11-14-14 by The Pitt News

Volume 105 Issue 71

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Table of Contents Black engineers…………………………3

Rental Guide: Student-landlord…..17

Boschert column……………………….4

Rental Guide: Linder…………………..18

Casual Friday……………………………4

Rental Guide: Craig……………………18

Basketball preview……………………..5

Rental Guide: Caruso…………………20

Football preview……………………….5

Rental Guide: Off-campus living…..22

Rental Guide: Cathedral Suites………8

Rental Guide: Future cult posters…24

Rental Guide: Gentrification………..12

Rental Guide: Dear Kelly…………….25

Rental Guide: Roommate tips………….15

Cover design: Theo Schwarz, Visual Editor Background photo: Jeff Ahearn, Assistant Visual Editor

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

NEWS

National Society of Black Engineers honored by mayor Cristina Holtzer News Editor Mayor Bill Peduto officially named Nov. 14 “NSBE Day in Pittsburgh” to recognize the National Society of Black Engineers and its upcoming conference this weekend. NSBE, a nonprofit founded in 1975, is a network of more than 29,000 black engineering students and is one of the largest student organizations in the country. The Region II branch, headed by three Pitt students, will hold its Fall Regional Conference this weekend in Green Tree. Ashley McCray, the Region II chairwoman of NSBE, said she thinks the mayor’s proclamation could mark the start of a national movement to encourage students across the country toward STEM fields. “One of the biggest contributors to low number of minority engineers is simply the lack of exposure,” McCray, a senior chemical engineering major, said in an email . “So if we can introduce one child to engineering on NSBE day, then its purpose will be fulfilled.” More than 700 college, pre-college and technical students from West Virginia to South Carolina will attend the conference, which will take place at the DoubleTree Hilton in Green Tree from Nov. 14 to Nov. 16. The conference

THE PITT NEWS Natalie Daher Editor-in-Chief editor@pittnews.com

Cristina Holtzer, News Editor news@pittnews.com

Nick Voutsinos, Opinions Editor letters@pittnews.com

Shawn Cooke, A&E Editor

aande@pittnews.com Chris Puzia, Sports Editor sports@pittnews.com

Theo Schwarz, Visual Editor photos@pittnews.com

Ellie Petrosky, Copy Chief tpncopydesk@gmail.com

Stephen Caruso, Layout Editor tpnlayout@gmail.com

NSBE is the largest student-governed organization in the U.S. Courtesy of Robert Timmons

will include technical competitions, workshops, regional business meetings and graduate school career fair, McCray said. Marcus Jordan, the regional con-

E S T A B L I S HE D 1 9 1 0

Mahita Gajanan, Managing Editor manager@pittnews.com

Danielle Fox, Assistant News Editor Harrison Kaminsky, Assistant News Editor Matt Barnes, Assistant Opinions Editor Dan Sostek, Assistant Sports Editor Jeff Ahearn, Assistant Visual Editor Zheru Liu, Multimedia Editor Joelle Smith, Social Media Editor Becca Nagy, Assistant Copy Chief Emily Hower, Assistant Layout Editor

Copy Staff

Sarah Choflet Anjuli Das Kinley Gillette Johanna Helba Emily Maccia Sam McGinley

Bridget Montgomery Sarah Mejia Shivani Pandit Michelle Reagle Michael Wilson Megan Zagorski

ference planner, said he is “ecstatic” about the announcement, and he hopes the conference this weekend will “cultivate change” on college campuses nationwide.

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“The best way to increase [the number of black engineers] is to make sure we are exposing young African-American children to the engineering field at early ages and allowing them to see faces that look like theirs in college chasing this dream,” Jordan said. Jordan, McCray and Robert Timmons, the president of NSBE, said they became interested in engineering through programs in high school. Timmons said he always excelled in math and science and attended an engineering camp at the University of Texas before college. NSBE, he said, solidified his interest in engineering and has helped him through his college career. “NSBE has been a key factor in my motivation to complete my engineering degree,” Timmons said. “This is a great opportunity to reach multiple students in the Pittsburgh area and make sure that they know that they can also be an engineer in the future.” Representatives from Peduto’s office did not respond to requests for comment on the proclamation on Thursday. “NSBE has shaped my entire college career,” McCray said. “What separates NSBE from every other professional society is the fact that we are a family and our goal is to make sure that everyone not only survives, but excels.” advertising@pittnews.com

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November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

OPINIONS

Fatima Kizilkaya | Staff Cartoonist

COLUMN

Freshmen, living on campus isn’t that great Andy Boschert Columnist

Although South Oakland can be kind of gross and landlords can be kind of stingy, should firstyear students live in on-campus dormitories? The practice is near-universal for large schools to emphasize that freshmen live in student housing. For example, at Pitt, students who choose to live on-campus are required to shell out roughly $10,000 — more than a full semester’s instate tuition — for the privilege of living on campus. In essence, students are forced to pay $900 a month for rent in an area where rent consistently goes for half such a rate. So what exactly does that $900 get you? First of all, at Pitt and many

other schools, students are also required to buy a meal plan redeemable only through the university. When such a system exists, price gouging is going to be a problem. For example, I recently paid $7.99 for a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream at the Sutherland Hall Quick Zone — this is compared to it being $4.99 at Rite Aid. Forcing students to purchase the real world equivalent of “Disney Dollars” is a pretty blatant rip-off. Of course, many students will point out that, although on-campus housing is expensive, the experience is something they value. It’s true that living with one’s friends and peers can be a fun experience, but is it a better alternative for freshman?

Boschert

EDITORIAL

Casual Friday

Dangerous cargo

olice arrested a Florida man (of all people) on Wednesday for shoplifting. The culprit was shopping at Treasure Coast Lawn in Port St. Lucie when an employee noticed him stuffing a tool down his shorts. Unfortunately, the thief chose the least subtle tool to steal — a chainsaw. Hence, the employees immediately noticed the crime and called the police. Alas, it seems as though the economy is even getting to Leatherface.

The panty raid

olice in Kodiak, Alaska, are currently dealing with a ruthless crime spree. A bandit is apparently going around and stealing citizens’ most prized possessions — their underwear. Kodiak has

dubbed him the “underwear bandit” and police are currently doing everything they can to nab the curious caper. Justice will hopefully be served soon, as the police chief said, “It never pays to help yourself to the fruit of someone else’s loom.”

Jared, you liar

achary Rapheal Torrance doesn’t like being scammed. So when the Subway restaurant chain failed to follow through on their promise to help him lose weight, he felt cheated. After Torrance felt that the famous “Subway diet” wasn’t working for him, he promptly robbed four Subways near Birmingham, Ala. He told a detective that “he felt like he wanted his money back” since the diet “had not worked for him,” according to Hueytown,

Ala., police chief, Chuck Hagler. Jared from Subway said, “Meatball subs don’t apply to the diet.”

Tigers in Paris

esterday, a tiger escaped from one of Europe’s largest tourist destinations — Disneyland Paris. French authorities are currently combing the area in search of the tiger and have urged residents in nearby towns to stay indoors. Forces from the Forestry Department are equipped with tranquilizing guns in order to take out Winnie the Pooh’s friend without seriously injuring him. The biggest worry from his keepers, however, is that the 154-pound jungle cat will develop expensive taste by the time he comes back from touring the French countryside.

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

SPORTS

FOOTBALL

BASKETBALL

Chryst, team Pitt tips off hoops season against Niagara try to stay in Chris Puzia and Jasper Wilson The Pitt News Staff bowl hunt Jasper Wilson Senior Staff Writer

A common theme emerged among coaches and players on the Pitt football team when they talked about this weekend’s opponent University of North Carolina: speed, especially with the ball. This particular focus makes sense. The competition knows it well. UNC’s Ryan Switzer embodies this attribute. The sophomore All-American wide receiver and punt returner tied the NCAA record for most punts returned for touchdowns last season with five. Two came against Pitt, the second a game-winner, in a 34-27 North Carolina win. “It was where I really made my mark as a punt returner, so this was a big step for me as a true freshman college football player on a big stage against a team that I grew up hating,” Switzer, a Charleston, W.V., native, said to North Carolina media on Monday. What Switzer does or doesn’t do could again be the difference in a crucial game for both teams. Entering this weekend, they are in similar positions, possessing identical records (4-5 overall, 2-3 ACC) and needing two victories in their final three games to become bowl-eligible. “We all know — just look at last year’s film for us — how important the special teams will be and can be,” Pitt head coach Paul Chryst said. While Switzer hasn’t scored off any punts this season, Pitt special teams coordinator Chris Haering doesn’t think that makes him any less of a threat, noting that he’s seen Switzer return three punts for touchdowns this year that were called back for penalties. “We gotta do a great job hanging the ball up there, getting our guys time to get down

Football

After almost seven months removed from its third-round loss to Florida in the 2014 March Madness tournament, Pitt basketball is preparing to play another meaningful game. That game comes in the team’s season opener against Niagara this Friday at 7 p.m. Sophomore forward Michael Young said Pitt played a similar-style team in its exhibition against Philadelphia. “[Niagara] is similar to the Philadelphia team. They have a bunch of guards, basically they’re all guards on the court,” Young said. “It’s the beginning of the year, everyone’s confidence is high. They’re going to come out confident, and this is going to be one of the biggest games of the year for them.” Pitt won its two exhibition games leading up to this season, defeating IUP 72-58 on Oct. 31 and beating Philadelphia 82-71 on Nov. 7. Young averaged 22.5 points per game and nine rebounds per game in the two contests. Young said games against smaller opponents are “a different look than you get in the ACC.” “To play games like that, it has kind of an NCAA Tournament feel,” he added. “You don’t know what type of team they’re going to be ... you get different styles.” Junior point guard James Robinson said Pitt did not take its exhibition opponents lightly and used IUP and Philadelphia to tune up for the regular season grind. “We had two exhibition games that we took as if they were to count,” Robinson said. “We had a really good opportunity to learn from them and get better from them, but now it actually does count Friday, so we’re really excited.” Head coach Jamie Dixon led the Panthers to a 26-10 record last season as well as a 11-7 record in ACC play. Pitt won its first 10 games before losing to Cincinnati in the Jimmy V Classic in New York on Dec. 17. With the graduation of last season’s two leading scorers, Lamar Patterson and Talib Zanna, Pitt will try to spread the offense

Sophomore Michael Young averaged 22.5 points per game in its two exhibition games. Jeff Ahearn | Assistant Visual Editor

around to pick up the scoring burden those two left. Dixon has a more versatile team than in past years and may move some players around in the early non-conference schedule, including playing Young as a center as well as a power forward. Dixon said that playing Young as a center is “something I think will occur and it’s something we’ve been practicing pretty much on a daily basis.” “With Derrick [Randall] healthy and Joe [Uchebo] continuing to perform, I think we

have some flexibility in that area to do it both ways,” he added. Randall, a senior center, is just one of several players dealing with injuries as the season opens. Senior guard Cameron Wright is still recovering from surgery on his broken left foot in September. “We can’t wait for him to get back, but, in the meantime, the guys that we have, we have confidence in them,” Robinson said.

Hoops

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 5

FROM PAGE 5

FOOTBALL

HOOPS

and cover,” Haering said. “It’s gonna take 11 guys to stop him.” The Carolina offense as a whole is dangerous, averaging 35 points and 423 yards a game. Quarterback Marquise Williams acts as its orchestrator. He ranks second in the ACC — 20th in the country — in total offense, collecting 303 yards on average. Like Switzer, Williams can create offense with his feet, leading his team in rushing yards as well as passing yards. “On a pass, he’s going to try to get the ball downfield and throw it. It’s not just if the first look [is covered] that he’s pulling it down and going,” Chryst said. “I think he’s got good sense and a good feel for the game. That’s what makes him dangerous.” What makes the offense dangerous as a whole is the frenetic pace at which it operates. Speaking on Monday, Chryst said the team would try and imitate it, but that only goes so far. “You watch the film and you see the chains aren’t set, the referee is right behind the quarterback,” Chryst said, describing the Tar Heels’ tempo. “There are different ways you can do it in practice, but I think there’s nothing like actually seeing it. That’s something we’ve got to handle.” Given the variety of ways UNC can attack effectively, Pitt redshirt sophomore linebacker Bam Bradley and the rest of the defense know how important it is to not allow them to build momentum in early down situations. “It’ll be a good challenge for us to be able to contain their offense and get them to third and longs, second and longs,” Bradley said. “But it’s gonna start on first down, winning first down.” Pitt ranks 20th nationally in fewest yards per game allowed — 334.8 on average. The defense also has given up 176.8 passing yards per game, good for seventh in the country and second in the ACC. Asked how to prepare for an up-tempo team like North Carolina, freshman cornerback Avonte Maddox — who has become a starter after Reggie Mitchell’s move to safety to take over for the injured Terrish Webb — said an added emphasis on things like diet, hydration and sleep matters. “You gotta do better this week because they’re moving faster,” he said. “No breaks or nothing.”

“Coach does a really good job in practice of switching up lineups.” Redshirt forward Durand Johnson will play his first meaningful game on Friday since tearing his right ACL on Jan. 11. He averaged 13 points per game in the two exhibition games. Randall sprained his ankle in Pitt’s BlueGold Scrimmage on Oct. 19.

To fill the scoring holes these players leave in their absences, Robinson will control the tempo and facilitate the team’s offensive flow. However, he may share the court more with sophomore guard Josh Newkirk. “Having two point guards on the floor is going to give us a chance to get out in transition,” Robinson said. “If he’s in and I’m out, I’m going to be encouraging him from the side. I know when I’m in, he always has my back.” In a couple weeks, Pitt travels to Hawaii to play in the Maui Invitational Tournament,

7 where Pitt could play Kansas State or San Diego State, and has the opportunity to face preseason No. 2 Arizona as well. But before Pitt travels to Hawaii, it has some other non-conference games to play. The first comes against Niagara, before the team plays again at home on Sunday against Samford. “This Niagara team is going to be little, scrappy, they’re going to try to drive our bigs and get fouls on us early,” Young said. “They’re going to want to come out and prove themselves and show what they can do.”

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Living large in the cathedral suite Anjana Murali Staff Writer The current residents of the Cathedral Suites had no idea what was in store for them as they walked into their new home. With a staircase extending to a second floor loft, a huge living room with ceiling to floor windows and a kitchen area, the six students were beyond pleased with the living space. “It was a surprise when we walked in,” Kevin Boylan, a sophomore media relations major, said. “I was expecting three people in two rooms, and I thought about how crowded it was going to be. I was not expecting to have a living room and a kitchen.” As a transfer student, Boylan had never heard of the Cathedral Suites and didn’t have a lottery number. “I just called, and they gave me a room and told me that I would have five roommates,” Boylan said. “That was fine with me, because then I would get to meet some new people.” From the outside, the Cathedral Suites look like any other room in McCormick Hall, which is probably why many people don’t know they exist. “I know they are very coveted and infamous,” Maura Kay, a freshman political science major, said. “They are a bit of an urban legend, but I know they are real.” According to the Housing Services website, most Pitt students are guaranteed on-campus housing in a residence hall, apartment-style or fraternity living space for their first three years as long as they meet housing application and deposit deadlines. The room selection process begins in the spring semester as students select their preferred accommodation through an online lottery, a point system based on academic class, years of residency and a randomly assigned housing selection index number. The Cathedral Suites do not refer to the Cathedral of Learning. Rather, the The cathedral suites in McCormick Hall are the only two-story dorms at Pitt. term is used to describe the four suites Theo Schwarz | Visual Editor in McCormick Hall that have a high

cathedral ceiling and a spiral staircase to a loft, according to Pitt spokesman John Fedele. The Cathedral Suites are the only two-story units at Pitt. They have a large common room on the lower level, along with a double room, a single room and a bathroom. The upper level of each suite also has a double room, a single room and a bathroom that opens up to the hall. Boylan was initially set on living in Lothrop because one of his friends lives there, but he is very happy about where he is living now. “Just having our own living room is nice, along with a TV, refrigerator and microwave,” Boylan said. “Its basically like living in an apartment.” Kay and Christian Ranallo said they were under the impression that lottery numbers play an important factor in who has access to the suites. “The Cathedral Suites are a favorite spot if you get a good lottery pick as a sophomore,” Ranallo, a senior bioengineering major, said. Kay said she heard about how the residents that lived there one year projected a movie on the wall in their suite for everyone living in McCormick Hall to watch. Boylan and his suitemates sometimes play basketball on the mini hoop in the living room, but he said that they mostly use the space to hang out and do homework. “We tried to have a floor meeting and a game night here one day, but no one really came because we didn’t advertise very well,” Boylan said. “If I could get a whole group of people together, that would be a great place to live,” Kay said The only complaints Boylan had about the Cathedral Suites was that there is no air conditioning, the only fan in the living room is missing one blade and there initially wasn’t cable for the TV. “The room echo is also really bad,” Boylan said. “It’s hard to hear people

Suites

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

neighborhoods in transition

Meghan Sunners | Staff Photographer

Brett Wilson Staff Writer Daniel Stavros of Braddock said Pittsburgh still hasn’t recovered since the city’s steel mills barred their doors. “Even after all this time, we still see many people struggling to make ends

meet, and the neighborhood I live in is still doing pretty poorly many years later,” Stavros, 56, said. Pittsburgh used to be a premier industrial town. According to a report from Carnegie Mellon University’s Institute for Complex Engineered Systems , steel mills laid off 153,000 workers

following the 1981-82 depression. By 1990, seven of Pittsburgh’s nine major steel plants were closed. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, gentrification is the “transformation of neighborhoods from low value to high value.” The CDC wrote on its website that

gentrification can displace long-time residents because of higher rents, mortgages and property taxes, which affects a community and social capital on a historical and cultural level.

Gentrification

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 12

GENTRIFICATION Stavros highlighted stark differences in Pittsburgh’s working class communities to show that there is hope for change coming. “Look at neighborhoods that only a few years ago weren’t doing so well,” he said. “Today some of those very same neighborhoods are thriving.” While gentrification often comes with negative social stigma, Daniel Hartley, a research economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, used data to suggest gentrification has measurable health benefits. Using census data, Hartley found that 7 percent of Pittsburgh’s low-price housing tracts experienced gentrification between 2000 and 2007. Hartley also found that, when using individual Equifax risk scores, living in one of the gentrified neighborhoods correlated to an estimated eight-point increase in credit scores, as compared to a low-price, ungentrified neighborhood. In Pittsburgh, change has come for a variety of reasons. Stavros credited the Pittsburgh-owned restaurants and retailers. Five of Pittsburgh’s “33 best restaurants,” awarded annually by Pittsburgh Magazine, are located in the East Liberty and Lawrenceville neighborhoods, areas which struggled economically in the past. “Look at neighborhoods, like Lawrenceville and East Liberty, that are filled with most of Pittsburgh’s bestknown restaurants, and from there stems other better businesses and families moving in,” Stavros continued. Nadia Allen, 29, of Lawrenceville said her neighborhood’s change is amazing to watch. “I moved into Lawrenceville just after I graduated college seven years ago,” she said. “And now I look at what a wonderful place it has become. It is affordable, there are many amazing restaurants and coffee shops within walking distance of my home and art shows that are great to check out on a bike ride.” Allen said her favorite street in Pittsburgh is Butler Street in Lawrenceville, because every day there is something

different happening. Art All Night, an annual summer event in Lawrenceville, brings artists from all over the region for the enjoyment of the residents of the neighborhood, while new businesses, such as Phoenix Upscale Consignment Boutique and La Gourmandine Bakery & Pastry Shop, line Butler Street. Allen said she is supportive of the process of gentrification, but only if it benefits those living in the community and Pittsburgh as a whole.

“Gentrification has a history of pushing out those who can no longer afford living in the area or neighborhood because of how ridiculously high housing prices can rise,” she said. East Liberty resident Janae Walker, 32, said she has conflicting feelings on the changes. Several of Walker’s friends and family members were forced to move out of the neighborhood because they could not longer afford to live in the neighborhood after housing prices increased over time.

13 “It’s just ridiculous,” Walker said. “I know so many people who were pushed out, and this is their home.” At the same time, though, Walker said she is doing better as a businesswoman in the neighborhood because the increase in interest in the neighborhood. “I own a salon, and, with more people coming here, it has definitely increased my clientele,” Walker said. East Liberty began to develop com-

Gentrification

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

e b t y: ʻ n Do t g u a e te a b h t to ma w om o H ro od o g

Just months into the semester, charged arguments, passive-aggressive comments and snarky sticky-note messages make way for the opening shots of the roommate wars. “We definitely are at the end of the honeymoon period,” Luke Jennings, a resident assistant in Tower B, said of his residents. “I think its a 50/50 chance that the interactions will change.” The honeymoon period marks the beginning of a roommate relationship, platonic or otherwise, when the enthusiasm for the relationship trumps conflicts or disagreements. Your roommate keeps the light on? You can deal with that. As the enthusiasm begins to wane, the relationship between and among roommates can change as they grow accustomed to one another, their shared living space and their intractable habits. Jennings, a sophomore pharmacy major, has yet to experience any major conflicts among his residents, but he worries that the mounting stress of the

roommates was a last resort.” Lau Kyle said room ren Ros changes don’t hapSta e pen very often. ff W nblat t rite Here are the top r Dra three tips on how to win be a good roommate, Brin gs by according to Pitt stuAby er | S dents and their experiIllu stra taff ences. t

term could lead to tensions rising. According to Pitt’s Housing Accommodations Brochure, there are 19 options available for on-campus housing. Of these 19 options, only six buildings have single rooms — two of these buildings have primarily single rooms. For those living off-campus, the price is often too high for just one resident to pay themselves. Resident Assistants participate in training sessions on communication, mediation and conflict resolution to prepare them to assist students with roommate issues Kathleen Kyle, assistant director of resident l i f e , said in an email. Kyle said the RAs also disseminate Roommate Agreements for students to complete. This document assists roommates in setting expectations in areas such as sharing personal items, guests, noise levels and sleeping times. According to Kyle, in the event of an issue in the room, the RA can use the Roommate Agreement to assist in reviewing existing expectations and setting new ones if necessary. If the roommates cannot compromise and living together is not working, a room change request can be submitted through the Resident Director to Panther Central. “They did a good job of training us and preparing us to deal with certain situations,” Jennings said. “Because they wanted us to know that changing

1. Don’t forget to shower.

When a roommate decides to forgo personal hygiene, at some point, even air fresheners lose their magic. Andrew Resek, a junior mechanical engineer, watched his relationship with his roommate deteriorate over lack of cleanliness. “Basically, a few months into the semester, he decided to stop showering or doing his laundry. He started to smell,” Resek said. “He smelled so bad that you could smell it from the hallway on the opposite side of the floor.” Roommate communication, resident assistant intervention and a suggestively placed air freshener collection made no difference in his showering habits. It required the influence of an outside force. Eventually Resek called his roommate’s mom, who came to the dorm and made her son shower and wash his clothes. After the surprise visit, he started to shower occasionally but, according to Resek, not quite consistentl y enough. Resek said they rarely interacted after that incident.

2. Work on t he relationship.

Amanda Forest, assistant professor in the psychology department, said roommates have to be careful to avoid falling into the mundane routine of class, work, chores, sleep, repeat. “The same things that work for making friends, or making connections with

your family, applies to your roommate,” Forest said. “Do fun things. Share positive events. Know what’s going on in their day.” For Shea McMurtry, a sophomore rehabilitation sciences major, said the lack of social connection eventually pushed her roommate away. “I got a text over fall break that said ‘I’m leaving. It’s not you, it’s the floor,’” McMurtry said. Her roommate had decided to leave their Tower A double for a single room in Tower C. According to McMurtry, the two spent time together at the beginning of the semester, but, as McMurtry continued to make friends, her roommate moved in the opposite direction. “She went home almost every weekend. On weekdays, she stayed in bed all day and watched Netflix. She was very antisocial,” McMurtry said. “The other girls described her as the ‘weakest link’ [of the floor].” Once McMurtry got a new roommate the following semester, she realized how nice it was to spend time with the person she was sharing her space with. Forest said this type of reaction is normal, and, although not all roommates are best friends, a good roommate relationship is a chance for both people to grow and improve themselves. “There’s this thing called self-expansion, where people are motivated to expand themselves through their relationships with other people,” Forest said. “You do this by doing fun, novel, exciting things with one another.” Jennings experienced some personal growth when he let his roommate freshman year introduce him to new TV shows. “If my roommate was watching a show when I came in, I would just watch it with him, because I wasn’t going to do my homework anyway. It was a cool experience to have,” Jennings said.

3. Speak up.

Jennings said that, as a resident assistant, his first step in dealing with a conflict is to have the roommates communicate with him and with one another.

Roommates

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 13

GENTRIFICATION mercial chain retailers in 1999 when Home Depot opened and continued when Whole Foods Market opened in 2002, according to the 2010 East Liberty Community Plan, available at Eastliberty.org. Since then, more chains began to open, including Starbucks, Walgreens and others, which have contributed to the neighborhood’s economy and traffic. FROM PAGE 14

ROOMMATES “It’s good just to get how they feel out in the open,” Jennings said. “Most of the time, residents don’t even know they’re doing something that bothers their roommate.” Maria Carrion, a junior rehabilitation sciences student, found herself in conflict with her roommate without even realizing what she had done wrong. “I would always Skype or call people late at night. But, for some reason, [my roommate] felt obligated to stay up with me, but then, the next day, she would be rude and short with me,” said Carrion. Carrion said her roommate never asked her to get off the phone and never told Carrion that she wanted to go to bed earlier. “She would just magically expect me to know when she wanted to go to bed. And then she would be very passiveaggressive and make backhanded comments,” Carrion said. According to Forest, this way of dealing with conflict will only make the conflict worse. “It’s important to deal with issues that are bothering you, or they will fester,” Forest said. “It may feel more harmonious to avoid it at the time, but it will be ineffective in the long run.” Carrion responded to her roommate’s passive-aggressive attitude with a similar mindset. “I never confronted her about it because if she didn’t want her feelings known, I wasn’t going to press her about it,” Carrion said. “And it was her own fault that she wound up miserable about it.”

Amid mixed reactions of neighborhood change in two of Pittsburgh’s most popular and busy neighborhoods, the people of Pittsburgh turn their gaze to other neighborhoods. “I think that people in Pittsburgh believe that this kind of change is wanted in every neighborhood,” Jason Smith, a resident of Braddock, said. “I don’t think that every neighborhood in the city wants to become Lawrenceville or East Liberty or Shadyside.” However, Smith said he does “wel-

come some change in Braddock,” particularly the business plans of Kevin Sousa. Sousa is an award-winning Pittsburgh chef and entrepreneur who plans to open a restaurant, known as “Superior Motors,” in Braddock using more than $300,000 raised using a Kickstarter campaign. Sousa previously opened Union Pig and Chicken and Station Street in East Liberty, and Salt of the Earth in Garfield, but sold his portion of ownership of Salt

15 at the end of last year. Sousa could not be reached for comments after multiple requests over email and calls to his restaurants. “I think its fantastic what he [is] doing for the neighborhood,” Smith said. Braddock has also seen an art gallery open in recent years. Many of the initial things that changed Lawrenceville are beginning to bud in Braddock. “Good art and good food attracts good people,” Stavros said. “At least, that is what I think should happen.”

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

get money

FLIP HOUSES Megan Hart Staff Writer

The Pitt News Crossword, 11/14/2014

Dave Hartman spent spring break during his freshman year in the basement of an Oakland house wading through sewage. “I resolved some fairly substantial plumbing problems. It wasn’t exactly Punta Cana,” Hartman said. “I did put a ton of work into the houses, but I bought them extremely cheap. My guess is that relatively few students would want to tackle the challenges I tackled.” As a freshman living in Bruce Hall in 1999, Hartman was disenchanted with living in the dorms. Frustrated with paying roughly $500 each month for those conditions, Hartman began looking at houses for sale in the area. Hartman found a house in December of the same year, but it wasn’t much better. He convinced his parents to give him the money that was meant to go toward his college tuition, and he bought ACROSS 1 Black-tie affairs 6 Suffragist Carrie 10 Antelope’s playmate, in song 14 “Show your cards” 15 Waikiki wingding 16 Concerning 17 Titillating passages 19 Mouselike critter 20 Beantown hockey great 21 Missay, say 22 Courtroom figure 24 Opposite of 60Down 26 Postal service 28 “You’re the Top” musical 33 “A plague o’ both your houses” speaker 36 Pianist Gilels 37 Mt. Hood locale 38 Arles approval 39 Graffiti signature 42 Wrath 43 Brest friend 45 Fixed firmly 47 Indulgent desserts 51 __ cheese 52 Friend 56 Words from a Latin lover 59 “Batman” sound effect 61 Mil. address 62 “... a Loaf of Bread ...” poet 63 October tourist attraction 66 Make oneself heard 67 Most fit for duty 68 All too public spat 69 Just 70 “Ratatouille” rat who aspires to be a chef 71 Is inclined DOWN 1 Fatigued action figure? 2 Lexus rival 3 Burrows 4 “__ 13.5% BY VOL”: wine label phrase 5 Leonard __: Roy Rogers

the cheap house and the supplies to begin repairs. Hartman then began to rent out the house to other students and used the rental income to pay tuition on his own, and then make a profit. Though most students don’t have a large sum of money saved to purchase a house, refurbishing and renting to other students became a viable source of income. Michael Springer, a sophomore biolog y major, Then-freshman Dave Hartman bought a rented a house house to rent to students on Frazier Street. Nicole Gue | Staff Photographer

11/26/14

By Matt Skoczen

6 Bayer allergy relief brand 7 Gold: Pref. 8 Teahouse floor mat 9 Native of Florence, e.g. 10 Disclose 11 Grandson of Eve 12 First name in whodunits 13 Stalk by the swamp 18 Seek divine guidance from 23 Oft-mooched item, briefly 25 Center X, in a game 27 Sorority letter 29 Well-used pencil 30 Forget to put in 31 Where the Shannon flows 32 “Call of the Wild” vehicle 33 Ancient kingdom bordering Judah 34 Witty Bombeck 35 Check 39 Work for the small screen 40 Photo developing compound 41 Understand

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

44 With gusto 45 Lowest-ranking NCO 46 Defense advisory gp. 48 Org. that publishes America’s 1st Freedom 49 Target 50 Everett of “Citizen Kane” 53 Safe harbor

11/26/14

54 Flip over 55 Three-time NBA MVP Malone 56 It can walk the dog 57 Comet, to some 58 Starbucks size 60 Opposite of 24Across 64 Apollo vehicle, briefly 65 Kiss guitarist Frehley

this year through Walnut Capital, a Pittsburgh-based realty company, and said he would consider doing what Hartman did, if he were able to purchase a house. “It could be an easy way to make some money. I also think that college students treat houses with more respect than most people think,” Springer said. Lack of money and time, however, deter Springer from fixing up and renting out a house. Hartman said

the house he bought was in various states of disrepair and looked as though it hadn’t been kept up. Back then, he said, “I didn’t know the first thing about how to repair houses.” That didn’t stop him. Over the next few months, Hartman researched how to fix up houses and sometimes paid professionals to work beside him. In April of 2000, even though some of the rooms were still gutted, Hartman moved in and began to rent other rooms soon after. Shannon Rooney, who graduated from Pitt in 2002, lived with Hartman during her senior year. “It was an easy decision to rent from Dave because half of my friends were already doing it ... It also saved me from hours of touring busted heaps in Oakland — the benefits of which should be pretty obvious,” Rooney said.

Hart

18 COLUMN

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

In college, thrift like your wallet depends on it According to the Association of Resale Professionals, there are currently more than 25,000 resale, consignment and not-for-profit retailers in the country. Additionally, there has been a 7 percent increase in the number of these stores in the last two years. This is likely due in part to economic factors and in part to the rise of shabby- chic culture. Thrifting is not just the poor man’s dream, but also the college student’s. When I signed the lease for my first apartment, my initial excitement plummeted when I realized that I didn’t just have to pay rent, but also purchase furniture. A midrange bed set from Ikea costs $348 — $169 for the Sultan Hanestad mattress and $179 for a Hamnes bed frame. I don’t have that much money to part with — a situation most Pitt students understand. To save money, don’t start at a retailer. No, not even Ikea. The best place to find great prices on relevant items is at the Pitt “Free & For Sale” page on Facebook. The group has more than 5,800 members and offers a wide assort-

Courtney Linder Columnist What do you think of when you first hear the words “college apartment”? Front lawns covered in beer bottles and debris? A futon covered in stains whose origins you dare not question? Perhaps an unfinished basement, reminiscent of Buffalo Bill’s kill room in “The Silence of the Lambs,” complete with a homemade beer pong table? When moving into your new house or apartment, it’s not a question of whether your place will get trashed over the months — it’s how much. So, why waste money on new furniture and appliances? The answer is: you shouldn’t. There are certain qualities of the poor- college- kid lifestyle that you should take pride in, one of which is your knack for thrifting. As of 2014, it costs about $10,100 per year to live on campus at Pitt. It’s no wonder that so many of us move offcampus to escape this raid on our wallets. If cost was our main concern for moving out, then it should resonate in our furnishings.

Linder

Aby Briner | Staff Illustrator

COLUMN

Pittsburgh: The city of bridges ... and renters

Jessica Craig Columnist You studied for 12 straight hours at Hillman Library, took the last final of your undergraduate career and now, as you don your black graduation gown with your diploma in hand, and mom snaps a pictures every second she can, your mind drifts to your future, your career and your next home. Freshman year, you had this dream of living in Florida as a marine biologist; sophomore year, it was a playwright in New York City. But now, more than ever, you realize that Pittsburgh might be the perfect place for a recent graduate like you. Pittsburgh is one of the most afford-

able and accommodating places for recent graduates to live and work. The city offers the same employment opportunities as other major cities, while accommodating the part-nomadic lifestyle and entry-level employment of most recent college graduates. Pittsburgh was named among the most affordable cities in the country to live by Forbes in March. And, similar to the national trend in housing choices, Pittsburgh is a city of renters. According to Forbes Magazine’s “The Best and Worst Cities for Renters,” the average monthly rent in Pittsburgh is $830, while average rent in D.C. is $1,488, and Philadelphia is $1,058. Rental prices reflect many aspects of national and local economy. Pittsburgh’s

economy boasts lower rental prices, lower annual income and lots of job openings. Pittsburgh’s lower average income is actually beneficial for recent grads who find themselves in entry-level or lowerpaying jobs — which is expected to be the case in most fields. That’s because the few years after college are usually the time to gain experience and education before a recent grad can become a CEO, primary investigator, law firm partner or head of surgery. During this time, it helps if a recent grad is in a city with an overall lower average income, because everything, from food to clothes to rent, is generally less expensive. Therefore, recent grads save more money to pursue that lucrative career or pay off nagging student debt.

Rental prices are also determined by a rental to mortgage comparison — meaning in some housing markets, it is more affordable to buy than to rent. For recent graduates looking to buy rather than rent, cities other than Pittsburgh may offer more affordable options. But since most recent graduates spend their first few years post-college working entry-level jobs or taking gap years before graduate or professional school, “job hopping” has become popular. Millennial generation employees tend to stay at one job for 2.2 years, whereas the national average for all age groups is double that. Whether or not “job hopping” is a result of millennial’s fleeting attention

Craig

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 18

LINDER ment of knickknacks and useful fixtures. The group’s description itself notes that there are “fridges, futons, textbooks and tons of other stuff.” This summer, I found a girl on the “Free & For Sale” page selling a similar grade bed set to the one I was looking at on Ikea. Only this one was better — it had drawers in the bed frame and the headboard was a bookshelf. She set the price for both the bedframe and mattress at $90. Not only am I saving money with this arrangement, but I am saving space as well. The deal freed up $258 for more furniture, appliances and other fun stuff. If there’s nothing you like on the “Free & For Sale” Facebook page, hit Goodwill — the $4 billion nonprofit organization. There are at least 10 Goodwill locations in the Pittsburgh area, including one on Wood Street and two on East Carson Street. Now that you’re poor and paying thousands for tuition, thrifting never sounded so trendy. If you can’t find what you’re looking for at one specific Goodwill, don’t give up! Go check out another — each one has different items. If you are feeling particularly adventurous, head out to the suburbs where there are even more Goodwill locations. Pitt students receive a Port Authority bus pass for all of Allegheny County, so the options are nearly limitless. If you go to Goodwill stores in wealthy neighborhoods, like South Side or Lawrenceville, they will usually have better furniture, clothing and kitchenware than most Goodwills in the city. These are the best places to get your cups, plates and appliances, in my experience. If Facebook and thrifting both fail, ask your family for free stuff. My friends have the pleasure of sitting on a tribal print sectional couch that is older than I am. Granted, you can feel the springs in it and there are age-old cat hairs stuck to it, but it was free — plus vintage is totally cool. But perhaps the most innovative furnishing method I can suggest is dumpster diving or, at least, curb shopping. It sounds gross and somewhat question-

able, but it is 100 percent legal and 100 percent free. Since garbage is property that has been abandoned by the owner, it is not subject to privacy laws — so dig right in. This is best for large items like tables, chairs, couches and televisions. I don’t recommend trying to pry open a garbage bag for a cutlery set. When thrifting for furniture, in particular, don’t always judge a book by its cover. Look for pieces that have utility and durability. Just because something is unattractive doesn’t mean you cannot

doctor it up. Find wooden desks and dressers and consider painting them. This way, you save money and get to let your creativity shine. Buying cheap fixtures for your first apartment is nothing to be ashamed of — I, personally, take pride in it. If it is likely that someone might puke on your couch or spill something on it (which, let’s face it, it totally is), why break the bank? Living with other 20- somethings can sometimes be a compromise but

19 not one that has to affect your wallet. Take advantage of someone else’s misguided throwing out of great things and participate in resale. After all, it’s like recycling, but better. Don’t worry, if your parents come to visit and think your apartment is full of “crap,” here’s a cop out: tell them it’s vintage. Thrifting is cool. I’m sure Macklemore would approve if your parents don’t. Write to Courtney at CNL13@pitt. edu.

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

COLUMN COL CO C OL OL

Four ways to be the collegiate Iron Chef

Step Stephen tep ep ep ph hen he h e Caruso Columnist Colu oluumn mniis ist ist Cookingg m may ayy ssee seem eeem ee em in iintimidating, inti ntimi mida m dati da ting ti ng, n g, bu bbut ut yo you ou don’t have ave ttoo be be an an Iron Iron n Chef C Che Ch hef h eff to to do do iit. t. Craftingg d decent ecent cent ce en ntt meals mea m eals ls just jjus ustt requires requ re req qquir uiires rees es som ssome me creativity tyy and and d knowing kkno nowi no n owi wing w ngg the n th th hee fl flav aavo avors vvors ors rs yyou ou ou like. Considering siid ider de ing in ng the the average th aver av ver erag rag aage ggee meal meeal m al out outt for fo an American aan n is $$12 $12.75, $12.7 12.7 12 .75, .75 755,, knowing kkno nowi n now no owin wing w wi in h how ow to ow cook at home ccan an n ssave avee yo av yyouu so some ome me m money. The best part though h iis, off course, eating your delicious meal and having pride that you made it. With that in mind, here are a few tips from a fellow amateur on what I have found useful when thinking about cooking. All I ask is that you keep the pictures of your finished product off Instagram. 1) Know your palate. My taste buds are fond of strong, savory flavors with a sweet touch. Therefore, I always keep black pepper, ground mustard and brown sugar in my pantry — I usually have some Worcestershire sauce in the fridge, too.

With these four spices/condiments, I know I can create a decent rub to give flavor to anything. Think about your own four flavors that you would always be happy eating and learn how to add them to whatever you are cooking. As a strict carnivore, I love using the five for $20

ways be at least satisfied. 2) Cook for leftovers. What if you don’t have time during the weekday to cook those ribs? I certainly don’t. That’s why I tend to set aside a few hours each weekend to cook or at least prepare one or two things that I can throw in the fridge and

“All I ask is that you keep the pictures of your finished product off Instagram.” sale at Giant Eagle to grab whatever meat looks good enough to eat, then season it with some of those aforementioned spices to make a meal with which I’ll al-

save for any time during the week. If I use this time to cook a pot of rice, clean some chicken and chop up some lettuce, I’m set for the week. Another good idea is

T P N S U D O K U

to invest in a slow cooker, which can cook while you are away all day —without you worrying about burning things down. 3) Find shortcuts to save time and money. Everyone loves Panera and its paninis. If you want them at home, should you run out and grab a press? Nah — just get a brick. I’m serious. Make your sandwich, put it in a pan, and place a brick wrapped in tinfoil on the top. That’ll flatten the bread quite well. If you can’t find a brick, then just use an old textbook, preferably the one your professor had you get even though you used it only once. Don’t spend the money on a single-use appliance that will just take up space. Another cool shortcut regards the almighty breakfast sandwich. If you ever want an egg to fit perfectly on your bagel or English muffin, just crack it into a small saucer-like bowl, and microwave it. The egg will cook in the perfect shape, and

Caruso

Today’s difficulty level: Hard Puzzles by Dailysudoku.com

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 4

BOSCHERT The largest component of on-campus housing is the ability to sell parents a “peace of mind.” Having their son or daughter monitored by university-approved prefects sounds like a dream come true for worrisome parents simply because of the idea that an 18-year-old can’t handle more newfound freedom than they will already gain in college. FROM PAGE 18

CRAIG

and curiosity or employment trends, it promotes a sort of nomadic lifestyle that requires one to rent living space rather than own one — perhaps that’s why many youth have flocked to Pittsburgh, the city of low rental prices. Are lower rental prices simply a product of the local economy, or is the quality of Pittsburgh apartments lacking? In other words, does your $830 a month rent pay for a shabby, structurally unsound Victorian home turned apartment complex in South O? According to Jon Pastor, CEO and co-founder of Rent Jungle, a real-estate company in Pittsburgh, not only is rent cheaper in Pittsburgh but you get more for what you pay. “You can get a better apartment for less money in Pittsburgh than you can in Chicago or New York or San Francisco ... It’s not just more square footage you get in Pittsburgh, but also you’ll get a location in a neighborhood where young professionals want to live, with lots of access to bars, restaurants and activities like movies and shopping,” Pastor said in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Low rental prices are not limited to South Oakland, but can be found throughout Allegheny County, including Downtown, South Side and Shadyside. Simply put, Pittsburgh offers a lifestyle that perfectly suits recent college graduates. As you consider your future career and home, consider taking a second look at the city that has been your home for your undergraduate years. Email Jessica at jnc34@pitt.edu.

In reality, however, freshmen will want to take full advantage of their newfound freedom no matter where they live. But, when you put all of these fun-seekers — of whom, all probably have a similar, party-themed, ideas of what college is — into a concentrated area, this can turn chaotic quickly. If you’re a freshman, and you want to enjoy your new freedom without someone else keeping you up until 3 a.m. on a Wednesday night, dorms probably aren’t the best option for you. . While some of you may have had great

experiences in college dorms, the culture of drinking and troublemaking are ubiquitous in freshman dorms. According to the Century Council’s report on college drinking, 76 percent of freshmen reported using alcohol at least once in the last 30 days. Coercing students across the nation to live in dorms, especially when considering their expensive nature, seems unjust. And, come on, you have to share a bedroom with a stranger. But is completely unsupervised living any better? Without any sort of authority figures,

21 how will young adults cope with freedom? Ignoring the infuriating reality of having to hire your own babysitters, we need to realize that college freshmen are ultimately adults. If they have the agency to sign up for thousands of dollars of debt, surely can live off-campus. This isn’t to say I want to see dorms abolished or minimized. However, they’re not best choice for every college freshman. Young adults are only as old as we treat

Boschert

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Far and away: some students prefer life well outside of Oakland Danah Bialoruski For The Pitt News

Theo Schwarz | Visual Editor

The grimy, dingy houses of Oakland aren’t for everyone. Some students trade the convenient location to move further off campus for a variety of reasons. In some cases, they got in the house-hunting game too late, and in others, students simply felt like living in a neighborhood outside of Oakland. Since off-campus housing in Oakland can be sparse and competitive, many upperclassmen begin house-hunting early. Brieanna Shawver, a junior emergency medicine major, started her hunt early on with her roommates but was later stuck when one of her roommates decided to study abroad that year. “It left my other roommate and I in a bind with a place too big and too expensive, and it was late in the year,”

Campus

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 22

CAMPUS Shawver said. “We hadn’t paid the housing deposit and couldn’t really afford to live on campus anyway.” Shawver and her roommate live in Stanton Heights, which is about five miles from campus. While she said her apartment is significantly nicer and cheaper than most places in Oakland, she has found the distance to be an issue. “When I have to take a bus to Oakland, I have to leave up to an hour and a half before I need to be somewhere — so that’s awful,” she said. “But I am getting used to it.” While Shawver does have a car, she finds the bus to just be a simpler method to get to Pitt. “It’s atrocious to have to find a spot when parking and then pay the price of my first born’s soul to park for the day,” she said. Shawver also finds that the distance puts a barrier between her friendships from people who are closer to campus. When she wants to see her friends, she usually has to make the trip to campus since most of her friends don’t want to make the trip to Stanton Heights. “If they want to come to my place, I drive and pick them up. I don’t expect people to take buses out to my place,” Shawver said. “However, my friends are really good about letting me stay in Oakland when we want to see each other.” For some students, their parents help make the decision to live far off-campus. Zach Williams, a junior English writing major, lives in a house in Shadyside because his parents wanted to invest in real estate there in hopes of renting the property out. They’re allowing Williams and his roommates to live there until he graduates. Since Williams lived in Centre Plaza his sophomore year, the on-campus housing farthest from campus, he says that his distance from campus in Shadyside isn’t too much of an issue. “It’s not really a struggle to get to campus. The walk to the bus stop takes probably five minutes, and the bus ride itself is probably 10 minutes, I’d guess,” Williams said.

Williams said he really only sees his on-campus dwelling friends on the weekends, and mostly sees his roommates and their girlfriends on the weeknights. “It is definitely harder to go out and see people,” he said. “I definitely had a lot more friends freshman year.” While real estate and time are factors for students deciding where to live, some just don’t want to live in South

Campus

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

The future of ‘cool’: predicting the next classic college posters Shawn Cooke A&E Editor What’s going to be the next “Pulp Fiction?” The next “Scarface?” The next “Big Lebowski?” No, I’m not trying to guess the next brilliant, scrambled-narrative crime flick, mob boss drama or classic Coen brothers comedy — they’re all vintage posters that more than a few of your friends probably have hanging up in their apartments. Even though they’re regarded as relatively modern classics, there will come a time when college students don’t know — or don’t care — who Uma Thurman, Al Pacino or Jeff Bridges are. There’s a chance that their respective movies could endure and continue to dominate the dorm poster wars, but audiences and critics will surely anoint a new generation of classics to take their place. Before speculating what movie onesheets from the past few years could last, it’s important to define what makes current posters “cool.”

It’s rare to find an outright blockbuster in a college student’s bedroom. James Cameron, Marvel, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Disney own many of the alltime top domestic box office slots, and they

Lebowski” all were modest hits — with the exception of “Pulp Fiction,” which was an outright hit that grossed an impressive $108 million in 1994 — but weren’t quite popular enough for your grandma to love

might be big hits in your younger brother’s bedroom or your movie-buff dad’s basement, but they’re often traded for cultier picks in college. “Pulp Fiction,” “Scarface” and “The Big

them. A certain R-rated edge — whether it was violent, crass or profane — kept these movies from totally conquering the box office (only one R-rated movie, “The Passion of the Christ,” is in the top 50 domestic

grossers of all-time). That only makes them all the more appealing to college students. Just in the past few years, some edgy contenders with stark, memorable posters have emerged. “Drive” is a perfect match — the 2011 film is an incredibly stylish, violent and artfully shot revenge flick with a simple, effective poster that highlights a major 21st century heartthrob — Ryan Gosling — and bright pink lettering. Last month’s “Nightcrawler” also seems to be of the same mold, based on its marketing campaign and poster art. It’s been sold as an edgy, unhinged performance from a movie star — Jake Gyllenhaal — and the posters seem to capture his crazed character. Popular posters also demand a certain level of critical and cultural credibility. Prestige period pieces probably aren’t the trendiest art to display — have you ever seen a poster for “The King’s Speech” outside of a movie theater? But the more boundary-pushing Oscar pictures, such as

Posters

Dear Kelly

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Dear Kelly, My subletter is a nightmare. He filthies up the kitchen and sits in the living room all day playing his PlayStation 3. I feel bound to my bedroom. What’s the best way to cope with the situation? Sincerely, Trapped in the Bedroom Dear Trapped in the Bedroom, I’ve been there. Just last summer, I lived with the most bizarre human being on Earth — at least tied with Gary Busey. Much like your subletter, he had a video game addiction and didn’t want to give up the living room for anything. The kitchen was also a dead zone — except for the flies. Dishes piled to the ceiling. Peanut butter stained the floor. But worst of all, he filled an entire trash can with unfinished

food, inviting hundreds of fly families to feast on his leftovers. This would have been fine, but my subletter got creative with fixing the problem. He hung a whip-smart diversion — a plastic bag of chewed up watermelon — on the front door. When this plan didn’t work for days on end, he moved it to the bathroom door. Unfortunately, both of these doors were too far away from the flies, who continued to devour our garbage. Long story short, I toughed it out. Subletters can have some strange quirks, but they’re only temporary. Try to get out as much as you can, and build strong friendships, so you’ll never have to invest in a flyswatter again. Sincerely, Kelly

Dear Kelly, I’m afraid that I’ll be a subletter next semester and am worried sick. Have you ever been a subletter, and, if so, how did you cope with living in a house with complete strangers? Sincerely, Fretful Stranger Dear Fretful Stranger, Subletting can be a challenge. Some students, myself included, found themselves with the semester about to start, with their backs against the walls and aren’t left with many choices. I was fortunate enough to find a nice house, with a new kitchen, spacious living room and a washer and dryer — the whole nine yards. But I was a bit cautious when I

found out that all of my roommates would be girls. As a football loving, meat-eating guy, I wasn’t sure how well I would fit into a house full of girls. I never considered myself a slob, but what would these girls think? Would I be able to watch all of my football? And what about the bathroom? I shuddered. Fortunately for me, I found myself a great group of roommates — completely by accident. While sports may not have been on as much I would have liked, I did find that they were almost as big of football fans as I was. So for any guy in a similar bind, no need to worry. Besides, you’ll eat more baked goods than you could at Market. Sincerely, Kelly

26 FROM PAGE 24

POSTERS “Pulp Fiction,” feel right at home in a college dorm. Last year’s Academy Award-winning “Her” has a bright, simple one-sheet featuring an incredibly sad Joaquin Phoenix. Current Oscar contenders “Boyhood” and “Birdman” also combine the unconventional “indie” aesthetic with almost universal critical acclaim, and they had some of the year’s best posters. The mob always has a place in college dorms, as evidenced by ubiquitous “ScarFROM PAGE 8

SUITES from across the room because its so big.” Students who pulled low lottery numbers typically chose the Cathedral Suites before Pitt built Bouquet Gardens on campus apartments from 1999 to 2000. The newest building, Bouquet J, built in 2009, is the largest of all of

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com face” and “Goodfellas” posters. While some of the more recent mob flicks like “American Gangster” and “The Departed” were sizable R-rated hits, their audiences skewed older. That’s where an unconventional “mob” movie — “The Wolf of Wall Street” — could come into play. Take one of the biggest current movie stars, plenty of bad behavior, a tiny dose of political commentary and a bright yellow color scheme, and you get Scorsese’s next huge college poster. Sci-fi blockbusters became complicated, and convoluted, with the rise of Christopher Nolan, so his brand of cerebral big-budget

flicks has already made its way into college dorms. “Inception” has made a poster splash, so don’t be surprised if “Interstellar” does the same. However, a less successful sci-fi mind-bender could also become a college artwork hit: Rian Johnson’s “Looper.” It’s another simple image on a white background — Bruce Willis mirroring a younger version of himself that everyone seems to love, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Last but not least, there’s the raunchy comedy poster. The John Belushi “college” screengrab from “Animal House” seems to have dominated this category for decades, but comedy hasn’t been raunchier than

it is in the new millennium. Judd Apatow movies would be an obvious choice to fill the vulgar void, but their posters are a bit too timid and conventional. Todd Phillips’ “The Hangover” would be next in line, but its sequels shoved any goodwill from the first installment down the garbage disposal. Perhaps the poster of Phillips’ earlier hit, “Old School,” could be the answer. It’s a busy frame that looks more fun than any real-life college party and comes with an on-the-nose tagline: “All the fun of college. None of the education.” At least it’s more subtle than a beer poster.

Bouquet Gardens. The lowest lottery number Kay said she had heard of a someone pulling was 12, but that person chose to live in Bouquet Gardens. Ranallo said he knew a sophomore who got number six, but chose to live in Bouquet because of its apartment style. The downside of the Cathedral Suites, Ranallo said, is that students who live in McCormick must swipe into the buildings as with the other dorm

buildings. Many students want more freedom, he said. Bouquet Gardens, Fedele said, as well as renovations and improvements to other dorms on campus, have driven some students away from the Cathedral Suites in recent years. As a Pathfinder, Kay said she mentions a little tidbit about each building in the Schenley Quadrangle to give it some personality. “All of the other buildings in the

quad have something special to say about them,” Kay said. On tours, Kay describes Holland Hall as the all-women freshman residence hall, Brackenridge Hall as the residence hall with lots of LLCs, including the Honors LLC, and Amos Hall as the sorority residence hall. “McCormick doesn’t have a claim to fame besides the Cathedral Suites,” Kay said.

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 17

HART

Rooney said one of the main reasons she chose to rent from Hartman rather than a realty company or another means is because she wanted her money to go to someone that she knew and trusted. He also met her three standards when it came to housing. “I was looking for the perfect combination of cheap, safe enough and livable,” Rooney said. Scott Hartman, Dave’s younger brother, followed the same college trajectory. “Encouraged by the success I had with the house, my younger brother, Scott, decided to attend Pitt as well, and he bought a second house on Dunseith Street in West Oakland,” Hartman said. “We fixed that house up with similarly

great results.” While the two were at Pitt, the brothers started a small realty company, and their success continued after they graduated. “After I graduated, we purchased a third Oakland house, and then a triplex in Mount Washington, before we both decided that we wanted to be teachers rather than landlords,” Hartman said. Hartman is planning on selling his houses this coming spring. “I do like rehabbing rental properties, and the extra income has been wonderful,” Hartman said. “But, at some point, I’m essentially working two jobs, [but] there have been a few times lately when my 3-year-old son says something like, ‘Daddy, I’ve been thinking about it, and I don’t want you to go work on rental properties tonight.’ So, I have to sell.”

= $500

On-Campus

Cheapest

Expensive

Apartment, per semester

Dorm, per semester

Average

Dorm, per semester

Off-Campus

Rent, per semester

Utilities, per semester

Data from Pitt Housing, Rentjungle.com, and Numbeo.com

28 FROM PAGE 21

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 20

BOSCHERT

CARUSO

them. Making off-campus living a taboo — some sort of lawless wasteland where freedom reigns — is a dangerous thing to do. Implying that people are unable to handle freedom is a self-fulfilling prophecy — people generally conform to what you expect of them. Although it’s an oft-repeated mantra, I really wouldn’t trade my freshman experience in Sutherland Hall for anything. Then again, I really wouldn’t wish it on anyone, either. Email Andy at amb306@pitt.edu.

then you can add some cheese to complete your sandwich. One final idea is to get a deep castiron cooking pan. This single pan can bake, fry or sear anything. That baby will survive anything you put it through. 4) Be creative. I don’t mean looking up fancy techniques that require a degree from the Culinary Institute of America to reproduce. Instead, feel free to just mess around. Cooking is an art — occasionally you should Jackson Pollock it. My favorite example of this is trying to

make my own barbecue sauces. Start with some ketchup in a saucepan at a low heat and then add whatever flavors you are feeling. Garlic powder, hot sauce, honey, beer — throw it in and stir, then give it a taste. Chances are it can’t come out without at least some redeeming notes to its flavor. Regardless of the final result, it’s fun. Overall, if there is any lesson to home cooking, it’s that you should enjoy doing it. People always say college is the time to let loose and try crazy things. You might as well do it in the kitchen, too. Just one final bit of advice, this one from my mother: avoid any blood or fire. Email Stephen at sjc79@pitt.edu.

said it’s stressful to get to campus, but she has noticed that she’s significantly healthier from it, since she tries to bike to campus. But, when it’s impractical to bike, she relies on the bus. “I’ve also developed a sixth sense for when the 71A and C are around the block,” she said. Since she lives so far from campus,

Anthony has developed a “home away from home” in the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) office in Benedum Hall. She has her own locker there, and the office has a fridge and a couch. She spends most of her time with friends and members of FSAE there, rather than at home by herself. Despite trading off a quick trip to

FROM PAGE 23

CAMPUS Oakland. Emily Anthony lives by herself in an apartment in Bloomfield, just two and a half miles from campus. Anthony, a junior mechanical engineering major,

classes, students living far away from campus were ultimately satisfied with the other benefits to their housing choices. “[Stanton Heights] is really quiet and friendly, though,” Shawver said. “My apartment is also much nicer than Oakland places and is significantly cheaper.”

November 14, 2014 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com