November 12, 2020

Gov. DeWine warns of possible closures amid COVID-19 spike PG 5

Local political groups are looking ahead after the election PG 10

Looking back at Ohio football’s first face-off with Marshall PG 15

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020

Back in Peden

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Don’t forget to celebrate your sportswriters during COVID-19

W MOLLY SCHRAMM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

hen people think of sections within newspapers and publications, usually the news staff is the first to come to mind. Maybe even the culture or lifestyle section comes to mind. Nevertheless, no publication would be complete without its handy-dandy sports staff.

Without our sports staff, The Post wouldn’t be the media platform it is. Covering everything from Ohio football to eSports, the sports staff has always been a crux of The Post that captures some of best sports moments at OU. As mid-November approaches, college and professional sports are in swing.

Though games are being canceled, players are occasionally testing positive for COVID-19 and fans aren’t allowed in stadiums, conferences are pushing on to allow some semblance of normalcy.

Last week, Ohio football finally kicked off its season in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, against Central Michigan. Though the Bobcats lost its season opener, the team pulled off its home game opener against Akron. Back in Peden Stadium for the first time in months,

the Bobcats pulled out the win Tuesday night, and our sports reporters got to cover their first home game of the season.

Currently led by J.L. Kirven and Jack Gleckler, the sports staff has had lots thrown at it. With spring 2020 sports nipped in the bud by COVID-19 and fall 2020 sports either being canceled or rescheduled and adjusted, the entire staff has had to get creative with its coverage.

With the lack of game coverage, features have become a staple for the sports staff, as have sports columns. Between UFC, Nascar, NFL football, the MLB and more, columns have been a way for sportswriters to work on their writing skills despite the lack of OU sports.

Similar to the columns, sports writer Eli Feazell published his first “This Day in Bobcat History” series, where he reminisced and delved into Ohio football’s first game with big rival Marshall.

Furthermore, beat writers are delving into multimedia and creating podcasts. Feazell and Zach Zimmerman started ‘Keeping Up During COVID,’ where the duo are catching

up listeners on everything OU sports during the chaos that is COVID-19.

Kirven, Gleckler and Tee Willis are starting the podcast ‘Necessary Roughness.’ Within the podcast, the three will be discussing all things Ohio football and breaking down the teams, their stats and more.

All of these examples are just some of the stuff that The Post sports staff has been publishing despite COVID-19. Showing that determination, creativity and a bit of wit can outstand the lack of actual sports to report on, The Post sports staff has truly rolled with any and all punches this Fall Semester.

Taking the time to appreciate the sports staff — and every other staff — every once and a while is a necessary thing to do. So for those sports writers out there, on behalf of The Post, we appreciate you, and keep up the great work.

Molly Schramm is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University and the editor-in-chief of The Post. Have questions? Email Molly at ms660416@ohio.edu or tweet her @_molly_731.

COVER PHOTO BY KELSEY BOEING

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Molly Schramm MANAGING EDITOR Baylee DeMuth DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR Matthew Geiger

THE

POST

ISSUE 12, VOLUME 123

EDITORIAL NEWS EDITORS Abby Miller, Nolan Simmons ONLINE ASST. NEWS EDITOR Ian McKenzie thepostathens.com LONG-FORM EDITOR Shelby Campbell SPORTS EDITORS Jack Gleckler, J.L. Kirven FACEBOOK CULTURE EDITOR Riley Runnells thepostathens ASST. CULTURE EDITOR Keri Johnson OPINION EDITOR Noah Wright TWITTER ASST. OPINION EDITOR Mikayla Rochelle THE BEAT EDITOR Madyson Lewellyn @ThePost ASST. THE BEAT EDITOR Emma Dollenmayer INSTAGRAM COPY CHIEF Bre Offenberger SLOT EDITORS Eli Feazell, Anna Garnai, Katey Kruback, Molly Powers @thepostathens ART ART DIRECTOR Mary Berger ASST. ART DIRECTOR Olivia Juenger DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Kelsey Boeing PHOTO EDITOR Nate Swanson DIGITAL WEB DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Brianna Lender SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Taylor Burnette DIRECTOR OF MULTIMEDIA Ethan Sands BUSINESS STUDENT MEDIA SALES INTERNSHIP MANAGER Andrea Lewis MEDIA SALES Grace Vannan

2 / NOV. 12, 2020

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NEWS BRIEFS

Investigation into alleged voter fraud completed; OU creating a Housing Advisory System ABBY MILLER NEWS EDITOR Investigation shows signs saying votes for State Rep. candidate Katie O’Neill won’t count were human error, didn’t impact election outcome

An investigation into signs hung at the Alexander Wellness Center on Nov. 3 saying votes for Democratic State Rep. candidate Katie O’Neill would not be counted, concluding that the election’s outcome was not impacted overall.

The investigation, headed by Board of Elections Director Debbie Quivey, found 883 possible votes that could have been swayed by the signs. After adding those votes to O’Neill’s total of 19,946 votes, incumbent State Rep. Jay Edwards, R-Nelsonville, still beat O’Neill with 30,709 votes.

Quivey said she gave benefit of the doubt to O’Neill throughout the entire investigation, as she felt that is what O’Neill deserved.

The investigation found that the neon signs in voting booths at the Albany polling location were left over from the primary election. O’Neill was not on the ballot in the primary because the Board of Elections protested her candidacy, saying she did not live in the Ohio 94th district for the required time period.

The Ohio Supreme Court later overruled that protest in April, saying O’Neill was eligible to run because she lived at a friend’s home in Athens County one year before the election.

The signs were originally reported to the Board of Elections at 9 a.m., Quivey said. However, one sign was missing and was not noticed until about 2 p.m. when a voter pointed it out to poll workers.

All the other Athens County precincts signed affidavits saying there were no signs hung up on Election Day, Quivey said.

Signs were still up at the Alexander Wellness Center because workers forgot to take the signs down after the primary election, Quivey said. Quivey said she stands behind Alexander 100% and thinks it was a mistake on their end.

The signs were a result of human error, and there is no evidence it was a deliberate attempt to sway the election, Board member Kate McGuckin said.

The Board of Elections voted to issue a formal apology to O’Neill for the signage. Board member John Haseley said the evidence clearly points to the signs not impacting the election’s outcome, but the Board is nonetheless sorry for how hurtful its postage was.

OU releases Housing Advisory System plans

Yellow indicates there have been no known positive cases in a residence hall for the last seven days. Orange means 4.9% or less of residents in the hall have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last seven days.

Red is for halls where 5% to 9.9% of residents have tested positive in the last seven days — but there is not evidence of a cluster — and purple means there is an outbreak in a hall.

An outbreak is defined by 10% or more of residents testing positive.

When a hall has an outbreak, residents will be put on a Remain-in-Room plan. Under this plan, students can only leave their hall for medical appointments, COVID-19 testing, emergencies, contactless food delivery, solitary breaks to spend time outside and the bathroom.

Students on Remain-in-Room should not go to class or other in-person activities or have visitors.

If the Remain-in-Room plan does not work effectively, the Athens City-County Health Department may order a mandatory quarantine for all residents.

Ohio University announced a Housing Advisory System on Monday to track cases of the coronavirus in campus residence halls.

The system will be color-coded, similar to the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. Different colors will be used to identify the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks in halls, and students will receive emails about the status of their halls.

@ABBLAWRENCE AM166317@OHIO.EDU

POLICE BLOTTER

Theft at two Ronald McDonald Houses; child calls 911 GRANT RITCHEY FOR THE POST The Hamburglar

The Athens Police Department took a report from a man of two separate thefts that occurred at two Ronald McDonald Houses. The charges accumulate to $89.

Child’s Play

The Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call in Coolville. When deputies arrived, the 911 call was traced to a child playing on the phone.

Sixth Sense

The Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to State Route 144, in regards to a disorderly woman who was hearing and seeing things. Deputies transported the woman to O’Bleness Hospital for an evaluation.

Stay Out of the Basement

The Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a disorderly man in Nelsonville. When deputies arrived, the caller told them that the man, who lives in her basement, was drunk and tearing the place up.

Deputies told the caller if she wished for the man to be removed, she would need to go through a proper eviction process through the court. The man was advised to go to sleep for the evening.

she told deputies and Athens County Emergency Medical service that she was not in need of any assistance.

@RITCHEY_GRANT GR619615@OHIO.EDU

Wide Awake

The Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to Glouster after a caller reported that his girlfriend needed to go to the hospital because she’s been awake on drugs for several days.

The woman didn’t appear to be in any distress, and THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 3

College Costs During Coronavirus LYDIA COLVIN FOR THE POST Ohio University’s Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships is continuing to help students who are experiencing financial hardships, especially due to COVID-19, as well as starting to plan scholarships and financial aid for incoming students.

Many different options have been given to students to apply and receive more aid through OU. One pathway for admitted students is to fill out a Change of Income application.

Students who have already filled out the 2020-21 FAFSA and have experienced a reduction of income — either because of COVID-19 or another reason — can fill out the Change of Income application to receive more aid. If a family fills out this application and it is determined their 2020 income shows a reduction, their FAFSA will be updated, and OU will review financial aid eligibility.

Usually, this application comes out in March for the next school year. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the financial aid office at OU has started priority processing of applications for COVID-19-related circumstances due a significant increase in applications.

“While our Change of Income Review process was already in place to address those types of situations, we have seen the volume of requests increase, and we have reallocated staffing resources to assure timely review of records,” Candace Boeninger, interim vice provost for strategic enrollment management, said in an email.

In addition to this process, the financial aid office is working to help all students who need financial assistance.

One of the office’s major tasks was distributing the $9.7 million allocated to OU through the CARES Act and Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, where 50% of those funds must be used to provide emergency financial aid grants to students. OU also allocated $5 million for students’ financial needs as a result of the pandemic.

Current OU students can now apply for additional funds using the Continuing Student Scholarship Application, which is open until Feb. 1, 2021, for Athens campus students.

When incoming students apply to OU by the Early Action deadline of Nov. 15, they are automatically considered for freshman scholarships. However, the specific amounts and names of these scholarships have not been released yet. One reason for this is because it is still early in the application process for many students, as the ear-

ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA JUENGER

ly action deadline for OU has not passed, and the rolling admission deadline is not until Feb. 1, 2021.

“Generally you have the application process then the scholarship process,” Chad Springer, principal of Athens High School, said. “Right now, we’re still in the application process. And then some people, since we’re past the Oct. 1 deadline … some students are moving into the scholarship application, but it’s really kind of early.”

Despite it still being early, because of COVID-19 and the economic downturn following it, many families are looking more at the return of investment when thinking about colleges.

“People are a lot more open, putting a lot more weight on price and putting a lot more weight on value,” Mark Salisbury, CEO and co-founder of TuitionFit, a company designed to help families paying for college by giving them more information about financial aid, said. “And you’ll see more colleges and universities trying to entice people with better arguments about why they’re worth the money that they’re asking people to pay.”

Even though schools want to entice students to attend their college through scholarships, the economic downturn hit schools and institutions especially hard.

“The public would love to have a better price, and colleges aren’t really in a position to discount all that much because we’re already running a tight margin business,” Salisbury said.

Even outside scholarships may start to have some challenges, as some scholarships start with an initial investment in the stock market with interest that grows over time. This may be hard for students, as even OU encourages students to look at outside scholarships.

“A lot of scholarship money is based on growth in the financial market,” Springer said. “So I don’t know how much of an impact you will see this year. But if you think of a three-year trend because of the stock market, decreasing from the COVID-19 pandemic, and if it continues on slow growth, I think long-term, you’re going to see a decrease in the monetary value of scholarships just because … quite a few bases it off of that growth over time.”

Many scholarships are up in the air, including OU’s scholarships for incoming students, which they are currently designing. One thing recommended by the financial aid office for both incoming and current students who are looking for financial aid is to make sure to fill out the FAFSA for the 2021-2022 academic year. The FAFSA must be received by Jan. 15, 2021, to be eligible for all possible aid.

“We will continue to offer a generous set of institutional scholarships and grants that recognize both academic merit and financial need,” Boeninger said in an email. “To be considered for need-based financial assistance at OHIO, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which is available now for the 2021-2022 academic year.”

@COLVIN_LYDIA LC844519@OHIO.EDU

4 / NOV. 12, 2020

Coronavirus: State of Ohio reinstating mask mandate; universities could be virtual next semester if trend continues IAN MCKENZIE ASST. NEWS EDITOR Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced Wednesday the state of Ohio will reinstate its mask mandate with additional provisions and said if the current trend in cases continues, universities could start the Spring Semester online.

This current surge of the virus is much more dangerous, DeWine said in a speech. The state has reported over 267,000 cases, while Athens County has reported 1,547, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The number of people who have been tested has not doubled since September, but the number of cases has quadrupled.

DeWine thanked universities for agreeing to not return to campus after Thanksgiving, but he warned that Spring Semester could have to start virtually if the trend doesn’t change.

“Unless we dramatically slow the community spread of this virus, our higher educational institutions may have to remain virtual when school opens in January,” DeWine said.

To combat the virus off campuses, Ohio is forming a new retail compli-

ance unit from agents from the Bureau of Workers Compensation. They will be inspecting retail businesses and making sure they are following the mask order.

The first time a business violates this order will result in a written warning.

The second violation will result in the closure of the store for a maximum of 24 hours.

“We must do this to protect our frontline workers,” DeWine said.

The state will continue with its limit of a maximum of 10 people at social gatherings.

If the current trend continues, Ohio will be forced to close bars, restaurants and fitness centers.

All businesses will now be required to have a sign that tells people to wear masks. Businesses are also responsible for making sure their customers and employees are wearing masks.

DeWine confirmed with hospital workers that the state of Ohio is still in a state of emergency.

DeWine said during this dangerous part of the pandemic, Ohioans must be wearing masks, not having parties or social gatherings, washing hands and remaining 6 feet away from others.

Graphics by IAN MCKENZIE

“The more people who get the virus, the more likely it will spread to all the places that we desperately want and need to keep open and operating,” DeWine said.

He said most businesses and people have been wearing masks and social distancing.

“It is clear that there are some businesses where mask wearing is simply lacking,” DeWine said. “We know that masks work.”

Last week, there were 92 COVID-19 cases reported in Athens County, down from the previous week when 81 cases were reported. There have been an additional 27 cases reported so far this week.

There was only one hospitalization reported last week, but there were two more deaths reported in the county, bringing the total to four. The deaths include three men in their 60s and one woman in her 70s, according to data from the Ohio Department of Health.

In the county, about 79% of cases are made up of people under 30 years old. At the state level, this number is at about 33%.

Athens County remains an “orange county,” or a level two, on the Ohio Public Health Advisory.

Athens County’s ICU beds are at about 47% capacity, with about 9% being used for COVID-19 patients.

Ohio University has tested 6,560 employees and students through its asymptomatic testing, according to OU’s COVID-19 dashboard, which was last updated Nov. 8. Of those tested, 325 were positive, which is about a 5% positivity rate.

The university is also testing students and employees who are symptomatic. There have been 1,225 students on the Athens campus tested, 608 of which have been positive. There have also been 154 employees tested, 12 of which have been positive.

@IAN__MCKENZIE IM581017@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 5

Virtual Language Learning Foreign language students, professors have struggled with the difficulty of online communication CLAIRE SCHIOPOTA FOR THE POST Foreign language students and professors alike have had to adapt to online learning this semester, as online classes make communication difficult for subjects best taught face-to-face.

When Ohio University elected to go online this Fall Semester, professors and students had to learn to adjust to a difficult learning format. Some professors have found success using programs like Microsoft Teams that imitate faceto-face interaction, but it does not have the same effect as communicating with someone in front of you, foreign language professors say.

Italian professor Molly Morrison, one of two remaining Italian instructors at OU who teach beginning and advanced Italian, said she has given a lot of time to developing an online format for her classes that works synchronously.

Through the use of Teams, Morrison has been able to encourage oral practice of the language in breakout rooms.

“We (Italian teachers) were concerned with creating something to the best of our abilities that would be enriching and pleasant for students despite all of the numerous limitations,” Morrison said. “To learn the language, just by yourself … it is a very sterile and superficial way of trying to learn and certainly does not foster the ability to verbally communicate in that language.”

As a result of her online teaching, Morrison has learned more about students’ tendencies when learning.

“What I’ve found, ironically, is students change very little. You will always have the students that come to class prepared… and then you’ll have those that do not. So I have seen that the environment of (being) online does not change the behavior of students,” Morrison said.

While some students have reached out to Morrison, others have not. To combat this, she holds individual conferences with her students to check in with their work and how they’re doing.

6 / NOV. 12, 2020

ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA JUENGER Rather than assuming a student has not done their work when they don’t show up for class, professors need to hold new understanding for their students, Morrison said.

French professor Yolande Helm, who teaches beginning, intermediate and advanced French, has also used Teams as a way to synchronously meet with her classes. Helm has utilized asynchronous classes as well but has regular video calls.

“Talking to them on Teams motivates students and gives them a chance to communicate directly with me … communicating with students has been my main concern. It is challenging, yet feasible,” Helm said in an email.

Helm emphasizes that taking a foreign language right now is hard work, and patience is a virtue.

“If students wish to succeed, they must be patient with themselves and with others. They also should realize that

online courses require some self-learning and self-discipline,” Helm said.

For American Sign Language professor Cheryl Prusinski, teaching ASL has become just as, if not more, difficult than before. Prusinski has been teaching ASL at OU for four years. When speaking with non-fluent ASL signers, she must communicate with an interpreter.

“ASL is a visual based language … so teaching sign online, it really depends on the quality of the video,” Prusinski said.

Prusinski has utilized several strategies teaching sign language, including video meetings, recorded lectures and video assignments. For each unit, around 50 students will upload a video that she’ll have to watch, which is a challenging and time consuming process, Prusinski said.

Prusinski has tried to use breakout rooms to get students talking to receive feedback. Without the natural in-per-

son environment, though, many students have struggled.

“There were some students who found it to be far too overwhelming and too challenging because, again, ASL is a very complicated language, and you need a lot of time to be able to invest,” Prusinski said. “Students really need to be able to have that full visual ability … to be able to see those grammatical features that happen on the face … that’s part of the language.”

Despite all of these struggles for foreign language professors, Morrison, Helm and Prusinski strongly encourage students to join foreign language classes.

“It expands your horizons and gives you hope beyond what’s only here in front of us … there is another world out there … explore that world and learn about others in that world,” Morrison said.

Even despite the setbacks, many students have found learning foreign languages even online to be a worthy endeavor.

Autumn Whiteman is a freshman at OU studying Spanish education. She is currently taking an advanced Spanish class right now, which is taught synchronously over Teams.

“Class engagement is really high, and I have been able to get more comfortable with speaking in front of a group without feeling the fear of a larger classroom,” Whiteman said.

Her only suggestion for professors would be to remain extra clear during this challenging time since online format makes it harder to ask questions.

@CSCHIOPOTA CS123719@OHIO.EDU

GAMES

PRACTICE SAFE SIX STA Y I NFO R ME D WAS H YO U R H A NDS A VO I D C LO S E C O N TA CT WE A R A M A SK C LE AN AND DI S I NFECT M O NI TO R YO U R H EA LT H

BE S A FE BOB CATS. DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 7

Working from Home Perspective: How students who were not included in ‘Phase 2’ are handling the online semester MATT GEIGER DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR It was an unusually warm November day when I arrived in Lewis Center, Ohio. Besides a slight breeze, the air was still, almost static. In this small cul-de-sac, tucked away from the rest of suburbia, lived Owen McDermott.

He stood around 6 feet, donning a pair of blacktrim glasses and a gray quarter zip sweatshirt.

I stepped inside the McDermott residence, camera bag and tripod in hand. We chatted for a long time about life, parties and our shared uncertain futures.

“It’s really hard mentally and even physically sometimes,” he began.

McDermott, like many other OU students, is taking his first semester of college at home and online as a result of Ohio University’s fall “phased return.” He’s majoring in journalism and is balancing more than 30 hours of work a week at the local Jersey Mike’s on top of his 16-hour credit load.

“I want to do what’s best for me and my future,” he said. “So I’ll give everything my fullest effort … It can be really mentally challenging.”

As he spoke, frustration arose in his eyes. He used the voice of someone who had been progressively beaten down by a torrent of work and bad news over the entire semester. He, like myself and many others, saw their hopes of coming to campus in the fall dashed twice by the university. He told me that out of all of his friends, he was “definitely the most excited to get to go to (his) respective campus.”

“Hearing the news that we weren’t going to be able to go was kind of heartbreaking for me because I was so excited to go and live my best life and move on to the next chapter of my life,” McDermott said.

8 / NOV. 12, 2020

OU TACKLES THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS A few days before meeting with McDermott, I talked with Paul Castelino, Ph.D., who is the director of the Counseling and Psychological Services at Ohio University.

“Regardless of where they are, whether they’re on campus or at home, we recognize that it is a very hard time for everyone,” Dr. Castelino said. “Our advice is to focus on the six basic things…” “Number one is sleep …

Number two is food. Make sure to nurture your body with good food and plenty of water …”

The rest of the list contained similar tasks and daily objectives: moving your body, surrounding yourself with supportive people, being compassionate with oneself and to avoid consuming alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanism.

Those are great goals to strive for, but in a pandemic, I’d like to know what students can do to combat that underlying, perpetual feeling of existential dread. I know we all experience it. That latent, humming, throbbing feeling that none of what is going on is normal.

“We need to reduce screen time; I think that is number one,” Castelino said. “The more that we are (on the) web … it is likely we are going to be more depressed, especially during that time.”

Dr. Castelino further emphasized that, ultimately, it is up to us how we spend our time. We need to be cognizant of what media we consume and what people we decide to see, as these factors contribute greatly to our overall mental health.

Another strategy that the university has deployed in the midst of the pandemic is an automated texting service, called myOHIO ADVICE. Here’s a screenshot of some of the texts I’ve received from the program:

platform as an escape from negativity.

“It just honestly depends on the day and what people are posting, like what’s showing up on my algorithm,” she said.

REFLECTIONS AND PERSPECTIVES

Owen McDermott, a freshman studying journalism, checks his courses on the computer. (MATT GEIGER | DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR)

Loralyn Taylor, associate provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Analytics, explained the program via email: “A company called Persistence Plus does the behavioral science-based text nudging campaign for us. They use the latest research in behavioral psychology to help students make a successful transition to colleges, persist, and graduate. The platform isn’t designed to ‘help students’ mental health’ per se, but to help keep students informed of deadlines and help them stay on track with their studies and engage with the university to progress to graduation.”

“... LIKE RUBBING SALT IN THE WOUND.”

McDermott had some harsh words for the program.

“If I’m in an upset mood, like something got me mad, if I get the texts about something corny, I’m just like, you know, I don’t want to see that right now,” McDermott said. “It’s like rubbing salt in the wound.”

Jane Puzder, an undecided freshman who is also not in Phase 2, had a different opinion. She said that the texts are a “nice reminder that other people are going through what you’re going through.”

I’m writing this story from my childhood bedroom.

At home.

328 miles from Sowle Hall in Athens, Ohio, where I should be living right now.

I am in the same group as the students I interviewed. I was not in Phase 2, and I have been adapting to this semester online. My editor, Shelby, is in California, dodging wildfires and a deadly virus, while making sure to hop on Zoom at 6:40 a.m. Pacific Standard Time for her online class.

Despite being hundreds or even thousands of miles away from the school we love, we are still students, still Post journalists and, most of all, still Bobcats. The story of every student during this pandemic is merely a thread in a giant tapestry that we are all weaving together.

Yes, it sucks being home. Yes, it sucks taking your courses online. Yes, it sucks that everything is closed.

But isn’t there a silver lining to be found here?

McDermott thinks so.

“It might suck while I’m doing it, but I’m thinking about it, and I’m like, ‘You know, this is definitely gonna help me in my future,’” McDermott said. “I’m going to graduate on time. I’m making a lot of money. I can still see some of my friends, and at work, some of my best friends are at my work. I love getting to go to work and work with my homies, basically.”

Another student in McDermott’s situation, David Lasky, an undecided-business freshman, said he is optimistic for the spring.

“

“I want it to be over and I wish it never happened to me. I missed out on my second half of my senior year in high school, and maybe my first year of college. I think I’ve just kind of accepted that the world is going to be like this for another year or two.”

- David Lasky, an undecided-business freshman “I’m excited to see what the future holds,” Lasky said.

And that’s really all we can ask for in these times: optimism and gratitude in the face of one of the most difficult periods in recent human history.

As McDermott said, “I think when I get to go to campus, I’m going to be changed basically, like I’m going to be much better off.”

This piece is the beginning of a series of collaborations between the opinion and culture sections. It includes first-person perspectives from students at Ohio University and The Post. The opinions reflected in this piece do not represent those of The Post.

@MATTG444 MG568618@OHIO.EDU

Owen McDermott, a freshman studying journalism. (MATT GEIGER | DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR)

ADAPTING TO VIRTUAL COURSEWORK AT HOME For many of the students who found themselves at home for this Fall Semester, it is not their first rodeo.

Puzder said she was mangining somewhat well since she had dealt with online school when the pandemic struck during her final semester of high school.

“I feel like for online school, since we did do this for a little bit in high school, that I do understand how to navigate Zoom and (Microsoft) Teams,” Pudzer said.

McDermott said his communication with professors has been limited and that the experience has been “all right.”

“I’ve got other classes, and they might not get back to my emails and stuff like that,” McDermott said. “So it hasn’t been the easiest to communicate with professors personally for me and just with not having much time. But when it comes to emailing a professor, usually they get back to me within a day or two.”

Those mixed feelings about adapting to an online-only world extends into students’ free time as well.

Niamh Buckley, a freshman studying psychology, is taking her first semester of college at home, like Puzder and McDermott. Buckley says that “if I’m on TikTok and I go through my ‘for you page’ and it’s all people complaining or posting negative stuff, I kind of find that it bums me out a little bit.”

Sometimes, though, Buckley uses the social media THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 9

Looking to the Future RYAN MAXIN FOR THE POST A week after Election Day, the U.S. finally knows who its next leader will be: President-Elect Joe Biden.

The transfer of power from President Donald Trump to Biden in January will undoubtedly bring about some changes within the U.S. But as the national focus is turned toward Washington, D.C., political groups at Ohio University and in Athens are planning ahead for local races in the coming years.

Despite having vastly different political views, groups like OU College Democrats, OU College Republicans,

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OU Moderates and the Democratic and Republican parties of Athens County all said they will be operating business as usual, even with Biden in the White House for the next four years.

“We’re going to do what we usually do,” Chase Conklin, a junior studying environmental geography and the president of OUCR, said. “Most of our stuff is just going to be recruitment based, and we’re going to try to get more people involved in the club and involved in politics in general.”

Elanor Skees, the president of OUCD and a junior studying political science, said the group would have moved forward the same way regardless of who

won the election.

“We’re going to continue to push for what we as an organization advocate for,” Skees said. “No matter who wins, there’s always going to be things that we need to be fighting for as American citizens and things that we believe in.”

Skees’ words mirrored those of John Haseley, the Athens County Democratic Party chairman, who spoke about the importance of building on the foundation that has already been established.

“We’re building a really solid infrastructure in Athens County that we will continue to build as we look toward the statewide races that will occur in 2022 and the next presidential (election) in 2024,” Haseley said. “We’re completely

committed to maintaining a really strong presence and … working with neighboring counties to make sure that we all can grow our Democratic base together.”

With Biden in the Oval Office and Democrats projected to retain control of the House of Representatives, some may think that Republicans in Athens have an uphill battle ahead of them. Pete Couladis, chairman of the Athens County Republican Executive Committee, would offer another assessment.

“We’ve got local candidates and things like that to deal with,” Couladis said, adding that the events in the nation’s capital aren’t exactly noteworthy on a day-to-day basis. “I’m sure people are concerned about various issues in Washington … but we’ve got local elections … (that) we concentrate on.”

One OU political group in particular affords themselves a unique perspective in the middle of all of this polarizing election — OU Moderates.

“We are in a unique spot that a lot of other organizations on campus are not in,” Ryan Gwin, a sophomore studying early childhood and elementary education and the president of OUM, said.

“When it comes to multiple ideas at a current time or multiple political issues at a current time, (we believe) that we can help … make this a better campus and make this a better organization.”

Despite all of the uncertainties of last week’s election, the outcome does not necessarily have as large an impact on the ways that political groups in and around Athens operate as do local races.

It does have an impact, though, on the factions spreading in the U.S., something that Conklin is very invested in.

“We all need to come together,” Conklin said. “This country is so divided, and if we don’t come together, I’m afraid of what could happen.”

@RYANLMAXIN RM554219@OHIO.EDU

10 / NOV.12, 2020

Mentally Managing COVID-19 How COVID-19 diagnoses impacted mental health ABBY BROWN FOR THE POST Almost every physical aspect of 2020 has been affected by COVID-19, not to mention the mental aspects as well.

As many people are reeling from just the thought of getting the virus, those who have had it said it has certainly been an experience for their mental health — in a positive and negative way.

Like any diagnosis, a mix of many emotions can run through people: surprise, sadness, concern and many others can really take a toll on one’s mental health.

“I had a feeling that I had gotten it and was very sad when I found out,” Rebecca Breckel, a Cleveland resident, said.

As well as being a sad awakening, it came as a surprise to some, especially Medina resident Elizabeth Scott.

“I was very surprised that I had it because I was very cautious,” Scott said.

It also caused many to be concerned for those around them to not get it.

“I wasn’t really surprised because I had been feeling super sick, but I was also worried about my roommate getting it from me,” Kaitlyn Booher, a junior at Ohio University studying Spanish and political science in the Honors Tutorial College, said.

While finding out that one has the virus is extreme-

ly emotional, one of the hardest parts mentally was the quarantine period.

“I felt so extremely lonely and the fact that I couldn’t smell or taste would even upset me more,” Scott said.

Throughout this year, the limited contact has really done a number on individuals’ mental health.

Being isolated and distant has left many feeling lonely and depressed.

“It was extremely hard,” Breckel said. “Not only could I not go to work, but I couldn’t see most of my family and loved ones.”

So how does one bounce back from such a tough place mentally? For many, it’s been a continual process — even as they begin to recover from the virus.

“Going to the gym has the biggest positive impact on my mental health,” Scott said. “Not being able to do that while I was sick made me upset, but I did a lot more stuff like walk with my dog instead.”

For others, this time apart from others has truly given them a better sense of their mental health.

“It taught me a lot. I have to take time away and really focus on me and calming me down,” Breckel said.

Some individuals were also fairly surprised on how much this time has done for them mentally in a good way.

“I really was doing much better overall with my mental health than expected,” Booher said. “I slept a lot but also got ahead in my classes, watched movies and Face-

Timed with my friends, so it really wasn’t too bad.”

The quarantine process is only about 10 days. For Booher, Breckel and Scott, those 10 days proved to be some of the best and worst in 2020.

“If I’ve learned anything, it’s that I can’t let the negatives and the pain take over and bring me down,” Breckel said. “That’s what truly gave me the hope and strength to feel better.”

@ABBY_BROWN20 AB852019@OHIO.EDU ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA JUENGER

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Baking From Home Local baking businesses endure, flourish, transition during pandemic KERI JOHNSON ASST. CULTURE EDITOR While some businesses have closed due to the pandemic, others have felt some unique benefits.

About three years ago, Meg McStevens, of Nelsonville, made the move to Ohio from Montana for one particular reason: Ohio’s flexible Cottage Food Operations laws.

McStevens has a love and passion for baking that has followed her throughout her career. As a Cottage Food Operation, McStevens, owner and operator of Pinkerton’s Cakes, runs her business out of her home.

According to the Ohio Department of Agriculture, a Cottage Food Operation is defined as a person who, in his or home, produces food items that are potentially non-hazardous and for sale.

Potentially non-hazardous food items include bakery products like breads and cookies, jams, jellies, candies and fruit butter, among others. The foods must be labeled properly for sale, too. A “Cottage Food Production Operation” is exempt from inspection and licensing by the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

Though she was working from home before the pandemic, McStevens still found herself in unprecedented circumstances. Her spouse lost his job and income. McStevens found herself the breadwinner of the family.

However, her husband helps out by watching their 18-month-old son.

Pinkerton’s received virtually no orders in March and April. However, business has “quadrupled” since then, McStevens said.

McStevens finds that birthday cake orders are very common and that perhaps a nice cake makes up for an inability to traditionally celebrate.

“It does seem like a lot of people are really yearning for community and celebration, even if that’s just within their families,” Mc-

Stevens said.

McStevens does cakes of all kinds and specializes in wedding cakes. She’s done 20 wedding cakes throughout the entire year — much more than usual, McStevens said.

McStevens sees baking as more of an art than work. She has enjoyed crafting both unique cakes and strong relationships with her customers.

“I kind of look at it as an artist,” McStevens said. “I take a lot of pride in my work ... My cakes are kind of like my babies, so I like having such a close relationship with my customers from start to finish.”

Despite enjoying the extra business, McStevens has found herself in some questionable circumstances during the pandemic; she often delivers the cakes she makes, especially if they are layered and intricate.

“I stack on site usually,” McStevens said. “It makes it necessary (sometimes) that I deliver. I always wear a mask, but once or twice, I have felt really kind of looked at strange.

It felt like I was the only person in the room wearing a mask.”

But Pinkerton’s isn’t the only business that has felt the unique impacts of COVID-19.

Sunflower Bakery owner Liz Florentino is now moving her business into her home.

Sunflower Bakery was a brick-and-mortar store — not a private domicile like Deep Roots Farmgirl Pies, owned by Melanie Linscott.

There, Florentino sold a variety of baked goods, soups, sandwiches and more.

However, the retail location is no more.

“In March, I had to close the shop,” Florentino said. “I tried to do some curbside pick up for a little while, but it was not feasible for me to stay there.”

After the pandemic hit, Florentino was the only one baking in the shop. It was difficult doing all the work, she said. From baking to prepping to packaging, she did it all — usually in just three days. She did curbside orders from the bakery on weekends. She closed in

late September.

“It was a lot of work packed into a small amount of time, so that wore me out, and that’s not sustainable,” Florentino said.

Exhaustion was a major reason for transitioning her business into the home, Florentino said — but so was rent.

“Financially, it wasn’t sustainable. Physically, it wasn’t sustainable,” Florentino said.

Moving Florentino’s business into her home was a lot of work. It took lots of sorting and packing away.

“Fortunately, there’s a new business opening up in that space that will use the big equipment, so I didn’t have to deal with that,” Florentino said. “But there was still tons of tons of stuff — shelving and boxes and packaging and all the food I could possibly bring home.”

Florentino still has access to a commercial oven. She still has her business license, too, until February 2021. Her oven at home, however, is a double oven — about half the size of a commercial baking oven.

As a recent transition to a Cottage Food Operation, she’ll be selling a lesser variety of goods.

“Since I brought the business home, I’m kind of reinventing myself a little bit,” Florentino said. “I’m having to streamline what I make — trying to focus on things that are just the baked goods, not so much the other food.”

Like Florentino, Linscott felt the financial impacts of COVID-19 on her business.

Linscott said she went almost three whole months without baking — nor the income from it.

“For the first few months, I was not able to get my resources,” Linscott said. “I

could not get organic flour and a number of items. I was not baking at all.”

Farmgirl Pies started in August 2019. Linscott sells her handmade organic pies at the Athens Farmers Market every Saturday. From March to late May, she wasn’t in attendance.

But since returning to baking and selling, business has been fruitful.

As a 15-year homesteader and mother of four, Linscott has enjoyed working as a Cottage Food Operation. However, she will soon be baking her Farmgirl Pies in a private retail kitchen space in the city of Athens.

However, Linscott’s kitchen will be just that. It won’t be a retail bakery. There, Linscott will be able to bake more than ever before.

“I’d like to expand my offering, and with the Cottage Food Laws, you’re pretty limited,” Linscott said. “So, in order for me to be able to offer more of the items I wanted to bake, I just needed to kind of upgrade and take my business to the next level.”

@_KERIJOHNSON KJ153517@OHIO.EDU

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World Kindness Day Students, staff feel in 2020 World Kindness Day is more important than ever RILEY RUNNELLS CULTURE EDITOR In a world divided over protests, presidential politics and a pandemic, World Kindness Day could not have come at a better time.

Friday, Nov. 13 is World Kindness Day. Formed in 1998, World Kindness Day promotes kindness throughout the world. The U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia and more celebrate World Kindness Day and use it to reflect upon one of the most important and unifying human principles.

The fact that kindness is unifying is key.

Rebecca Conrad Davenport, a licensed psychologist and associate director/clinical director with Ohio University’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS), feels that with all of the unknowns and heavy issues the world is facing at this time, practicing kindness is a great way to go.

“Kindness – both receiving and giving kindness – is certainly one important way to fuel ourselves to face these challenges,” Davenport said in an email. “We at CPS have been supporting others in difficult conversations and engaging in this challenging work ourselves.”

In celebration of World Kindness Day, CPS added materials to the World Kindness Day website as well as enlisted its social media committee to tweet out reminders about the importance of small acts of kindness.

Zach Meadows, a sophomore studying criminal justice at the OU Chillicothe branch, is no stranger to small acts of kindness. In fact, his small act of kindness went viral.

Meadows is the manager at a Wendy’s in Circleville. One night in March when he was working, a truck driver named Justin Martin pulled in after closing, looking for some food for his long drive.

Normally, Meadows would’ve said Wendy’s

was closed and couldn’t give away any food.

But something about Martin made Meadows want to help.

“Something just kind of hit me to help this guy out,” Meadows said. “I don’t know what it was, but I went out there and threw some stuff together.”

Meadows packed a bag full of food and gave Martin a large drink. When Martin tried to pay, Meadows refused.

Martin was so touched by his kindness that he made a video and posted it on Facebook, talking about how kind Meadows and the rest of the Wendy’s staff that night had been.

The video garnered so much attention that USA Today picked it up and created a “Good News” post with it. They used Martin’s Facebook video as well as an interview with Meadows.

“I told my crew that rules are rules, but

sometimes, being a good person outweighs the consequences I could’ve got,” Meadows said in the USA Today video.

Meadows feels that kindness is so important due to the country’s current climate.

“At the end of the day, we’re still going to have to put our shoes on the same foot,” Meadows said. “I think if we can all be a better person and help each other out, it will make where we live and our community better. It makes it more enjoyable than being hateful toward each other.”

Meadows feels that though life is a little chaotic right now, people should celebrate World Kindness Day by going out of their way for someone — even if it’s just holding a door or talking to a neighbor.

It’s not just Meadows and Davenport who feel this way. Campus orgs are celebrating World Kindness Day as well. Live Positive,

an organization created by a group of best friends, works to create some positivity and stress reduction in its members’ lives.

Brittney Burchett, a junior studying psychology pre-law, has worked with the other founders to keep up virtual involvement during the pandemic to keep members active.

“We’ve posted a few recipes, some journal prompts, just stuff that people can view themselves and work at their own pace and not feel overwhelmed to participate at a certain time or place,” Burchett said.

For World Kindness Day, the group wanted to make an Instagram post to show ways to give kindness to other people. Similarly to Meadows, Burchett feels the simple acts go a long way.

“Mental health for everybody is deteriorating right now,” Burchett said. “I think everybody needs to show kindness to each other, hold out a helping hand. People need to check on their friends and their loved ones because not everyone shows their emotions, and I think it’s really important to extend the kindness to everyone because you don’t know what people are going through, and this year has been so difficult for everybody.”

Burchett, Meadows and Davenport all feel that it’s important to celebrate World Kindness Day every day. Though they know that kindness isn’t the cure for every issue, they truly believe it’s a good place to start.

“I want to be clear that I don’t think kindness alone ends all these heavy issues,” Davenport said in an email. “I think kindness might be the ‘how.’ As we engage in our work and conversations, we can do that with kindness.”

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Solitary Socializing Students discuss OU’s online engagement attempts COLLEEN MCLAFFERTY FOR THE POST With inviting under a third of students back to campus this semester, Ohio University has restricted many to virtual interactions — inside and outside the classroom.

Lockdowns across the world brought concerns about social interaction. Feelings of depression, anxiety and loneliness spiked across the country. With OU confining most to a virtual semester, many students and staff also had concerns.

“It’s really an interesting pivot as a college,” Breanne Sisler, assistant dean of the Honors Tutorial College, said.

“We’ve spent so many years focusing on what students need academically and educationally. A lot of the social aspect is already built into just coming to college, and we haven’t had to worry about it quite as much. We’ve always worried about it, but it’s never been a big focus.

This year, we’ve certainly had to pivot and make sure that we’re meeting students’ social and emotional needs more than it ever has before, but the payoff is huge.”

The virtual setting has been an obstacle for many trying to make friends. It doesn’t allow for students to bump into each other, sitting down for lunch or coffee on campus or just hanging out in the common room of their hall.

Sisler said OU has tasked itself with creating spaces for virtual socialization.

OU hosted a virtual welcome week, complete with virtual escape rooms, casino and trivia nights, music festivals and a hangout for Learning Communities.

Sisler said she and others within HTC looked to replace some of the experiences students would normally have on campus.

“We have a mentor/mentee program where incoming first year students and sophomores can opt to have an upperclassman mentor and sophomores through seniors could apply to be mentors, and so we’ve connected a lot of students that way,” Sisler said.

OU also created spaces where students could try and relax together. The college formed weekly Microsoft Teams meetings where students could pop in and chat at their leisure.

Outside of the HTC, other freshmen commented on OU’s ability to foster student connection. “(My college has) been holding online events like bingo night and quiz games, but I haven’t gone to any because doing things completely online is absolutely horrible,” April Dale, a freshman studying botany, said in a message. “My Learning Community also holds events like study groups and movie nights to try and bring people in our major together.”

Mahala Wanner, another freshman, is on campus for Phase 2. She said some resident advisers and upperclassmen arranged times for freshmen to hang out, like game nights and trips to The Ridges.

Despite this, there were mixed opinions on whether these tactics worked for students.

“Personally, I don’t think they worked because they 14 / NOV. 12, 2020

ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA JUENGER provided social events but I mainly want to connect through academic sources, which they haven’t given a lot of structure for,” Dale said. “None of my classes did breakout rooms or encouraged group work, which would have made the semester go easier.”

Wanner said there was less interest in online activities for those already at OU. “The people at campus seem to struggle to find the motivation to join those online activities, because we just aren’t interested when we can meet each other and do the same things in person,” Wanner said in a message, adding that she found a friend through a game night hosted in her hall.

Wanner worried that cliques of students had already formed from including some but not all in Phase 2. She predicted that clear divides of those who had friends and those who didn’t would be visible next semester.

With the university allowing more students back for the Spring Semester, some believe that the social situation will improve. Sisler, Dale and Wanner are not so convinced.

“I still think we will need to work hard to make sure

the students feel engaged,” Sisler said. “ Even if everyone opted to come back — which I don’t think every student will — making sure that there are still ways they can engage safely online or very safely in person will be really important. I don’t think it will be easier, and so we’re making sure that we don’t let down our guard.”

Sisler knows that the engagement tactics won’t resonate with everyone. However, if she and the rest of the OU staff can create a positive impact on even a small group of students, they’re happy to continue trying.

“So, are our tactics working?” Sisler mused. “ I think so. I think there are a few students who could say that they’ve had positive experiences because they’ve gotten engaged in this way.”

@COLLEENBEALEM CM832719@OHIO.EDU

FOOTBALL

This Day in Bobcat History: Ohio played its first game ever against Marshall ELI FEAZELL SLOT EDITOR The Battle for the Bell is one of the most classic rivalries of Ohio football.

Ohio and Marshall’s campuses are fewer than 100 miles apart from each other, and the two schools have been a part of many classic showdowns, including the 2009 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in Detroit, which the Thundering Herd won 21-17, and a 1977 matchup where 76 total points were scored. Ohio won that game 49-27 in Huntington, West Virginia.

Sixty games have been played in the overall series, with more already planned for the near future. Over time, the rivalry and the circumstances around it have changed, but everything goes back to one day: Nov. 11, 1905.

Ohio was in its 11th year of playing football, and Marshall was in its 10th.

At the time, Ohio’s program didn’t use the Bobcats’ mascot. The team was simply known as the Green and White.

Similarly, Marshall had also yet to introduce its Thundering Herd nickname and were known as the Indians at the time instead.

In 1905, the Green and White were coached by Joseph Railsback, Ohio’s 10th coach in 11 seasons. The team was still figuring itself out at the time and had a record of 0-4-2 that season.

Marshall was led by first-year head coach Alfred McCray. The team was 5-1, with its only loss coming from Kentucky the week prior. With the matchup being played in Huntington, the home-field advantage was in Marshall’s favor.

Ohio, however, kept the game close and lost only 6-5 to Marshall. The onepoint difference is representative of how close and competitive the rivalry has become today, although it has undergone many changes since 1905.

The next game between the two teams was Oct. 3, 1908, in Athens. It was the first game of the season for both teams. The second matchup went differently. Not only did Ohio win this one, but it did so in complete blowout fashion with a score of 59-0. The blowout is still the largest margin-of-victory by either team in the rivalry.

While the two teams have been play-

Ohio University linebacker Jared Dorsa (#49) attempts to tackle the Marshall University offense during the Battle for the Bell on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019. (KELSEY BOEING | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

ing against each other for over a century, the rivalry wasn’t “The Battle for the Bell” until 1997, when Marshall rejoined the Mid-American Conference and “The Bell” was introduced. The Bobcats are 5-11 against Marshall since the rivalry was rebranded.

As of 2020, Ohio leads the all-time series 33-21-6, with other impressive records to go with it. Ohio has 12 shutouts compared to Marshall’s four. The longest win streak in the series is tied at six games, but Ohio had that streak twice — from 1958-1963 and again from 1973-1980 — while Marshall has only done that once.

The last matchup between the two teams was Sept. 14, 2019, in Huntington,

when the Thundering Herd scraped by with a 33-31 win. Even if the game was a loss, there was still a high moment for Ohio when quarterback Nathan Rourke broke the program’s all-time touchdown record.

Ohio’s last win against Marshall was Sept. 12, 2015, in Athens, when the Bobcats beat the Thundering Herd 21-10 with rushing touchdowns from Daz’mond Patterson and A.J. Ouellette and a passing score to Sebastian Smith from JD Sprague.

The next “Battle for the Bell” was supposed to be in 2020 in Athens, but it was canceled due to COVID-19 postponements and rescheduling. That means Marshall will remain the keeper

of “The Bell” until at least 2025, when the Bobcats make another trip to Joan C. Edwards Stadium for a chance to reclaim the trophy. Two years later, in 2027, Ohio will take on Marshall in Athens for the first time since 2015.

@ELIFEAZ EF195418@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 15

FOOTBALL

Ohio leans on De’Montre Tuggle in ugly win over Akron

J.L. KIRVEN SPORTS EDITOR

With one yard to go, and 11 gold helmets in his way, De’Montre Tuggle knew he was getting the ball.

How could he not? Tuggle had carried the ball eight consecutive plays in a row, and with Akron on its heels late in the fourth quarter, one more carry was all he needed to secure an Ohio victory.

Tuggle was surrounded by Akron defenders as soon as the ball snapped. It didn’t bother him, though. He dipped his helmet down and blindly drove his way through the horde of defenders. With one final push, he was able to force the ball over the pylon, securing Ohio’s 24-10 victory over Akron on Tuesday night at Peden Stadium.

Tuggle’s 139 yards and two touchdowns were a bright spot on a night where Ohio’s offense looked mediocre. The Bobcats’ two-quarterback experiment with Kurtis Rourke (8/14, 92 yards) and Armani Rogers (2-3, 30 yards, 1 rushing touchdown) again fizzled, resulting in only 307 yards of total offense.

The Bobcats’ (1-1, 1-1 Mid-American Conference) play calling became predictable late, but the Zips still struggled to stop Tuggle.

“At the end of the day, they have to stop it,” Tuggle said. “They can know what’s coming, but they have to stop it.”

On that last drive, Tuggle was the only person who Ohio trusted with the ball — and for good reason. The Bobcats’ inconsistencies made it tough for coach Frank Solich to send his offense in the right direction.

“I think he showed really well today,” Solich said. “But you could see him really coming on last year, and we knew what kind of back we had, so it’s not surprising he’s showing the way he’s showing.

Like last week, things started off great for the Bobcats offensively.

Rourke once again led the Bobcats to a touchdown on their opening drive, and Rogers led a touchdown drive of his own after entering the game in the second quarter.

16 / NOV. 12, 2020

But then things got tricky.

Akron started to dial up the pressure on Rourke, forcing him to take bad sacks. Rogers started missing his targets. With neither quarterback able to put together a drive, Akron (0-2, 0-2 MAC) kept things tight.

“Offense has got to continue to get drives,” Solich said. “We can’t have short drives and then, all of a sudden, we’re punting and losing field position.”

Luckily for the Bobcats, their defense stepped up tonight to cause turnovers. Both Jett Elad and Keye Thompson’s interceptions set Ohio up with short field position, but misses from 28 yards and 29 yards from kicker Tristian Vandenberg kept Ohio’s lead at one possession for most of the game.

On 4th and 2, Ohio could’ve gone to Tuggle but instead opted for Vandenberg. Once Ohio got another shot to end it, it made the right choice.

Tuggle’s nine carry, 70-yard drive

was what Ohio needed to pull away from the Zips in a game too close for comfort. Akron has lost its last 19 games, and a potential upset would’ve been devastating for the Bobcats.

“We celebrate every win,” Solich said. “If we realistically want to battle for a conference championship, we’ve got to get some things brushed up with a really better football team.”

@JL_KIRVEN JK810916@OHIO.EDU

Ohio football’s De’Montre Tuggle (24) runs the ball for a touchdown during the home game against the University of Akron on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020. (KELSEY BOEING | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

FOOTBALL

What are Ohio’s biggest uncertainties after Akron?

JACK GLECKLER SPORTS EDITOR If there was anything revealed Tuesday after Ohio’s 24-10 win over Akron, it’s the Bobcats have problems that need addressing. The Bobcats pulled away with the win, but they showed weaknesses that a team much better than Akron could use against them.

If Ohio wants a chance at a Mid-American Conference championship, it has several uncertainties it has to address fast.

OFFENSE

Ohio’s greatest advantage this season will also be its biggest uncertainty.

Two star quarterbacks in Armani Rogers and Kurtis Rourke guarantee the Bobcats aren’t short of offensive potential this season.

The problem is that Ohio needs to make a solid commitment as to which quarterback they want to focus on. As of now, Rourke seems the most settled upon candidate. The redshirt freshman has started both games so far this season, with Rogers

coming in to get play time each game.

The duo, while both strong under center, have two starkly contrasting approaches.

Rourke has gone 20-for-33 on passing this season and accounted for 323 of Ohio’s 357 passing yards. Rogers, on the other hand, is second only to Tuggle in terms of rushing with 49 yards in two games. Rourke is struggling with -26 yards so far.

That leaves a few glaring questions: When is a good time to bring in Rogers?

Does it depend on whether Ohio wants to run the ball or not? If the Bobcats depend on the graduate transfer to run the ball most of the time, will it telegraph to their opponents how to stop them?

Rourke hasn’t had a truly bad performance yet this season, so it’s hard for the coaching staff to gauge when the appropriate time to pull him in place of Rogers is.

“We did get (Rourke and Rogers) reps in the first half, and both showed well I thought,” coach Frank Solich said. “Kurtis shows really great flashes as a quarterback and as an excellent thrower and moves in the pocket pretty well but doesn’t have the

speed that Armani has, so we try to give them both reps.”

Whether they fully commit to Rourke or continue along the two-quarterback system, the Bobcats need to figure out how to balance between the two for now.

DEFENSE

Tuesday showed Ohio that its defense needs to improve at killing a drive. Despite winning by two touchdowns, the Bobcats were outpaced in total yards, possession time and total plays. Solich said his biggest gripe with his defense was the lack of three-and-outs from Akron, and that warrants necessary attention.

Ohio’s saving grace came from two interceptions from Keye Thompson and Jett Elad. Both were critical in getting the Bobcats out of tough situations when Akron was driving hard downfield.

Thompson believes the number of young players on the field has been a significant factor in Ohio’s performance. With the absence of Kai Caesar, Alvin Floyd and players who have opted out of the season, many young players like Jeremiah Burton

have stepped in to fill the gaps.

“We put in new, fresh guys and fresh legs out there,” Thompson said. “Those guys are finally starting and just trying to find their way in and their roles. I’m pretty sure by next week in the rest of the season, they’re going to get some penetration and get those sacks.”

Whether the new legs on defense can adapt to their roles or not, the defense is in desperate need of stopping power.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The special teams have been in the hot seat since week one. The departure of kicker Louie Zervos has been felt, as redshirt freshman Tristian Vandenberg has struggled to find consistency in his first two games. The Buffalo native was even replaced by true freshman Jonah Fortkamp after Ohio scored in the fourth quarter to ensure the PAT was good.

Vandenberg has only made one field goal of his four attempts and missed an extra point attempt so far this season.

What’s more complexing is that his completed field goal was also his longest attempt, a 44-yarder on Tuesday.

While punter Jack Wilson has seemed to have evened out since his performance against Central Michigan, Vandenberg is still struggling. Solich has said they’re currently working on adjusting his technique.

“He’s beat himself up a lot, so we don’t need to do that,” Solich said. “He is such a long kicker that he’s back away from the ball further than most kickers. I think he’s almost running to the ball, and we’ve had a little bit of trouble with him putting his plant foot with a toe between the cross bars, and that will cause him to be off balance on his kicks.”

It remains to be seen if Vandenberg can fix his kick in time for Ohio’s road trip to Miami. If he keeps whiffing, Ohio may hand his spot to Fortkamp.

@THEJACKGLECKLER JG011517@OHIO.EDU

Ohio University defensive end Austin Conrad (47), attempts to tackle Akron Zips’ Teon Dollard (7) during the Bobcats’ home game on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020. (KELSEY BOEING | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 17

TUNES WITH TATE

My family rates ‘Positions’ by Ariana Grande TATE RAUB

is a freshman studying journalism at Ohio University

There are a few people in this world who can break the internet, and Ariana Grande is one of them. The Instagram post announcing her new album being out has, at the time of publication, 52,314 comments and over 4 million likes. As we’ve seen throughout this tumultuous year, artists in any sense of the word have had to adapt their pre-planned releases and products of quarantine to the pandemic.

So, when she tweeted “can’t wait to give u my album this month,” on Oct. 14, you can imagine the insane response from across the globe.

The replies included fans thanking her for saving 2020, crying emojis and ‘I love yous.’ People were equally, if not more, excited when she announced the impending release of the single “Positions” and its music video a week later.

After the hit show Victorious, on which Grande played Cat Valentine, ended in February 2013, her music career took off. Her debut album, Yours Truly, was

released later that year with singles “Baby I” and “The Way,” featuring Mac Miller. She has since released five other albums and hit singles, such as “Problem” featuring Iggy Azalea, “Dangerous Woman,” “no tears left to cry” and “thank u, next.”

While appreciation and love for her albums is not hard to come by, Grande has physical proof of their success as well. Among her impressive collection of awards are the 2019 Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album for Sweetener, three American Music Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, four iHeartRadio Music Awards, nine MTV Video Music Awards and more.

As of Nov. 11, 2020, every single track on Positions has made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Positions” and “34+35” are at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, on the Rolling Stone Top 100 chart, and a variety of the new tracks have made it onto top Spotify playlists.

Whether you’re a fan of her music or not, the part she has consistently played in paving the way for women deserves an immense amount of respect. So, before the world is dominated by a rebirth of 1960s fashion inspired by the Positions photoshoot, here’s what the fam had to say: Mom: I did not enjoy this album. My ears aren’t

bleeding or anything, but every song sounds the same.

I couldn’t wait for them to end. And I think Ariana Grande can sing — I have heard more of her music, and she has a good voice. This album did not emphasize it. I may be old and the parent of a Gen-Zer, but I am a GenXer. I grew up with an abundance of good music. This does not fall into that category. Five out of 10. Thank you, next.

Dad: Technically, I suppose this was music, but it didn’t sound like it. The road crew I passed on the way to work sounded far better ... I heard an angry gaggle of geese that I would have rather listened to. I just wanted it to stop. This should be outlawed. Giving this a moon review. No stars. Zero out of 10.

Brother: I didn’t like it. The texture is off. One out of 10.

Tate Raub is a freshman studying strategic communication at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Tate? Tweet her @tatertot1310.

PONDERING WITH PATTERSON

Miley Cyrus is a rock star LAUREN PATTERSON is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University

Oh, smiley Miley. Those of us who have been fans of Miley Cyrus since her Hannah Montana days have been lucky enough to witness her experimentation in the music industry. Cyrus has done almost all of it: Hannah Montana pop, country, pop within itself, rap and even folk. Most recently, Cyrus has taken to officially delving into rock, and to say that it’s working would be an understatement.

Cyrus has experimented with rock music before. She has both participated in and also performed many covers of rock classics. To name just a few: Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog,” Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” and “Wish You Were Here” and The Beatles’ “Help!” These past covers certainly showed potential of a rock era for Cyrus while also revealing the talent she possesses.

Her release of rock music journey started with her live cover of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass.” After performing the track at the virtual iHeart Music Festival and 18 / NOV. 12, 2020

posting a snippet on TikTok, the cover went viral and was followed with an official release on streaming services. This rock side of Cyrus, virtually new to fans and listeners alike, has proven to be immensely popular.

Cyrus’ voice was made for rock music. Her vocals are incredible, and she’s able to not only hit the high notes but also add the rasp and wails that are both necessary and also successful in adding flair. This rasp is especially prevalent in her Save Our Stages Festival cover of The Cranberries’ “Zombie,” which was also released for streaming.

How serious is Cyrus about rock music? She’s serious enough to collaborate on a remix of her own “Midnight Sky” with none other than Stevie Nicks. The “Edge of Midnight” remix features the mashing of Nicks’ 1981 “Edge of Seventeen” and “Midnight Sky,” resulting in a seemingly only imaginable piece of art. The mix of both tracks’ coo-ing nearing the bridge is enough to make the track incredible, let alone the powerhouse vocals already found in both songs as they stand alone.

Cyrus’ new album, Plastic Hearts, is set to release Nov. 27, featuring both pre-released covers, her lead single “Midnight Sky” and the new remix with Stevie

Nicks. Teasing on social media and interacting with fans on Twitter, Cyrus has made it clear that this new album is entirely rock.

This is a new and exciting era for Cyrus, and it might just prove to be one of her most successful experimentations thus far. The talent that she holds is non-human, being able to both constantly and successfully switch it up. Cyrus constantly amazes, and officially taking to rock music will check another mark off her variety in discography, sounding incredible while doing so.

Lauren Patterson is a sophomore studying journalism.

Please note that the views and ideas of columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Lauren? Tweet her @lpaatt.

SO LISTEN

The legacy of Alex Trebek

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MIKAYLA ROCHELLE is a senior studying strategic communication at Ohio University

Alex Trebek, longtime host of the game show “Jeopardy!” passed away peacefully in his home on Nov. 8, at age 80. Trebek was the host of “Jeopardy!” for 36 years. As the show’s host, Trebek was known for being sharp, quick-witted and a bit snarky when contestants got answers wrong that he deemed easy. It was this fun-loving and challenging attitude that made the show entertaining and made it oh-so tempting to play along from home.

Trebek had several hosting gigs on other game shows, but “Jeopardy!” was where he made a name for himself. He started hosting when the show got a reboot in 1984. Trebek has always been the face of the game show and dedicated most of his career to hosting. Trebek has been so dedicated, in fact, that when he announced he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, he decided that he would continue to work and host the show for as long as he could. Trebek knew the impact that he had on viewers and knew how important and impactful it would be to them that he stay strong and continue to be there for them as he has for more than three decades.

Growing up, I always watched “Jeopardy!” with my dad; we would challenge each other to answer the questions first, and when we

both didn’t know about something, we would look it up on Wikipedia and try to learn about the subject.

“Jeopardy!” pushed us — as it pushed so many others — toward curiosity.

Alex Trebek entered all of our living rooms through our televisions — regularly or randomly — to push us and assist us in a pursuit of random facts and knowledge. “Jeopardy!” regulars have Trebek to thank for their plethora of knowledge, be it about history, science, literature, geography or all of these subjects.

When you watch reruns of “Jeopardy!” and hear that soothing and familiar voice, keep in mind the legacy that it has behind it, the legacy of a passionate and witty host who pushed contestants — in person and at home — to be curious and inquisitive.

Mikayla Rochelle is a senior studying strategic communication 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 Mikayla by tweeting her at @mikayla_roch.

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the UV rays.”

It is said to help with “common problems such as winter blues, sleep disorders, light deprivation, jet lag, shift work and other symptoms alleviated by exposure to healthy light.”

ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA JUENGER

6 habits, proceedings to help combat seasonal depression EMMA DOLLENMAYER ASST. BEAT EDITOR As time progresses amid the coronavirus pandemic, it seems as if life has become slightly more normal. The ever-changing colors of leaves are always a mood booster, but it won’t be long until those same trees become barren, the weather bitter and the depression of many elevated. Commonly, many of the current on-campus students are naturally just now becoming accustomed to the new and adjusted campus feel, only to be forced to return home for a lengthy few months and have their set routines disrupted.

Most Bobcats can relate to loving being on campus, surrounded by their friends and having freedom to do as they please, making returning home more difficult. Although there is no denying a break is needed, as most are drowning in stress and suffering from academic burnout as the semester comes to a close, many are dreading being cooped up inside their parents’ home with little to do.

However, the winter does not have to be such a desolate, despondent time 20 / NOV. 12, 2020

period. There are still several aspects of the season that are appealing, such as the holidays and simple facets like hot chocolate, fireside enjoyment and spending time with family. In addition to the classic Christmas and New Year’s clichés, there are other practices to aid in coping with the scientifically proven seasonal depression — professionally referred to as seasonal affective disorder that so many face — often without even knowing it. In fact, here are six habits and proceedings to help combat these dreadful and dreary winter blues: LIGHT BOX THERAPY With fewer hours of daylight during the winter, there is a common deprivation of Vitamin D among considerably healthy individuals. Though sitting and sulking in a dark bedroom can be soothing and serene, it is overall not healthful for the mind and body when engaged in excess.

To simply let a little luminosity in your life, consider investing in a lightbox, or if you are currently a CPS client through the university, you can sign up to indulge in lightbox therapy. According to Verilux, a lightbox therapy retailer, “HappyLight® therapy lamps mimic sunlight to enhance mood, energy, sleep & focus - but without

MEDITATION Some may view meditating as some hippie-like nonsense that has no real benefits, but truthfully, it is a method everyone should immerse themselves in if they are due for some soul-searching or want to go about their day with a better sense of inner peace and tranquility. There is not one rigid practice, as the routine of it is entirely up to you as a meditator. If you are confused as to where to start, try downloading and beginning a trial with meditation apps like headspace or easily watching a YouTube video as a guide. To further your understanding on differing techniques and how to achieve appeasement with yourself, read the Mayo Clinic’s informative article. One can even go as far to doing his/her own research or reaching out to a professional as an assistant. After becoming better acquainted with the tradition, the endless advantages will be sure to be reaped.

JOURNAL Journaling is another simple tool that requires nothing but devoted attention and a positive mindset that is sure to shift one’s attitude regarding the day’s awaiting challenges. Try beginning each day by journaling. Before delving into schoolwork or life’s obligations, treat yourself to defining your intention for that specific day. Leaning into who you are, and deciding which values and words are going to drive the rest of your day is crucial.

Guided journals are the perfect way to establish this new routine. In like manner, ending the day with letting your deep-rooted thoughts and repressed emotions soar onto paper is a way to process whatever it is you are feeling. Lastly, taking a brief one to two minutes to write down a few or more matters you are grateful for will train you in living each day to appreciate what you have versus dwelling on what you don’t.

BE ACTIVE In the warmer months, it is unequivocally easier to step outside and get moving by doing something as simple as going for a walk. Even so, the sunshine is motivation within itself to inspire others to get in their cars and head to the gym. It may seem tempting at times to stay snuggled up in bed, especially when the temperature falls brisk, but it is more than fundamental to remain active.

Octane Fitness’ blog detailed 10 reasons why exercise is essential in the winter,

which includes reasons like it helps retain and gain energy, aids in sleep and even makes one feel better when they decide to satiate in the holiday comfort foods.

Instead of having to rush to work for that spring break and summer body, start now.

Don’t let the cold be your excuse.

DAWN SIMULATORS Quite similar to the Light Box therapy, dawn simulators are essentially alarm clocks that wake one up with a sunlight imitation and softer sounds, rather than the standard annoying buzzing and beeping noise. Most dawn simulators also have a sunset feature, which helps one fall asleep more naturally and faster.

The amount and quality of sleep each individual receives is an indicator of how he/she will experience the rest of the day. Philips Sleep and Wake Up Lights allegedly help balance “your light exposure with sufficient light during the day, and low light during the night you can achieve a good balance between rest and activity – having a direct impact on your body, mood, and energy, and ultimately, helping to reduce a variety of health risks.”

DO SOMETHING EACH AND EVERY DAY FOR YOU Last, but most certainly not least, is to put yourself first. Though all of the previous suggestions along with this one are not only important to hone in on during all times of the year, being able to identify an activity that is beneficial to your mind and body during the roughest months should not be an option, but an obligation.

Love yourself enough to want to experience the bitter days better by meditating, journaling, going for a walk, waking up more naturally but then also winding down with something you love to do. This could be as simple as watching your favorite movie, listening to your favorite playlist and singing out loud, snuggling with your pet or treating yourself to dinner at your favorite restaurant. In conclusion, do more for you. Read a book, smile more and remember the winter bleakness is only temporary.

If you or a loved one’s seasonal affective disorder prevails and worsens to the point help is needed, contact any of the below resources.

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE: 800-273-8255 EXPRESSWAY TO A FRIEND: 877-5670508

@EMMADOLLENMAYER ED569918@OHIO.EDU

How to prioritize your health over the holidays without restricting, missing out MADDIE BUSSERT FOR THE POST The holiday season is quickly approaching, and with it comes more opportunity for gatherings centered around food and sweets. Regardless of what’s being celebrated, eating during the holidays typically consists of family recipes and delicious desserts. Because of this, food can become a major source of anxiety for anyone trying to diet or even just maintain their current health goals.

Concern and stress regarding holiday food can lead some to completely concede their health goals — swearing to themselves that when the first of the year rolls around, they’ll change their ways for good. But contrary to popular belief, you can still participate in all your favorite holiday traditions and foods without compromising your progress or goals.

Concern and stress regarding holiday food can lead to destructive comments like, “I’ll just not eat today so I can save up for an extra plate/dessert tonight,“ or “I’ll need to run this off later or I’ll gain weight” or “I can’t be trusted around this food, I’ll eat the whole dish.”

Most of us have heard or even said a variation of one of these phrases before. They sound innocent enough, but upon further inspection, they all promote a restrictive mindset toward food.

Restricting yourself with food can be unintentional, hiding in the name of “discipline.” You might think that by holding back and not eating your favorite things, you’re being strong and controlled, not letting the holidays be a reason to break your diet. By holding yourself back from enjoying your favorites, you could be feeding into diet culture and end up doing more harm than good in the long run.

What is diet culture? It’s a belief system that focuses on and values weight, shape and size over well-being. More often than not, toxic diet culture promotes an unhealthy pattern of eating with a sole focus on being skinny.

Diet culture can be a weapon, rendering those who fall victim to it to believe they’re not supposed to eat foods that aren’t labeled “good.” It promotes an unhealthy idea of discipline and dieting that’s unsustainable to follow for long periods of time and leaves the person feeling guilty and unworthy of eating certain foods.

Labeling certain foods such as cookies, cake, pie, etc., “bad” is a move that traditional diet culture profits off immensely. Doing so can unintentionally lead you to subconsciously glorify these foods. If you hold yourself back from enjoying them, it’s more likely you’ll trick your mind into wanting the food more. At the worst level, this could lead into a permanent unhealthy relationship with food and diet culture.

So what does this mean you should do for the holiday if you have a goal of weight loss but your most treasured part of the holiday season is enjoying the familiar flavors of a home-cooked meal? In short, enjoy your meal. Being a healthy person requires a delicate

ILLUSTRATION BY MARY BERGER balance, and it is certainly attainable to eat a meal you might’ve once considered “bad” and still lose weight.

Remember that while holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are centered around eating a huge meal, lots of options are still bound to be healthy. Corn, turkey, green beans, potatoes, etc. are all traditional Thanksgiving foods that might even be healthier than a typical dinner.

Ultimately, whatever your holiday food is going to consist of depends solely on your personal goals and your relationship with food. The most imperative thing is to be in touch with your personal goals and what you want out of the holiday.

If you have a goal to lose weight, that’s totally achievable, even while enjoying yourself and treating yourself.

Instead of punishing yourself the next day and attempting to burn off all the food you ate, simply treat the next day as you would any other day.

If you’re not comfortable setting aside your usual dietary patterns for a celebration or you know it’s impossible for you to eat certain foods without feeling guilty,

that’s OK, too. If this is the case, it would be beneficial to talk to whomever you’re celebrating with to make sure they know how much you value sticking to a certain diet. Portion control is key.

It’s important to remember that just as one healthy meal won’t make you skinny, one holiday dinner or dessert won’t blow your diet or slow your progress. It’s normal to fall off routine during the holidays, so don’t beat yourself up for it.

Avoiding that all-or-nothing mindset is what’s going to help keep you on track and get right back to your healthy habits when the holidays are over.

@BUSSERTMADDIE MB901017@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 21

the weekender

Adelphia Music Hall features local songwriters in Marietta ERIN GARDNER FOR THE POST

The Adelphia Music Hall is certainly putting on a dinner and a show this Friday.

The music hall, 203 2nd St., Marietta, is putting on its very first episode of The Southeastern Sessions with Craig Heath, Megan Bee and John Walsh.

“It will be a sit-down dinner show with an amazing menu,” Bee, a singer/songwriter, said. “It’s an amazing restaurant. And me, John and Craig will be performing in a Nashville-style in the round performance where we each take a turn playing a song, so you’ll get a big variety with the three of us all taking turns playing.”

Walsh is the organizer of the event and also one of the performers. Walsh’s day job is at Alliance Industries, which is a collection of companies that do everything from manufacturing heavy equipment to owning and operating The Galley and Adelphia Music Hall.

The music hall opened in 2010. Walsh feels it’s a cool venue with the stage, balcony and malleable floor.

“In other words, we can move tables around, and now, in the socially distanced format, that’s pretty handy,” Walsh said.

When the venue opened back up from previously being closed because of the pandemic, Walsh wanted to do a singer/songwriter series because he knows a lot of great songwriters in the area. He wants to do the series every six weeks or every other month. Walsh wants to focus on local music with the event. “…It’ll be kinda an acoustic/unplugged format of show,” Walsh said. “It’ll be limited seating and kind of a dinner show thing. It’s worked out pretty well. You max out at 50 people in the whole place…which makes it kind of a real intimate atmosphere. It’s a great vibe.”

Walsh has also been a lifelong musician longer than he’s been anything else.

“I’ve been pretty active in the Mid-Ohio Valley music scene for, I guess I could say, decades,” Walsh said.

“I’ve been playing guitar since I was 11 years old. That was 1974, so that’s about 46 years of practice.”

He describes his style as acoustic rock and got his inspiration from Dan Fogelberg, Jackson Browne and James Taylor. Walsh also heavily admires the other singers and their sound.

“Craig has a beautiful, unbelievable singing voice in addition to being a really talented songwriter,” Walsh said. “He’s got kind of a Celtic flavor along with some gospel. He plays keyboards as well as guitar. (There’s) a really smooth sound coming out of Craig and interesting points of view and stories. And then Megan is the troubadour of the group. She’s out there travel22 / NOV. 12, 2020

ing around and making a living, singing her songs. She has a real rootsy sound. I think it’s gonna be interesting because it’s all acoustic-based music, (but) there’s three distinctly different styles.”

Bee is also performing at the Adelphia Music Hall. She describes her sound as folk Americana.

She has been performing as Megan Bee for about five years, and she had a trio for around another five years before that.

“I have a background in environmental education and farming and traveling, and so that seeps into my lyrics a lot,” Bee said.

Bee is really excited to do the show with Walsh and Heath, who she feels are great regional songwriters and performers.

“The venue’s doing everything they can to adhere to the CDC guidelines, and they’re encouraging reservations, and they’re really spacing it out,” Bee said. “I felt confident that the venue has taken every precaution.”

The music venue scene has taken a hit because of the pandemic. The event Friday night is a rare chance to sit down and listen to some tunes.

“This year has been incredibly interesting because so many venues have shut down or discontinue music for the time being,” Bee said. “I’ve had some outdoor events this summer, some winery gigs and a couple of patio shows where they have the ability to space people out. But really, most musicians, a lot of my musician friends aren’t playing at all, so it’s a really rare event to get to have a seated show indoors this year.

That has not been happening at all.”

Students are excited about the event and think it’s a fun opportunity.

“This event looks like a great opportunity for anyone seeking a bit of ‘normalcy’ because you can go out and listen to music safely and just enjoy the night!”

Leslie Aguilera, a senior studying pre-law, said.

IF YOU GO @ERINGARDNER_ EG245916@OHIO.EDU

WHAT: Southeastern Sessions with Craig Heath, Megan Bee and John Walsh WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.

WHERE: The Adelphia Music Hall, 203 Second Main St., Marietta ADMISSION: Free, but reservations are highly encouraged (740-374-8278)

WHAT’S GOING ON? Join OU Hillel for virtual Shabbat; submit artwork to Women of Appalachia ISABEL NISSLEY FOR THE POST

FRIDAY, NOV. 13 Virtual Shabbat at 6 p.m., hosted by Hillel at Ohio University via Zoom.

Join OU Hillel for a student-led, virtual Shabbat. Although the event is online, students are still encouraged to lead prayer, offer a D’var or contribute musically.

Admission: Free

SATURDAY, NOV. 14 Prescribed Fire Training at 11 a.m., hosted by Woodcock Nature Preserve at 5975 Marshfield Rd. Learn about safe prescribed fires at the Woodcock Nature Preserve. The class is intended to get people up to speed on volunteering with Woodcock Nature Preserve on their prescribed fire program. Participants are encouraged to bring a camping chair and dress in layers. Masks are required.

Admission: Free, $10 suggested donation Cat’s Pajamas Clothing Exchange Donation Drop-off at 12 p.m., hosted by Rural Action and UpCycle Ohio Community Makerspace at 751 W. Union St. Donate clothing and get a ticket for the Cat’s Pajamas Clothing Exchange. Although this yearly Athens tradition has been delayed by the pandemic, Rural Action and UpCycle Ohio are still planning

to provide a safe and innovative way to donate and “shop.”

Admission: Free to donate clothing and for Makerspace members; $15 for the public Dressy Owls at 1 p.m., hosted by The Dairy Barn Arts Center via virtual meeting. Make a hand-stitched, felt owl with Ann Judy. This family-friendly, virtual class allows participants to learn basic art skills while creating a personal dressy owl. Participants need to buy a kit containing supplies for the class, which can be picked up in a no-contact location at the Dairy Barn.

Admission: $20 for non-members, $17 for members Walking Tour of the Historic Athens Asylum at 2 p.m., hosted by the Southeast Ohio History Center, 100 Ridges Circle. Walk and talk about the history of the famed Athens Asylum, the renowned landscaped grounds, historic cemeteries and the evolution of mental health treatment from the inception of this storied institution with long-time Asylum employee George Eberts. The tour will last for roughly two hours and will occur rain or shine.

Admission: $15 for Southeast Ohio History Center members, $18 for regular non-member adults, $10 for students with a student ID, free for children 12 and under

SUNDAY, NOV. 15 Women of Appalachia Project Fine Art Exhibition Submission Deadline at 11:59 p.m., hosted virtually by The Dairy Barn Arts Center. Submit artwork to this all-media juried exhibition by Nov. 15 at 11:59 p.m. The 12th annual exhibition will feature literary, visual and performance art created by women. The form for submission can be found on the Dairy Barn’s website.

Admission: $35 for non-members, $25 for members and students

@ISABELNISSLEY IN566119@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 23