10-14-20 by The Pitt News

The Pitt News

T h e i n d e p e n d e n t s t ude nt ne w spap e r of t he U niversity of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | OCTOBER 14, 2020 Â| Volume 111 | Issue 36

Rental Guide 2020

Cover by Sarah Cutshall | Visual Editor

News

HOUSING OPTIONS FOR PITT STUDENTS DON’T END IN OAKLAND

Colm Slevin

For The Pitt News For many students, their Pitt experience starts in Oakland — living in a place such as Towers, Sutherland or Nordenberg for their first year. But once students have the ability to live off campus, not every student chooses to continue to live in Oakland. Even though North, South and Central Oakland are close to campus and have an abundance of housing, not every Pitt student who chooses to live off campus finds themselves living in these neighborhoods. Some students choose to live in other neighborhoods around Pittsburgh such as Squirrel Hill and Shadyside because of finances, comfort with the area and the availability of housing. Emma Krofcheck, a junior physics and astronomy and anthropology double major, has lived in Greenfield since March. She said one of the perks of being outside of Oakland is she gets to see more of the City. “I feel like you definitely get to see more of the City, because I feel like when I was living in Oakland, I never left Oakland,” Krofcheck said. “Because I didn't really have a reason to because everything was like right there. But now that I'm outside of Oakland I have to travel to get anywhere.” Zach Lewis, a junior physics and astronomy major, has lived on the border of Greenfield and Squirrel Hill since March. He said living outside of Oakland allows students to see other neighborhoods throughout Pittsburgh. “I feel like you get to experience Pittsburgh more if you're outside of Oakland. Oakland is mostly Pitt’s campus,” Lewis said. “I was really excited to sort of just explore the more cultural side of Pittsburgh. Obvi-

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ously that's been hindered by the pandemic but, you know, Oakland is pretty much at this point just a college town and so if you want to experience more of Pittsburgh then you kind of need to get outside of there.” Nick Deschler, a junior rehabilitation science major, has been living in Shadyside for two months. He said being off campus and in a more residential area is a way to escape how loud Oakland can be.

COVID-19 cases as of Oct. 13, Shadyside has 194 and Squirrel Hill South has 195. “I feel like I'm blessed. I can go places and not be scared of running into people,” Krofcheck said. “Plus I think case numbers out here are way smaller than Oakland and they're not rising nearly as dramatically, which is really reassuring on my part.” Tara Ponitz, a junior civil engineering major, has lived in Squirrel Hill North for

Zach Lewis, a junior physics and astronomy major, said living outside Oakland lets him see more of the City. Photo courtesy of Zach Lewis “It's pretty calm and peaceful, for the most part,” Deschler said. “It's a nice neighborhood. There's a lot of stores and restaurants around here. Although I haven't really explored much — I’ve rarely gone out due to COVID.” Krofcheck said being outside of Oakland makes her feel safer during the COVID-19 pandemic. While Central Oakland has 223

the past two years. She said being in an area with more adults feels safer during the pandemic. “I live next to a lot of families,” Ponitz said. “So everyone is taking good care [of themselves] and taking the right precautions for COVID.” Being so far from campus, Krofcheck said she feels as though she has a very dif-

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ferent experience than if she was in Oakland because of the people in her neighborhood. “The most major difference between Greenfield and Oakland are definitely the people around me,” Krofcheck said. “It's mostly old people on my street, as opposed to college kids. It's just a really different energy, different environment.” Ponitz said she feels that being outside of Oakland is nice because she is surrounded by families and not just college students. “It’s kind of like I graduated already,” Ponitz said. “When I come home I am not surrounded by stressed out college students in my neighborhood.” Deschler said being off campus makes him feel distant from the rest of the University community because he isn’t around as many Pitt students. “It’s more difficult to socialize with people for sure,” Deschler said. “But, I mean, COVID especially makes that difficult. And then living off campus on top of it. It's difficult to socialize with students, because you're not on campus.” Tori Csanadi, a junior electrical engineering major, has lived in Shadyside for the past two years. She said she finds it harder to see her friends but that she still finds ways to stay connected. “I lived at a big apartment with a bunch of my friends,” Csanadi said. “So for game days you'd all get super excited. Get all dressed up together and then jump on a bus, go to campus, meet up with our friends around campus and we get to the game together, the hype is still there. I just had to leave half an hour earlier than everyone else to get there at the same time.”

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October 14, 2020

‘NO ROOM FOR PROFIT’: STUDENT RENTERS, LOCAL LANDLORDS SEEK COVID-19 AID Maura Scrabis

Staff Writer The national unemployment rate is more than double what it was at this point last year, leading many Americans to take a hard look at their finances during the COVID-19 pandemic. College students have been hit especially hard, as decreased hours and cancelled internships have made tuition and rent payments challenging. Before navigating the application process, finding the right rent relief program can be difficult for some students. Kate Rempe, a senior psychology major, said she doesn’t recall seeing any advertised rent-related programs from either the University or other local organizations. “If there were any resources advertised, I haven’t noticed or paid attention,” Rempe said. “So maybe at the very least they can make them more engaging.” Rempe said while she is fortunate to receive help paying for monthly expenses and not worry about applying for rent assistance programs, she is concerned for students who do need assistance. “Some students really do need that help, and don’t have their parents paying for rent,” Rempe said. For those who need help paying rent during the pandemic, the University’s Student Emergency Assistance Fund allows students to apply for up to $600 if they meet the necessary requirements, and approved allocations are paid via PittPay. Pitt created the fund in April of this year to help students cover overdue utility bills and expenses upon imminent eviction, among other emergency expenses. The fund granted more than $250,000 to students by the end of May. But Rempe said her monthly expenses usually exceed $600, which is why she believes there should be more assistance available. “I think if they can increase the amount of assistance available, they should,” Rempe said. “Usually utilities run up the cost of the rent quite a bit, and pandemic life has made money even tighter.” The Off-Campus Living Office also provides an in-depth rental guide for students looking to live off-campus. Their website includes a list of

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suggested questions to ask a potential landlord, links to resources to help with pest control and utility problems, safety tips and a culmination of available apartments with honest prices and descriptions. Along with Pitt-specific resources, the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act — which was passed in March — assists renters and landlords. The bill includes several provisions that affect college students, including

after assistance payments were sent out slowly, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The County continues to process applications from previous months and send out payments, Downs said. “When launched in July, the CARES Rent Relief Program had a deadline of Sept. 30,” Downs said, “but due to some of the regulations and restrictions at the state level was slow to start getting funds out to assist residents.”

The federal CARES Act was passed in March and allocated $3.9 billion for Pennsylvania’s own CARES Rent Relief Program, aimed to help those struggling with COVID-related income loss and economic struggle. Dalia Maeroff Staff Photographer deferred student loan payments and money for carryover funding for university payments. The CARES Act allocated $3.9 billion for Pennsylvania, according to the PA Housing Finance Agency. The General Assembly directed $175 million to PHFA for assistance for struggling renters and homeowners, of which about $150 million was set aside for rent assistance specifically. Amie Downs, a spokesperson for Allegheny County, said the County has only received a small fraction of this total. She said the County received $22 million from PHFA and the County chipped in $14.5 million from its CARES funds for the rent relief program. The program was met with some criticism

Downs added that, as of last Friday, about 6,000 tenants have applied for assistance in Allegheny County, and it has assisted about 400 applicants. As renters are struggling to make payments on time, Fred Deiuliis, a landlord in South and Central Oakland, said he is also struggling amid the coronavirus pandemic. “My income has been badly affected by COVID,” Deiuliis said. “I’ve considered applying for federal subsidies, but those are meant for companies with employees — my brother and I work for ourselves, so we don’t qualify.” Deiuliis said he and his brother have tried to be reasonable and help students in any way they can. He said they returned deposits for students

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who decided not to live on campus this semester and evaluated the ways they could cut their rent. “We’ve lowered our prices a little, but not much. We’re not luxury apartments,” Deiuliis said. “We’re making ends meet, but barely. After taxes, insurance and utilities, there’s no room for profit.” While the County briefly stopped accepting applications for the CARES Rent Relief Program and Pandemic Mortgage Assistance Program from Oct. 1 through Oct. 5, the deadline has since been moved to Nov. 4 after an executive order from Gov. Tom Wolf. To qualify for assistance, renters must document at least a 30% reduction in annual income since March 1 related to the COVID-19 pandemic, or they must have become unemployed after March 1, according to a press release from PHFA. Those who qualify could receive up to 100% of their monthly rent, with a maximum of $750 a month to cover the time period between March 1 and Dec. 31 of this year. Along with County- and University-based rent assistance programs, there are myriad other resources for those struggling financially: - United Way provides temporary financial assistance to those facing housing crises, offering rent subsidies for up to three months through its Housing Stabilization Program. - Renters can also receive rent assistance and other housing help from Allegheny Link. - Also providing rent relief to residents is the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, an organization created to “enable African Americans to secure economic self-reliance, parity and power and civil rights.” Downs said anyone currently struggling with economic security is encouraged to apply to any program that suits their current situation. “The County has a long history of helping people who are struggling to pay rent with numerous programs to help individuals and families stay in their home,” Downs said. “We will continue to offer other resources to residents for which funding is available, and other CARES Act money may be available in the coming months as well.” Contributed reporting by Millicent Watt.

‘A DIFFERENT LIFESTYLE’: STUDENTS NAVIGATE A SEMESTER AT HOME

Elizabeth Primrose For The Pitt News

Some students, such as Nish Rajkanth, are currently living in their childhood bedrooms rather than a cramped dorm room. Rajkanth, who is currently in South Brunswick, New Jersey, said taking college classes from home sometimes feels like she’s back in high school. “It is a different lifestyle that can often feel like you’re reverting back to high school rather than being a college student,” Rajkanth, a junior biological science major, said. “But I think I’ve gotten the hang of it now and it has been helpful in many ways.” Rajkanth is one of many Pitt students who decided to take their classes at home under the new Flex@Pitt teaching model, which allows students to experience classes “in person, remotely, synchronously or asynchronously.” This model will continue into the spring semester as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and the spring will have an adjusted schedule. Rajkanth said she was disappointed at first after deciding to stay home, but she had other concerns about returning to campus amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “It seemed like a rip-off because I wouldn’t be able to have a proper college experience, yet I was being expected to pay full tuition,” Rajkanth said. “I am a very anxious person, and I think that being on campus would have made me extremely paranoid about being exposed to coronavirus.” The University has had 311 students and 32 employees test positive since June 26, with 295 students and 31 employees recovered thus far. One of the last seven days have seen no new positive cases, according to data reported by Pitt. Rajkanth added that it’s also been hard to connect with students in the South Brunswick area. “Being on a city campus, you are a fiveminute walk away from meeting any of your friends,” Rajkanth said. “When you are home and live in a suburb, it’s not that accessible to see your friends very frequently.”

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Pranavi Indukuri, a sophomore political science major, is also taking classes from her bedroom in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, located about 20 minutes west of Harrisburg. Indukuri said since she could complete her classes and research remotely, she did not see a point in going to campus, although she initially felt uneasy about the decision. “My parents and I talked about it and decided it was the best decision for me to stay

said. “However, when I thought about the time zone difference, I got pretty stressed.” For students living at home, the lack of interaction with friends is one the biggest challenges. Many students are relying on virtual socializing through clubs or other organizations. Wu said two organizations she is a member of — Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society and Lambda Sigma Honor Society — often have virtual

Promiti Debi Senior Staff Illustrator home,” Indukuri said. “In the beginning I was kind of iffy about it because I didn’t really like Zoom during the spring semester.” Indukuri said issues she faced during the spring semester contributed to her hesitancy in deciding to stay home. “I had trouble connecting with teachers during the spring semester,” Indukuri said. “I wasn’t really sure if I could adapt to it.” Other students are living in an entirely different time zone, such as Zhen Wu, a sophomore computer science major, who is in China. Wu said she believes staying home was right for her, despite concerns about the time difference. “At first, I felt like it was better for me,” Wu

social events and general body meetings. Wu said the virtual activities provide a way to meet new people while living at home. “We have social events online and GBM often,” Wu said. “Playing games and discussing schoolwork are good ways to build relationships.” Pitt Program Council is also offering virtual events for students to socialize and stay connected. Danielle Moss, PPC’s public relations director, said all of Pitt Program Council’s events such as concerts, lectures, game night, bingo night and craft workshops are designed for every student, regardless of where they’re currently living. “We keep in mind the fact that people

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aren’t on campus,” Moss, a senior neuroscience major, said. “We make sure all of our events can be done remotely.” Even though Pitt Program Council offers these events, Moss said not all students are aware they exist. She added that students gained interest in events in prior years through seeing flyers around campus or through other events. “It has been hard to reach out to first-year students and students who are home,” Moss said. “If they weren’t already following us on social media, we’ve had to try and go to them.” Along with struggling to interact with their peers, some students said it’s also hard to connect with professors while at home. Due to the 12-hour time difference between Pittsburgh and her home in China, Wu said she often has issues emailing her professors and attending office hours, as they usually occur late at night in her time zone. “Due to the time zone difference, communication can take days to get things solved,” Wu said. Wu said while the time zone difference has its setbacks, it does have certain benefits, such as the extra time she has to finish her work. “I like to finish my work ahead of time,” Wu said. “I have 12 extra hours to do my work.” Rajkanth also said she’s found certain benefits through this learning style, such as a more focused academic environment at home because she isn’t able to see her friends. “It helps me focus on my work rather than getting distracted super easily by being around my friends all the time,” Rajkanth said. “I personally get a lot of social anxiety and being at home has helped me not feel so anxious.” Rajkanth added that while the unexpected nature of taking college courses from her childhood home has had its obstacles, she still tries to make the most out of the situation. “It is definitely not what I expected, so there is some disappointment that comes with that,” Rajkanth said. “But I’ve been trying to make the most of it because it’s a privilege to even have access to education.”

‘FEELING OF HOPE’ PITT POLICE, SGB AS CITY PREPARES WORK ON COVID RULES, STATUE REMOVAL ACCOUNTABILITY

Ashton Crawley

Assistant News Editor As a child, Miguel Sague III often walked by the Christopher Columbus statue near Phipps Conservatory and wondered why a man who killed his ancestors had a monument. Sague, who was born and raised in Pittsburgh, is a member of the Taíno people — the first Indigenous group who Columbus encountered on his expedition in 1492. “Walking past the statue of a mass murderer being celebrated there, in the middle of the city that I live in — that was disturbing to me as a child,” Sague said. “Meanwhile, the rebels who fought against him don’t have statues. Nobody knows who they are.” But this Indigenous Peoples’ Day, he had something to look forward to. Mayor Bill Peduto recommended last Friday that the Columbus statue, located on Schenley Drive on the outskirts of Pitt’s Oakland campus, be removed. Peduto said in a statement that he favored returning the statue to the ItalianAmerican community, where it can be preserved in a manner that “celebrates Italian-

American culture, while acknowledging the wreckage that slavery and racism has done to America.” He was criticized for focusing on the feelings of Italians, rather than those of Indigenous people. The process to remove the Columbus statue began in September 2019, when Prem Rajgopal, now a recent Pitt graduate, reached out to Pittsburgh’s Art Commission, which ultimately voted unanimously on Sept. 23 to remove the statue. The process was a long one, Rajgopal said. “I went to their meeting in September. I got an old professor from undergrad to write a statement about Columbus,” Rajgopal said. “After that, they were a little bit receptive, but kind of blew me off. The Art Commission was hesitant to take any steps without there being mayoral support.”

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The Columbus statue near Phipps Conservatory was covered Sunday. Pamela Smith Staff Photographer

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Natalie Frank Staff Writer

For members of the Student Government Board like Kathryn Fleisher, a major concern is the safety of Pitt students not just from COVID-19 but also from police brutality. Fleisher said SGB worked to make sure no police interactions about COVID-19 protocols were unsafe. “We strongly believe that having more police presence around students doesn’t actually make them any safer,” Fleisher said. “And we wanted to ensure that anyone who is potentially having an interaction with the police, that it was safe and productive.” Instead of heavy enforcement of COVID-19 protocols by Pitt police, Pitt has taken on a student-led approach through SGB and University collaborative programs to implement strategies to ensure campus safety. Pitt spokesperson Pat McMahon said Pitt police do ask students to wear face coverings but do not issue fines for noncompliance. He added that while crime in

Pittsburgh has gone down due to pandemic conditions such as stay-at-home orders and social distancing, the police are still active on campus. “The Pitt police department has remained proactive in the University community and surrounding neighborhoods, patrolling and communicating amid COVID restrictions with students, neighbors, business owners and visitors,” McMahon said. Fleisher, a senior politics and philosophy and gender, sexuality and women’s studies double major, said making students, especially students of color, feel comfortable is a top priority, since interacting with police “may not be where they’re most safe.” Fleisher said while enforcing public health safety is important, ensuring safe interactions with law enforcement was a major priority.

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Eric Macadangdang, president of the Student Government Board, said SGB plays an active role in redirecting the “enforcement responsibility” for COVID-19 rules from police to other outlets. Carolyn Pallof Senior Staff Photographer

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Opinions

SAVE PITTSBURGH, STOP GENTRIFICATION

Paige Lawler

Assistant Opinions Editor Ask a group of Pitt students what their favorite neighborhoods in Pittsburgh are, and you’re sure to hear about Bloomfield and Lawrenceville. These neighborhoods are known for their charm and appeal, and they have plenty of coffee shops and small businesses that college students and adults enjoy. But these neighborhoods, along with others in the City, have been and still are being gentrified. Historically low-income neighborhoods are seeing an economic

and demographic shift as real estate investment and development increases, causing wealthier, usually more educated, residents to move in. Some may argue that gentrification is a positive thing, as it can improve the amenities and aesthetics of a neighborhood or city, but this is not the case in Pittsburgh. Gentrification in Pittsburgh forces longtime residents to leave their neighborhoods and communities, and it threatens to ruin the City’s culture and diversity. When a neighborhood becomes subject to gentrification, the average income of the

area usually increases, as do rent prices and the prevalence of luxury apartments. The combination of these elements can severely disrupt the original character of a neighborhood by introducing new housing or apartments that attract more affluent residents and by introducing new businesses that may force preexisting businesses, especially small businesses, to work harder to continue making a profit. Pittsburgh is one of the most intensely gentrified cities in the United States, with 20% of census tracts in the lower 40% of family incomes and home values undergoing gentrification between 2000 and 2013. Seattle and Portland, Oregon, also saw gentrification in 20% of their neighborhoods. Pittsburgh’s population is about 295,000 people, making it a significantly

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smaller city than both Seattle and Portland. The main issue with gentrification, at least in my mind, is not so much the presence of new coffee shops decorated in the mid-century modern style. The issue is that when a neighborhood is gentrified, and when businesses and luxury apartment buildings start to move in and drive real estate values through the roof, the rent for surrounding houses and apartments goes up. This makes neighborhoods less affordable, which in turn forces out longtime residents who no longer have the means to afford the new cost of living.

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Honest Thief (PG-13) Fri: 5:15, 7:30, 9:45 Sat & Sun: 3:05, 5:15, 7:30, 9:45 Mon & Tue: 5:15, 7:30, 9:45 Wed: 5:15, 7:30, 9:45 Thu: 5:15, 7:30, 9:45 On the Rocks (R) Fri: 5:10, 7:20, 9:30 Sat & Sun: 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30 Mon & Tue: 5:10, 7:20, 9:30 Wed: 5:10, 7:20, 9:30 Thu: 5:10, 7:20, 9:30 Possessor Uncut (NR) Fri-Tue: 9:40 PM FriWed: 9:40 PM Thu: 9:40 PM Kajillionaire (R) Fri - Tue: 7:10 PM Wed: 7:10 PM Thu: 7:10 PM The Trial of the Chicago 7 (R) Fri - Thu: 4:20 PM Tenet (PG-13) Fri - Tue: 4:00, 9:25 Wed: 4:00, 9:25 Thu: 4:00, 9:25 Hocus Pocus (PG) Fri: 7:00 PM Sat & Sun: 2:10, 7:00 Mon & Tue: 7:00 PM Wed: 7:00 PM Thu: 7:00 PM

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October 14, 2020

10 THINGS TO DO BEFORE SIGNING A LEASE Nina Santucci Staff Columnist

After spending a year in on-campus dorms, the prospect of living off campus is exhilarating. Living in Oakland with no security guard or RA sounds like the ultimate freedom. But this independence can be quickly soiled by a slumlord and a crappy house. Landlords are often just looking for a check, and they are often not looking out for students’ best interests. They sometimes take advantage of students’ naiveness and hastiness to sign a lease and purposefully neglect to mention alarming issues. Most students don’t have the advantage of having their parents accompany them on house or apartment tours, so there’s a few things you should do before signing a lease. 1. Read the entire lease Landlords say a lot of puffery and promises to convince students they will be taken care of. But the only guarantees landlords must honor are physically written on the lease. Landlords sometimes hide sketchy rules and regulations in the lease within lines of normal information, so students might overlook it. Read the entire lease and if something doesn’t seem right, ask the landlord to clarify or even rewrite a statement to ensure they’re not using odd phrasing to mask a hidden agenda. It’s helpful to ask other people if any odd circumstances or requests on the lease are normal, then to reconsider signing. 2. Background check the landlord Students assume they can trust landlords who rent out multiple properties and appear professional — that’s how this Oakland landlord was saddled with $255,000 in fines. A Google search of their name or typing them into a background check program should be enough to make sure they’re trustworthy. Don’t be shy to ask the landlord for a few references, considering they often ask the tenants for references. 3. Make sure the ceiling is intact It’s easy to miss crucial issues when glancing at the ceiling. A lot of Oakland houses are very old and have sustained

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significant weather damage, and ceilings take the brunt of that damage. It’s only a matter of time before the tiny bubble on the ceiling turns into a fullfledged hole raining down plaster, paint and debris. Even worse, a damaged ceiling could lead to electrical issues, leaks, mold and structural buckling and caving. 4. There should be no draft from the doors The quality of doors is commonly overlooked but is essential to comfort

want windows. 6. Check the condition of floors and carpets Having sufficient flooring is as important as the ceiling considering a floor is technically another ceiling. Floors face substantial damage, and the last thing a student wants is lifted floorboards, holes or worse — mold. Clean and well-kept carpets are a compelling reflection of how well the landlord cares for the property. Ideally, carpets are replaced after each round of tenants, so

Dalia Maeroff Senior Staff Illustrator and wallet. Even a small gap is an issue, as it can run up the heating bill. Gaps also provide an opening for bugs looking for somewhere cozy to live. Though doors are the biggest concern, this applies to windows, too. 5. Ensure there are windows Students might not care about windows during a single tour, but it’s proven that a natural source of sunlight significantly improves function and attitude. Living somewhere with no windows or bad lighting creates a disconnect from the outside world and discourages productivity. Take it from someone who lived in a basement for a year — you

ask the landlord the last time they were replaced. 7. Pay attention to outlets Having enough electrical outlets in the home is essential, and the outlets should be three-pronged instead of twopronged. The difference is that threepronged outlets are grounded and provide an alternate pathway for electricity in the event of a fault. Without the third prong, the safety feature is eliminated, and an electrical surge could fry every appliance in the house and possibly cause a fatal shock. 8. Check for mold When touring, students assume the

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house is in safe condition to be seen — sadly, landlords don’t always care about “safe.” Since water damage is common in Oakland homes, mold follows close behind. Mold can be dangerous to breathe in, especially for those with allergies, asthma or lung conditions. Check for mold in places that are warm, damp and dark like under sinks and in the bathroom. Molds take a variety of forms and textures — they can appear white, black, yellow, blue or green and often look like discoloration to a surface or have a velvety, fuzzy or rough appearance. 9. Clarify your responsibilities Typically, not all utilities are included in the lease, but students should not be handling ALL of them. Ask the landlord what utilities they take care of and double-check the lease to make sure — also ask for an estimate on monthly utility costs. Confirm that the landlord would handle other responsibilities, such as changing the furnace filter, fixing or replacing provided appliances and doing necessary repairs. If you have to pay over $5 every time you do laundry, it’s a no. 10. Locate heat and air ducts It’s nice to be provided heat and air conditioning, but if the home doesn’t have central air, consider how useful these accommodations will be to everyone. Make sure every floor has heating and air conditioning that reaches every room so all tenants are consistently comfortable in the home. Living in a new home is exciting, especially in glamorous Oakland. Don’t ruin your newfound freedom by making a decision based solely off of excitement. There are plenty of homes to choose from, so don’t feel pressured to sign a lease on the first tour. Protect yourself when renting and be smart — to have fun, you want to live somewhere stressfree. Nina likes to write about things that aren’t talked about enough. Follow Nina on Instagram and Twitter @ninaboebeana or email her at nns16@pitt.edu.

HOW TO SURVIVE ZOOM UNIVERSITY AT HOME Dalia Maeroff Staff Columnist

This fall semester is my third semester online. I live at home, in a tiny apartment with thin walls with a very loud younger brother and two very loud parents in the middle of Pittsburgh. A quiet study space optimal for getting good grades and more importantly — for learning — is not what my house was meant to be used for. The COVID-19 pandemic plunged everyone into the exact opposite environment than the one we had signed up for, and expected, at the beginning of our college careers. People who used to spend hours in coffee shops and the library are now confined to tiny dorms, apartments and old childhood bedrooms in our parents’ houses. If there’s one thing I’ve learned being a psychology major, it's how to hack my brain. After hating every second of the online spring semester, and doing terribly in my classes, I decided to make school something really worth my time. This summer things turned around for me, and Zoom University at home became the best thing that could have happened for my GPA. My study habits have changed for the better, my

mental health improved and my time management skills have increased tenfold. All because I realized I have the skills to trick my brain into thinking that this whole pandemic might actually not be that bad. The first and most important thing to do to make school easier on yourself is to make sure your basic human needs are met. That means keeping a healthy sleep schedule, eating a well balanced healthy diet, getting outside and exercising. Our brains cannot run on instant ramen, too much or too little sleep at the wrong times of day or in a dark and cooped-up room. I have a massive sweet tooth, I am not a morning person and I need around nine hours of sleep to not be miserable. It wasn't easy for me to get into the habit of doing some of these things consistently, but once I did, it was so worthwhile. I saw a difference in how well I was handling my schoolwork in a matter of weeks, even in my loud and very chaotic household. You may think that making your childhood bedroom into the optimal space for studying for your statistics midterm is impossible. This is far from the truth. I’ve taken one very important step at the beginning of each semester that may

seem like it won’t actually help — I deep cleaned and decluttered my entire room. I sold clothes I didn’t need, got rid of extra items and organized my shelves. I made the area around my desk have everything I would need to study in close proximity to me. I am generally the kind of person who comes home from a long day and kicks off my shoes not caring where they go, and almost always has a mountain of laundry on a chair waiting to be folded and put away. But having a clean and organized space is one of the most important things you can do to increase productivity and cognitive function. Once your room is clean and organized, the next best thing to do if you can’t go for a walk outside is to open your windows. Opening your windows allows for sunlight and fresh air, two things that will not only make you feel more energized, but also will improve cognitive function and decrease stress. Access to sunlight can also help to normalize your circadian rhythms, making it easier for you to maintain a healthy sleep schedule and can even help alleviate symptoms of depression. Now it’s time for us to get to work. Even though it is so tempting to never get out of bed or

just sit and do work on the couch, don’t. Science shows that having a designated work space separate from where you sleep, eat or relax can make all of those tasks feel more like sleeping, eating and relaxing, and work feel more like working. Having a specific place to work helps our brain keep a pattern of behavior that is consistent for each activity — in this case, studying. This means that if we study for a test and take that test in the same location, we are more likely to remember large amounts of information with higher detail. My house is loud. My dad plays loud music, my mom watches loud TV and my brother yells at his friends while playing video games in the next room. Everyone in my house has a very loud voice and not-so-great hearing, so naturally, everyone yells all the time. This is not at all optimal for studying or for sanity. For the purposes of studying, noise-cancelling headphones are an option. I am not so fortunate to own a pair, and I am also not a fan of silence, so my preferred method of auditory fo-

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October 14, 2020

STEEL CITY ARCHITECTURE: EXPLORING PITTSBURGH’S HISTORIC HOMES Diana Velasquez Senior Staff Writer

A student not native to the Pittsburgh area may easily pass by the Frick Fine Arts Building and give it no more than a cursory glance to its name. But Henry Clay Frick was more than a passing footnote in Pittsburgh’s history — he was one of the notorious industrialists who built it. If you were looking around the Pittsburgh area for a museum to frequent or an old house to tour, chances are that it was built by one of these famed industrialists. These historic homes range from the Frick family’s old 23-room mansion, to the Alan Frank House’s pristine 1940s interior, to Fallingwater — a vacation home for the famed Kaufmanns of Pittsburgh. Drew Armstrong, director and associate professor of architectural studies, said the reason Pittsburgh and the surrounding area is so rife with historical buildings is because of the City’s history as an industrial boomtown. “Pittsburgh was a hotbed for major industries,” he said. “Which means that people like the Kaufmanns and the Fricks, who are globally significant people, these are people who are up to date.” Dawn Reid Brean, the associate curator of decorative arts for The Frick Pittsburgh, said a part of maintaining a historic home like the Frick family’s Clayton House in Point Breeze is telling a story while remaining conscious of the history of its previous owners. Henry Clay Frick, the family’s founder, was known just as well for his union-busting in the late 1800s as he was for his contributions to the City’s history. His family’s legacy is tainted with injustice against steelworkers. Brean said she strives to acknowledge this in tandem with his historical home, rather than championing the Frick family blindly. “A huge part of what we’re doing is just the storytelling we can do about this house,” she said. “For a long time history has focused on Frick as an industrialist, everyone knows his name in Pittsburgh, but the house is not meant

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to stand purely as a celebration or a monument to him.” As a curator, Brean said she tries to keep everything in the house in its most authentic state. According to Brean, 93% of the artifacts inside Clayton House originally belong to the site and the Frick family. To keep these pieces of history intact, Brean said she does her best to interfere with them as little as possible. “I had an old coworker who used to say, ‘A

was decorating, where objects were, how they lived,” she said. “That gives us clues of where to put things and how to place things. Tours of the Clayton House are currently suspended due to COVID-19, and the public is not allowed to touch any of the artifacts inside. But Fallingwater, a historic home located in nearby Mill Run, is more of a marvel in terms of structure rather than the things inside. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, who was

The Frick family’s Clayton House in Point Breeze. Zian Meng Staff Photographer good conservator is a lazy conservator.’ Really the less that you do to objects, leaving them in the current condition, the better,” she said. “If you’re handling them, even if it’s to clean them, the chances are higher that it won’t retain its original image.” According to Brean, the Clayton House can be authentic in its depictions of a Gilded Age home in part due to the set of photos the estate has maintained from about 1901. Brean said she uses these albumed pictures as a benchmark for how the house should look. “It’s kind of our bible, how the Frick family

famed for “organic architecture” constructing his buildings in tandem with the environment, Fallingwater is considered to be one of the most important architectural buildings in the country. Connor Scanlon, a junior neuroscience and chemistry major and architecture enthusiast, said Fallingwater was one of the central focuses of his modern architecture class last semester due to how significant it is for modernism. He said Fallingwater stood out to him because it is, as the name implies, constructed on a waterfall in the middle of the woods.

October 14, 2020

“It has a creek running right through it. It’s amazing,” he said. “It plays off the area around it, as in it couldn’t have been built anywhere else.” According to Armstrong, many of Pittsburgh’s historical buildings are built off this sense of “modernity.” The philanthropists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries aimed for their homes to be a picture of an evolving world. The Alan Frank House near Squirrel Hill, privately owned and available for visit only by a lucky few individuals, is another example of modernism on the minds of Pittsburgh philanthropists. The house, which was constructed between 1939 and 1940, has remained in its original state. According to Armstrong, there have been no remodelings and no change to the architecture or the interior contents of the home. Armstrong said it’s importance to architectural history falls into the likes of Fallingwater. “It would also rank up there with Fallingwater as one of the most important buildings of its time, certainly in the United States,” he said. Pittsburgh’s reputation as a Steel City is no figment of the past. The legacy of the people who toiled away in the mills on the dime of industrialists is built quite literally into the foundations of the City’s buildings today, according to Armstrong. He said the legacy of the people behind their construction is part of the reason why the houses are so significant. “These houses essentially reflect the industrial history of the City, which I think everyone should be familiar with,” he said. For Brean, this means tying the Clayton House and the history of the Frick family to the present day. The houses reflect not just the rich industrialists of the past but highlight issues in the present day in terms of wealth gaps, something we should all be more aware of nowadays. “We’re pulling together all those elements of history together and making them relevant,” she said. “Because as we’ve seen over the last few months, a lot of the issues that plagued the Gilded Age are still relevant today.”

STAFF PICKS: HGTV IS WHERE THE HEART IS

The Pitt News Staff

Sometimes living in a cramped dorm or a South Oakland apartment can make you forget what a real house looks like. Luckily, HGTV is here to offer a refresher in the form of a McMansion in the suburbs that you’ll never be able to afford. Our staff has handpicked the best HGTV shows, much like the network’s celebrity decorators handpick overpriced rustic decor to place in their living rooms. Whether you’re critical of outdated backsplashes or just want to ogle some reasonably attractive builders and decorators, these shows are perfect for a relaxing weekend. Celebrity IOU // Charlie Taylor, Culture Editor Tall and handsome with shiny teeth and top-notch design skills, Drew and Jonathan Scott really do have it all. Best known for their show “Property Brothers,” these twins’ newest endeavor features the pair helping celebrities give back to important people in their lives by renovating their homes. Following a different celebrity every episode, from Brad Pitt to Viola Davis to Melissa McCarthy, the series offers an intimate look into the personal lives of celebrities without feeling invasive. The brothers talk to each celebrity about why the recipient — usually a family member or a friend from before they got famous — is important to them. It’s a typical, almost cliched “pay it forward” trope, but the stories are heartwarming and easy to watch. HGTV also made the right choice in taking the attention away from the ever-perfect Scott brothers and refocusing it on the celebrities and their guests. The faults of “Property Brothers,” which insists so much on the pair’s humor and relatability that the audience can get annoyed quickly, have faded away. It isn’t about Drew and Jonathan, or even Brad Pitt – it’s about real people who deserve recognition for their friendship, loyalty and kindness. House Hunters // Sinead McDevitt, Senior Staff Writer For most college students, especially ones living in a city like Pittsburgh,

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choosing a place to live is more a case of what they can afford than whether or not they like an open-concept kitchen. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to watch other people choose between houses the viewer can never hope to afford. Each episode of “House Hunters” introduces two people — usually a couple, but on some occasions it’s a pair of friends, or a person and their parent — who are looking for a place to live. It also gives their budget — an episode featuring a couple in Pittsburgh had $200,000 — and what their essentials are for their dream home. Their realtor takes them to look at three potential houses in whichever city

There’s something deeply satisfying about watching power couple Chip and Joanna Gaines find, buy and completely overhaul houses in and around Waco, Texas. People come to them with a budget and an idea for the type of house they want, and Chip and Jo find a house that could become their dream home with enough loving care — that is, tearing down walls and putting in shiplap. Chip has an over-the-top goofball exterior that hides his skill at renovation, and Jo holds down the fort with an eye for the big picture in addition to small but significant details. By the time an episode has ended, they will have turned

will draw you right in. “Fixer Upper” ran for five seasons on HGTV, but a new season is in the works for Chip and Jo’s new Magnolia Network. Love it Or List It // Sona Sharma, For The Pitt News The appeal of HGTV is its consistency, and hosts Hillary Farr and David Visentin’s “Love it Or List It” is no exception. Every episode stars a bickering couple, with one partner requesting designer Hillary’s help to make their home more functional, while the other partner works with David to search for a new property. At the end of the episode, the couple decides whether to keep their renovated home and “love it,” or cash in on its increased market value and “list it.” What separates “Love it Or List It” from the rest of HGTV’s roster is how frustrating it is. The couples’ arguments, outrageous requests and changing list of demands keep Hillary and David busy. The final decision is the most stressful part — most of the time, you’ll be groaning in frustration as the couple makes what seems like the worst choice possible. But this emotion, combined with the show’s unvarying formula, adds to its charm and makes it a perfect distraction from that upcoming test you’ve been stressing about all week.

“Fixer Upper” follows couple Chip and Joanna Gaines as they buy and renovate houses in and around Waco, Texas. Via Magnolia Network | TNS they’re looking. The pair then discusses which houses they like and eventually buys one. With just under 20 seasons, there are hundreds of episodes for you to enjoy, and that’s not including “House Hunters: International” and “House Hunters Renovation,” which have the same basic premise but occur outside the US and follow how the couple renovates their house, respectively. Fixer Upper // Lucas DiBlasi, Staff Writer

old ranch houses into beautiful rustic homes and rundown shacks into modern cabins. In fact, the show, and Jo’s design sensibilities, are credited with the surge in popularity of the “Farmhouse-chic” interior design style, as well as increasing tourism around their marketplace in Waco. “Fixer Upper” makes it easy to see why Chip and Jo have found such success, because even if you try to just leave it on in the background, their magnetic personalities and design sensibilities

October 14, 2020

Sports

TURNING YOUR APARTMENT INTO A SPORTS FAN’S HAVEN

Alex Lehmbeck Sports Editor

As a true sports fan, it’s impossible to separate sports from your everyday life. A 24-hour-period doesn’t pass by that doesn’t involve you checking your team’s latest activity, and there’s nothing better than game day. You’ll need your living environment to reflect your passion. This mindset especially applies during a global pandemic. Without the ability to go cheer on your team in person amongst other fans, sports fans have had to acclimate themselves to creating a home game experience in their own homes. To feel like the stadium on game day, your house or apartment needs a few quick additions that will create a world of difference. Here are the best options to transform your apartment into the prime location for kick off. Team posters If you choose to take one thing away from this article, make it this — put up team posters. This is far and away the cheapest and most productive way to show off your team. While sports memorabilia can get pretty expensive, you can acquire schedule posters for your team for free. Nearly every sporting event features a stand somewhere in the concourse that will give these out to anyone who wants them. Colleges and professional teams want their fans to have these, because the more people that know the schedule, the more money they will make from ticket revenue or fans tuning in on the television. Most collegiate programs have promotional events where people can pick up these posters as well. A schedule poster works perfectly for your apartment for dual purposes — it looks good, and it’s helpful. You’ll never

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have to waste time typing “Pitt football schedule” into your Google search bar, as you can just look at your living room wall to know exactly when you can catch the Panthers next and against whom. These posters usually take up a lot of space and attention, so you can use them as the base to your gameday environment, setting the tone for visitors on the territory they’ve entered. If you don’t feel the need for the team’s

Street signs These can take more of a dent out of your wallet but will last you for a long time. Put a street sign at your apartment’s entrance, letting your visitors know exactly what organization you support when they walk through the door. If you have a driveway, make sure you declare it a fan-affiliated parking lot. In my case, these signs served as a per-

Magnets It wouldn’t be a sports fan apartment without a sports-themed refrigerator. Take advantage of that magnetic block taking up space in your kitchen by turning it into a customizable palette. Just like schedule posters, you can usually get schedule magnets for free from your favorite team’s sporting event. Next time you retrieve some butter or eggs, make sure to check that you aren’t missing a Pitt sporting event in your naivety. Magnets present a cheap option to show team pride. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but nobody cares about the countless polaroids of your beach trip that you taped all over the fridge to relive the glory days. Instead, do your guests a favor and put up something that everyone can appreciate — the classic, beautiful Pitt script. Fathead(s) Be warned — this isn’t for everyone. It takes a special kind of psycho to shell out a hundred bucks to stamp a life-sized cut-out of a person who plays sports for a living to your wall. But if that athlete means enough to you, it might just be worth it. Make sure you’re careful with which Fathead you choose, though. You’ll want to choose a safe option for such a grand purchase. Pick a player who has already cemented their legacy over years of success, like Sidney Crosby for Penguins fans. Sports Editor Alex Lehmbeck purchased a street sign for his father to remind Don’t choose someone who’s unproven and him of Pitt. Alex Lehmbeck | Contributing Editor is only temporarily a fan-favorite. I feel for the Dwayne Haskins fans who purchased schedule on your wall, or want a better aes- fect holiday gift for the family. I purchased his Fathead feeling the hype this offseathetic, you can purchase large or small post- my father a customized sign (seen above) son, only for Ron Rivera to bench him four ers for your team for a pretty cheap price. that signified his distance from the Petersen games into his sophomore season, putting Get one of your favorite player, and remem- Events Center. As a Pitt fan in Virginia, he him on the trade block as yet another disapber to thank them for all the joy they’ve loved the reminder to plan a visit to Pitts- pointment in Washington. provided you every time you walk by it. burgh to watch the Panthers hit the court.

October 14, 2020