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NEWS

News Editor: Heather Bair – zzzx@iup.edu

(Case Marshall - Heather Bair/The Penn) The Patrick J. Stapleton Library (left) is a great place to study quietly, whereas the lobby of the Humanities and Social Sciences building offered a bigger area for study groups to meet for finals week.

Students feel more stressed than ever for finals week MEGAN DONNY Staff Writer bbcx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

With finals approaching in a week, many students are scrambling to decide when, if and how to study.

Like last semester, finals will be held remotely. This means students will most likely have to Zoom or log onto D2L to complete their finals next week.

Some professors have even opted to hold their finals this week rather than on the scheduled finals date next week.

Because of the change to online format, many professors are forgoing standard final exams and replacing them with presentations and projects.

Students find this new format

News

easier because many prefer presentations and projects to exams.

Though, some professors are still sticking with group projects, which aren’t always the easiest virtually.

“A lot of professors don’t want test answers online, so I don’t have actual exams in a majority of my classes,” Thea McCullough (senior, fashion merchandising) said.

However, some professors are sticking with the known final exam format.

“I have a couple projects as finals in my advertising and PR class and tests for the rest of my fashion and journalism classes,” Maran Davis (senior, fashion merchandising) said.

Some students have heard that professors are choosing to skip finals this year to give students a break from the stress.

“I do have finals,” McCullough said. “I have a final drawing for my fundamentals of drawing class, an exam for economics of crime, a final assignment for professional selling and a final paper for quality control.”

Students agree that while in-person classes are overall better for learning, online finals are easier.

December 2, 2020

“Finals are easier because of COVID-19 for sure,” she said.

Students believe finals are easier online because there are less tests and more projects and presentations. Tests often cause more stress on students than a project or presentation.

“I prefer finals online because they are a lot easier than in-person,” Davis said. “I feel like the finals will be easier because of virtual classes. I feel they aren’t as difficult.”

While students do find these finals to be easier, some are less prepared than usual. With the virus, many students are stressed enough as it is. The stress of finals is something students aren’t prepared to deal with on top of the stress brought on by COVID-19.

“I’m not really prepared at this point honestly,” McCollough

said. “I’ve taken the whole week of Thanksgiving to relax and not worry about schoolwork. “ However, other students believe that the break gave them time to prepare for the upcoming finals.

“I feel prepared because of getting things done early and stretching out the work,” Davis said. “I’m just going to prepare by not cramming and procrastinate.”

Students prepare in many different ways for exams. Some create study guides and work in groups to prepare. Others tend to prefer working on their own and using memorizing tactics.

“For exams, I just go over the study guide and read the textbook a bunch of times,” McCullough said. “I try to do tasks in chunks so I don’t get overwhelmed.”

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News

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IUP (left) and Westmoreland County Community College (right) joined forces with a duel admissions agreement.

IUP joins forces with Westmoreland County Community College EVE TILLICH Staff Writer jxsbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP IUP President Michael Driscoll and Westmoreland County Community College President Tuesday Stanley along with other members of leadership teams signed a dual admissions agreement.

The agreement lets students that obtain an associate degree at Westmoreland to complete a bachelor’s degree at IUP. “This initiative is about student success and being student-centered,” Driscoll said. “We want to eliminate potential barriers and help students from Westmoreland to feel that they are a valued member of the IUP family, even before they begin their formal coursework here.”

By eliminating barriers, the dual admission agreement is helping student achieve their academic goals.

“This is an excellent next step in the ongoing partnership between our two institutions,” he said. “We look forward to continuing to welcome strong Westmoreland students to IUP and helping them to meet their educational goals.”

IUP and Westmoreland students will also be able to utilize resources and services from both schools such as counseling and

IUP’s school mascot, Norm the Hawk (left), and Westmoreland County Community College’s mascot, Westly Wolf (right). support programs. Westmoreland students will also have access to transition support and resources from IUP like housing, dining, libraries and more.

“This agreement allows the student to transfer seamlessly to IUP with their associate degree,” Stanley said. “We are excited that this agreement also allows our students to have access to many of IUP’s resources, including dining and housing. It is all about the students.”

Transferring to a different school can be a huge challenging step for many students.

“It’s challenging – and sometimes a bit intimidating – to

progress to the ‘next steps’ in your educational journey,” Executive Director of Media Relations Michelle Fryling said. “With a more streamlined application process, and the opportunity to actually be on the IUP campus and take advantage of IUP resources before you physically are taking courses, we hope that students will feel more comfortable transitioning to IUP from Westmoreland.

“It also gives the Westmoreland students access to all IUP resources, which we hope will help them to be successful at Westmoreland as well as be successful in transition to IUP. Then, when

students do transfer to IUP, they will be familiar with IUP resources and opportunities.”

To be eligible for this admission opportunity, students must be attending Westmoreland.

Additionally, they must meet a grade point average (gpa) of 2.0 or the minimum gpa for the program they are applying for at IUP. Students must have earned less than 30 credit hours and plan to pursue an associate degree as well as a bachelor’s degree.

“We also hope that as students begin their studies at Westmoreland, this agreement presents new opportunities to

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new students there, and helps them to make decisions about their next steps by making the process easier,” Fryling said.

Westmoreland and IUP have a strong relationship with one another.

Fryling said that the presidents of both institutions along with other members of the leadership teams have a “great on-going relationship.” So, the idea of dual admissions grew jointly from those working relationships.

Since 2015, around 330 Westmoreland students have transferred to IUP to continue their studies.

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New program helps local community with opportunities in areas EMILY LOOSE Staff Writer E.D.Loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Local communities are finding new ways to come together through these tough times.

Members of Indiana County have recently formed a new program called Resources, Education, Announcements, Communication, Help (REACH).

The program’s mission is to deal with new concerns and opportunities in the area. According to REACH’S organizers, community awareness is an important aspect of the program.

As COVID-19 cases have begun to spike in Indiana, the first concern that the program will be working with is the impact of the virus on the residents.

REACH was created due to the virus. It evolved from the COVID-19 Task Force that was implemented by Indiana County’s Board of Commissioners.

The task force was created to open lines of communication to

REACH was started to help local communities. help reopen businesses within the county and to keep cases of COVID-19 lowered. REACH will continue to spearhead many of the same ideas.

“With COVID-19 cases on the rise across Indiana County, and the holidays quickly approaching, we know it is critical that our residents have the most current information so that they can keep themselves and their loved ones safe,” Robin

Gorman, one of the commissioners in Indiana County, said.

According to Gorman, the program will be important in helping residents understanding the virus and how to prevent it.

“REACH will continue to be a trusted source for accurate and timely information that meets the needs of the 85,000 Indiana County residents we serve,” she said.

This information will be avail-

(IUP) able on REACH’s website https:// www.indianacountypareach.org/.

The website features a meter that shows the positivity level of COVID-19 in Indiana County.

As of Saturday, the meter is at “High 10%+.” According to the website, this means “stay at home.

If you must go out, use precautions and do not gather with others.”

As of the same date, there are 2,493 positive cases of COVID-19

in Indiana County with 1,956 of them being confirmed.

The website also provides information regarding health risks and where residents can get tested. These sites include CVS, Indiana VA Clinic and MedExpress Urgent Care.

REACH has brought together many organizations and sponsors for the program. These include Indiana University of Pennsylvania, YMCA of Indiana County, Westmoreland Community College, Department of Human Services and White Township.

The pandemic is not the only issue REACH will be working with. The program will also focus on working with the physical, emotional and economic health of the county and its residents and businesses.

REACH’s organizers will continue to update its website with new information as often as possible. They urge anyone concerned that they have COVID-19 to get tested immediately.

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News

(Facebook) Agatha Christie’s signature (left) is known world-wide. The start of the Free Speech Movement (right) began Oct. 1, 1964, at University of California, Berkeley.

December’s start brings events that will be remembered for years HEATHER BAIR News Editor zzzx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The first few days of December bring historical events that happened while the holiday season was just getting started.

From the first issue of an abolitionist’s newspaper, to a popular mystery author becoming a mystery herself, to 800 students being arrested at Berkeley and U.S Armed Forces allowing women to see combat.

Dec. 3, 1847 First issue of an abolitionist paper published In Rochester, N.Y., 1847, Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist, published the first issue of the anti-slavery paper, The North Star.

The paper merged in 1851 with the Liberty Party Paper to form the Frederick Douglass’ Paper.

The slogan of The North Star was “right is of no sex – truth is of no color – God is the Father of us all, and all we are brethren.”

After escaping from slavery in Maryland, Douglass became a national leader in the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York. He was an active supporter for women’s suffrage as well as a supporter for anti-slavery movements.

After subscribing to The Liberator, a weekly newspaper published by William Lloyd Garrison, Douglass was inspired in 1846 to start his own. The paper’s title was inspired by the directions given to runaway slaves trying to reach the Northern states and Canada. They were told to “follow the North Star,” which was also a figure of speech describing Canada as being the “north star.”

It was published weekly and was four pages long. It sold for $2 per year and had more than 4000 readers in the Caribbean, Europe and U.S. The first page always focused on current events having to do with abolitionist issues.

Douglass began publishing The North Star from the basement of the Memorial AME Zion Church in Rochester.

In one issue of the paper, Douglass printed a graphic passage in which he targeted his former slaveowner, Auld, asking how he would feel if Douglass came and took away Auld’s daughter, Amanda, as a slave, treating her as Auld treated him and his family. He also finished the passage by stating he meant no ill will toward Auld, and if Auld ever needed anything, such as a safe roof, Douglass would offer him a place to stay as, “an example as to how mankind ought to treat each other.”

In 1851, Douglass merged with Gerrit Smith’s Liberty Party Paper.

Together, the two created the

Frederick Douglass Paper, which was published until 1860.

Dec. 3, 1926 Mystery writer becomes a mystery herself Agatha Christie was a beloved mystery author who is as classic today as she was in the early 1900s.

She is most known for her mystery novels such as “The ABC Murders” and “Murder on the Orient Express.”

However, Dec. 3, 1926, the famous author kissed her sleeping daughter, Rosalind, goodnight and went out to her car. She drove off into the night and was not seen again for 11 days.

Within a few hours, her car was found abandoned, but there was no sign of Christie or any evidence that she had been involved in any type of accident.

A popular theory was that this was a publicity stunt for her newest novel, “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.” However, the novel was doing well and Christie had become a household name.

Her husband was said to have a mistress, and another theory was that he had possibly murdered Christie.

Eleven days later, she was found in a hotel in Harrogate, but the mystery only grew around the writer. She had no recollection of the past days’ events.

Police decided to piece together the events from the clues given. They determined Christie had left her house, traveled the way to London, crashed her car, then took a train to Harrogate.

She checked into the Swan Hydro hotel. Even more odd, she used the name of her husband’s mistress.

Christie made a full recovery and took with her to her deathbed the greatest mystery of her stories: what happened during those 11 days that she was missing?

Dec. 3, 1964 800 students arrested at Berkeley due to protest The Free Speech Movement (FSM) took place during the 196465 academic year at the University of California, Berkeley. Thousands of students participated, and the FSM was the first mass act of civil disobedience on a college campus.

In 1958, students organized a campus political party known as SLATE to promote the right of student groups to support off-campus issues.

In the fall of 1964, student activists set up information tables on campus and were asking for donations for causes connected with the Civil Rights Movement.

According to the school rules at

the time, fundraising for political parties was only allowed by the Democrat and Republican school clubs.

On Dec. 2, 1964, between 1500 and 4000 students, led by Mario Savio, went to Sproul Hall on campus to reopen negotiations with the administration on the restrictions of political speech and action on campus. The protest was done quietly; students studied, watched movies, listened to music and sang folk songs led by Joan Baez, a singer and songwriter who was also a strong activist.

Shortly after 2 a.m. on the morning of Dec. 3, the Alameda County deputy district attorney asked for authority to proceed with a mass arrest. Close to 800 students were arrested and transported by bus to Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. The university brought charges against the students who organized the sit-in, which resulted in an even larger protest that almost shut down the university.

The next year, the new acting chancellor Martin Meyerson changed the rules, allowing for freedom of speech and open discussions on the campus.

Since then, the college has had open discussions about freedom of speech while on campus.

While December is best known for the holiday season, there are other events that made the month memorable.

December 2, 2020

News

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The faces of history that changed December as we know it Agatha Christie

Frederick Douglass

University of California, Berkeley, 2020 Mario Savio

(Facebook) Frederick Douglass (top left) published the first issue of the first abolitionist paper, The North Star (top middle), Dec. 3, 1847. Agatha Christie (top right), a popular mystery author, became a mystery herself Dec. 3, 1926 when she went missing for 11 days. The mystery still surrounds the disappearance to this day. Mario Savio (bottom left) was a leader in the Free Speech Movement at the University of California, Berkeley (bottom right) where 800 students were arrested Dec. 3, 1964.

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IUP’s Giving Tuesday raised funds to help students EMILY LOOSE Staff Writer E.D.Loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Giving back to students has been the goal at IUP, but this year proved to be more important than ever.

IUP took part in Giving Tuesday this week to provide help to its students.

Giving Tuesday is a global movement that pushes people and organizations to help their communities through donating and other means. Since it first began in 2012, the movement has raised millions.

It takes place the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving each year.

“IUP focused promotion of this opportunity to ‘give back’ on Giving Tuesday through the university’s social media platforms,” Executive Director of Media Relations Michelle Fryling said.

This included using the hashtag #GivingTuesday on Twitter.

IUP has done Giving Tuesday since 2017 and has raised $36,400 from combined donations of students, employees, alumni and friends.

These proceeds have always

IUP’s Giving Tuesday’s funds went to help the Student Assistance Fund. went toward helping students, but this year’s donations will go directly to IUP’s recently made Student Assistance Fund.

The Student Assistance Fund was first started by the school in March as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Originally called the Emergency Response Fund, the goal of it was to help students with costs toward technology, travel and other expenses due to the pandemic.

The fund currently has a goal of

raising $1 million. So far, the fund has raised $295,437.47 and has helped 433 students.

Because this year’s Giving Tuesday proceeds are going to the Student Assistance Fund, there will be an increase in helping those who are struggling.

According to Khatmeh Osseiran-Hanna, the vice president of university advancement, it is the right idea.

“For the last three years, funds raised during IUP’s Giving Tuesday

(Facebook)

have been directed to providing assistance to students in emergency situations,” she said.

When COVID-19 first broke out, Osseiran-Hanna said she knew that IUP would need to act fast.

“Families could no longer help their student with rent or food, and so many students lost their own jobs that were helping to finance their education,” she said.

Osseiran-Hanna related the necessity of helping these students to struggles she had seen in her

home country, Lebanon.

“My home country has faced war and invasion. People lost their homes in an instant. That was the feeling I had as the pandemic hit the U.S. and our IUP alumni and friends all over the world.”

She said that it meant some of these students were “living on the edge,” and that there was no time to overthink the situation.

“We need to meet the needs of our students,” she said. “It’s just the right thing to do.”

The Student Assistance Fund is part of IUP’s Imagine Unlimited campaign, which was implemented to help transform IUP as a leader in enhancing student experience with grants, scholarships and more.

The goal of Imagine Unlimited is $75 million. It is currently at 99% of its goal. This is in part due to the many gifts provided to the school.

“When times are challenging and uncertain, support from our alumni, employees and friends becomes even more important in our efforts to provide stability and growth for our promising students,” Osseiran-Hanna said. “The love and passion that they have for IUP and our students is inspiring.”

Students prefer projects over exams as finals week approaches MARTY WEAVER Staff Writer zlgz@iup.edu @ThePennIUP As December lumbers closer and closer, that means it’s finals season once again at IUP. All classes are required to have some sort of “culminating activity” that usually takes the form of a final project or exam. As students progress through their college education, often they will see fewer exams and more final projects.

Obviously, the kind of final depends on the type of class.

For professors who teach large liberal studies classes, exams might make more sense than having to read and grade dozens of projects or papers.

Not to mention, COVID-19 has really thrown a wrench in every professor’s plans.

But which is the better test of learning? IUP students weighed in.

“I feel like final projects or term papers are a much better

(Heather Bair/The Penn) The first snow of the season led the way into the beginning of finals week. alternative to exams in general and especially right now,” Kyle Chastulik (senior, music performance) said. “In my experience, an assignment has been much more representative of my knowledge of the course material than a multiple-choice exam.

“Given the circumstances of this semester, I feel it is better to let students work on a final proj-

ect at their own pace rather than drop an exam on them during everything that’s going on.”

Matt Gulish (junior, English education) agreed.

“I prefer final projects,” Gulish said. “Really, I prefer final papers if we’re being honest because that’s my wheelhouse in terms of skill.

“But I feel like it’s unfair to

do cumulative finals for a lot of students because it is a lot of pressure, especially this semester because it’s already so stressful.”

Though, not everyone is fully on-board with projects.

“Well, I have really bad test anxiety, but projects (if I have a lot) can also stress me out so I like a mix of both,” Maddie Vogan (junior, sociology) said. “I feel like I don’t learn well online, so I guess with [COVID-19] I prefer projects.”

“I prefer final projects that are done individually,” Sarah Burk (senior, criminology and political science) said. “Meeting up with others for a group project is difficult in these times due to schedule conflicts, and it being hard to meet in-person, especially since internet calls do not work as well as in-person [meetings].

“Final exams are OK, but only if they aren't cumulative as I don’t retain the information as easily as I have in previous semesters.”

Ultimately, students’ learning styles play a role in the type of

finals they prefer. Some people learn best through exams, while others prefer to apply what they learn to projects. Neither learning style is “better” or “worse;” they’re just different.

One thing everyone can be certain of this year is stress.

Online/hybrid learning is difficult on students and professors, and the uncertainty that has wrought 2020 isn’t making life any simpler.

Professors, take it easy on your students. And students, remember that your professors are people, too.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to professors with questions or concerns. They’re there to help you, and much more often than not, they’re willing to be flexible, especially concerning this nightmare of a year.

Now crack open those textbooks you haven’t looked at once this year, consume an appropriate amount of caffeine, start about six different Google docs at the same time and get studying/writing, IUP.

Opinion

Steelers, Ravens rescheduling debacle is no ‘screw-job’ It’s hard to imagine that this is what fans are thinking of the National Football League.

Since Thursday, Steelers fans have questioned the transparency between commissioner Roger Goodell and his call-to-action for teams breaking the league’s COVID-19 protocols. It started when Pittsburgh and Baltimore were slated to be the Thanksgiving night game, but after a breakout among the Ravens’ locker room occurred in the days prior, the game was postponed.

After rescheduling it multiple times, the Steelers are now facing a possibility of playing three games in a span of 12 days, and fans believe it is part of some conspiracy to strip them of a perfect season.

Yes, you read that correctly.

Fans really believe there is a conspiracy over one team.

What really solidified these beliefs was what happened among the Denver Broncos’ quarterback platoon. The squad, consisting of four QBs, held a team-approved meeting away from the rest of the team without masks, causing a small outbreak and leading to the Broncos playing against New Orleans with no QBs on the depth chart, and a practice squad wide receiver taking snaps with only a day of preparation.

“They were forced to play,” Steeler fans said. “Make the Ravens forfeit since they also veered away from health protocols.”

Yeah… no.

What fans need to realize is that there are many differences between each outbreak.

The Ravens could not control the source of the outbreak quick enough, which led to additional positive test results as the week progressed, whereas the Broncos identified it quickly, isolated all the QBs from the team and had contact tracing that determined no one else was at risk.

Another factor is that there is no official report for what started the outbreak in the Ravens’ locker room.

If one were to come out be-

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(Behind the Steel Curtain) Defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick was a thorn in Baltimore’s side in their week seven matchup, tallying seven total tackles.

(USA Today) David Tyree’s famous “helmet catch” sealed New York’s upset and cost New England a perfect season in Super Bowl XLII. fore the game, which is scheduled for Wednesday, it would

make the consequences for them more dire, since it would

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prove whether or not there was any deliberation from protocol

or if it was a freak incident.

If it’s reported that the Ravens intentionally broke protocol to either avoid playing Pittsburgh or from ignorance, then yes, the game should go as a forfeit, and the Steelers should pick up the win.

Until then, we’re left to speculate.

But regardless of how protocol was broken, there is no possible way the Steelers can get screwed out of an undefeated season via conspiracy theory.

Plus, for as sour as it sounds, wouldn’t fans WANT Pittsburgh to lose here soon?

Think about it, the longer Pittsburgh stays undefeated, they are more at risk of losing in either the AFC Championship round or, worst of all, the Super Bowl, due to the added pressure of staying perfect.

It happened in Super Bowl XLII when Eli Manning and the New York Giants tarnished the New England Patriots’ dreams of a perfect end to a perfect season. Granted, David Tyree made a catch that would normally have a catch percentage of 30 percent or less, but the concept stands that no one is guaranteed a Super Bowl win even if a team had zero losses during the regular season.

While looking back on the regular season, the Steelers, realistically, should have three losses right now. One being to the Dallas Cowboys who led the entire game and ultimately blew it with less than five minutes in the game.

So, fans need to take a step back and see that the Steelers would put themselves in a losing scenario without the assistance of a league-wide conspiracy.

Just be thankful that you’re not trailing behind Cleveland in the AFC North.

Brought to you by: The Penn Staff Opinion

Culture

Culture Editor: Katelin Pompa – xzgw@iup.edu Lead Culture Writer: Haley Brown – tbfx@iup.edu

(The Penn Archives)

The IUP library is open Wednesday through Thursday from 8 to 12 a.m.

It’s time to hit the books Finals will be here before you know it EMILY LOOSE

Staff Writer e.d.loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Finding a place to study may be difficult, but it has proven to be more difficult during a pandemic since many places are now off-limits.

The end of the semester has almost arrived at IUP, which means finals are also on their way.

As students prepare for finals, they have had to be creative in finding new spaces to study as social distancing continues adaptation to the situation has become the new reality at IUP. Claire Shemon (junior, biology) said that the library had been her favorite spot to study in with groups prior to the pandemic due to the study rooms.

“The white board allows us to go over problems and concepts, and to teach it to each other to

Culture

(congerdesign/Pixabay) see if we know it and can explain it,” she said. “This worked amazing for physics, chemistry, calculus and biology.”

Now she said her study groups use Zoom because not all of them are on campus.

When studying alone, Shemon said she preferred using local coffee shops due to their quiet nature. Her favorite coffee shop for studying was Commonplace.

Bailey Walters (sophomore, psychology) also said she enjoyed going to coffee shops to study.

She preferred using Starbucks when they are open.

“I love the atmosphere,” she saiad. “It is always calm, and they play great music.”

According to Walters, there has never been any distraction while she studied there.

“If it ever gets too loud, I can

December 2, 2020

always pop in my headphones and get to work, too. I have never been disturbed while doing my work either.”

Elissa Ridenour (junior, biology) said that the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) building was a good spot when she needed a lot of space for studying.

“The building has no one in it.

I just find an empty classroom and wipe down my area and get to work,” she said, “There is a whiteboard and everything.”

Though she is not sure if it is allowed or not, she said she is careful while using the rooms.

“I do take precautions, like wiping down my chair and area when I get there and before I leave,” Ridenour said. “I have not gotten yelled at yet for it.”

Tyler Degenhart (sophomore, biology) said he found it easy to study anywhere due to the motto he had.

“If you can’t do work every-

where, then you can’t do work anywhere,” he said.

Due to the changes within the semester, students said they were still worried about finals. Their worries were more toward projects rather than studying, though.

“I’m only really worried about finishing my final painting for my oil painting class,” Shemon said. “I missed the last two weeks because I was sick and in quarantine with COVID.” However, Shemon said she is still prepared for the rest of her finals.

The last day of classes for the semester is Monday with finals taking place between Dec. 8 and 11.

The final exam schedule can be found on IUP’s website at https:// www.iup.edu/news-events/calendar/academic/fall-2020-final-examschedule/.

Good luck on your finals, IUP. Remember to get some sleep and don’t overload on caffeine.

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Ready, Set, Go IUP’s first virtual 5k

AMARI WALKER Staff Writer jqtbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Normally, the College of Health and Human Services (HHS) hosts their annual food drive to help out the food pantry at IUP, but it was a little different this year.

Instead, they decided to host IUP’s first virtual 5k run.

For those who felt like they needed some more fresh air after Thanksgiving break, this was their chance to take a breather before going back to classes and work.

The virtual 5k took place from Nov. 21 to Dec. 1, and participants were able to raise awareness to help out IUP’s Food Pantry.

You could walk or run wherever you were at any time. Participants were to set a timer before they started running/walking and pressed stop once they were done to check their progress on their fitness journey.

Participants also had the chance to have their own race bib. This

was available by downloading the PDF document on the HSS website to be worn as they ran/walked.

As they ran/walked, they were to post on their social media to raise awareness for the virtual 5k and show off the fact they got to take part in something that benefits local students in need of food supplies. To check out these photos, search the hashtags #IUPFoodPantry5k and #Giving Tuesday to see what the run was like.

After participants completed the 5k, they were to complete a time sheet that was linked under IUP’s HHS website. The time sheet listed the name of the participant, how fast they completed the 5k and their school email.

In addition to completing the 5k race, their names, picture and times will be posted on IUP’s HHS Facebook page for everyone to see.

The race held its own special prizes for those who participated, too. As a reward, there was a raffle in which those who completed the 5k were automatically

submitted in.

A few lucky winners of the Amazon gift cards will be selected randomly and contacted through their school email, so if you participated, make sure you keep an eye out for it. Being that we are all college students, money is tight. This will be a great way to treat yourself or someone else to a special gift with the upcoming Christmas season.

All proceeds from the virtual 5k race will be going to IUP’s Food Pantry located at G12 Suites in Pratt. For those who miss out, don’t worry, you can still donate to the food pantry.

The food pantry helps to enforce the reality of food insecurity, and they hope to positively affect the students that may need extra assistance. Their hope is to play a part in reducing the stress that students may experience during their time at IUP. Additionally, the pantry is always looking for volunteers. If you’re interested in more information, you can email them at food-pantry@iup.edu.

Culture

STATIC plans for the rest of the semester

HALEY BROWN

Lead Culture Writer

tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The Student Activity Committee (STATIC) has a few more events to offer before the end of the semester, and they are well worth checking out to help ease the stress of the approaching finals week.

On Wednesday, STATIC is hosting the event titled “DIY Spa Tutorials” from 8 to 10 p.m. Take the opportunity to learn how to destress a little more with some DIY spa treatments and helpful relaxation tips. The event will be virtual and will be hosted on STATIC’s Facebook and Instagram pages’ livestreams and stories.

The spa event is going to be hosted live, is free for members of the IUP community and requires no preregistration.

You could register for a pre-assembled spa kit for your use during the event and pick it up at STATIC’s office in the Hadley Union Building (HUB 215-216) or check out the official DIY Spa Tutorials recipes and ingredients list instead.

The list is available on STATIC’s webpage for this special spa night event. Take this as a sign that you deserve some fantastic relaxation tips and tricks and a lovely spa experience before the stress of finals comes along.

Another of STATIC’s wellknown Netflix Watch Parties is coming up Thursday. This Watch Party will be a double feature.

The two films being shown will be “The Lorax” and “The Grinch.”

The event begins at 8 p.m. and will run to about 11 p.m.

“The Lorax” stars Zac Efron voicing the main character, Ted. The film follows the boy’s journey to reignite his town’s love and appreciation for nature and restore their run-down environment to its

former glory by reintroducing the neighborhood to the magnificent Truffula tree and simultaneously winning the heart of his crush, Audrey, voiced by Taylor Swift.

“The Grinch” is the 2018 animated version of the well-known Grinch story. The big, bad green Grinch himself is voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, and his tiny kind-hearted counterpart, Cindy Lou Who, is voiced by Cameron Seely. Much like in the live-action 2000 film, in this version, Cindy Lou Who just might change the Grinch’s plans to ruin Christmas for good.

On Saturday, STATIC is hosting “Live at IUP: An Evening with Josh Peck.” The event will take place on Zoom from 8 to 9:30 p.m. The Zoom waiting room will be opened at 7:30 p.m. and no preregistration is required. The event is completely free, and the Zoom link is available on STATIC’s webpage for this event.

There will be a question-and-answer portion, and audience members can choose to submit their questions for Peck to possibly answer during the event. To submit any audience questions, you can send STATIC a direct message through their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages or send them an email containing your questions.

Peck is a celebrity actor, comedian and YouTube personality most-likely best known for his starring role in the Nickelodeon sitcom “Drake and Josh” from 2004 to 2007. Peck also occasionally makes appearances in YouTube personality David Dobrik’s vlogs.

Tune in with STATIC for a night of laughs and good humor with Peck as the entertainer of choice for your perfect Saturday night in.

Be sure to check the STATIC’s socials media pages for updates the rest of this semester, and new events next year.

Culture

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December 2, 2020

(Free-photos/Pixabay)

Finals can be very stressful, but finding study online aids can make it easier.

Best websites to help ace final exams HALEY BROWN

Lead Culture Writer

tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

It’s no secret that finals are a stressful time for everyone, students and professors alike, but luckily there are plenty of helpful resources to help you prepare.

As technology use swells, more app and website creators are offering helpful study resources for every level of learning. While some students may still prefer using pen and paper to take notes or make flashcards for memorization purposes, there are endless virtual choices to help you start your study journey online.

From websites that make virtual flashcards to apps that help you submit your worked-out chemistry equations, there is something out there for every learning style and need.

“When studying for finals, I do not typically utilize websites,” Hayley Schehr (senior, natural science) said. “I usually rely heavily on class notes and textbook information.”

However, Schehr said she does use Quizlet in terms of a beneficial website.

“Quizlet allows students to review the flashcards they’ve made

at any point,” she said. “I find this really helpful because whenever I find downtime, I can easily access the app and study for my finals without having to have all of the class materials in front of me.”

Quizlet not only allows students to view and review the sets they’ve made, but it can also help students organize all the information they’ll need to know. You can choose to break up a study set into chapters and then include them in a “class.” This lets you gather your study sets so you can access the information you need to review.

Quizlet is also an increasingly popular website for students because you can choose to view a study set created by another student. If you are somehow running low on study time, or you simply don’t want to make a new study set, you can search for key words and access public flashcard sets made by other users.

“Quizlet is my favorite because I get to type the information I would like to study onto flashcards and review them at my leisure,” Schehr said. “This helps me to organize my thoughts and select key concepts from class notes to concentrate on.”

She said that Quizlet allows you to make large sets of flash

cards and categorize them and mark the terms you’ve mastered so that the website can separate them from those that need extra practice. It’s also possible to mix up the order of terms and decide which side of the flashcard is visible.

Quizlet has plenty of perks, but it may not work for studying every subject. For subjects that involves math, for example, may require more comprehension of mathematical rules, concepts and equations than the memorization of terms. Thus, other sites and apps prove to be of more use.

“I don’t typically use apps to study for finals, but in the past when I’ve had math classes, I have used Photomath because it helps break down how to do the problems,” Olivia Tavoletti (senior, marketing) said.

“Photomath allows you to scan the math problem and then will show you step-by-step how to solve it and get the answer. It’s really helpful if you’re missing a step or don’t understand how to go about solving something.”

Some apps can help you turn your math or chemistry written work into PDFs to make it easier for you to submit them to your professor virtually. Apps like PDF element and Genius Scan

allow you to take a photo of your “show your work” page, and the app converts it to a PDF file for easy submission. This option might help you get partial credit on your exams and allows the professor to better understand where you might have been coming from with a certain answer, even if it was incorrect.

Thought it may feel like a good idea to study until you drop, studies have actually shown that taking small breaks during your study time is beneficial, not only to your mentality, but also to your learning. By working for certain longer periods and following those long periods up with short breaks, you can give your brain time to digest the information you were studying before your break. Breaking up your material into manageable chunks also ensures your brain has an easier time focusing on the next section of material it will have to digest.

“Although there is a lot of work to be done, it is important to avoid becoming wrapped up in the stress of the week,” Schehr said. “Incorporating breaks into your schedule, whether it’s going for a walk or listening to music, helps to clear your mind and make you more focused when you get back to studying.”

Tavoletti said she will study for an hour and then take a 15-minute break to refresh and eat a snack. Then, she goes back to studying for another hour.

Giving your mind even a few minutes of rest between study periods can substantially boost your brain’s ability to absorb the material. Also, finding a place to specifically dedicate to studying can help you focus far more easily. If you try to study in your bed, odds are you’ll be more likely to fall asleep than better understand the information you need to.

“It’s good to find a space where you won’t be easily distracted,” Tavoletti said.

Despite the high stress of finals week, there can be ways to make studying less painful and possibly even enjoyable. By involving friends from your classes, you can come up with new creative ways to memorize material together or practice for your French oral exam aloud.

You can even use some of the websites out there to make your studying endeavors into a game.

There are term and definition matching games and timed challenges to make finals studying more entertaining and less of a chore.

Good luck, IUP.

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December 2, 2020

Culture

IUP is winding down with these fun plans HALEY BROWN

Lead Culture Writer

tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

IUP is still finding great ways to entertain students after the Thanksgiving break, whether they are on-campus or distance learning for the rest of this semester.

There are still some activities being planned in order to keep students involved in IUP events. From studying for finals efficiently to enjoying some IUP students’ musical talent, there is something for everyone to safely participate in as most of the events that will take place will be virtual.

On Thursday at 6 p.m., IUP will host another of its Crimson Common Hour event. These are workshops specifically designed to help students achieve success throughout their college career.

The events are hosted by the

University College and Learning Education and Development (LEAD) peer mentors. The hosts are specifically chosen to help students boost their study skills, manage anxiety surrounding classes and testing, take efficient and effective notes during classes and set realistic goals for

(The Penn Archives)

themselves during their studies.

This Crimson Common Hour will be focused specifically on studying for finals. There is a link on IUP’s Crimson Common Hours event page where you must register for the event in order to participate. To register online, you must enter your first and last

name and your IUP email. The event will take place virtually on Zoom.

Also taking place Thursday, The Center for Multicultural Student Leadership and Engagement (MCSLE) presents Breaking the Barrier. They are presenting their final installation of the Breaking the Barrier series, which began Oct. 8, with the topic of focus being racism/anti-racism.

Each of the events encourage and support friendly open-minded discussion about various topics related to diversity and inclusion.

The first discussion was about racism and preventing racism, the second about intersectionality, identity awareness and development, the third about systems and structures of oppression, and the second to last event focused the discussion on sexual orientation. These events always take place on Thursday afternoons

from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

On Saturday, IUP’s Lively Arts will be hosting a YouTube Live Stream of a recital. It is titled “IUP String Project Fall Student Recital” and will take place from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. The IUP Department of Music has a YouTube channel on which this event will be streamed. The event will have no public audience and is free for all IUP community members.

It does not require preregistration.

The fall recital, of the IUP music students from the String Project will feature solo performances as well as ensemble pieces for the audience to safely enjoy.

To watch this student recital simply visit the IUP Department of Music’s YouTube page at the time it begins to enjoy the live performance of IUP’s own music department students.

To find more events, check the IUP website.

Spreading holiday cheer MEGAN DONNY Staff Writer M.Donny@iup.edu @ThePennIUP With all the stress going on this year, it’s more important now than ever to cherish and enjoy the holidays.

The holidays are something most people look forward to all year. Many enjoy the music, decorating, food and merriness that come along with the season.

This year, the holidays will have to look a bit different. Shopping for gifts will be done mostly online.

Many extended family members won’t be able to gather.

Holiday parties will have to be limited to just close family and friends who have previously been conjugating. There will be less holiday events and everything will have to be outdoors and socially distanced.

While there will be many restrictions, there’s still ways that we can celebrate and have fun.

One of the best ways to celebrate is binging holiday movies.

While lots of them are cheesy, the classics are always fun to re-watch.

Netflix and Disney+ have some

good holiday movies to binge, both old and new.

Some of these movies include the original “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “Home Alone” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

Making holiday treats is another way to get into the spirit. Making holiday cookies and snacks while spending time with friends and close family is a great way to celebrate. There are many fun and original recipes to follow on Pinterest that maybe you have not made or seen before.

Some of the cookies you can make during the season are buttercream frosted sugar cookies, Russian tea cookies and the German spitzbub cookie. Other holiday snacks you can make can include peppermint bark, fudge, caramels and homemade peppermint patties.

Decorating can be another fun way to get into the holiday spirit. Doing that with your family at home or even your dorm or apartment can help lift your spirits and have fun. Even if you don’t have the funds to buy decorations, there are lots of cheap homemade holiday decorations. You can make

paper snowflakes, cut out and color Christmas trees or make your own paper ornaments.

If you prefer to shop for decorations but want to save some money, stores like TJ Maxx, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet and Walmart have affordable and fun decoration options.

Another fun way to get into the holiday spirit is to visit a holiday tree farm. In fact, Indiana County is the Christmas tree capital of the world. It’s a free, fun way to get into the spirit and celebrate.

You can go and get hot chocolate or cider, take a horse-drawn hayride and maybe see some farm animals. It’s a great, safe activity to do with friends since you would be outside and wearing masks.

Making gingerbread houses has turned into a more popular tradition in recent years, especially on social media. Friends and family can make their own gingerbread houses, take photos of them and then post them on their social medias with a poll so their followers can vote on the best decorated gingerbread house. It’s a fun competition to do with both friends and family. Then, afterward, you get to eat your creations.

(Free-Photos/Pixabay) Christmas is one of the many holidays during winter.

Culture

December 2, 2020

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December 2, 2020

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Winter holidays celebrated by many

This year, Hanukkah will start Dec. 10 and end Dec. 18.

CAIO GOMES Staff Writer hysbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP After an unprecedented year marked by a pandemic, violence and political uncertainty, December is finally bringing holidays to cheer us up.

In the U.S., the best-known and most celebrated December holiday is Christmas. The day has not only become a holiday to spend time with the family, but also to spend some money. According to CNBC, Americans collectively spend around 135 billion dollars every Christmas.

Besides that, the National Christmas Tree Association estimated that about 25 to 30 million Christmas trees are sold every year.

Historians believe that Christmas started as a variation of either Yule or the Saturnalia. From Dec. 21 until Jan. 1, Yule was celebrated by early Germans and Nordics to honor the god Odin, to whom early Germans feared. Saturnalia was its Roman counterpart, as they celebrated the god Saturn instead. In both holidays, people would engage in long feasts and share goods with each other.

Nowadays, Yule is only celebrated by Neopagans, but its legacy lives in Nordic countries like Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The word for the Christmas season, “jul,” is a homophone to Yule. Saturnalia is no longer celebrated.

Both holidays have only evolved into what we know as Christmas after the Catholic Church took control over Europe during the Middle Ages, and although Christmas is the most famous winter holiday celebrated by Christians, it is not the only one.

In Germany, the Netherlands and Ukraine, kids long for the Day of

Saint Nicholas (Dec. 5). As the name suggests, the day celebrates Saint Nicholas, the saint who inspired the American Santa Claus. On this day, kids who were “nice” are rewarded with presents and cash.

In some parts of Latin America, particularly Argentina, South Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, kids who were nice have to wait a little more—until Jan. 5—as tradition says that the three Biblical Magi are the ones who reward children with gifts.

This day is known as Día de Los Reyes in Spanish and Día de Reis in Portuguese.

The impact of Christmas in Western civilization is so big that it led followers of other religions to adapt their own celebrations into something similar so the kids could have the same experience. For American Jews, Hannukah is one of the most important holidays of the year, but for Israeli Jews, the holiday is not held with that much esteem.

“We were sitting at an [American] Hanukkah party and looking at how crazy it is,” Stanford professor Liran Einav, who was born in Israel, said in an interview with The Washington Post. “In Israel, [Hanukkah] is a holiday but is not so special.”

According to a study published in the Economic Journal, the importance of Hannukah among American Jews comes from being close in time to Christmas. The holiday, also known as the Jewish Festival of Lights, celebrates the reclaim of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and is celebrated on the 25th of the Hebrew month of Kislev. This means that it always falls around mid- to late-December.

Despite its tie to religion, Christmas Day, however, has outgrown outside of its religious bubble.

In some countries, such as the U.K., Nigeria and New Zealand,

Culture

Hawk hacks to a successful finals week

(EvgeniT/Pixabay) the holiday is such a big deal that a second Christmas Day was created under the name of Boxing Day. Celebrated Dec. 26, Boxing Day originally started as a holiday in which the Church of England would hand out gift boxes with money to the poor on the day after Christmas.

Nowadays, Boxing Day is a big shopping holiday in the U.K. Similar to the Black Friday phenomena in the America, British retailers realized that dropping the prices of goods on the day after a holiday typically attracts millions of customers. In parts of Canada, however, stores are closed on Boxing Day to give retail workers some relief after the Christmas season.

Boxing Day is not the only holiday that takes place Dec. 26. Kwanzaa, a week-long celebration honoring the Nguzo Saba, meaning “seven principles” in Swahili, also begins.

Although it was invented only in 1966, Kwanzaa has already established itself as one of the most popular winter holidays. This is because the holiday also seeks to celebrate African Americans and their heritage. It has outgrown its meaning, and it became a statement with a clear message: African American heritage will not be erased from history.

“For Black power activists, Kwanzaa was just as important as the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” Keith Mayes said his book about the holiday.

“Kwanzaa was their answer to what they understood as the ubiquity of white cultural practices that oppressed them as thoroughly as had Jim Crow laws.”

Whether it is celebrating a heritage, worshipping religion or simply enjoying a day to shop, the winter holidays will bring relief to many and end this unprecedented year on a positive note.

(eslfuntaiwan/Pixabay) Studying is an important part of finals week.

OLIVIA CARBONE Staff Writer kzzw@iup.edu @ThePennIUP It’s no secret that almost everything about this year has been out of the ordinary, between restrictions, masking, social distancing and online school, pretty much everything has changed.

Now, post-Thanksgiving, the stress on every college student begins to take over. The stress of finals is quickly underway, especially since they’ll look a lot different this year.

Students seem to have similar, yet different ways of coping with the stress of upcoming finals.

“I get very emotional and stressed out,” Melanie Hammond (senior, nursing) said. “That’s not even being sarcastic. More emotions will be present this finals week now more than ever due to the software that video students use when they’re taking their exams and just the stress of online learning.”

She said that due to online learning, it’s very easy to procrastinate on taking your exams since they may be open for a whole week or the whole day.

“During finals week, I use naps to procrastinate and coffee to boost my energy,” Jennifer Miller (senior, communications media) said.

According to psychcentral.com, Dr. John M. Grohol came up with seven tips to ensure successful finals.

First, schedule your time to focus on studying. Second, don’t blow off sleep. Third, shutdown social media and gaming. Fourth, don’t blow off eating. Fifth, rewrite or summarize your notes/chapters. Sixth, don’t

forget “me time.” Finally, cramming won’t help you in the long run.

All of these tips can help ensure a successful finals week, especially since it’s easier to blow off schoolwork because of everything being online learning. We have conditioned ourselves into thinking, “Oh it’s not that bad. I have all week to do this, and the answers are online.”

Then we reach the day it’s due, and we realize it’s a lot more work than we thought.

“I’ve been watching Netflix this semester more than I ever did,” Alexis Smith (senior, biology) said.

“Which, in turn, is making it harder to concentrate on my work.”

For most people, Netflix has been the reason why they aren’t getting their work done, and finals week won’t be much different. Even though we are still in a pandemic, there are many places to take finals outside of the home. This includes local libraries, coffee shops, outdoors (weather permitting) and much more.

“Your scenery of where you’re working can impact your motivation,” Mason Carothers (junior, health and physical education) said.

“If you’re working in a dark room, you will likely not want to do your work, but if you’re somewhere in public, it makes it easier.”

After Thanksgiving is when most college students are anxious compared to earlier in the semester.

They know that their grades depend on these final two weeks, especially if they are close to the next highest letter grade.

If you have a college student in your life, give them a hug and tell them they are doing great.

Culture

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How to surprise your friends with Secret Santa

(Monicore/Pixabay)

Secret Santa is a great way to surprise your friends and family with gifts.

HALEY BROWN

Lead Culture Writer

tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

If you’re looking for a new holiday tradition to enjoy with your friends or family, look no further; Secret Santa gift exchanges are the perfect choice for all crowds.

Secret Santa is a Christmas tradition that involves a gift exchange within a group of people.

Each group member is randomly assigned another member to find a present for. The identity of the gift-giver is supposed to remain a secret. This Christmas gift-giving game involves no stealing of gifts like the similarly popular “White Elephant” or “Yankee Swap.”

“While I have no fun memories of Secret Santa traditions yet, I have many, many evil plans to drag a couple people I know into one eventually,” Gabriella Byrne (junior, English writing studies) said.

A Secret Santa can be a free for all, but they often come with a limit on the amount of money each giver is allowed to spend to make sure the gifting is “fair” to all participating. The small limitation can make it far more enjoyable for everyone involved,

and it ensures that any potential awkwardness when it comes to available finances is eliminated.

“The great thing about Secret Santa gifts is that the gift does not have to be personal or expensive or over the top in any way,” Byrne said. “Part of the fun

is the part that it is secret. So, a general gift any person could give another is the way to go.”

She recommends getting a funny card and a little keychain/ charm/small item the person can carry anywhere that goes along with that tidbit of information you know about that person and create a gift centered around it.

“Add a joke in the card with a little bit of personal knowledge you have on that person to give a hint on who gifted it,” she said.

If you don’t know your assigned person, well, one of the best ideas for a gift can involve a certain trend or even using your attention to detail to make some safe assumptions about that person. If they always seem to be wearing a different shade of lipstick, maybe make a guess about a new color or brand they might enjoy. Maybe they always seem to be getting stuck in the rain without an umbrella, and you’d like to make sure they get to stay warm and dry when the clouds appear from now on.

Making careful assumptions involving their general age bracket can also be a safe bet to find the perfect Secret Santa gift.

“An idea that comes to mind that I know I would enjoy are sticker packs,” Sean Young

(senior, marketing) said. “They are perfect for creative people to decorate and sticker bomb whatever they like. As a plus, if you know what the person or group is into, then you can be more specific in the subject matter of the stickers like superheroes, sports, brands, etc.”

The point of this particular tradition is not to give the best gift out of everyone in the group so there is no friendly, or unfriendly, competition. Also, since it involves no gift “stealing,” it invites the perfect opportunity to get to know the people around you better. This is a great way to enjoy each other’s company in an exciting and surprising, yet comfortably safe social environment.

It would be perfect for a holiday office party and could succeed in just about any friend group.

“I have never participated in a Secret Santa myself, but boy, would I love to,” Byrne said. “I look forward to being the person that suggests it to my future coworkers in order to get to know each other better.”

Secret Santa is usually designed to be a “safe” way to find gifts for new friends or distant family members, yet some decide to go all out and make memories that their gift-giving

party members are unlikely to forget.

“I once saw my friend gift his Secret Santa a wedding ring and proposed (she said yes),” Young said. “It was beautiful and touching, but it was really hard to follow that with a sampler pack of incense.”

The entire reason for the tradition, however, is spreading Christmas cheer and goodwill among friends and family and possibly fostering a few budding friendships in the process.

“I enjoy the end result of exchanging gifts and having fun holiday cheer together,” Young said. “However, finding good gifts that are personal and satisfying is dreadful for me.

While the idea of choosing a gift for someone you might not know inside and out may seem daunting at first, paying attention to your instincts about the person can help you find your way.

Keeping an open mind, remembering that it’s not a competition and having a good sense of humor is definitely the way to succeed with this entertaining and kind-hearted holiday tradition among coworkers, friends or family members this Christmas.

Happy holidays, Hawks.

Sports

Sports Editor: Jeff Hart – J.R.Hart2@iup.edu

Olympics on mind of two IUP swimmers STEVEN LANGDON JR

Editor-in-Chief S.Langdon@iup.edu @ThePenn JEFF HART Sports Editor xldy@iup.edu @ThePennIUP A pair of swimmers on the IUP women’s team are not striving just for national championships, but for next year’s Olympics as well.

Amber Baldani (sophomore, management), a native of Croatia, and Iliana Oikonomou (senior, sociology), of Greece, have both at some point ranked among the top five swimmers in their respected countries.

They are still new to the team after both transferred to IUP within the last year. And although their attention is on training for the upcoming PSAC season, both also have their eyes on the Olympic trials early next year.

Baldani swam for the Crimson Hawks last season when they won runner-up at the conference championships. She received top-four finishes in three events, including first in the 800-meter freestyle relay, setting a school record with a time of 7 minutes, 33 seconds. She also took second in the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:04.30, and fourth in the 100 backstroke in 57.62 seconds.

“She’s a delight,” head swimming coach Chris Villa said. “Amber is all smiles all the time.”

Baldani currently ranks 10th on the Croatian National Team overall and first on the Croatian Swimming Federation, her age group. Last year, at the Croatian Open National Championships, she finished third in the 200 backstroke, fourth in the 200 individual medley and sixth in the 100 backstroke.

If she can match those efforts in the spring, she could find herself at the Olympic trials, as could a handful of IUP swimmers, according to Villa.

Villa spoke on the process both Baldani and Oikonomou will go through to compete on their respective national teams.

“Just making trials would put them between top 20, top 30 in the country in their event,” he

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(IUP Athletics)

(The Penn Archives) Amber Baldani (top left) and Illiana Oikonomou (top right) welcome the challenge of trying to qualify for the Olympics with their home nations of Croatia and Greece respectfully. said. “We are going to have a good contingency of swimmers, who even if COVID canceled the season and don’t get an NCAA Championship like last year, they are going to be competing for Olympic trials either in this country or their own country, which will take place during the summer.”

“Every day brings a new challenge,” Baldani said. “The most important thing is to have a clear

goal and be willing to work hard for it. One of the hardest things is to stay focused when you feel tired or sad, but that’s when you have to give it even more.”

Oikonomou is new to the team this year after transferring from the University of Miami. She competed in the 50 and 100 freestyle events as well as the 100 butterfly. Oikonomou’s highlight came during the 2016-17 season, when she was part

December 2, 2020

of the 400-yard freestyle relay team that set school record with a time of 3:18.69.

Although still new to the team, Villa said, “She has already said we are a lot different than the coaches down there [Miami] in a good way.”

Oikonomou was ranked fifth during the 2016-17 season in Greece, but has struggled since on the international scene. According to Villa, she does have aspirations

of becoming Division II National Champion. Hopefully, a change in scenery sets her up to have the same success as before.

She did not compete last season before deciding to transfer to IUP. Come January, Oikonomou will be available to compete for the Crimson Hawks. She is continuing to practice in the meantime.

A common theme brought up speaking with Baldani and Villa was the drive and motivation to become better.

“I’m willing to put in extra work like staying after practice to stretch and do core every day,” Baldani said. “Another thing is that I have no problem with waking up at 5:15 a.m. almost every day in order to practice a bit more. I also focus on details while swimming. For example, I put a lot of effort in my underwater kicks, turns and technique.”

Luckily for Villa and the Crimson Hawks, the PSAC announced in its Nov. 19 press release that swimming will hold their conference championships. This brings excitement but what Villa calls “cautious optimism.”

“We are definitely excited, but then cautious optimism,” he said.

“Yes, we are having a season, but it opens up a boatload of questions.

“How are we going to have swim meets? How are we going to travel?”

Baldani is excited and ready to continue her success from last season.

“With everything that is going on around the world, I didn’t think we were going to have a season, but I was still hoping for one,” Baldani said. “When the PSAC announced that swimming is going to be able to have a season, I was very surprised and excited. I can’t wait to compete with my team again. It’s been long since we were able to have a meet.”

There has not been an announcement on when meets will start, but there is more to swimming than winning championships in the eyes of Villa.

“We are focused on individual growth, academic success and athletic success,” he said.

Sports

December 2, 2020

Sports

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Punching its way out of favor with fans: what boxing needs fixed to grow again STEVEN LANGDON JR

Editor-in-Chief S.Langdon@iup.edu @ThePenn Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather Jr. Three names that might come to mind when boxing is mentioned.

They revolutionized the sport in ways never imagined.

Boxing is a sport that has been around since Ancient Greece. It was one of the sports in the ancient Olympics, but that love for the sport has been dying the last two decades. This is due to variety of different reasons.

What does boxing need to change right now?

No more circus fights I am looking at you, Roy Jones Jr. versus Tyson. Most of the card that took place at the Staples Center Saturday showed a side of boxing many die-hard fans did not want to see.

There is zero doubt that people would have loved to see this fight 10 or more years ago when both were not above 50-years-old. The California State Athletic Commission should be ashamed to allow this fight to take place.

The fight was a joke from the beginning. It was a way to feast on people’s money with a big name like Tyson. What makes it worse is what Tyson said after the fight.

He said that it is true he smoked marijuana before and after the fight against Jones Jr. Of course, if it was not an exhibition fight, that would be illegal.

“Listen, I can’t stop smoking,”

Tyson said. “I smoked during fights.

I just have to smoke, I’m sorry. I’m a smoker.”

That was not the only fight that gave boxing a bad name. Look no further than YouTube star Jake Paul and former NBA player Nate Robinson.

This was a mismatch from the start with a 13-year age gap between the two. The measurables where heavily favoring Paul.

Boxing is not a sport that someone could step into the ring, win, and you are the best. Paul beat a former NBA player who is four inches shorter. If this were Paul facing any professional boxer in the cruiserweight, the weight class the fight was in, he wouldn’t last one round.

This is not the first time in recent years we have seen fights that are uncalled for, but hopefully it is the last.

Thriller, I hope you are happy about your payday. Thank you for making boxing a joke. Never do it again.

Less weight classes

Who knew there could be so many weight classes? Currently, there are 18 in men’s boxing alone.

These range from atomweight to heavyweight.

Just for perspective, The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has 12 weight classes between men and women combined. There is no reason why there should be two weight classes that are separated by three pounds like from atomweight at 102 pounds to minimumweight at 105 pounds.

The UFC works in increments of 10 to 20 pounds for a given class.

For example, from featherweight division is 135 to 145 pounds, but the light heavyweight division is 185 to 205 pounds.

Once again, not to pick on the lower weight classes in boxing, but does there need to be seven weight classes between 102 and 122 pounds? I would say no, and that half of those could be taken away.

Not having as many classes helps the fans have a connection with more boxers. It also does not cause (Times of India) this problem that even Mike Tyson is still putting on a show.

Mayweather says is an

issue haunting the sport.

Less belts "This is not good for the sport of boxing," Mayweather said. "Now when a fighter fights, every fighter is a champion."

There are not many issues that are ahead of this one for fans. You know how I said there were 18 weight classes in men’s boxing?

Well, factor in that there are four governing bodies, each with a belt.

So, get the handy dandy calculator, and you will soon realize there are 72 belts in boxing. The worst part is that they are only the world titles, and each area of the world has their own belts as well.

Again, there needs to be less weight classes. A belt does not mean anything these days, and it hurts the sport.

Imagine if the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl for being the

best team that season. Then, say the Los Angeles Rams won a Super Bowl for being the best team in second place. After, say the New York Jets won a Super Bowl for being the worst team in football.

Does not make sense, right? So why would it make sense in boxing?

The sport could kill two birds with one stone by saying they are combining some weight classes, and those titles are going away. It is instead all about the money.

More mega fights Cannot talk about mega fights without money, the ultimate evil in the sport. Promotions do not like working together to schedule the fights fans need. The statement is, “in order to be the best, you have to beat the best.”

Mega fights help the sport grow.

Take for example the Tyson Fury versus Deontay Wilder fight in

February. It got a lot of media attention, and sadly still does as Wilder continues to come up with excuses on the loss.

That is what the sport needs, though. They need people like Fury to stand up and fight the big fights.

Let us schedule the Fury versus Anthony Joshua fight for all the heavyweight belts.

I have a shortlist of fights that could change the sport for the better, including a rematch between Teofimo Lopez and Vasiliy Lomachenko, Terence “Bud” Crawford, and Errol Spence Jr., and a conclusion to the Canelo Alvarez and Gennasiy Golovkin “GGG” trilogy.

The sport does not have to keep dying slowly. It is time for change, and that need to happen now.

There are exciting young fighters that the sport needs to showcase so the new generation is inspired. Two 50-year-old fighters is not inspiring, but embarrassing.

December 2, 2020

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Sports

Chiefs stand as biggest threat to Steelers JAKE TAYLOR

Staff Writer J.M.Taylor8@iup.edu @JakeTaylor8726

Due to the 2020 Thanksgiving Day debacle, Pittsburgh’s game against Baltimore had to be postponed.

So, I strapped into the hot seat and watched every game with my foolproof approach of all things right, no things wrong, hot take analysis. If you’ve been reading along with my past articles, it is clear I think the Pittsburgh Steelers sit at the top of the NFL, not only by the record. Pittsburgh appears to be the most complete team.

However, the defending champion, Kansas City Chiefs, made a statement on Sunday.

The Chiefs laid a beat down on the “Tompa Bay Gronkaneers.”

The only number that did not depict the beating was the final score, 27-24. Which for bettors was a heartbreaker as the Chiefs line was at -3.5 before the game.

A stat that did represent the lopsided gameplay was recorded in the first quarter of play.

Tyreek Hill had 203 yards and two

touchdowns. If a team's third best offensive weapon is starting a game like that, the opponent has no chance of winning.

For the last 20 years, the NFL has been accustomed to a Tom Brady comeback. At 43 years of age and an abysmal offensive line, Brady looks like a Cleveland Browns quarterback; good for half a season and never starting again.

Give credit where credit’s due, the Chiefs’ defense came to play.

Chris Jones was out to eat Brady for lunch and Tyrann Mathieu also proved his superstar status with one interception, one pass deflection and five tackles for loss.

The Chiefs have an explosive defense but time after time step up in big games. The last thing the AFC needs is for them to get hot.

As for their offense, well, they're going to be a problem no matter the time of year. Tyreek Hill started with 203 yards and two touchdowns, but he ended with 269 yards and three touchdowns.

Seven total players recorded a reception, including the likes of Travis Kelce, Le’Veon Bell, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Sammy Watkins, Demarcus Robinson, Mecole

Hardman and Deon Yelder.

After their performance Sunday, I am taking back my claim that Pittsburgh has the best wide outs in the game. The Chiefs' weapons are unparalleled.

Their biggest weapon, Patrick Mahomes, is the atomic bomb of weapons. The man is a gifted QB with the best offensive-minded coach and best offensive position players. Kansas City are a match made in heaven.

They have only lost a total of eight games with Mahomes as QB. In every broadcast of a Chiefs game, the announcers inform the audience of at least two records/ milestones Mahomes has recorded that game.

Like any other NFL team, the Chiefs have a few weaknesses.

Their offensive line is one of them. Mahomes is a magician, and his best trick is bailing out his O-line. His ability to throw on the run or turn a loss of yards into a 20 plus yard rushing touchdown is unmatched.

Flashback to last year's Super Bowl when San Francisco had eight QB hits, four sacks and two interceptions. They set themselves up to win the football game until

Kyle “fourth quarter shenanigans” Shanahan blew the lead.

My point being that they are beatable, especially by a team that has an immaculate defensive line. A perfect match-up for the Steelers. The Steelers are bringing back their historic Steel Curtain style of football and dominating games in the trenches.

Unfortunately for the Steelers, the Chiefs have game-breaker Kelce. He is crucial for the run game, pass game and locker room compatibility.

Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin is going to have to prove himself a great coach during their match-up against the Chiefs. Yes, I am claiming with unwavering confidence that the Steelers will play the Chiefs in the AFC Championship. Not only will they face off in January, but the winner will also go on the claim the Lombardi Trophy.

The better coach and QB duo always win. This time around, it’ll be up-and-coming superstar Patrick Mahomes versus the grizzled veteran Big Ben Roethlisberger.

A coach who finally reached the mountain top after 21 years, Andy Reid, versus a coach who

has never had a losing season, Tomlin. Although there is plenty of football to be played, this will be the AFC Championship.

Normally, the Steelers are known for letting teams hang around and their inability to close out. Ironically, they have been closing out games and the Chiefs are letting opponents hang around.

They have outscored their opponents in the fourth quarter only three times this season compared to the Steelers who have a plus 43-point differential in the fourth quarter.

On top of regular football preparations and gameplay, the Steelers have had to face COVID-19 adversity. The Tennessee Titans screwed the Steelers out of a Week 8 bye, and now Baltimore is purposely delaying their biggest game of the season. With or without Baltimore’s starting line-up, they are going to lose.

The Steelers don’t need to go undefeated; they just need to beat the Chiefs. Maybe it's in early predictions, but it's the right one. Sit down, shut up and put your money on it.

(Steven Langdon Jr/The Penn)