death therapy”, neglecting the upkeep of his sheet-covered body and coping with his insatiable desire to return to the human world. As Wendell and Marjorie each pursue their individual objectives, their paths collide, and it is ultimately revealed that Wendell’s journey of

reinvention is actually the source of many of Marjorie’s problems.

What sets “Sheets” apart is the subtle complexity that Thummler imbues into all of her characters—even the antagonistic ones. There is always a reason or motive behind a character's actions, making “Sheets” an intricate story that revolves around more than just its two main characters. Thummler’s attention to detail in storytelling goes beyond just her writing, though. Throughout the comic, her artwork is positively gorgeous – but she also takes the time to do something interesting with the comic’s color palette. When Marjorie is the focus of the story, everything is

tournaments and enough versatility for a non-gaming club to be able to use the space.

The fighting game community at UTD is fairly strong, and already hosts and attends tournaments on and off campus. On top of this, when renovating the Pub, it shouldn’t particularly lose functionality: it’s been used as a general venue before and should not lose that capability with the “gamer” renovation. The last main area of interest is the arena.

I think it’s imperative that there is room to breathe in this space as arenas are almost “black box theaters” intended to hold live matches for spectators to watch. An arena where at least 100 spectators can comfortably filter in and watch live matches would be ideal. Esports already has a small but dedicated audience, but having an open space easily accessible for new spectators to discover live competition will help the team fanbase grow.

drawn in vibrant color; however, when it is from Wendell’s perspective, everything is in dreary black and white.

Like other stories that heal someone’s inner child or validate hardships, “Sheets” gives resolution to those uncomfortable middle school years. With an inviting art style, compelling story and complex character-work, Brenna Thummler is able

to create a work that unexpectedly touches you – and might just become your new favorite story. So, while you might not be actively looking for something that will take you back to thea time of mixed feelings that are our early teen years, the beautiful rollercoaster ride that “Sheets” takes you on is well worth that unwanted blast from the past.

THAOVY NGUYEN MERCURY STAFF

ALEXANDRA IBARRA | MERCURY STAFF

The idea began in March 2020, spurred on by an ECO UTD petition and the general interest of the Sustainability Committee to take action against campus waste, as UTD produced over 2.9 million pounds of waste in 2019. Geospatial information sciences junior and former EcoRep Paulina Hruskoci spearheaded the project, working with the PostLandfill Action Network – a national organization leading plastic bans at

room in Jonsson, and neuroscience

senior Maria Kiesewetter has the UTD practice rooms to thank for the beginning of a close friendship.

“He was practicing piano and came over to say ‘hi’ as I was practicing violin,”

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with intensity, competitiveness and physicality on both sides of the court. After a late layup by forward Steven Quinn gave the Cowboys a 60-59 lead with 15 seconds to play, all eyes turned towards coach Terry Butterfield’s players and one final play call. In the end, it was a pair of free throws by Will Isaac which propelled the Comets to a dramatic 61-60 win. Isaac, having only played nine minutes, delivered two of the

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there was more elaboration on her character outside of a couple of twosecond flashbacks.

Many horror movie sequels attempt to bring back surviving mem-

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metal plate on his thigh, under his jeans and a piece of steak. They had the actor drop a real

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It hurts even more considering

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A PC Café to hit the ranked

universities such as UCLA and UC Berkeley. UTD’s ban is structured around PLAN guidance, and targets primarily dining and auxiliary use plastics – the current iteration of the proposal doesn’t address laboratory and medical implements. The gradual ban would have four main stages: developing a Plastic-Free Task Force to execute the proposal, eliminating non-essential, noncompostable single-use disposable plastics, creating policy to keep that plastic elimination permanent and implementing

Kiesewetter said. “That random encounter turned out to be pretty memorable, since we’re still friends now!”

Kiesewetter noted that the accessible location and academic atmosphere of empty classrooms can make them an appealing spot for studying.

“For me, being able to use class-

most important free throws of the season and helped the Comets improve to a 14-6 overall record and a 10-5 ASC division record. Postgame, Isaac stated that he was only focused on his last two free throws and not worried about anything else distracting him in that key moment.

“Honestly, it just came down to those last two free throws. I didn’t care about any of my play before that, I was just focusing on those two free throws, that’s it,” Isaac said.

In the end, the star player for the

bers of previous films in hopes to draw in longtime fans, and “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is no exception.

Leatherface’s original “final girl,” Sally Hardesty, returns with a shotgun and hatred for the killer, aiding Lila and Melody. Her return was a nice

running chainsaw onto his leg… that's how low-budget this movie was.”’

In addition to special effects, Garcia said that the modern film

that both the coffeeshop and diner are connected to a cooperative working space, and the

grind with the homies. A lounge to crash some games of “Super Smash” and enjoy a bite to eat. A

reusable substitutes.

“Only 9% of plastics that are disposed of in the United States every year are actually recycled. We all have this kind of belief that if we recycle our plastic bottles and recycle our plastic food containers, then we're not going to be harming the environment, when in fact, many of those plastics end up in the ocean, landfills and causing environmental harm,” Hruskoci said. “So, I really wanted to take action on something to actually make our actions on a daily basis

room spaces makes it a lot easier to gather for study sessions,” Kiesewetter said. “Rooms with whiteboards available have been especially helpful for group study sessions.”

Classrooms are also useful for more formal club activities. Two of Kiesewetter’s student organizations –

Comets remained Kameron Pruitt, scoring 24 points on 67% shooting and 10 rebounds. Pruitt praised the defense postgame, acknowledging the team’s impressive efforts were encouraging after “laying an egg on Sunday,” in which they allowed 85 points in a loss against Mary Hardin-Baylor.

“I think, bottom line, our defense was crazy impressive tonight. We kind of laid an egg on Sunday, but then we came back Monday, and then we came back today even harder,” Pruitt said. “So if we can keep this

nod to the 1974 film, adding a sprinkle of nostalgia without overtaking the new story and cast.

Of course, a slasher film isn’t a slasher film without over-the-top kills and comical blood spurts: this film provided all that and more. The

environment and his production team also gave him more creative license with Leatherface’s kills in comparison to his predecessor.

“The thing is, with modern

coffeeshop is open for hours after the diner. At that point, for any current student of UTD, the

packed arena to cheer on Comets in regular-season games and tournament finals alike. I wish

matter.”

A notable concern with completely banning plastics in straws and bags is that it may cause disparities for disabled students. To address this, Hruskoci said the Office of Sustainability has been working with the Office of Accessibility to figure out how to best make plastic alternatives accessible, as well as account for disparities in the long-term.

“In terms of cost and implementation concerns, we see this as kind of a long-term plan for the university,”

the Medical Humanities Association and Comet Symphonique – depend on them to host meetings and socials.

“I’m hoping that being back in person means we might have more in-person club socials coming up, which will be a nice chance to get to know faces better,” Kiesewetter said.

later stride in our season, I think we can go far in conference tournament.”

Coach Terry Butterfield expressed his relief following this big win, similarly attributing the victory to their stellar defense holding a potent Hardin-Simmons offense to only 60 points. Coach Butterfield also expressed his pride for late-game hero Isaac, stating his free throws as the difference between losing and going to overtime.

“I feel, just, excited for Will Isaac, who hit those two critical free throws. I mean, if you don’t hit those, we’re

jump scares were actually unpredictable, and I love how the murder scenes varied between abandoned buildings and modern settings, such as a party bus. It is super cinematic when a blood spattered Leatherface is surrounded by pulsing LED lights

audiences, especially for slasher films, they've seen everything,” he said. “Fede Álvarez is known for making ‘Evil Dead’ and really pushing the boundaries of

Student Union has better hours and cheaper prices. Perhaps for someone else, Communion is

that I had these things while working on my degree here, but I’d like to be able to come back

she said. “We don't expect us to be like, ‘no, we're not having any plastics the second the next school year starts.’ We want this to be a longterm thing where we phase out one thing [at a time] … and we're working that into our budget every year, our strategic planning every year, and it's really actionable and realistic for the entire university.”

The Plastic-Free Task Force will be allowed flexibility to develop and implement the Plastic Ban plan, including figuring out what reusable alter-

Viradia has analyzed data from the app to determine the best times to get lunch on campus, using the logic that dining locations will be less crowded when most students are in class. He is also responsive to feature requests on Reddit, suggesting that the UTD Rooms app will continue

either going home a loser or we’re going to overtime, and that’s a lot of pressure,” Butterfield said. “I’m excited for our team, that we’re continuing to get better, and this is the time where you have to get better, because you know we’re all building towards the conference tournament.”

Late-season wins and handling close games, Butterfield argues, is what will help the Comets gain confidence in each other and their approach as they move forward with their tournament push. Approaching

and the flash of cameras, looking like a relic amongst modernity. This scene alone makes the film worth watching, because it embodies the pure ridiculousness of slasher flicks and emphasizes Leatherface’s bloodlust.

Recent slasher sequels have felt

what you're going to show to an audience, so he encouraged me to do that in this film, to get creative with the kills, creative with the gore, and really try to shock

the ideal work spot. But for students on a budget without a 9 to 5 schedule? It’s too expensive

to UTD in the future and see this project shine to its fullest potential: a place where Com -

natives the University can realistically use to replace dining and auxiliary products. The Sustainability Committee, Student Government and University admin will identify and assign students, faculty, staff and relevant or interested stakeholders– such as Dining and Auxiliary Services –onto the Task Force. Students interested in getting involved can contact Hruskoci at her email, Paulina.Hruskoci@UTDallas.edu, or message Sustainability Committee leadership at @Eco_Reps on Instagram.

to serve students on campus. “I think [the app] would be really helpful,” Spadaro said. “For example, I’m in mock trial, and a lot of times it can be hard for us to find a place to practice together. If we’re able to check the app, I think it would make that a lot easier.”

the last few games of the season, the coach and the team hope to utilize this game as a confidence booster.

“When your guys win a game like that, I think it should give them a lot of confidence in what we’re doing, in how we’re doing it, and confidence in each other,” Butterfield said. “It was really a team effort…you’ve got to be playing your best basketball at the end of the season…and I’m hoping that we’re nudging towards getting better and guys are seeing what could be as we go forward.”

bland, an empty husk of the original with unoriginal scares and characters.

“Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (2022) breaks that cycle in an adrenalineinfused, short-runtime film that will grasp viewer’s attention to the very last plot twist.

people and show them something they are never going to be able to forget.”

“Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is now streaming on Netflix.

and too exclusive with its timing, making it an inconvenient spot to get your fix.

ets of all walks of life can enjoy gaming and experience the thrill of a live esports event.