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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022 VOLUME 96 ■ ISSUE 29

LA VIDA

SPORTS

Interim dean of the Honor ’s College Aliza Wong was named Academic Academy in Rome, Italy.

Super-senior Chadarius Townsend hopes to bounce back after a season ending injury during last fall.

In order for abortions to be minimized birth control options should be more available.

OPINIONS

PG 5

PG 3

PG 4

AND THE WINNERS ARE...

See what was voted as the best places to eat, drink, shop and more in Raiders’ Choice.

SECTION B

INDEX LA VIDA SPORTS OPINIONS CROSSWORD CLASSIFIEDS SUDOKU

5 3 4 2 5 5

LIFESTYLE

Military children share their unique upbringing

By CHYNA VARGAS Managing Editor

A

pril is the designated month of the military child. According to the U.S. Department of Defense website, for 40 years this month has been recognized to acknowledge the sacrifices that military children go through while their family member is serving in the military.

While the name is military child, these children eventually grow up and are then recognized at all ages. For Texas Tech, the students are embedded in a unique culture that they call the military community.

“I would say the USA really helps out their veterans and their dependents,” Daniel Bracey, second-year accounting major said. “I was always able to receive

benefit care for like medicine.”

The Dallas native said his father served in the Marines for 14 years, allowing him to use veteran affairs benefits to help with education and medical care.

Bracey said he is very grateful for his father and the sacrifices that he has made in order for him to have a better life, as his father worked hard to make sure his family had everything. Bracey works at the Military and Veterans Programs Office because of his father.

“I definitely would say the MVP office has helped because I was recently in the hospital for three weeks,” Bracey said. They helped by getting in contact with my teachers and the dean…it really really did help.”

Bracey said one of the opportunities that he was given as a dependent was the chance to

COURTESY PHOTO Victoria Carabajal with her dad Benito Carabajal IV while he was active in the Navy.

run the flag across the football stadium for Veterans Day. “That was when we kicked this 61-yard field goal,” Bracey said.

“I was given a flag to run across.

That was a gift. So I was thinking that was pretty fun.”

Bracey said the MVP community at Tech is and has been a great community to be a part of during his time on campus.

Victoria Carabajal is a fourthyear human sciences major from Camp Wood who’s father served in the Navy and grew up while he was active.

“Usually when people ask me where I’m from, its kind of a difficult question, but I just give them where I graduated high school.”

Carabajal said. “I always thought growing up that it was normal for all families to just kind of move around every three to five years.”

Carabajal said due to constantly moving around, her communication skills and ability to instantly make friends is a skill developed by her life in the military.

This lifestyle gave Carbajal a sense of independence. Carbajal has lived in Texas, Tennessee and Arkansas. When coming to college, Carbajal said the hardest part was being away from family despite being used to moving.

“Even though we were moving around every so often, the same constant was been so it was a little difficult having to be so far from my family.” Carabajal said.

“But really, I think it just gave me a stronger sense of independence and even just competence.”

Carabajal said her plan after undergraduate is to attend Tech’s accelerated nursing school. Carabajal’s father is one of the main reasons she wants to be a nurse to help people like him.

Unfortunately, Carabjal said her father is permanently disabled from serving in the Navy.

She said she sees him go through a lot with regard to his health.

“I know that he’s going through that as we went through 20 years of the military so that way we wouldn’t have to,” Carabajal said. “So he wants us to just use the benefits that he pretty much gave us so that we wouldn’t have

COURTESY PHOTO

Lieutenant colonel Jesus Eloy Guerra with son, Jesus Eloy Guerra. Lt. Col Guerra served in the U.S. Army Rangers and is now retired.

to deal with loans, stressing about having to pay for schools and just establishing.”

Carabajal said it is frustrating to see her dad in the condition that he is but that is what encourages her to continue and do well in school in order to help others. She said she is grateful for her father’s sacrifice for her and her family.

Daniel Vazquez is a fourthyear dependent who is a sociology major from Daytona Beach, Florida. His father served 20 years in Army and now is retired.

Vasquez up until he was 10 years old moved around the country to places such as North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas.

“As a kid, you don’t really understand what’s going on. You just kind of know your dad’s away,” Vazquez said. “And if you’re in a military town, then you understand a lot of your other friends are kind of going through the same things.”

Vazquez said being in a military town, showed empathy at the schools he attended where he was allowed to make care packages and send letters whenever

they could.

Vazquez said his father did back-to-back deployments from 2006 to 2009 in Iraq. His mother then took on both parental roles by taking care of him and his older sister.

“I think being a military child, you’ve learned to adapt to your situation very well and be able to kind of you know, shift on the fly,” Vazquez said. “Definitely makes you have perspective on just being able to be anywhere in a kind of thrive.”

Taylor Holvey a third-year management and marketing major from San Antonio said she makes sure no credit or hour goes to waste when it comes to the educational benefits that her father sacrificed for.

“I strive for excellence in all my studies,” Holvey said. “My father sacrificed a lot to earn these benefits and it is only right for me to respect such sacrifices through high academic achievement.”

A takeaway Holvey said she has with regards to being a military child, is to never take your freedom for granted. Her father,

SEE MILITARY, PG. 2

BASEBALL

Birdsell’s resurgence leads Tech’s pitching unit

By CHRIS WILLIAMS Sports Reporter

Anyone who listens to Texas Tech starting pitcher Brandon Birdsell talk baseball, knows he uses the word compete frequently.

He focuses on maintaining a competitive mindset regardless of the quality or importance of his starts.

After his second start of the season against Merrimack College on Feb. 27, which he finished with seven strikeouts while surrendering one run, Birdsell focused on his weakness when asked to assess his performance.

“I didn’t have my greatest stuff but was able to just go out there and compete and that was what was working well for me,” Birdsell said.

On a much bigger stage, Birdsell gave a similar response after he surrendered a season-high four runs on 10 hits to No. 2 Texas on March 26.

“They’re a good hitting team,” said Birdsell, who pitched five innings despite the Longhorns’ offensive explosion. “Took a lot out of me today but I went out there and just competed with them.”

Birdsell is no stranger to fighting through adversity. In April of 2021, a torn rotator cuff ended his sophomore campaign after seven starts. The injury dropped him to an 11th round selection in the 2021 MLB Draft, where he was drafted by the Minnesota Twins with the No. 339 overall pick, according to

Tech Athletics.

A year later, Birdsell is leading the No. 9 Red Raiders in ERA, strikeouts and is second in innings pitched to fellow weekend starter Andrew Morris, according to Tech Athletics.

Birdsell said he has accepted the injury and embraced the new opportunity it has presented.

“A lot of adversity that’s happened in my life, good and bad, you can’t really take much from it,” Birdsell said.

“You’ve just got to understand that t h e L o r d ’s doing it for a reason.

Unfortunate what happened last year but more than happy to be back here with my team for another year.”

Birdsell has taken a unique path to becoming Tech’s Saturday afternoon starter. After graduating from Willis High School, he was selected in the 39th round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros, according to Baseball Reference.

Birdsell, then 18 years old, opted to forgo the professional route and instead begin his collegiate career at Texas A&M, where he appeared

in nine games for the Aggies, according to Texas A&M Athletics.

After one year in College Station, Birdsell transferred to San Jacinto Junior College, where he refined his pitching mechanics under pitching coach and MLB veteran Woody Williams, according to Tech Athletics.

Now in Lubbock, his third stop in four years, Birdsell has established himself among members of the program as a leader in the Red

Raider clubhouse. Tech head coach Tim Tadlock said that Birdsell’s preparation and results are something he has come to expect.

“I’m really proud of the way

Birdie came back,” Tadlock said in reference to Birdsell’s injury. “He’s a great teammate. It’s a pleasure to watch him go out and compete every game. He’s got elite stuff and he gives you everything he has every day of the week.”

Birdsell’s teammates are also well aware of what he brings to the mound. Sophomore second baseman Jace Jung said the consistency and quality of pitching that his teammate displays in each start helps lighten the pressure on the offense.

“It’s actually phenomenal to have him on the mound,” Jung said after Birdsell pitched a six inning shutout while fanning 12 batters in the process against Kansas State on April 9. “We can put up runs, we know that, and we know that when we get on the field we have 96-97 (miles per hour) coming at your face. It’s really nice.”

Appearing on numerous 2022 draft projections, a third selection may be looming for Birdsell this summer. Despite this, Birdsell said he remains focused on this season and team.

“We want to win,” Birdsell said

when asked about the culture within the program. “We’re going to grind, we’re gonna compete for each other and try to win a lot of ball games.”

The next opportunity for the Birdsell and the Red Raiders to win another ball game will be Friday, April 22 when Rip Griffin Park hosts Military Appreciation Night. @ChrisWilliamsDT

Military Appreciation Night Follow ChrisWilliamsDT on Twitter for live updates

Friday, April 22 6:30 P.M. CT Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park Big 12 Now on ESPN+ Photo by Olivia Raymond

Page 2 Thursday, April 21, 2022

MILITARY

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 who served in the Army has taught her discipline, hard work and respect are important and valuable character traits.

Holvey said while she was young at the time her father served, she would ask her mother questions about where her dad was and why he wasn’t home as well as fearing new deployment orders.

“Being a part of the military community is tough, but it is also one of the best and most rewarding communities to be a part of,” Holvey said.

Jesus Eloy Guerra, a mechanical engineering graduate from Valencia, Spain, has a father who served in the Army as a U.S. Army Ranger.

Guerra said living as a military child was formative to say the very least.

His childhood experience has left him with a sense of patriotism and community.

“What I mean by the community bit is that, even till this day, when I find out someone also grew up in a military family, we have an

LA VIDA

instant connection despite never having met each other prior and solely on that sense of military brat identity,” Guerra said.

Guerra said every time he hears a helicopter flying

overhead, it takes him back to when he was five and seeing his father parachute out of helicopters as part of the Ranger demonstration.

Guerra also said he remembers shooting a tank round

Taylor Holvey is with her father Jason Holvey who served in the Army.

Jason Holvey who is now retired.

and firing a .50 caliber sniper rifle at the ripe age of eight at another military demonstration.

“Another thing that triggers my nostalgia is the smell of motor oil, it always reminds me of my dad’s office since almost everything in the military smells like that,” Guerra said. “I also remember doing the pledge of allegiance at the cinemas on base and being very confused, when I was younger, when I went to a theater off-base and nobody did it.”

Guerra has moved to and from Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia, Texas, Germany and Spain. Guerra said no place was alike and each destination had a lesson to learn and was another aspect crucial to the military environment.

Guerra said he used both the Hazelwood and Chapter 35 military benefits to further his education. He said growing up in an environment that did give him a sense of honor and the desire for service to others; which is why he chose to study mechanical engineering.

“By utilizing the degree that I earned through the opportunity he gave me, through his sacrifices, to con-

@DailyToreador www.dailytoreador.com

Daniel Vazquez is in the middle with his father on the left Daniel VazquezMercado, who served in the Army and is now retired. On the right is Vazquez’s uncle, Jose Vazquez-Mercado.

tribute to the greater good for a larger cause and make him proud,” Guerra said.

To learn about ways to celebrate the month of the military child and military

life at Tech, visit the TTU MVP website or the Department of Defense Education Activity website to learn more. @ChynaVargasDT

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Justice Dept. to appeal travel mask mandate WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is filing an appeal seeking to overturn a judge’s order that voided the federal mask mandate on planes and trains and in travel hubs, officials said Wednesday.

The notice came minutes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked the Justice Department to appeal the decision handed down by a federal judge in Florida earlier this week.

A notice of appeal was filed in federal court in Tampa.

The CDC said in a state-

ment Wednesday that it is its “continuing assessment that at this time an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains necessary for the public health.”

It remained unclear whether the Biden administration would ask the appeals court to grant an emergency stay to immediately reimpose the mask mandate on public transit. An emergency stay of the lower court’s ruling would be a whiplash moment for travelers and transit workers. Most airlines and airports, many

public transit systems and even ride-sharing company Uber lifted their mask-wearing requirements in the hours following Monday’s ruling.

A federal judge in Florida had struck down the national mask mandate for mass transit on Monday, leading airlines and airports to swiftly repeal their requirements that passengers wear face coverings.

The Transportation Security Administration said Monday that it would it will no longer enforce the mask requirement.

The CDC had recently ex-

tended the mask mandate, which was set to expire Monday, until May 3 to allow more time to study the BA.2 omicron subvariant, which is now responsible for the vast majority of U.S. cases. But the court ruling Monday had put that decision on hold.

The CDC said it will continue to monitor public health conditions to determine if a mandate would remain necessary. It said it believes the mandate is “a lawful order, well within CDC’s legal authority to protect public health.”

Page 3 Thursday, April 21, 2022

FOOTBALL

SPORTS

@TheDT_sports www.dailytoreador.com

Townsend looks to bounce back from injury

By MICHAEL ALVAREZ Sports Reporter

After having his 2021 season cut short due to injury, senior Chadarius Townsend is looking to come back and finish his final season in a Texas Tech uniform.

Townsend broke his scapula during a kick return in Tech’s 23-20 win over West Virginia game and said he is looking to finish what he started last season.

“I’m ready to show everything that I didn’t finish showing last year,” Townsend said. “I have to prove a lot that I didn’t get to prove because my season was cut short, but I’m fully healthy now and they’re gonna see a different me.”

After spending his first three years at Alabama, Townsend said he decided to transfer to Tech for the chances the program can provide him.

AMBER COOPER/The Daily Toreador

Super-senior receiver Chadarius Townsend runs positional drills on March 31, 2022 at the Sports Performance Center.

“I’m just getting a better opportunity,” Townsend said. “I just knew that Tech was gonna do right by me and help me grow more as a player and help me get to that next level, so I saw an opportunity and took it.”

Prior to the conclusion of the 2021 season, Tech fired head coach Matt Wells and hired Joey McGuire, who brought along Zach Kittley to replace Sonny Cumbie as offensive coordinator.

Townsend said the biggest difference between his first two seasons at Tech and now is the way the new coaching staff has approached the off-season.

“It’s the process I would say,” Townsend said. “We’ve been grinding the whole spring compared to the past.

We’ve been here every hour, compared to last year because it wasn’t like that. So, this year we’re all in on the process.”

McGuire said the biggest thing Townsend brings to the team is his competitive nature and ability to create space in the open field.

“Chad brings another element of speed,” McGuire said. “Chad really opens up the deep ball and he’s done a good job with the deep ball as of right now. Not to mention he is a competitor; I mean

he’s made some big catches during competition and that energy is something that’s always brought.”

Townsend is making the transition from running back to wide receiver this season and said he is completely comfortable since it is not his first time changing positions.

“I feel like I’m more s e a s o n e d a t r e c e i v e r, ” To w n s e n d s a i d . “ I ’ v e worked on that a few times in my past years. So, I feel like that’s more my natural position, being a receiver.

I mean coming out of high school I was a dual-threat quarterback and now I’m a receiver, so changing positions is nothing new to me.”

Senior Xavier White said he is in a similar position as Townsend since he was primarily a running back last season and they have helped each other with the transition.

“I mean, we get together a lot and help each other out with plays and stuff like that,” White said. “I mean, it’s a lot different with the new system, they want us to run every position. So, we always get together just to make sure we know what we’re doing so we can do great things on the field.”

This is Townsend’s last year of eligibility and he said Tech has shown him ways to expand his game and develop as a player.

“They helped me build myself as a character of being able to adapt from different positions,” Townsend said. “Them giving me the

opportunity to do that was a big deal. That helped me out the most to offer as much as possible to get to the next level.”

The 2022 spring football game is on Saturday, April 23 and is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. @MikeAlvarezDT

KATIE PERKINS/The Daily Toreador

Red Raider fan holds cutout of senior receiver Chadarius Townsend on Sep. 11, 2021, at Jones AT&T Stadium.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Fox Sports helps Easter NASCAR ratings thrive CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Dirt will be back on NASCAR’s schedule next year and likely on Easter Sunday again if Fox Sports has its way.

NASCAR delivered the most-watched race at Bristol Motor Speedway since 2016 on Sunday night when an average 4,007,000 viewers tuned in as the Cup Series

raced on dirt for the second consecutive season.

It marked the first time since NASCAR’s inaugural 1949 season the Cup Series was deliberately scheduled to race on Easter; 10 times before were because of weather-related rescheduling, most recently in 1989.

It was Fox that had asked

NASCAR to use its traditional off weekend to chase a primetime holiday audience.

Based on Sunday night’s numbers, Fox wants Easter in its scheduling conversations.

“Look, we’re thrilled,” Bill Wanger, Fox Sports executive vice president and head of programming and scheduling, told The Associ-

ated Press on Wednesday.

“We’re talking to NASCAR about plans for ’23 and obviously that’s part of the mix.”

Despite two late rain delays, Bristol viewership was up 28% over last year’s race, which was also raindelayed but run on a Monday during daylight. It

was also up 20% over last season’s ninth race of the year (Richmond).

The race was the mostviewed among the 18-to-49 demographic since the Daytona 500 in February.

“I like having the dirt race, I think it’s a different format and obviously the numbers spike when

it is on dirt,” Wanger said.

“Also the younger demos on Easter with the dirt, we like the dirt.”

Bristol Motor Speedway president Jerry Caldwell has already said the spring race in 2023 will be a dirt race for a third consecutive year but noted the date was not decided.

OPINIONS

Page 4 Thursday, April 21, 2022

COLUMN

@DailyToreador www.dailytoreador.com

Being pro-life should not mean anti-birth control

The debate surrounding the legalization of abortion is not anything new. It distinctly divides political parties and results in a lot of debate. The term, pro-life constitutes one being in favor of not terminating a pregnancy. However, there are different sides to the pro-life movement.

It is completely understandable why one would want to be pro-life. Being against the termination of pregnancies just for the sake of convenience, in my opinion, is reasonable. However, if one is pro-life, one must be willing to help provide support and resources for expectant mothers. Refusing to do so would make one pro-birth, not pro-life.

Many pro-life individuals will claim that using birth control is immoral and inherently sinful. This is

Faith Dolan is a second-year English major from Midland.

completely contradictory for a number of reasons. For one, birth control can help families who are not ready for the responsibility of a child.

Secondly, with this reasoning, one could even argue that choosing to abstain from sex is sinful.

Being pro-life means advocating for responsible and consensual sex, which includes planning in advance if one does not want children but wishes to engage in sexual activity.

Denying access to birth control is immoral, especially since birth control ultimately prevents abortion.

In 2012, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis conducted a study that showed “providing free birth control to women reduces unplanned pregnancies and abortions.”

Pro-lifers cannot be antiabortion while also being anti-birth control. Many who are against birth control do not realize that birth control does not terminate a pregnancy.

According to WebMD, “The birth control pill, for example, stops you from ovulating. It overrides your natural hormones by giving you a steady stream of hormones to prevent ovulation. “If you take it properly, no egg is released, and no conception takes place,” says Tara Scott, MD, a gynecologic surgeon at the Gynecology Institute of Chicago.”

Any individual who claims that the birth control pill, for

example, acts by terminating a pregnancy is greatly mistaken and should avoid spreading misinformation that ultimately does nothing but harm women.

Birth control’s main purpose is to prevent pregnancy, but it can also help women with several other issues. According to reproductivefacts. org, birth control can help by “regulating menstrual periods, treating irregular periods, treating heavy or painful periods, treating endometriosis, treating premenstrual syndrome or premenstrual dysphoric disorder and treating acne and hair loss.”

Unmistakeably, birth control helps women in a multitude of ways. In fact, women who use birth control might not even be sexually active. Being anti-birth control is simply being anti-women. one could even argue that choosing to abstain from sex is immoral.

How is it okay to claim that women choosing to be relieved from symptoms such as excruciating pain or suicidal thoughts is unethical?

Being pro-life means advocating for responsible and consensual sex, which includes planning in advance...”

Also, being against birth control simply because it takes away one’s womanhood is completely disregarding women who are infertile or women who have undergone a hysterectomy.

Some women are not meant to have a period, and

that is okay. Some encounter severe symptoms such as suicidal ideation when they menstruate, and instances such as these should not be treated with mental toughness or by comments such as, “well, all women have to go through it.” Femininity is so much more than a woman’s ability to have a period or her ability to endure a period.

Our society must support women in their decision to use contraceptives. It is not others’ job to approve a deprival of resources and treatment as long as she goes through with her pregnancy.

If we are to claim that all pregnant women should carry through with their pregnancy, then we should do everything in our power to help provide resources to women who are of childbearing age. @FaithDolanDT

COLUMN

Pornography addiction can lead to detrimental effects The introduction of the Internet has exploited the world of pornography, creating easier access to sexual content.

Websites such as OnlyFans have brought pornographic content into the mainstream scene; in the entertainment world, wellknown celebrities are taking to the site to gain income and notoriety.

Popular adult film website PornHub revealed a 24 percent viewing increase in 2020; pornography continues to become more popular in the COVID-19 pandemic era.

However, it is important to discuss the consequences of this overexposure to sexual content. With more easily

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BREAKING NEWS Email dailytoreador@ttu.edu, call (806) 742-3393 or tweet information to @DailyToreador.

CORRECTIONS The Daily Toreador strives for accuracy and fairness in the reporting of news.

If a report is wrong or misleading, a request for a correction or clarification may be made by calling (806) 742-3393 or emailing dailytoreador@ttu.edu.

Jules Cervera is a third-year English major from Grand Praire

accessible porn, dangerous behaviors such as porn addiction are prone to arise.

The definition of porn addiction, referring to an article by Medical News Today, refers to an individual who has developed an emotional dependency on pornography that interferes with their daily life, mental health and relationships.

According to a 2021 article published by The Recovery Village, an addiction treatment site, an estimate of 40 million U.S. adults regularly visit internet pornography websites. Furthermore, studies show that 10 percent of U.S. adults admit to having an addiction to internet pornography.

The dangers of porn addiction may expose underlying

mental illness and can affect a person’s ability to create and keep relationships.

Psychological disorders including depression and anxiety can lead to porn addiction or be heightened by addiction.

Instead of a healthy coping mechanism, using pornography as an escape can lead to more addictions or even worsening symptoms of mental health issues.

Curbing the access to violent porn is vital to deter porn addictions and sexual violence.”

An excess consumption of porn can also be damaging based on the type of porn consumed. A Psychology Today article reports that as few as 1 in 3 or as many as 9 in 10 porn videos contain non-consensual sexual violence.

Many searches of violent

The overconsumption of pornography leads some to look for more explicit content.

Child pornography and other illegal videos find there way on popular pornographic websites due to the demand in content by specific users.

The effects of porn addiction are correlated with criminals and their influences in crime.

Prolific serial killers including Ted Bundy, Richard Ramirez, Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy confessed to porn addiction. Bundy stated that pornography influences violence in criminals and led him to commit his crimes.

Although these killers represent an extreme example of porn addiction, it is still worthy to note that porn addiction is influential in crimes of sex violence.

Not all sexual content is dangerous and depends on the viewer. OnlyFans and internet sex workers should be able to create content for their users with proper safety restrictions.

The promotion of a sex posi-

tive culture can create healthy conversations about consent and safe sex.

Nonetheless, violent porn and non-consensual sexual content enables detrimental behaviors and actions.

Curbing the access to violent porn is vital to deter porn addictions and sexual violence to occur. Porn websites must take accountability for violent videos and ban this type of content.

The discussion of porn and safe watching should be taught to teens and young adults to help steer clear of exposure to dangerous content.

Pornography continues to grow in popularity and dominate the world of the Internet. Creating a safe space for safe sexual content allows viewers to consume porn in a healthy way. Putting restrictions on violent porn content and porn accessibility assists in fighting back against porn addiction. @JulesCerveraDT

COLUMN

College should encourage more academic opportunities It is a common fact that when students attend college for the first time as an undergrad, they are a little lost on what they want to do. High school doesn’t give a large opportunity for students to discover things they are interested in unless they join a club or an organization that’s interesting to them.

While forcing students to go out of their comfort zone is sometimes a radical idea, if students were pushed in high school, college would not be such a difficult time for them to discover new things they enjoy. When it especially comes to academics, students do not realize what they are capable of. In high school, you need the basic curriculum with math, science and history courses, but there is so much to those subjects that are offered in college.

However, by the time they get to this stage in life, it costs money to take a class that seems interesting. And

Chyna Vargas is a second-year journalism major from San Antonio.

most students do not have the time or money to just try something out. They come in to get their degree and leave.

Although according to Frank website, a website on helping students financially pay for college, at least 80 percent of students change their major in college. This may be due to the fact that students actually realize there is more to their education than the standard curriculum and they would like to explore more academic resources.

Tech for example offers about 80 undergraduate degrees. within those courses are minors and even concentrations. Options that students in high school do

not realize they have until they are already spending money on classes that will later not be applied to their degree plans.

If universities made it a requirement to outsource a few courses for their core, a lot of students would be earlier on figure out they do or don’t like a subject that they are studying. While it may be a burden for some students who do come into college fully knowing what they want to do, it does not hurt for them to take classes that are a little outside their comfort zone.

One of Tech’s requirements for the core is to complete sciences. Those that are in the college of communication may freak out at this requirement as I initially did before as well, but over time I learned there are science and communication-related fields and programs.

If I had not had to take the science class, I would not have learned I am not bad at sci-

ence. I just hadn’t taken any science classes yet in my life that I liked. For other students, if they were put into classes in other colleges in the early stages of their college career, they can save time and money figuring out what it is they actually enjoy.

When it especially comes to academics, students do not realize what they are capable of.

Or, students discover niche programs or concentrations within their designated field.

College is the time to slow down and really zone in on what is the future. For students, sometimes there is a conception that whatever path they choose, it is the only path they can take.

Tech is a gracious school

POLL

DT Reader Vote 4/19/22

@ChynaVargasDT

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Michelle Obama to address democracy

mask policies. Do agree with the

WA S H I N G T O N ( A P ) — Michelle Obama will deliver the keynote address at a democracy summit sponsored by a national, nonpartisan voting organization she helped create, the group announced Wednesday.

The former first lady’s

lifted restrictions?

Yes 65%

LETTERS The Daily Toreador welcomes letters from readers. Letters must be no longer than 300 words and must include the author’s name,

and is not like others when it comes to letting students change their career plans.

This university allows students to change majors or add another with the help of advisors from different colleges.

Even if it is not a requirement to go out of college and take a class on something completely out of one’s realm, students should still consider it before graduating.

According to an article by Azusa Pacific University, employers like to see individuals who are well rounded and not only limited to one subject.

Tech offers a range of electives, so students should definitely take full advantage of the opportunities before they graduate. Not only will they learn something they may like or differently, don’t like, but the options for their future also grow as they develop new skills and foundations.

Airplanes have changed their

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pornographic videos include descriptions of rape and physical abuse, according to a study published by the BBC News.

The objectification and depiction of violence against women in these videos supports real-life abuse and demeaning attitudes in viewers.

Violent porn watchers are conditioned by scenes of violent sex acts which translates into real life abuse in relationships or with sexual partners, according to researchers in a Focus for Health article. This leads to the desensitization of violence towards others, especially women.

An addiction to pornography can cause problems in a person’s sex life; the lack of intimacy and inability to have sex without pornography promotes an unhealthy reaction to sex.

Other problems, such as sexual deviancy from an porn addiction can lead to dangerous actions.

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June 13 remarks to When We All Vote’s inaugural Culture of Democracy Summit in Los Angeles will be her first in-person appearance before a large audience since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers said.

She last addressed When

GUEST COLUMNS The Daily Toreador accepts submissions of unsolicited guest columns. While we cannot acknowledge receipt of all columns, the authors of those selected for publication will be notified. Guest columns should be no longer than 650 words in length and on a topic of relevance to the university community. Guest columns are also edited and follow the same guidelines for letters as far as identification and submittal.

We All Vote in person in 2018 before the midterm elections.

“We need to talk about the state of our democracy and the ways we can protect it right from our own communities,” Michelle Obama said in a tweet announcing the upcoming speech.

EDITORIALS Unsigned editorials appearing on this page represent the opinion of The DailyToreador. All other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinions of their authors and are not necessarily representative of the editorial board, Texas Tech University, its employees, its student body or the Board of Regents. The DailyToreador is independent of the College of Media and Communication. Responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies with the student editors.

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APRIL 21, 2022

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PROFILE

Aliza Wong builds international legacy at Texas Tech

By PAYTON CARTER Staff Writer

A lot has changed in 21 years. We’ve seen the rise of social media, four presidencies and a global pandemic. One thing has remained constant, though. Since 2001, Aliza Wong has devoted her career to Texas Tech. However, all good things must come to an end.

Up until now, Wong has served Texas Tech as a history professor, the director of European studies and most recently as the interim dean of the Honors College. For the next three years, Wong is leaving Lubbock to become the next director of the American Academy in Rome, Italy.

“It is a three year position, so I’m not actually leaving Tech in the sense that I’m not leaving faculty,” Wong said. “I will still remain a faculty member, I’m just on leave from Texas Tech while I direct the American Academy.”

Wong will be the very first woman of color to serve as the director of the American Academy in the institution’s 128 year history.

“I’m excited to meet all of these incredible voices and all of these incredible talents, Wong said. “Ava DuVernay, the film director, was just at the American Academy. Pulitzer Prize winning novelist Anthony Doerr was just there.

Ralph Ellison, right after the second world war, was a Rome Prize fellow.”

The ‘Rome Prize’ is an award given to 30 scholars a year which grants them a year of fellowship at the American Academy.

Though Wong has spent most of her adult life in Lubbock, she traces her origins back to the west coast where she grew up in a diverse

SYDNEY BANOVIC/The Daily Toreador

Aliza Wong speaks before the breaking of the fast at the Ramadan Charity Banquet at the Red Raider Ballroom in the Student Union Building on April 14, 2022. household as the eldest of three siblings.

“My hometown is Portland, Oregon, and I entered college at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts,” Wong said. “I grew up as a daughter of immigrants. So my father immigrated from China, my mom immigrated from Hong Kong. I had a little brother and a little sister, and I grew up in Chinatown in Portland, Oregon.”

Wong said that when her parents moved to the U.S., her father started off working low-paying jobs to provide for the family.

“My father was an immigrant,” Wong said. “He was an industrial motor repair person, which meant that he repaired motors, big turbine engines in the dams and merchant marine ships. And when he first immigrated, he did not make very much money. He made $1.25 an hour working (a) graveyard shift. So we grew up very much middle class.”

Wong said although her family did not have a lot of money, they were endlessly supportive.

“I grew up in a very supportive family, a family that believed fundamentally in education,” Wong said. “It was not a rich family in terms of money, but it was a rich family in terms of sentiment, emotion and belonging.”

Though Wong loves her career, she said she originally wanted to pursue a career in the beauty industry.

“When I was little, I wanted to be a hairstylist,” Wong said.

“And then I cut my brother’s hair, and my mom said I could not be a hairstylist. So then I had to pursue other things.”

Wong said she realized she wanted a career in academia when she entered college.

“I love reading, I love writing. I love talking with people. I love debating things,” Wong said. “And so when I got to college, I realized that this was

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where my home was, this was where I felt like I could do good in the world. And so that’s when I decided I would pursue a PhD and become a professor.”

Wong said she credits Texas Tech for helping her grow in her professional career.

“When you talk about my childhood in Portland, Texas Tech is my childhood in terms of my professional career,” Wong said. “It brought me up, raised me, matured me, it taught me everything that I know.”

In Wong’s 21 years at Texas Tech, several of her students have said she’s had a profound impact on their lives as students and as individuals.

Jad Zeitouni is a 2021 graduate of Tech, and is currently attending medical school.

Zeitouni met Wong five years ago when working on a research project regarding teaching English to Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

“Dr. Wong has helped me in an immeasurable amount of ways,” Zeitouni said. “She’s been supportive and encouraging throughout college. Without her, I wouldn’t have been able to intern at the U.N., write a thesis, and teach in a refugee camp. Without her, I wouldn’t be who I am today.”

Zeitouni said he’s excited to see everything Wong will accomplish in her new position.

“She’s been doing amazing things here at TTU for two decades,” Zeitouni said. “She’ll continue to do those things on an international stage. There is no one more deserving for this than Aliza.”

Maky Haynes is a fourthyear student from Shallowater studying honors sciences, humanities and communications and worked with Wong through the Honors College.

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“Every failure, every disappointment just leads to who you are and where you will be,” Wong said. “Even though we say we learn from our mistakes, the truth of the matter is that what we celebrate are always our successes. You won’t understand it until later, but truly embrace those disappointments as well. Because they will make everything else taste that much sweeter, and all the stars shine that much brighter.”

Dr. Wong also wants to thank all of the faculty, staff, students and Red Raiders in between who have helped her get to where she is today.

“Whether it was that you studied hard, or you were a great colleague, every one of us has a role in developing each of us as future scholars…. as future directors of the American Academy in Rome,” Wong said. “So to each and every single Red Raider, I would say thank you.” @PaytonCarterDT

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“I can honestly say that she changed the trajectory of my life,” Haynes said. “She helped me believe that I could be more than anyone ever told me I could. She also helped me embrace my queerness and cry to over lunch when my world was falling apart.”

Wong said Texas Tech is a strong community because their passion and determination.

“It is not about where we came from, it’s about where we hope to go,” Wong said. “I think that is what binds Red Raiders together as a community. We come from the big urban areas…. We come from the rural areas…. We come from places far away….

What binds us together is not necessarily about where we are from, it’s about the fact that we are here now and the work that we can do here and now.”

Wong also said that it’s only when we fully embrace disappointment that we can truly feel success.

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Customers drop-in for Record Store Day exclusives

By MADISON VIDALES News Reporter

Lining up outside stores before sunrise is typically associated with Black Friday shopping, but there is another annual event that can cause this behavior. This year on April 23, record stores celebrate Record Store Day, a date when special and exclusive releases of records are available for customers to purchase.

According to the Record Store Day website, this celebration has existed for 15 years.

The idea for Record Store Day (RSD) was created in 2007, leading to the first celebration on April 19, 2008. Independent record store owners and employees wanted a way to celebrate record collection culture. Today, the tradition has expanded internationally.

What sets apart the records sold on this occasion from sales on any other day is the rarity of the pressings. Hayley Aran, assistant manager of Josey Books and Records, located on 5217 82nd Street Suite 127, said vinyls sold on

OLIVIA RAYMOND/The Daily Toreador

Ralphs Records, a Lubbock record store, is split into two rooms, one room containing vinyl records, CDs, and anything music related. The other room contains movies, video games, posters and more for Lubbock customers to choose from.

RSDinclude rare pressings or extras for customers to enjoy.

“Sometimes an artist will handwrite a note or include remixes on extremely limited pressings,” Aran said. “This is the only time you’ll be able to find these and other really cool stuff on the shelf.”

Because of the rarity of one record, Taylor Write, manager at Josey Books and Records, said​customers interested can purchase spots in a raffle for the copies available. “ We h a v e a f e w c o p ies of Taylor Swift’s The Lakes, which is very low in production,” Write said.

“Instead of selling it first come first serve, we’re going to have raffle tickets at the door. Those interested in the vinyl are going to take a ticket, we’ll draw the tickets and give a call to the winners.”

Aside from record shopping, the RSD website said sometimes record stores invite vendors, artists and host cook outs. Write said this year they will have vendors during their RSD. “We are having a local coffee company coming in, Brewjeria,” Wright said.

“We’re also going to have a local non-profit organiza-

MADISON VIDALES/The Daily Toreador

TOP: Josey Books and Records, a Lubbock record store , sells collectible records, CDs, books and merchandise from various artists. BOTTOM RIGHT: Josey Books and Records promotes celebration of the 15th annual Record Store Day on April 23. tion, The Proximity Project of West Texas, sell tickets for their Inclusive Prom.”

RSD was created to highlight and celebrate independent record stores, said Dough Stapp, owner of Ralph’s Records, located on 3322 82nd Street.

“Record Store Day is a celebration of independent record stores,” Stapp said. “The celebration of the little guys and not the big bucks guys. There’s releases of one day only vinyls for collectors and everybody else.”

Stapp has worked every RSD since the tradition began 15 years ago. As the years go on, Stapp said RSD at Ralph’s gains more and

more momentum.

“The first year was very slow because nobody knew about it,” Stapp said. “Second and third year were about the same and then it just really launched and it’s still cruising. Every year it seems to keep getting better and better.”

Despite lining up early and waiting before opening hours for limited records, Stapp said customers remain very well behaved.

“Our customers are amazing, every Record Store Day they line up at about five in the morning,” Stapp said. “Everybody walks in and gets what they want. There’s no pushing, shoving and if somebody

wants something at the back of the line, someone will hand it back to them.”

For an in-depth list of records released on Record Store Day, visit the RSD releases list on the RSD website. @MaddieVidalesDT

Associate Press

As shares plunge, Netflix takes aim at password sharing, considering ads SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — An unexpected drop in subscribers sent Netflix shares into freefall Wednesday, forcing the company to consider experimenting with ads and -- hold onto your remote -- cracking down on millions of freeloaders who use

passwords shared by friends or family.

The surprising net loss of 200,000 subscribers rattled investors, who had been told by the company to expect a gain of 2.5 million subscribers. Netflix shares sank 35% on the news, falling to their

lowest level since early 2018.

Netflix estimates that about 100 million households worldwide — or roughly one out of every three households using its service — are streaming for free. “We’ve just got to get paid at some degree for them,” co-CEO

Reed Hastings said during a shareholder call Tuesday.

Netflix has already been experimenting in Latin America with programs that use a soft touch to convince the unsubscribed to sign up.

In Costa Rica, for instance, Netflix plan prices range

from $9 to $15 a month, but subscribers can create sub-accounts for two other individuals outside their household for $3 a month. On Tuesday, Hastings suggested that the company may adopt something similar in other markets.

Just how Netflix will erect barriers remains unclear, and Hastings indicated that the company probably will spend the next year assessing different approaches. In one test last year, Netflix prompted viewers to verify their accounts via email or text.