The Tufts Daily - Tuesday, September 14, 2021

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VOLUME LXXXII, ISSUE 4

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Tuesday, September 14, 2021

MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MASS.

Somerville, Medford candidates prepare for upcoming mayoral primaries

Student Life offers orientation events for Class of 2024

by Bella Preneta

come from on-campus experiences in the last year,” Bolash, a sophomore, wrote in an email Despite COVID-19 arrival to the Daily. “Standout events testing and indoor mask man- from virtual orientation include dates, a relatively normal ori- watching the matriculation entation week for the Class of video with my family at home 2025 began on Sept. 2, com- and attending the TCU introplete with a student organiza- ductory meeting. I believe there tions fair and an illumination was a virtual illumination cerceremony. emony but I personally did not Since the Class of 2024 had attend and no one I know did a completely virtual orienta- either.” tion last September, and did Bolash added that in-person not get the traditional “O-week” orientation events likely would activities, Student Life provided have made the transition to colsome orientation opportuni- lege easier for her. ties for the Class of 2024, such “It took a very long time to feel as Discover Davis and Meet acclimated to Tufts,” Bolash said.

Medford, the student organi- “I strongly believe an in-person zations fair and an illumination orientation would have helped ceremony. connect students in the absence Dean of Student Affairs of in-person classes [and] club Camille Lizarríbar said that ori- meetings and would have entation events help new stu- changed the amount of time it dents meet each other and took to feel comfortable with the become accustomed to life on campus.” campus, which is still valuable Lizarríbar explained that for the Class of 2024.

Student Life partnered with “These activities not only TCU Senate, members of the help first year students become sophomore class and other stufamiliar with their surround- dent leaders to plan in-person ings but also give them an events for the Class of 2024, opportunity to get to know each despite not offering a full other,” Lizarríbar wrote in an in-person recreation of firstemail to the Daily. “While most year orientation. She added Tufts students were on campus that Student Life is seeking all of last year and most soph- input from sophomore stuomores are now very familiar dents to develop more prowith the university, [Student gramming.

Life] think[s] sophomores in “We are excited to reinstiparticular deserve some spe- tute our special Illumination cial attention and the chance ceremony, an annual tradition to bond as a class given the dif- at Tufts that allows the entire ficult circumstances they faced class to be together at the last year.” start of their college career,” Claire Bolash, TCU Senate Lizarríbar said. “This year we’ll education committee chair, have two ceremonies, one for said that she remembers very first-year students and anothlittle from the virtual orienta- er, separate ceremony one tion events. week later for sophomores “I feel that most of what I have learned about Tufts has see ORIENTATION, page 2 Staff Writer

MAX LALANNE AND ALEXANDER THOMPSON / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES

Current Somerville and Medford mayors, Joe Curtatone (left) and Breanna Lungo-Koehn (right), respectively, are pictured. Both cities’ primary mayoral elections are today, Sept. 14, with a combined seven candidates running.

by Coco Arcand News Editor

The cities of Somerville and Medford are holding their primary municipal elections today.

Voters in both cities will choose between candidates for both mayor and city council.

The Medford mayoral race will feature three candidates including incumbent Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn, Medford City Councillor John Falco and John Petrella, a retired retail manager in the food industry.

Lungo-Koehn entered mayoral office in January 2020, only 10 weeks before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. She said she is proud of the accomplishments she made while in office, including increased transparency in the city budget, a social justice roadmap for the city and preventative maintenance for infrastructure. However, LungoKoehn believes re-election will allow her to finish more of the projects that she has laid the groundwork for.

“If I’m elected, I want to continue this progress,” LungoKoehn said. “I want to continue to see the capital improvement plan worked out and implemented … I want to continue to fight for what’s best for our schools and our children … I want to be involved in continuing to be as transparent as possible, to continue with our social justice work. We’ve come a long way but there’s so much more to do.”

Falco hopes to use the experience he acquired during his past decade in local government to improve the condition of Medford. He believes the current administration has failed to resolve multiple issues that have stunted Medford’s development and put the city at a disadvantage when compared to its neighboring cities.

“During the pandemic, these needs remained yet were largely unmet,” Falco wrote in an email to the Daily. “Surrounding communities didn’t stop improving city government and services but Medford did.”

Petrella emphasized the need for a stronger relationship between Medford and Tufts University. He believes this strengthened relationship will benefit both parties.

“I think both the City and Tufts need to put forward their best efforts for the mutual benefit of all,” Petrella wrote in an email to the Daily. “It seems now there is a lack [of ] ongoing communication between [Medford and Tufts] … A strong relationship provides a sound foundation as specific topics arise.”

Somerville’s mayoral race will contain four candidates: Ward 7 City Councilor Katjana Ballantyne, Councilor At-Large Will Mbah, Mary Cassesso, the former chief community officer at Cambridge Health Alliance and businessperson William Tauro, who has decades of experience with local publications.

This election will result in the induction of a new Somerville mayor for the first time in almost 20 years, following current Mayor Joe Curtatone’s decision not to seek re-election.

Ballantyne runs her campaign based around the three beliefs she believes are essential to the next mayor: values, leadership and experience.

During her time on Somerville’s city council, Ballantyne worked to tackle multiple issues including housing affordability, transportation and responsible development.

However, it is her work on reducing Somerville’s environmental impact that she is most proud of.

“I have made Somerville a leader on the environment,” Ballantyne said. “I wrote the Native Species Ordinance, the

LEED Platinum certifiable code for our zoning, the Somerville Green New Deal, and I’m so excited to have the boldest plan on the environment, where we’re calling for Somerville to be carbon negative by 2050.”

Mbah believes his strengths as mayor would lie with his ability to personally relate to issues that are prevalent for many Somerville residents. Mbah immigrated from Cameroon in 2010 and faced many issues that commonly impact immigrants in the United States, including a lack of job opportunities, housing displacement and racial discrimination.

“I don’t believe any other candidate has the ability to relate personally to almost every issue that our next mayor will have to address,” Mbah wrote in an email to the Daily. “On racial justice, I know what it is like to be racially profiled and discriminated against. On housing justice, I know what it’s like to move every year because of rising rents. On environmental justice, I have a background in environmental science and know how marginalized communities and people of color are impacted the most by the effect of climate change.”

If elected into office, Cassesso hopes to continue to fight against social injustices, specifically those related to employment, education and affordable housing, issues to which she has been committed from a young age and throughout her professional career.

“My mother brought us up to be involved in all causes of racial and social justice,” Cassesso said.

“We worked to block the construction of I-93 … so it didn’t take away so many affordable houses in the neighborhood …

I have spent my life since I was in single digits doing this kind of work. And so that’s why … now see ELECTION, page 2

SOPHIE DOLAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

Tufts students enjoy in-person, on-campus events as the fall semester begins with looser COVID-19 restrictions.

OPINION / page 9

FEATURES / page 4

SPORTS / page 10

California voters must stand behind Newsom in today’s recall election

New Chaplain Ji Hyang Padma discusses call to Buddhism

Women’s soccer kicks off season with historic 1–0 win over Williams

NEWS

1

FEATURES

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ARTS & POP CULTURE

6

FUN & GAMES

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OPINION

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SPORTS

BACK

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Tuesday, September 14, 2021

THE TUFTS DAILY Madeleine Aitken Editor in Chief

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Mayoral candidates to focus on affordable housing, education, environment ELECTION

continued from page 1 I’m running, it’s been my lifelong commitment.”

Tauro offers Somerville a leader who would use his background in business, rather than politics, to propel the city forward.

“I am not a politician,” Tauro said “I bring to the table a wealth of knowledge of past business experience, and I know I could do the job more effectively, efficiently and on budget.”

Some of Tauro’s goals include increasing affordable housing,

stopping the rodent infestation and improving conditions for the elderly. Tauro distinguished his platform from his opponents, citing how he wants to increase the police budget to increase community outreach and help the homeless population in Somerville. He also spoke on the importance of young people’s impact on their community.

“We need young minds, young experiences [and] young opinions,” Tauro said. “They’re bright, they’re smart and they come from different generations

with different ideas [and] different values.”

The sentiment of the importance of young people exercising their voices and right to vote was echoed by members of the Tufts Democrats, including President Izzy Essman and Secretary Mark Lannigan, who remarked on the importance of young candidates that are running for positions in the upcoming elections while urging Tufts students to educate themselves on the candidates’ platforms in order to make well-informed voting decisions.

“There are many young candidates in both Medford and Somerville that are running with the urgency and commitment to community that Tufts students are particularly passionate about,” Lannigan, a junior, wrote in an email to the Daily. “I would encourage Tufts students to look up the platforms of many of these young candidates and see if they’d like to get involved! Young people truly know what is at stake in these elections, and so I truly hope we can see more representation for young people in both city governments come this November.”

would have been impossible to consider last year, such as the comedy night event.

“We have a few trips planned to popular local destinations, including visits to Davis Square and the Fenway area, where [the Class of 2024] can enjoy some of the food, shopping, and entertainment options available just a few minutes from campus,” she said. “We’re also headed to the Chevalier Theater

in Medford for a comedy night with the Tufts Stand Up Comedy Collective, which will open for a surprise guest comedian.”

Joseph Golia, director of the Office of Campus Life, who worked with a team of students and faculty to coordinate First Year Student Orientation, said that COVID-19 required his team to find creative new ways to welcome first-year students to the Tufts community last year.

“I’m filled with gratitude at how the community came together and demonstrated so much resilience despite the many challenges our students dealt with last year,” Golia wrote in an email to the Daily. “We are thrilled to be beginning the academic year in person and returning to many of the meaningful and fun traditions that make being on campus such a special experience at Tufts!”

Belated illumination ceremony for Class of 2024 ORIENTATION

continued from page 1 to belatedly celebrate their entrance into the Tufts community since their ceremony was virtual last year.”

Bolash said she was excited for the illumination ceremony because it is a Tufts tradition that is relevant senior year, when the ceremony is held again.

Lizarríbar said that student life is also offering activities that

TCU Senate votes on amendments to Treasury Procedures Manual, discusses food insecurity on campus

by Zoe Kava News Editor

The Tufts Community Union Senate voted on several amendments to the Treasury Procedures Manual and committee chairs discussed their plans for the coming year in their first meeting of the semester on Sunday.

After a brief roll call was taken, TCU Treasurer and Allocations Board Chair Elizabeth Hom introduced several proposed

amendments to the Treasury Procedures Manual for the 2021– 22 year.

Among the proposed changes was a rise in the food cap, which is the amount of money a group can spend on food for its members, for cultural and religious student organizations from a 50% food cap to a 60% food cap. Currently, cultural and religious groups have a food cap of 50% and all other student groups have a cap of 25%.

“I’m proposing to increase the food cap for cultural and religious groups,” Hom, a senior, said. “The reasoning for this is last year I budgeted cultural groups and I found a lot of cultural groups are still struggling to stay under that 50%.”

The amendment passed unanimously with 21 senators in favor.

Hom then introduced an amendment that would increase the maximum funding for new

student organizations that request funding from $2,000 to $3,000 for the current fiscal year.

The amendment passed unanimously with 21 senators in favor.

The discussion then turned to the committee chairs, who shared their goals for the upcoming semester.

Valerie Infante, administration and policy committee chair, see SENATE, page 3

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Jumbo is pictured on Sept. 12.

News

Tuesday, September 14, 2021 | News | THE TUFTS DAILY

3

TCU committee chairs share goals for fall 2021 semester SENATE

continued from page 2 outlined several of the committee’s plans for the year, including tackling big issues like sexual assault, suicide and hate crimes on campus.

“Less than two weeks in we already have a hate crime on campus,” Infante, a junior, said.

“I think administration should be held more accountable about this.”

Infante added that the administration should be

more accommodating and sympathetic towards those who have faced sexual assault, suicide attempts or death of loved ones.

“The least the administration can do is give them extended deadlines for everything and if they need medical leave they should still get credit for their classes and not have to take another semester at Tufts which is a huge financial burden for everyone,” Infante said.

The session concluded with an open forum in which TCU Historian Mariana JanerAgrelot discussed the issue of food insecurity on campus over the past several weeks.

“There’s a lot of food insecurity on campus,” Janer-Agrelot, a sophomore, said. “There are times that the dining halls are not open or are completely full . . . dining halls close at nine, not at ten . . . so a lot of people will be left without eating during the day or after their classes.”

Janer-Agrelot proposed the idea of operating a food bank for students, as well as discussing with Tufts Dining about ways to help create more food options for students.

“We could possibly do a food bank for our students . . . and also obviously opening a dialogue with Tufts Dining because Tufts Dining also manages Commons and all those places with meal swipes,” she said.

Class of 2024 Senator Liani Astacio also emphasized the

issue of food insecurity on campus, especially for RAs who are not receiving a meal plan as part of their compensation this year.

“A lot of RAs have been complaining about not getting meal swipes as compensation, they’re only getting free housing,” Astacio said. “And obviously that’s a problem because a higher percentage of RAs are on financial aid and are on campus and can’t cook or use kitchens.”

Tufts Dining modifies procedures, reverts to mostly pre-pandemic model

by Alexis Enderle Contributing Writer

As Tufts University shifts back to more of an in-person experience for students, faculty and staff, Tufts Dining has modified the ways in which it operates, allowing for greater dine-in occupancy while limiting meal swipe options at the university’s dining centers and cafes.

During the 2020–21 academic year, many on-campus cafes accepted meal swipes in addition to Dewick MacPhie Dining Center, Carmichael Dining Center, Hodgdon Foodon-the-Run and Pax et Lox, all of which had traditionally accepted meal swipes as a form of payment.

“The use of meal swipes in additional locations last year was a COVID action to de-densify our typically crowded Dining Centers,” Patti Klos, director of dining services, wrote in an email to the Daily.

For the fall 2021 semester, Tufts Dining is reverting back to a pre-pandemic dining model, since the dining options that traditionally did not accept meal swipes but did so last year are not designed to handle the amount of traffic generated by accepting meal swipes.

“The cafes that accepted meal swipes are not sized to accommodate the increased amount of traffic,” Klos said. “We don’t have the space to store food, produce it, or serve it in a sustained way.

For the 2021-2022 academic year we’ve returned to our pre-COVID operating model for where meal swipes can be used, except that you can still use meal swipes at Kindlevan Café.”

According to Klos, the reasoning for including Kindlevan in the meal plan this year is to help accommodate STEM students who may spend a large portion of their day in

SOPHIE DOLAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

Hotung is pictured on Sept. 9. and around the Science and Engineering Complex, and therefore may have a hard time returning to the main area of campus, and the dining halls, for meals.

Valerie Zhang, a student on a meal plan, said she is growing tired of the constantly changing procedures for ordering food. However, Zhang welcomes in-person dining as a sign of positive change on campus.

“It’s still a nuisance as students have grown used to last year’s dining system,” Zhang, a sophomore, said. “[But] it feels a little more like a normal dining experience.”

Senior Cassidy Bartolomei echoed Zhang’s sentiments on the difficulty of adapting to constantly changing dining procedures. Like Zhang, Bartolomei appreciated the ease of using meal swipes at campus cafes to grab food while studying.

“Swipes only being accepted at [fewer] locations makes dining a hassle,” Bartolomei wrote in an email to the Daily. “Being able to use a meal swipe at a [campus cafe] made it very convenient to grab a quick bite while also studying.”

Klos affirmed that the Tufts Dining mobile app will remain in use this semester, and it will be used to pre-order food, which

is an option still available at all dining locations, as well as show which dining centers are open, announce special events and earn loyalty points. This semester, Pax et Lox and Tower Café are pre-order only.

“You can still pre-order from any location — including takeout meals from [Carm2GO] and Dewick2GO — using the app,” Klos said. “So you can save time by ordering in advance rather than standing in line.”

According to Klos, Tufts Dining took the perspective of the student body into account when making changes to its dining policy for this academic year.

“Students’ preferences and perceptions are considered when making improvements to our program,” Klos said. “Their ideas are balanced with business realities, physical constraints, limited resources, and the practicality of implementation.”

The cost of the meal plan has also changed, but this change is not abnormal.

“The cost of a meal plan, like the cost of housing, tuition and fees, typically increases slightly each year,” Klos said.

“This is due to rising costs such as wages for staff, as well as materials, foods and related goods that are required to support the program.”

TRASHING ONE EGG WASTES 55 GALLONS OF WATER

4 Tuesday, September 14, 2021

Features

tuftsdaily.com

A zen conversation with new Buddhist Chaplain Ji Hyang Padma

by Kayla Butera Features Editor

A sedan intersects with a Trans Am car. Fiberglass flies everywhere. At 14 years old, Ji Hyang Padma, now the Buddhist Chaplain at Tufts University, witnessed a car crash that altered the course of her life. Though she was a naturally restless teenager, this car crash left her frozen.

“That feeling of limbic overwhelm had nearly prevented me from helping these people in a critical moment,” Padma wrote in an email to the Daily. “I recognized the need to get training, to be able to respond in a way that would truly be of help.”

By 17 years old, Padma was working on a volunteer ambulance where she intervened in various medical crises. She noted that most of the calls they got were not such crises, giving an example of a senior at a nursing home pulling out their feeding tube and needing to be transported to the hospital to get it reinserted.

“I found my ability to be of service limited by the sphere of an EMT’s work,” she said. “I felt a strong calling to look into the roots of these issues: what is suffering, and how do we alleviate it?”

One experience left a deep impression on her perception of the miraculousness of life: an emergency childbirth. In the call she served on, the mother was a teenager giving birth at a local high school and hesitant towards motherhood. With this miracle, Padma also gained an awareness and acceptance of singular moments in time.

“What lay ahead for this tiny family over the next week — or over the intervening years — we don’t know,” Padma said. “While it is the nature of mind to resist that fundamental insecurity — that we cannot grasp the future — EMT work is good training in letting go. We have just this moment.”

These continuous realizations and questions continued during her time at Wellesley College, where she majored in English.

There, she took up aikido, the Japanese martial art of bringing energies into harmony. Aikido provided ways of alleviating suffering by reconciling opposing energies through movement and interacting with the body as a sacred space in dialogue with the environment.

“This kinesthetic, dynamic, tangible experience of my own spirit when I was a young Wellesley student turned my world around,” Padma said. “I felt the energies of heaven and earth blend through my movements, and became aware of this embodied knowing as a source of creativity, self-awareness, and instantaneous wisdom.”

In addition to creativity, self-awareness and instantaneous wisdom, aikido also served as a gateway to Zen shiatsu, a traditional Japanese acupressure-based bodywork that, for Padma, amalgamates mind, body and spirit. According to Zen shiatsu philosophy, the body and mind as one possesses a natural ability to heal itself. Practitioners sense clients’ imbalances by feel-

COURTESY JI HYANG PADMA

Ji Hyang Padma, Buddhist chaplain at Tufts, is pictured.

ing for subtle movement along the abdomen, spine and parasympathetic nervous system.

From there, it seemed natural for Padma to enter the practice of Zen meditation.

“Meditation would help me to move from my core (in aikido, called the hara) to respond from a place of centeredness, ki (vital energy), and personal power,” Padma said.

As she approached her college graduation, she faced shared uncertainties of future career and life paths.

“I began Zen practice in this goal-oriented way: to reduce stress and strengthen my aikido practice,” Padma said. “In Zen training, we practice unconditional awareness of the moment, just as it is. From that perspective, this goal-orientation is a mistake.”

Padma credits meditation with bringing her through many transformations, starting with meeting herself right where she was. Her meditation ranged from spacious and light to painful, but the feeling was always one of homecoming. This shifted her perspective of meditation from being goal-oriented to being focused on self-insight. In other words, Padma would ask herself: “What am I?” After graduating from Wellesley in 1991, she moved into a Zen center, where she could translate her compassionate action into daily life. There, she helped with community-building and managing an acupuncture clinic for people with AIDS. While acupuncture helped the side effects of AIDS treatments, it did not provide a cure and she continued to witness the deaths of young patients she had befriended.

Just as with the car accident, the same questions resurfaced: what is suffering, and how do we alleviate it?

Padma knew she needed to cultivate her practice to be compassionate and clear, and teach meditation to inspire patients’ own compassion, clarity, and calming of their inner fears.

“At the same time, working with these AIDS patients, I became aware that life is short,” Padma said. “The direction to be of service felt quite urgent in the face of their suffering.”

With an urge to be of service at the forefront, Padma traveled to a temple on Kye Ryong San, a sacred mountain in South Korea, for a 90-day intensive retreat.

Each day, she would wake at 3 a.m. to begin practice with 108 prostrations at 3:20 a.m., then chant and sit throughout the day until 9 p.m. During the second half of the retreat, she added a midnight practice of waking at 11:30 p.m. and practicing until 1:30 a.m.

“One’s dedication is tested by the rigors of practice, culture shock, and the tightness of [the] body that accrues with long sitting,” Padma said. “The testing was profoundly useful, as it revealed the places where my practice lagged. On an intensive retreat, there is no escape from

the practice: the only possible response is to heat up the heart.”

In 2014, Padma obtained her Ph.D. in psychology from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology at Sofia University.

There, she researched the effect of arts-based programming on students’ psycho-spiritual development, as well as the relationship between consciousness and healing. In 2013, Padma published her book on Zen, “Living the Season: Zen Practice for Transformative Times.”

Padma served as Buddhist chaplain at Harvard University, Babson College and Wellesley College, taught Zen through the Physical Education department at Boston University and guest lectured at Wesleyan University and Boston College. Before coming to Tufts, Padma served as a chaplain resident for the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center. Padma now finds herself as the Buddhist Chaplain at Tufts this fall.

“It reminded me of all that I had loved about chaplaincy at Wellesley College, and I applied,” she said.

As a chaplain, she listens to people’s stories, and sometimes shares guidance or spiritual practices.

“Through meditation we can see the patterns of our psyche, and of our lives, more clearly — that gives us freedom, to consciously and creatively choose how to engage these patterns, so as to live the fullness of our destiny,” she said.

In her newest book, “Field of Blessings: Ritual & Consciousness in the Work of Buddhist Healers” (2020), Padma continues to explore the connection between personal health and societal health in an increasingly technological world. So, how can we work to build connections in an increasingly technology-based and stimulus-ridden world?

“On building connections without attachment — reach out,” Padma said. “As we open to mindful awareness, we begin to see through the illusion of separateness to the truth of our connection.”

According to Padma, humans are social animals, depending on each other from the moment we are born. By seeing our connection and taking action, we become empowered. Our narratives, or contact with spirituality by creating meaning, mediate the inner world and outer world, giving shape to our experience.

“Our perception and interpretation of the outer and inner environment determines our response — both at the cellular level as well as at the level of the whole individual,” she said.

In acknowledging suffering, think about how our narratives can be spoken, written and embodied. Rituals of healing, according to Padma, are a powerful vehicle for spiritual transformation and for reuniting people with an infinite wholeness.

F e at u r e s

Tuesday, September 14, 2021 | Features | THE TUFTS DAILY

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Boxed in by the pandemic: Tufts mime group shares enthusiasm for live semester

COURTESY SOFIE LASKO

HYPE!, a student mime group that is returning to in-person rehearsals and performances this fall, is pictured.

by Chris Duncan

Assistant Features Editor

How do live performers continue their work during a pandemic? A live performance’s ability to affect the viewer hinges on the viewer and the performer being tangible to each other — meaning, most of the time, in the same room. That kind of energy does not translate well to Zoom.

Now, imagine being a mime during a pandemic. How does that translate to a virtual experience? In short, it doesn’t.

“We weren’t able to have any performances … we just couldn’t,” junior Ruth Greenfield, member of HYPE!, Tufts’ own mime troupe, said of the group’s effort to keep the miming scene alive on campus this past year.

Tufts’ mimes were left with little ability to silently make people laugh. COVID-19 related restrictions made performing and even rehearsing difficult.

“Once meetings had to be virtual in the fall (or rather we weren’t allowed to meet in person) it [became] super difficult to meet and block things without

having a space to do so,” HYPE! mime Natalie Green wrote in an email to the Daily.

The mimes considered different ways to continue the miming tradition during the pandemic, including video sketches and solo performances. Still, they could not find a way to recapture the energy of a live performance and had difficulty tackling the question of how to handle pandemic-related restrictions, especially given the mask mandate.

“Your face is kind of important when you can’t talk,” Greenfield said.

HYPE!, however, made the most out of the difficult situation, managing to recruit two new members and teach them the basics of miming last year.

With the new school year, and the vaccination requirement for on-campus students, the mimes of HYPE! now face the prospect of finally being able to perform again.

“It’s going to be something special with the three of us on stage for the first time together,” Green, a sophomore, wrote.

HYPE!’s membership has dipped to a dramatic low in the pandemic. Greenfield is the only current member of HYPE! who joined and performed before the pandemic.

“In some ways, I have no idea what to expect,” Green wrote.

With the new year, though, comes a renewed push for recruitment.

According to Greenfield, HYPE! always tries hard to recruit at the beginning of the year, and the group’s performance at the Comedy O-Show is key to that effort.

Greenfield shared that planning a performance is one of the most fun parts of being a HYPE! mime.

“Everybody comes to our long skit day with a couple skits written out, and then we’ll vote on them. It’s a fully democratic process,” she said. “Then all of them have to pass unanimously to get through.”

Greenfield explained that beyond the democratic structure of the group, creating silent mime skits is simply a fun, creative outlet, and HYPE! is a great group with which to do it.

“Sometimes we’ll just have a day where we come up with an entire skit that we didn’t originally propose, and those are some of our favorites,” she said. “We will goof off during rehearsal but still, you know, create something that’s actually really cool.”

But even for Greenfield, the O-Show is new; she has never been part of the group while it had the opportunity to perform at the O-Show. According to Greenfield, the mimes are looking to the group’s large Youtube archive for inspiration.

The group’s channel contains sketches dating back almost a decade, with the first video dated February 2012.

The mimes are optimistic that the O-Show will attract plenty of incoming freshmen and returning students to the group. They’re hoping to bring in people to HYPE! with the kind of laid-back atmosphere that attracted them all to the group in the first place, as well as the off-beat and silly medium of mime.

“There are theater groups that are very much like ‘We are actors, this is what we’re doing,’”

Greenfield said. “I don’t take anything seriously enough to be into that, so [HYPE! has] been the perfect amount of seriousness … it’s not a very serious group of people, as you might imagine.”

“Mime also requires a deep trust between performers,” former HYPE! performer Tessa Barlow-Ochshorn wrote in an email to the Daily. “[HYPE!] stands out as a deeply creative, joyful, and safe community space … I love my fellow mimes so much — we moved together, and created in our own language.

It was definitely a home for me and a lot of the theater principles that I now hold to would not exist without it.”

That kind of experience is what Greenfield and the rest of HYPE! are relying on to attract new mimes this fall. With a slew of fresh faces, and assuming COVID-19 restrictions do not tighten over the course of the semester, perhaps HYPE! will finally have more opportunities to be seen but not heard by the rest of the Tufts community this fall.

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Arts & POP ARTS Pop CULTURE Culture

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tuftsdaily.com

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

New York Fashion Week is back and better than ever

by Colette Smith Arts Editor

New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2022 kicked off on Sept. 7 after three seasons of virtual shows due to the pandemic. Despite the barrier of required proof of vaccination, the show was a welcomed return to normalcy.

With LaQuan Smith displaying his collection at the Empire State Building and Monse at the Pier 62 skatepark, designers brought their inspired works to grand venues to celebrate the return. The overarching feelings at the shows were excitement and happiness for the chance to be present in person, though underlying worry was noted due to being in crowds again, especially when some people are unmasked.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul sat front row at Prabal Gurung’s show in Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park, which sent a sure signal that, though much of Fashion Week felt familiar from the past, there was a definitive shift in what purpose the shows served. People had a new appreciation for shows after a few seasons of watching through a computer screen.

Similarly, the shows provided a direction of where fashion is heading after a year lacking in self-exploration, marked by the pandemic-related uniform of work-from-home pajamas.

Evidently, the Spring/Summer 2022 New York Fashion Week was particularly important in many ways.

A standout show was Ulla Johnson’s collection, which

she displayed in soft morning light at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. This floral backdrop could not have been more perfect for the feminine prints that Johnson sent down the runway and, typical to her brand, Johnson embraced interesting structure with stunning patterns.

Though difficult to choose from an entirely impressive collection, an exceptional look was an olive-green dress set with a pleated skirt and a buttoned, collared jacket. Though the look itself was simple, Johnson accessorized with two bags slung over the model’s body and another tote bag that the model carried. Set against the lush green Botanic Gardens, this piece was striking yet simple enough that it could be worn on the street without drawing too many curious stares. The trend of layering bags seen here will likely become more common in mainstream street style.

Johnson’s compilation of multiple crossbodies and belted waist bags created a sense of casualness and had the added benefit of additional hands-free storage.

One final look worth mentioning was a calf-length white and neutral dress with three tiers of different patterns. The top part was a belted white blouse with billowing sleeves and corset detailing. Under it was a tablecloth-esque skirt, and under that was another light skirt, which had beautiful neutral tones on flowy organza. Overall, the look perfectly displayed the theme present throughout the whole col-

VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Designer Vaishali Shadangule is pictured at New York Fashion Week in 2018. lection of mixing structured details with nature-inspired elements to create flattering, feminine silhouettes that blended in with the Botanic Gardens.

With Carrie Bradshaw wearing plenty of Carolina Herrera in the “Sex and the City” (1998– 2004) 2021 reboot, the Carolina Herrera Spring/Summer 2022 Collection designed by Wes Gordon was a must see. The collection was extremely classy, yet Gordon managed to throw fun elements into all of the pieces through oversized belts, exaggerated sleeves, funky earrings, shimmery plaid fabric and loud patterns. The show opened with 11 completely black-and-white looks before shifting into a spring color pal-

ette consisting of mostly red, pink, orange and yellow tones and patterns. A standout look was a striped orange two-piece ball gown with fabric flowers climbing up the neck.

Another great show came from a newer designer named Theophilio under Edvin Thompson. Though Thompson is currently in Brooklyn and draws inspiration from New York style, the designer is known to bring in elements from his native Jamaica as well. The concept for the Spring/Summer 2022 show was to take viewers on Air Jamaica, and Thompson carried through on this theme by including a color palette of mainly red, green, black and yellow. One of the best looks was a two-piece red and black-

striped set with a long-sleeved top. Thompson accessorized with over-the-knee black boots, and the look represented the combination of the Jamaicaninspired color palette with a New York silhouette.

Though the Ulla Johnson, Carolina Herrara and Theophilio shows stood out as some of the best, all of the shows at New York Fashion Week shared a sense of new inspiration and excitement. It was refreshing to see the vast display of looks and how designers answered the question of what will be worn in the post-pandemic era, with their answers varying from prioritizing comfort after wearing pajamas for over a year to dressing as over the top as possible to make up for lost time.

Tiffany & Co. creates controversy with new campaign

by Paul Osmond

Contributing Writer

Launched in print globally on Sept. 2, Tiffany & Co.’s “About Love” marks the luxury jeweler’s first collaboration with the legendary Carter duo as they celebrate modern love.

“Ushering in a new brand identity, this campaign embodies the beauty of love through time and all its diverse facets, forging a new vision of love today,” the company said in a press release.

In pictures from the campaign, the Carters stand illuminated against a heavily shaded white room. Accompanying JayZ’s sleek black tuxedo, Beyoncé wears an elegant black cutout dress. Though flashes of dia-

monds can be seen across their fingers and ears, the coruscating 128.54-carat yellow Tiffany Diamond stands out around Queen Bey’s neck.

Here lies the first major issue with Tiffany & Co.’s seemingly rosy campaign. While adorning Beyoncé in such a striking piece may have been intended to signal the company as embracing a more inclusive view of wealth, critics have labeled the jewel itself as a blood diamond, or a diamond unethically sourced from territory controlled by counter-government military forces. Diamonds sourced in this manner often originate from mines that employ slave labor systems, something the South African (British-controlled)

mine, which produced the jewel around Beyoncé’s neck in 1877, has been accused of.

While Tiffany & Co. has provided customers with certifications of “conflict-free” diamonds in response to industry-wide concerns of unethical sourcing, the recent campaign has resulted in a new wave of backlash against the company.

Can this be a true rebranding of the company’s message and mission if their methods are the same?

Adding insult to injury, something stands out even more than the diamond: the unreleased painting “Equals Pi” (1982) by Jean-Michael Basquiat hanging behind the posing Carters.

Although we have become unfortunately accustomed to

seeing celebrities steal from lesser-known Black artists, it is nonetheless shocking to see how one of the most famous Black artists can have his artwork appropriated by a white-owned corporation, especially considering the Carters’ apparent dedication to Black liberation and the fact that much of Basquiat’s work is privately owned. Just as the sourcing of the Tiffany Diamond is concerning, there are questions raised about the actual rights to the painting and about its journey into Tiffany & Co.’s hands.

Some suggest that the light blue color filling the piece was inspired by Tiffany’s signature blue, though it is doubtful whether Basquiat had that in mind. Viewers are incapa-

ble of even fully appreciating the piece as the camerawork, blocking and lighting of promotional images are designed to highlight the diamond. Once again, Basquiat’s brilliance is reduced to the background.

Whereas it would likely be genuinely valued in a museum or another public viewing space, his admirers are left wanting with this surprising appearance. Many criticize the fact that “Equals Pi” seems more of an accessory than artwork.

This is far from the first time that brands have used and tokenized Basquiat’s work, which only leads one to further question if anything is truly new or unique about Tiffany’s prosee TIFFANY, page 7

A r t s & P o p C u lt u r e

Tuesday, September 14, 2021 | Arts & Pop Culture | THE TUFTS DAILY

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There’s nothing new about Tiffany & Co.’s rebranding TIFFANY

continued from page 6

VIA TIFFANY & CO.

Jay-Z and Beyoncé, adorned in Tiffany diamonds, pose in front of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s “Equals Pi” (1982) in Tiffany & Co.’s new “About Love” campaign.

claimed new direction. Reebok, Yves Saint Laurent, Uniqlo and Urban Outfitters have collaborated with — although some might say appropriated — Basquiat’s estate to produce equally unique yet mundane collections, they each snatch motifs from his work yet incorporate them in relatively similar ways. This repeated use of a deceased artist’s work has angered many, particularly given Basquiat’s anti-corporate and anti-capitalist values.

He was certainly not one to turn down collaboration, but one questions how he would feel knowing his artwork was being used by such large corporations in such a lucrative manner.

Though Beyoncé certainly makes history as the first black

woman to wear the Tiffany Diamond, the campaign is far too controversial to be considered unequivocally successful.

Even Tiffany & Co.’s pledging of $2 million toward scholarship and internship programs for historically Black colleges and universities as part of the campaign seems largely performative in light of this larger context. Questions of ethics and human rights over the diamond, the never-ending examination of Black artists and white corporations and the continuous appropriation of a deceased Black artist for money-grabbing campaigns overwhelm the collection and draw attention further away from the collaboration. In its desire to depict the modern love story, Tiffany & Co. somehow overlooked the love shared between an artist, his artwork and his admirers.

‘Cinderella’ attempts musical take on animated classic

by Catherine Cahn Assistant Arts Editor

Kay Cannon’s “Cinderella” (2021) teeters on the line between a classic fairy tale and a pop star’s music video. Starring Camila Cabello, a singer and songwriter who once belonged to the music group Fifth Harmony and has since led a successful solo music career, “Cinderella” loses the class of the original fairy tale and instead lands itself as a sad attempt at a pop culture-filled musical.

“Cinderella” seems to make a particular attempt at including stars who are famous beyond just their acting careers — contributing to the pop-culture relevance in the film. Cabello’s substantial media attention has come from her success as an artist. Billy Porter, who plays the Fabulous (previously referred to as “fairy”) Godmother, is an actor and singer in addition to being known by fans for his extravagant fashion sense and red carpet styles.

Finally, James Corden, who plays one of the mice, has appeared in previous film and television productions but is best known for his talk show “The Late Late Show with James Corden” and his success as a comedian.

The pop culture attempts of “Cinderella” are not only visible throughout the cast, but are also heard within the dialogue. If someone told me the screenplay was written by an aspiring “cool mom,” who constantly quoted slang words and sayings she had overheard from her daughter in an attempt to seem “hip,” I would believe them. Filled with overused and previously popular expressions, such as “poppin” and “yas,” the dialogue of “Cinderella” feels tryhard and senseless. These simple but cringeworthy words are not the only examples of what could be considered an attempt to incorporate modern or popular language into the film.

Unnecessarily sassy phrases, such as Cinderella’s response of,

“Yes, I was just crying and singing about it like two minutes ago,” to the Fabulous Godmother’s question about whether she still wanted to attend the ball, after having a breakdown about not being able to go, reinforces the feeling that the writer is trying too hard to make the language sound modern by often needlessly throwing the word “like” into sentences to represent how Cannon supposes teenagers talk these days. Such lines sound intrusive, clashing with the old-fashioned village and its traditions that encompass the characters’ lives.

Despite these diminishing factors, the entire plot should not be undermined.

Character development, which is largely necessary for a strong story, certainly plays a role in “Cinderella.” Although it comes rather abruptly, with most character development not being shown until the final minutes of the film, there is certainly a clear relationship between the plot and the characters’ progression.

Additionally, the story is an entertaining one with a solid plot — there are clear conflicts and resolutions — but most of its glory is derived from the animated classic “Cinderella” and is not the screenwriter’s original work.

One element this version of “Cinderella” does well is its catchy songs, which remain relevant to the context of the various scenes in which they appear. While songs can sometimes seem frivolous in movies, “Cinderella” uses them to its advantage, driving the plot forward and conveying thoughts inside the characters’ heads.

As Cinderella works on dressmaking in an attempt to begin her own business, Cabello sings “Million to One” (2021), an original song for the film that repeats, “You’re gonna know my name/ Yeah, you’re gonna know my name,” demonstrating the hope and determination

Cinderella holds for her future success. Unfortunately, the actors’ lip syncing is occasionally off, distracting the viewer from the scene and instead questioning why a production

with such a large budget (exemplified by the costume and set design, stacked cast and seamless camera work) would find its finished product with such a blaring error.

Despite its few strengths, this version of “Cinderella” will find itself among the ranks of other letdown classic remakes, which continue to exploit original success in the pursuit of profit.

VIA IMDB

Amazon Prime Video’s “Cinderella” stars singer Camila Cabello in her acting debut, alongside Idina Menzel, Minnie Driver, Nicholas Galitzine, Billy Porter and Pierce Brosnan.

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9 Tuesday, September 14, 2021

VIEWPOINT

The implications of California’s recall election

by Faye Shen Li Thijssen Opinion Editor

Today, California voters face the decision of whether to replace Gavin Newsom as governor of California. The prospect that the Democratic governor may lose his position in the predominantly blue state has sparked nationwide concern. While a poll conducted found that 58% of likely voters say they will vote against the recall and support Newsom, the final turnout for this special election remains to be seen.

The petition that led to this recall, fueled by partisan criticism and pandemic upheaval, was served back in February of 2020, citing high taxes, high rates of homelessness and low quality of life under Newsom’s leadership.

These frustrations were further exacerbated by Newsom’s attendance at a dinner party at the lavish restaurant, the French Laundry, back in November 2020, after Newsom had urged Californians to avoid multi-household indoor gatherings. Newsom initially told reporters that the party would be outside but photos later revealed that the event was held indoors.

Despite his expressed regret, Newsom’s hypocrisy further angered many of his constituents and fed into the recall initiative.

In California, recall petitions require enough signatures from registered voters to equal 12% of the turnout for the last gubernatorial election — 1,495,709 signatures was the threshold in this case. If enough signatures

are gathered and validated, the petition is approved and the state moves to conduct the election.

By April 2020, the recall petition for Newsom had gained over 1.5 million validated signatures, clearing the threshold for approval. By June, the Secretary of State at the time, Alex Padilla, officially approved the petition, setting into motion the process of the special election. In August, county election offices sent ballots to the addresses of every registered voter with the option to vote by mail before the Sept. 14 deadline.

The ballot asks two questions: should Governor Newsom be recalled? And, if the governor is recalled, who should replace him?

If Newsom is recalled, the new governor is elected in a plurality, meaning that they would not need to secure any threshold percentage of the vote so long as they receive more votes than any other individual candidate.

The recall election is largely a partisan issue, with many Republican constituents advocating for Newsom’s removal from office and many Democrats supporting his continued governorship. However, despite California’s strong Democratic lean, the likelihood of Newsom’s recall passing is not as slim as it may seem.

While Republican support of the recall has received enthusiastic backing, CNN reported that much of California’s Democratic base appears “at most, uninterested.” Longtime California Democratic strategist Bill Carrick attributes Democratic apathy to the strong decline in political

involvement since the election of President Joe Biden. There has not only been a lack of Democratic voter turnout but also a lack of Democratic candidates running in place of Newsom in the event he is recalled.

Although 46 contenders completed paperwork to confirm their candidacy in the recall election, three of the four primary candidates range from strong to moderate conservatives. Among registered Republican candidates are conservative radio host Larry Elder, businessman John Cox and former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer.

If a Republican candidate replaces Newsom as governor of California, it could mean major changes in the legislation and direction of the historically blue state. Notably, climate policy would likely be one of the areas most heavily affected by a shift in leadership. For years, California has been among the leading states in creating legislation regarding environmental preservation and sustainability.

California often serves as a testing ground for new policies like stricter vehicle pollution rules, advocacy for wind and solar use and directing state funding towards electric vehicle chargers.

Cox and many of his fellow Republican opponents of Newsom have argued against progressive climate legislation, claiming that the wide range of environmental regulations drives up costs in a state experiencing a severe housing shortage. Additionally, Elder has pledged to replace Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein with a

BY CALISA SANA Republican if he wins the recall election, which would shift the Senate to a Republican majority.

Newsom currently maintains the favor of his constituents, with 56.2% of submitted votes cast against his recall. As the last ballots are sent in and counted, many voters and political experts ask what this process has shown over the past year.

Primarily, the possibility of a Republican governor representing a dominantly Democratic state illustrates many flaws, not only in the public understanding and involvement within local political processes, but also the structures of democratic processes within the state.

Young voter turnout is a particularly key factor in deciding the outcomes of elections. While 55% of voters ages 18–29 cast

their ballots to elect Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election — an 11% increase from the previous presidential election — only 9% of young voters had cast their ballots in the California recall election as of Aug. 31.

This discrepancy in voter turnout makes it abundantly clear that young voters must continue to make use of their democratic power in determining the political and legislative future of the community. The controversy of this special election, the monumental legislative changes at stake and the possible consequences of the collective apathy of one of the country’s largest Democratic bases call on voters and lawmakers alike to maintain awareness and involvement in all levels of political action, in statewide as well as nationwide elections.

VIEWPOINT

The collective loss of the Class of 2024

by Reya Kumar Opinion Editor

The members of the Class of 2024 have collectively lost some of the most important cultural and social experiences of our lives. In the United States, as well as in many other places around the world, the

end of high school is a once-ina-lifetime period of celebration and closure. Prom, graduation, senior week, senior trips, signing yearbooks of friends and acquaintances that you may never see again — all of these things signify the end of an era, of childhood. Our class missed out on all of these experiences.

BY KAYLA DRAZAN

We were thrown out of school abruptly. We were told to go home for two weeks, then a month and then told that we’d never come back. We experienced shoddy attempts at softening the blow, with drive-by graduations and virtual proms thrown by celebrities, which could never replicate the experience that generations before us have enjoyed.

On the other end of that summer, we lost another irreplaceable cultural experience: the beginning of college and our introduction into adulthood. Here at Tufts, many of us were lucky enough to be able to come to campus, but it was by no means a normal first year.

Instead of coming to Tufts with my family, decorating my room with them and meeting my roommate and floormates on move-in day, I spent the first two weeks of my college career alone and in quarantine.

COVID-19 has devastated the world, brought considerable loss and destruction to communities and completely altered the ways in which we go about our lives. I know that I and most

of my peers have been and will be absolutely willing to do what it takes to keep ourselves and those around us safe. But we also cannot get the past one and a half years back — that irreplaceable transition period of our lives.

Returning to Tufts this year has exacerbated these feelings of loss for many in the Class of 2024. While the Class of 2025 has also had their senior year of high school and first year of college impacted, they are experiencing a much more normal start than we did. As Jake Blum confronted in his recent opinion piece in the Daily, we are sophomores but we are also, in many ways, first-years who are being treated as if we should understand everything that is still so new to us.

The Illumination Ceremony for the Class of 2024 last Wednesday gave us a small taste of the orientation experience we never had. For many, however, it felt like a cold comfort.

Sophomore Sophia Nuñez expressed her own frustra-

tion regarding the university’s efforts to make up for what the Class of 2024 missed.

“Unlike the freshman who got a week to meet people and participate in events without conflicts, the sophomore makeup traditions are happening during the actual semester, so many have to miss these milestones due to classes,” Nuñez wrote in an email to the Daily. “While kind in theory, a lot of it seems last minute and poorly planned.”

I ask that Tufts acknowledge our unique situation and the unusual difficulty we’ve had in our transition from childhood to adulthood. I ask that upperclassmen give us a helping hand with everything we never learned in orientation. I ask that the first-years enjoy their first weeks of college but remain aware that sophomores are in a similar position with considerably less support. And I ask the Class of 2024 to be kind, welcoming and friendly to each other as we enter this new social landscape and chapter in our lives.

10 Tuesday, September 14, 2021

SPORTS

tuftsdaily.com

Women’s soccer beats Williams for first time since 2006 in season opener

by Emma Joyce

Assistant Sports Editor

In their last game of the 2019 season, the Tufts Jumbos were defeated 2–1 by the Williams Ephs in the 2019 NCAA Sweet 16. Now, almost two years later and in their first game back since that playoff loss, the Jumbos got their revenge

at home on Bello Field with a 1–0 win over the Ephs on Saturday.

The lone goal came at the 33-minute mark when junior forward Claire Wilkinson crossed the ball to graduate student, co-captain and forward Liz Reed, who put the ball past the Ephs’ keeper. The Jumbos controlled possession for most of the first

half and created many opportunities for themselves, which led to Wilkinson’s driving down the left side and finding an unmarked Reed to put Tufts ahead.

“I couldn’t have gotten the assist without [sophomore midfielder] Thalia Greenberg and [junior midfielder] Margaux Ameer’s efforts to win the ball and lay it off,”

EMMA BOERSMA / THE TUFTS DAILY

Senior Stephanie DiLeo dribbles through Williams players.

Wilkinson said. “I think the team’s mentality was optimistic the entire game, but getting the goal definitely helped to ease any anxieties.”

In the second half, Williams came out more aggressive and its defense shut down many of Tufts’ offensive opportunities, but it was not enough to even out the score.

The Ephs had a couple of chances toward the end of the match with a corner in the 86th minute and a shot following shortly after, but they did not convert on either.

Tufts dominated the statistics column with 13 shots in the game compared to Williams’ five, as Reed and Ameer led the Jumbos in this category with three shots apiece.

Tufts also was awarded five corner kicks during the game, while Williams had only two. Junior goalie Hayley Bernstein was forced to make only one save, which can also be attributed to the Jumbos’ lockdown defense led by senior back Tookie Wilson.

“Team defense is something we’ve been working on since our scrimmage against Harvard,” Wilson said. “Across the board, we channeled [those efforts] and defended really well.”

Wilson noted how the win against Williams boosted team

members’ confidence given the school’s high ranking in the conference.

“In years past, I would easily say that Williams was the best team in the NESCAC,” Wilson said. “The nerves going into the game were high, but having come out of that with a win, we know we are a good team and can beat the top team in the NESCAC.” Wilkinson added that beating Williams after the team’s years-long losing streak against the Ephs further contributed to the Jumbos’ excitement for the upcoming season.

“Beating Williams right off the bat felt incredible, especially because we hadn’t beaten them since 2006,” Wilkinson said.

“We’ve been working so hard to be the top team in the NESCAC since the Sweet 16 in 2019, so I’m thrilled that our hard work paid off in this game, and I’m so thankful we have the opportunity to play together once again.”

The Jumbos look to continue their winning streak at Clark University on Wednesday, as they face three out-of-conference teams before traveling to NESCAC opponent Colby College on Sept. 25.

Cross country overcomes ‘Green Monster’ through preparation, team camaraderie

by Arnav Sacheti

Assistant Sports Editor

In a strong start to the season on Saturday at the Trinity Invitational in Manchester, Conn., the Tufts men’s and women’s cross country teams dominated both of their respective 5K races. A total of seven schools brought their men’s and women’s teams to the meet — the Tufts men finished first and the Tufts women took second place behind Wesleyan.

Sophomore Walter Wagude, who led the Jumbos by winning the men’s event with a time of 16:21.2 and claimed a personal record in the process, received NESCAC Performer of the Week honors for the race. He attributed his success to something more than just his and his team’s hard work.

“I had a lot of people shouting my name, and saying ‘Go,’ and that gave me the adrenaline to continue pushing, so I feel like that made a big difference,” Wagude said.

While this would have been routine in a normal year, Saturday’s meet marks the first time in nearly two years that the Jumbos have had a cross country meet with a cheering section, and the individual and team results of both the men’s and women’s runners showed that they did indeed feed off of this energy.

Fourteen Jumbos cracked the top 25 in the men’s 5K and seven did the same in the women’s 5K. First-year Haley Nilsson, who ran in her first collegiate race on Saturday, led the Jumbos by taking third place in the women’s race with a time of 21:00.7.

“It definitely felt almost like a new experience just because of how long it’s been since I personally have had any bigger races,” Nilsson said. “It was awesome to get back out there again and just to be with my team and be in a real race competition environment.”

The waning stages of the pandemic have also allowed both the men’s and women’s teams to build a camaraderie that they did not have as much of last year.

Wagude noted the stark difference between his first year and sophomore year.

“Last season, I remember with COVID-19 we were not allowed to come up for the preseason and have any physical activities,” Wagude reflected. “Before preseason [this year], we met up as a team. Then, we went for a camp, and during the camp, we did some workouts and got to catch up as teammates. By the time the season started, I felt like we were ready to go into the season.”

This level of preparation along with the camaraderie they built allowed the Jumbos to put their best foot forward at an extremely tough course

on Saturday. Specifically, this course consisted of a steep and long hill colloquially known as the “Green Monster” that appeared at the end of the second mile and is known for breaking even the best of runners. The Jumbos, however, showed what they were made of despite the monster-like conditions.

“That’s not an easy location or easy circumstances for your first race, or anyone’s first race of the season for that matter,” Nilsson said. “Everyone did such an awesome job and was super tough and it showed a lot of mental toughness and [physical] toughness as well.”

With the Jumbos’ early success, confidence is a theme they will take with them going into the next meet.

“I learned that we should continue believing in ourselves, because there’s no reason to doubt our potential after what we did,” Wagude said.

At the same time, both teams recognize how important the team dynamic will continue to be.

“I cannot stress how important it is that we all get along and that we all thrive off each other’s energy, and my goal is to continue and improve upon that,” Nilsson said.

Both the men’s and women’s teams will travel to New Gloucester, Maine on Saturday to compete in the Bates Invitational.

COURTESY KATIE O'GRADY

Tufts first-year Haley Nilsson finished in third place with a time of 21:00.7.