UMass Lowell’s Nelson impresses on and off the field Women’s soccer freshman picks up accolades early
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THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
September 18, 2018
UMass Lowell shakes up mailrooms
In This Issue
Now located in Fox Hall and McGauvran Center
USuites dining hall
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Conor Dawson and Hannah Manning Connector Editors
Trevor Noah visits UMass Lowell in Oct.
â–ş Page 5 The cult classic of our generation?
â–ş Online
Final River Hawk Scores Team
Score
W. Soccer at Seton Hall
T 1-1
M. Soccer at Stanford
L 1-0
Overall Record 2-4-3 5-1-1
Field Hockey at Fairfield
L 2-0 3-2
Volleyball at Harvard
L 3-1
1-11
PS4’s ‘Spider-Man’ is amazing Andrew Sciascia Connector Editor
From clunky abominations like 1999’s “Supermanâ€? for the Nintendo 64 to near-perfect glimpses into the world of comic books like the “Batman: Arkhamâ€? franchise, the world of gaming has long sought to perfectly balance the immense power, teeth-clenching grit and unparalleled emotional weight of being a superhero and place it in the hands of gamers. In that marketplace, “Spider-Manâ€? strikes an ideal balance, perfecting the formula of the superhero gaming experience. Insomniac Games’ pristine creation has only one major flaw: playing it is a joy afforded only to owners of the PlayStation 4. From the moment they are first given the opportunity to swing over the streets of New York City as the world-famous “web-headâ€? all the way through to the end credits, complete with Marvel’s end-credit scenes, players are treated to an emotional ride through a gorgeous and fluid open-world. The game brings the world of Marvel Comics to life, perhaps even more so than the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For the entire 20-plus hour experience, an expansive cast of characters and a living New York City is fleshed out before the audience as â–ş See “Spider-Man,â€? page 6
Sections News.............................3 Campus Life.................. 6 A&E.............................. 4 Sports........................... 7
A major change in the mailroom system is in store for students living on campus this fall. Students on South and East Campus will no longer be able to pick up their mail in their respective residence halls. UMass Lowell has done them one better; instead of managing several mailrooms across the two campuses, the university has condensed the system into two main mailrooms. East Campus students can find the mailroom is on the first floor of Fox Hall while South Campus students can visit the mailroom on the third floor of the McGauvran Center. The two locations will both be open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. On Saturdays, the mailrooms will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This major change was brought about by a change in department ownership over the mail system at UMass Lowell. Instead of being controlled by the Office of Residence Life, the mailrooms are now managed by Office Services. With this change comes a new mail system rebuilt from the ground up. “When I was asked to take it
over with my team we decided to kind of look at it and build it from scratch and figure out what’s the best, most efficient, most effective methods that we could implement,� said Nick Piscitello, the Director of Administrative Services
Andre Ragel/Connector
The Fox Hall mailroom will be open six days a week.
at UMass Lowell. Piscitello, who has worked at the university in some capacity since 2005, has seen several iterations of mailroom setups. As a student living on East Campus, Piscitello says that he also dealt with centralized mail. Though students today may count themselves lucky; in Piscitello’s time, the centralized lo-
cations for mail were in the former McGauvran Student Center and in Southwick Hall on North Campus. According to Piscitello, The University of New Hampshire’s mailroom system inspired UMass Lowell’s return to a centralized setup. He says that their system was streamlined and impressive and provided a suitable model for UMass Lowell’s new initiative, although not without a few changes for added efficiency. “We didn’t do it exactly like them,� Piscitello said, “because we felt there were some more efficiencies we could do. We modified some things to fit our needs a little bit more.� The priority here, Piscitello says, was student convenience. South Campus’s mailroom move to McGauvran threatened to be a difficult change, but after weighing all of the options Piscitello said that the move had more advantages than disadvantages. While in-house mail was convenient for students in the past as they did not have to leave their residence hall, Office Services decided that it would be a better answer for students to pick up their mail at centralized locations on each residential campus.
â–ş See “Mailroom,â€? page 3
UMass Lowell students ride MBTA for free Emmy Misail Connector Contributor
As if traffic, the environment and the cost of a parking decal were not enough reasons to leave the car at home, UMass Lowell’s new partnership with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will give students a new reason to consider traveling sustainably. Starting this fall, UMass Lowell students, staff and faculty will be able to ride the MBTA’s commuter rail service from the Gallagher Terminal all the way to North Station in Boston free of charge. The Lowell Line, making stops at West Medford, Wedgemere, Winchester, Mishawum, Woburn, Wilmington and North Billerica. Nick Piscitello, Director of Administrative Services, oversees all aspects of campus transportation including UMass Lowell’s partnerships with Lowell Regional Transport Authority (LRTA) and Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA). His office
is constantly looking for ways to lighten traffic and cut down on carbon emissions from student cars, as part of UMass Lowell’s dedication to create a eco-friendlier campus. Piscitello is particularly excited about this new MBTA partnership because it will help fulfill the lofty goals of a greener community for both UMass Lowell and the city of Lowell itself. Free transit will give hundreds of students rides home from Lowell on weekends and holidays, unclogging some of the more congested highways and streets. “Having multiple programs now, we’re getting into hundreds of cars that are coming off the streets, and that’s going to have a big impact not only for parking, but also for traffic,â€? Piscitello said. The positives of this program don’t just stop at creating a more environmentally friendly campus, though. This is also a huge boon to students looking to take internships in the Boston area or just looking for things to do on the weekends. A ticket normally costs $10 â–ş See “MBTA,â€? page 6
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
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September 18, 2018
NEWS
Despite minor opening woes, Hawk’s Nest opens to student praise the ever-busy Fox Dining Commons and bring the students of East Campus a place to have dinner later into the evening on weekdays. So far, UMass Lowell administrators are incredibly happy with their product. “The whole goal was, with the addition of River Hawk Village making the already taxed numbers in Fox Dining Commons an even more detrimental experience, to create
Andrew Sciascia Connector Editor
For sophomore exercise science major Patrick Pang, the opening of the newly renovated Hawk’s Nest dining hall at University Suites has, despite minor hiccups, been an overall positive experience. “I think it’s really cool. It would have been better if it had been open when it was initially scheduled last year, but other than that it’s great. The wait times and lines can get a little long, especially after 7 o’clock, but other than that it’s been great. Far better to us than Fox,� said Pang, who resides at University Suites. Pang’s sentiments have overwhelmingly been mirrored for the average 370 students who visit Hawk’s Nest each night in the opening weeks of the fall 2018 semester. Initially slated to open late in the 2017-18 academic year, the dining hall faced a small handful of construction setbacks but was brought to completion in the closing weeks of the spring 2018 semester. With a new academic year underway at UMass Lowell, the ovens and grilles are hot, and students are being served. In fact, last Thursday, the Hawk’s Nest served a peak of 490 students. “From where I stand, it’s been a grand slam. It is accomplishing everything we hoped to accomplish,� said Larry Siegel, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. The Hawk’s Nest was designed to meet the needs of a growing on-campus community, provide a buffer to
Hannah Manning/Connector
The Hawk’s Nest will be open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursday.
a space that would take stress off of Fox and provide a better experience for our students,� said Siegel. The newly refurbished location, complete with mobile order kiosks, offers students a number of new and delicious options for each of the universities offered means of payment.
THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
UMASS LOWELL CONNECTOR
EDITORIAL BOARD TAYLOR CARITO Editor-in-Chief
HANNAH MANNING Editor-In-Chief OPEN Copy Editors
OPEN Advertising Manager OPEN Social Media Manager OPEN Web Manager MATT DWYER Photo Editor ALECIA CONNOLLY Graphic Designer
BRIGID ARCHIBALD PATRICK CONNELL VERNON GIBBS ANDREW HAVERTY NISA HOLLEY
Alongside the university’s typical swipe to access all-you-can-enjoy offerings, the space is also equipped with a made-to-order sandwich and grilling station while offering popular menu items from the previous Hawk’s Nest for purchase with River Hawk Dollars such as smoothies. The dining area is completed with a unique “Delicious Destinations� station which serves an ar-
ANDREW SCIASCIA Managing Editor
ANDRE RAGEL News Editor
ray of meal offerings from different cultures and ethnicities each week on an eight-week rotation. “It’s pretty nice because there’s enough seating for everyone that comes here. It’s not chaotic like Fox. The food quality is great, definitely better than Fox. Better variety of food here,� said freshman math major Genevieve Moore. All the excitement and work surrounding the opening of the new location is bound to bring about hiccups. And administration was transparent in the fact that the construction and opening process posed several new and unique challenges for the university. In regard to construction, Siegel explained that the process went swimmingly, but in the closing weeks, plumbing inspectors asked that the
piping to the kitchen be switched out for larger piping, an issue that required the floors and several feet of concrete beneath be cut through to replace the system and added substantially to the project calendar. Another concern was the exit closest to Aiken Street would have to be made into an emergency exit or manned by another University Dining employee to tap residents into the dining hall. In the opening days a couple of residents, not realizing the change, set off the alarm as they attempted to exit the building. Until a more concrete solution is in place, trash cans have been placed in front of this exit to prevent the error. Construction and space issues were not the only matters facing the university in the opening process. Still being worked out is the issue of numbers. With so many students drawn to trying the new dining spot on campus waits can get a bit long for items that require preparation, and some students have even reported their food being snatched up by less patient peers. “The wait itself can a little intense, especially around seven o’clock. Sandwiches tend to take a while, particularly the grilled chicken which also comes out pretty overcooked at times. And when the waits get real bad, I’ve even heard of people getting their food stolen,� said sophomore clinical psychology major Joe Govoni. With food quality already exceeding expectations for most students and the excess traffic expected to die down as the newness of the facility wears off, it is highly expected that the new dining hall will more than stand up to the goals and expectations of UMass Lowell administration. As minor wrinkles are smoothed out concerning wait times and process, the Hawk’s Nest will undoubtedly provide East Campus residents with a more convenient, less stressful and overall positive dining experience they are already starting to see at University Suites.
JASON OUNPRASEUTH Sports Editor CONOR DAWSON Campus Life Editor
Twitter: @UMLConnector
OWEN JOHNSON Arts & Entertainment Editor JONATHAN SILVERMAN SARAH RINE Advisers
Staff
JESSICA KERGO CHRISTOPHER ROMANO ERIC SMITH DORIAN TAYLOR
Email | Connector@uml.edu Website | www.UMLConnector.com Phone | 978.934.5017 ext. 45017 Address | University Crossing, Room 241 220 Pawtucket St. Lowell, MA 01854
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September 18, 2018
NEWS
New Campus Recreation Complex a game changer for students Jessica Kergo Connector Staff
A brand-new athletic space for club and intramural sports, as well as the rest of the UMass Lowell community is formally opening this week on East Campus called the Campus Recreation Complex. Situated across from the Campus Recreation Center on Aiken Street, the complex features 123,000 square feet of turf that is adaptable to different sports, two tennis courts that can be transformed into street hockey rinks, outdoor lockers and water fountains. “It’s something that we’ve realized is going to have a huge impact on students,� said Justin Lawler, Associate Director of Campus Recreation, who is very excited to see this additional facility on campus for more students to enjoy athletic activities. Lawler noted the significant increase of student participation in club and intramural sports at UMass Lowell since he started in 2006 and that the Campus Recreation Complex helps the campus to sustain that growth. “It creates an opportunity for more students to participate. It creates opportunity for other teams that we weren’t able to offer�. According to the recreation center’s annual reports, intramural sport participation grew from 5,012 students in 2014 to 6,378 in 2017 at UMass Lowell, while club sport participation grew from 497 students in 2014 to 852 students in 2018. Construction for the Campus Recreation Complex began back in May of 2017. While the field’s official ribbon cutting is not until Tuesday, Sept. 18, the field has been used by club and intramural teams at UMass Lowell since the spring of 2018. Senior mechanical engineering major and women’s club rugby team captain Emily Hatfield appreciates the convenience her team found with the turf fields. “It’s so much more flexible for what teams want, it can be transformed into so many things,� said Hatfield. The two fields were designed for lacrosse, rugby, soccer and cricket, but any sport can make use of them as they were made to be multi-purpose fields. The turf, which is originally two soccer fields, can be split into four smaller fields that can all be used at once. In addition, club sports are even allowed to store their equipment in a locked building directly on the field. But beyond the perks of versatility, Hatfield’s favorite aspect of the new facility is that the team no longer has to practice late at night like they used to
Jessica Kergo/Connector The new Campus Recreation Complex’s ribbon cutting ceremony is on Tuesday, September 18 at 2pm. Chancellor Jacquie Moloney and UMass President Marty Meehan are expected to attend.
when they were sharing the Division 1 fields. “We used to have to practice until 11 p.m. but now we get to practice at 8 p.m. and get out by 9:30,� said Hatfield. Senior business major Liam Coburn, who serves as the president of UMass Lowell’s club ultimate team, says that the convenience of the facility has helped their team participation since it is so close to the East Campus residence halls. “We would have trouble sometimes retaining numbers because it used to be so hard to access the fields,� said Coburn while thinking back to when his team practiced on North Campus. Like Hatfield, Coburn also appreciates the additional playing time allowed with the fields. “Now, as opposed to having two or three practices a week, we can have four consistent practices a week,� said Coburn. Coburn sees the new facility as a positive contribution to the club and intramural programs on campus as a whole. “We’re kind of a growing team and being able to get more practice hours has been huge in making this a better experience for our players and I think that’s pretty much true for all club and intramural teams,� said Coburn. All students, not just club and intramural athletes, are expected to benefit from the complex. Any
UMass Lowell student is welcome to use the complex when it is not already in use or rent out the space up to one day in advance for up to one hour at the UMass Lowell website. Soccer balls, frisbees, footballs, tennis rackets and any equipment a student may need to use the fields and courts can be rented at the Campus Recreation Center desk with a valid university ID card. Group fitness instructors will also be able to host their sessions outside on nice days. The field and all amenities run on the same hours as the Campus Recreation Center. “It’s been a dream for me, personally, to be able to open this space,� said Lawler.
Heard about news on campus? Send it to The Connector! Andre Ragel, News Editor: AndreAleksei_Ragel @student.uml.edu
UMass Lowell centralizes mailroom system for on-campus residents â–ş Continued from front page
One of the primary reasons the change was suggested was so that the mailrooms could have set hours, making it easier for students to plan when to pick up their mail. “One of the complaints that we would hear frequently from students was that the mailroom would just randomly close,� said Piscitello. “And by centralizing the locations we’re able to not only try and overlap staff so that we didn’t have those mailrooms fall into a situation where they close early.� The change also helps the mail staff deal with the large number of packages that students receive. Piscitello says that packages have risen in number, while letters sent have declined. With those numbers in mind, it simply did not make sense to keep all of the mailboxes active while
students might not even use them. With the change in the mailroom system students will now receive email notifications when they receive both packages and letters. Upon receiving that email, they can head to their centralized mail location, show their student ID and receive their package or letter. The system seems to work well, according to Piscitello. “What we’re noticing in this week is the students are actually in class... and we’re seeing that as soon as the email goes out, we put [the package] on the shelf for them to come pick up, and within minutes students are coming to pick up the boxes,� Piscitello said. “We’re not even done processing all the mail and we’re already passing things out to students.� The streamlined process has been
a hit with students, Piscitello said. “For the most part, we haven’t really heard any negative feedback yet,� Piscitello said. “A lot of what I remember, standing in the mailroom looking at the students as they’re walking in and their faces were just like, ‘wow, what’s going on?’ When we explained what the process was they all seemed excited. They loved the fact that they’re getting email notifications not only for the packages but for the letters.� According to Piscitello, students in the Inn and Conference Center (ICC) are also looking forward to the possible implementation of a new centralized mailroom. This would replace their current system, which has shorter operating hours than the standard hours on East and South Campus. During this period of change, Office Services is also looking at what it can
do to improve this new system. A deal which is currently still in the works is the university possibly implementing Amazon Lockers on campus to deal with mail flow during peak times. This has not yet been finalized, so Piscitello says that he does not know when or if it will happen, but he says that the advantages would be boundless. He estimates that around 70-80 percent of packages UMass Lowell students receive come from Amazon. “It’s a win-win situation,� Piscitello says. “It allows Amazon to deliver packages 24/7, it’ll allow students to access them 24/7.� Mail might be a peculiar thing for students to get excited about, but UMass Lowell students have a good year ahead of them if all goes according to plan. As Piscitello himself knocks on wood, so do the students.
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September 18, 2018
September 18, 2018
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
‘Spider-Man’ is an early contender for Game of the Year ►Continued from front page they are thrown into one of the most impactful original Spider-Man storylines of all time. In fact, the player isn’t just thrown into the adventure. The player is made to connect deeply with Peter Parker and allowed to truly feel like they are Spider-Man. This is where the game truly shines. This feeling of being more than just an observer in the action is thanks in large part to the mechanics. The gameplay provides the most streamlined gaming experience in recent memory. From the in-combat combo system to new suits with different capabilities to Spider-Man’s lengthy list of gadgets, every part of the game’s combat has unforgettable depth. Whether the player chooses to stealthily dispatch each enemy in an area or jump headlong into things and fight the hordes of mobsters and supervillains head-on, the combat system will cater to them. It is fluid yet challenging, which makes fighting the game’s fairly repetitive enemy types feel like less of a grind as the game progresses. The same fluidity can also be felt, if not more so, in the game’s movement system. Travelling around the map, often the most dragging part of large openworld games, is made to be slick and exhilarating. Web-zipping through the streets, climbing buildings and just moving from point A to point B is another of the game’s many treats. So much so that when fast travel is opened up to the player, they will be unlikely to even use it. It is just more interesting and rewarding to explore the
game’s living, breathing rendering of the Big Apple, and such exploration is rewarded in no small way. From halting petty crimes to searching for collectibles and doing side-missions to help out people Peter cares about, the world is fleshed out. The collection system rewards the player with bits and pieces of fun Spider-Man lore, while stopping petty crimes, taking pictures of famous landmarks and doing right by those in Spidey’s life through the sideline goals not only will the player feel more invested in the life of Peter Parker, but also be rewarded with lots of experience points and further access to the aforementioned skill tree and gadget systems. This absolutely enthralling gameplay would make “Spider-Man” a joy to play even if it were coupled with a disastrous story or mere rehash of oft-told classic Spidey storylines. Which is not to say that the storyline is either of those things, because it is quite the contrary. “Spider-Man” tells the captivating story of a more mature Peter Parker. Eight years into the vigilante crime-fighting business, the audience sees Parker after his college years, separated from typical love interest Mary Jane Watson and impassioned with a career in biomedical sciences. This is not the kid superhero origin story or tale of Peter Parker discovering that, “With great power comes great responsibility.” “Spider-Man” is the story of a Peter Parker who is ready to settle into a meaningful career, only to be thrust back into his superhero duties when a mass gang-war and criminal conspiracy threatens the people and city he so des-
perately loves, complete with a shocking conclusion that pulls no punches. In short, it is an impactful story sacrifice that will change Parker’s life forever. Fleshed out with numerous appearances from important characters and villains from Spider-Man lore without feeling like a hodge-podge of messy fan service, the story is woven in a masterful way. That stunning and new Spider-Man story coupled with gameplay to keep casual and longtime fans and gamers alike coming back for more, makes Insomniac’s “Spider-Man” a force to be reckoned with when Game of the Year Award season rolls around. Final Grade: A+ Courtesy of Sony Interactive Entertainment
“Spider-Man” was nominated for best action game and won best PlayStation4 at 2018’s Gamescom.
‘The Predator’ falls prey to its shortcomings Owen Johnson Connector Editor
A movie that is part of a horror action film franchise made by a guy who is most known for writing and directing witty dark comedies could be described as a lot of things, but boring should not be one of those things. After he is left as the lone survivor of a predator attack, soldier Quinn McKenna (Boyd Holbrook) is captured and institutionalized to cover up the incident. When the predator reappears, McKenna and a group of other institutionalized soldiers breaks free with the help of a government recruited biologist (Olivia Munn) to stop the creature. As stated earlier the “Predator” franchise is action horror, and writer director Shane Black predominately does comedic work. “The Predator” manages to pull all three of these genres and the tones they carry together well, but it is all bad interpreCourtesy of 20th Century Fox
Director Shane Black played Hawkins in the original “Predator” film.
tations of said genres that get mixed. The horror aspect of the movie is ruined early on, the action is unexciting and poorly executed and the comedy is annoying. The horror of the movie is ruined within the opening scene of the movie. The predator creature is shown immediately, without a mask and everything. Granted, the predator creature is a pop culture staple at this point, so most people probably know what it looks like, so that may not do the trick for some, but the horror is ruined in other ways as well. The violence is overdone to a point where the audience is desensitized to the dooms that can befall the characters, and the creature is hurt based on plot convenience alone. In terms of the action, there are two types of action scenes in the movie. The first one is characters just standing around shooting until the plot decides that their bullets can have an effect. The other kind is a confusing cluster of shots and things happening to the point that a character’s head gets blown off and the way the film is shot and edited, you are not sure exactly who got killed until you see which characters are left in the proceeding scenes. Then there is the comedy, which mainly comes from the banter between the group of soldiers that McKenna meets and help him, and it is just painful to watch. They are annoying and loud, and renders them completely unlikable.
Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ‘Safe in the Hands of Love’ too inconsistent for praise Pat Connell Connector Staff
“Safe in the Hands of Love” is the newest album by Yves Tumor, an experimental electronic music artist with a global spread of places he has been recording throughout the years: Italy, Miami, Berlin and Los Angeles. In a similar vein, all these different locations reflect the wide array of sounds that Yves Tumor touches upon in this newest release. There are many genuinely well-produced songs that are intriguing on this album. However, noticeable variation here more so hinders than help, indicating some lack of directive focus. The album’s opener is a short tune with a descending harmony of horns repeatedly overlaying an ominous squeal. The song seems primed for a follow-up of some solemnly themed rap song, but after the notable sound gap between tracks, “Economy of Freedom” plays. The song starts by spending nearly half its time sputtering around making interesting, atmospheric noises, but its essence is somewhat lost until the point where drums kick in as there is nothing to keep the listener grounded in the song before then. Yves Tumor does manage to use his voice well here with crooning vocal production akin to Lil Peep or Frank Ocean on “Endless.” “Honesty” follows and marks where the album’s best section begins. It possesses the same distant vocal style of “Economy,” but the instrumentation has a quick, early-90s dance beat paired with it, and synth chords sounding like they are pulsing from a void. Kind of soothing, which is not the same as the song after, “Noid.” It stands out like a sore thumb
Connector Editor
McKenna’s squad are unlikable in the sense that they are all annoying, but the rest of the characters are unlikable due to their paper thin, action movie cliché personas. For example, McKenna is the generic and bland action hero whose only characteristic is that his family is in danger and he is worried, and Munn’s character is a scientist who inexplicably turns into an action star. With the paper thin status of each character, it should come as no surprise that the entire cast is awful. This is especially disappointing because a lot of these people, like Sterling K. Brown and Jacob Tremblay, are strong actors in their other work, but considering the bad characters and horrendous script, one cannot really blame them for doing a bad job. Considering that Shane Black was
one of the film’s writers, the poor script is another bad surprise that “The Predator” gives the audience. The character moments are all flat, the pacing is bad and the scene where McKenna is introduced the rest of the soldiers is just one of them telling McKenna who they are through dialogue that sounds like it was just casting descriptions that the actors were given when they auditioned for roles. The worst thing about the movie, however, which all of these aforementioned problems feed into, is that it is just plain boring. There are no characters for the audience to be invested in, any scenes between these characters are badly done, the predator is ruined and the action is lame. ‘The Predator’ is filled with a lot of surprises, and all of them are bad. Final Grade: D
as it is so pop influenced. Unlike its predecessors, “Noid” has a catchy bouncing vocal melody atop some bright string instruments to make it very appealing to the ears. The effect of the multilayered vocals especially encourages an earworm to bore into the listeners head.
Courtesy of Warp
It is Yves Tumor’s third studio album.
“Licking an Orchid” has an acoustic guitar played back with incredibly high reverb as the base of the song, and the vocals are interwoven to be complementary. The live drumming fills in well to accentuate the inflections of the singing. Halfway through, the song takes on an intensely overdriven guitar solo guaranteed to give listener tinnitus, releasing the
tension afterwards with the eerie lull of a woman. Following that is “Lifetime,” where Yves Tumor chants in a blissfully harmonized way with himself. Drumming here is filled with rapid spurts of pellets hammered onto toms with the occasional hi-hat vibrating closed. Overall, this song has the most varied set of instrumentation on the album. Things just pop in for a measure or two and quickly fade as fast as they came in. Hereafter, the quality of songs certainly drops, notably with the next track. “Hope in Suffering” is needlessly abstract. It sounds like someone took a field recording of some train station muffled from the device being carried in a pocket, and then a single violin is placed over it. Yves Tumor then hops in for a spoken word rant delivered in a fake working-class British accent. The diversity of tracks is hazy for “Recognizing the Enemy,” as it sounds like “Licking An Orchid” tonally, and the instrumentation and structure to it is comparable, too. “All the Love We Have Now” comes in like an odd wave with its synthpop vibe, though the ethereal noise in the background is reminiscent of “Hope in Suffering” a few songs earlier. Several publications list “Safe in the Hands of Love” as top-tier for what’s been released in 2018, but that is not quite right; their lauding is a tad unwarranted. The album has interesting sounds, yet they are jumbled in songs that are not quite sure how to orchestrate a cohesive feeling throughout. The lack of structure to some songs lets the listener ease back to mitigate focus, but then jarring songs play and the focus can be lost. Final Grade: C+
‘Forsaken’ breathes life back into ‘Destiny’ franchise Conor Dawson
Arnold Schwarzenegger, star of the original “Predator” film, was considered for a cameo, but turned it down due to how small the role was.
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The original “Destiny” was a game with a lot of potential and a rich backstory, filled with collectable lore. The “Destiny” franchise has one of the richest universes to date in video games. The problem in both “Destiny” and “Destiny 2” is a lack of ingame content. Even with such a large amount of lore to draw off of, Bungie has had trouble making their latest franchise not seem overly repetitive. As with other expansions, “Forsaken” comes with a wealth of new lore and activities. It has brought, as well as a storyline that personally invests players for the first time, a complete reworking of the game’s loot system, bringing back the bounty system that was loved in the first game. This makes grinding for materials take longer, which can become tedious once a player hits the soft level cap. Leveling up gear is key to becoming stronger in the game, but now players will have to be more strategic regarding what gear they level up. “Forsaken” has also added a new free-roam area, called the Tangled Shore. This is one of the larger maps in “Destiny 2,” and necessary after the last couple of expansions fell short with small maps that did not have as much to do. The new expansion also comes with
tons of new exotic weapons and armor to collect. In true “Destiny” fashion, many of these vaunted items are only accessible through beating challenging questlines and player vs. player benchmarks.
mies and other players. The two teams take out waves of smaller enemies to summon larger enemies for their opponents to fight. One returning player, who goes by the username Wraidd commented on
Courtesy of Activision
“Destiny 2” was initially released on Sep. 6, 2017 for XBox and PlayStation 4.
There have also been three new co-op strikes added, sending teams of three into new endgame content. There is also a new raid set in a completely different location than the previous raids, that was released on Sep.14, 2018. A new game mode, called Gauntlet, has been added that pits players against both computer-generated ene-
the new content saying, “After [playing the] [original] endgame raids over [and] over for so long, we end up hittin’ that wall...but if there’s new content...there’s new fun to be had.” The biggest change with “Destiny 2” was the introduction of a compelling storyline right off the bat. This made the campaign that much more fun to play through. But perhaps the
biggest story point comes in “Destiny 2’s” third expansion, aptly titled “Forsaken.” Even in the trailers, Bungie teased the death of one of the most beloved characters in the franchise: Cayde-6. Cayde was a member of the Vanguard, a group of leader characters that guide you through the “Destiny” franchise. He was also the comic relief, especially in “Destiny 2.” This made him a fan favorite, and watching his last stand and death caused a stir in the “Destiny” community that they had not felt yet. “Forsaken” was a shot of adrenaline to the community, exciting players of all types alike. It brought many veterans of the “Destiny” franchise back into it, all seeking a single thing. Revenge. Wraidd said simply, “My boy Cayde…RIP. I’m coming for [them].” If one is just starting out with “Destiny 2,” the game gives the option to level one character up to start the new expansion immediately, but it is worth playing through all the previous content first. It will be a grind, but it will be well worth it. Regardless if one has never touched the games before, or they are someone who walked away after the last expansion, now is the time to boot up the console or PC, plug in a headset and delve into the world that is “Forsaken.” Final Grade: A-
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September 18, 2018
CAMPUS LIFE
New history club presents a fresh take on looking to the past Brigid Archibald Connector Staff
The city of Deadwood, South Dakota, was home to one of America’s most significant gold rushes, but it is mostly known for its colorful locals like Wild Bill, Calamity Jane or to some Potato Creek Johnny. It is likely a few students may have heard about Deadwood before, be it from the HBO show of the same name or a passing fun fact from a history professor, but even those students might not know the full extent of Deadwood’s history. Which is precisely the reason why UMass Lowell’s new history club chose it as the topic for its second meeting on Sep. 24 in McGauvran Student Center room 311. Lead by sophomore history major, Shaylin Silva, and advised by U.S. Social and Environmental History Professor, Chad Montrie, history club aims to give those with even a passing interest in history a casual environment to talk about and investigate the obscure and under-analyzed parts of history without the narrow scope of one class. The club meets every other Monday to discuss a different historical topic. The group hopes to provide a casual environment for students to learn about history and have fun doing so without the
pressure they might feel in a classroom setting. One way the group strives to do this is to incorporate a variety of multimedia into each discussion from short documentaries, literature, music and the occasional meme. Any presentations are kept short and are mostly questions, as Silva says that the club is not supposed to be or feel like a history class, but it is a place for people who enjoy history to talk about it and collaboratively learn more. Members were encouraged during the first meeting to get involved by suggesting new topics and helping the board to plan the resulting meetings. Additionally, Silva informed members that all meeting topics are voted on at the previous sessions to ensure that the group is always talking about a topic of interest to most members. The club aims to expand on subjects taught in classrooms by focusing on the aspects of history that professors do not always have the time to explore or even introduce. That does not mean the club will always concentrate on obscure events. Some meetings will cover events and people that everybody knows about but from an angle not always considered. For example, October’s meetings will potentially cover the Jack the Ripper and Elizabeth Bathory
cases and examine how the supernatural affected them. Not that they want to use historical evidence to speculate the existence of the supernatural, but instead look at how the perceptions of the supernatural may have affected the case. Although they would undoubtedly have a lot of fun with the first argument. Another topic Silva expressed an interest in covering that many students might find interesting is the history of Lowell outside of the Industrial Revolution and Jack Kerouac. Instead, the meeting would focus on the different demographics that helped build the city or explore how Lowell has influenced a lot of ligature and musicians throughout history. Silva encouraged students other than history majors to join the club saying, “We are not just history. We want to talk about musicians, stories and other things that have influenced history.” History is more than just facts. Even if a student is a history buff, they might be surprised by the perspective and insight they could bring to the discussion of these topics. History club’s biggest goal is about taking the time to look at and examine these topics through a new lens.
Comedian and politcal comNow arriving: Free MBTA Commuter Rail mentator Trevor Noah to take the stage at the Tsongas service for UMass Lowell Valeria Montoya Connector Contributor
►Continued from front page
each way; with this new initiative, students and faculty can take the Lowell commuter rail as often as they want for free. “This will allow students to ride the MBTA at no cost to them, so we’re really excited about that,” Piscitello said. Once the program is fully launched, UMass Lowell students, faculty and staff can download the mTicket app and sign up for an account with their UMass Lowell e-mail. LRTA buses 6,7, or 9 passes by UMass Lowell
and go to Gallagher Station, making it easy to simply hop on the Lowell commuter rail using their UCard. All routes on all lines are integrated with Google maps, and the LRTA even has their own free app RouteShout 2.0 that tracks buses in real time, so students can know exactly when the next one will be coming to plan their trips. Overall, the partnership will help the environment, people’s wallets, and the traffic in the city of Lowell. The launch date will be on UMass Lowell’s website in the near future and will have additional information on this new initative.
Courtesy of Mass.gov
Day trips to Boston just became a whole lot easier for UMass Lowell students.
Comedian Trevor Noah is coming to Lowell this fall. Appearing at the Tsongas Arena on Friday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m, Noah will bring his comedic relief, political wit, and unparalleled humor as seen on his Comedy Central series, “The Daily Show.” The tickets start at $30 for students, and $55 for the general public. Noah is a 34-year-old, South African-born, comedian focusing on political commentary. He has a few million followers across all his social media platforms, so he’s a pretty big deal. Noah wrote a best-selling memoir titled “Born a Crime: Stories from an African Childhood,” which provides us a glimpse to what his life was like growing up in South Africa during the times of apartheid (racial segregation). He was ostracized and bullied because he was the result of an interracial relationship, and a line from his book that is truly touching is when Noah said, “where most children are proof of their parents’ love, I was the proof of their criminality.” He went through a lot during his childhood, but his mother taught him to use humor as a coping mechanism through even the most difficult of situations and it shaped him into the human being he is today. Noah focuses primarily on political humor, which means Donald Trump is a very big part of his comedy. A video currently trending, “Donald Trump is Really Bad At 9/11” is one in which he examined Trump’s past tweets on 9/11, inspired by his tweet, “17 years since September 11th!”
Courtesy of Comedy Central Press
Trevor Noah has hosted ‘The Daily Show’ since September of 2015.
It’s pretty offensive at first, because like, why is he exclaiming it? 9/11 really is not an event that gets you all excited, but you do you, Trump,” said Noah on his show. He even went further back to 2013, prior to Trump’s political career, to a tweet where he said, “I would like to extend my best wishes to all, even the losers and haters, on this special date, September 11th.” Noah follows this by saying on the day of 9/11 in 2001, Trump was interviewed regarding what his feelings were towards the event, and the first thing he did was brag about how his building was now the tallest in downtown Manhattan because of the tragedy. The episode shows the balance between the ridicule of politics, especially Trump, and humor that Noah possesses and brings to viewers nationwide.
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September 18, 2018
SPORTS Quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ injury déjà vu Conor Dawson Connector Editor
On Sunday night in Week 1 of the National Football League (NFL) season, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers went down clutching his left knee. He was carted off the field, but later came back to orchestrate a stunning come-from-behind victory against the Chicago Bears. NFL fans might remember
going 3-8 under quarterback Brett Hundley. While Rodgers did play the game in Week 15, it was too late to save the Packers’ season. Brett Hundley threw for nine touchdowns and rushed for two. Hundley struggled with turnovers, throwing 12 interceptions and fumbling two times through 10 games. By comparison, Rodgers threw for 16 touchdowns with only six interceptions and one fumble in seven games.
This made the season opener on Sep. 9 that much scarier. With 9:18 left in the second quarter, Rodgers went down. He eventually walked off the field under his own power and was carted to his team’s locker room. After conferring with his team’s physicians, he came back out at the end of halftime. Rodgers came in and completed 20 of 30 passes for 286 yards and threw three touchdowns in the fourth
This is normal for Rodgers. Throughout his career, he has established himself as a field commander capable of directing the players around him to consistently win games under pressure. The former first-round pick from Chico, California is considered by many to be in the top three quarterbacks currently playing the game, and it is already accepted that he will eventually make his way into the Hall of Fame. He has
Courtesy of ESPN Rodgers ‘ injury poses questions for Packers as their season begins.
when Aaron Rodgers was injured in Week 6 of the 2017 season. The Green Bay Packers ended their season by
Rodgers was proven in 2017 to be the cornerstone of Green Bay’s offense; without him, they just did not click.
quarter with the Packers being down by 20 points in the third quarter completing a comeback victory.
played 150 games over his 14-year career. He has won a Super Bowl, been to six Pro Bowls, been named All-Pro
twice and has been elected the league’s Most Valuable Player twice. This makes his replacement that much more concerning. Rodgers’ backup is DeShone Kizer, who started for the Cleveland Browns last season. In fifteen games, Kizer threw for 11 touchdowns and rushed for 5. However, he also threw 22 interceptions and fumbled the ball six times. Kizer threw one interception and fumbled once during the short time he had on the field in Week 1. The Packers may want to sit Rodgers to keep him healthy for later in the season with their next game against the Minnesota Vikings team with a renowned defense. They might consider warming up their third-string quarterback Tim Boyle and hope he can play better than Kizer. Their games coming up should not be impossible to win but games against the Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots later this season might prove to be potentially unwinnable without their starting quarterback. As of now, Rodgers’ status against the Vikings is questionable, but the Vikings team will be preparing for him.
Write sports for the Connector!
Seattle Storm wins third WNBA championship sweeping the Washington Mystics, 3-0 Jason Ounpraseuth Connector Editor
For the third time in franchise history, the Seattle Storm have won the WNBA finals, sweeping the Washington Mystics 3-0. The Storm capped off the series beating the Mystics 98-82 on Wednesday night. WNBA regular season MVP Breanna Stewart earned Finals MVP honors for the first time in her career, becoming the youngest Finals MVP in WNBA history at 24 years old and just the sixth player in league history to win both the regular season MVP and Finals MVP in the same year. According to an official press release from the WNBA, the Storm’s game-clinching Game Three of the 2018 WNBA Finals earned 0.4 metered-market rating. That makes the game the highest-rated WNBA Finals game on ESPN2 since 2010. The attention for the WNBA has shown growth over the course of the 2018 season. Attention arose either for positive reasons ranging from the rise of young talent in the league to star performances in the playoffs and for negative reasons that revolve
around issues with the league’s collective bargaining agreement negotiations that will be dealt with before the 2019 season. This championship marks another accolade in veteran Sue Bird’s long list of accomplishments in her career. Along with her third WNBA championship, Bird has won two NCAA titles at UConn, four Olympic gold medals, three world championship golds and four EuroLeague Championships. Her play throughout the 2018 WNBA playoffs shows that she is not anywhere close to slowing down and could play next season at the age of 38. It would not surprise any fan if Bird were to return to help the Storm repeat because of the youth that led the way alongside her. Stewart has emerged as one of the WNBA’s best young players. Jewell Loyd is a good compliment to Bird in the backcourt that can get hot and go on scoring spurts at any time. Natasha Howard and Alysha Clark are vital two-way players that make the Storm a threatening front court for many years to come. The Washington Mystics had no answers against the Seattle Storm front court, especially against Stewart and Howard. Mystics star player Ele-
na Delle Donne performed well but not enough against the front court defense of the Storm that prevented nearly every entry pass the Mystics try to bring to the post. However, the Mystics have their own bright future ahead of them. Delle Donne is still only 29 years old, and she leads her own crop of young stars: Ariel Atkins, Natasha Cloud, Tiana Hawkins and Kristi Toliver. For Washington Mystics fans, the bright side of looking at this loss in the franchise’s first WNBA Finals appearance is that now these players have experience in this type of playing environment. Delle Donne’s knee injury in the semi-final round did limit her in the finals though she likely won’t make that an excuse as to why her team fell short. Questions will arise in the upcoming months surrounding the CBA negotiations. Will the players lockout the 2019 season? Will star players like Liz Cambage abandon the WNBA and solely focus on their career abroad where pay is better? That future is unknown, but the 2018 WNBA Finals shows that the future of the WNBA and women’s basketball will be a bright one.
September 18, 2018
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SPORTS Breakout freshman Emily Nelson brings far more to UMass Lowell than just athleticism Andrew J Sciascia Connector Editor
Eight starts on eight appearances, four goals, two game-winners, nearly 600 minutes played and, as of Monday, an America East Rookie of the Week Award. Both on the statistics sheets and on the field, freshman midfielder Emily Nelson is an emerging offensive powerhouse in the UMass Lowell women’s soccer team’s arsenal. Second in goals and points only to last year’s River Hawk scoring leader, senior forward and captain Rachel Morrier, Nelson is making a name for herself in Division I women’s soccer. “She’s the type of player that, even over the last two years before she showed up here, took her game to the next level and developed immediately when she stepped on campus in August. She gets better every day; every game… I really want to help her to develop into one of the best players in the conference,” said UMass Lowell women’s soccer interim head coach Mira Novak. It is no surprise Nelson was one of the first players the River Hawks recruited for the Class of 2022. Credited with 95 goals and 42 assists in her career at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, Nelson earned numerous accolades in her high school soccer career. Among such honors were Northeast Conference All-Star, Northeast Conference MVP and All-Scholastic status from the Boston Globe and Boston Herald. “I started as a freshman on varsity [in high school], and I think that was a similar transition. Obviously at that point I had never played with the bigger and stronger girls. It’s similar here. I wasn’t used to the style of play and the speed of the girls here. It was a tricky transition, but the team and coaching staff made it really easy,” said Nelson. Despite any nerves or reservations, the breakout freshman midfielder did not hesitate to showcase her talents as she transitioned into a key role in a D-I program. With three goals in three games last week, Nelson earned the first major accolade of her college career: the aforementioned America East Rookie of the Week Award. “I knew it was an award the America East gives out, but I really had no expectation of getting it. So, it was amazing when [UMass Lowell Athletics] sent it to me. It was just really cool to see,” said Nelson. Athletics and awards were far from the only things on Emily Nelson’s mind when she began looking at
colleges to pursue studies in the field of biomedical engineering. In fact, throughout her high school career Nelson kept a spotless academic record. In the PVMHS Class of 2018, she ranked 17th in academic achievement and graduated as a member of the National Honor Society. Alongside outstanding achievement on the field and inside the classroom, Nelson would also develop a love for community outreach through volunteering alongside her teammates in high school. It was these academic and human interests, the advantages of a renowned engineering program and a passion for helping others that led the high school soccer star to set her sights on UMass Lowell. “Having the engineering program and soccer was the best combination I could ask for… In the end, I want to work for a medical device company to create, test and design medical devices for surgery and the human body. I just want to help people, but I hate blood and all that. For me, this is the way I can help people without being in a hospital,” said Nelson. These drives and passions coupled with her on the field work ethic make Nelson the type of personality people gravitate toward and Coach Novak could only refer to her as a “person of incredibly high character” and a “high achiever.” And Nelson’s teammates can attest. “She’s a hard worker… respectful… talented… generally a sweet and amazing [person] to be around,” for senior goalkeeper and co-captain Julia Schneider the list went on and on. Another of the team’s many high-achievers, Schneider knows all too well the struggles of a student juggling the role of a Division I starting athlete with that of a UMass Lowell engineering student. And despite assuredness that Nelson would transition as well in her classroom endeavors as she has on the field, Schneider had words of wisdom for her young teammate to carry throughout the college experience. “She’ll really need to stay on top of her work. She seems incredibly bright, and I think she’ll be fine. But just like any freshman she should stay on top of her work and talk to her professors if she’s ever having a tough time,” said Schneider. Only time will tell what UMass Lowell’s engi-
U P C OM I N G
River Hawk Games Friday, Sep. 21
7 pm
FH vs. Albany
Saturday, Sep. 22
5 pm
MSOC vs. Vermont
Friday. Sep. 28
4 pm
FH vs. Vermont
Friday, Sep. 28
7 pm
WVB vs. Stony Brook
Saturday, Sep. 28
7 pm
MSOC at Stony Brook
Thursday, Oct. 4
7 pm
WSOC vs. UNH
Bradel
neering program and the America East Conference have in store for Emily Nelson in the years to come. But with such strong support behind her, and a bold drive within, it is hard to see Nelson going anywhere but up from here. If previous performance is any indicator of future potential, Nelson’s stunning track record is convincing evidence for a blindingly bright future. Nelson is exemplary of the hard-nosed attitude UMass Lowell is synonymous with, and of what the university has recently defined as what it means to be a true River Hawk. She brings far more than just her offensive athletic capabilities to the university. She simply stands poised at this pivotal point in her life to be a true difference maker in every sense of the word. The River Hawks provided the energy they needed both nights and showed that, as a team, they are adaptable to multiple play styles. This weekend kicks off a home-and-home series against Merrimack College and marks UMass Lowell’s Homecoming Weekend. “It’s going to be exciting. It’s exciting whomever you play,” said Bazin. “It’s going to be an interesting game in that little rink. There is nowhere to hide, and it will be good for us.”
MSoc: No. 15 River Hawks Hang Tough in 1-0 Loss at Stanford UMass Lowell Athletics
STANFORD, Calif. – Zach Ryan’s 17th minute goal was the difference as the No. 15 UMass Lowell men’s soccer team suffered its first defeat of the season, falling to Stanford, 1-0, on Saturday night. Despite a second half full of chances for the visiting River Hawks (5-1-1), Ryan’s one-timed tally was able to snap UMass Lowell’s four-game win streak. “It was a disappointing result for us tonight against a very tough Stanford team,” commented Head Coach Christian Figueroa. “I thought we did well to settle in after the first 20 minutes, and we had several chances to equalize throughout the night.” The Cardinal (2-0-3) outshot the River Hawks, 13-10, but the visitors were able to get four on target compared to Stanford’s three.
Roko Prsa (Zagreb, Croatia) had the contest’s lone shot on net in the first half, while Stanley Alves (Minas Gerias, Brazil) had a game-high four shots, including a pair on net. In his first career start in net, Patrick Gujic (Bjelovar, Croatia) recorded two saves in the second half. As regulation drew on, Prsa and Alves began to take over the offensive effort but Stanford’s keeper, Andrew Thomas, was able to complete the clean sheet. The River Hawks conclude their tour of California with a matchup at California on Sunday at 5 p.m.