The Connector - November 22, 2016

How to overcome your first year of college â–ş Page 9

THE UMASS LOWELL

Serving the Student Body Since 1976

November 22, 2016

UMass Lowell students, faculty protest Donald Trump

In This Issue The ‘write’ way to

success

â–ş Page 4

Christopher Romano

‘Skyrim’ gets a makeover

Connector Staff

► Page 6 Men’s basketball competes in Indiana

â–ş Page 10

Final River Hawk Scores Team

Score

Overall Record

Men’s Basketball at Fort Wayne

L 94-81

Hockey at 9 Notre Dame

L 4-1

Hockey at 9 Notre Dame

W 4-1 8-3-2

Women’s Basketball vs. Fairfield

L 65-41

1-3 8-4-2

0-3

Women’s basketball falters in home opener Alexa Hyde Connector Editor

Despite a high-energy start, the UMass Lowell women’s basketball team (0-3) was unable to break through the Fairfield University’s (2-1) defense.

The River Hawks fell 65-41 to the Stags in their home opener. “I think we’ve got to go back to the drawing board and figure some things out,� said head coach Jenerrie Harris.

The River Hawks matched Fairfield point for point in the opening minutes, with early baskets by senior guard Nicole Hayner and freshman guard Shawnkia McCallum.

Hayner lead the team in points with 10 for the game.

However, Fairfield was able to break down UMass Lowell’s defense, notching 14 points in the first quarter. The River Hawks earned nine in the first. Turnovers plagued the team early on, with UMass Lowell committing 10.

The second period started with a better look defensively for the River Hawks. But UMass Lowell was unable to keep the pressure up, and Fairfield extended their lead to end the half. UMass Lowell saw another eight turnovers in the period.

The River Hawks added another 14 points in the second quarter, led by junior forward

At 3 p.m. on Wednesday, students formed in front of University Crossing for a protest sparked by the results of the presidential election on Nov. 8. President-elect Donald Trump has brought out many emotions in people all across the nation due to what many people view as implications and amplifications of racism, sexism, islamophobia and bigotry. Two UMass Lowell biology students, Vicki Kurker and Sabrina Pedersen, organized a Power Walkout protest in response to the election.

UMass Lowell students, along with several other campuses across

Christopher Romano/Connector

Members of the UMass Lowell community showed solidarity in Wednesday’s protest.

the United States, walked out of class as part of a movement called Sanctuary Campus. The nationwide protests were designed to get universities involved in protecting people who could

be affected negatively

by Trump’s policies and rhetoric. A complete list of the demands for the school was posted online in a document shared nationwide for protestors.

Students on campus

were handed flyers for their professors that read: “Dear Professor, I am walking out of class not to be disrespectful to you or what I am learning. I am concerned about cliâ–ş See “Protest,â€? page 3

‘Dishonored 2’ dishonors series legacy Brendan Jacques Connector Editor

The original “Dishonored,� created by Arkane Studios in 2012, was far and away one of the best stealth games released last generation. With its compelling narrative, a strikingly realized setting and a style of stealth that emphasized playing however you pleased, the original game set the bar for all stealth games coming

after it, even trumping the veritable kings of the genre, the “Assassin’s Creed� series. Now, four years after its predecessor’s release, the developers at Arkane have released “Dishonored 2� in an attempt to make that same lightning strike twice. Unfortunately, while the long-awaited sequel succeeds in meeting the quality of its forebear, it fails to expand beyond what both the series itself and its competitors

â–ş See “River Hawks,â€? page 12

Sections News.............................3 Campus Life..................8 A&E.............................. 6 Sports..........................10

Courtesy of Arkane Studios

“Dishonored 2� falls short of its 2012 predecessor.

have already accomplished.

The story begins 15 years after the original and follows either Emily Caldwin, the Empress of the industrial city of Dunwall, or her father and series protagonist Corvo Attano. On the eve of her mother’s assassination, Emily is thrown from power by Ser Luca Abele, a former subordinate who rises to power in the neighboring city of Karnaca thanks to his alliance with the witch Delilah. After choosing which of the two leads to control, the player makes their way out of the capital, meets up with some of Corvo’s old allies, and flees to Karnaca to hunt down all of Abele’s allies in a bid to reclaim Emily’s throne.

This is where the game begins to show its faults. While it attempts to put a greater emphasis on storytelling than its predecessor did, with both of its protagonists being fully voiced and a larger cast of characters, the plot never goes beyond simply rehashing the original’s story in a more â–ş See “Dishonored 2,â€? page 6

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

Page 2

November 22, 2016

THE UMASS LOWELL

Serving the Student Body Since 1976

Twitter: @UMLConnector

UMASS LOWELL CONNECTOR

EDITORIAL BOARD COLE FITZGERALD Managing Editor

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November 22, 2016

Page 3

NEWS Faculty and students show their acceptance Ariah Murphy Connector Contributor

One of the greatest things about this country is freedom. The idea that one is free to pursue any dream, work hard and become successful is what makes this melting pot a destination for many. Unfortunately, there seems to be an undeniable divide among this nation’s people. Acts of bias, intimidation and assault have caused a blanket of fear to wrap around minorities of all categories. In response to this, faculty and staff at UMass Lowell are determined to reaffirm their commitment of respect and safety for all.

One way of demonstrating this has been to hang what has been deemed a “safe-haven poster” on their office doors. It reads: “The occupant of this office affirms the dignity of all students, including and especially people of color, LGBTQ* people, immigrants (of any status), Muslims, Jews, & members of all other faiths, women, and disabled people.

I affirm your identity. I celebrate our differences. I stand with you in solidarity and will speak out for you in our country’s current climate of xenophobia and intolerance.”

The purpose of this is to make sure that people know they have a safe place to go and a person they can trust or turn to if needed.

In America, some people have forgotten the freedom of religion, speech, press, protest, etc. Americans have the freedom to form opinions, discuss and celebrate differences and to disagree. Unfortunately, some people across America are forgetting these rights. Stereotypes of underrepresented religions and cultures have largely overshadowed the reality. Instead of asking questions, assumptions are made. Instead of discussion, arguments are surfacing. There is limited denial that there is fear among many people on campus, as well as across the nation.

Another flyer that is going around campus reads: “UML’s campus is a place of TOLERANCE & RESPECT. Whatever your sex, race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender, ability or disability, or country of origin, YOU ARE WELCOME HERE.” This flyer is a great way to set the atmosphere on campus. Tolerance, however, is not acceptance. Being tolerated is not something a person aspires to be.

When someone is nervous to enter a new environ-

ment they do not hope to be tolerated; they wish for acceptance.

Faculty and staff have gone above and beyond to maintain the culture on campus which celebrates differences. Making sure everyone feels safe is a clear priority and has inspired a trend on campus.

If a person is seen with a safety pin on their shirt it is not a mistake, it is a statement. They want you to know that they are there to stand with minorities in solidarity against injustice. They are a safe person to turn to for help, no matter the person or place.

It is concerning to hear about all of the violence around the country right now. It is a shame that in a country of freedom so many feel they are unwelcome and unsafe. The hate, the bias, the bigotry and disrespect — it needs to stop. UMass Lowell is definitely taking steps in the right direction. However, it is not up to any institution or government to decide how the people are behaving. Every single day people wake up with a choice. Make the choice to respect each other. Make the choice not to tolerate, but to accept.

Finding the ‘write’ way at UMass Lowell Ben St. Pierre Connector Staff

To write is to communicate. The skill of being able to communicate effectively can go a long way in students’ lives upon graduating, whether they enter graduate school or the fulltime workforce.

Writing is an essential part of any career. Even if a job’s daily tasks are not focused around typing reports or essays, communication is key in any field.

Dr. Anthony Szczesiul, the chair of the English department, describes writing as the majority of his meaningful work.

“Everything is kind of an argument trying to persuade, trying to advocate, and so writing is pretty much what I do,” he said, stressing the value of being quick with emails, persuasive in discussions with colleagues and higher-ups and being able to sit back and write longer, scholarly works.

Szczesiul also said the relationship between North and South Campus has changed in the past few years, with writing serving as a connection between the two.

“There’s been a lot more communication and collaboration, I think, between the campuses,” he said.

“We’re working with the College of Engineering they were very interested. The first-year writing coordinator, the Writing Center director and I went over and had a couple meetings with the dean of engineering and about 20 other faculty to help them think about writing in their curriculum.”

Szczesiul also cited how students can take Introduction to Professional Writing as a gen-ed class. “No matter how smart you are, unless you can communicate that through the written and spoken word, you’re not going to have any say on anything.”

Nursing student Kaitlyn Valle agrees

that clear writing is valuable in the workplace, as written and spoken directions are important to both nurses and the patients they assist with those directions. “It’s important as nurses to be able to write effectively and use professional language especially when communicating with others in the hospital. It’s important for us to be able to be flexible with our writing and make it clear and concise,” she said.

Valle also stressed the importance of documentation in nursing.

“Something we always [say] through nursing school is ‘if you didn’t document it, then it never happened.’”

Likewise, chemical engineering major Andrew Guarente says that writing skills are greatly important even to engineering a math-dominated profession for clear communication and to ensure projects are done safely and correctly.

“It’s very important to express your findings and opinions precisely to ensure safety for others. Efficient writing and communication between engineers is always emphasized from our professors,” he said.

“In most cases, for engineers, people’s lives are at stake,” he said, while stressing the need for accuracy and clarity in reports and research papers.

Writing is an essential part of any work environment, but it also has its more recreational side.

Reid Kapala, an English major concentrating in creative writing, said he values the exploratory and personal aspects of writing more than the analytical side.

“Sometimes it's frustrating that the school requires so many classes that involve the analysis side of writing because it takes away from the creativity.

When I write, I don't want to think about how others perceive it because it's not necessarily for them, if that makes sense. Writing a 20-page thesis

is completely different from a 20-page story, and my major requires that I'm able to do both of those. It's definitely difficult to go the creative writing route because there aren't many job

opportunities there, but honestly it's just more fun to me.”

“I get to explore the creative side of language,” Kapala said.

Page 4

November 22, 2016

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

NEWS Peaceful protest against new president-elect ►Continued from front page

am concerned about climate change, LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, minority races, other marginalized groups, and the future of this nation.”

When asked what the goals of the protest were, Kurker said, “We want to make sure the school is a sanctuary for undocumented students and their families, and that we welcome Muslim immigrants.

The university must double its commitment to reject racial harassment, to protect students of color along with LGBTQ students and to continue funding climate change research and education despite what the incoming presidential administration thinks on the subject.”

Kurker continued about climate change saying, “Trump himself is a climate denier. He has decided to promote another very active climate change skeptic to the head of the EPA as part of the transition.

In his first 100 days of presidency, he is planning to defund or enact over 25 climate change laws.”

When asked if there was something that could be done regarding climate change in the next presidential election, Kurker said, “There is no time for hesitation in this aspect.”

As more students and faculty began to arrive to the protest, individual students shared stories, thoughts, anecdotes and ways to move forward under a Trump presidency. Over a dozen students spoke—some speaking multiple times—trying to get their message across about how the election of Donald Trump affects Americans. Niyah West, a senior music business student, instructed the crowd to reach out to elected officials to let them know Americans are unhappy with Trump’s policies and rhetoric. After students finished speaking, faculty members took hold of the megaphone to speak about their discontent for the election as well.

Chad Montrie, a history professor at UMass Lowell, was the first faculty member to speak during the protest. He expressed his pride in the students protesting the election. He then said: “Trump didn’t

All photos by Christopher Romano/Connector

Students of all backgrounds coming together to peacefully protest at UCrossing.

win the election. He lost the popular vote by over a million votes.”

José Mendoza and Adrian Cruz, two UMass Lowell professors, gave their thoughts to the crowd as well. Montrie reached out to the small group of Trump supporters attempting to protest the anti-Trump protest, reminding them that Trump’s climate change denial will affect all people. Although the Trump supporters were few, they showed a large display of affection for their newly elected president.

The student led protest lasted no longer than an hour and a half and was concluded peacefully following Pedersen’s remarks. Students milled around after the protest and talked to faculty about more

ways to become active.

Around the nation, individuals have been wearing safety pins as a way of showing solidarity. Kurker said, “It’s more important that you are completely vocal and transparent, that you are here for people and that just because the president elect is a hateful person, just because the rest of the administration appears to be that way as well, does not mean that you are going to change.”

President-elect Trump is currently preparing to be inaugurated into the White House as president on Jan. 20, 2017.

Many UMass Lowell students are standing up for what they believe in by peacefully protesting against president-elect Donald Trump and promoting a safe campus.

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November 22, 2016

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

ng happeni What’s us on camp th?! this mon SUNDAY

CAMPUS CALENDAR

NOV/DEC MONDAY

21

TUESDAY

22

WEDNESDAY

23

24

What’s Up Wednesdays 3 p.m.

Moloney Hall University Crossing

28

27

Gambling After Dark: Condom Casino Night 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.

University Crossing

29

THURSDAY

30

Have a Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at The Connector!

25

SATURDAY

26

Black Friday

University Closed

1

What’s Up Wednesdays 3 p.m.

Moloney Hall University Crossing

FRIDAY

Women’s Works craft fair 3 p.m ICC Grand Ballroom

2

3

ASU Holiday Sale 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.

University Crossing

Calendar listings are FREE when space is available. To better ensure your listings placement, get your information in two weeks in advance by e-mailing connector@uml.edu

BEDFORD • LOWELL

Take a Class & Earn Credits During Winter Break Registration Wintersession courses are a great way to: Now Open! ❆ Complete degree requirements During the normal break between fall and spring semesters, Middlesex is now offering a selection of Wintersession classes in a condensed, 3-week format: Jan. 3 - 20, 2017.

❆ Keep on track toward graduation ❆ Reduce your credit load during spring semester ❆ Study a subject intensively, for a short period of time ❆ Complete a course that won’t fit your fall or spring schedule

To register for Wintersession, visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/wintersession or call 1-800-818-3434

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

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November 22, 2016

November 22, 2016

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ‘Dishonored 2’ plays things a little too safe Brendan Jacques Connector Editor

tropical setting. Outside of a few exceptions, no one in the cast is given enough personality to be at all memorable, and both Corvo and Emily are given so little character growth that it is hard to care about their ultimate fates, much less the fates of those around them. While the environmental design does go a ways towards alleviating the story’s faults, with the city of Karnaca being just as well realized as “Dishonored’s” Dunwall, a pretty set can only do so much to make up for wooden actors.

Thankfully, the gameplay that made the series famous is just as strong as its ever been. Each of the game’s nine chapters task the player with hunting down their target in whatever way they see fit, whether that means sneaking through the environment without being seen, knocking out all guards in the vicinity or going on a murderous rampage. Aiding the player in this is a suite of supernatural powers ranging from creating a shadowy grappling hook to climb up buildings to summoning clones to distract enemies. These powers combined with a bevy of useful gadgets and environments that reward exploration with better equipment leads to each of the chapters feeling both challenging and memorable.

The problem is that almost none of the new mechanics that “Dishonored 2” brings to the table are comparable

in quality to what is already there. The game’s big new addition is the choice between which of the two leads to play as, with Corvo keeping all the powers he obtained in the previous game while his daughter Emily gets her own suite of powers built around manipulating enemy AI. Unfortunately, this addition falls flat on its face because Emily’s powers end up being both less effective in every way to her father’s and generally less fun to use, making the choice of character feel pointless outside of its novelty in the story. Beyond this, the game lacks any new gameplay mechanics that radically change what already works, leading to a “been there, done that” feeling that the story only compounds.

To give credit where it is due though, the issue of variety is somewhat alleviated, like the story, by the quality of the environmental design. Each of the game’s nine chapters builds itself around a particular theme, with many introducing minor gameplay additions that only apply to that chapter. These include fighting through a mansion that shapeshifts as one makes their way through it, a semi-abandoned hospital filled with giant mutated mosquitoes and others that go a long way towards mixing things up. While it would have been nice to see some of these mechanics get a bit more fleshed out beyond their brief appearances, they at least help make each level a bit more memorable than they otherwise would be.

Syeda Nizami

“Skyrim: The Fifth Elder Scrolls” game released by Bethesda is getting more attention in recent times with the release of a new remastered edition. With its original release in 2011, “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” was met with critical acclaim, praising its open world and improved skill system from the previous “Elder Scrolls” games. Now, five years later, Bethesda Software has re-released “Skyrim” as a remastered special edition for the Xbox One, PS4 and PC. This spe-

cial edition graphically upgrades the game’s quality, creating a clearer and more enthralling experience. However, this does not mean this remastered version is for everyone.

At its core, this remastered version is a reskin of the original, which is far from a negative thing. Even five years later, “Skyrim” is one of the best open world experiences out there, containing hundreds of hours of gameplay, multiple guilds to join, new characters to create and so many places to discover and mark on the map. The game’s map is huge and unlike any Courtesy of Bethesda Softworks

As of June 2013, “Skyrim” has sold over 20 million copies since its release in 2011.

Underrated Classic: “Galaxy Quest” Connector Staff

This is the fourth game created by Arkane Studios since their formation in 1999.

Unfortunately, if there is one thing that the game’s incredible environments can not make up for, it is the game’s overall performance. For this review, we played the PC version on medium settings, and the number of glitches and crashes we ran into in our time with the game is inexcusably bad. Audio glitches were common from start to finish, with characters talking over each other, music cues occurring for seemingly no reason and guards repeating dialogue ad nauseam. While this is a complaint that will be fixed over time with patches and bug fixes, the fact that a AAA video game release charging $60 can get away with releasing a game this unpolished is baffling.

Overall, “Dishonored 2” can not help but feel disappointing. While it still does everything the original game

did just as well, it never grows out of its predecessor’s shadow to form its own identity, seeing fit to play things way too safe to avoid shaking up the status quo. To its credit, that does mean that the worst the game ever ends up being is simply a next-gen level pack for the original “Dishonored,” and those who are just looking for that or who never played the original should come away satisfied. For anyone else, especially those who think a sequel should be more than just more of the same, wait for a price drop before buying this one. “Dishonored 2” is available on PC, Xbox One and PS4 for $60. For those who are interested in trying the original, it is available on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC for $10, with a remastered version also available on Xbox One and PS4 for $20.

Final Grade: C+

other; from sweeping mountains landscapes, to bustling towns filled to the brim with NPCs to various dusty and dangerous dungeons to explore.

For players who are new to the franchise or this specific game, this remastered version is a gift, offering revamped visuals, bug fixes and other relatively minor changes that improves the older version. Even for those who have played and bought the games on Xbox and PlayStation before, this game does have something to offer for you. This release brings long awaited moderation, otherwise known as mod, support to the game as well as faster load times, reducing frame rate issues, and even adding fixes to minor annoyances, like adding a quicksave feature. It also includes all the DLC from the original Skyrim, adding content to the game that veteran players may have missed out on.

However, if one was a part of the group that played Skyrim on PC and had access to mods, none of these changes are anything new. To add to that, loading times and bug fixes are not anything new for PC players either. The real aim of this remaster was to appeal to console players who did not have access to these things before

and to attract new fans who have not played this vast game. To note, there is one major difference between the PS4 and Xbox versions of these games.

The Xbox version has significant mod support when compared to the PS4, another thing to consider when buying the game.

Overall, the game does not introduce much of anything new or fresh to the game, only bringing life into the console versions and giving them a much-deserved coat of paint. The “Skyrim Special Edition” is for a specific audience, for gamers who either have never played the game, have played the game only on a console before, those who did not play the DLC when it first dropped, or even those who simply wish to relive one of the best open world experiences in video game history. Furthermore, with the Nintendo Switch on the horizon in 2017, and “Skyrim Remastered” as one of the games featured in the reveal trailer, there may be more adventures to have on the go, but for now, settle for playing the beautiful, crisp version on the couch.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Owen Johnson

Courtesy of Bethesda Softworks

‘Skyrim Remastered’ is a great excuse to return Connector Contributor

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

In the 1990s, after the outpour of parody films by people like Mel Brooks and the Zucker brothers had either come to an end or deteriorated in quality, “Galaxy Quest” came about to resuscitate the dying genre for one last enjoyable film.

Years after being on a successful science fiction television show called “Galaxy Quest,” the washed up actors of the once popular “Star Trek”-esque show are recruited by an alien species, mistaking the show as a historical documentation, to help them defeat their ruthless adversary Sarris (Robin Sachs).

The largest component of “Galaxy Quest” is the parodical nature that pokes fun at the “Star Trek” franchise. For one thing, the cast of characters is very much a representation of the original “Star Trek” cast. The commander (Tim Allen) is brash womanizer like Captain Kirk. There is a fan favorite alien science officer (Alan Rickman), who is a mixture of Spock and Mc-

Coy whose reactions fluctuate between stoic and annoyed.

There is even a background cast member (Sam Rockwell) who acts as a self-aware red shirt who is constantly fearing that he is expendable and will

look exactly like humans, which a lot of alien races in the “Star Trek” show looked like.

“Galaxy Quest” serves as not just a satirical representation of the “Star Trek” fran-

mirrors attitudes felt towards Shatner by his costars. Nerd culture is satirized by a geek (Justin Long) whose zealous attitude towards the “Galaxy Quest” television show ends up helping the actors.

Courtesy of Dreamworks Pictures

“Galaxy Quest” was first conceived as a science-fiction film called “Captain Starshine” back in 1997.

die at any point. The movie also makes references to some of the iconic scenes of “Star Trek,” such as having the captain fight a monster on a desert planet, and the aliens the actors are recruited to help

chise, but also of the exterior workings of the original “Star Trek” show, and nerd culture.

Allen’s character is a clear representation of William Shatner, and the other cast members’ disdain for him

One of the most underrated components of the film is the cast itself. Allen is perfectly cast in his role as a washed up actor who takes himself too seriously and is completely oblivious to people’s dis-

dain for him. Rickman does a wonderful job portraying a miserable and sarcastic actor who is clearly not doing what he really wants to do. Along with the aforementioned actors, Sigourney Weaver, Tony Shalhoub and Daryl Mitchell all do great jobs in their roles.

Whereas a number of parody movies have a loose plot line to allow for comedic situations and spoofing to take place, “Galaxy Quest” transcends with these. The plot is concise and well-structured so that everything, even in subtle details, are set up ahead of time. For example, Tony Shalhoub just seems uninterested in everything that is happening, even when the ship is taking damage. At first this seems off until it is established that Shalhoub’s character had stopped trying as an actor and just did not seem to care about much anymore.

“Galaxy Quest” is a well-written parody with a lot of creative and clever ideas to it, making it one of the better parody movies.

Final Grade: A+

‘Abendrot’ review Emily Toomey Connector Staff

Orlando based emo quintet You Blew It! have recently released their third studio album “Abendrot.”

“Abendrot” loosely translates to “sunset.”

This album is a transition for the band according to vocalist Tanner Jones who said that the band took a more minimalist approach in terms of instrumentals instead of an extravagant approach like their last two records. This album has already received great criticism from both music experts and fans. The album is unlike any sound You Blew It! has produced. Evan Weiss from Into It. Over It. produced this album, which helped create a softer vibe to the album.

Courtesy of Triple Crown Records

The band has released three albums since their debut.

There is something so somber about their first single “Greenwood.” The lyrics are a bit darker than listeners are used to. “I watch lives go by a dash in stone to summarize.” Jones sings in such a soft tone with a sense of regret. The melody of the song is slow almost like a drifting in the wind. By the end of the song Jones is nearly whispering, “I’ll keep trying to find your ghost in here” while still chanting, “I watch lives go by” the lyrics intertwined to provide a rollercoaster of emotion throughout his voice.

“Like myself,” the second track on the album, is so raw in lyrics, yet so powerful. The guitar riffs are soft but the lyrics are almost outspoken. Very calmly Jones is chanting, “My brain just can’t contain the chemicals it’s made, my frame just can’t contain the chemicals I take.” The words come out almost as a cry for help, a small scream. You Blew It! is known for their raspy and harsh vocals and this track provides a small sense of that. This track is one of the closest to their old songs that this album provides.

Towards the end of the album, track “Arrowhead” is almost reminiscent of a skeleton. The first half of the song is so bare in instrumentals like it is merely bones. The lyrics are repeated throughout the song but by the end it becomes a chant of “there’s got to be something wrong with me” Jones’s raspy vocals finally come into full effect which is something the listeners crave. The tune of this track is almost as if in the beginning he can’t accept his fate or emotion but by the end he has accepted it and realized that is is okay. The minimalist guitar riff at the end provides a sense of closing for the track and album as a whole.

“Kerning” takes advantage of using only a piano to create a soft but beautiful melody. The track was

Courtesy of Triple Crown Records

You Blew It! is an emo band based in Orlando, FL.

both short and simple but still created an overall feel for the album. The use of the piano is almost as if they are just pressing a random key at a time with nothing specific in mind. “The way we operate or disintegrate its glimmer blinded me but I never saw you leave” gives listeners a sense of an emotional journey along the song. Mixed with the simplest piano playing these lyrics come out so raw and pure.

This reveals a softer side of the band than what they have previously released.

Overall, this certainly is not an album for everyone but does stand out as a beautiful record nonetheless.

Fans generally prefer the harsher side to You Blew It! which contains elements of pop-punk. For the band, this is certainly not the best release, but as a stand-alone album it absolutely delivers.

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

Page 8

November 22, 2016

Upperclassmen give their advice to freshmen on what they would do differently

Gambling After Dark steps up their game big time

Courtesy of John Romano

“how often does the university open up a casino for three hours on a random night?”

(from left to right) Teresa Santana, Jon Rodgers, John Romano and Nicole Hamel made up last year’s e-board.

Gambling After Dark has typically benefitted from the contributions of many third party organizations, such as LASA and Healthy Hawks.

This year, however, the event is also promoting the It’s on Us campaign, an initiative created to raise awareness for sexual violence. Attendees will be able to take a pledge, as part of the campaign, to denounce the dangers of sexual violence

and pledge their support to sexual violence survivors.

“The chancellor of UMass Lowell is going to come during the day and she is going to take a pledge,” said Killgoar.

“And anyone who takes the pledge will receive additional condoms for gambling.”

While this is his first year working the event, Killgoar has attended the previous two years. He said he is now a part

Page 9

How to overcome being a freshman

More tables, better prizes, bigger event year, as well as over 9,000 conConnector Editor doms. “We have a much larger Occuring for the fourth year budget for prizes this year than in a row, the event many have in past years. We have invester come to know as Gambling After Dark has undergone a huge makeover. This year’s event will host more tables, bigger prizes and more activities.

“We’ve upgraded a lot of things,” said Justin Killgoar, member of the event’s e-board. One of the improvements, he said, was a more realistic horseracing section, over $600 in two prizes,” said which has gained notoriety as Killgoar, who also said other one of the more popular activ- prizes will be “the standard ities at the event. headphones and other things, “We are keeping most of the and our black box items.” The games the same,” said Kill- black box items are a staple of goar. “We just bumped up the Gambling After Dark, as they appearance and the aesthet- are many variant tools that ics and the amount that we promote safe sex. are going to be having, [and As for the other prizes, The are] going to try to reduce the Gambling After Dark team amount of wait time as much are keeping them a surprise. as possible for people.”

“There will be a few teasers on The e-board for the event the Facebook page on the days also has been able to provide upcoming to the event,” said more prizes for attendees this Killgoar.

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

CAMPUS LIFE

CAMPUS LIFE

Shane Foley

November 22, 2016

of the biggest e-board team the event has seen. Plenty of new voices have contributed to the changes Gambling After Dark has undergone.

“It’s nice because some of the problems that I had attending can now be more brought to the spotlight. Especially since in past years it was mostly people who worked the event as opposed to people who had attended the event that came up with the ideas, so they didn’t really know much of the problems,” said Killgoar.

Gambling After Dark will take place in University Crossing, Maloney 260, on Monday, Nov. 28 at 6 p.m.

“It’s also more of a fun event, and the educational component is almost more of a passive feel for a lot of people, because how often does the university open up a casino for three hours on a random night?” said Killgoar.

Evanthia Tully Connector Staff

Surviving the first year college can be tough, but is not impossible. Upperclassmen know what it is like to be in the shoes of a first-year student and what it takes to make it successful.

Associate Director of Residence Life Joy Schmelzer, who is also an expert in first year experience, said first-year students “should expect to be challenged, educated and willing to go out of their comfort zone.”

To prepare for college, Schmelzer says that orientation is a great way for students to obtain the resources that they will need for the school and learn what the school has to offer. “Something students don’t realize is how many resources they have until they absolutely need it,” she said. “I think it’s important for students to know what the school has to offer.”

The transition into college can be uncomfortable. Junior Kaylee Lima, said she jumped from her comfort zone by meeting new people and learning how to live on her own. She said, “meeting new people from all over the country and moving away from home” were some of her favorite aspects of college.

Sophomore Michael Nuzzo said making friends was an important part of his first year experience. “My first semester I was a music major, and one of the best things about that was there were a lot of students, so it was easy to make friends there,” he said.

Participating in events and joining clubs are two ways students can try to meet new friends or bond with old ones.

“The school didn’t help me much

“I would tell myself to focus more on school and not get so stressed out about classes” but that is because I didn’t put myself out there,” Lima said.

UMass Lowell also has many events geared towards students’ entertainment, which helps them to meet more people on campus. “I really liked going to the hockey games. That was

one of my favorite things for me,” Nuzzo adds.

The first year is also a time where students need to find themselves while also trying to find what to do for a career. Nuzzo said that switching his major was also very important in finding himself because his major is ultimately going to decide what he is about to do for the rest of his life.

One of the hardest parts specifically for current senior Kerry Augusta was trying to juggle personal life and schoolwork.

Having a surplus amount of time away from her mom sometimes meant that her grades would slip because there was not someone forcing her to do the work.

“Well before I figured that stuff out (juggling school work and personal life) I was feeling like I was super lost and that it was sort of a confusing time because I thought I had a different idea of what college really was,” Nuzzo said. “Not having family here and adjusting for the first few weeks [was difficult]. Once I got through that, that is when I started figuring things out.”

Upperclassmen suggest that in order

to succeed, first-year students focus on time management and not slacking off on schoolwork. “I would tell myself to focus more on school and not get so stressed out about classes and I didn’t know that you could get in trouble for withdrawing from classes,” Augusta said.

She also recommends that freshmen do not eat as much dining hall food.

Since it is unlimited it is easy to stuff yourself because no one is telling you to stop.

Augusta suggests that freshmen take advantage of the library more. There is a plague that many of people suffer from called the fear of missing out, more commonly known as FOMO. “Your friends will always be there every weekend, so don’t be afraid to miss out on weekend festivities,” she said.

Nuzzo’s advice is about relationships and how they can effect your first year.

“Going into college with a relationship from high school in hindsight probably a bad idea,” he said.

Nuzzo said his freshman experience was “basically finding what I wanted to do.”

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Page 10

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

November 22, 2016

SPORTS

SPORTS River Hawks drop 100-78 decision at No. 6/5 Indiana UMass Lowell Athletics

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Redshirt-junior Jahad Thomas (Williamsport, Pa.) notched a team-best 16 points, as the UMass Lowell men’s basketball team (1-2) dropped a 10078 decision at No. 6/5 Indiana (2-0) to open the 2016 Indiana Classic on Wednesday evening.

“It’s not always easy to be happy with a 22-point loss, but I thought there were a lot more good things we did tonight than bad,” said Head Coach Pat Duquette. “It was an incredible environment against a top-five team in the country. Our guys played really well. I thought they made a lot of good and unselfish plays on offense, and we battled on defense, but we got killed on the boards. Overall, there were a lot of good things to take away from this. It was a great experience for us.”

Thomas made 5-of-12 from the floor and was a perfect, 6-for-6 from the foul line in the outing. Senior Tyler Livingston (Hudson, N.H.) logged 14 points, and a team-high five rebounds and three assists. Sophomore Isaac White (Ashland, Ohio) added to

the offensive effort with 13 points.

UMass Lowell and Indiana traded baskets in the opening minutes with five lead changes before White hit a

the Hoosiers followed with a 13-2 spurt to take a 31-20 lead at 6:42. The River Hawks then used a layup from Livingston and a three from White to Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics

Senior forward Tyler Livingston (24) looks to make a play against an Indiana defender near teammates Ryan Jones (0) and Jahad Thomas (10).

jumper to spark a 9-2 run that gave his squad a 14-9 edge at 15:09 in the first half. Indiana rallied back, though, knotting the score twice before pulling in front, 18-16, with 10:34 remaining in the first half.

Freshman Cameron Wolter (Fishers, Ind.) would bank in a layup to force the fourth tie of the night, but

Page 11

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

November 22, 2016

make it a seven-point game, although Indiana outscored the visitors 18-8 in the waning minutes of the first to pull away, 53-36, heading into the break.

Coming out of halftime, the River Hawks tallied seven of the first 10 points, including a long ball from sophomore Ryan Jones (Rio Rancho, N.M.) to close the gap to 56-43. UMa-

ss Lowell trailed by 13 once more thanks to a tip-in from Livingston before the Hoosiers took advantage of five scoreless minutes from their opponents, firing off 15 unanswered points to extend their margin to 76-47 with 12:51 still to play.

The River Hawks would not go quietly, putting together a 10-2 stretch with the help of back-to-back buckets from Thomas and a big dunk from sophomore Logan Primerano (Peru, Ind.), making it a 78-57 game at 8:28.

UMass Lowell was unable to come any closer, however, as Indiana took a slight, 22-21 scoring edge the rest of the way to secure the 100-78 decision.

James Blackmon, Jr. posted a game-high 23 points and seven rebounds to lead a Hoosiers team that shot 56.3 percent from the floor. Robert Johnson added 16 points, while OG Anunoby totaled 15.

Wednesday’s contest marked the first ever meeting between UMass Lowell and Indiana in the sport of men’s basketball.

No. 5 River Hawks pick up 4-1 win at No. 9 Notre Dame UMass Lowell Athletics

NOTRE DAME, Ind. -Junior forward C.J. Smith (Des Moines, Iowa) notched his fourth two-goal game of the year to lead the No. 5 UMass Lowell Hockey team to a 4-1 victory at No. 9 Notre Dame in Hockey East play at Compton Family Ice Arena on Thursday night.

With the victory, the River Hawks improve to 8-3-2 overall and 4-1-0 in Hockey East play, while the Fighting Irish drop to 5-4-2, 2-2-1 in league play.

“I thought it was a hard

fought contest, we came out the way we wanted and we fell into a lull in the second period and we bounced back in the third,” said UMass Lowell Head Coach Norm Bazin. “Overall it was a great effort and any time you can win on the road in Hockey East against a good team, a well-coached team, we will take it.”

Smith opened the scoring just 35 seconds into the game beating Notre Dame Cal Peterson high glove side with a wrist shot for his eighth goal of the season. The River Hawks outshot the Fighting

Irish, 11-7, in the opening period.

Freshman forward Ryan Lohin (Chadds Ford, Pa.) made it a 2-0 game for the River Hawks just 1:46 into the second period for third goal of his collegiate career.

Notre Dame’s Connor Hurley cut UMass Lowell’s lead to 2-1 at the 6:18 mark. Senior forward Evan Campbell (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) tallied his first goal of the season at 13:44 of the second period to give the River Hawks a 3-1 lead.

Smith capped off the scoring in the game with an emp-

ty netter for his ninth goal of the season and the 11th multigoal game of his career with 2:04 left in the contest.

UMass Lowell outshot Notre Dame, 35-23 for the game, which included a 13-8 advan-

tage in the third period.

Freshman goaltender Tyler Wall (Leamington, Ont.) made 22 stops in his eighth win of the season for the River Hawks. Peterson made 31 saves in the losing effort.

Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics

River Hawk skaters crowd the crease as goalie Tyler Wall sprawls out in attempt to stop the puck from entering the net.

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River Hawks face 94-81 setback at Fort Wayne UMass Lowell Athletics

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Sophomore Ryan Jones (Rio Rancho, N.M.) posted a teamand season-high 18 points in a 94-81 setback for the UMass Lowell men’s basketball team (1-3) at Fort Wayne (22) on Saturday evening, as part of the 2016 Indiana Classic.

“I don’t think we ever got into a rhythm in the first half,” said Head Coach Pat Duquette.

“A number of guys got into foul trouble, which makes it difficult, but we did enough things wrong defensively.

That’s the story for us and where we need to get better because 94 points is too much. Fort Wayne is a very good basketball team on their home floor. We need to grow from this and get better defensively.”

Jones was one of four double-digit scorers for the River Hawks on the night. Redshirt-junior Jahad Thomas (Williamsport, Pa.) chipped in with 16 points and four assists, while adding a team-and season-best nine rebounds.

Junior Matt Harris(Erie, Pa.) and senior Tyler Livingston (Hudson, N.H.) added 14 and 12 points, respectively, in the outing.

Collectively, the River Hawks totaled 12 threepoint field goals for the first time since December 20, 2015.

The River Hawks showed their strength from beyond the arc early, jumping out to an 11-6 edge with three of their first four buckets of the night coming from long range. Fort Wayne answered with a 9-3 spurt, though, to pull ahead by one, and despite the four quick lead changes that followed, the Mastodons scored six in a row to lead, 2419, with 10:52 remaining in the first half.

A pair of free throws from freshman Rinardo Perry (Washington, D.C.) and a layup from classmate Stefan Borovac (Stoney Creek, Ontario) accounted for the River Hawks’ lone points in the next four minutes, as the home squad built a double-digit advantage, 36-23, at 6:23. UMass Lowell then used a three from

Livingston and two free throws from Thomas to close the gap back to nine with 3:37 left, but the Mastodons would take their largest lead yet in the waning seconds for a 49-34 difference at the break.

The River Hawks took control of the momentum in the opening minutes of the second half, tallying nine of the first 11 points, including a long ball from Harris,

to make the score 51-43 with 17:08 still to play.

However, Fort Wayne retaliated with a 10-2 stretch to go ahead, 6145, at 13:58.

The teams traded baskets until Jones drove to the hoop for two and freshmanCameron Wolter (Fishers, Ind.) drained a three from the top of the key, cutting the buffer to 13 once more, this time with 7:12 left to play. The vis-

itors continued to battle, coming within 11 points of the lead at 78-89 after another three-point jumper from Harris with less than two minutes to go, but Fort Wayne was able to close out the 9481 decision.

The Mastodons were led by Mo Evans, who notched a game-high 33 points, and Bryson Scott, who totaled 14.

As a team, Fort Wayne shot 58.3 percent (35-

60) from the floor.

Saturday’s contest marked the first ever meeting between UMass Lowell and Fort Wayne in the sport of men’s basketball. The River Hawks will continue its four-game stretch in the Indiana Classic with two games in Lynchburg, Va. beginning on Monday, November 21 against site host Liberty at 6 p.m.

Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics

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UMass Lowell is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action, Title IX, H/V, ADA 1990 University. This ad was produced at no cost to the Commonwealth.

The UMass Lowell men’s basketball team competed in the 2016 Indiana Classic, facing off against Indiana and Fort Wayne and will continue the four-game slate against Liberty and Mississippi Valley State.

For more information, visit http://continuinged.uml.edu/winter

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

Page 12

November 22, 2016

SPORTS

No. 5 River Hawks fall at No. 9 Notre Dame, 4-1 UMass Lowell Athletics

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The No. 5 UMass Lowell Hockey team was defeated by No. 9 Notre Dame, 4-1, on Friday night in the Hockey East series finale at Compton Family Ice Arena.

The teams skated to a scoreless first period and both teams registered six shots on net.

Anders Bjork scored his eighth goal of the season to give the Fighting Irish a 1-0 lead just 3:33 into the second frame. Freshman forward Kenny Hausinger (Anchorage, Alaska) got the equalizer to make it a 1-1 game with the

second goal of his career as his tapped in a shot after junior forward Jake Kamrass (Atlanta, Ga.) made a nice wrap around move around

a 3-1 lead in the middle stanza on goals by Andrew Peeke and Bobby Nardella at 13:16 and 16:52 respectively.

Dawson Cook capped

with a goal at the 8:22 mark of the third period.

Freshman goaltender Tyler Wall (Leamington, Ont.) notched Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics

U P C OM I N G

River Hawk Games Tuesday, Nov. 22

6 p.m. MBB vs. Miss. Valley St.

Wednesday, Nov. 23

2 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 26

2 p.m. WBB at Boston University

Saturday, Nov. 26

2 p.m.

MBB vs LIU Brooklyn

Tuesday, Nov. 29

7 p.m.

WBB vs. Rhode Island

Tiuesday, Nov. 29

7 p.m.

MBB at Marist

WBB at Indiana

For more sports information and full game schedules visit goriverhawks.com

Junior forward and leading goal scorer C.J. Smith scored Thursday night against Notre Dame but was unable to find the net in Friday’s contest.

the Notre Dame net.

Notre Dame then took

off the game’s scoring for the Fighting Irish

25 saves in his 11th career start for UMass

Lowell. Notre Dame goaltender Cal Petersen stopped 21 shots in his sixth win of the season for the Fighting Irish.

Notre Dame outshot the River Hawks, 34-22 for the game.

The River Hawks return to action in two weeks as they host UConn on Friday, December 2nd in Hockey East play. Game time from the Tsongas Center is 7:15 p.m.

Men’s basketball nabs first victory of season against Wagner 87-76 Hannah Manning Connector Editor

The UMass Lowell men’s basketball team took home its first victory of the season with a nail biter against Wagner University. It was a cat and mouse game; both teams scored 50 fifty points in the second half to battle to a 87-76 win.

“Wagner’s a very good team. Most people know they knocked off UConn on Friday. They also won 23 games last year and won their conference, so this was a really, really good win for us,” said head coach Pat Duquette.

The most that Wagner ever led by in the game was three points, while at one point in the second half UMass Lowell commandeered a 16-point lead over its opponent.

Free throws were crucial in the game during its tightest spots. UMass Lowell made 32 out of 36 free throws, making

10 out of 10 in the first half.

Both junior guard Matt Harris and sophomore guard Isaac White were perfect on the free throw. Harris made 13 out of 13 shots, and White scored a perfect 10 free throws.

White played 37 minutes, the most out of any River Hawk. He made two out of five three-pointer attempts and had three assists, finishing with 20 points.

He was named the Star of the Game for his performance.

The game started off slow for the River Hawks, where they allowed Wagner to take control of play. On defense, the River Hawks left perhaps a little too much room, which gave Wagner the chance to stake out an early lead.

However, after gaining their footing in their home court, the River Hawks started to turn on the scoring.

Two straight

three-pointers by senior forward Tyler Livingston and Harris lifted the River Hawks to a point where they could begin to shut the door on the Seahawks midway through the first half.

For a stretch in the first, Wagner went several minutes without scoring a point.

The River Hawks spent much of the latter part of the first half building up a point cushion that would take them into the locker room with a 37-26 lead.

They continued the momentum into the second half, scoring point after point, up 51-37 after a series of good plays.

But by the time that 10 minutes had passed in the second half Wagner came within seven points of the River Hawks. This was partly due in part to UMass Lowell committing seven fouls in the first seven minutes, which seemed to light a small flame

under the belly of the Seahawks.

The lead was a lot less comfortable.

The River Hawks kept Wagner at bay by increasing their offensive presence and taking points on free throws.

UMass Lowell showed willingness to shoot under pressure throughout the game.

Harris, in particular, pulled off a spectacular under-the-net shot that assisted the River

Hawks in mending their lead in the waning minutes of the second half.

The team also worked well as a unit, making good passes and maneuvering successfully.

“When you’re playing together as a team, and communicating well with each other and being disciplined… the game is a lot easier,” said redshirt junior guard/ forward Jahad Thomas.

The River Hawks led by 10 with five minutes

remaining in the second half. Points came and went, with scoring mostly back-and-forth so that the lead remained just about constant.

The River Hawks advanced to a 1-1 record with the nonconference win.

The team will roll back into Lowell for a contest at the Tsongas Center on Saturday, Nov. 26 against LIU Brooklyn.

Matt Dwyer/Connector

Freshman guard Rinardo Perry dribbles against a Wagner defender.

River Hawks drop home opener to Fairfield ► Continued from front page

Kayla Gibbs, who made three shots and a pair of free throws for eight points. Gibbs finished the night with just eight points on the night.

“We have to have people

who want to shoot the ball,” Harris said.

Again, UMass Lowell was able to come out swinging early as the second half got underway. Sophomore forward Katherine Smith put

two on the board with a jumper to start off the scoring in the second half.

However, UMass Lowell faltered halfway through the third period as Fairfield connected to earn 17 points while

the River Hawks added just nine.

This is when things turned foul. The third quarter saw 10 fouls, with UMass Lowell committing six. The River Hawks added another three,

while Fairfield had five in the fourth.

UMass Lowell ended the final quarter with another seven points, five coming from free throws.