Southern Accent, Vol. 78 Issue 15

Southern Accent

Southern addresses student

concerns about environmental consciousness on campus

Students charged with crime after entering students’ dorm room

Amanda Blake Managing Editor

"The university is committed to recycling and protectinig the enviroment; however, this can clash with their commitment to keeping costs as low as possible for students."

(Photo sourced from: Google Images)

Alana Crosby Editor-in-Chief

During last semester’s Town Hall meeting, students raised questions about recycling practices on campus, specifically expressing concerns about the use of Styrofoam in the cafeteria. This article further explores those questions.

According to Tom Verrill, senior vice president for Financial Administration, Food Services uses 15 to 20 cases of Styrofoam products a week. The cafeteria recycles cardboard, plastic bottles, aluminum cans and as much food waste as possible, Verrill wrote in an email to the Accent. He explained that Food Services is always looking for better packaging options.

“Last week Teddy Kyriakidis, the Food Services director, met with the owner of the composting company we use,” Verrill wrote. “He informed him that he is working with some large distributors of compostable products to negotiate lower product pricing so that these alternatives can be more affordable.

Teddy assured the distributor that we’d switch over if they could offer them at comparable pricing.”

According to Verrill, the university is committed to recycling and protecting the environment; however, such ideals can clash with the organization’s commitment to keeping costs as low as possible for students.

“The university is commit-

ted to doing what we can in the way of recycling and protecting the environment,” Verrill wrote in an email to the Accent. “We consider those efforts within the context of their cost, trying to balance the importance of environmental sustainability with the also important goal of keeping the cost of attending college as low as possible for our students.”

Student Association (SA) President Kenneth Bautista, senior business major, said SA Senate has headed an Eco Initiative Committee for the past two years. However, this year, Senate has not formed the committee, choosing instead to focus on other things. Bautista said he made an

effort to address some of the recycling needs on campus by speaking to Kyriadikis about the possibility of using recyclable to-go boxes in the cafeteria. His concerns centered around the Styrofoam containers, which he believes are used too excessively.

“So, I went to talk to them, and I came up with options of possible things we could do,” Bautista said. “And to be honest with you, I didn't get the energy. … I brought up options of [how] we could do paper instead of Styrofoam, and instead of saying, ‘Okay, what can we do together?’ The reply was more of, ‘no.’ So, I don't know what to do next in that area.”

Two Southern Adventist University students, both 19 years old, were charged with trespassing after climbing through an unlocked window into two other students’ dorm room on the first floor of Talge Hall, according to an incident report filed by the Collegedale Police Department (CPD). The trespass occurred at approximately 4:15 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 29.

There were two students sleeping in the room during the incident, according to Campus Safety’s crime log. The trespassers were also Talge Hall residents, and, according to Shawn Haas, associate director of Campus Safety, they were likely trying to avoid disciplinary action related to missing curfew.

“This is not regular. I have been at Campus Safety since 2013. I do not recall this ever happening before,” wrote Haas in an email to the Accent.

Campus Safety was notified of the crime by a walk-in report at

Southern removes superscoring from full tuition scholarship criteria

Amanda Blake Managing Editor

Starting in the Fall 2023 semester, incoming students will no longer be able to qualify for the Full Tuition Scholarship from Southern Adventist University using their ACT or SAT superscore, which is the average of their highest subscores from multiple test attempts. This change was enacted after the school saw an 867% increase in the number of freshmen receiving the scholarship over the last 10 years, said Ryan Herman, director of admissions for Enrollment Management.

Herman discussed this trend and Southern’s response in an interview and through email correspondence with the Accent.

Southern began accepting superscores in fall 2019. Since then, the number of incoming students qualifying for full tuition has seen a significant increase, with 37 freshmen recipients in fall 2019 to 58 in fall 2022. Of those 58, 32 superscored.

Herman added, however, that Southern’s freshman class size has been increasing since fall 2018, with the exception of fall 2020.

“It is reasonable to assume that a part of the natural growth we’ve experienced has led to the increase in the Full Tuition Scholarships awarded,” he wrote, “but with the addition of superscoring in fall 2019, the increase became unsustainable from a financial perspective.”

Doug Frood, associate vice

president of Financial Administration, explained why he believes this trend is occurring in an email to the Accent.

“What I believe is happening is parents and their students have, at some level, learned how to play the game,” he wrote. “One way to lower the cost of higher ed is getting a merit scholarship. So those who can are focusing on how to do that.”

He added that Southern’s recent success in placing students

in medical school has drawn more biology students, many with high GPAs and thus more likely to attain a Full Tuition Scholarship, to the university.

“This [surge] is beginning to spill over to computing, business and chemistry,” Frood wrote.

In the 2021-2022 academic year, Southern spent $3.4 million on Full Tuition Scholarships, said Herman. This year, the amount is closer to $4 million. Southern’s undergraduate

enrollment last fall was 2,571, and 186 (7.2%) of those students are receiving the Full Tuition Scholarship.

In addition to removing superscoring from the Full Tuition Scholarship criteria, Southern has introduced a new scholarship: 50% Tuition. Incoming students will be able to qualify for this and lower renewable academic scholarships using their superscore. The other scholarships, renewed each year, are $2,000, $4,000 and $6,000.

Herman said part of the reason Southern has implemented the 50% Tuition Scholarship is because administration recognizes that some students will choose not to come to Southern if they cannot receive full tuition using their superscore. Administrators hope this scholarship will still provide enough incentive; however, the university expects to lose roughly 10 students com-

See FULL TUITION on page 3

Graph representing recipients of the Full Tuition Scholarship based off of freshman that superscored or did not superscore.

(Graphic by: Amanda Blake)

Bautista said that Kyriadikis informed him prices of recyclable materials are much higher than what the cafeteria regularly uses, so Bautista offered to make up the difference with SA funds.

Additionally, in 2020-2021, the Eco Initiative Committee spoke to Village Market Manager Jackie Rose about the possibility of switching from plastic grocery bags to paper, according to Bautista. At the time, the Village Market made no effort to implement any changes. According to Rose, the decision was made after researching effects on the environment to manufacture paper bags,

plus ease of recycling plastic vs paper. However, in a recent interview with the Accent, Rose said that he is open to the idea of trying a paper bag option and seeing how it is received.

Rose explained that the cost of paper bags is much greater than plastic. As of 2022, plastic bags, according to Rose, cost 3.7 cents per bag, whereas paper bags cost 12-18 cents per bag, meaning that the Village Market would have to charge for them. He suggested that the best option for the environment in this case would be to buy reusable tote bags.

Another reason the Village Market has not switched to paper bags is the size, according to Rose. He wrote in an email to the Accent that he has yet to find a paper bag that

will accommodate the size of the deli to-go boxes. Rose said paper bags are definitely a possibility that he will look into, but the added cost is unavoidable.

“One thing we have discussed recently is that we probably need to do more to communicate to campus what we are doing to protect the environment and how students and employees can partner with us in that effort,” Verrill wrote.

“For example, we are often surprised by the number of foam to-go boxes that return via the cafeteria tray line, having never left the dining hall. We need to help students understand better that this results in a substantial waste of foam, besides the fact that they are charged more for these containers.”

How many students used the Writing Center in recent years?

Mckee Library’s annual reports for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years show a decline in students attending the Writing Center. Much of this decline is not only due to the pandemic, but also to tutor shortages, according to both Sonja Fordham, the Writing/Tutoring Center director, and the latest annual report.

According to the 2021-2022 report, a total of 2,654 students attended Southern that year, 1,749 Writing Center appointments were provided during the school year and, on average, students visited two to three times.

According to the 2020-2021 annual report, the total enrollment was 2,903, and the total number of Writing Center appointments was 2,008. The average number of times students came to the Writing Center that year is unknown.

Fordham stated in an email to the Accent that the number of appointments over the past couple years is a significant drop from previous years.

"This is a decrease from the number of appointments during

the preceding five years when the number of appointments was between 1,260 to 1,777 per semester,” she wrote. “After the pandemic, writing centers all over the United States saw a decrease in the number of appointments that students scheduled. Our Writing Center

has been no

different. The pandemic had a big impact on students’ mental health, and many students may feel so overwhelmed that they don’t feel like they can add another thing to their daily schedule. I hope that this semester and in future semesters, students will recognize the value of utilizing

the Writing Center during the process of writing their papers."

Selina O’Connor, junior religious education major, said she hasn’t been visiting the Writing Center because she found other writing resources.

“I think the Writing Center is very useful, but I forget that it exists a lot,” she wrote in a text message.

“Like, I'm more likely to put my paper through Grammarly than go to the Writing Center, simply out of convenience.”

Other student comments were more positive: Lydia Kelly, freshman business major, texted, “What I've heard from other students about the Writing and Tutoring Center was the fact that they wished they had visited it earlier.”

Some of the decline in attendance, according to last academic year’s annual report, is attributed to the shortage of tutors, which did not match student demand. Currently, 11 tutors are employed at the Writing Center, two of whom are temporary workers. This is a drop from 2020-2021, which had 14 tutors, one being a temporary worker.

Shelly Merryman, Mckee Library’s Tutoring Center office manager, explained the requirements for becoming a tutor: Qualified candidates must have at least a B in the classes they would tutor, recommendations from two professors and a minimum of four hours available to tutor.

“Starting in the 2023-2024 academic year, all tutors will have the option to become [College Reading and Learning Association] CRLA certified tutors. Training for the certification will include 10 hours of instruction on the basics of tutoring, learning or student techniques, communication, and ethics and equality,” Fordham wrote, “The Writing Center tutors currently take part in ongoing weekly training on the theories and practices of the tutoring of writing. This training includes strategies for facilitating writing improvement in others.” More information about tutoring is available at Mckee Library. Individuals interested in becoming tutors should talk to Fordham, or send an email to Mckee Library.

Fitness class offers free personal training for campus

A class in Southern Adventist University’s School of Health and Kinesiology offers free personal training to students, faculty and staff. Mike Boyd, associate professor in the school, has been teaching the in-person class for 11 years and hopes it helps students develop a passion for helping people.

“This personal training course is composed of students that want to complete a certification in fitness and health, specifically personal training,” said Boyd. “Students are taught the skills related to training and working with a variety of clients to help them reach specific fitness goals.”

Students are required to work with two clients every semester, according to Boyd. The first client is one the students recruit on their own, typically someone who is a friend of the student. The second client is assigned to them by Boyd. The program is open to students, faculty or staff who wish to become clients and receive help reaching their fitness goals from a student trainer.

“I’ve enjoyed developing relationships [with the students],” said Renita Moore, first year experience coordinator for the Student Success Center.

“This personal training course is composed of students that want to complete a certification in fitness and health, specifically personal training.”

(Photo sourced from: Unsplash)

Social Media Manager Anna Estep

working at Southern.

”The best part is getting back in the routine, a healthy routine, trying to get back on that horse and learning some new things from students,” she said. Moore’s favorite memory from her times as a client was when a student took her to a local dance studio to exercise and take classes. This was very special to Moore because she took six years of ballet when she was a child.

“Going and doing this modern dance at this studio was kind of fun,” Moore said.

Boyd said the class has helped a lot of people start their fitness journeys and change their lives for the better. He shared a story of how a student who took the course has uniquely helped other people’s lives.

Editor-in-Chief Alana Crosby

Managing Editor Amanda Blake News Editor Matthew Orquia

Lifestyle Editor Elise Deschamps

Photo Editor Adam De Lisser

Religion Editor Madison Wilcox

Opinion Editor Christina Cannon

Moore has participated as a client at least a dozen times since she began

Sports Editor Jacob Nevis

Copy Editors

Stefanie Green

Layout Designers

Anton Kannenberg

Hannah Mortenson

Web Manager

Nickolas Nieves

Circulation Manager Norelie Cabrera

“My favorite story is one of a student trainer that had previously been significantly obese,” Boyd said. “At one point in her life, she weighed well over 300 pounds. This young lady is now a personal trainer and has been helping people reach their fitness goals because she can empathize better than most any other trainer can. She keeps a picture of her previous self on her phone so she can show her clients that she understands. She can relate because she has been there.”

Reporters Génesis Ventura

Charlene Arnold

Kathy Zelidon

Hannah Johnson Photographers

Preston Waters

Ron Cabacungan Mila Bales

Staff Sponsor Alva James-Johnson

Emily Morgan

Staff Writer

April Espinoza Staff Writer

"Food Service uses 15 to 20 cases of Styrofoam products a week."

February 3, 2023. (Photo by Mila Bales)

Anna Bennethum, a tutor for Mckee Library, meets with Jomari Villoso in the writing center. February 2, 2023. (Photo by Mila Bales)

TRESPASSING

continued from page 1

around 9:05 a.m. that same day, according to Haas

“Students reported that they woke up to both students climbing through their window,” Haas wrote. “They did not know them and could not identify them. The students entering the room did not speak to them or engage them in any way. They simply exited the room out into the hallway.”

Campus Safety officers watched camera footage and worked with deans to iden

tify the two suspects. They then contacted the CPD.

CPD Officer Corporal Ben Parker was dispatched to Talge Hall at 2:57 p.m. that day, according to the incident report. Enroute, he was redirected to Campus Safety, where he spoke with one of the victims and Campus Safety Officer Sergeant Matt Gunther.

The incident report continued to explain that Gunther found video footage of the suspects entering the parking lot. Using the parking registration sticker on the vehicle, he was able to identify the suspects.

Parker also used the video

footage and school photos to confirm the suspects’ identities.

“As the suspects entered the window of a dorm room that they did not have rights to enter, I am charging them both with violation of TCA 39-14-405 (Criminal Trespass),” wrote Parker to conclude the report.

In email correspondence with the Accent, Jamie Heath, assistant chief of police at the CPD, explained what happened next. He wrote that Parker obtained misdemeanor warrants from Collegedale Municipal Court for both students that afternoon.

One student was found in his dorm room later that day and

arrested. He was in custody for approximately 25 minutes. The other student turned himself in on Feb. 2 and was in custody for approximately 10 minutes. Both were released on O.R. bond, meaning they did not have to pay a bond to be released. Their court dates are set for March 29 at 3 p.m.

“If the victims wish to decline prosecution, they will have an opportunity to express that to the prosecutor on the day of court,” Heath wrote. “If the District Attorney decides that the State no longer wishes to pursue prosecution based on any new information, they may

do so on the day of court.”

Haas encourages students to ensure that their windows and doors are closed and locked.

“Campus Safety is always concerned with students' safety,” Haas wrote. “While this appears to be two residents attempting to get into the dorm while avoiding curfew issues, it could have been something more serious. … Also, in the event a crime or something strange (suspicious activity) occurs, please contact Campus Safety or 911 as soon as possible.”

Collegedale News Editor Elsie Pak contributed to this article.

February

FULL TUITION

continued from page 1

pared to average enrollment in fall 2023 due to this change.

“However, we expect that some students that qualified for a superscored Full Tuition Scholarship — and now would not qualify — would choose to retake their standardized test to score high enough to receive the Full Tuition Scholarship with the single test results,” Herman added.

The Accent polled 18 students who said they are receiving the

Full Tuition Scholarship, three who said they superscored and 15 who said they qualified using their composite scores. The three who superscored indicated that they would have still attended Southern even if they had not qualified for full tuition. Of the 15, eight indicated that they would not have attended Southern if they hadn’t qualified, while seven said they still would have attended.

“I would have likely chosen Southern because most of my senior high school class was plan-

ning to attend here,” wrote Josh Kim, senior chemistry major, who receives the Full Tuition Scholarship. “Also, my parents wanted me to go to an Adventist school, and this was the closest one.”

Jeffrey Meadows, junior secondary education-mathematics major, also receives full tuition, but he wrote that he would not have attended Southern had he not qualified for the scholarship.

“With me and my sister needing to come [to college] at the same

time, and my younger brother being in academy, my parents paying for all three would’ve been impossible,” Meadows said.

Herman added that the university expects to save $400,000 next academic year due to this change. In four years, the total savings could reach $2 million, depending on enrollment, as fewer incoming freshmen receive the Full Tuition Scholarship and instead receive the 50% Tuition Scholarship.

The university plans to allocate

these savings to other scholarships, primarily need-based funding.

“While we love to reward those that are high academically, we recognize that we serve a large, broad range of students,” Herman said. “So, we will be taking a lot of that money and putting it into other scholarships, needbased funding, so it’s not being completely just saved for the university. The intention is to use those funds across a larger number of students.”

Sexual assault suspect Claude Finch faces recent charges

Charlene Arnold Reporter

Twenty-five year-old Claude Finch III, who was charged with sexual assault in 2021 after multiple incidents on Southern Adventist University’s campus, was arrested and charged with solicitation of a minor and aggravated sexual battery on Jan. 25, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office online booking report.

News Channel 9 reported that the arrest came after Finch was caught allegedly sexually soliciting a 10-year old at Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park on Gunbarrel Road, where he was employed as the park’s safety manager. The article said Morgan Young, Urban Air’s general manager, had confirmed reports that Finch led the victim to an area out of surveillance view and attempted to bribe the minor with $60 worth of arcade cards to grope the victim’s buttocks.

According to News Channels 9, Young said Urban Air ran a background check on Finch before hiringhim, but nothing was flagged. News Channel 9 subsequently ran a background check, and all of Finch’s charges showed up.

As reported in a previous Accent article, Finch was arrested and charged with

evading arrest, reckless endangerment, sexual battery and stalking in November and December of 2021 due to incidents involving two Southern female students.

According to the deputy clerk with the Hamilton County Criminal Courts Clerk’s office, Finch is currently out on a $35,000 and $50,000 bond and has a case in General Sessions Court related to the recent arrest. His first arraignment is set for April 6, she said.

Finch was jailed at the Silverdale Detention Center.

All incidents involving Finch are being investigated by the Chattanooga Police Department, according to J. Matt Lea, public relations manager for Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.

According to Collegedale Police Department Assistant Chief of Police Jamie Heath, Finch’s cases left Collegedale and went through the grand jury.

“All of his cases, past and present, are now in Hamilton County Criminal Court. Other than his bans from SAU campus, if there are any other restrictions on Mr. Finch, they would be through the county court system, not ours,” Heath said.

Assistant Chief of Police for the Chattanooga Police Department, Jerri Sutton, shared tips on how the public can avoid unwanted encounters.

“As you know, there's a sex offender registry,” Sutton said. “Those who are concerned about sex offenders can con-

sult the registry to know who to avoid. At the very least, any person should get to know the people they interact with on a

regular basis or anyone they engage with for whom they may have concerns.”

Claude Finch III (Photo courtesy of source)

"Campus Safety officers watched camera footage and worked with deans to identify the two suspects."

6, 2023. (Photo by: Alana Crosby)

Ignite Live

Austin Rotinsulu sings during the Southern's Got Talent segment.

Saturday, January 21, 2023. (Photo by Adam De Lisser)

Gianna Bacchiocchi, Josue Vega and Elise Deschamps recognize Aaron Patterson for his contribution to Ignite with flowers and a sash. A founder of the show, Patterson will be graduating in May and passing on his position as co-host to someone new.

Saturday, February 5, 2023. (Photo by Adam De Lisser)

Special guest Cory Asbury sits on a panel with Ignite hosts Gianna Bacchiocchi and Aaron Patterson.

Saturday, February 5, 2023. (Photo by Adam De Lisser)

Cory Asbury sings at the end of Ignite Live.

Saturday, February 5, 2023. (Photo by Mila Bales)

The audience supports Ignite

talent show contestant Triniti Evans as she sings. Saturday, February 5, 2023. (Photo by Adam De Lisser)

Members of Merge and Engage praise teams join Cory Asbury in performing his song “Reckless Love.”

Saturday, February 5, 2023. (Photo by Adam De Lisser)

OPINION

My love-hate relationship with veganism

Alana Crosby Editor-in-Chief

I have no trouble admitting it: Vegan propaganda can be incredibly derisive, overbearing and radical. For example, according to a 2012 article by The Times of Israel, in 2004

PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) was sued for a campaign it titled “Holocaust on your plate.” The disturbing campaign featured the slogan “For animals, all people are Nazis.”

The logic that the campaign creators used to come to this conclusion is almost unfathomable. PETA lost the lawsuit in 2009 and was called out for the pain the campaign had caused by comparing the suffering of Jewish people to animals.

The distinction that must be made, I believe, is that animals

are sentient, but by no means equal to humans. While this may seem like an obvious observation to most of us, given the extremist views of PETA, it is not obvious to all. The goal of this article, however, is not to throw out the logical arguments for veganism because of the fallacies of radical vegans. Let’s take a moment to look at some balanced, rational reasons for veganism.

A quick disclaimer: I am a struggling vegan at best. The food that is often convenient and comforting is rarely healthy or vegan. But the conditions in the dairy and meat industry have reached a point of inhumanity that calls for action, regardless of how small. Why

should the suffering of commonly eaten animals be viewed differently than the suffering of dogs and cats? What makes them different? Our proximity … our affection? These cannot be the only elements that make something worth protecting.

The destructive impact on the environment due to commercial farming rises to the list of good reasons to adopt a vegan diet. According to a recent study by The Guardian, the worldwide cattle industry creates more greenhouse emissions than cars, boats, trains and planes combined. Most of this comes from the massive amounts of waste that livestock creates. Matador Network reports, “The digestive

process of cattle releases methane into the atmosphere, which is far more dangerous than the carbon dioxide emitted from cars.”

In addition to wreaking havoc on the planet, the meat and dairy industry is doing an overwhelming amount of damage to humans themselves. CBS News released an article saying that the consumption of meat and dairy may be as harmful to your health as smoking cigarettes, and those who get their protein from animal products show higher risks for growing cancer cells.

The study went on to say that decreasing animal proteins in the diet can reduce early mortality rates by 21 percent. The New York Times reports that

the more meat products an individual eats the more likely they are to have a heart attack, high blood pressure, arthritis pain, obesity and many other ailments.

Most human beings dislike change. It can be hard to let go of the old ways, the ways we have become emotionally attached to.

But change is often a good thing. Perhaps, like me, you have grown up hearing the Seventh-day Adventist health message until you were exhausted and a little jaded. These may be arguments you have heard before, but it is worth considering that the simple, everyday choices we make are consequential.

RELIGION

How to live where you are even when you don’t want to be there

Madison Wilcox Religion Editor

Have you ever wanted to be somewhere you’re not? I certainly have. Sometimes it’s as simple as wishing I could skip a few hours in the day or be done with the essay I’m struggling with. Other times I want to be in an entirely different situation altogether: another state, another year, another life.

We often hear the admonition to live in the present. Life is given to us by the second; we must live in each one before we get to the next. But what if we are miserable right now? What if it’s a struggle to even get out of bed in the morning, much less accomplish anything in the day? What if we’re hurting and want it to stop?

Paul shares his own experience in Philippians 4:11-12:

“Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”

Paul’s claim seems a little absurd. He claims to live wholeheartedly in every moment, situation or emotion he is experiencing. He claims to be happy in these moments – with abundance or great need, with hunger or fullness, “everywhere” and “in all things,” Paul is content.

This is not my experience, and I’m guessing it’s not yours either. Most moments aren’t easy to rejoice in. Many are often duller than we hope and more difficult than we imagine.

(Remember when you looked forward to college as a child? There is glory in the homework but maybe not as much as you

anticipated.) And the ones that do meet our expectations seem to be gone before we have had a chance to enjoy them completely.

What is Paul’s secret?

His secret is in verse 13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Paul doesn’t just arbitrarily decide to be happy in every moment. Paul recognizes that to be content in every moment of the day requires supernatural help. And he takes hold of the supernatural help that is readily available.

Notice the language Paul uses when he describes the help available. The phrase “all things” makes verse 13 a fillin-the-blank verse. When Paul says we can do “all things” through Christ, he gives his readers permission to connect the verse to their own lives. Though written hundreds of years ago, this verse still applies – not only to the age-old struggles of pride, exhaustion and depression, but also to all the new, nitty-gritty temptations of 21st century living, even to the particular struggles and temptation you will feel this week, right here in Collegedale, Tennessee.

Christ’s strength is available at all times. In every place and every era, Christ is ready to help anyone who depends on Him. In every second, minute, hour and season of life, Christ’s strength is available. And not only His strength –Him. We can’t live with Christ in the future; we can’t live with Him in the past. The only place we have access to His presence and strength is where we are right now. Christ is here. Christ is now.

“... It is worth considering that the simple, everyday choices we make are consequential.”

(Photo by: Pixabay)

(Photo by: Oliver Halls)

Let’s talk about stress, baby. Let’s talk about you and me

Kiana Oliver Graduate Assistant

Editor’s note: The following article is written in partnership with Counseling Services and the Southern Accent.

When we watch our favorite Disney movies or sing along to cheesy love songs, it gives us warm and fuzzy feelings of romance.

I admit, as a teenager growing up in the 2000s, I replayed Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” and The Band Perry’s “If I Die Young” way too many times.

But if we take off the heartshaped glasses for a moment, there’s a not-so glamorous part about relationships: stress. Even

if you’re single, I encourage you to keep reading!

If you’ve taken a writing class, you already know the structure of a story includes the rising action, climax and resolution. Romantic movies often follow this formula as two people meet and there’s an instant attraction. However, there has to be a conflict that threatens to tear our Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams apart.

Nevertheless, they beat the odds and win their happily ever after! But don’t cue the rose petals and fireworks just yet.

In an article written by Deb-

bie Opoku, a licensed psychotherapist, “Every relationship is going to have arguments. And at worst, arguments can result in hurt feelings, loss of respect for the other person, or loss of a close relationship.”

It’s typical for relationships to experience the effects of daily life stressors (work, school, family, friends, etc.). But problems arise when couples don’t have healthy ways to cope with stress and begin to shut each other out.

In his 2008 book, “Why Mars and Venus Collide,” John Gray wrote, “I have witnessed a new trend in relationships linked

to increasing stress. Both couples and singles believe they are too busy or too exhausted to resolve their relationship issues, and often think their partners are either too demanding or just too different to understand.”

Gray’s observation supports the 2018 research by Kevin K.H. Lau and others that found when people openly communicated about their stressors, their partner responded with coping processes.

So how do you manage stress in your relationship? According to an article published by the Gottman Institute, here’s some tips to

consider with your partner:

Set realistic expectations

Think about the things you’d like to change while being realistic about them.

Set specific and holistic goals

Relationships can be complicated, so try setting smaller goals, and the process will seem less intimidating.

Focus on the means, not just the ends

Improving your relationship is a continuous process, but try seeing it as an opportunity to get to know your partner better.

Follow @saucounseling on Instagram!

“If we take off the heart-shaped glasses for a moment, there’s a not-so glamorous part about relationships: stress.”

(Illustration by: Karolina Grabowska)

Super Bowl matchup: Are they really the best teams?

Jacob Nevis Sports Editor

The Super Bowl matchup is finally set between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. To get there, the Chiefs defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC championship, while the Eagles defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship.

Almost every year, the oneand-done NFL playoffs see some teams get very lucky; the stars align just perfectly for them. That’s certainly what happened this year and why I don’t believe this Super Bowl matchup is between the two best teams this football season. The end of the NFL season can be very unpredictable, especial-

ly compared to other professional sports. In the MLB’s and NBA’s “best-of-seven” playoff series, teams are given several chances to succeed. It’s “one strike, and you’re out” with the NFL playoffs, meaning some teams don’t get to truly show what they are capable of, maybe bearing injury. Oftentimes, NFL fans don’t see their team’s true potential when the playoffs finally arrive.

This year was no different.

This year, the Philadelphia Eagles were the luckiest team in the whole NFL. Before the season started, the Eagles had the third easiest schedule in the league. The teams they

faced had a combined winning percentage of .462, which means a majority of the teams that they faced had records below the average of .500. This allowed the Eagles to cruise to a 14-3 record, securing the 1st seed, first round bye and home field advantage in the NFC playoffs.

In the playoffs, they played the 9-7-1 New York Giants, beating them for a third time this season.

In the championship game, they played the 49ers. The 49ers had already gone through two different starting quarterbacks through the season, Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, and were on their third-string quarterback, the last

pick in the draft: Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy. It just so happened that Purdy would tear his UCL in the first half of the game, and the team’s backup quarterback, Josh Johnson, would go down with a concussion, leaving the 49ers with no quarterback and the Eagles with a free trip to the Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.

That’s not to say that the Eagles aren’t good. In fact, they’re very good. They have the second-ranked defense and the thirdranked offense. However, with all that in mind, I still don’t think the Eagles were the best team in the NFC. I believe if the 49ers had

been able to utilize their regular lineup of players in that matchup, they would have won the game and gone to the Super Bowl. But they didn’t. The Eagles are in the Super Bowl, and if they can win the game, they will prove me wrong. It’ll be tough, though, because I believe the Chiefs were the best team in the AFC (even though they might have gotten some help from the refs in the championship game). I have never really liked the Eagles and probably never will. I will be reluctantly cheering for the Chiefs. But if the Eagles do win, you might hear me say, “FLY EAGLES FLY.”

“The end of the NFL season can be unpredictable, especially compared to other professional sports.”

(Photo by: Dave Adamson)

Started by the Black community, these trends obtained global fame

Genesis Ventura Reporter

Fashion trends come and go, and sometimes we don’t realize who started these trends. In honor of Black History Month, these are some trends that African Americans have influenced. There are many African American renowned stars who have been very influential in fashion, like Beyonce, P. Diddy Combs and many more.

One of these popular trends is baggy clothes. According to INClub Magazine, the baggy clothes trend was popular in the 90s and early 2000s and continues to be favored now. Many artists adopted this trend, like Aaliyah and Billie

Eilish. The trend would take on different forms like baggy mom jeans and cargo pants.

Another very influential trend is logomania. According to Pure Wow Magazine, logomania is why luxury brands started to use very loud logos. The person who started this is Daniel Day, known as Dapper Dan. In 80s Harlem, many hip-hop artists started using it “by using fabric splashed with knock-off designer insignias.” Dapper Dan collaborated with Gucci in 2018 on an ongoing partnership after his great success in creating logomania.

The style of bucket hats has

changed due to African Americans’ influence. According to Jordan Anderson at NSS Magazine, before bucket hats were trendy, they were called fishing hats and popular in the 1900s. Later on, they morphed into a women’s accessory. However, street-style bucket hats were introduced in the 1980s by the hiphop community. “It is rumored by many that one of the first celebrities to sport the bucket hat was American rapper Big Bank Hank during a performance in 1979,” Anderson wrote in the article.

Lastly, an African American trend that can be both a fashion and beau-

ty trend is hair. For example, hairstyles like cornrows, braids, dreads and much more are rooted in African American culture. In an article in Elle Magazine, Anya Byrd speaks of the significance of Black hair and its influence. Byrd writes, “so simple, just three strands of hair interlocked around each other — tells a really complicated story.”

She co-authored a book on the significance of Black hair, which she described as “227 pages on the aesthetic, economic, and political meaning of African-American hair and its significance for Black people, white people, and all people throughout

American history, the business world, and popular culture.”

One of the many people who admire and appreciate this trend is Soleil Joseph, junior animation major. “So, the trend that I’ve seen influential in Black culture the most is hair,” Joseph said. “Like hairstyles, like Spacebuns [are popular] now, but Black people have been wearing their two hair puffs like that for decades. The way we style our braids and the cornrows – we’ve seen people try to emulate that now. And it’s like a style that we’ve been doing for centuries.”

interlocked around each other — tells a really complicated story.’”

“‘So simple, just three strands of hair

Dear Kevin: My boyfriend brags about himself all the time, and it really bothers me. How do I tell him to stop?

Dear Fed-up Future Wife (?):

According to an article titled “The Psychology of Bragging,” people brag because they are deeply insecure and feel the need to boost their confidence. There are two scenarios that can play out in this situation, my dear exasperated friend. But firstly, my apologies that you have had to endure this dreadful character trait in your relationship.

The first scenario is that you are dating a relatively mature guy, in which case he can handle constructive criticism. If this is true, then approach the matter frankly, with open, honest communication. If your boyfriend is willing to work through this with you, take heart – you have found someone special. Wikihow has a great tutorial on how to brag less. Some highlights include:

1. Acknowledge the challenges you face

2. Emphasize hard work, not

achievements

3. Give credit to others/Recognize their accomplishments

Do NOT let him gaslight you into thinking this is somehow your fault, but be aware that this conversation may lead to discussions about character flaws that you can work on as well. There’s a fine line (okay, sometimes it’s a highway) between respectfully discussing character flaws/ quirks in an attempt to strengthen the relationship and gaslighting. Make sure you are prepared to take criticism in the way you wish yours to be received, but also stand up for yourself if it becomes destructive criticism.

The second scenario is not so pleasant, I am afraid. I’m not going to mince words here. End the relationship. I know, it sounds drastic. But let’s just be honest, these bragging tendencies are an indication of a large ego, and a man with a large ego is rarely open to constructive criticism. This is just the first indication of a slew of problems down the road. Remember, red flags don’t go away.

(Photos sourced from: Pexels)

Sampson

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Today — 8

Weekly Birthdays

TODAY |8

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Thursday |9

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Sunday — 12

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Casey Rumambi

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Saturday |11

Berkeley Comete

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Monday |13 Juls Cuellar

SA Announcements

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mundo

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Mary Williams

SA Upcoming International Food Fair: 1. Samosa!!!- Outdoor Kitchen- 11:30 am- Wednesday, February 8, 2023. Get some free samosas. 2. Sign up to be a vendor at the international food fest at the event.

Tickets for SA Banquet are available now for purchase ($25) in the SA office on the 3rd floor of Bietz. The deadline is February 17 to purchase tickets. Join us for a night of Mystery at the Masquerade.

Do you have a hidden talent that you would like to share? SA

Talent Show auditions will be taking place on February 23. The top three winners will receive big prizes!

If you would like to run a booth for 423 Night, make sure to stay on the lookout for more details later in the semester.

Tuesday — 14

MASTER OF ARTS IN TEACHING

A Pathway to the Classroom (With Any Bachelor’s Degree!)

Our online MAT program offers a master’s degree and initial teacher certification at the same time.

Seventh-day Adventist and/or public school certification options are available in as few as five to six semesters. All classes are available online and students have the possibility of being paid during their field experience or student teaching.

Set yourself up for a rewarding career that offers:

• great benefits

• summers off

• incredible job security

• a strong sense of mission

• the fulfillment that comes from knowing you’re making a difference