October 13, 2022

‘The Post’ ranks sixth nationally in online visits for 2021-22

In a media landscape dominated by online pageviews, The Post is sitting pretty among those at the top.

A recent report from Degree Choices, an online higher education blog, ranked The Post sixth in the nation among college newspapers in terms of online visits. Last year, the publication garnered 89,626 organic online visits, according to the blog.

The Post also ranked sixth in the nation with 2,698 total articles published. Not bad, if you ask me.

Universities with student newspapers that ranked higher than The Post in those categories include Louisiana State University, the University of Iowa and the University of Michigan, all of which boast considerably higher total enrollment numbers than Ohio University.

recent former editor-in-chief, Abby Miller.

“Seeing these rankings, it’s really a testament to how hard everyone on staff works. Not just the editors who are editing the articles, but it really is the reporters who put in all these articles that put us in one of the top-producing spots,” said Miller, who graduated in Spring 2022. “It really is a testament to how great everyone is on the staff and the energy that we have at The Post.”

Miller and her team had to contend with several obstacles last year, including volatile COVID-19 regulations and the possible loss of The Post’s business manager through funding cuts, which jeopardized the publication’s future at the time. Despite this, Miller and her team kept a pulse on the wants and needs of The Post’s audience and helped deliver quality journalism.

If you’re a member of The Post’s audience, thank you for your continued support. We wouldn’t be here without you, and we remain committed to churning out articles that attract your eyes.

If you’re a student journalist and thinking about joining us, I’ll defer to Abby again: “I really just think (the rankings) speak to what a great place The Post is to learn at.”

Ryan is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University and the editor-in-chief of The Post. Interested in chatting more with him? Email Ryan at rm554219@ohio.edu and find him on Twitter at @ryanmaxin.

Editor-in-Chief

Managing

Digital

EDITORIAL

News

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The

Asst.

Investgative

Copy

Slot

ART

Asst.

Director

DIGITAL

Web

Audience

Asst.

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RYAN MAXIN

The Post outranked student newspapers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Purdue University and the University of California at Berkeley. When it comes to student journalism, The Post is the place to be.

The ranking was based on data collected by the online marketing platforms Semrush and BuzzSumo during the 2021-22 academic year. I can’t take credit for The Post’s success last year, but I know who can: The Post’s most

“We also just realized where we could tap into things that were trending on the internet and tailor that toward things that also students would like,” Miller said.

Though I’m over the moon about The Post’s rankings for last year, my talented team and I have our sights set on greater success in 2022. Through ideas and initiatives that have been vocalized, we plan on increasing our readership and our connection to OU and Athens in tangible, creative ways.

Clarification: In the Oct. 6 print edition of The Post, the article with the headline “Mijntje Ligtenberg’s Athens Homecoming” stated Mijntje Ligtenberg said that people back home were friendlier, when she meant to say people in the U.S. are friendlier. The article has been updated to reflect the most accurate information.

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Vannan,

COVER PHOTO BY COLE PATTERSONHEADSHOT BY HANNAH CAMPBELL

Intoxicated driver drives off road, juvenile harassed over social media

KENDALL WRIGHT FOR THE POST

Gunshots or fireworks?

Athens County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Della Road area near US 50 in Athens after a complaint of several gunshots being heard.

Upon arrival, a patrol was conducted and no gunshots were heard.

Lost and found

A female was reported missing on Oct. 4 after dropping her child off with her mother, according to a call made to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.

The female was entered into the Law Enforcement Data System, or LEADS, as missing and the Sheriff’s Office made a Facebook post.

The female was eventually located.

Too silly

A patrol request for a report of a belligerent, intoxicated male in Jacksonville was received by the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies arrived and patrolled the area but found no criminal activity.

Drunk Driva’ Colt Forty Fiva’

Sheriff’s deputies observed a vehicle travel off the road and into a field on State Route 56.

The driver was found to be intoxicated and was arrested by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Teamwork doesn’t make the dream work

Sheriff’s deputies helped the Nelsonville Police Department in an attempt to locate a suspect who was involved in a vehicle pursuit on Oct. 9.

Both units were unable to locate the suspect.

Win a free iPhone today!

A complainant from Rock Riffle Road reported to deputies that they were a victim of a scam.

A report was filed.

Trolled

A complaint of harassment over social media was received by Athens County Sheriff’s deputies.

After speaking with the complainant, deputies discovered the matter involved juveniles and pertained to school.

Deputies advised the caller to remove the problematic person from the social media account and to contact the school. A report was taken.

Watch yourself

Sheriff’s deputies responded to Lee Street in Albany due to a complaint of female harassing individuals and trespassing on their property.

Once on the scene, deputies spoke with all of the involved parties.

The property owner did not want to press charges and the female was asked not to return. No further assistance was necessary.

Free puppy

According to Athens County Sheriff’s deputies, a report of a stray dog on State Route 550 was made.

Deputies were unable to locate the dog.

Run Forrest, Run!

Sheriff’s deputies responded to New Marshfield in an attempt to locate a male suspected of fleeing and eluding the Hocking College Police Department.

Deputies were unable to locate the suspect.

Hocking College Police Department will continue to investigate.

@KENDALLKWRIGHT KW229520@OHIO.EDU

WITH

We Are Hiring at the Voinovich School.

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Positions are open to all currently enrolled OHIO students.

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Web Design Assistant Social Media Assistant

OU to open bakery in Baker University Center in November

MAYA MORITA ASST.

Life is Sweet, a new bakery at Ohio University, will open on the first floor of Baker University Center this upcoming November. The bakery will be adjacent to West 82 and serve various pastries.

The bakery, which cost OU $375,000, will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon day through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday. It will serve bakery items individually, by half dozen and by the doz en.

Life is Sweet will sell items such as cake, croissants, pretzels, cookies, muf fins, donuts, bagels and breads. Prices will range from $1.75 for a single item to $32 for a dozen, and mobile ordering through the Ohio Eats App will be available.

The bakery will accept payments in the form of Flex Points, Bobcat Cash and credit.

Frank Pazzanese, the executive direc tor for Culinary Services, said the idea for a bakery came from the culinary services’ student leader team because of the de mand for culinary’s baked goods.

“Providing our community with fresh and locally-made baked goods was our priority and will be accomplished with Life is Sweet,” Pazzanese wrote in an email.

Krystle Lupardus, the general manager for West 82 and Latitude 39, said the bak ery is something Culinary Services’ stu dent employees had been asking for.

“They wanted us to open earlier and have something like a hot croissant and muffins and some of the items that we al ready serve and expand that so they (stu dents) can get it before they go to class,” Lupardus said. “I’m really, really excited for it to open. The students are really ex cited about it, and I think it’ll be a good option for not only our students, but for faculty and staff as well.”

The bakery will have 12 additional stu dent employee positions this upcoming year. Lupardus said current student em ployees at West 82 will have the option to work at Life is Sweet.

“It’s really part of West 82, it’s kind of a new concept,” Lupardus said.

Lupardus said the training program will span between three days and a week. It will consist of employees getting new uniforms and learning how to cook and package the food.

Baker already has numerous culinary service locations, such as West 82, Lati tude 39 and Front Room Coffee House. Employees think Life is Sweet will hope fully help with the rushes they see throughout the day.

“I definitely think people will still buy some bakery (at Front Room) because of the convenience of getting your coffee and then getting a cookie at the same time,” said Sydney Sears, the location co

ordinator for Front Room Coffee House. “I think it’ll slow a little bit, and I’m also hoping that there’s a little more variety because we sell the same five cookies and the same four muffins.”

Before the opening, OU has to com plete construction and conduct a final walkthrough.

“I had a flex meal plan my freshman year, which I didn’t really get to use very many places except for West 82 and the food truck,” Sears said. “I think it will be a nice addition to add some variety to what people can spend their meal plans on.”

Addie Hedges contributed to this report.

Life is Sweet is coming to Baker University Center mid November 2022. (CLAY STARK | FOR THE POST)

OU officially opens Pawprint Park

SOPHIA YOUNG

Last Friday, Ohio University administra tion officially opened Pawprint Park on OU’s South Green.

The park features two paw print-shaped outlines that can be seen from above, one of which is designated as a campus hammock ing area with metal poles and shade screens, and the other serves as an open concrete and gravel space for students and commu nities on campus to gather and hold events.

The space was conceptualized between OU Housing and Residence Life, the Cam pus Involvement Center, the Office of Sus tainability, Campus Recreation and various students to create a site that would serve programmatic needs and student wants, said Jneanne Hacker, executive director of Hous ing and Residence Life.

When brainstorming, students expressed the desire to incorporate a hammock park, which OU administrators were previously

considering in the design, Hacker said. Ob serving the frequency of hammocking stu dents across campus, the university sought to find a more sustainable way for them to enjoy the activity.

In a university release from 2019 about measures to keep campus trees healthy, OU Landscape Coordinator Susan Calhoun mentioned the idea of creating a hammock park on campus to preserve tree life.

“It takes time for trees to grow large enough to create shade, absorb stormwater and provide food and habitat for other living things,“ Calhoun said in the release. “Invest ing in planting and preserving trees is key.”

OU alumna Maya Cox, who received a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship and environmental studies, worked on a research project covering the relationship between tree health and hammocking on campus in conjunction with Calhoun and the Office of Sustainability. In Cox’s report, the idea of bringing hammocking poles to campus was suggested.

Cox cited research showing the harmful effects of hammocking on trees when not done properly, including damage to the bark, which increases the risk of disease, soil com paction, which then limits root growth and water absorption and stunts growth.

Cox also conducted a limited survey of 23 people on campus, asking about hammock ing practices and how they would feel about hammock pole alternatives.

“Everyone mentioned how unique the idea of hammock poles on campus would be and how they would love to have somewhere to hammock without damaging the trees,” Cox wrote in the report.

The hammock section of the park has a series of poles that can accommodate up to 56 hammocks at a time, Hacker said. She also described the new park as a place that will not only meet sustainability needs, but also student needs for gathering places.

“We are excited about engaging students in the outdoor area and giving them space just to come and really focus on their sense

of well-being by being outside in their ham mocks,” Hacker said. “But, then also being intentional with working with our in-home student leaders to create programming to draw students out into that space, to not only connect students within a hall but con nect students across their halls.”

Sherman spoke at the opening, com mending the Division of Student Affairs and mentioning the importance of residential engagement space within the college expe rience.

“On a residential campus, it’s the many activities that take place in the residence halls, in recreation, with all the student or ganizations that we have,” Sherman said. “That’s what provides the really special edu cation that we think we provide.”

Pawprint Park from the sky. (COLE PATTERSON | DIRECTOR OF MULTIMEDIA)

OU students begin housing search earlier than previous years

MADALYN BLAIR FOR THE POST

Many Ohio University students planning to live in off-campus housing during the 2023-24 school year have already signed leases to attain their desired Athens hous ing. Next year, rental agencies expect the housing process to begin even earlier.

During the off-campus rental season for the 2021-22 school year, students finalized housing plans up until May 2021. According to a previous Post report, Athens rental com panies noticed students were hesitant to commit to long-term leases while COVID-19 was still a concern, resulting in a much later rental season than previous years.

However, Scott Hunter, an owner of Ath ens Ohio Rentals, noticed this year’s stu dents are signing leases early to ensure they receive for housing they want.

“I think it’s a result of people missing it last year, so they jumped ahead of last year’s time and they start sooner,” Hunter said. “I’d actually rented my very first one for 2023-24 back in December (2021).”

Tanner Smith, a sophomore studying pre-social work, said he and his group of roommates began searching for houses for their junior year at the end of their fresh man year. After looking for the right home all summer, Smith quickly signed a lease around the first week of classes this semester.

Smith said the house-hunting process can be extremely stressful, especially for those unfamiliar with leases.

“It was stressful because some of the re altors can be a little shady with how they talk about their properties, and it seems al most like they are using college students to their benefit,” Smith said in an email. “It was stressful also because you had to hear so much information in so little time and then they stress signing a lease that day.”

Besides the added pressure to find a rent al and sign a lease quickly, Smith said the cost of living was difficult to accommodate. Ultimately, he said the cost of off-campus housing was the most stressful factor in the housing process.

Patrick Daugherty, an employee of Bobcat Rentals, said it’s not unusual for students to

contact rental companies year-round to find housing for future years.

“People sign early to get the best places in the best locations,” Daugherty said in an email. “It’s been this way for decades.”

Following the admittance of OU’s larg est freshman class ever, rental companies predict an influx of students looking to sign housing leases earlier than students this year.

“Next year, (the housing search) will defi nitely start sooner,” Hunter said. “There’s 1,500 more kids in the market next year with this huge freshman class.”

Hunter said Athens Ohio Rentals has al ready received calls from students interest ed in housing for the 2024-25 school year.

Due to the current COVID-19 climate, Daugherty said Bobcat Rentals is seeing its pre-pandemic levels of housing demands. Daugherty said the agency has successfully rented out most of its 2023-24 properties.

“For us, this is a return to business as usu al in a post-pandemic environment,” Daugh tery wrote in an email. “Most of our places are already rented for next year. We have a

few left that probably won’t be around for much longer.”

Hunter said quick lease signings are pos sibly due to students preferring houses over apartments. However, Hunter said there is a supply and demand issue because not many new houses have been built in Athens.

“They want houses,” Hunter said. “People want the porches and yards … there’s less houses because no one’s building houses. They’re tearing down houses to build these triplexes, little apartment buildings and things. There’s less houses than there was 20 years ago.”

Hunter predicts that Athens Ohio Rentals will start to receive calls concerning housing for the 2024-25 school year this spring, over a year before the leases would potentially begin.

“I suspect this year the rush will start in March,” Hunter said. “There’ll be a huge rush in the spring semester for houses only.”

University Rentals off-campus housing apartment located in Athens, Ohio. (ALAINA DACKERMAN | FOR THE POST)

EVENTS

BINGO & BEERS

Jackie O’s Brewpub 24 West Union St

The Athens Community Leadership Council invites you to join us for BINGO and Beers for Abortion Access, a fundraiser supporting Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio and the Abortion Fund of Ohio.

At the event, we’ll play human sexuality BINGO for fabulous prizes, have a few raffles, and drink specialty beers crafted by Jackie O’s to help protect abortion access in Ohio. $2 from each pint sold of the specialty brews Basic Rights (a pumpkin spice honey brown ale) and Safe Sex on the Beach (a pineapple, coconut, and vanilla IPA) will be donated to Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio/Abortion Fund Ohio. These specialty brews will only be available at the Jackie O’s Brewpub.

Friday, October 14th 5:30-8:30 pm

FREE and OPEN TO ALL

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HOW-TO MONDAYS

Theater Lounge

Baker Center • Second Floor

Every Monday, 7pm Join in the fun and create with friends. This weekCHALKBOARDS

FLAVOR OF THE WEEK

Third Floor Atrium • Baker Center

Every Wednesday 12-2pm

FREE While Supplies Last

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ATHENS FARMER’S & ART MARKET

Join us for FREE LUNCH , every Wednesday. Each week is a new theme

@OhioUPC

Locally grown, raised and prepared food and beverage items + plants and seeds and locally made artistic goods.

Find us in the parking lot at the Market on State

Market on State Saturdays 9am - Noon

NAMI ATHENS WALK THE WALK Athens Courthouse Steps

NAMI Athens is holding their 21st annual Walk the Walk for mental health awareness. Meet at the Athens County Courthouse to rally & walk Court Street with a free t-shirt and help show support for those who struggle with a mental health condition.

Saturday, October 15th 11:00 am

Listen Live anytime from our website

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Athens campus experienced a general increase in crime in 2021

KENDALL WRIGHT FOR THE POST

Ohio University experienced a general increase in crimes reported in 2021, accord ing to OU’s 2022 Clery Act Annual Security Report.

The 2022 Annual Security Report report ed crime statistics on OU’s Athens, regional and extension campuses from 2019 through 2021.

The report contains information regard ing campus security and personal safety, such as crime prevention, law-enforcement authority, crime reporting policies, etc., along with crime statistics.

Athens campus crime statistics increased from 2020, excluding burglary, which de creased from nine reports to four, and motor vehicle theft, from one to zero.

Since 2020, arson offenses have remained at zero on Athens Campus.

Athens campus arrests decreased from 2020 except for liquor law violations. Disci plinary referrals increased from the previous year.

There are no reports from 2019 to 2021 for murder, manslaughter or incest on the Athens campus.

The report states that 16 rapes were re ported in 2021, up from 2020 but decreasing from 2019. Six of the reported rapes were

related to events occurring over the course of around 18 months involving the same two people, according to the Security Report.

Statutory rape is down to zero from the previous year, which had one report. There were no reports of a robbery. Aggravated assault had three reports, an increase since 2020.

Additionally, domestic violence, dating vi olence and stalking have increased. Accord ing to the report, 37 cases of dating violence were reported, three aggravated assaults and one report of domestic violence. The report said 26 out of 37 reported dating vio lence offenses in 2021 also involved the same two people as the repeated rape offenses.

Athens campus arrests statistics for 2021 include seven liquor law violation arrests, two drug law violation arrests and one car rying/possessing weapon offense.

Athens campus disciplinary referrals sta tistics for 2021 include liquor law violations at 129, drug law violations at 24 and zero for carrying/possessing a weapon.

Regarding hate crimes on campus, one hate crime was reported in 2021 on campus, not in a residence hall.

The Ohio University Police Department at The Ridges. (JESSE JARROLD-GRAPES | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

Black Girl Day Off encourages self care

In 1962, Malcom X famously said, “The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.”

Today, Black women still face intersectional racism and microaggressions and have a higher risk of heart disease, breast cancer and other chronic illnesses. The annual Black Girl Day Off, celebrated on Oct. 11, raises awareness of these issues and encourages Black women to take a break for their mental, physical and emotional health.

“A day like Black Girl Day Off brings awareness to the ‘Superhuman’ ideals that come with being a ‘Strong Black Woman,’ which is an expectation/stereotype/assumption that many women of color have to continue to perform because of pressures to manage several roles,” wrote Valessa Gray, assistant director of counseling and diversity and inclusion initiatives for Ohio University’s Counseling and Psychological Services, in an email.

In addition to the stress from these high expectations, Gray also wrote that scientific studies prove a connection between intersectional racism and health.

“Having multiple marginalized identities increases the likelihood of experiencing day-to-day stressors,” wrote Gray in an email.

Due to the intersection between gender and race, Gray said encouraging Black women to take a break is important.

“Despite the compounding of stressors, several studies show that people of color are less likely to seek services for themselves,” Gray wrote.

Mylan Foster, a senior studying communications, said she prioritizes self-care.

“For my mental health, I love to be around my friends,” Foster said. “I also like to do a lot of self care. So whether that’s like doing my hair in a different style or a facemask or even just walking around the mall or the store—that’s what I consider self care.”

Foster thinks that days like this are important for celebrating marginalized identities.

“Giving any minority group just a day off to really just celebrate them and have their

own specific day is really comforting,” said Foster.

Larissa Becker, director of operations and engagement of OU’s Wellbeing and Recreation, said that Bobcats can seek help at the Counseling and Psychological Services of OU any day of the year and Well-Being Coaching from Ping Recreation Center.

“Students can schedule time to meet with a Well-Being coach to better understand what triggers burnout and stressors to their mental well-being and set goals to manage those triggers,” Becker wrote via email.

Becker encourages students to explore support options.

“By understanding social support systems and university resources available, students on campus can better manage their mental well-being and understand what could drive their potential burnout before they’ve reached capacity,” Becker wrote in an email.

Further, Gray’s personal advice for Black female Bobcats is to prioritize their own well-being.

“Use this day to bring awareness to have adequate self-care,” she wrote in an email.

“I would then ask you to consider what are you already doing to support your well-being.”

Lexie Boateng, a junior studying forensic chemistry, said she is a first-generation, Black female college student, which comes with additional pressures.

“Growing up I never really took the time to sit down and just think about my mental health,” she said. “But knowing that there’s more people out there trying to focus on mental health is a really important thing. I feel like I need to actually get into that.”

She wants to use Black Girl Day Off to sit down on College Green after her tutoring.

“I need to take time for myself and actually take a step back and look at what I’m doing and prepare myself mentally and physically,” said Boateng.

Boateng likes the idea of the holiday.

“Growing up, we as Black women don’t get enough recognition,” she said. “We don’t get talked about that much. I feel like everyone is always looking past us.”

Students perform live sketch comedy in ‘Fridays Live’

and musical guest, and even has “A News,” an Athens-centric style “Weekend Up date.”

Palmatary said the group started in the ‘80s, originally as a late night talk show. In 2004, she said, the group really switched to a more Saturday Night Live format, with live sketch comedy. For a while the group streamed via YouTube, then switched back to in-person shows. Now, after COVID-19, the group is back to streaming on their YouTube for their 49th season.

“There was an emergency file in the Google Drive that’s like ‘in case we return to YouTube,’” Palmatary said. “We came back to in person and we were here in Baker performing at the theater. And then we finally moved into a classic studio in the RTV building.”

Sam Brandes, a junior studying film, serves as a writer, editor, co-DS director and cast member for Fridays Live. DS di rectors are in charge of the digital shorts, and Brandes helps coordinate all of the pre-filmed material for each livestream. Brandes said now there are only some sketches filmed in advance, with the rest as live performances, which was not al ways the case.

“We would shoot the shows and then edit them and then release them,” Brandes said. “We only recently got back into live streaming last semester.”

KATIE MILLARD CULTURE EDITOR

Live from Studio C, it’s Fridays Live! That means the cameras are rolling on Ohio University’s own late night comedy show: Fridays Live.

This student media group produc es several shows a semester, each lives treamed on Fridays Live’s YouTube at 8 p.m. on, as implied, Friday nights. The shows star student actors, writers, tech and directors who create a production full of sketch comedy.

“We’re trying to get a broader appeal for Fridays, because it is a media school club,” Lydia Smith, a sophomore studying media and social change as well as the co-producer of Fridays Live, said. “It is ap pealing to anybody who likes comedy, who likes fun, who wants to watch a show at

the end (of the week). We have something to look forward to.”

Grace Palmatary, a junior studying film, is Smith’s fellow co-producer. Palmatary said she loves the ability to focus on mak ing a fun show with limited stakes.

“I like the opportunity to be creative without the pressure of making some thing great, because I make short films too,” Palmatary said. “And I feel like there’s a lot of pressure with making it perfect, because a lot of money goes into it and it’s like a whole weekend of shooting, and you spend like a month editing it. So you want it to be really good and it’s for school. But this is an extracurricular curricular. It’s a lot less pressure.”

Although Fridays Live does not carry the same weight as a school assignment, the shows are a labor of love, and there is a lot of labor that goes into a production.

Smith detailed the intense planning

and coordination that goes into each live show. She said there will be a writers’ room meeting the Sunday evening before where everyone pitches sketch ideas and they develop the ideas as a group. These ideas are turned into scripts, which are voted on at Wednesday’s read-through.

Once the list of sketches is finalized, executive board members launch into the planning stage, securing the order of the sketches, tracking down props, casting the skits and more on Thursday. Finally, Friday rings in show day, where the crew convenes at 4 p.m. and the cast joins at 5 p.m. The group then rehearses until their 8 p.m. live show.

Friday is like anything could go wrong,” Smith said. “Be ready for it, brace for ac tors not showing up or something.”

After the week’s work, the sketches typically run for about 45 minutes. In true SNL fashion, each show has a local host

Although typically the shows avoid ex plicit jokes so as to not get lazy, on Octo ber 21, Smith said the team will host their “after dark” show at 11 p.m., which is their one show a semester that includes more raunchy comedy. The next performance for Fridays Live is this upcoming Friday, Oct. 14, and both the musical guest and the host will be Ethan Hess, a senior studying acting. The live format means anything can go wrong, and Smith encourages ev eryone to tune in and watch the group.

“I love that kind of controlled chaos,” Smith said. “The thrill, the live show. All the people that are so funny and so nice. They just want to make people laugh and that’s the most genuine thing you can be a part of.”

Sam Brandes performs with a co-actor during a “Fridays Live” showing held at the Radio Television Center in Athens, Ohio. (MADDIE BRYANT | FOR THE POST)

With Indigenous Peoples Day approaching, what is the true meaning behind the holiday?

ISABELLA PEDRERA

Columbus Day is a U.S. holiday that rec ognizes the arrival of Christopher Colum bus to the Americas in 1492. Many people consider this holiday to be a way of hon oring Columbus for discovering and even founding America, but this is a common misconception. Actually, Columbus didn’t land in North America at all; he landed in the Bahamas, then traveled to the island of Hispaniola, which consists of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Columbus ultimately came to the Americas for monetary gain in the form of spices and silks. Columbus’ desire for fame and fortune sat well with King Fer dinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, who decided to fund his trip. With the possi bility of fortune and the chance to spread European Catholicism around the world, Columbus eagerly set off on his voyage on Aug. 3, 1492.

Upon setting foot in the Americas, Co lumbus was greeted by the Native Taí no people. The Taíno people, along with many other Indigenous groups, had in habited the Americas for thousands of years. Columbus said in his writings that the people he met were generous, but he looked down on them for not being Cath olic and he still enslaved large numbers of Indigenous people for sex, labor and trade in Europe.

According to a 2017 Marist poll, 57% of Americans believe celebrating Colum bus Day is a good idea, with only 29% opposing the holiday. While some peo ple celebrate Columbus Day with little to no afterthought, many others say it is important to recognize the violence that Columbus imposed on Indigenous people. Modern activists have called for an official change of this holiday to Indigenous Peo ples Day. Since 1989, a growing number of states have adopted Indigenous Peoples Day to celebrate the history and contri butions of Native Americans.

Several students at Ohio University know there is a negative connotation to ward Columbus Day but don’t feel proper ly educated on it. Colin Charles Starks, a freshman studying economics, said public school systems had not done an adequate job of teaching the history of Columbus Day.

“Public school, up until like junior or senior year, not really (any education on Columbus Day),” Starks said. “And then

you kind of talked about it a little in U.S history, but still, it’s not really adequate.”

Another student at OU, Nathan Zollinger, a freshman studying electrical engineering, said he also felt schools did not educate well regarding Columbus Day.

“I know a good amount but that’s all because I did my own research,” Zollinger said.

Along with not being properly educat ed on the history of Columbus Day, the purpose of the holiday is also unclear to many people.

“I don’t know too much about it, I think it’s just meant to celebrate Christopher Columbus for some reason, but I don’t re ally know more context than that,” Sparks said.

With the history of this holiday being somewhat of a mystery for many, there is one professor at OU who is encouraging students to become educated on Christo pher Columbus and to develop their own opinions and ideas on who he was as an explorer.

Daniel Torres, professor of Spanish and Latin American studies, recognizes

that Columbus is often a misinterpreted figure, which is why it is so important for students to read his own words. Whether it be excerpts from his diary or the let ter of discovery from 1493, Torres said the only way to understand Columbus is to go to original sources.

Torres said where Columbus had ini tially gone wrong was in his expectations of the Americas.

“It’s interesting the way he describes America,” Torres said. “It’s kind of like this fantasy that he created through writing about empowering himself because he was a merchant.”

With a strong mindset of becoming an all-powerful merchant, Torres said, Co lumbus began forcing natives into slavery to work for him. He said Columbus didn’t even see the Natives as people, and in his writings, described them using animalis tic features.

“There were complete villages that they committed suicide because they didn’t want to work for the Spaniards,” Torres said.

In response to any form of rebellion

from Native peoples, Columbus would order them to be murdered by the Span iards and have their dismembered bodies paraded through the streets. Europeans used these blatant acts of violence to es tablish dominance over the Native people and scare them into submission.

Natives that were not forced into labor by Columbus were usually captured and put into what has come to be known as the international slave trade. Columbus also brought foreign diseases such as small pox, measles and the flu to the Americas, which became responsible for the death of nearly 90% of Indigenous people.

“I know it was atrocious, and I know it’s probably more appropriate to call it Indig enous Peoples’ Day than Columbus Day,” Starks said.

Torres said while Columbus’ treatment of the Indigenous people is horrific, he was not the only one to mistreat Native peoples.

“The only thing Christopher Columbus did was open the door to the other things that happened,” Torres said.

Columbus is a large part of the reason there is Catholicism in the Americas to day, and many also credit him with the basis of modern-day capitalism. Neither of these, he said, is an appropriate excuse for the treatment the Indigenous people were forced to go through.

From having their territories and lives stolen to being stripped of their religious identities, Columbus made Native people suffer for his benefit. Torres said he is conflicted about what the second Monday of October should be. He said the holiday should honor the contributions, trauma and resilience of Indigenous people in the Americas while ensuring Columbus is held accountable.

“It’s a way to … make people conscien tious of it, but you have to be critical, you have to keep that critical approach to what it is,” Torres said. “You cannot deny what happened to all those Indigenous people ... I think you have to give and take.”

ILLUSTRATION BY TREVOR BRIGHTON

Misconceptions of the non-mainstream

Spirituality, in any sense of the word, holds many different meanings. For some, it may describe their faith in mainstream organized religions. Others view spirituality as a way to state their belief in a higher power but rejection of mainstream religions. When it comes to those who identify with the latter, alternative religions and expressions of spirituality, some may hold a misconception that their spirituality holds a lighter weight than that of people who are of “conventional” faith.

Contrary to modern definitions, astrology and astronomy were similarly compared in ancient times, defined as divination surrounding the impact of the planets and stars on humans and the Earth. Astrology was established in Mesopotamia in approximately the third millennium B.C. In Greece between 323 B.C.E. and 31 B.C.E., also known as the Hellenistic period, it took on its Western form. Greek tradition said the 12 constellations of the zodiac divided the heavens and the stars and each constellation spiritually impacted humans.

In recent years, interest in astrology and the use of crystals among younger generations have increased while worshiping a particular God has decreased. From January 2018 through March 2019, a steady stream of coverage of these practices made its way into pop culture, specifically noted in The Atlantic, The New Yorker and The New York Times.

Women and queer people have long been regarded as the majority of astrology users. It is commonly looked down upon, often by men, who believe it doesn’t have enough scientific research to support its conclusions.

Courtney Archibald, a fifth-year senior studying interior architecture, said astrology has helped her learn more about herself, her relationships with others and the world. After joining the astrology club at Ohio University during her freshman year, astrology became an everyday practice in her life. She said learning

more about it has been very eye-opening, especially because she is from a small town where things like astrology are not taken very seriously.

“If you look into it and still disagree with it, then I feel like that’s one thing, but some people will completely dismiss it because of the culture around it,” Archibald said. “Understanding and learning about it has really opened up a lot of doors for me and it’s unfortunate that people

are going to miss out on that experience potentially.”

Archibald added that she previously only understood astrology to the extent of pop culture references and horoscopes in magazines but now, she acknowledges that it is a complex field of study that many people make lifelong dedications to. While she grew up in a Baptist church, Archibald no longer practices the religion because she sees a lot of flaws in it.

Beyond astrology, tools like tarot and oracle cards are used in readings where the user searches for knowledge and/or a new perspective from the divine. The difference between tarot cards and oracle cards is that tarot decks have a traditional structure, with each card holding a unique meaning. While each oracle card also holds meaning, they are broader and more interpretive. Interpretation is still necessary with tarot, but oracle cards have a much

FEATURED

ILLUSTRATION BY LAUREN ADAMS

perspective. Metaphorically, tarot cards

binoculars

Archibald said she was taught that alternative spiritual methods like tarot cards are evil, but through reeducation and application in her spiritual practices, she now believes that is incorrect. However, she is judged for it by those who are a part of organized church spaces. Archibald also said people are hesitant to step out of their comfort zones because they have spent a large portion of their lives creating a belief system out of one religion and are afraid to question it.

In her practices, Archibald said she prefers a laid-back approach, including reading her birth chart and others’ from time to time. She also reads tarot cards for herself and her close friends that resonate with crystals.

Archibald and Rylee Pare, a sophomore studying nursing, share the sentiment that people are drawn to unconventional spiritual practices because of an inherent curiosity.

Pare said her parents are both Wiccan (someone whose practices are of a nature-oriented religion), but was never pressured to follow in their footsteps, identifying herself as Pagan (someone who belongs to a community whose practices worship nature). However, as a child, Pare had weird dreams, and their mother helped them use tarot cards to interpret them. A friend also gave them their own deck of oracle cards. Pare said younger generations are becoming more interested in minority religions because they have a more curious perspective.

“I was typically kind of secretive about (being Pagan) because Paganism isn’t always widely accepted, a lot of witches call it being in the broom closet,” Pare said. “Once I got to college, I became a little bit more open about it (and) I was more willing to (tarot) read for friends.”

In addition to curiosity, Pare said there are many different ideologies among Pagans, which opens up a lot of exploration. Since there is no rule book to follow, many opinions and perspectives are shared in their conversations.

Pare has a special love for tarot cards and Greek mythology. Regarding the latter, Pare does not agree with the common idea that tarot

cards must be gifted to an individual and can’t be bought. She said connecting with a deck’s energy is more important than the manner in which one acquires the deck.

When it comes to mythology, Pare finds it easier to talk to a deity or a divine god or goddess, like Aphrodite, than it is to talk to the entire universe. In the same way that saints in Christianity provide spiritual guidance, mythological depictions of deities make it easier to digest and understand the way the universe operates, they said.

In essence, Pare said some beings have more abilities than humans. In contrast to mainstream religions, however, the beings in question are not all-powerful like the Christian God, for example.

Pare grew up just outside of Athens and said that in their experience, there is definitely a specific idea of what “normal” religion and spirituality are in the rural areas of Athens County. Similar to Archibald, Pare sees opposition to “conventional” religion and the idea that spirituality is rooted in a place of uncertainty and fear, like the Satanic Panic of the 1980s.

Dr. Brian Collins, a Classics and Religious Studies professor at OU, said people who belong to mainstream religious traditions commonly feel that their practices require drastic personal change within a particular system of rules, which is difficult in the modern world. Because non-mainstream religions tend to be more personal to the individual and don’t have strict rules that can be broken, mainstream religious people may see those practices as cheats, he said.

Collins also said there is an increased amount of Pagans that were born into Pagan families, meaning in the same way that the average person interacts with Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu ideas, they will now interact with Pagan ideas.

“Paganism is a part of what we call the New Age Movement, which did involve a focus on different kinds of healing: spiritual healing, different kinds of eating, different diets, astrology, different forms of omen reading or telling the future like astrology and tarot and also psychic

reading,” Collins said. “This is a big category that includes a lot of things that wouldn’t see themselves as necessarily being related.”

Some spiritual people argue that organized religion often justifies violence in the name of faith, according to Roger S. Gottlieb, professor of philosophy at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute and author of “Spirituality: What it is and Why it Matters.” For example, the Catholic Church covering up years upon years of sexual abuse or “religious nationalists in rampaging mobs,” said Gottlieb. He said that spiritual people focus shifts from metaphysical principles to moral ones; they reject organized religion not because it is full of intolerance but because “it is intolerant of the wrong things.”

Kelly Lawrence, owner of local Athens shop Chosen Pathways Spiritual Emporium, 400 E. State St., said that restrictions within some organized religions often turn people away from them. While some churches welcome everyone, it is difficult for many LGBTQ+ to find safe spaces within organized religions, she said.

“I’m working very hard to build a community here (at the shop),” Lawrence said. “I really want people to feel like they’re a part of something… they don’t even have to (be) religious, they don’t have to be Pagan per se, they can just be curious and want to have a pretty crystal to put in a window.”

As a Pagan, Lawrence said that many people who identify as feminists, for instance, see that goddesses are more heavily focused on and find more comfort in Paganism. Just as one would in a church, there are moments as a Pagan that have made Lawrence feel like a true part of the universe, that make one feel an elevated sense of unity with the divine, she said.

Understanding spirituality is complex. Yet, every faith has a shared belief that people should take care of each other, or do unto others as you would have them do unto you, said Lawrence. She said that Chosen Pathways was named such because each faith shares the goal of getting to a place of kindness towards one another; they simply take different roads to get there.

“People don’t realize that you have that same connection with Paganism as you do with any organized religion,” Lawrence said. “Some people see God as being ‘other,’ and the more I learned about all the different faiths, and that includes all the organized religions, I realized that God is within us.”

North Congress St

Thrift store offers opportunity to pinch a penny

When customers walk into the Federal Valley Resource Center, or FVRC, they are immediately greeted by Charlie.

“This is Charlie, the wonder dog,” FVRC handyman Larry Adkins said while scratch ing the pup’s ears.

Once the patron gives Charlie a sufficient “Hello,” they have the opportunity to shop to their heart’s content. Located at 8225 State Route 329, the shop is housed in an old school. Formerly Federal Hocking Middle School until 1997, the FVRC owns the fiveacre property and several others. Some of those structures include the old elementary school and woodworking building.

The school began as a two-room schoolhouse in 1897. Other buildings and rooms were added, and the school became Rome-Canaan High School until 1968 when it became a middle school. The building is now home to a non-profit thrift store and community center.

The actual thrift store is housed in the old gymnasium, and the remnants of students learning in the room are still present. With it has high ceilings and compact windows, it isn’t hard to imagine a game of dodgeball en suing in the large room. Hand-painted mu rals from former students decorate the walls, including an underwater scene and orange and yellow window view.

The old gymnasium is packed full of hid den gems. With vinyls priced at $1 each and a set of the coveted Currier and Ives dinner ware at $25, there are some appealing bar gains.

Clara Ledford, the treasurer of FVRC and the director of the thrift store commit tee, has the experience of working in their old high school building. The thrift store is open Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Ledford works the majority of those days.

Ledford and the team sort everything that comes into the thrift store. All their mer chandise is donated, so Ledford prices items and sizes the clothing. With the help of other volunteers, the thrift store runs smoothly. Showcasing her dedication to the organiza tion, if Ledford sees an item of clothing or bedding, she will take it home with her to toss in the washing machine.

All the proceeds of the thrift store go di rectly toward the upkeep of the community center. With it being a monster to heat in the winter, most of that profit is sucked up pret ty quickly. It is important to note that the

store only takes cash, but there is an ATM down the street.

For Ledford, the appeal of working at the FVRC Thrift Store is interacting with the customers and the retail aspect.

“I like the retail part of it – sorting every thing, pricing things, meeting the customers,

having great conversations with a lot of the people that come in,” Ledford said. “I love that part and working with everybody here.”

Ledford’s connection to the building also plays an important factor in why she devotes so much time and money to its upkeep.

“I love this place,” Ledford said. “It’s my

old high school. Some of my classmates ac tually said, ‘Why do you want to fix that place up?’ I was like, ‘Well, I don’t want to see it go down.’ It’s a well-built place. If it wasn’t, it wouldn’t be here.”

With the popularity of thrifting growing, especially in Athens, the FVRC board mem bers think this could be of great interest to the Ohio University student population if only they knew it was there. After less than a 20-minute scenic commute from campus, students could access so many great finds.

Alaina Bender, a senior studying geogra phy, said she is a frequent thrift store perus er. She said she has a specific tactic when thrifting to not set her heart on finding one thing.

“I guess I like not having a specific idea of what you are looking for,” Bender said. “You just kind of go and browse and see what’s there.”

Additionally, Bender appreciates how en vironmentally friendly the form of shopping is.

“Obviously, it’s more sustainable than just buying new clothes,” she said.

The robust thrift store is not all FVRC has to offer. The community center also offers free music lessons, houses a free instrument lending library and hosts a food pantry once a month, along with fresh produce distri bution every Tuesday. Event space is also available for rental, including meeting and rehearsal rooms.

Furthermore, the FVRC hosts music per formances, including free concerts and a bluegrass jam every month. Additional cul tural programs promote Appalachian crafts and the diversity of Southeast Ohio.

“Students may not know about us,” Led ford said. “There’s so many people that come in here and they’re like, ‘I didn’t even know this place was here.’”

The FVRC community said they hope students will stop by this “hidden gem” of Southeast Ohio.

Charlie looks around an aisle at the Federal Valley Resource Center in Stewart, Ohio. (ALYSSA CRUZ | ASST. CULTURE EDITOR)

Ohio shows improvement in 55-34 win against Akron

MOLLY BURCHARD

This season, Ohio has struggled to play like a well-rounded team. In its past five games, when the offense is doing well, the defense isn’t. When the defense steps up, the offense takes a step down.

That wasn’t the case against Akron.

The Bobcats looked complete Saturday, defeating the Zips 55-34 at Peden Stadium to advance to 3-0 at home this season.

Right from the get-go, Ohio took con trol of the game. It won the coin toss and elected to receive, which isn’t typical as most teams normally defer. Then, on the game’s very first play, quarterback Kurtis Rourke threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to Sam Wiglusz, and Ohio was immediate ly on the board.

“It couldn’t have played out much bet ter, and it really got us off to a hot start,” Wiglusz said. “(The touchdown catch) felt great.”

The offensive dominance didn’t stop there. Besides taking a couple of knees at the game’s end, Ohio scored a touchdown on all but two drives. A few of its touch downs came on big plays, including an ad ditional touchdown pass from Rourke to Wiglusz for 30 yards and a 25-yard touch down pass to Sieh Bangura.

Rourke outdid himself once again, completing 24 of 27 pass attempts for an 89% completion rate. His 427 passing yards Saturday are his second most in a game this season and the second most in a game in Ohio history. Rourke continues to set program records week after week and could continue to do so for the remainder of the season.

“Offensively, we are clicking on all cyl inders,” Ohio head coach Tim Albin said.

Ohio has not been clicking on defense as much this season but showed a good amount of improvement Saturday. Last week against Kent State, Ohio only re covered two of six fumbles and punted on both drives.

However, against Akron, Ohio adjusted and capitalized on more of its opponent’s errors. Ohio recovered a fumble and ran it back for a touchdown and even earned its first interception of the season.

In addition, Ohio allowed fewer yards against Akron than it did against Kent State in Week 5. Last week, Ohio gave up 338 rushing yards to Kent State, including 240 yards to a single player. It held Akron to 60 rushing yards Saturday, less than Akron’s average of 78 rushing yards per game entering Saturday.

“(It was a) great game,” Albin said. “Both sides of the ball, special teams, really our most complete game of the year without question. I’m glad it happened on Frank Solich Field and on homecoming.”

Despite the Zips being at the bottom of the conference for the past couple years, the Bobcats didn’t treat this game any dif ferently. Their confidence levels weren’t any greater going into the game, and they knew each conference matchup could be competitive.

“They have a great ballclub, same as I think a lot of other teams in the MAC,” defensive linebacker Bryce Houston said. “We should take it as it’s another oppo nent that we have to have to beat and nothing too much about how they’ve been playing the previous weeks.”

Six weeks into the season, Ohio is see ing a lot of its work pay off and the team is coming together. If it can keep this up for the coming weeks and the remainder of MAC play, it may be in for a fun season.

Correction appended: A previous version of this article stated the incorrect score in the headline. This article has been updated to reflect the most accurate information.

@MOLLY_BURCHARD8

Sieh Bangura (22) runs in his fourth touchdown at the 2022 Homecoming game against the Akron Zips at Peden Stadium in Athens, Ohio, on Oct. 8, 2022. (ZOE CRANFILL | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)

Kurtis Rourke is the answer at quarterback

WILL CUNNINGHAM SPORTS EDITOR

This is a column that I have been planning to write for a while, and Ohio’s 55-34 win Saturday has finally given me the chance.

Kurtis Rourke is the long-awaited answer to a question Ohio has been asking since his older brother, Nathan, headed to the Cana dian Football League after the 2019 season.

Over 15 games across the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Kurtis Rourke attempted 303 of Ohio’s 367 total pass attempts, but that doesn’t tell the full story of its quarterback situation.

Rourke spent the majority of the past two seasons splitting time at quarterback with Armani Rogers, as they both appeared in 13 of Ohio’s 15 games.

Rogers was mostly a runner, and Rourke came in when Ohio needed to pass. Despite the fact that two different coaches oversaw those seasons at Ohio, the quarterback po

sition was an unmitigated disaster. The lack of both consistency and competence, at least in the passing game, played a huge role in Ohio’s 5-10 record over that span.

With Rogers departing for the National Football League after the 2021 season and the only competition coming from a couple of young quarterbacks, the starting job was Rourke’s to lose in 2022.

But not only has Rourke never come close to losing the job, he has been one of the best quarterbacks in the Group of 5.

He is currently fifth in the Football Bowl Subdivision in passing yards with 1,944 and sixth in yards per game at 324. He already has the top two passing yardage games in Ohio history, with 537 against Fordham and 427 Saturday against Akron. He is also on pace to demolish the Bobcats’ single-season records for both yards per game and total passing yards.

But Rourke is not playing in a pass-heavy offense that gives him a high volume of pass

ing attempts like Mississippi State’s Will Rog ers, who leads the country in yards, comple tions and yards per game playing for Mike Leach, who runs a pure Air Raid offense.

In fact, of the quarterbacks averaging more yards per game than Rourke this sea son, the only one with fewer attempts than Rourke is Southern Methodists’ Tanner Mor decai, who has only played five games.

Not only has Rourke been efficient, but he hasn’t made many mistakes. He has the few est interceptions of any quarterback in the top 10 in yards per game, with two.

After two years of struggling in a consis tent competition for the starting quarter back job, Rourke has been everything a coach could ask a quarterback to be this season. He has avoided mistakes, run the offense effi ciently and used his legs when he needed to.

All of that was on display against Akron, when he had the best game of any quarter back in the Group of 5 this weekend, accord ing to ESPN’s Quarterback Rating and Pro

Football Focus’ Offensive Grade.

Rourke’s absolute best was on display against Akron, going 24-27 for 427 yards and three touchdowns. His two touchdown pass es to Sam Wiglusz, in particular, were fan tastic. The first one, for 75 yards, was a good throw to an open Wiglusz, but it was the sec ond one that truly set Rourke apart Saturday.

With Ohio leading by just eight points early in the third quarter, Rourke dropped a beautiful pass over Wiglusz’ back shoulder at the front corner of the end zone for the score. It was a level of touch and accuracy that we had not seen from Rourke until this season.

Saturday was simply the latest chapter for Rourke on the way to what will likely be the greatest quarterback season in Ohio history; he is the quarterback that this program has spent the last two seasons searching for.

Kurtis Rourke (7) throws a pass at the Ohio University Homecoming Football Game against the Akron Zips on Oct. 8, 2022.

Ohio needs to find answers to break losing ways

MARC GOLDSTEIN

Losing is an inevitable part of sports, but it has become a familiar feeling for Ohio. Amid a five-match losing streak, Ohio is panicking as its season quickly unravels. Recent trends show that Ohio has some work to do to make the conference tournament.

Ohio’s losing streak has proven it is not ready to compete with the elite. In its matches against VCU, Kent State, Michigan State, Ball State and Ohio State, Ohio has been outscored 18-6. That lopsided margin is largely due to a 7-1 drubbing at the hands of Ohio State Sunday afternoon.

One way or another, Ohio has repeatedly found itself in situations where matches fall out of reach. Ohio has competed in most games, but the next step is finishing the job and winning matches to move into the “elite” category both nationally and

within the Mid-American Conference.

The most significant trend in the recent defeats has been the inability to close matches. In the matches against Kent State and Michigan State, Ohio held leads but failed to add to them.

Ohio seemed content with avoiding mistakes offensively that could lead to an easy goal for their opposition. That strategy is not necessarily a poor one, but aggression is key to winning in matches where a team is an underdog. Ohio played it safe until its passes became sloppy, and the match was lost.

But the lack of aggression when leading matches is far from the only issue. Sloppy passing from the Bobcats has become a theme in their losses. In field hockey, passing is far from a sure thing, as controlling the ball is quite difficult, but many

of the Bobcats’ recent opponents have found ways around that.

In nearly every match, the Bobcats gave up multiple opportunities in front of the net. They have not always led to goals, but forcing a goalkeeper to hold strong on a breakaway is a very tough task.

The worst part of this issue for Ohio is that there is no definitive answer. Ohio can make it a point of emphasis to complete passes at a higher rate, but there is little to do until the match begins.

However, Ohio doesn’t need to make too many changes to turn its season around. The defense has held strong for most of the matches, except for against Ohio State. However, even a good defense can be beaten if the offense gives up too many breakaway chances for the opposition.

Ohio has made some huge strides this season. Unfortunately, those may not matter if the season ends on a sour note. Some teams simply play better when backed into a corner, and maybe Ohio can establish itself as one of those teams.

The remaining matches on its conference schedule are a must-win in order to reach the conference tournament. Complete focus and sound fundamentals are going to be paramount if Ohio is going to turn its dreams into a reality.

One

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Week 6 Student Media Poll picks from ‘The Post’

Each week, the Sports editorial team selects its Top 25 Division I college football teams for the Student Media Poll.

The SMP is a nationwide poll featuring 122 student journalists from all Football Bowl Subdivision conferences. There are voters from 69 different schools across 34 states.

The Post Sports will break down its ballots each week. Here are the top five, those it kicked out of the Top 25 and those it added:

Molly Burchard, Asst. Sports Editor

Top 5

1.) Ohio State

2.) Georgia

3.) Alabama

4.) Clemson

5.) Tennessee

Despite most teams being the same, Week 6 featured the most movement my Top 5 has seen. I’ve wanted to make many of these adjustments for a while but I didn’t have the guts to do so until now.

I’ve been hesitant to put Ohio State at No.1 because I am from Columbus, and for one, I don’t want to let that cloud my judgment. But ever since the Buckeyes won the College Football Playoff in 2015, I have had high expectations for them that they haven’t filled.

That is my flaw, but it finally felt like the right time to rank Ohio State as No. 1 after its 49-20 win at Michigan State Saturday. Quarterback CJ Stroud had more touchdowns than incompletions, which is a crazy statistic. Ohio State’s defense was also strong, holding Michigan State to just seven rushing yards.

Alabama fell to spot No. 3 after it almost lost to Texas A&M this week, which allowed Georgia to take its previous spot at No. 2. Per usual, Clemson stays at No. 4.

However, after its second lackluster win in a row, I couldn’t leave Michigan at No. 5. Its offensive struggles in the first three quarters against Indiana gave me the perfect excuse to drop Michigan and put Tennessee in its place. This may seem a little premature, but I have been impressed with the Volunteers since their Week 1 romp of Ball State, so I decided to elevate their rank this week.

Will Cunningham, Sports Editor

Top 5

1.) Ohio State

2.) Alabama

3.) Georgia

4.) Clemson 5.) Michigan

I finally made a change in the Top 5, and it is moving Ohio State to No. 1. I can now confidently say that the Buckeyes are the best team in the country, and they have been for at least a few weeks.

As Alabama and Georgia have struggled with opponents such as Missouri and Texas A&M, Ohio State has been pounding its Big Ten schedule into a pulp, culminating with yet another blowout of Michigan State.

The Buckeyes have done this despite Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Julian Fleming, Treveyon Henderson and Miyan Williams all missing significant time. CJ Stroud is playing like a Heisman favorite, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has turned the defense around in year one and the Buckeyes should be title favorites for now.

There are no other changes, but USC and Tennessee are banging on the door to enter the Top 5 after another impressive win.

Ashley Beach, Sports Writer

Top 5

1.) Georgia

2.) Ohio State

3.) Alabama

4.) Clemson

5.) Michigan

There was finally a shift in my Top 5 – albeit the teams are the same. Alabama deserved to drop after a less-than performance against Texas A&M. There was a chance that Alabama would not come out with a win that game, and it would have fallen to fifth had it not.

The other four are steady and there is nothing that could derail them at this point. The only thing that could cause a change here is when Ohio State and Michigan face off in late November.

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Why are we still playing ‘Resident Evil 4’?

SORREL KERR-JUNG

In 2005, “Resident Evil 4” arrived on the Nintendo Game Cube, bringing astonishing prestige to a console struggling for third-party support. The GameCube box art for “Resident Evil 4” boasts a massive banner proudly proclaiming that the game is “ONLY FOR NINTENDO GAMECUBE.” 17 years later, that banner couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Resident Evil 4” has landed on every platform imaginable. Later in 2005, it hit PlayStation 2, and a couple of years after that, it landed on the Nintendo Wii. It’s since been ported and remastered for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, a budget console sold in Brazil and Mexico called the Zeebo and most recently, Meta Quest 2. That last port arrived in October 2021. A few months later, a remake of “Resident Evil 4” was announced. So why are we still so enamored by “Resident Evil 4” after nearly two de cades?

The easy answer is that it’s fun. It’s an over-the-shoulder shooter game that’s easy enough to be enjoyed by those who don’t care for the genre and a survival horror game that’s

light enough on scares to be a good time for the easily dis turbed. It’s structurally simple but built on some foundation ally strong gameplay, and its characters are broadly written but charming enough to love. Where so many games in 2022 attempt to build upward, “Resident Evil 4” is content being exactly enough for everyone. Nothing in the game feels su perfluous, and nothing goes further than it needs to. In 2005, it was a boundary-pushing title, but in 2022, it feels refresh ingly small and tightly wound.

Of course, it wouldn’t be very satisfying to say, “people like ‘Resident Evil 4’ because it’s very good.” While that’s true, it’s not the whole truth. In reality, I think many people like “Resident Evil 4” because, well, it’s “Resident Evil 4”. You’re supposed to like it. It’s a great video game and everyone knows it. Why else would they release it so many times?

When you ask someone what their favorite Akira Kurosa wa film is, nine times out of 10, they’ll tell you “Seven Samu rai.” When you ask for the best George Orwell novel, you can pretty safely flip a coin between “1984” and “Animal Farm.” The best Sam Raimi movie, per just about any Raimi fan, is either “Spider-Man 2” or “Evil Dead II.” That doesn’t actually mean those are the best works by any of those masters. Still,

they endure because they were deemed the best by some very intelligent people a very long time ago, and it’s become pointlessly contrarian to suggest anything else.

“Resident Evil 4” is the “Seven Samurai” of video games. It’s phenomenal. It’s probably even worth the 15 years of hype built around it. It might be worth remaking and remastering a dozen times. I’ve purchased “Resident Evil 4” no fewer than four times. It’s a masterpiece. And yet, like so many master pieces, on occasion, one must ask: is this as good as we’ve been told it is? Do I believe that “Resident Evil 4” is the single greatest video game ever made, or is that a belief I’ve heard so frequently from people I respect that I’ve convinced my self it’s true? Ultimately, it probably doesn’t matter. “Resident Evil 4” is good, and the respectable critics are right: Everyone should play it at least once. And, thanks to 17 years’ worth of re-releases, everyone can do just that.

Sorrel Kerr-Jung is a sophomore studying virtual reality game development at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. Do you agree? Tell Sorrel by tweeting her at @sorrelkj.

CRADLE

The History of Horror and Heroes

BENJAMIN ERVIN

“Werewolf by Night’’ is the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe that attempts to flesh out it’s supernat ural-horror aspects in “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.” Though the latter pays homage to the genre, “Werewolf by Night’’ is a send-up to a classic Universal Monsters film.

Director Michael Giacchino plays with visual cues from classic Universal Monsters films, such as bands of light across characters’ eyes, a classic title card and well-placed cue marks at 16-minute intervals. “Werewolf by Night” feels more like a classic Universal Monsters film than a span dex-clad hero.

Horror and heroes have a history dating back to Greece. Greek mythology is not without heroes; characters like Theseus and Heracles and gods like Zeus, Hermes and Ath ena embody attributes placed onto modern heroes.

Stories of monsters find similar origins throughout Greek mythology in characters like Lycaon, whose efforts to test Zeus’ omnipotence resulted in his transformation into a wolf. Given these monstrous origins, Lycaon is ac credited with the founding of the ancient city Lycosura, be

coming an exalted figure like the gods.

Comics of the early ‘50s allowed a new mixture of he roes and horror narratives as horror anthologies became a mainstay of the medium. These violent narratives of terror paralleled the rise of popular heroes like Batman and Su perman.

By 1954, Comics Code was passed to remove immoral material from comics incited by violent horror comics of the period. This resulted in a stifling of horror and hero comics, as they were limited to telling sanitized stories of adventure, moving into the campy tone of the Silver Age of Comics.

The period wasn’t without its horror characters; early supernatural heroes got their start in this Silver Age. For example, the early origins of the Hulk were pulled from classic horror films.

By the ‘70s, artists in the mediums of horror and heroes worked to re-establish and reject their respective genres. This is seen in films like “The Exorcist,” in which William Friedkin created a horror film that put the genre at the forefront of culture like Universal Monsters. In comics, Neal Adams’ “Batman” reimagined the cape crusader with darker narratives that put him back in the cultural eye.

In 1978, the decade culminated with “Superman,” effec

tively kicking off the superhero craze, and “Halloween,” reinvigorating horror. Though not interconnected, these films spurred on future horror and hero films that eventu ally took inspiration from each other. This came in the form of “Blade” (1998), “Hellboy” (2004) and “Constantine,” (2005), in which the paranormal overlaps with the heroic.

This continues in the comics with series like “The Im mortal Hulk,” which takes Hulk back to his horror origins with a modern ting of cosmic and body horror. In “The Batman” (2022), the scene when the Riddler captures Mr. Colson mirrors a similar scene in “Halloween” (1978) of the killer appearing from the back seat.

“Werewolf by Night” is the most recent addition to this canon of horror-hero stories. The blend of Silver Age char acters, classic horror tropes and modern techniques has created something that is a Marvel-branded horror love letter.

Benjamin Ervin is a senior studying English literature and writing at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post Want to talk more about it? Let Benjamin know by emailing him be425014@ohio.edu.

Orange is the new hue

KATIE MILLARD

It’s bright. It’s unrhymable. It’s new in town. That’s right: it’s time to talk about orange.

Orange is prominent in many Asian religions. Buddhist monks typically wear orange robes, a tradition originating from practicality. Siddartha Gautama, the Buddha and founder of Buddhism, dyed his robes a distinct shade in his efforts of modesty. The most available dye of the time was saffron, creating that orange hue for the robes.

In English, the color orange did not have a name until the 16th century. Rather, it was referred to as “yellow-red,” and occasionally “saffron.” Once merchants brought orange trees to Europe from Asia, the color was named for the fruit, stemming either from the Old French “pomme d’orange” or the Spanish “naranja.”

The first recorded use of the word is debated. Some sources accredit it to a 1502 letter describing Princess Margaret Tudor’s dress color, while others say the first mention was in 1512 in a will, of all places. In the mid-1590s, Shakespeare ran with the word, using it as both the color and the fruit. By the 1660s, when Isaac Newton experimented with light, he included orange as a basic color in the light spectrum, solidifying its role in Europe as its own color.

Beginning in the 1820s, prisoners in the U.S. wore black and white stripes, but now they are commonly decked in an orange uniform. The orange jumpsuit is by no means universal, but it is still used frequently in real prisons and even more frequently in Hollywood ones, such as in “Orange is the New Black.” An article published in a Sage Publishing Journal by Jan Fox detailed how any uniform – be it lab coat, Hooters, firefighter or prison – establishes a role and sense of difference. For the prison jumpsuit, its neon orange

brings a sense of depersonalization and the stigma of years of incarceration.

The orange jumpsuit has become especially politically charged in the past twenty years. The orange prison jumpsuit is also heavily associated with Guantanamo Bay, as it was the highly publicized uniform all prisoners were made to wear. Because of this, ISIS deliberately dresses victims in similar orange jumpsuits in videos of the terrorist group murdering people.

Today, orange is used for bright signage. It is selected for many traffic cones, “Road Work Ahead” signs and other things that demand attention. International Space Station crew members wear orange in case of emergencies. If an astronaut has to parachute out of the spacecraft, the orange color helps emergency crews find them.

Orange is also commonly tied to Halloween. According to Country Living, orange emerged as a Halloween color due to its role in another piece of produce: pumpkins. Carving harvested vegetables was originally an Irish tradition with turnips and potatoes, but when 19th-century Irish immigrants came to the U.S., they discovered orange pumpkins worked best.

Orange was late to the color game, but it has been hard to miss since it sprouted on the color wheel a few hundred years ago. Perhaps its late arrival or its strong pigment is why 30% of people say it is their least favorite color. No matter its popularity, orange has a crucial role in society. Orange ya glad you know its history?

Katie Millard is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post . What are your thoughts? Tell Katie by tweeting her at @katie_millard11.

Here’s everything you need to know about Cafe at Factory Street

This bowl is made for those who don’t want to be confined to just one flavor, as this bowl ignites taste buds.

Strawberry Acai Immunity

If you’re having a long day and looking for an entree to eat when rewinding, the Straw berry Acai Immunity is for you. This bowl builds stamina while helping you recover from a long day’s work. This blend is made up of acai berries, maqui berries, strawberries, bananas, dates, cinnamon, lucuma and coco nut milk. This bowl is for those who thrive on a classic fruitful smoothie. Plus, topped with strawberries, it’s simply delightful.

Chocolate Pb Protein

The Chocolate Pb Protein blend is for Reese’s Cup, Twix and Peanut M&M’s lov ers. This bowl is rich and bursts with flavor. The base comprises cacao powder, peanuts, banana, strawberries, cinnamon, maca and dates. It’s an energy and mood enhancer, and for a good reason, because consuming this delicious blend will leave customers feeling fulfilled and not guilty for indulging in some much-needed chocolatey peanut butter fla vors.

Epic Mango

Feeling stressed? The Epic Mango is the perfect meal solution as it is a stress reliever and endurance booster. Made with few in gredients such as mango, pineapple, ginger and lucuma, the bowl’s bold extracts will speak for themselves.

Cafe at Factory Street also offers sever al different coffee beverages, as well as teas and hot chocolate offered in small, medium and large sizes.

The Culinary Service venue also offers a soup of the day until around 2 p.m. for $4.00.

EMMA DOLLENMAYER THE BEAT EDITOR

You’ve heard of Front Room, West 82 and probably even the University’s newest ad dition to on-campus dining options, Life is Sweet. But have you heard of Cafe at Factory Street?

Cafe at Factory Street is located at Heri tage Hall and was opened last year.

Before Heritage Hall, a historic brick building sat at 9 Factory St. This building housed a drug wholesaler, an ice house and a dance studio during its 100 years. It was demolished to make space for the new Os teopathic Medicine building. Pieces of the original building were preserved to honor its history and build Cafe at Factory Street.

Heritage Hall is not as commonly visited as academic buildings like Morton and Bent

ley. Though it’s a further walk for many Ohio University students, it’s worth the walk.

Cafe at Factory Street has a unique entree that no other place in Athens offers: smooth ie bowls.

Smoothie bowls are incredibly popular amongst health gurus, Malibu moms and just about anybody who wants a sweet but nutri tious treat every once in a while.

Cafe at Factory Street offers six bowls that can also be made into drinkable smoothies, too. The smoothies are $5.75 and the bowls are $6.25. All add-ons are an extra $0.35. Customers can add a multitude of toppings, such as spinach, strawberries, chia seeds and peanut butter. The base flavors are as follows:

Pitaya Protein

The Pitaya Protein smoothie and bowl fo

cuses on energy and digestion. It is a blend of pitaya, almond, strawberry, mulberry, spin ach, banana and garden of life protein. This bowl is best for those who need a pick-meup and want to be health-conscious.

The Churro

The churro is a memory booster and hones your focus. The blend consists of cin namon, cacao nibs, cashew, banana, lucuma, maca date and Himalayan pink sea salt. This bowl is suited for those who may be craving Cinnamon Toast Crunch but have decided to choose a healthier alternative.

Game Changer

The game changer is exactly what it sounds like. It is created to boost immunity and focus. The base is made of spinach, pea nut, cashew, banana, cinnamon and dates.

If students are looking to grab something quickly, they can also pick up pre-made wraps, sandwiches, salads, pistachio packs and more at the counter.

Cafe at Factory Street is a perfect addi tion, with new and diverse options, to the al ready bountiful lunch spots Ohio University offers, and is also a quiet and aesthetic study spot.

The cafe is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

@EMMADOLLENMAYER ED569918@OHIO.EDU

Ellison McNutt, assistant professor of Biomedical sciences, left, gets a stir stick for her coffee as Kaylee Harris, a junior studying global studies, prepares a smoothie bowl on Oct. 12, 2022, at “Cafe at Factory Street” in Heritage Hall. (JESSE JARROLD-GRAPES | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

Album Review: Dayglow’s

‘People in Motion’ is meant for dancin’

Coming a little over a year after the last studio album release, 23-year-old bed room-pop artist Dayglow released his third album, People in Motion, on Oct. 7.

People in Motion is an 11-track, 39-minute celebration of going out, having fun, being happy and most importantly, dancing. When you just can’t hold in the urge to dance any more, this album will become a go-to with catchy beats and memorable tunes.

In preparation for the album release, Day glow dropped three tracks, including “Then It All Goes Away,” “Deep End” and “Second Nature.” “Then It All Goes Away” is an addict ing beat to jam to as it features a continuous cowbell, layering of a clapping beat and lyrics that will become ingrained in your brain. He sings, “You tell me everything, and tell me it’s fine but, there’s ‘something tells me that there’s something going on here,’ I know the way you get that look in your eyes, and then it disappears.”

“Deep End” is one of the more mellow tracks on the album with a unique synth beat and an accompanying slide whistle. Reminis cent of an ‘80s song, he sings words encour aging the listener to have fun, “So come on take me into the deep end, and show me how to let it go.”

In an interview with B-Sides TV, Dayglow said that the album is his attempt to create a dance album, and he’s succeeded. Each song you encounter is a new bop with vibes per fect for careless dancing with your friends. The opening track, “Second Nature,” even opens with the line, “Dancing, feeling like myself and now I’m dancing, feeling so un stoppable.”

A stand-out, less upbeat track is “Some one Else,” a song seemingly about change. He sings, “It’s like someone else is taking place of everything, while I’m waiting for myself to be myself for someone else.” Anyone can hear that line and relate to not feeling like our selves because of how things have changed.

The best tunes to come from this album drop, though, have to be “Turn Around,” “Radio” and “Stops Making Sense.” All three songs vary from Dayglow’s previous music in comparison to the rest of the album. “Turn Around” mixes up his music styles, combin ing pop with rock and folk styles. “Radio” is a love song to music that will be on repeat after your first listen.

For those who haven’t listened to Day glow, “People in Motion” is a perfect intro duction to this ray-of-sunshine artist who won’t fail to put a smile on your face.

the weekender

Ohio University Opera Theater provides a fun opera experience

WHAT’S GOING ON?

Here’s what you can do in and around Athens this weekend.

GRACE KOENNECKE FOR THE POSTCAROLINE KAMMERER FOR THE POST

Ohio University’s Opera Program is pre senting its first show of the year, From Page to Stage, on Saturday and Sunday at 5 p.m. The show will be free to attend at the Scripps Amphitheater on Saturday and at the Glid den Recital Hall on Sunday.

For those unable to attend in person, the performance will be streamed online and can be found on the School of Music’s website and their social media accounts. The show consists of 13 scenes, the longest between seven and eight minutes.

Daniel Stein is an assistant professor of classical and musical theater voice instruc tion at OU. In addition to this, he recently became the coordinator of the opera theater program.

“I’ve been a part of collegiate vocal music programs for a long time, but never in charge of the opera program,” he said. “It was a new experience for me, but I really enjoy that we are performing in not traditional theatrical spaces.”

This performance has been in progress for six weeks, with undergraduate and grad uate students working as performers and directors, providing a unique educational experience.

“We do an opera scenes program every fall that we try to kind of give us a little bit of experience,” Stein said.

Benjamin South, a first-year graduate student studying voice performance and pedagogy, will be directing and performing in the show this weekend.

“Working in the arts, you kind of get used to doing many things at once because you can’t really just do one to make money, you have to do many things at once,” he said. “It splits your mind just a little bit, splits your focus just a little bit, but you get accustomed to it once you’ve been doing it for a while.”

South completed his undergraduate de gree at the University of Alabama, but he finds the graduate program at OU to be much more rigorous.

“Not only am I taking classes, but (I’m) teaching and then also performing,” he said. “The workload is a lot heavier, but it’s really productive and it’s really rewarding.”

Although the program is a lot of work, it seems to pay off, according to Stein.

“Seeing them put all of that process to work and make more informed decisions and really bring these characters to life and not just be themselves for a little bit is a lot of fun,” he said.

While this performance exists to enter tain the audience, it’s also focused on being a learning experience for the cast and direc tors.

“Part of my job as the director of the op era program is to help them develop their skills of how to be on stage, how to interact with other characters and how to develop the characters themselves,” Stein said.

As both an opera performance and an ed ucational experience, there have been a few learning curves — especially with the show being performed both outdoors and indoors. Stein said the staging had to be adaptable for any performance space.

Doug Grimm, another first-year gradu ate student studying vocal performance and pedagogy, has been performing since 2007, but this will be his first performance with OU’s Opera Theater.

SCAN HERE TO READ MORE!

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14

Fall Color and Tree I.D. Hike at Burr Oak State Park, located at 10220 Burr Oak Lodge Rd., will take place from 10 a.m. to noon. At this event, attendees will use leaves and bark patterns to identify trees throughout a 1.5mile hike. Attendees are encouraged to wear boots and will meet at the Nature Center at the park.

Attendance: Free

The Psychedelic Art Opening Party starts at 4:20 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m. Hosted by the Cannabis Museum, its first exhibit, “A Psy chedelic Art Experience,” will be on display with posters and original artwork, featuring art made for the Grateful Dead and other musicians. The event is at 16050 Canaanville Rd.

Attendance: $30

Friends of Fright Masquerade Benefit Supporting Athens CASA/GAL will be held at ARTS/West, 132 W. State St., from 7 to 10 p.m. Adult attendees can enjoy ap petizers, music from DJ Lodrom, dancing, a silent auction, soft drinks and adult bever ages. All proceeds from the costume party go towards Athens CASA/GAL. This agency provides Court Appointed Special Advocates to represent the best interests of children in volved in juvenile court due to abuse or ne glect.

Attendance: $50

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15

NAMI Athens Walk the Walk is holding its 21st annual Walk the Walk for Mental Health Awareness from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ath ens County Courthouse, 1 S. Court St. Attend ees should meet at the courthouse to walk down Court Street. The event shows support for those struggling with mental health con ditions.

Attendance: Free

Fall-Guided Burr Oak Lake Cruise, Hike and Campfire Social at the Burr Oak Get aways Float Shack has a stacked itinerary for attendees, including a captained pon toon cruise, guided Buckeye Trail hike and a campfire dinner social. The event is located at 10765 Dock 2 Rd. and is from 2:15 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Attendance: $65

Honey for the Heart Giant Puppet Parade will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Court Street. The parade starts at Central Venue, 29 E. Carpenter St., and travels to Union Street, returning to the Central Venue for Honey for the Heart Ball.

Attendance: Free

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16

Ohio Soccer vs. Ball State is at 121 S. Shafer St. from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Ohio Women’s Soccer team will play against Ball State at Chessa Field, promoting their partnership with OhioHealth by wearing pink to stand up in the fight against breast cancer. The first 50 Ohio University students will receive a free t-shirt.

Attendance: Free

Kennedy Museum of Art Open Studio is a free program for families and visitors of all ages interested in art. Pre-registration is required due to space limitations, and the link can be found here: https://ohio.qualtrics. com/jfe/form/SV_6kQWOsFuWbQ1OJM. The event is located at 100 Ridges Circle and will take place from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Attendance: Free

6 ways to help combat insomnia

GRACE KOENNECKE

THE

Many people struggle with insomnia, especially college students. If you find yourself tossing and turning, experiencing racing thoughts or hyperactivity, it’s most likely due to the stress and anxiety of the Fall Semester. In need of a solution? Here are six ways to help manage your insomnia:

Exercise

Adding physical activity to your daily routine is an effective way to treat insomnia. Simply walking on a treadmill for 10 to 15 minutes, going on a bike ride, or walking up the hills of Ohio University may help you exhaust yourself more so that when bedtime comes, you actually feel tired. However, WebMD recommends not exercising less than two hours before bedtime, as exercise also releases endorphins that help you feel energized and awake.

Watch what you eat and drink before bed

Don’t eat big meals, alcohol or caffeine before bed. Alcohol and caffeine affect the quality of your sleep and could make it very difficult to fall asleep. Stop drinking caffeine by the middle of your day to avoid this, and

avoid drinking alcohol after dinnertime. Instead, drink something hot such as warm milk or chamomile tea, before bed. Both have effects on the brain that make it easier to fall asleep.

Keep your room dark

When your room is dark, falling asleep and staying asleep is easier. Make sure to shut your curtains or blinds to block out any light that could wake you up. You could even try wearing a sleep mask. In terms of artificial light, avoid watching TV or being on your phone before bed, as this kind of light has a stimulating effect, making it harder to sleep.

Try different methods of relaxation

Before bed, try doing an activity that is calming, such as reading, listening to music or taking a long bath or shower. It’s important to get your most challenging tasks done at the beginning of your day so that you can take the night to fully relax and recharge. Make your bedroom comfortable by dimming the lights, lowering the temperature and turning down the noise. Items such as earplugs or a white noise machine may help as well. Also, hide any clocks in your room so that it doesn’t make you anxious about the time, as the more you worry about sleeping, the less you’ll get.

Stick to a routine

Don’t go to bed at different times every night unless you simply can’t prevent it. Set an alarm on your phone when you want to go to bed, and stick to that time. By making this a part of your routine, you’ll get more sleep and spend less time using technology before bed. Also, you’ll find yourself feeling better rested and less anxious. Overall, a routine may prevent you from not sleeping well.

Melatonin

If you’re struggling to fall asleep and have tried all the above methods, then melatonin may be the answer. Melatonin is responsible

for regulating your body’s circadian rhythm to manage your natural sleep cycle. It is an accessible over-the-counter medicine you can buy at your local CVS or Walmart. After taking it, it helps you fall asleep and stay asleep, which may improve your mental health. However, don’t abuse this medicine, and take the correct dosage as it says on the bottle.

@GRACE_KOE

ILLUSTRATION BY TREVOR BRIGHTON