The Pitt News
NEW STUDENT GUIDE 2021
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June, 25, 2021
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
‘All you have to do is reach out’: Getting involved in Pitt’s student organizations ......................5 Pitt provides COVID-19 vaccine incentives, no plans for vaccine requirement .......................... 6 New and old, Pitt football boasts exciting traditions .................................................................................7 Compass looks to further improve Pitt dining experience this fall ....................................................8 Health restrictions, spirits lift as Pitt updates COVID guidelines ........................................................10 In post-playing days, Akeo bridges two generations of Pitt volleyball excellence ......................11 Photo collage: Oakland sights ...............................................................................................................................12 Nicola Foote ‘excited’ to take over as new Honors College dean ..........................................................15 The guide to a hot, vaccinated and anxious girl summer ........................................................................16 Cast a wide net to find the activities and clubs you love .........................................................................18 Enjoy the small pleasures of college ..................................................................................................................20 Five tips for making the most of Pitt’s campus .............................................................................................21 Everything you need to know about commuting .......................................................................................22 A symphony of college life ................................................................................................................................... 26 Staff Picks: The best nature spots at Pitt ......................................................................................................... 27 Pitt students share their favorite Oakland boba tea shops.....................................................................28 Pitt Stages to return with live, in-person theater this fall ..................................................................... 30 A Pitt student's guide to buying the perfect fish ........................................................................................ 32 Crossword: Yinzer Riddles ....................................................................................................................................33 Staff Picks: Movies made in Pittsburgh ..........................................................................................................34 Pitt a capella groups reflect on past year, discuss new season ............................................................. 36 Kenny Pickett, preparing for final campaign, isn’t ready to leave Pittsburgh just yet ...............38 ‘The greater social good’: Preparations underway for the Year of Data and Society..................39 To get full Pitt Athletics experience, fans must invest in non-revenue sports ............................. 40 The top five Pitt programs to watch in 2021 ................................................................................................. 42 Who’s who: Your guide to the big names at Pitt......................................................................................... 43 Play club, intramural sports to stay active .................................................................................................... 44
COVER BY CLARE SHEEDY | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER pittnews.com
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‘ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS REACH OUT’:
GETTING INVOLVED IN PITT’S STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS Rashi Ranjan
Senior Staff Writer Alyssa Machi’s advice for incoming students to become involved at Pitt is simple — “reach out.” “[Clubs] want you to join ... they want you to be a part of their club,” Machi, a sophomore communication rhetoric and public and professional writing double major, said. “All you have to do is reach out and say, like, ‘Hi, I’m thinking about joining this club. Can I come to a meeting?’” With nearly 700 student organizations, Pitt features clubs that serve a variety of interests, from writing letters as random acts of kindness to visiting immigrant-owned restaurants around Pittsburgh. Greek life organizations, academically focused groups and clubs to promote more niche interests all have a space on campus. While reaching out to clubs sounds intimidating, Machi said that’s exactly how she became involved with STEP@ Pitt, a student organization dedicated to training and educating service dogs. “I really loved dogs, and I would see these dogs in yellow and blue vests walking around campus,” Machi said. “Because I’m one of those people that asks to pet your dog, [the raiser] eventually was like, ‘Hey, I’ve started recognizing you.’ And she gave me the information for the organization.” Machi said contacting STEP@Pitt was the first email she had sent from her Pitt account, and while it was “scary” to press send, that’s how she became involved in the club. Getting involved at Pitt means something different for every student, but one popular event is the Activities Fair, which had more than 3,000 in-person attendees in August 2019 and 2,200 attendees during its virtual version in August 2020, according to Student Affairs spokesperson Janine Fisher. She said the fall Activities Fair occurs during Welcome Week, typically in the Petersen Events Center.
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Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Pitt’s student organizations lined up throughout the Pete to promote their club. Members talked to students and often gave out free swag — buttons, stickers, T-shirts and even fanny packs — to urge students to join their organization. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the
came a freshman chair last September, which she said helped her meet many upperclassmen who she could talk to and get advice from. “These clubs kind of cultivated my friend groups, and now we have all been hanging out this entire summer in person,” Thakur said. “I feel like I’ve found a group of people that I’m so excited to
Pitt’s nearly 700 student organizations serve a variety of interests. Clare Sheedy staff photographer Student Organization Resource Center held the Activities Fair virtually on Zoom last year, where 424 student organizations hosted their own Zoom rooms for interested students to drop by, learn more and join if they desired. Fisher said the fair gives students — both new and returning — an opportunity to engage with representatives from student organizations and University departments to explore outside of the classroom involvement opportunities on campus. Somya Thakur, a sophomore business information systems and marketing major, went to the fair to learn more about Association for India’s Development — Pittsburgh. She eventually be-
make memories with next year.” Thakur said she was interested in joining one of Pitt’s many cultural clubs. “My high school was mostly white, so I wanted to get in touch with my [South Asian] side. I tried out for the classical dance team, Pitt Nrityamala,” Thakur said. “It was the best thing I could have done because we had practices every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. And because I stayed home, it was a way I could make friends.” Thakur joined additional clubs and said students should “join as many things as you can.” “That’s what everyone says, and I was like, ‘Screw it, I’ll just join whatever I can do, as much as I can,’” Thakur
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said. “I think that really helped me. I don’t have one singular group of friends — it’s important to get a mix. And I’m still planning on joining a bunch of new clubs next year.” Fisher said Pitt is currently exploring options for both in-person and virtual experiences for the Activities Fair organized by SORC. Beyond clubs, students have the opportunity to join various other programs in the Division of Student Affairs, including the Student Office of Sustainability, Fraternity and Sorority Life and intramural sports. Ryn Treese, a junior neuroscience major, remembers joining Pitt Rainbow Alliance during pre-COVID days in their first-year. Now its office administrator, Treese said they chose to stay at the organization due to its “fun, welcoming environment.” They said students shouldn’t be afraid to leave a club if they do not enjoy it. “I try as many things as possible, and if you don’t like something, you don’t have to go back. Nobody’s going to get mad,” Treese said. Treese said they reached out and gained support from the upperclassmen to become involved. “Our communications director, Laura, helped me have the confidence to get more involved in the spring and this coming year,” Treese said. While intimidating at first, joining and finding one’s place in clubs isn’t difficult, according to Machi, even when her first Activities Fair was virtual. “I personally was too shy to go into all of the Zoom rooms that all of the organizations had,” Machi said. “But I was on the website where the fair was scheduled and saw the 600-plus list of organizations. And I just went through the list, wrote down all the things I wanted to do and sent emails out.”
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PITT PROVIDES COVID-19 VACCINE INCENTIVES, NO CURRENT PLANS FOR VACCINE REQUIREMENT Natalie Frank News Editor
Pitt students, faculty and staff who are vaccinated against COVID-19 are now eligible to receive prizes, including up to $2,500 in cash. Kenyon Bonner, the vice provost and dean of students, said in an announcement on Wednesday that all students have to do is fill
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out a disclosure survey stating they received their vaccine to be entered into the drawing for prizes. The rewards include gift certificates to restaurants and the University Store on Fifth, research funding support, Pitt Eats dollars for on-campus dining and tickets to sporting events. While the University begins incentivizing
vaccinations through prize drawings, the announcement said there are no plans to require students, faculty and staff to receive a COVID-19 vaccination to be on campus. While Pitt has no plans to require vaccinations, Pitt’s Senate Council at its May 26 meeting voted 79% in favor of mandating a COVID-19 vaccine for students, faculty and
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staff to be on campus. Pitt’s Student Government Board said in a statement on Monday that SGB stands in “solidarity” with the Senate Council vote. “The University of Pittsburgh Student Government Board stands firmly in solidarity with the University Senate Council in its decision to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for the student body during the upcoming Fall Semester, and calls on University leadership to implement the measures recommended in the Senate-proposed resolution," the statement said. SGB argued that while it acknowledges the prize drawing as a “positive reinforcement method” taken by the University, a vaccination mandate is necessary to ensure students’ concerns are taken seriously and the upcoming fall semester can operate smoothly. “However, without a vaccine mandate, we risk another semester of uncertainty, restrictions on campus life, and remote learning,” the statement said. “Worse yet, students, faculty, and staff could gain a false sense of security that they can learn and teach in a safe environment.” The statement said the University should follow in the footsteps of other public universities who have already required a COVID-19 vaccine for the fall, including University of Delaware, University of Michigan, Indiana University, University of Maryland, Rutgers University, as well as local private universities such as Carnegie Mellon and Duquesne. Drawings will take place weekly starting next Wednesday, June 23, and continue until Aug. 6. Individuals who submit their vaccination status by midnight on the day of the drawing are eligible for that week’s drawing, according to the vaccination incentive website. Students who submitted proof of vaccination through the Student Health Service are not automatically entered into the drawings for prizes, the announcement said. Students must fill out the disclosure form to be entered into the drawing. The announcement said other faculty and students will not have access to information submitted through the disclosure form and all individual responses will remain private. The University will notify winners of the drawings through email and will not disclose winners’ names without their permission.
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NEW AND OLD, PITT FOOTBALL BOASTS EXCITING TRADITIONS Carson Zaremski Staff Writer
Pitt fans from all over come together every season to carry on tradition and Hail to Pitt. The University has one of the most storied teams in college football history and boasts a variety of traditions surrounding the program — both old and new. “Sweet Caroline” Good old “Sweet Caroline” is probably the first thing you think of when talking about Pitt football traditions. With a goal of improving the Pitt fan experience at Heinz Field, in 2008, Pitt student groups and Pitt football’s director of ticket marketing came up with the idea to sing Neil Diamond’s song “Sweet Caroline” between the third and fourth quarter of every home football game. To put their own twist into it, Pitt fans scream “Hail to Pitt” instead of “bum bum bum” and “go Pitt go Pitt go Pitt” instead of “so good so good so good.” The entire Panther Pitt joins in on the fun, dancing and chanting along with the song, making the tradition one of the student body’s favorites. Tailgating On any given gameday, rain or shine, the “regulars” of Pitt tailgating line the gold lots to eat some food, drink some drinks and get ready for the game. For the marquee matchups such as
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games against Miami and Clemson, fans will pack the parking lots at Heinz Field hours before the game to cook food, toss around a football, play cornhole and enjoy the atmosphere of packed parking lots prior to sellout games. Along Art Rooney Avenue, attractions and games are set up prior to every
game for the younger fans. Fans gather outside of Heinz Field to enjoy the famous Rib Fest, a Pittsburgh tradition since 1990. The event serves as a way to kick off both the Steelers’ and Panthers’ football seasons, as patrons enjoy various smoked meats in anticipation of their beloved teams’ football season.
Students have plenty of opportunities to enjoy joining the exciting culture that comes with being a Pitt fan. TPN File Photo
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Pitt Band Pregame Performance To kick off football pregame performances, the Pitt marching band parades toward the stadium and tailgaters know that’s their signal — it's time to pack up and head inside. Once on the field, the trumpet players stand and blare their horns at midfield to get fans’ attention focused on the field. Shortly after, the drumline rushes out of the tunnel and heads straight to the student section to get the crowd warmed up. The rest of the band follows the drumline's lead and gets into formation to perform before the game. The Walk The band isn’t the only thing hyping up the crowd pre-game. Once the band has concluded its brief concert, an introduction video is played engaging fans and students with chants, stats and videos of historic Pitt football highlights. The video abruptly cuts to a live feed of the locker room. The doors open and the crowd erupts while the video screen shows the team walking out of the locker room toward the tunnel. The camera follows them through the tunnel and onto the field where stadium announcer Joe DeStio announces the Panthers, saying, “Bring on your Pitt Panthers.” See Traditions on page 9
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COMPASS LOOKS TO FURTHER IMPROVE PITT DINING EXPERIENCE THIS FALL Betul Tuncer Staff Writer
Pitt’s new dining contractor came to the University last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic — making for statistics distinct to a pandemic. Compass Group distributed 49,300 meals to students in quarantine from January to May 2021 through their new digital ordering platform. Students also made more than 4,600 reservations to eat at The Eatery and The Perch — Pitt’s two main dining halls — in the mere 61 days they had in-person seating, according to Quintin Eason, vice president of operations for Pitt Eats. “The global pandemic ushered in a new wave of thought processes for safe and enjoyable dining on campus,” Eason said. “The safety of our students and guests is always our top priority and navigating the ever changing protocols forced us to be hyper-vigilant in providing a well-rounded experience.” After 29 years with dining contractor Sodexo, Pitt switched to Compass Group last July. This new partnership brought many changes to dining at Pitt, namely with meal plans. As the pandemic eases, Compass is planning to make more changes in the fall to food options and open dining spaces. Eason said Compass is reinstating dine-in seating and self-service in The Eatery and The Perch, but they’ll continue to provide take-out options for students who decide not to dine-in. “This will allow meal plan holders to have an all-encompassing dining experience and a place to break bread with their fellow peers fostering a stronger sense of community and togetherness,” Eason said. He also said Compass is planning to bring more diverse menu options and let students serve themselves at the dining halls rather than pre-packaged meals like last year. Students can also expect two new dining options in the William Pitt Union — PA Taco Co. and Wicked Pie.
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“PA Taco Co. will be serving delicious street tacos with chef-inspired cultural fusion recipes and house-made salsas and sauces,” Eason said. “Wicked Pie will bring in hyper-local ingredients for fast-fired customizable creations creating a crave-able farm to pizza concept.” Danielle Obisie-Orlu, president of the Resident Student Association for
critical feedback that certain aspects of the meal swipes system have caused their concerns over food insecurity to rise,” Obisie-Orlu said. Under these plans, 25% of students’ dining dollars were set aside for 27 offcampus dining locations. Some of the off-campus businesses students could go to included The Milkshake Factory,
Compass Group, Pitt’s dining contractor for the past year, is planning to make some changes to the dining experience for the upcoming fall semester. TPN File Photo this past and upcoming school year, said the new partnership with Compass has been a “dynamic and feedback-driven one” which allowed for new opportunities, such as more healthy and sustainable options. But she added that students have given the RSA mixed responses about some of Compass’ changes, including the way meal swipes operated under the new meal plan. “Many students were happy with the opportunity to use their dining dollars on off-campus locations and look forward to a possible expansion of such a program, while others have provided
Fuel and Fuddle, Primanti Brothers and Atarashi. Evrett Rogers, a manager at the Primanti Brothers location on Forbes Avenue, said because of the pandemic, business was considerably slow with fewer students on campus. But he’s hopeful that more students will visit the restaurant to use their dining dollars in the fall. “I’m expecting we’ll be super busy with Panther Funds and dining dollars once kids start coming back on campus,” Rogers said. “And I’m expecting our corporate office to be doing a lot of promotions once that happens.” Obisie-Orlu said students play a
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“crucial role” in RSA’s relationship with Compass, as a way to help them provide feedback to improve dining services at Pitt. One of the ways RSA has taken to improving dining at Pitt has been to form a joint Task Force with Student Government Board in order to promote healthier, more accessible and sustainable dining options for students. Annalise Abraham, co-chair of the joint Dining Task Force, said the task force’s goals are to advocate for students’ dining concerns and find an effective way to keep RSA and SGB in constant communication with Compass. Over the course of this past year, Abraham said the task force has focused on finding ways to address students’ concerns around COVID-19 safety, new meal plans, meal plan prices and allergy concerns. She said they also managed to organize the first Dining Town Hall as a way for students to provide feedback directly to chefs and dining staff. “We hope that having this set student body with an ongoing relationship with the dining team will center students’ voices and improve their experience,” Abraham said. “Next year the group hopes to build on the work done this year and also organize more events for students to provide feedback.” Eason said Compass hopes to make the dining experience at Pitt as enjoyable as possible and to ease back into a sense of normalcy for students in the fall, despite the ongoing pandemic. “We are excited to bring enhanced value back to our meal plan holders and guests,” Eason said. “Being able to create a more inclusive and enjoyable environment when dining with us and experiencing all of what we have to offer is going to bring back a sense of normalcy while still innovating and working towards a bright future.”
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Traditions, pg. 7 The Panther Pitt The Panther Pitt is the name of the Pitt football student section, located in the lower sections behind the endzone opposite of the scoreboard. The purpose of the Panther Pitt was to create an atmosphere at football games similar to the atmosphere fostered by the Oakland Zoo section at basketball games. Within the Panther Pitt, several traditions have developed among the students such as tossing up students every time Pitt scores, banging on the backs of the seats on third down, pretending to pour ketchup bottles when Pitt enters the red zone, putting up four fingers at the start of the fourth quarter and chanting “go Pitt go Pitt first down” for every first down the team gets. Bonfire The annual bonfire and pep rally take place the week of the first game and helps show newer Pitt students what to expect on gameday. A night filled with all sorts of fun, students who attend get free shirts and an introduction to the atmosphere they can expect at Heinz Field. The event takes place at the Cathedral of Learning’s lawn and marks the start of the football season. The night is capped off with the lighting of a bonfire that students crowd around to enjoy. Victory Lights While it may not be football-specific, Victory Lights are one of Pitt’s greatest and most well-known traditions. The top of the Cathedral of Learning lights up gold at night following a Pitt football victory, giving the Oakland sky a golden glow. Nowadays the Victory Lights are lit up following all Pitt football victories along with any other significant wins from Pitt athletics. A newly added beam of blue lights shoots into the sky giving a Pitt blue and gold effect in the night sky. Newer traditions Recently, a few newer traditions have popped up in and around Pitt football. At the center of attention the past couple seasons is Pitt’s “turnover dunk,” which takes place when the Pitt defense forces a turnover. The player who recovers the turnover runs to the bench and slams the football through a hoop held
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up by their teammates. Following a victory, another newer tradition has developed among the players. A player who had an impactful performance is given the honor of climbing atop a ladder and conducting the Pitt band in the school’s victory song.
TPN File Photos
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HEALTH RESTRICTIONS, SPIRITS LIFT AS PITT UPDATES COVID-19 GUIDELINES Punya Bhasin
Senior Staff Writer As more and more people become vaccinated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Gov. Tom Wolf and Pitt administration are not only lifting their COVID-19 restrictions, but also Pitt students’ spirits. Lauren Carter, a sophomore forensic psychology major, said with Pitt’s updated COVID-19 guidelines, she is looking forward to the in-person activities and opportunities that will be available this upcoming year. “I hope the University holds more activities and opportunities for us and I’m looking forward to having them host stuff out on the lawn, getting involved in clubs and just really reaching out and
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trying to meet new people,” Carter said. University spokesperson Kevin Zwick said vaccinated students will no longer be required to wear face coverings outdoors, although everyone — regardless of their vaccination status — must wear face coverings inside University buildings. According to Zwick, social distancing is also no longer required. As the University continues to update its COVID-19 safety protocols, Pitt continues to encourage students and staff to get vaccinated and offers free clinics on campus to provide COVID-19 vaccines. There were much stricter COVID-19 protocols on campus last year. Students were required to wear masks both indoors and outdoors, weren’t allowed
guests inside residence halls and in-person classes and activities were cancelled. More than 1,300 students and 240 employees tested positive for COVID-19 during the year. Student Affairs spokesperson Janine Fisher said Pitt has not decided yet on any specific guidelines or capacity limits for student organizations, but Student Affairs is planning to resume in-person activities. Luis Cantu, a senior philosophy major, said he is “optimistic” about the upcoming academic year and sees the change in mask rules as a sign of returning to normalcy. “I got the Moderna vaccine so I think I will feel safe returning to campus and going to classes in person,” Cantu said.
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“I expect things to go back to normal, so I'm pretty optimistic and I don't have any worries about the upcoming semester.” Carter said she doesn’t have an issue continuing to wear masks, despite being vaccinated. She said she is willing to wear a mask if others are wearing masks, or if it makes people feel more comfortable. “If a lot of people in the area are wearing a mask, I’ll wear a mask,” Carter said. “I don't think it's that big of a deal and I never really had a huge issue with them, and I will wear a mask if it makes people feel comfortable.” Carter also said she will continue to See Coronavirus on page 14
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IN POST-PLAYING DAYS, AKEO BRIDGES TWO GENERATIONS OF PITT VOLLEYBALL EXCELLENCE Stephen Thompson Senior Staff Writer
Kamalani Akeo arrived at Pitt in 2015 — as a walk-on — and joined a Panthers volleyball program that, under a second-year head coach, had struggled to find its footing in a new conference and hadn’t made a NCAA Tournament in more than a decade. She left the program a two-time conference champion, three wins in the national tournament under her belt and her name etched in stone under the shadow of the Cathedral of Learning on Pitt’s Varsity Walk. “To be perfectly honest, when I was signing my letter of intent, I didn’t think that we were going to be as successful as we were,” Akeo said. “And I don’t think anyone would have thought the same thing … I don’t think even [head] coach [Dan] Fisher thought this program was going to see so much success in such a short amount of time.”
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But Akeo’s tenure at Pitt didn’t end with her playing days. After she finished kickstarting the most successful era in Panthers volleyball, she returned to Oakland this January as a volunteer assistant coach. Alongside head coach Dan Fisher, Akeo pushed program limits even further — helping the Panthers reach the Elite Eight this spring. Now one of the most decorated players in school history is making her homecoming permanent. Fisher announced on May 24 that he was promoting Akeo to director of operations for Pitt volleyball, following the departure of Peter Manguiat, who previously held the role for slightly more than a year. She is one of the lasting pieces of the teams that built Pitt volleyball into what it is today, bridging two halves of an era of excellence. Akeo was in the middle of her second pro- Kamalani Akeo joined middling Pitt volleyball as a walk-on and left it as a fessional season in Slovenia when the COV- two-time conference champion with three wins in the NCAA Tournament. In her post-playing days, she looks to push program limits even further. See Akeo on page 60 TPN File Photo
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PHOTO COLLAGE: OAKLAND SIGHTS Vignesh Senguttuvan and Carlo Zollinger For The Pitt News
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Coronavirus, pg. 10 wear her mask to protect herself and others from unvaccinated people. “I am worried about the actions of some people but it's the type of thing where you'll always have people that won’t do something for the good of others, and there's no good way to solve it or know whether they're truly vaccinated or not,” Carter said. “So it's a type of thing that you have to watch out for your own safety, know yourself and just have good judgment.” Zwick said the “goal” of the University is to provide an in-person experience, but Pitt’s administration has not reached a decision about the further lifting of guidelines due to changing virus conditions and vaccination distribution. “With the goal to provide an in-person experience in the fall term, our senior leadership team is carefully reviewing a number of options related to the vaccination of our community,” Zwick said. “We know that students and families are eager for a decision, but changing virus conditions, vaccination rates, and vaccine accessibility and availabil-
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ity worldwide make it difficult to know what to expect for our students, faculty and staff who come from a breadth of situations across the globe.” Cantu said while he hopes everything is back to normal as soon as possible, he maintains his “recipe” for resilience through interacting with people. “My recipe to be resilient is to just try to develop friendships that can remedy your lack of in-person interaction, while obviously maintaining COVID precautions, because I think a necessary part of enjoying University life is that social aspect for most people,” Cantu said. Carter said she hopes both incoming first-year and current students take time to “slow down” this fall semester, and appreciate the return to in-person activities. “Just take time to slow down and cherish everything that's happening around you and stay present and in the moment, because it goes by so quickly,” Carter said. “I felt that my first year of college was taken away from me due to the pandemic and I can’t get that back, so I’m looking forward to appreciating the years of college I still have ahead of me.”
Pitt students are looking forward to the in-person activities and opportunities that will be available this upcoming year. Joy Cao senior staff photographer
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NICOLA FOOTE ‘EXCITED’ TO TAKE OVER AS NEW HONORS COLLEGE DEAN Millicent Watt
Senior Staff Writer Nicola Foote, the incoming dean of Pitt’s University Honors College, said being a first-generation college student at the University College London helped her experience and understand “the transformative power of a rigorous undergraduate education.” With her own chance to succeed academically, Foote said it’s a “privilege” to help students explore their passions and succeed academically. “I had the incredible privilege of providing thousands of Honors students with opportunities to explore and excel,” Foote said. “There is simply nothing that brings me greater professional joy than helping students find their intellectual passion and accomplish their academic goals.” After a committee began a search for
a new dean last fall, Provost Ann Cudd appointed Foote to the position on April 8. Foote — who will officially begin her role on July 1 — said she “could not be more excited or honored” to become the UHC dean. “It provides a rare space for students to pursue their own intellectual interests, to explore the connections between ideas from across disciplinary boundaries and to engage with other intellectually curious and highly motivated students both inside and outside of the classroom,” Foote said. The Honors College Dean position has faced significant turnover — Foote is the third dean within the last four years. Prior to Foote, Audrey Murrell served as acting dean for about a year and a half from 2019-21, but stepped down in February due to “personal reasons.” Joseph McCarthy, the vice provost
for undergraduate studies, is serving as the interim dean until Foote begins her term. Students planning to join the Honors College must apply for admission and if accepted, receive benefits such as early class enrollment, an honors degree or distinction, and a network of successful and supportive Pitt alumni. Other initiatives within the Honors College include scholar communities, an Honors joint degree and the option to live in Honors housing. Foote said she wants to continue to strengthen the Honors Living Learning Communities as well as Pitt Honors’ global learning and community engagement programming. Foote also said students pursuing an Honors degree, Honors distinction or Bachelor of Philosophy will be encouraged to “cross boundaries” — an idea implemented by
Murrell — through support from the Pitt faculty, staff and alumni. Murrell said “crossing boundaries” is a way of moving “beyond the things that limit our thinking, restrict our experiences and block our ability to understand others and the world around us.” Foote also said she wants to expand Honors course offerings, maximize opportunities for mentorship and research and refine the Honors Outside the Classroom Curriculum, including partnering with local underserved high schools and community colleges, and the Justice and Equity Honors Network. Before coming to Pitt, Foote worked in University Wide Programs and Faculty Engagement at Florida Gulf Coast University and Arizona State University’s honors college. She holds doctorate and bachelor’s degrees from the UniverSee Honors on page 45
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THE GUIDE TO A HOT, VACCINATED AND ANXIOUS GIRL SUMMER India Krug
Senior Staff Columnist Was I acting awkward just then? Are these hives a symptom of COVID-19? I should check WebMD again. Over the past few months, I have developed the most severe anxiety of my life, making thoughts like these a common occurrence. I assumed it would naturally dissipate when I could enter the world again — I was wrong. As it turns out, those hives were actually just from stress. And believe it or not, convincing myself I had COVID-19 did not help them go away. Developing health anxiety during a pandemic is not an easy thing to unlearn. No matter how many times I repeated the efficacy of the vaccine to myself, I still felt uneasy as I began seeing friends again. Normal body quirks became intrusive thoughts I couldn’t shake. I had a panic attack when my best friend slept over for the first time in a year. And it seemed like I was the only one this was happening to. It is no surprise that the pandemic has taken a toll on mental health. The isolation, lack of con-
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trol, grief and fear have affected all of us in some way. And while there is certainly an initial relief that comes with getting vaccinated, the reality of reentering social life is different for everyone. Our bodies might look different now. We might have a lower tolerance for irritability or stress. We might notice ourselves having to force facial expressions in conversation after wearing a mask for so long. This culminates in the biggest reentry of all — stepping foot on campus this fall. Whether you are a high school senior who was able to sit in a classroom this year, or a college first-year who attended Zoom university, you might be a little nervous. So, anxious and vaccinated reader, here is how you should spend your summer while awaiting your arrival at Pitt. Catch up with friends Practice makes perfect. You could be experiencing a social learning curve right now, and that’s okay. Besides most of our interactions being limited to our computers, many of us have spent the past year at home with our parents. That is a very different dynamic than the one we share
Promiti Debi senior staff illustrator with our friends. So if you catch yourself silently picking apart everything you said to a friend over coffee, remember that it can take some time to adjust to social life. Pace yourself when scheduling social events Having said that, you don’t need to be Gatsby-ing it up right now. Everything in moderation. As things reopen, you will probably get texts from people who want to see you. You might feel obligated to meet up with someone because “it’s been so long,” but I’ll tell you a secret — you don’t have to. It’s important to set boundaries. Maybe that means swapping a brunch with your eight hometown friends for a walk with someone you’re really close with. Doing this will also improve your social stamina — once you’ve dipped your toes in the water, then you may feel more ready to widen your circles. Limit your social media intake Turn off your phone. I mean it. You’re going to see lots of pictures of people who you think are having a much better time than you this summer. Just as we romanticized disgusting parties when we were shut inside, remember that it is entirely possible to take three cute Instagram photos over the course of one terrible night. You know what you’re not seeing? Someone throwing up all over a couch because they were so excited to stand around and listen to music from a Beats Pill+ again that they forgot to pace themselves. Also not pictured — at least two fights
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between friends and at least three people crying in the bathroom. Don’t be too critical of yourself It’s okay if you don’t have a summer internship. It might feel like you’re steps behind everyone else if you didn’t do as many extracurriculars last year, didn’t get to make connections on campus or took a gap year. But you survived a pandemic and that is more important than any resumé builder. You’re telling me that after a year containing so much stress and change, you want to go to more Zoom meetings or sort mail in an office? You deserve a break and giving yourself a summer to decompress is not wasted time. There will be so many future opportunities, you don’t want to enter your first or sophomore year of college already burnt out. Spend time rejuvenating But give yourself a real break. Scrolling through TikTok in bed is not self-care. Find things that are fulfilling to do. Maybe that means finding a community garden or local charity to help this summer. Maybe that means spending lots of time outside. Maybe that means reading for pleasure or journaling. Maybe that means going to therapy. Did you know someone who didn’t care about keeping others safe? Did you lose a loved one? Did you miss out on a milestone? Reconnecting with yourself after a year of
Find the full story online at
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column
Jack Troy
CAST A WIDE NET TO FIND THE ACTIVITIES AND CLUBS YOU LOVE
Opinions Editor When I arrived on campus last fall, I didn’t have a nine month plan that culminated in becoming an editor at The Pitt News. In fact, I didn’t arrive with any sort of plan outside of my class schedule. I could certainly rattle off some interests. After realizing I was failing to leave much of a legacy behind, I founded an environmental club at my high school. Between my absolute lack of leadership experience and gardening season coinciding with the emergence of COVID-19 in the United States, we didn’t accomplish all too much. I picked up tennis that same spring and got to enjoy a full two weeks on my school’s team. Once again, the pandemic cut that short. And of course, not a day went by where I didn’t think about politics, usually through the lens of Sen. Bernie
Sanders’ presidential campaign. Trying to translate these interests into participation in clubs and organizations at Pitt was a demoralizing process. Thanks to a serious case of small town protagonist syndrome, one of the first decisions I made as a college student was to run for Sutherland Hall Council President. I positioned myself as some sort of environment-first, Jay Inslee-like figure in a three-way race and — just like the Washington governor’s bid for the presidency — it ended in disappointment. I guess I didn’t do enough schmoozing in GroupMe, or maybe composting wasn’t the hot button issue I made it out to be. With one avenue to something resembling political power closed off, I turned to Student Government Board. In a marginally less audacious move, I applied for First-Year See Troy on page 46
Promiti Debi senior staff illustrator
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ENJOY THE SMALL PLEASURES OF COLLEGE Lucas DiBlasi
Senior Staff Columnist One of my first social outings as a first-year was a screening of an Avengers movie on the Cathedral of Learning’s lawn. I remember walking down an unfamiliar hill — I’m from flat, flat Minnesota — and staring up at the shockingly low helicopter landing on UPMC Presbyterian with a sense of awe. And awe is truly the right word for these incredibly new experiences — biblical awe, awe in the sense of a great and terrible god, awe at the vast unknown. There’s a completely overwhelming amount of choices available in transitional times such as arriving at college, and the breadth and depth of who you can become is staggering. The four years stretching out in front of me seemed endless. I remember looking at Mad Mex’s menu and realizing I was still going to be in college when it was legal to order a margarita. It’s been
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legal for me to do that for six months now. I’m always skeptical of the cliché that “time flies by” because I think that idea is just a perception or a trick of the mind. When I take a second to consider all that’s happened since glancing over that drink menu at 18 years old, it can start to seem incredibly distant, not achingly close. And yet my mind tricks itself anyway, and the first day of my first year feels as strange and close a concept to me now as it did then, but it’s almost three years in the past. It may be an annoying platitude, but you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. The thing about platitudes and clichés is that they became platitudes and clichés because they were, at one point, considered full of meaning. They’ve lost that novel sheen and that new car smell, but it’s still true — you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.
There’s never been a more clear demonstration of that than the COVID-19 pandemic. I don’t need to spell it out, we all know what and who we lost. But there’s another category of things that we lost that often gets overlooked — small pleasures. We lost small pleasures such as the view of the Cathedral from the hill near Irvis Hall on a spring morning, the joint suffering of studying until the wee hours of the morning in Hillman Library, sitting in coffee shops and simply seeing the dogs on campus. We even lost the little annoyances that we gloss over with nostalgia, such as the necessity of walking up and down hills and almost getting hit by buses going in both directions down Fifth Avenue. The class of incoming first-years hasn’t experienced the little delights that going to college in Pittsburgh has to offer yet, but they also haven’t experienced having them torn away from you with no
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warning. What’s different about this upcoming academic year is that everyone else will be coming to campus with fresh eyes, not just first-years. See DiBlasi on page 47
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satire
FIVE TIPS FOR MAKING THE MOST OF PITT’S CAMPUS
Julia Kreutzer
Senior Staff Columnist There’s nothing like a pandemic trapping us inside for over a year to make us cherish the amenities of an on-campus, in-person academic experience. As a member of the only remaining class who has experienced a full year on campus, here is my definitive guide to making the most of your time here. The best place to cry on campus is the Frick Fine Arts Atrium The transition from high school to college is often one fraught with stress, anxiety and worry. For those afternoons when you’ve just failed your first exam, miss your parents or are fed up with eating the same stir fry from Market for two weeks straight, the Frick Fine Arts Atrium is your best friend. Rather than
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breaking down in front of your roommate — who is likely some stranger from “outside of Philly'' that you met on Facebook — why not shed your tears surrounded by picturesque gardens, beautiful architecture and a sole studio arts student walking back from class? This building is often pretty empty, since it is set apart from the rest of campus by Schenley Plaza. And as a bonus, on your way back to your dorm you can stop by Asia Tea House to cry into some $4 sushi. Bagels from Benedum or Posvar? Choose your fighter. This may be the most controversial statement I’ve made to date in my time at The Pitt News. The Einstein Bros.
See Kreutzer on page 48 Clare Sheedy staff photographer
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EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT COMMUTING Senior Staff Columnist
Julia Kreutzer
Senior Staff Columnist
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I’m not going to sugarcoat it — commuting is hard, exhausting and sometimes on the 61C at 2 a.m. you’ll think to yourself, “Screw it, I want to live in South Oakland with annoying roommates where my oven will be tiny and won’t work, and there isn’t a supermarket just a five-minute walk from my house.” Fight back against these thoughts. Once we move past COVID-19 a bit more, I can’t wait to start commuting again. Commuting to college is the best decision I’ve ever made, and it will be for you too. But first, some things to make commuting a bit easier to swallow. You will worry that you’re not getting the whole “college experience” Trust me, you don’t have to live by yourself to be independent. I live with my parents and my 17-year-old brother and am lucky enough to have a relationship with them where I can pretty much do whatever I want whenever I want and always come home to a supportive environment. I get that plenty of people don’t have the greatest relationships with their family, and in that case commuting has an extra layer of difficulty. Welcome Week will be horrible, and honestly, it is for all new students, commuter or not. You will feel like you have no friends and you’ll wonder why everybody else has friends, is going to parties and is having fun. Trust me, they are not. Everybody is just as miserable and lonely as you for those first few months. You will have to go out of your way to make friends I reiterate, you will feel like you have no friends, even if you do have friends, because other people have more friends. While it’s important to remember that a few good friends are better than having a whole bunch of people you’re friendly with but barely know, there is never any harm in wanting to expand your social circle. But you will need to put much more effort into making friends than the average Pitt student. You aren’t in a dorm where you can just be friends with the people you live with, so your next best option is to throw yourself into clubs. Go to the activities fair by yourself or with the one friend you have — I took both the one friend I had and my dad with me — and get yourself on the email list for
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everything that looks even remotely interesting. The first few weeks will be exhausting, as you slowly weed out the clubs that just aren’t the right fit, but I promise you, you will find something you enjoy. Pitt has nearly 700 student organizations to choose from, and there is something for everyone. Also, keep an eye out for job openings and events on campus. Both will allow you to further explore what Pitt has to offer. I never expected to be on Pitt’s competitive archery team or working for The Pitt News. Neither were organizations I discovered through the activities fair, and both have made my college experience so amazing. Make a point of going to events to get free stuff My singular friend from the lonely first months of college has an obsession with free things, which I later adopted. We went to high See Maeroff on page 49
Dalia Maeroff senior staff illustrator
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The Pitt News Editor-in-Chief JON MOSS editor@pittnews.com
Opinions Editor JACK TROY
News Editor NATALIE FRANK news@pittnews.com
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Culture Editor DIANA VELASQUEZ
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Editorial Policies Single copies of The Pitt News are free and available at newsstands around campus. Additional copies can be purchased with permission of the Editor-in-Chief for $0.50 each. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the students, faculty or University administration. Opinions expressed in columns, cartoons and letters are not necessarily those of The Pitt News. Any letter intended for publication must be addressed to the editor, be no more than 250 words and include the writer’s name, phone number and University affiliation, if any. Letters may be sent via email to editor@pittnews.com. The Pitt News reserves the right to edit any and all letters. In the event of multiple replies to an issue, The Pitt News may print one letter that represents the majority of responses. Unsigned editorials are a majority opinion of the Editorial Board, listed above. The Pitt News is an independent, student-written and student-managed newspaper for the Oakland campus of the University of Pittsburgh. It is published Monday through Friday during the regular school year and Wednesdays during the summer. Complaints concerning coverage by The Pitt News, after first being brought to the editors, may be referred to the Community Relations Committee, Pitt News Advisory Board, c/o student media adviser, 435 Wil-
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liam Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260. The Editor-in-Chief has the final authority on editorial matters and cannot be censored, according to state and federal law. The Editor-in-Chief is selected by the Pitt News Advisory Board, which includes University staff, faculty and students, as well as journalism professionals. The business and editorial offices of The Pitt News are located at 434 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260.
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letter from the editor
A SYMPHONY OF COLLEGE LIFE Jon Moss
Editor-in-Chief After making the all-day voyage from New Jersey to Pittsburgh, I always try to pause and take in my surroundings. The buzz of people walking down Oakland’s core arteries, Forbes and Fifth avenues? Check. The sun-like presence of the 42-story, 2,000-plus room and nonagenarian center of our Pitt universe known as Cathy? Check. A Port Authority bus rolling by and, as one friend likes to joke, its engine “ripping” one? Check, as I laugh quietly to myself. These are some of the many sights and sounds that make up the urban symphony of Oakland, which you will soon join. After a strange ending to spring break 2020 — essentially putting a “Sorry, we’re closed” sign on campus — followed up by a radically different school
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year with mostly online classes, this fall has the potential to be the first “normalish” semester in some time. (All together now, knock on wood.) Starting a personal transition at a time of massive global transition may seem overwhelming. Frankly, it’s daunting. But if I can offer you one piece of advice during this time, it is that your experience at Pitt is ultimately a grand symphony which you will weave together. You could start adding people to your symphony by saying hi to your floormates — some may have cookies they’re giving out, as conversation starters — and grabbing a meal with one or two or 15 of them at the dining hall to get to know each other better. Boom, you’re off to a great start. You may find yourself like me, where some of my closest friends are from my first-year floor, years after moving out of Sutherland
Hall. If you don’t meet your people in your dorm, try to say hi to people in your classes — the enormous introductory lectures in Lawrence Hall that many
first-years take are perfect for this. Sign up for different clubs and go to general body meetings to add more range to your symphony. You may hit a wrong See Letter on page 50
Kaycee Orwig senior staff photographer
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STAFF PICKS: THE BEST NATURE SPOTS AT PITT We’ve all had those weeks when we can’t remember the last time we went outside our dorm other than to grab some food from the dining hall. Break that habit and plan a day out in the sunshine at one of Pitt’s best “nature” spots on campus. All are within walking distance, so there’s no excuse not to go check them out. The Pete Lawn // Diana Velasquez, Culture Editor Ah, the mysteries of upper campus. For many Pitt students there is little reason to go up there, unless it's for your bi-weekly trip to Chick-Fil-A at the Pete that may or may not be worth the 25-minute wait in line. Some people will say there’s no real reason to go up here — it’s disconnected, it’s distant. Well, it is a bit of a hike to upper campus, but for the serene atmosphere that the Pete’s big
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green lawn has, the hike is totally worth it. The Pete lawn was my favorite spot to chill when I lived in Panther Hall my sophomore year. It’s just a short walk from the upper campus dorms if you’re planning on living there. It's a great place to sunbathe, read a book, do some homework or break out a soccer ball if you want to get active. It’s a giant lawn so a lot of people can fit on it without the space feeling cramped, unlike some of the spots on lower campus. So next time you make that venture up Cardiac Hill, make sure to take your tasty chicken sandwich and sweet tea and set up shop at one of the tables by the lawn, or sprawl out on the grass. Let the sound of the Presby helicopters wash over you and bask in the sunshine. See Nature on page 52
The Cathedral lawn, one of Pitt’s best “nature” spots on campus. Dalia Maeroff senior staff photographer
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PITT STUDENTS SHARE THEIR FAVORITE OAKLAND BOBA TEA SHOPS Sinead McDevitt Senior Staff Writer
Sacun Tang grew up getting bubble tea from a Japanese market in his hometown of Philadelphia. When he came to Pittsburgh as a first-year student, Tang continued that tradition by grabbing some bubble tea when he was out on Forbes Avenue. “For me growing up, it was always like a staple,” Tang, an undeclared junior, said. “I find that when I've had a long day, or I want to treat myself to something, I'll run down to Fuku and grab a nice drink.” Located on Forbes Avenue, Fuku Tea is one of the bubble tea shops near campus that students frequent during the semester. Bubble tea — also known as boba pearl milk tea or boba tea — is a drink that originated in Taiwan in the 1980s. It’s a combination of milk tea and tapioca pearls, and is popular in Asian communities. Students in Pittsburgh can visit a few different shops close to Pitt’s campus to try bubble tea for themselves. Before the pandemic, some of the places students visited to get bubble tea on campus were Fuku Tea, Chick'n Bubbly and the Kung Fu Tea truck, among many others. While Fuku Tea and Chick'n Bubbly are small, locally owned businesses, Kung Fu Tea is a national chain with a location in Squirrel Hill. Kung Fu Tea used to have a truck that served tea on campus, but it is not currently in use.
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While bubble tea is often associated with the tapioca pearls that can be found in the bottom, Kevin Liang, the manager at Fuku Tea, said bubble tea got its name because it’s made by shaking tea with ice
many different types of teas, or even smoothies. Despite the options, he said the drink is still an acquired taste. “It's just a mixture of any tea — though it doesn't have to be tea, it could
Chick’n Bubbly, located on Oakland Avenue, offers bubble tea as well as Korean fried chicken. Dalia Maeroff senior staff photographer and milk in it, causing bubbles to form. “Bubble tea is just tea with ice and shaken up, and then when they shake it, they make it a bubble format,” Liang said. “Taiwanese people created more toppings for the inside and they can add a fruit flavor and then they put in milk.” Tang said boba can be made from
be a smoothie, it could be black dragon tea, jasmine tea, green tea,” Tang said. “I've seen all types of variations — and then they just add tapioca. It's not for everyone. I know that much. It's either you like it or you don't.” Ashley Martin, a junior psychology major and frequenter of local boba
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shops, first tried boba at Chick’n Bubbly. But she said Fuku Tea is her favorite, because they have many different teas and toppings available for people to try that change over the course of a year — everything from watermelon in the summer to cranberry in the winter. Liang said Fuku’s staff try to help people who haven’t tried boba before pick through their assortment of flavors and options and give suggestions based on what the customer says they're in the mood for. “A staffer will ask people what kind of tea they want — we have a lot of choices in our store — we ask, ‘Do you want milk tea, or do you want just fruit flavored tea?’” Liang said. “And we will give them a suggestion.” Fuku Tea has two locations, one on Forbes Avenue and one on South Craig Street. Meanwhile, Chick'n Bubbly is located on Oakland Avenue, and — as the name suggests — also offers various types of Korean fried chicken with its bubble tea, as well as sides like takoyaki and pork kyoza. They are currently only open for takeout and delivery. Martin had several recommendations from different shops for people trying bubble tea for the first time — the Taro milk tea from Fuku, the black sugar milk tea with tapioca pearls from Chick’n Bubbly and the black milk tea from Kung Fu Tea. Tang said he would recommend Fuku Tea’s bubble tea See Boba on page 51
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PITT STAGES TO RETURN WITH LIVE, IN-PERSON THEATER THIS FALL Ananya Pathapadu Staff Writer
Pitt Stages is bringing back live, inperson theater to Oakland with a fresh slate of productions this fall. With plays touching on a range of topics from African genocide to a young boy’s drag pageant dreams, there are a variety of stories being told. Pitt’s theater department, through Pitt Stages, puts together these shows for the public and involves students in the making of the production. For the 202122 season, Pitt Stages has five mainstage productions, which are large plays performed onstage. Rebecca Hobart, a rising senior theater major, explained that because last year’s shows were virtual, a lot of thought was put into choosing the slate for this season because of the excitement of being back in person.
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“It took a while for the season to be chosen, I think, because we really wanted a good one. It was like going to be the one we came back with,” Hobart said. There will be two productions this fall — “We Are Proud to Present…” directed by Ricardo Vila-Roger and “The Drag Seed” directed by Hobart. There are three productions lined up for the spring — “Why We Have A Body” directed by Julia Kreutzer, “Emilia” directed by Bria Walker and “A New Brain,” with a director to be announced. The first production of the season is “We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as South West Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884 – 1915,” abbreviated as “We Are Proud to Present…,” by Jackie SibSee Stages on page 53
For the 2021-22 season, Pitt Stages is bringing back live, in-person theater this fall. TPN File Photo
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Diana Velasquez
A PITT STUDENT’S GUIDE TO BUYING THE PERFECT FISH
Culture Editor
One of the best things about going to college is that you have free reign over what your room is going to look like — no matter where you live. It’s a clean slate in a way, compared to our childhood bedrooms which are painted in a garish neon green or pink we insisted on as 11-year-olds. One of the more drastic steps you can take in your college journey is getting a living, breathing companion to share your space with. I’d suggest holding off on getting a dog or a cat. One, they’re not allowed in the dorms, and even once you move out you don’t want to be scooping soiled kitty litter with a Sunday morning hangover in your small South O apartment. Fish, on the other hand, rank pretty high on the list of low-maintenance pets, and they don’t require much except a
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clean and filtered tank and the occasional feeding of fish flakes. Besides, they’re really pretty to look at. Karen Lukacsena — co-owner of Elmer’s Aquarium, which is located in Monroeville about 20 minutes east of Oakland — said fish are popular with college students because they’re relatively easy to care for and they make therapeutic decor. “I can imagine if you're a student when you have to study and you're sitting there if you have a real natural, relaxing aquarium, that it can be very soothing,” she said. What kind of fish should you get? Lukacsena said for first-time fish parents there are a few kinds of fish you should think about adopting. Her first suggestion is a betta fish, a commonly sold fish that you can find in pretty much every pet store for about $10 on See Fish on page 54
Fish are a popular pet choice among college students. Shruti Talekar senior staff illustrator
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CROSSWORD: YINZER RIDDLES
Down 2. An audio amplifier 5. A form of Algerian folk music 6. Without a lot of life experience 7. Celebrated astronomer. First name Halton 9. Another word for speed 11. Cave _____. Latin for “beware the dog” 13. Goes hand in hand with the id and superego 14. Something made up of two parts 16. Do this to your driver’s license every few years 19. Optimism for the future 27. Describing very specific interests 31. Original gangsters 39. The middle section of an insect 40. Sayings attributed to Christ in the bible. Greek for “word”
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41. A corporation that sells lumber 42. An Egyptian god. Also, the first name of a “Pineapple Express” star 43. An endearing 80s movie about a boy and his alien friend 44. _____ and behold! 45. Someone who succeeds comes out here 46. Descriptor for domesticated animals and uneventful parties 47. Ice queen and protagonist of a popular Disney movie 48. On Reddit, may indicate the tip of a hat 49. Abbreviation for example 50. Those on a diet might do this 51. Goes before Jersey, York and Mexico 52. What a lawyer both files and wears 53. First name of “Freaks and Geeks” and “Scooby-Doo” star
54. Scientific name for razor clams 55. Synonym for allow 56. Do this to your jeans before leaving the bathroom 57. A people native to the western Himalayas 58. According to Florence Welch, these are over 59. Favorite food of panda bears 60. _____Tok, in the name of a popular app 61. Position in social circles 62. Japanese boxed lunch 63. To procreate 64. Act of charity, usually with a religious connotation 65. Earth, _____, fire, water 66. Scrap of old cloth 67. International agency that governs Europe 68. Freelance detective
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Charlie Taylor
Senior Staff Writer Across 1. Synonym for finally (two words) 2. Pittsburgh industrialist, Pitt alumnus, and misspelling of a summer fruit 3. Where Hobbits live4. Spanish suffix meaning small 5. Egyptian god of the sun 6. Architectural style of the Cathedral of Learning 7. 1980s show starring Mr. T 8. Every little thing is gonna be _____? 9. Staple Pittsburgh dumpling, thanks to the Polish immigrant community 10. First name of the inventor of calculus 11. Abbreviation for Pitt’s Center for African American Poetry and Poetics 12. Short for the stuff in a syringe 13. To make legislation into law, or to put on a play 14. Abbreviation for chief prosecutor 15. You can find this Pitt alumnus singin’ in the rain 16. A street in Paris 17. Second word in I.O.U. 18. First name of a vice president. A lso, a TV show host. 19. Namesake of Pittsburgh ketchup company and chapel on campus. 20. Museum in New York that hosts lavish galas 21. Makeup palette in natural skin tones 22. What you should do with a shady c ontract (two words) 23. Opposite of even 24. Another word for gym class 25. Beer that you might see a hipster drinking 26. A quaker sells these at grocery stores 27. Fresh players of video games 28. Holden’s brother in “The Catcher in the Rye” 29. Austrian headphone manufacturer 30. Belonging to a thing 31. Virtual space for resolving disputes 32. Another name for a Japanese rice fish 33. An art museum and music hall in Pittsburgh 34. A god of fertility 35. A brief pause from productivity 36. Describing someone who gives their name to something 37. Latin for “therefore” 38. Particularly revolting
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STAFF PICKS: MOVIES MADE IN PITTSBURGH For those who may be unaware, Pittsburgh has a thriving film industry. The City is full of cool and quirky places that filmmakers love using for set locations. From Heinz Field in one of Hollywood’s major superhero blockbusters to the inside of one of Pittsburgh’s premier UPMC hospitals, there are plenty of iconic film locations in Pittsburgh to visit during your time here. The Dark Knight Rises // Diana Velasquez, Culture Editor Pitt students will, no doubt, visit Heinz Field at one point in their life. It’s where Pitt’s football team plays, which is pretty cool since it’s the official NFL stadium for the Pittsburgh Steelers. And while that’s incentive enough to go see the Panthers play for yourself, what if I told you Tom Hardy himself has set foot on that field? In full supervillain Bane regalia? Now, there’s even more reason to go.
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“The Dark Knight Rises,” the third film in Christopher Nolan’s Batman series, details the heroics of an ageing and injured Batman (Christan Bale) who had faced off against the Joker in the previous movie, changing him from Gothams’ beloved caped crusader into a hated vigilante. Bane (Tom Hardy) is the villain in the movie, and while it’s hard for him to fit the void that Heath Ledger left behind, there are some really cool scenes in the movie. One of my favorites, that I can’t help but squeal a little about when watching, is Bane’s scene at Heinz Field — or, ahem, the Gotham Knights stadium —where he literally blows up the football field and all the players on it to give a grandiose terroristic speech to a horrified audience of Gothamites, before he proceeds to trap them in the city with a nuclear bomb. It’s eccentric, it's bombastic and it’s all I can think about every time I go to the stadium in person.
Movies
Screenshot of “Happiest Season” via Hulu
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