The Rice Thresher | Wednesday, September 13, 2017

VOLUME 102, ISSUE NO. 3 | STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916 | RICETHRESHER.ORG | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

Lovett versus Martel: This week’s salty showdown SEE NEWS P. 3

Dean Hutch: Current events force reflection on Rice education SEE OPINION P. 4

You’ve been served: Kyle killing it on the volleyball court SEE SPORTS P. 10

SPORTS

Football runs wild in first win MADISON BUZZARD THRESHER STAFF / MCB13@RICE.EDU

Lives in limbo

Dreamers face uncertain futures after DACA change ANNA TA NEWS EDITOR / AXT1@RICE.EDU

Undocumented students brought out from the shadows by the Deferred Action for Childhood Act were thrust into the nation’s spotlight after the Trump administration announced they were phasing out protections on Sept. 5.

Santiago Garcia is one of those students.

He came to Texas from Colombia when he was only five, and relies on DACA to remain in the United States. In order to apply for protection, he and every other applicant must admit their immigration status to the government and submit to a thorough background check.

“There was definitely a scare that weekend for everyone, because no one really knew what they were going to decide,”

Garcia, a Will Rice College sophomore, said.

“They could’ve ended it right there. Because they know where we are, they know everything about us. They have our names on a list.”

Another DACA recipient, Rodrigo Andrade, came to the United States over 15 years ago from Peru. He says he’s doing everything he can so his family doesn’t have to worry too much.

“I’m being much more careful,” Andrade, a Brown College freshman, said. “I try not to leave campus. I was going to go to Austin with a few of my friends as a trip, but after this, it’s not really an option anymore.”

UNDERSTANDING DACA Roughly 11 million people were undocumented immigrants as of 2015, according to the Pew Research Center. Of those, 800,000

are under DACA — about 7.3 percent.

Garcia said the anger people feel toward DACA stems from ignorance about the strict requirements of the process.

“A lot of people think that any immigrant can go through and get DACA,” Garcia said.

“People believe that we have some path to citizenship, we can apply for financial aid from the government, we’re criminals, that we can get money from the government or that we don’t pay taxes. None of that is true.”

DACA protection lasts two years, although recipients were able to reapply.

However, under the recently announced changes, only those whose DACA protection expires before March 5 can reapply before Oct. 5 but no new applications will be processed, according to documents released by the administration.

DACA CONT. ON PAGE 2 ILLUSTRATION BY ESTHER TANG AND CHRISTINA TAN

NEWS

Moving on: Students find homes after Harvey EMILY ABDOW NEWS EDITOR / ESA2@RICE.EDU

Tram Ngyuen’s off-campus apartment is the third home she has lost to a hurricane.

Almost 12 years to the day of Hurricane Harvey, her family’s New Orleans home flooded in Hurricane Katrina. Then, the temporary home she and her family stayed at with five other families flooded during Hurricane Rita.

“These disasters have made me value a sense of normal,” Nguyen, a McMurtry College junior, said. “I

just want to know what tomorrow is going to be like. For a week after Harvey, I didn’t know what tomorrow was going to be like.”

Nguyen left her apartment on the first floor of a complex and sheltered on campus during the hurricane. Before leaving, she moved everything she could onto chairs and her bed.

The McMurtry magisters drove her home for the first time after Harvey. Flood waters had risen above the electrical outlets, ruining all her furniture.

“Last time there was no

cleanup,” Nguyen said. “Last time everything was gone and you just let the government come in and clear everything out. This time it was really hard to go back. It was just overwhelming to look at what you had and know this is gone.”

Nguyen is now staying in an empty RA apartment at Martel College with five other girls who were displaced by Hurricane Harvey.

“These struggles make you stronger,” Nguyen said. “At least now I’ve weathered enough storms to figure out how to move. I’ve done

so much moving in the last week and a half.”

When her new furniture arrives, Nguyen said she will move to an apartment in the same complex but on a higher floor.

“I kept going back to my apartment complex pushing the management to find me a different place,” Nguyen said. “I was very persistent and stubborn for days. It’s almost a fight to get a new place.”

Nguyen said after so many hurricanes she is praying for a sense of calm.

HOMES CONT. ON PAGE 3

The Rice Owls football team was not going to let it happen again.

Just two weeks ago, Rice suffered a 62-7 shellacking at the hands of then 14th-ranked Stanford University during the first game of its season in Sydney, Australia.

Last Saturday, the Owls delivered a bounce-back performance against conference foe University of Texas, El Paso, winning 31-14 to secure their first win of the season.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Glaesmann threw for 131 yards and a touchdown without an interception. Glaesmann also scored on a five-yard run early in the second quarter. Junior running back Samuel Stewart, who beat out senior Darik Dillard for the starting job in the backfield last season, almost hit the century-mark with 89 rushing yards on 16 carries.

It was clear that our defense dominated their offense.

Blain Padgett Junior Defensive End Glaesmann said the team channeled the frustration of the Stanford loss into a complete effort on both sides of the football.

“I felt awesome today,” Glaesmann said. “It is a great feeling to get my first win. The defense played their butts off and the offensive line definitely won the game today. If we can establish the running game like we did today the passing game will continue to open up.”

In total, the Owls firmly outpaced UTEP in total yards, 437-229, and in rushing yards, 306-26. Rice also dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for almost 10 minutes more than the Miners. Both advantages allowed Rice to take an early 3-0 lead and never trail for the rest of the game.

Despite the significance of the first conference game of the season for both teams, a stronger message was sent in the stands than on the field.

Many UTEP fans wore orange shirts displaying the message “Houston Strong” to support victims of Hurricane Harvey and express Texan unity in Houston’s rebuilding efforts.

FOOTBALL CONT. ON PAGE 10

NEWS

2 DACA FROM PAGE 1 After these six months, recipients maintain protection only until their status expires.

Garcia said he reapplied this summer and is protected until 2019, but his sister’s DACA status expires in August of next year. His sister is still in high school and he said their parents hope they can stay until both siblings are in college.

“My parents have always said, it doesn’t matter if we get deported as long as y’all are fine, but obviously I don’t really like that that much,” Garcia said. “With the bill they’re planning to pass, there’s a lot of discussion about putting in a provision where you have to out your own parents as being illegal immigrants and allow them to get deported.”

He said some of the rhetoric supporting DACA pushes blame on recipients’ parents.

“They only came here to promote their children’s lives, and they’ve sacrificed a lot and work really shitty jobs at very low wages because they can’t get any better jobs,” Garcia said. “The parents are just doing what a parents supposed to do: sacrificing their own lives for their children to help their lives.”

Alberto Maldonado, president of the Hispanic Association for Cultural Enrichment at Rice, said the issue affects all of Rice.

“We have Rice students who are DACA recipients,” Maldonado said. “We have Rice students who have siblings who are DACA recipients [and] undocumented family. It’s affecting your peers and I think Rice should care about this issue as a whole.”

Garcia said DACA recipients can be an invisible population, since it is difficult for many DACA recipients to come forward.

“A lot of people don’t want to risk it,” Garcia said. “Because it’s like tearing your entire life away, all your friends, everything you’ve done, everything you’ve worked for and taking you back to a country that’s really unknown to you. And you having to build everything back up again.”

RICE RESPONDS In a letter sent to the Rice community the day of the announcement, President David Leebron wrote that Rice would take any

action permissible by law to avoid risking students’ deportation or challenges to their immigration status, as well as advocate for DACA with Congress members.

“Those who were brought to this country as a child are threatened with deportation to countries that they did not grow up in, may have no relationships in, and may not even speak the language,” Leebron wrote. “This ought to be unacceptable to all.”

Leebron additionally addressed the timing of the announcement, given the hurricane devastation of parts of Texas, where 124,000 DACA recipients live, according to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

DACA recipients, along with all undocumented immigrants cannot receive help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to their website.

The parents are just doing what parents are supposed to do: sacrificing their own lives for their children.

Santiago Garcia Will Rice College Sophomore Trump announced on Friday, Sept. 1 that the administration would make a decision on whether to end DACA in the coming days.

“That Friday was the scariest part for me, because you usually don’t really think about [getting deported],” Garcia said. “Even when DACA wasn’t here, I wasn’t thinking about the possibility of being deported, but during Friday, it made me realize that I could easily at a very close point in time be deported and have to leave everything behind. So it definitely made me feel better to read that letter.”

Andrade said he was happy Rice was publicizing Leebron’s remarks. He said he hopes Rice’s public stance will set a precedent for other institutions.

“When my mom reads statements from Leebron or Rice University, my family feels more comfortable with me here,” Andrade

said. “I can figure out other troubles by myself, but I want my family to be comfortable. I know that as long as I’m a Rice student I should probably be fine.”

In his letter, Leebron wrote that Rice would continue to support DACA students with financial aid.

DREAMERS LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE The Trump administration’s announcement came after state attorney generals threatened to challenge DACA in court.

Trump called on Congress to address those who rely on the policy in coming months.

Garcia said he and others he knows with DACA status hope the six-month period will push Congress to pass a replacement law with a path to naturalization, which DACA does not currently have. “[A] lot of DACA kids aren’t super angry about this or scared,” Garcia said. “A lot of people in DACA, including myself, feel like we’re in this limbo, allowed to stay, live and work here, but not be an American citizen, not being allowed to leave and come back.”

Maldonado said he is skeptical that anything will be done.

“Many bills similar to these acts have run through Congress,” Maldonado said.

“Frankly, the immigrant community has very little faith in Trump or in Congress.”

Ricardo Tapia, president of the Rice chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, said DACA supporters can help by sharing their views with government officials.

“My first concern would be to ensure the stay of such affected people,” Tapia, a Martel College senior, said. “Perhaps there is the possibility to be grandfathered into the old DACA system and be eligible for new programs that lead to legal status.”

Garcia said phonebanking can help.

“Now is a really critical time to show your support, because the government is supposed to do what we want it to do,” Garcia said. “Having all this support can really help change decisions or force them to change their decisions.”

This article has been condensed for print.

Read the full story online at ricethresher.org.

Potential DACA Replacements in Consideration BRIDGE ACT

Allows those covered by DACA to stay three more years after expiration.

RAC

Similar to DREAM Act but 800,000 fewer people would be eligible.

DREAM ACT

More generous with eligibility restrictions than DACA.

HOPE ACT

Most generous with eligibility, but does not cover immigrants with TPS.

CPR: Conditional Permanent Residency. LPR: Lawful Permanent Residency.

TPS: Temporary Protected Status, which covers those who cannot return to their country safely.

Path to Citizenship

RAC

STAGE ONE Apply for CPR status which is valid for an initial period of five years.

STAGE ONE Apply for CPR status, valid for a total of eight years if applicant has no criminal record.

STAGE TWO Apply for LPR after eight years if they have a degree from a university or pass a background check.

STAGE TWO Reapply to keep and extend CPR for another five years.

STAGE THREE Apply for LPR status after receiving the second five year CPR.

STAGE TWO Apply for LPR status after three years with CPR. May apply time applicants had DACA to this period.

STAGE THREE Apply for U.S. citizenship after being in LPR status for five years. (Total of 13 years.)

STAGE FOUR Apply for citizenship after five years with LPR status. (Total of 10 years.)

STAGE THREE Apply for U.S. citizenship after five years of permanent residence. (Total of at least five years.)

CITIZENSHIP

DREAM

STAGE ONE Apply for CPR status, valid for an additional period of five years.

DACA recepients acquire CPR status.

Hope

DACA and the BRIDGE Act do not provide paths to citizenship.

infographic by sydney garrett

Students speak out for DACA SHAMI MOSLEY THRESHER STAFF / SMM25@RICE.EDU

Student groups organized phonebanking drives and discussions in response to the Trump administration’s announcement to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy.

The Hispanic Association for Cultural Enrichment at Rice held an event the same night to discuss the impact of the decision.

“My sister is a DACA recipient,” Maldonado, co-president of HACER and Lovett College senior, said. “My parents were undocumented until last week when they received their residencies. I along with many other HACER officers feel a personal obligation to do the right thing — to fight for our families, to not take status quo as the final say, and to join Rice in on our fight.”

Two student groups planned a phonebanking drive on Thursday for students to call their congressional representatives. Over 80 students made calls from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. asking their representatives to come out publicly in support of DACA , according to Rice for Reproductive Justice President Sydney Stocks, one of the event organizers.

Lovett College sophomore Rose Kantorczyk said she called a representative from her home state of Pennsylvania.

“A lot of people don’t think that calling or contacting their senators or representatives does anything, but the staffers who answer the phone are required to report the number of calls they get about each issue to your member of Congress,” Kantorczyk said.

Karen Vasquez, co-president of HACER, said she plans to continue sharing opportunities to protest the end of DACA. “We’re very conflicted. We wish we could do so much more, however we also have responsibilities as students that take up a lot of our time,” Vasquez, a Brown College junior, said.

HACER may also hold a joint panel with other organizations to discuss recent events such as the recent violent protests in Charlottesville and the DACA appeal, according to Vasquez.

“This move to end the DACA program isn’t just an attack on Dreamers, it’s an attack on the entire immigrant community,” Vasquez said. “Since my parents and many of my aunts, uncles, and cousins are undocumented, I know what kind of life lies ahead of all DACA recipients. It’s a life full of fear that forces people to stay in the shadows. I would never wish that kind of life on anyone. ” Vasquez said HACER will also work to connect students to organizations that provide resources to undocumented immigrants such as United We Dream.

Stocks, a Lovett junior, said DACA allows Dreamers to have access to important resources such as health clinics and job-based health insurance without fear of deportation and that the organization will continue to work with Planned Parenthood to provide continued access.

Chloe Wilson, who helped organize the phonebanking, said the organizers plan to continue engaging students on DACA. “With Congress being given six months to come up with a solution, this is going to be a long process, which means that we have to keep up our advocacy efforts throughout the entire process,” Wilson, a Lovett junior, said.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

THE RICE THRESHER

NEWS

Martel public stays first, Lovett postponed CAROLINE SIEGFRIED FOR THE THRESHER / CRS14@RICE.EDU

Hurricane Harvey interrupted not only Rice students’ studies, but also an arguably more important aspect of college: their social lives.

Martel College’s Don’t Mess with Texas Party was rescheduled to the same weekend as Lovett College’s Getcheroxoff Party, causing Lovett to move their party three weeks later.

Martel’s Don’t Mess with Texas party, traditionally the first public of the year, was scheduled on the first Friday of classes. But Friday morning, after a meeting with Dean of Undergraduates John Hutchinson, Martel Chief Justice Gabrielle Falcon and President Dylan Dickens informed the socials that the party was canceled due to Hurricane Harvey, according to Martel social Nisha Patel.

With the Texas party canceled, Lovett College’s Getcheroxoff party was scheduled to be the first public of the year, so the Lovett socials had to change their original event plan to accommodate a larger crowd

than expected, according to Lovett social Emily Klineberg.

On Sunday, Sept. 3, Martel created an upset when they announced that they had rescheduled the Texas party to Friday, Sept. 8 — just one day before Lovett’s party, making it the first public of the year again.

The Lovett socials said they were frustrated by this decision, since they had already scaled up Getcheroxoff.

“More people meant that [Lovett socials] also had to change [their] budget so that we could order more food and drinks, T-shirts and party favors in time for everything to arrive,” Klineberg, a sophomore, said.

Patel, a sophomore, said the change was an unavoidable scheduling problem caused by the number of publics early in the year.

“We knew that there were parties every week, pretty much so we’d have to doublebook with someone,” Patel said.

Patel said the Martel socials thought it would be a good idea to host a public after Screw-Yer-Roommate.

According to Patel, the administrative leadership that handles public parties —

Martel College’s socials upheld their public party’s streak as the first of the year by rescheduling it for Friday night. The public, usually the first Friday of the semester, was initially canceled due to Harvey.

jasmine zhou/thresher

including the magisters and the Rice Program Council — liked the idea of having a public that night, since in past years many have attended a large private party after Screw.

It’s too much effort to find clothes to fit the theme of two different publics in the same weekend.

Lauren Loh McMurtry College Sophomore They thought this would be a safer environment due to presence of Rice University Police Department, Rice Emergency Medical Services and caregivers, Patel said.

On Tuesday, the Lovett socials announced on the Getcheroxoff Facebook event page, using capitalized letters to spell out an expletive directed at Martel, that “unFortunately dUe to some reCent scheduling concerns regarding this weeKend,” the party had been rescheduled to Sept. 30.

“The decision was made primarily on the fact that fewer people would be inclined to attend Getcheroxoff on Saturday after attending Martel’s Texas party,” said Klineberg.

“It’s too much effort to find clothes to fit the theme of two different publics in the same weekend,” said McMurtry sophomore Lauren Loh. But Patel said it would be fun to have two publics in one weekend, especially after a long week of being inside. The Martel socials did not want Lovett College to move their party and had been planning on attending Getcheroxoff, she added.

Judging from the amount of memes on Facebook, after all the back and forth, it seems that the colleges don’t hold too much animosity towards each other. Klineberg remarked that the anger towards Martel is “mostly just a joke at this point.”

Minter remembered for educational impact JAECEY PARHAM THRESHER STAFF / JLP9@RICE.EDU

David Minter, a longtime professor of English, passed away on Aug. 21.

One of the foremost Faulkner scholars in the country, Minter also served as interim vice provost, university librarian and college magister at both Baker and Jones Colleges.

According to Caroline Levander, vice president for strategic initiatives and digital education and the Carlson Professor in the Humanities, Minter’s numerous roles at Rice are a testament to his deep care for the Rice community.

“He was a remarkable person in that he was a university citizen of precious value; it’s rare to find such a sterling person in so many facets of faculty life,” Levander said.

Minter received his doctorate from Yale University where he served as an assistant professor of English until 1967 when he came to Rice to teach American literature.

Minter left Rice in 1980 to become dean of Emory College at Emory University, where he was later appointed vice president for arts and sciences.

Minter returned to Rice in 1990 as the Libbie Shearn Moody Professor of English. Levander (’95), who received her doctorate from Rice under Minter’s direction, said Minter’s return happened at the same time as the expansion of Rice’s English department.

“It was an exciting time in that department and he was a big part of that; he had a group of graduate students who ended up being faculty at Hopkins, Yale, Brown and Berkeley. [So,] he launched this whole generation of American [literary scholars],” Levander said.

Levander, while an assistant professor at Rice, led the fundraising for the David

and Caroline Minter Endowment for Rice’s Department of English, which funds student prizes, research projects and new courses. According to Levander, fundraising was effortless due to Minter’s influential nature and positive rapport with others. “[Fundraising] was easy because people loved him so much,” Levander said. “Faculty trusted him, administrators trusted him — he was one of those people that everyone felt good about and [those people] are rare.”

Close friend and former student Carolyn Porter (’67) said Minter will be remembered by a myriad of qualities.

“His brilliance, his impeccable honesty, his open-minded curiosity, his open-hearted generosity — all these stand out, as they stood out, day to day, year to year,” Porter,

an English professor at Berkeley, said. “He came to represent a kind of standard of intellectual integrity.”

According to Porter, Minter dramatically impacted her life.

“My life would not only have been different had I not been David’s student, it would have been immeasurably impoverished,” Porter said.

Minter, a native of Midland, Texas, grew up in Gonzales and Woodville, Texas.

Graveside services were held Aug. 22 at Magnolia Cemetery in Woodville.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Caroline Minter, son Chris Minter, daughter Frances Epstein and her husband Jeff, and two grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held in Rice Memorial Chapel on Oct. 9 at 3 p.m.

David Minter taught English at Rice for 28 years, where he specialized in American literature. The David and Caroline Minter Endowment continues to support student endeavors in the English department.

courtesy emory university

3

HOMES FROM PAGE 1 “I’ve hit natural disaster jackpots so it’s time to hit some good fortune jackpots,” Nguyen said. “And yet after all of this I still love the south. I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to leave the south. This is home.”

Sam Robedee’s second floor apartment next to Buffalo Bayou escaped the flooding, but not the mold.

“I’m allergic to mold and I also have asthma,” Robedee, a Wiess College sophomore, said. “The first time I went back it was hard to breathe, but then when I went back to get more stuff, it was a lot worse and I couldn’t handle it.”

Robedee moved home for two days and drove to campus from his parents’ house, a drive he said took two hours one way.

“It’s set me back quite a bit because I was worried about finding housing — [that’s] six or eight hours taken out of the first few days back that I couldn’t use for schoolwork,” Robedee said. “Now I’m still trying to catch up so I can have some normalcy in my academics.”

Robedee is staying in an available single in Duncan College for first semester while he tries to figure out his next home.

“That’s pretty stressful right now because we don’t know if they’ll let us out of the lease or if we’ll have to get lawyers involved and everything,” Robedee said.

“That’s just another time commitment outside of schoolwork.”

Being so far and not having any control can make you feel helpless.

Zach Abercrumbia Sid Richardson College Junior Zach Abercrumbia was all the way in Australia with the rest of Rice’s football team when the Hurricane Harvey hit Houston.

“It was a shock because when we left, I don’t even think we knew a tropical storm was coming,” Abercrumbia, a Sid Richardson College junior, said. “A day or two into the trip we hear about this tropical storm that’s picking up power, and then I kept hearing stories.”

His home, a one-story house near Buffalo Bayou where he lived with three other teammates, along with all four of their cars, flooded with three feet of water.

“Being so far and not having control can make you feel helpless,” Abercrumbia said.

With Houston’s airports shut down, the football team flew to Fort Worth, Texas and practiced at Texas Christian University’s facilities. When the team finally returned to Houston on Friday, Sept. 1, the first place they went was to Abercrumbia’s home.

“I think we’ve really grown closer in this tragedy as a team and really been helping each other out from just a ride to just someone you can talk to about your problems,” Abercrumbia said.

Abercrumbia lost almost everything in his house but his clothes and shoes. On Monday, he moved to a new apartment with a former teammate.

He is sleeping on an air mattress and hitching rides to and from campus.

He arrives around 7 a.m. for his early morning workout and classes and stays until 8 p.m. for football practice.

“My outlook has just been it’s not going to magically get done so if I don’t do it it’s not going to get done,” Abercrumbia said. “Of course I’d rather be able to just focus on school and football like it’s a normal semester but it’s not a normal semester so I’m going to just keep on handling business.”

Abercrumbia said he is focusing on football and his schoolwork, not all that he has lost.

“One thing our coach preached to us this week before the game [was to] count your blessings,” Abercrumbia said. “Just count your blessings.”

OPINION

4 STAFF EDITORIAL

Understand and defend DACA recipients The Trump administration’s decision to end DACA was devastating to many and will directly impact millions of people — including at Rice (p. 1). President Leebron pledged to continue to advocate for and protect DACA recipients. It is heartening to see that Rice leadership does not hesitate to stand up to this threat to our community.

Nevertheless, fears regarding this decision rightly remain high.

In light of this change, it is vital that those who are not directly affected educate ourselves and listen to the concerns of impacted populations. Without doing so, even well-intentioned efforts may backfire.

For example, the argument that DACA recipients can’t be held responsible for their parents’ actions miscasts parents as criminals; additionally, making assumptions about recipients’ identities only masks the issues that many face.

Whether we know it or not, we have loved ones and peers whose only protection is DACA. With this turn of events, we must take into account the broad range of people who rely on the overturned legislation, and continue to advocate with a better understanding of those we hope to protect.

cartoon by areli navarro magallon, julianne wey and christina tan

OP-ED

Understanding the privilege and humility of a Rice education In the span of less than a week as our semester started, together we experienced nature presenting us with both beauty and devastation. Coinciding with the first day of the semester, tens of millions of Americans watched in awe the beauty of the solar eclipse as it crossed coast to coast in a just a matter of hours. The end of that same week brought us Hurricane Harvey and massive destruction and loss of life from rain and floods. These two near coincident events, along with Hurricane Irma and the massive earthquake which wracked Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador, represent polar opposites of what our world brings us. The exhilaration of the elegance and beauty of the natural spectacle of the eclipse could not have had a more sobering counterpart than the pain and destruction of these natural disasters.

Nevertheless, I found some powerful emotions very much in common arising from the experiences of these two events.

My wife and I were fortunate enough to be in Nebraska to observe the total eclipse, thanks to the kindness of my outstanding colleagues and associates who covered for my absence. I was not fully prepared for the wonder of a shimmering corona, or the 360-degree sunset around the horizon, or the mystical shadow bands on the ground just before and just after totality. For Paula and me and for tens of millions of us, observing the majesty of the motions of the heavens was and remains a humbling experience. There is a vast complexity to our world and our universe, and as Americans gathered across the country in and out of the zone of totality,

STAFF Drew Keller & Juan Saldaña* Editors in Chief Jasmine Lin* Managing Editor Shannon Klein Business Manager

news Emily Abdow* Editor Anna Ta Editor spotlight Elizabeth Rasich Editor opinions Julianne Wey* Editor

I believe we were all reminded that we live together on just a small piece of this universe that we must share.

That lesson was hammered home just a few days later. The power of our understanding of the physics of the motions of the planets and of our moon is no match for the lack of power we have to control the complex forces of our universe and of own tiny planet. As Harvey approached, we could only shelter, wait and watch as the waters rose. But then, in the aftermath, the people rose up together. Those who could not escape the flood were ferried out by those who could help. Those whose homes were flooded were assisted in the start to recovery by those whose homes were not.

Those who had no place to go were provided shelter, care and food by those who were more fortunate. Over 2,000 Rice students and staff volunteered in home recovery, shelters and the food bank, leaving campus to help even before the waters had begun to recede.

The power of the storm brought out the power of our humanity. And in a very different but more striking way, we were all reminded once again that we live together on just a small piece of this universe that we must share. This is a humbling realization indeed.

Even as I write this as Irma is raking its winds across Florida, people outside the state are organizing to come to the rescue and help begin the recovery process. This humanity knows no boundaries, just as the destructive force of a hurricane recognizes no boundaries.

What then are we to make of two manmade tragedies of the past few weeks? Just days before the eclipse, small groups of

sports Andrew Grottkau* Editor arts & entertainment Lenna Mendoza* Editor Naomi Pringle Asst. Editor backpage Riley Robertson Editor Isaac Schultz Editor design Christina Tan Director Sydney Garrett News Designer Katrina Cherk Sports Designer Ellie Mix A&E Designer photo Sirui Zhou Editor Charlene Pan Asst. Editor copy Sarah Smati Editor Catherine Soltero Editor

white supremacists marched in various cities across the country, most notably of course in Charlottesville, Virginia, where they instigated violence and murder. The beauty of the humanity in responding to natural disaster stands completely contradicted by the darkness of the hatred of this smallminded band of individuals who stain who we are as a people. By awful contrast to our humility in the face of nature, the acts of the white supremacists are based on an ugly arrogance, a belief that this tiny world of ours belongs to and should be controlled by just one small set of humans. Borne out of ancient tribalism and burned into their beings by a shameful history of one race kidnapping and enslaving another race, this arrogance represents the absolute worst of human behavior.

We saw this arrogance on display again last week when, in the midst of recovery from Harvey, President Trump announced the termination of the DACA program, stranding in limbo and fear hundreds of thousands of our friends, neighbors, students, classmates and even family members. This decision which cruelly separates us does not reflect our basic shared humanity.

So what does this contrast have to do with the start of the school year?

At Rice, as at all great universities, we pursue and share the beauty of knowledge in all ways of knowing: the complex physical laws of motion which produce a precisely predictable schedule of solar eclipses; the art and poetry which challenge our sense of self; the economic and financial theories

business operations Tom Wang External Ads Manager Sara Lopez Marketing Manager Grace Earick Distribution Manager online Charlie Paul Editor Alice Liu Digital Content Editor video Clara Tian Editor *Editorial Board member

which bring us prosperity and to liberate us; the social analyses of the complexities of broken communities and societies which tear us down. The understanding that arises from learning these ways of knowing can bring us a false sense of power and control and arrogant social elevation. Or, it can humble us by reminding us that we are all one people working together and helping each other. We can either use our advanced education to build up our individual selves, or we can use the privilege that we gain from the knowledge Rice gives us to build up humanity.

I am challenging all of my students this year to think deeply about the purposes of their Rice experiences; first, through study and discussions to discover the person you want to be; and second, through experiences and personal interactions, to grow to become that person. Associate Dean Catherine Clack stated in her Diversity Workshop during O-Week that “We [at Rice] all have privilege.

We each must leverage our privilege to help others by acts of inclusion in everyday life.” My hope for each of you is that your growth in your time at Rice includes finding your humility in the privilege of your Rice education.

JOHN HUTCHINSON

Dean of Undergraduates dean.hutchinson@rice.edu

The Rice Thresher, the official student newspaper at Rice University since 1916, is published each Wednesday during the school year, except during examination periods and holidays, by the students of Rice University.

Letters to the Editor must be received by 5 p.m. the Friday prior to publication and must be signed, including college and year if the writer is a Rice student. The Thresher reserves the rights to edit letters for

content and length and to place letters on its website.

Editorial and business offices are located on the second floor of the Ley Student Center: 6100 Main St., MS-524 Houston, TX 77005-1892 Phone (713) 348-4801 Email: thresher@rice.edu Website: www.ricethresher.org The Thresher is a member of the ACP, TIPA, CMA, and CMBAM © Copyright 2017

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

THE RICE THRESHER

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SPOTLIGHT

6

A roadtrip through the heart of America ELIZABETH RASICH SPOTLIGHT EDITOR / EAR4@RICE.EDU

Martin Rather never expected that his road trip with his grandfather, journalist Dan Rather, would become news. This past July, the two set out on a 1,400-mile trip through the Midwest. After he posted a blurry car selfie of he and his grandfather on the outset of their trip, Martin, a Lovett College junior, found himself inundated with Facebook friend requests from strangers. Now he is a Facebookverified advocate for millennial political perspectives.

HITTING THE ROAD The first stop of their road trip was Oklahoma City, on a night with a “meat-red sunset under a buttermilk sky,” as Martin described it in a Facebook post. From there, they traveled up through Nebraska and South Dakota to their ultimate destination: Mount Rushmore.

“To have the opportunity to talk about life with somebody, just intergenerationally — he’s 65 and a half years older than I am — to have the opportunity to talk with somebody from a totally different generation about everything that they see was really worthwhile,” he said.

Part of the purpose of the trip was to travel through areas of the country with different political perspectives.

“We can all agree it’s a polarizing time in the United States and I think that there’s a tendency no matter where you are to drown out or dismiss the people on the other side, or who are not from the same place that you’re from,” Martin said. “So this, at least for me as a Rice student, was an opportunity to hear from perspectives in a part of the country that we just don’t really talk about all that much.”

The Rathers drove about six hours each day, starting in Dallas on July 14 and reaching South Dakota three days later.

“We began our day in the Lone Star State in part due to the symbolism of traversing the very spine of the country from south to north, but also given our deep roots here,” Martin wrote on Facebook on July 14. Dan grew up in Houston, and although Martin was born in New York, he considers himself a sixth-generation Texan.

Every morning of the trip, Dan would wake up and play three songs at full volume: “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” by Willie Nelson, “Me and Bobby McGee” by Janis Joplin and “The Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Philip Sousa. Then they’d hit the road.

“One of the underrated parts about traveling with someone is that you learn many of their tendencies, their quirks and their habits,” Martin said.

Most of the trip went smoothly, but there were still a few mishaps along the way.

At one point, Dan Rather tweeted that he and Martin had forgotten that Sonic drive-throughs don’t have bathrooms for customer use.

“You learn all kinds of things driving through mid-America. Like: Sonic doesn’t have bathrooms. Also you forget how flat Kansas is,” the tweet read.

The Rathers faced a flurry of outraged tweets from people who were following the progress of the trip. Residents of Kansas replied to the tweet with pictures of hills and valleys in their state, and other Twitter users disagreed with the Rathers’ assessment of Sonic’s bathrooms — or lack thereof.

To have the opportunity to talk with somebody from a totally different generation about everything that they see was really worthwhile.

Martin Rather Lovett College Junior “Some people thought we didn’t actually stop at the Sonic, as if we were shorting the stock or something,” Martin said.

The Rathers also discovered that very few restaurants are open on a Sunday night in Nebraska. They drove for over a hundred miles — several hours — before reaching a McDonald’s in Alliance, Nebraska. Martin pointed out the irony of their futile search for an open restaurant when he probably would have had an incredible meal if he had been able to stop at any of the houses along the way.

“If I lived in Alliance, Nebraska, whether the McDonald’s is open or closed doesn’t really matter because I probably have 50 steer and I make my own bacon,” he said.

DOCUMENTING THE TRIP Martin snaps his fingers together when he tries to remember the small town where they filmed one of their first videos.

“They’re terrible production quality, I’ll tell you right now,” he said.

COURTESY MARTIN RATHER

Martin Rather (left) and his grandfather, journalist Dan Rather (right), took a road trip through the Midwest this past July. Martin documented the trip on Facebook, where thousands of people followed the Rathers’ progress.

Every night, Martin and his grandfather set up a camera and recorded a reflection on their day. Soon a pattern emerged: They’d make a comment or a joke in one of the videos about one of the towns they had just visited, and the next day there would be a story in that town’s local newspaper. For example, after stopping in Lindsborg, Kansas — also known as Little Sweden — Martin mentioned the “old-time” video store he saw there and joked that they must not have modern streaming services yet.

“This is some great journalism: The reporter from that town had called the video store to see if we’d actually gone inside, which we hadn’t,” Martin said.

“They put in a little snark comment that of course, we do have Netflix and Hulu in Little Sweden, Kansas.”

The attention they received for their trip from local newspapers was matched by interest on Facebook. After making his first post about the trip, Martin received so many friend requests that he had to make a public Facebook page in addition to his personal account. At first he posted primarily about the road trip and had an outpouring of response from fans of his grandfather’s journalism who wanted to follow along on the trip’s progress.

“If you look through the comments, you can see people saying, oh, I took a trip like this with my uncle, with my grandmother,” Martin said.

A casual scroll through the comments reveals people — all strangers to Martin — talking about memories of their grandparents or offering to give Martin and Dan tours if they swing by their small towns: Red Wing, Minnesota; Olathe, Kansas; Chamberlain, South Dakota.

“I’ve driven across country in some direction from some point many times,” Jason Gaskill wrote in a comment. “The trip was always the destination. The destination the place to circle back home. Enjoy the trip. It’s the best part.

Just like life.”

Even though the road trip is over, the page has lived on. Now Martin writes posts two or three times a week, mostly about politics and current events. They are often the result of conversations he has with roommates, friends or people in his O-Week group.

“I don’t know that Rice is the most politically active campus — I would not say that — but I think you do still hear really interesting things,” Martin said.

Martin takes those interesting things and turns them into posts that get thousands of likes on his Facebook page.

He plans to expand his newfound media presence over the coming year, before he graduates in May. His goal is to be a voice that highlights current events in the context of a young person’s experiences.

He said there aren’t enough young voices on CNN, MSNBC or NPR. “It has occurred to me that part of the struggle of being a young adult in America today is having access to a wealth of information about all the problems of our country that badly need fixing while simultaneously feeling helpless to make a change,” he said.

In his road trip, Martin saw firsthand the role that a popular monument like Mount Rushmore has in American culture; a few days later, he started a conversation on Facebook about the role of the Charlottesville, Virginia statue of Robert E. Lee where a white nationalist rally erupted in violence on Aug. 12.

“I think national institutions have been eroded and my hope is that we can get to the point where we can all come around and find things that we can all agree to admire and respect,” Martin said.

A FAMILY AFFAIR:

Rice siblings cross paths on campus ELIZABETH RASICH SPOTLIGHT EDITOR/ EAR4@RICE.EDU

Twins Natalie and Loren Goddard look almost identical in their Rice track and field shirts. They spend most mornings together at cross country practice, mirror images in uniform.

It’s nothing new: In high school, they were both on the same cross country team, hung out with the same friends and had the same schedule. As freshmen, Rice is their first chance to differentiate their lives from one another. Natalie is at Duncan College, and Loren is at Hanszen College, where they hope they can find different friend groups and different clubs to be involved in.

“Being in different colleges allows us to have different experiences and friends in college but still have a familiar face and someone to talk to on campus,” Natalie said.

Both are engineering majors and share a General Chemistry class.

“We haven’t gotten very many grades yet because it’s pretty early in the semester, but a little twin rivalry never hurts,” Loren said.

“We definitely help each other but most of the time neither of us know what’s going on,” Natalie added.

Without similar majors or the same team to keep them close, other siblings hardly ever cross paths.

Anthony Charletta’s older sister Monica (Will Rice ’17) graduated last year.

They mostly led separate lives, but would hang out every once in a while at a party or get dinner together.

“It’s a comfortable feeling having a family member so close,” Anthony, a Duncan junior, said. “It definitely helped me meet people, but sometimes I felt like it was hard to be seen as an individual instead of someone’s younger brother.”

Like Anthony, sophomore Freddy Cavallero rarely sees his older sister Emelia on campus, even though they are both at Will Rice. He blames “#andersoncollege” since Emelia is a senior architecture major. They are also in different social circles, so they have to plan time to meet for coffee.

“In high school I was always in her shadow, but now we both have made our own name for ourselves,” Freddy said.

“It’s also kind of awkward when we run into each other drunk on campus.”

Meanwhile, sophomores Matthew and Nathan Archibald made no attempt to separate themselves at college. They do everything together: classes, studying, intramural tennis — even rooming together at Will Rice College.

“I’ve always thought that since we are close, we might as well do things together,” Matthew said. “It’s also nice, because if he does anything bad, I can just threaten to call our mom. I feel like I have way more leverage than most roommates.”

Nathan likes having his brother so close because Matthew is a familiar face in a new environment.

“A lot of people go into college not really knowing anyone, so it feels rather unique being at Rice with someone I’ve known all my life — except like the first 14 minutes,” he said.

They are both majoring in English, so they’ve taken many classes together.

SIBLINGS CONT. ON PAGE 7

THE RICE THRESHER

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 SIBLINGS FROM PAGE 6 “I know that they try their hardest, but most of our professors haven’t been able to tell us apart,” Matthew said. “It makes me wonder how they calculate our participation grades for our classes.”

While siblings Matthew and Chris Brehm don’t share a major, they do share a class together: HIST 271, “History of South Asia.” They also share a textbook, which Matthew Brehm says has been “a little stressful.”

“There haven’t been any grades yet, but I’m sure I’ll try to outscore him,” Matthew Brehm said.

Matthew, Chris and their younger brother Samuel are all at different

colleges. Matthew is a sophomore at Jones, Chris is a senior at Baker and Samuel is a freshman at Duncan.

Even so, they make time to have dinner or lunch every week and also watch Matthew’s performances with Rice Dance Theater and Chris’ with campus comedy improv group Kinda Sketchy.

“The great thing about Rice is that it’s small enough to see siblings when I need their advice or support,” Matthew Brehm said. “Conversely, the university is large enough to escape them completely. Growing up, we lived pretty separate lives.

There’s actually less tension now than in our youth.”

SPOTLIGHT

PARTY PATROL: MARTEL TEXAS PARTY editor-in-chief

ATMOSPHERE

MUSIC & DANCING

INTANGIBLES

Top: Loren Goddard and Natalie Goddard are freshmen who chose to be in different residential colleges.

Bottom: On the other hand, sophomores Nathan and Matthew Archibald chose to room together at Will Rice College.

JUAN S.

DREW K.

A-

B-

news editor

ANNA T.

categories:

FOOD & DRINK

COURTESY NATALIE GODDARD AND MATTHEW ARCHIBALD

editor-in-chief

OVERALL

Nothing like a giant flag and sweaty guys in flannel to make it feel like Texas.

B

The Christian pancakes were aggressively undercooked but truly do appreciate the sentiment.

D+

Volume was low and it was too packed and sweaty to dance.

A+ Well, it finally gave the freshmen a chance to pull.

B

I felt way too much like a parent watching the kids play from the side.

Disappointing costume efforts, stars-and-stripes body suit excepted.

A I arrived at 10 p.m. for the pancakes and was not disappointed.

A+

(My roommate was the DJ.) But objectively, it was awesome.

A-

I didn’t witness any of my new students vomiting (Shoutout!), so that could’ve been worse.

A-

Better than Lovett would’ve been.

B+ Seems vaguely ill-conceived to have a theme centering around flannel in the first(sweatiest) party of the year.

A I’ve never been happier to eat boxed powder in tiny pancake form.

B+

Like, less sweaty than usual.

C

Why was the line to get in somehow worse than the actual crowd itself??

B+

Good, wholesome family fun.

7

&

ARTS entertainment

8

courtesy collider

TELEVISION

SEASON 4 OF ‘BOJACK HORSEMAN’ SHINES MICHAEL VERMEULEN THRESHER STAFF / MAV6@RICE.EDU

BOJACK HORSEMAN Running time: 25 minutes No. of episodes: 12 per season Genre: Animated comedy

Last Friday, the best show on television returned to our screens for its fourth season.

Though the show does not have a huge viewership, its appreciation by fans and critics is nearly unparalleled. With this series, Netflix has produced one of the alltime great pieces of longform cinematic art: Its name is “BoJack Horseman.”

“BoJack”’s popularity may be confusing to new viewers. The premise alone is utterly bizarre: A middle-aged anthropomorphic horse who starred in a popular ’90s family sitcom attempts to navigate the crazy world of the entertainment industry while simultaneously retaining his sanity.

This genius comes most obviously from the writing, possibly the best in the entire contemporary television landscape. Led by creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg, the writing team has a masterful grasp on the “BoJack” universe and the characters who live in it. The characters in “BoJack” feel like actual people with actual problems that the audience can identify with. Characters deliver wacky one-liners one moment and heartbreaking monologues the next, just as people do in real life. The show’s plots reflect this tonal variance. The show is a cartoon, after all, and it’s not afraid to take advantage of the absurdity that the inherently unrealistic

THE WEEKLY SCENE

medium allows.

On the flip side, the show also has many moments that can only be properly described as soul-crushing. “BoJack” is unafraid to address stories that might deeply affect or disturb audiences on an emotional or psychological level. Among the topics broached are dementia, sexual orientation, eating disorders, adultery, abuse, war and the painful inescapability of the past, and that’s just this season. In many ways, “BoJack” is the most depressing show on television. “BoJack” is made for adults, and it speaks intelligently and philosophically to that demographic without compromising its goofy sense of humor.

The show’s other defining strength is its vocal performances, which continue to be flawless. Will Arnett somehow mines even greater depths of his dramatic ability than he has in previous seasons as the titular BoJack Horseman, demonstrating a level of acting beyond his entirely comedic oeuvre. Similarly, Alison Brie, Amy Sedaris and Paul F. Tompkins remain stellar as Diane Nguyen, Princess Caroline and Mr. Peanutbutter respectively, perfectly walking the line between comic farce and dramatic authenticity that makes “BoJack” unique.

Wendie Malick’s tragic performance as BoJack’s mother, who is given more screen time than in past seasons, is particularly memorable.

Sharing more information about the content of the fourth season of “BoJack” would be nearly as cruel as the stories that unfold within it. It is a rare occurrence that a show this groundbreaking and special comes along, one that reaches down and touches your heart in the way you always hope cinema can. “BoJack Horseman” is unlike any show ever to come before and most likely any to come after, making it an absolute must-watch.

courtesy fox searchlight

FILM

‘Patti Cakes’ follows the rise of a fledgling rapper

MADDIE FLAVIN THRESHER STAFF / MF37@RICE.EDU

PATTI CAKES Running time: 128 minutes Rating: R Genre: Drama

For both fans and aspiring artists, music has always served as an escape from and a way to express feelings about life experiences. In the musical drama “Patti Cakes,” Geremy Jasper tells a gritty bluecollar Cinderella story about one girl’s relationship with rapping and how it frees her from a dysfunctional life.

Twenty-three-year-old Patricia “Patti” Dumbrowski is a plus-size white girl with dreams of rap superstardom big enough to free her from her downtrodden New Jersey town. In this depressing place, the only people who believe in her rhyming abilities are her pharmacist best friend, Jheri, and her ill Nana. Patti is determined to avoid following in the footsteps of her mother, a former singer who blames parenthood for prematurely ending her career. Patti enlists the help of Basterd, a mysterious, fringe-living sound engineer, in making an EP. Together, the unlikely quartet of Patti, Basterd, Nana and Jheri, now known as “PBNJ,” works hard to give Patti a musical boost and hope for themselves in a cruel environment.

Though the film follows musical drama plot clichés, from the recording montage that concludes act one to the second act setbacks, what makes “Patti Cakes”

worth admission is Danielle MacDonald’s performance in the title role. MacDonald is so believable as a Jersey-born girl who has rapped for most of her life that one might be flabbergasted to discover that she’s actually Australian and has never rapped before the film. The role is truly transformative for MacDonald. The swagger, the accent, the singing — the intense preproduction preparation pays off, as it all looks second nature for Patti. Cabaret singer Bridget Everett gives an equally strong performance as Patti’s regretful mother Barb, a woman so pained over her life choices that her preferred method of release is lashing out at her daughter. Siddharth Dhananjay plays Jheri as the best friend/collaborator anyone chasing a dream would want to share their journey with. Mamoudou Athie portrays the quietly anarchistic Basterd, an enigma whose mystery you don’t want to fully unravel for fear of losing something special. Cathy Moriarty elevates Nana above the wisecracking grandparent cliché. Nana’s unconditional support for her granddaughter stems from her disgust with her daughter’s abusive behavior.

These familial relationships, more often alluded to than shown, are what make Nana irreplaceable in the PBNJ quartet. A dying woman in a dying town, Nana sees Patti’s journey as the last big adventure of her life.

In both the music and movie businesses of today, we often complain that everything lacks originality. While films may cover similar themes within the same genre, what distinguishes them from each other is how they tweak those familiar themes to fit their own worldview.

Thanks to the magnificent breakthrough performance of its leading lady and some ridiculously good earworms (see the track “PBNJ”), “Patti Cakes” shines.

EL GRITO

KARBACHTOBERFEST

DISCOVERY GREEN FLEA

‘LANDSCAPE JOURNEYS’

America’s first all-female mariachi ensemble, Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles, will help celebrate Mexican independence day this weekend in Hermann Park. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15. Tickets are free.

Karbachtoberfest, a music and beer festival put on by Karbach brewing company, kicks off this weekend. Festivities begin at 2:30 p.m. on Friday and noon on Saturday, with headliners The Suspects and Bun B going on at 8 p.m.

Admission is free.

This destination market features an array of unique art and vintage items, as well as local entertainment and light bites. Check it out this Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. for free. This is a recurring event, so catch it next month if you’re busy this time around.

Rice Professor Basilios Paulous presents the opening of his solo visual art show.

The opening is off-campus this Saturday from 6:30 to 8 p.m, and his exhibit will run until Oct. 7. Admission is free to the public.

Miller Outdoor Theater milleroutdoortheater.com

Karbach Brewing Company 2032 Karbach st. karbachbrewing.com/karbachtoberfest2017

Discovery Green Labranch at Lamar discoverygreen.com

Sarah Foltz Fine Arts gallery 2143 Westheimer reavesart.com

THE RICE THRESHER

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

WHAT’S HIP RIGHT NOW TELEVISION: ‘Broad City’

HEALTH:

Lola feminine products

9

ARELI NAVARRO MAGALLON THRESHER STAFF / AMN9@RICE.EDU

LITERATURE: ‘Bone’

courtesy vulture

courtesy detox me tuesday

In a phrase: Comedy Central’s best comedy Where to find it: Hulu or Comedy Central

In a phrase: Organic tampons and pads Where to find it: mylola.com

In a phrase: Better than “Milk and Honey” Where to find it: Amazon

If you haven’t heard of “Broad City,” you’re three seasons late. Luckily, the show requires no context to enjoy, and season four premieres tonight. Co-stars and co-creators Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer began as improv partners who created a YouTube web series in 2010. Eventually, they attracted Amy Poehler’s attention, and the two were signed to Comedy Central. The premise is simple: Two twentysomething best friends live in New York. It’s a far cry from “Friends,” however, and not just because there are people of color. Crass and absurdist, the humor can take some adjustment, but the commitment to making discomfort comical wins you over. “Broad City” hilariously frames the taboos of being a hot mess in a friendship that is truly goals. Even better than your O-Week fam. Or Pub partners.

Definitely better than your study buddy.

*Trigger warning* Will discuss menstruation. Men, shield your eyes.

Boasting complete transparency, Lola distinguishes itself from other feminine product brands with its only ingredient: 100 percent pure cotton. Driven by the fact that the FDA does not require feminine product brands to disclose their ingredients to customers, Lola asks, “If we care about the ingredients in everything from our food to our face cream, why should feminine care be any different?” They set out to improve other aspects of having a period. The result is Lola, a brand of pure cotton pads and tampons that are shipped to your door every month in boxes with customizable contents. Change out the number of pads to tampons, add liners for just one day, skip an order for a month — every possibility is at your fingertips through Lola.

Rupi Kaur’s collection of poetry, “Milk and Honey,” is a No. 1 New York Times best-seller that does not deserve to be the subject of thousands of fake deep Instagram captions and ~artsy~ stick and poke tattoos. Still, its popularity proves that readers are more receptive to reading (what they think is) poetry than ever before. People are now channeling this newfound love for short, relatively digestible poetry written by women of color into poetry collections that are actually worth it.

“Bone” isn’t Yrsa Daley-Ward’s first collection of poems, but it is her best.

Written exquisitely, almost hauntingly, her subject matter is tight, focused and impossibly universal. Add this British collection to your bookshelf for +10 to your hipster score.

courtesy psycho cinderella

TRENDING:

The Atlantic daily newsletter

courtesy gadgetflow

In a phrase: Current events made stupidly accessible Where to find it: theatlantic.com The day I accepted that Twitter doesn’t count as the news was my first day as an Adult™. Reality hit hard, but I knew in my heart that current events cannot be reduced to 140 characters and a meme, no matter how incredibly digestible it may be. Still, I wasn’t ready for the commitment of a daily news show, knowing that once you watch three days in a row you age at least five years.

The Rice bubble didn’t incentivize me either.

Why keep up with current events when I can skim Leebron’s volumes of emails?

The struggle to stay present in your reality while being aware of the world around us is real. The Atlantic’s Daily Newsletter sends daily emails of a short and sweet version of today’s national and global news, with links for more details if a particular topic weighs on you more than your next exam.

SPORTS

10

MIC DROP FOOTBALL FROM PAGE 1 Rice head coach David Bailiff praised the fans at Sun Bowl Stadium, calling the support “a classy move by classy people.”

Bailiff also credited his team’s ability to set aside the emotions of the tragedy and put forth an impressive display of football.

“I am so pleased with these young men,” Bailiff said. “They had to learn how to compartmentalize, they had to learn how to rebuild, and they had to come over here and get better as a football team. This is a hard place to play. I am really proud of them.”

Junior defensive end Blain Padgett echoed similar sentiments. According to Padgett, many players are dealing with

the fallout of Harvey: flooded homes, lost personal items and, concerned families.

Padgett said the team had a gritty week of practice in Dallas and it translated onto the field.

“We knew we had to come in here and be the more physical team,” Padgett said. “It was clear that our defense dominated their offense. Their offensive line was supposedly one of the best in the conference but we dominated the person right in front of us single down. I was impressed with our offense. Just overall intensity. That’s how we got the win.”

Rice football plays next Saturday at the University of Houston at 7 p.m. Central Standard Time.

courtesy brian kanof

Soccer splits a high-scoring weekend Memphis 3 Rice 1

Tulsa 2 Rice 5

ANDREW GROTTKAU SPORTS EDITOR / ABG4@RICE.EDU

Rice soccer’s offense picked up where it left off in last week’s 4-1 win, scoring six goals over a span of two games this weekend to split its road contests. The Owls fell to No. 18 University of Memphis with a 3-1 loss before rebounding with a 5-2 thrashing of the University of Tulsa on Sunday. Rice now heads into the conference season with a record of 3-2-1.

Friday’s game at the University of Memphis was the Owls’ first opportunity to face a top-25 team this year. According to head coach Nicky Adams, the team embraced the challenge.

“It’s always good to go up against a ranked team,” Adams said. “We want our program to be a top-25 program too, so we have to show we can play well against a team like Memphis.”

The former Conference USA rivals remained deadlocked throughout most of the first half. There were some opportunities for both sides, but neither could capitalize. In the 42nd minute, however, the Tigers broke through. Junior forward Marie Levasseur took a shot from long range that snuck in past the keeper to put Memphis up 1-0. Adams said the goal was frustrating for Rice.

“It’s always disappointing to give up a goal just before the half like that,” Adams said.

The Tigers doubled their lead shortly after the halftime break. In the 48th minute, less than three minutes after play resumed, junior midfielder Elizabeth Woerner scored off an assist from Levasseur to net her fifth goal of the season. The 2-0 Memphis lead

held until the 88th minute when the Tigers scored again to make it 3-0. Rice freshman midfielder Ashley Burgess then scored her first career goal in the closing seconds to make it a 3-1 final.

According to Adams, the Owls could have come away from the match with a different result.

“Opportunities we were given [that] we didn’t take advantage of,” Adams said. “I thought we had three legit opportunities that we could have put away. It seems like we’re scoring hard goals but we’re not finishing the easy ones. Until we do that, we’re making it pretty difficult [for] ourselves.”

The seniors started their Rice careers with a conference championship; I think they want to finish that way too.

Nicky Adams Soccer Head Coach Rice had to make a quick turnaround to face off against Tulsa on Sunday. The Owls made just one lineup change, putting in sophomore forward Haley Kostyshyn over junior forward Marissa Topolski. Rice began the game by scoring its fastest goal of the season when sophomore defender Louise Stephens scored her second goal of the year in the first minute of the match. Junior midfielder Annie Walker doubled the Owls’ lead with her first goal of the year just five minutes later to make it 2-0. Walker said the goal was just what she needed.

“I’m really happy I scored,” Walker said.

“Hopefully it opens up the floodgates. It definitely takes the pressure off; I’m happy to

get the first one out of the way.”

Tulsa did not go quietly, however. The Golden Hurricane scored consecutive goals in the 19th and 23rd minutes to tie the game 2-2. Senior defender Samantha Chaiken said it was disappointing to allow Tulsa back into the game.

“We didn’t play as well as we wanted to,” Chaiken said. “Ideally we wouldn’t have gotten two goals scored on us. We’re always looking ahead and wanting to make ourselves better so we were hoping for the shutout.”

The game did not remain tied for long.

Senior defender Aliza Wolfe netted her first goal of the season to give Rice the lead for good in the 34th minute. Two Owls, senior midfielder Nia Stallings and freshman midfielder Rebecca Keane, scored early in the second half to clinch the win. In all, five different Owls scored, which Chaiken said was a testament to the team’s chemistry.

“It says a lot about our team and a lot about the positions we’re able to put each other in,” Chaiken said. “I’m really proud of the five girls.”

Walker said the win was important for the team moving forward.

“It was really nice to get a win under our belts this weekend and to go into next game against [Florida Atlantic University] with a win,” Walker said.

Rice will begin conference play Friday against FAU. Last year, Rice finished second in the regular season conference standings but lost in the first round of the postseason tournament. Adams said she thinks this year can be different.

“The seniors on this team started their Rice careers with a conference championship and I think they want to finish it that way too,” Adams said.

The Owls begin their quest for the title Friday night at 7 p.m. at Holloway Field against FAU.

Kyle a star on and off the court ANDREW GROTTKAU SPORTS EDITOR / ABG4@RICE.EDU

Being a student-athlete requires hours of work each day. Double majoring at Rice is hardly easy either. McKay Kyle does both.

And in just two years at Rice, the junior volleyball player and economics and sport management double major has already appeared on the Conference USA AllFreshman Team, the C-USA All-Tournament Team and the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll. To Kyle, though, she’s not doing anything too special.

“All of my teammates are really good students too,” Kyle said. “You see them setting that example. We always have a really good GPA as a team, so there’s a high expectation there.”

A typical day, according to Kyle, consists of weightlifting at 6 a.m., classes, practice and finally night classes. Kyle said balancing commitments isn’t always easy.

“It’s a lot of time management,” Kyle said. “It’s just about finding time here and there. I have to make sure to study schoolwork and scouting reports. It takes a lot of studying on the road.”

Between school and volleyball, Kyle and her teammates have little free time during the season. This weekend, they played two matches on Friday and another on Saturday after a full week of practices.

Naturally, they used their free time to spend even more time together.

“We like doing fun things as a team,” Kyle said. “Tonight, we’re going bowling.

KYLE CONT. ON PAGE 11

THE RICE THRESHER

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

KYLE FROM PAGE 10

The team welcomed me. They gave me the opportunities I needed to prove myself right off the bat.

McKay Kyle Volleyball Player

Junior middle blocker McKay Kyle serves during Rice’s five-set victory over the University of the Incarnate Word on Saturday at Tudor Fieldhouse. jiayi lyu/thresher

Whenever we have that off day we use it to rest, but also we’ll have fun together. We can’t get enough of each other.”

Amid the team’s success, Kyle has stood out. She committed to Rice after her sophomore year of high school in San Antonio because she wanted the opportunity to play at a high level and earn a degree that would help her after graduation.

In her first year, Kyle earned conference freshman of the week honors in just her third week of play. She had a match with 18 kills and another with seven blocks. Kyle credited her teammates and coaches for helping her achieve immediate success.

“I came in ready to fight,” Kyle said.

“The team welcomed me. They gave me the opportunities I needed to prove myself right off the bat.”

SPORTS

11

In her sophomore year, Kyle picked up where she left off. She finished sixth in the conference in hitting percentage at .355 but truly made her mark in the conference tournament. She recorded 15 kills in the semifinals and another 15 in the championship game loss to Western Kentucky. Kyle earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team for her performance. She believes the team has a chance to perform even better this year.

“I think we have such high potential,” Kyle said. “We have so much more room to grow.

Once we get into conference [play] we’ll be ready to go after it.”

Kyle and her teammates will play again this weekend in the second Rice Adidas Invitational. The Owls will take on Arkansas State University, Georgetown University and Stephen F. Austin State University looking to improve on their 6-4 record.

12

THE RICE THRESHER

BACKPAGE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017

Your totally tubular and altogether righteous guide to

Sid 80’s

Now that Martel’s behind us, it’s time for something genuinely important: The first public of the year. So from we at the Backpage to all you people out there who still read print (retro!), here’s our take on how to party like it’s 1985.

e ll on s a e at sse n th he h t i til pre ns e t Un unk tto o se But dr e bu or t hts. ing th evat lig t tak ugh – el etty no tho an pr u’re airs I me yo e st se, s. th cau tair be ck s fu

eing on lace for pe ygoers Optimal p rt a eing on p people pe

INVERSE FONDREN LAW: Beyond the commons, audial mechanics follow the “Inverse Fondren Law”: The higher you go, the louder it gets.

PHYS 101 practice problem: How long will it take for puke to reach the ground if it’s ejected at an initial velocity of 1 m/s from seven stories up?

Head out on the balcony to take a breath of fresh humidity, and appreciate the view: splotches of growth emerging from unanticipated regions, evidence of moisture in potentially dangerous areas and a general aesthetic that just doesn’t seem planned out. Then push that person out of the way so you can see the Houston skyline.

The night, as always, will begin with the annual dance off. This year’s battle promises to be a doozy.

Rumor has it that “Seven Minutes in Heaven” is just a misnomer for “Seven Minutes on Seventh.” The difference is that one involves good times and romance, and the other just ran out of Frio.

- For a minute here, you just may find yourself considering the possibility that future publics might be somewhat worth giving a chance. You’re wrong.

- Sid has dealt with their post-Harvey flooding issues, but you’d be hard pressed to miss some leakage on the dance floor once Molly and the Ringwalds takes the stage.

- You hear two cover songs from the band and realize you actually just want them to play Despacito.

- At one point, everyone will begin screaming for the band to play their originals. Not cool, guys.

- OK, it’s 2 a.m. You’ve repeatedly been told “don’t stop believin,’ but you gotta give up at some point.

Most of your night will be spent in line outside, imagining how awesome it must be inside. You’ll eventually get inside, just to find yourself making a beeline for the bathroom.

ing on

e lace for pe Optimal p partygoers

recommended outfits

non-recommended outfits

The Backpage is satire and written by Joey McGlone and Isaac Schultz. This week, Ben Baldazo contributed, although not as much as he could have. For comments or questions, please email farts@rice.edu.

CLASSIFIEDS WANTED

OLD SCHOOL TUTORING is looking to fill positions at our after school care and tutoring program for 2017-2018. Offering $12 hourly and up, and located across from Rice! Contact Daniela Hernandez at OldSchoolFCC@gmail. com or 713-510-3102 WEST UNIVERSITY FAMILY is looking for a reliale and energetic caregiver for two busy teenage boys! Must be able to drive with reliable transportation. Snack and meal prep, and light straightening all part of the job. We are looking for a fun, loving and organized individual to make sure homework gets done and boys get to after school activities.

Approximately 9-10 hours a week. If interested please email: mr_s_baumgartner@gmail.com RICE ALUMS SEEKING baby-sitter for Monday and/or Friday, 2-5pm, to watch our baby while mom works at home. Previous childcare and foreign langauge skills are a plus. Pay in $20/

hr. Please email cehblanton@gmail.com with questions to apply.

RICE ALUM HIRING tutors for Middle & High School Math, Natural & Social Sciences, Foreign Language, Humanities, and SAT/ACT prep. Reliable transportation required. Pay is based upon variety of factors. Contact 832428-8330 and email resume to sri.iyengar@ sriacademicservices.com GENERAL VISION NEUROSTACK Development Kit: develop pattern/imge recognition apps for the Neuromem neuromorphic processor. Slightly used, asking $2K ($4K current new price). buchananbuck01@gmail.com FRESH EYES EDITING SERVICES offers professional, personalized attention to your project at hand at reasonable rates. Resumes, graduate theses, newsletters, and more. AP

Stylebook, Chicago Manual of Style, MLA & Stedman’s. For more information, visit www. fresheyeseditingservices.com ONLINE TUTOR WANTED Tutor on your own schedule and earn great money

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