Disposable Edition

October 28, 201919

The Resurgence of the Disposable Camera p. 16 Throw-Away Society pp. 22-23 Blood Diamonds pp. 26-27 Being "Just a Number" pp. 30-31 Trendy Trash p. 32 Trading Athletes p. 41

Disposable E D I T I O N

Editorial Board Katie Wozniak Editor-in-Chief katherinewozniak@stfrancis.edu

Student led, student written

Amber James Assistant Editor amberjames@stfrancis.edu Antonio Smithberg Layout Designer antoniosmithberg@stfrancis.edu

UNIVERSITY

FEATURE

4 Editorial Columns

22-23 Throw Away Society

Richie Mroz Layout Designer richardmroz@stfrancis.edu

5 Letter From Abroad

NEWS

24 Nazareth Farm

25 Food Waste in America

Emily Plummer Entertainment Editor emilyplummer@stfrancis.edu

6-7 USF News

26-27 Blood Diamonds

Giovanni Alvarado Feature Editor & PR Specialist giovannialvarado@stfrancis.edu

8-9 Local News

28 Recycling Should Be Fine, Not Fined

10-11 World News

ENTERTAINMENT 13 WCSF Top Ten 13 Monthly Staff Picks

COMMENTARY 30-31 Being "Just a Number" 32 Trendy Trash

33 Draw to Reality TV

Jalen Williams Commnetary Editor & PR Manager jalenwilliams@stfrancis.edu Bennie Radford Sports Editor bennieradford@stfrancis.edu Andrey Simon PR Specialist andreysimon@stfrancis.edu

14 Cosmo Sheldrake: A Sound Experience 34 A World Without Men

Eric Kern PR Specialist erickern@stfrancis.edu

15 Thrift Stores

35 A World Without Women

16 The Resurgence of the Disposable Camera

Dr. Scott Marshall Advisor smarshall@stfrancis.edu

36 The Myth of the Self-Care Quick Fix

18-19 The City of Halloween

SPORTS 38-39 Life as an Injured

Student-Athlete 41 Trading Athletes

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42 Fantasy Football Fundamentals

Staff Writers Alyssa Gomez Angelica Bibian Ashley Hare Clarissa Del Rio Eve Odum Ian Bond Janelle Suriaga Lauren Wozniak Mary Mathieu Sara Cahill Sarah Vandermolen

Letter From the Editor Thank you for picking up the Disposable Edition of the USF Encounter! The initial inspiration for the concept of this issue came from the many Instagram pages popping up consisting of solely disposable camera photos. The “vintage” look of these photos sparked a sense of nostalgia in those who grew up using disposable cameras. We decided to send our photographers off with a disposable camera of their own to capture photos of campus and each other and use them throughout our feature section. Taking these photos just to get rid of the camera itself made us think of how we are a “throw-away” society. Playing off of this idea, we decided to dive deeper into this topic and center our stories around this point, physically and emotionally. In this edition, you can read about the impact diamonds have on the world, economically and ethically and how a small farm in West Virginia is making big strides to make an environmental difference.

If you are interested in writing, it’s not too late to join the USF Encounter!

Email me at encounter@stfrancis.edu for more information on how to join our amazing staff. We have our next club meeting on November 25 and we hope to see you there!

If you’re not following us on social media, you are definitely missing out.

You can find us on Facebook (USF Encounter), Instagram (@usf_encounter) and Twitter (@usf_encounter). Once you follow us, you can participate in our next “Saints Say” poll! Check out the last page to see which Halloween movie is the Saint’s favorite.

From all of us here at the USF Encounter, we hope you enjoy the Disposable Edition!

Katie Wozniak Editor-in-Chief

From the top to the bottom: Katie Wozniak (Editor-in-Chief), Amber James (Assistant Editor), Antonio Smithberg (Layout Designer), Richie Mroz (Layout Designer)

Photographers Clarissa Del Rio Lauren Wozniak Mary Mathieu

Policies The USF Encounter is published by the students of the University of St. Francis, 500 Wilcox Street, Joliet, Illinois, 60435. The newspaper office is located in room S413C of Tower Hall. The USF Encounter phone number is 815.740.3816.

As a member of USF Campus Media, the USF Encounter strives to produce a publication that stresses quality writing and design.

By reporting on issues that may be sensitive in nature, the USF Encounter aims to educate, inform and persuade students on topics that affect their lives on and off campus.

Editorial pages provide USF Encounter staff with opportunities to express thoughtful views on controversial topics.

Letters to the Editor represent the opinion of the author and are not necessarily opinions of the USF Encounter Staff.

Publications of letters to the editor are subject to space availability and management discretion. Letters are also subject to editing.

Letters to the editor or any other submissions may be dropped off at the USF Encounter office or emailed to encounter@stfrancis.edu The USF Encounter is printed by RICOH Services on the campus of the University of St. Francis.

As a Catholic university rooted in the liberal arts, we are a welcoming community of learners challenged by Franciscan values and charism, engaged in a continuous pursuit of knowledge, faith, wisdom, and justice, and ever mindful of a tradition that emphasizes reverence for creation, compassion and peacemaking. We strive for academic excellence in all programs, preparing women and men to contribute to the world through service and leadership.

usfencounter.stfrancis.edu

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EDITORIAL COLUMNS Unpopular Opinion:

Meeting the Jonas Brothers

Adults Obsessed With Disney Freak Me Out By: Ashley Hare

Look, I enjoy going on vacation just as much as the next person. It’s cute when I see a four-year-old with their little Minnie ears on in the airport and I like watching the excitement on a child’s face when they get to go to Disneyland or Disney World. But the adults who wear the ears? The adults who obsessively go to Disneyland or Disney World, sans kids? They are just a completely different breed. To be frank, they freak me out.

The Jonas Brothers are back! Yes, you heard me right.

The Jonas Brothers are currently on their Happiness Begins Tour after releasing their fifth studio album “Happiness Begins.”

I understand how Disney could be fun, I really do. But it’s the adults with their countless tank tops with dumb Disney quotes and puns on them that bother me. It’s the adults with an uncomfortable variety of those stupid ears and their Facebook posts about how they’re “counting down the days” until they’re back at Disney. They even have Disney-themed Pinterest boards. Even worse: they have Disney-themed wedding Pinterest boards. We all know a person like this, and I just think it’s time to call them out. It’s weird.

There is also the possibility that I’m just an angry human being who doesn’t want people to have fun. That’s fine with me, but I still have to beg the question: What adult needs to buy a shirt that says, “Feed me Mickey Waffles and tell me I’m pretty”? Do these adults really need “Winnie the Pooh” dish towels and a “Monsters, Inc.” phone case? Being a fan of something is normal, but letting it take over your life in weird ways is not.

Believe it or not, I don’t hate the movies and I don’t even hate the characters that are part of the Disney franchise. I don’t have a personal vendetta against Mickey Mouse. But it seems like the adults that are obsessed with Disney are also the ones that are too weak to handle the real world.

They need an amusement park with children (that aren’t their own) to escape it all. They’re just obnoxious. But that’s just my unpopular opinion.

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The iconic brothers had two sold-out shows at the United Center in Chicago, Ill. However, the Jonas Brothers tricked everyone and actually based in Chicago for a week. So what do I mean by “based in Chicago”?

The Jonas Brothers rented out a private jet to travel from show to show. Instead of sleeping in each separate city in the Midwest they decided to stay in Chicago for a week and use the private jet to get to St. Louis, Minneapolis and Milwaukee.

I found out they were here after the Jonas Brothers posted the jet’s tail number. With this, I was able to track the jet’s whereabouts. After doing some research and investigating, I found out which hotel they were staying at and eventually met them. I even met Nick Jonas’s wife, Priyanka Chopra.

In addition to meeting the Jonas Brothers, I was front row at their show. After their show, they hosted a private invite-only show at a bar called the Cobra Lounge. I did not get an invite, but figured I would still try anyway.

After all the invited people went in, the venue had 12 extra wristbands and I got in! The Jonas Brothers played all their old songs for about 200 people. It was truly a night to remember.

Thoughts and opinions of the USF Encounter staff is not reflective of those of the University of St. Francis.

Photos courtesy of Ashley Hare & Amber James

By: Amber James

Hi USF Encounter, Has it really been a month already since I left? Time really does fly when you’re having fun. I am having the time of my life! That’s not to say I haven’t been studying, but what is the point of traveling if you don’t make the most of it? Although it’s been fairly gloomy the past few weeks, fall is finally here, making London the perfect setting for, what I like to call, “spooky season.”

On one hand, it feels as though I just hopped off the plane yesterday, yet on the other hand, with the friends I have made and my experiences thus far, I feel as though I’ve lived here for years. My freshman year at USF felt a bit like this, and in a way, I am a “fresher” here, even though I graduate in less than 8 months. I think it’s the feeling of being thrown into a new environment with little time to adapt, where every moment outside of class is spent sculpting yourself to fit new surroundings and people.

As much as England might seem similar to America, the biggest shock to me was just how much these “small differences” affect my day to day life. Small things like laundry machines, microwaves and even toilets all have subtle differences that add up to a lot of confusion. Additionally, a lot of food brands, flavors and ingredients are different, making for interesting and most pleasant surprises when shopping and dining.

Photos courtesy of Emily Plummer

One thing that I still have yet to adjust to is how early local stores and restaurants close. The town I am in is a fairly small suburb of London called Twickenham, and past 9 p.m. the only place open for food is Domino’s. Even if you stop in a local pub for a pint, most of them close their kitchens at 9:30 p.m., and last call is at 11 p.m. Even in central London it’s nearly impossible to grab a coffee after supper, and the only places still open are clubs and pubs.

On the note of nightlife, I’m still in awe of how differently alcohol is viewed as compared to back home. Although drinking it is much more lenient in the UK, and really the rest of Europe as a whole, I still don’t believe that Americans “party” any more than “Uni” students here. During “Fresher’s Fortnight” (the first two weeks before classes, which host events for first-year students) more than half of the events involved alcohol-related activities such as trips to the local nightclubs on Wednesdays and Saturdays, craft beer tasting and weekly trivia nights at pubs. As a student who can legally drink in America, it’s not much of a change for me, but the difference is definitely noticeable.

In the next couple of weeks, I hope to visit a few other countries nearby, try new local dishes and hopefully pass all my midterms!

That was a joke… mostly. As much as I miss it back home, I don’t look forward to leaving anytime soon!

Ciao!

Emily P lummer

UNIVERSITY

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CAMPUS NEWS

By: Angelica Bibian Staff Writer

Delta Mu Delta Earns Star Chapter Award for the Fourth Time The International Business Honor Society Delta Mu Delta has been awarded the Star Chapter Award. This is the fourth time the USF chapter has earned this award. “The Chapter Award is given to a select few universities out of over 200 chapters from across the world who exceed Delta Mu Delta standards for managing the chapter and its activities,” according to www.stfrancis. edu.

Marketing major, Liz Badalamenti is proud that USF gets the recognition that it deserves. “The students in Delta Mu Delta work hard and it is nice to be acknowledged for their achievements,”

says Badalamenti. USF Visiting Professor of Accounting, Amanda Dore, stated that this year, Morayma Barron and Jordyn Day were awarded scholarships from Delta Mu Delta. The scholarship awards were for $1,000 and $500. According to www.deltamudelta.org, “Delta Mu Delta is a business honor society that recognizes and encourages academic excellence of students at qualifying colleges and universities to create a DMD community that fosters the well-being of its individual members and the business community through life-time membership.”

"Why USF" Podcast on WCSF 88.7 The podcast, “Why USF” features University of St. Francis students, faculty, graduates and staff explaining what college life is like, tips about USF, the types of programs USF has, how to pay for college and much more according to the University of St. Francis’ website.

“Why USF” is hosted by Jeff Jaskowiak, director for Digital Audio Recording Arts (DARA) program along with Eric Wignall, Vice President of Admissions, Enrollment Services and Marketing. Many students and faculty have given their opinion on what it’s like to be apart of the USF family. Student, Josh Holbery was most recently interviewed on the podcast and gave an insight into how why he thinks it’s important that studentathletes get involved on campus. “Why USF” is available on Spotify, Apple Podcast and on WCSF 88.7 FM on Sundays at 1 p.m.

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Photo courtesy of USF Facebook

USF Centennial Homecoming Celebration USF’s Centennial Homecoming was on October 5. Students and alumni got together to celebrate the whole day with special events hosted by the USF Alumni Association and other organizations on campus. Before the homecoming football game, a tailgate was hosted with activities for all ages. Students, alumni and family enjoyed free food, music, and giveaways of all kinds. Inflatables and USF mascot, Bernie, entertained the many children in attendance.

Before the game, students, faculty and alumni gathered on the Joliet Memorial Stadium field to create a "100" to honor 100 years of USF. The Saints took on Robert Morris University but ultimately fell short, ending the game 38-27. Although the day ended in a loss, USF senior Alpha Phi member Katie Wozniak has nothing but positive things to remember about her last homecoming game. “For the past two years, Alpha Phi has made the USF homecoming day,

‘Dad’s Day.’ Bringing my dad to meet all of my friends and to see recent graduates come back after being away for so long is such a nice experience. The food was great and you can't beat rock climbing right next to the field!”

Photo courtesy of USF Facebook

NEWS

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LOCAL NEWS

By: Ian Bond Staff Writer

Fire Destroys Historic Aurora Masonic Temple A fire broke out at the historic Lincoln Masonic Temple in Aurora just prior at 9:57 p.m. on October 7. Firefighters battled the blaze until around 7:30 a.m. on October 8.

Fears of the abandoned structure collapsing due to previous exterior deterioration kept firefighters on the defensive.

the temple was sold in the 1980s and continued operations as a banquet hall until it's closure and abandonment in 2006. The temple was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and boasted multiple meetings halls with a capacity of over 200 people along with a 500 person banquet hall.

No nearby homes were damaged, but residents in the immediate vicinity were evacuated from their homes due to the ongoing possibility of the building collapsing. The fire also caused power outages in the area and led several street closures.

Police have responded to 10 calls regarding the temple in the past couple of years including trespassing and defacing property.

Earlier in the year, contractors refused to conduct asbestos removal “because of debris they found inside, including piles of

Designed by William Bendus, construction of the five-story neoclassical building began in late 1921. Originally opening in March 1924 to serve the Aurora Masonic Alliance,

clothing suspected to contain human waste,” according to the Daily Herald.

The temple is now in the process of being demolished which will take several weeks to complete.

Photo courtesy of Chicago-Suntimes

Chicago Makes Proposal to Become Joliet’s Water Supplier Chicago sent a delegation to Joliet to pitch two negotiable water supply proposals to the Joliet Environmental Commission.

This is a change from Chicago’s “take it or leave it” approach and reflects Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s desire to be more transparent with communities the city of Chicago supplies water to The Herald-News reports.

One option involves Chicago building and owning a pipeline system, which will cost an estimated $430 million to $520 million, to Joliet. In order to offset construction

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and maintenance, this would cost Joliet up to $5.75 per 1,000 gallons of water.

Alternatively, Joliet can build its own pipeline to the Southwest Pumping Station in Asburn on Chicago’s far southwest side.

While Joliet will only pay a minimum of $3.98 per 1,000 gallons, they will be tasked with maintenance.

This is one of the multiple plans to change the city’s water supply including a similar deal with the DuPage Water Commission and another for the city to build its own pipeline to Lake Michigan. The City of

Joliet, which uses 19 million gallons of water per day, according to the The HeraldNews, plans to decide on a new water source by the end of the year. Joliet’s current city wells are expected to fulfill the city’s needs until 2029.

Metra Prepares for Much Needed Upgrades and Repairs Over the Next Five Years Metra is expecting to spend over $2.5 billion on improvements to its aging equipment and infrastructure with over $1 billion set to go towards new and rehabbed locomotives and rail cars. Funding, which has been dry for the past 10 years, is possible thanks in large part to the state capital infrastructure plan passed in June. The plan is expected to reduce maintenance costs allowing Metra to cut down on the number of fare increases.

2020 will be the second year in a row of no fare increases after four consecutive years of increases between 2014 and 2018.

Additionally, improvements should cut down on the number of mechanical failures,

which is among the most common causes of delays. The Chicago Tribune reports Metra’s diesel fleet has an average age of 30 years.

However, its much smaller electric fleet is much newer as the 1970s era Highliner I fleet was retired in 2016 leaving its early 2000s units as the oldest. Meanwhile, some of Metra’s railcars date back to the Eisenhower era. The Tribune also reports that Metra has 400 bridges that are over 100 years. Metra already has a contract to rehab 15 locomotives, the first of which should be done by 2021. All coaches over 40 years old will be among the 45% of coaches planned to be replaced within the next seven years.

Photo courtesy of Curved Chicago

Local Churches Donate Over 1,500 Pounds of Produce to Joliet Social Agencies This past summer, the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus and Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church partnered to start a voluntary vegetable garden maintained by the community with all produce grown going to the poor. For its inaugural year, gardeners could only pick between four crops: zucchini, peppers, tomatoes and beans, all of which were donated Nancy Kuhajda, master gardener and University of Illinois Extension Will County program coordinator, according to The Herald-News.

USF Psychology professor Dr. Melinda Hammond led the charge for her group consisting of her husband Jeff Chiapello, Director of Academic Advising, and their kids, along with Head Cross Country Coach Jeffery Barker and his family. Having frequently taught Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which states that someone must have all of his or her physical needs met in order to participate in society, Dr. Hammond “pounced on it” when given the opportunity to participate because she “knew this would contribute greatly to our entire community.”

Through their combined efforts, gardeners made over 200 donations to various social agencies including Daybreak, the Veterans’ Assistance Commission of Will County and Northern Illinois Food Bank. In the Cathedral’s Connections Column blog, Director of Development Eileen Gutierrez reports that gardeners donated over 1,500 pounds of produce as of September 23.

The Promised Land gardens also helped gardeners see their impact firsthand and, in the case of Dr. Hammond saying that her “kids had the realization that there were hungry people who lived that close to them….” She also encourages everyone to connect with those in need because, as she stated when asked for comment, “Hunger isn’t something that happens far away or abstractly – there are hungry people we interact with each day.”

NEWS

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WORLD NEWS

By: Janelle Suriaga Staff Writer

Global Climate Strikes Demand Change On September 20, massive climate protests were held in 150 countries around the world, including the United States. According to Reuters, millions of young protesters took to the streets and demanded more action from major governments and corporations to stop climate change. The strikes came days before the leaders of the UN Climate Action Summit convened in New York. The summit focused on pushing countries to meet certain climate targets and showcasing progress on environmental policies.

The global strikes stem from an earlier movement in Sweden called Fridays for Future, a movement started by 16-year old Greta Thunberg, in which student-led sitins are conducted every Friday in front of Swedish Parliament. Thunberg went on to become one of the figureheads of the global climate strikes and she urged government leaders to take more action on environmental

issues. “We are doing this to wake the leaders up, we are doing this to get them to act. We deserve a safe future,” Thunberg addressed thousands of fellow global strikers in New York.

The lack of cleaner energy resources and slow progress on climate change policies have come under scrutiny in light of recent scientific findings. According to NASA, the Earth’s average temperature increased by 1 °C in 2018 due to increased greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity. The increase in the Earth’s average temperature has already been suspected of intensifying natural disasters and causing rising sea levels.

The over-dependence on fossil fuels and the degradation of ecosystems have made younger people more fearful and vocal about the fate of the Earth. A.J. Conermann, 15, told USA Today, “Basically our Earth is

dying and if we don’t do something about it, we die. I want to grow up. I want to have a future.” And the issue is not limited to youth in larger, more developed countries as climate change affects people living in small island nations. Moemoana, 18, hails from Samoa and traveled to Sydney, Australia to protest in the global climate strike. “The Pacific Islands are meters above sea level because of climate change and it's a scary future for our islands,” she told The Guardian Australia.

Additional strikes also occurred on September 27, with thousands of students turning out from countries like Canada, Sweden, Morocco and India, according to The Guardian.

DHS Declares White Supremacy a Great Threat The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a new strategy report that disclosed an increase of domestic terror threats, most notably from white supremacists. According to CNN, acting DHS director Kevin McAleenan states, “In our modern age, the continued menace of racially based violent extremism, particularly white supremacist extremism, is an abhorrent affront to the nation, the struggle and unity of its diverse population.”

The report also compares the online

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recruitment methods of foreign threats, like ISIS and al-Qaeda, to those of violent white supremacists, according to The Washington Post. A major focus of the report is to work with state and local governments to reduce the number of people prone to radicalization and prevent potential extremists from committing violent acts.

This report comes after recent white supremacist-motivated attacks, such as those in El Paso and Gilroy. The

recognition of white supremacy as a serious threat marks a first for the United States government. Extremism researchers have long called for the Trump administration to take action.

“Civil rights groups have been screaming from the rafters about the federal government not taking white supremacy seriously,” Heidi Beirich, director of the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), told Rolling Stone.

House Speaker Pelosi Launches Formal Impeachment Inquiry On September 24, Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced a formal impeachment inquiry by the House of Representatives against President Donald Trump, according to www. nytimes.com. The House is charging Trump with enlisting a foreign power to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden.

Joe Biden is a frontrunner in the Democratic race for President and a political rival of President Trump.

This is not the first effort to impeach President Trump; an earlier attempt was made in 2017 by Democratic representatives Al Green and Brad Sherman but it was rejected due to the Republican majority in the House, according to www. politico.com. Trust in the President

dwindled after the release of the Mueller Report and the Democrats gained control of the House after the 2018 midterm elections. These events set the course for a potential impeachment inquiry.

The main piece of evidence regarding the inquiry is a whistleblower complaint based on a conversation between the whistleblower and an unnamed White House official, according to www.cbsnews.com. The White House official listened in on a phone call between President Trump and the Ukrainian president, in which Trump requested an investigation to the business ties of Hunter Biden. In the call, Trump states, “There’s a lot of talk about Biden’s son, that Biden

stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great,” according to www.independent.co.uk.

Upon learning this, the whistleblower then sent a formal complaint to the intelligence community inspector general, who deemed the complaint credible.

As of Wednesday, October 9, a second whistleblower has come forward and corroborated the information from the first whistleblower complaint, according to cnn.com. The second whistleblower has not filed a formal complaint to the inspector general, though more info is certainly to come.

Photo courtesy of USA Today

NEWS

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Top 10 Artists Let’s get in touch!

musicdirectorwcsf@stfrancis.edu -- 815-740-3697

1. NEW PORNOGRAPHERS In the Morse Code Of Brake Lights

2. TEMPLES The Circle Is Round

4. THE NUNNERY We Are The Stars

5. FRANKIE COSMOS Close It Quietly

6. ANDREW DEADMAN Santa Monica Airport 1987

7. YOKE LORE Dead Ringer

8. BOY AND BEAR Suck On Light

9. (SANDY) ALEX G Artwork courtesy of WCSF

House Of Sugar

10. ALEX EBERT Her Love

ENTERTAINMENT

Staff Picks

The USF Encounter Staff took to Spotify and shared their favorite songs from this month in their "Monthly Staff Picks" playlist “Cherry Wine” Hozier “Alone Again” Dokken “Cold Love” Of Gentlemen & Cowards “Wild” Emily Ann Roberts

Hot Motion

3. MAGNAPOP

MONTHLY

“Some of You” CARYS “Unbreakable (feat. Miracle)” Faydee “Mystery of Love” Sufjan Stevens “These Days” Wallows

Want to hear more?

Follow us on Spotify!

“Salt And The Sea” The Lumineers “Confidently Lost” Sabrina Claudio “Drown” Cuco and Clairo “Don’t Call Me Angel (Charlie’s Angels)” Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Lana Del Rey “didya think” Arlie “911 / Mr. Lonely” Tyler the Creator, Frank Ocean and Steve Lacy “Stay High”

Brittany Howard

“Witchcraft” Book of Love

“I’m Still Standing” Elton John

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Cosmo Sheldrake: By: Eve Odum Staff Writer No one does experimental music quite like Cosmo Sheldrake. Sara Cahill and I had the pleasure of watching him perform live in Chicago at Lincoln Hall on October 1.

I have listened to Sheldrake’s voice in my car for months now and to get to stand 15 feet from him gave me a sense of overwhelming elation. The 29-year-old London-based musician has only been in the public eye since 2014. But he’s been a hit globally, performing across America, Canada, UK, Belgium and Germany.

Lincoln Hall was a small venue that offered intimacy with Sheldrake. We were close enough to notice that his blue button-up needed to meet an iron. He stood solo behind a table, armed with only a computer, two mics, a small keyboard and a looper. He was completely at ease on stage and interacted with the audience. The crowd consisted of young adults that can only be described as hip and self-attuned.

Everybody jived to the beat in their own way: casually swaying, robotic head bobbing or intense dancing.

Photos courtesy of Eve Odum

In order to truly understand Sheldrake’s style, you have to hear his music. Listen to “Come Along,” “The Moss” or “Wriggle.” Besides sounding amazing, Sheldrake traveled the world to collect the sounds. What you’re hearing in his music is actually recordings of birds, the sun, cracking of cow carcasses, fish pushing water out of their bladders and other super random noises.

A SOUND EXPERIENCE

The opening band, Altopalo, was an alternative, indie group that experimented with the texture of sounds. The singer seemed infatuated with changing the style of his voice. When talking to the crowd, he would jump from squeaky, to robotic, to monsterlike. Once Altopalo ended, everyone was abuzz with anticipation for Cosmo Sheldrake.

Sheldrake informed us that one of my favorite songs is actually an “homage to nonsense.” He draws inspiration from poems, such as “The Fly” by William Blake and puts them to music. The concept of “Tardigrade Song” was perhaps the most jaw-dropping. Sheldrake admitted that he could not wrap his mind around these animals; everyone should look them up. They are microscopic and can live up to 30 years without water and prefer to eat moss water.

Sheldrake is truly a musical genius. He performed a bit of improvisation in which he recorded loops of himself singing in order to layer harmonies. Had he not prefaced it as free-styling, I would’ve thought he’d performed it a thousand times. Naturally, after the final song, the applause didn’t die down. Sheldrake quickly re-entered the stage to do his rendition of a blue-grass piece.

What is key to me is that it’s more than just music to these artists. It’s about conveying an emotion or capturing an idea. It’s creative expression on a whole new level. Sheldrake bobbed to his own music and displayed his dimples to the audience countless times. When an artist’s work is their passion, it seeps into the listener.

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On the walk back to the car, Sara and I let our ears bask in the greatness of his sound. “The amount of awesomeness that was in one small, little room was unreal,” she said smiling and shaking her head. I’ll admit, it’s going to be hard to listen to Sheldrake on my commute and not get lost in the memory of that concert.

By: Katie Wozniak Editor-in-Chief When you type the words “thrift store” into YouTube, the recommended search is a thing called the “Thrift Store Challenge,” a popular video amongst YouTubers to create entertaining content on a budget. Looking at our current culture, it is too common that we get rid of clothes as quickly as we buy them. While it is becoming more of a norm to donate old outfits, many articles of clothing still end up in the dumpster. So, how do thrift stores aid in the effort to reduce the number of disposed of clothes?

Donating clothes to a thrift store not only gives you a different look from the current trend, but it also is the most environmentally conscious choice when it comes to clothes shopping.

First, when you donate to a local thrift store, you are helping to have fewer clothes that end up in landfills. According to www.serc.berkeley.edu, Americans alone throw away approximately 10.5 million tons of clothes every year. If we look at today’s habits in comparison to the 1950s, we see a dramatic change in the way clothes were treated. 70 years ago, almost 20% of a person's income was spent on clothing. Since it was such a large investment, they tailored and maintained their clothes until they were unwearable. The opposite is seen today in the, formally named, “throw-away culture.” The research was done at the Student Environmental Resource Center (SERC) at the University of California Berkeley and tells us that we now buy four times the amount of clothing than we did in the 1905s.

By shopping at a thrift store, the center states, “You’ll be keeping plastic out of landfills and positively contributing to the decrease in worldwide textile demand and subsequent waste.”

T hrif t st o r es Where did this trend of shopping for gently used clothes come from? According to an article on www.moneylogue.com, “Gone are the days when the idea of going to a thrift store meant a store full of useless junk. Now, with a little patience and motivation, you can find an abundance of treasures at the thrift store.

Goodwills, Savers and Salvation Army locations carry vintage and newer household items and plenty of apparel and accessories – everyone is bound to come across something that appeals to them at the thrift store.” Along with this, the trend of just being environmentally friendly is extremely appealing to millennials and Generation Z-ers. John Raspante, a freshman at the University of St. Francis (USF), explains his draw to shopping at second-hand stores.

“Everyone is obsessed with ‘saving the turtles’ and being environmentally conscious. Shopping at Goodwill or places that sell second-hand clothes is becoming more popular with this new mindset. While it is not the current trend of clothes, thrift store items are definitely the new style.”

It may seem difficult to make a difference in the environment when living in a small town, but saving the environment is easier than it seems.

Simply shopping at a thrift store and giving clothes to another home, rather than disposing of them, is one key way in which we can make a change for the better.

Icon courtesy of www.clipart-library com

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The Resurgence of the Disposable Camera By: Sarah Vandermolen Staff Writer Just like vinyl and scrunchies, disposable cameras are becoming mainstream once again. As kids, they were the staple photo-snapper at holidays, birthday parties or even just hanging out with your friends in your room.

Riddle uses disposable cameras when she wants to capture her friends in “...their most candid, spontaneous moments.” Using a disposable camera provides a sense of reality to photos, something that seems to be lacking in today’s society. This trend is not only providing Generation Z with “authentic” memories, it’s also raising the sales of disposable camera companies such as Fujifilm and Kodak.

Want to share some of your favorite film reels with the USF Encounter? Tweet us at @usf_encounter with some of your favorite disposable camera photographs!

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Photo courtesy of @gisposable

According to an article from the Daily Mail website, “Fujifilm has seen sales of disposables almost double to 7.5 million since 2014-15.” Along with physical cameras, you can now download apps that will give you this ‘film effect,’ such as Huji Cam and Gudak Cam. University of St. Francis (USF) sophomore Elizabeth Ponce gives her stance on the use of image-adjusting filter apps. “It doesn’t give a real effect of a disposable camera because it creates either an intensely warm or cold effect on the image.” Actual disposables provide a balance between a warm and cold effect, and if something goes wrong with the film, the picture is still appreciated because it wasn’t planned, or a “happy accident” as Bob Ross would say. Due to the lack of authenticity in our society, disposable cameras have returned to provide the world with a sense of realism. Let us rejoice in the spontaneity of photography once more.

Photo courtesy of Amber James

Living in a digital world can have its setbacks. Everything we do, read, say and see seems artificial. Being able to take multiple pictures at once and alter them to whatever our heart desires in mere seconds allows us to shape our memories of the event, place or person into whatever we want. Our memories are no longer real.

According to Justine Riddle in an article from The Los Angeles Times website, “the finite number of photos lets you capture the imperfect in a seemingly perfect way with just one shot.”

Photo courtesy of @daviddisposable

The excitement that came with each wind of the film was incomparable to anything other than the rush that came with finally seeing your photos after getting them developed. However, the rise of digital cameras severely lessened the use of disposable cameras, making us think they had completely disappeared from the face of the earth. Except recently, many celebrities such as famous YouTube vlogger David Dobrik and American fashion model Gigi Hadid have brought attention back to single-use cameras. The stars have been posting images that they’ve taken with the once loved memory encapsulator, starting a movement among the masses to return to disposable cameras. The question that remains is, why has society, specifically young adults, decided to start using disposable cameras again?

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THE

CITY OF

HALLOWEEN By: Giovanni Alvarado Feature Editor & PR Specialist

Photo courtesy of Giovanni Alvarado

The days begin to fall short into the mystical moonlight, malevolent chilly winds sweep the leaves off of trees, Jack O’ Lanterns on front porches glow and ghost apparitions can be spotted on windows. One can only assume that Halloween has finally arrived in Joliet. Every year on October 31, Joliet’s historically “haunted” street, Western Avenue, becomes fully alive with thousands of trick-or-treaters out in droves for a haunt or two. Though Joliet is known for many other great things, Western Avenue in the Cathedral area of the city is famously known as “The City of Halloween.” This is due to the elaborate decorations people put up on their homes, drawing in kids from other surrounding cities and states to come trickor-treat in the neighborhood. Meredith Spesia, who has lived on Western Avenue for many years, always looks forward to the yearly tradition. “We’ve celebrated Halloween on Western Avenue for almost 20 years. There is no other time during the year that our neighborhood feels closer. This holiday allows families to be together and make connections."

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According to long-living residents in the area like Phil and Jo Truty, the Halloween tradition has been going on for more than 30 years and is still very much alive in 2019. “Let me tell you, when we first moved here, we were told, ‘You’re not going to believe Halloween on Western Avenue.’ I just have to say, I have lived in many places and this is the biggest celebration of Halloween that I have ever seen. This 2019 will mark 27 years of me handing out candy and keeping the tradition alive,” says Jo Truty. Cathy Thomas who also lives on Western added, “Every year the tradition reminds me of the trick-or-treating scenes from the movie ‘Hocus Pocus.’”

Just how exactly did Western Avenue become a hot-spot for trick-or-treating? The “Agony Haunted House” on 602 Western Avenue was just the beginning of “The City of Halloween.” Hundreds of brave souls would have the chance to enter the house for free during the days before and on Halloween. But after many years of operation, “Agony Haunted House” decided to officially close in 2016, a tragedy for many Joliet Halloween lovers who never got to try it out for themselves. Fortunately, this tradition is kept alive as many houses go “all-out” with their spooky Halloween decorations.

Although the original haunted house is no longer in operation, that hasn’t stopped trick-or-treaters from coming. In fact, over the course of a couple of years, the amount of kids has immensely increased.

“Seeing all the little kids in their cute costumes just makes my day. We had over 700 kids last year if not more than 1,000. I remember because Phil and I ran out of candy at 700 pieces each… It was unbelievable!” says Jo Truty. Maria Alvarado, another Western Avenue resident explains, “As a little girl living in Chicago, everyone would do the Halloween décor. Everything was so much spookier and we all wondered if ‘Jason’ or the ‘Boogie Man’ would jump out of the bushes! I’ve always been a super Halloween fan. Now as an adult, I just wish to recreate and transmit some of that fun to kids who come to Western Avenue. You can’t help but get a kick out of all the young and old because we have all ages come out for a Halloween treat.”

While many put up decorations, some also put out hotdog and hot chocolate stands by the sidewalks for the children. However, if you are Joliet Councilwoman Jan Quillman, you go all out as the “Wicked Witch of Western Avenue.” This is a theme she has done for 30 years and enjoys every bit of it. “Seeing the kids’ faces is always exciting and no child is ever turned away or left behind. If they feel safe to trick-or-treat here, my doors are always open for them,” says Councilwoman Quillman. Like many people after hearing about this great tradition, Cleavon Bailey, a former University of St. Francis (USF) student, came to see it firsthand. “It’s an overall fun environment. This will be my fourth year enjoying Halloween culture on Western Avenue and handing out candy with the Alvarado family. Being a part of this is a very fulfilling experience.”

Most of us remember Halloween as the best holiday.

Magic is in the air and everyone is having such a good time. Alex Santoyo, a Western Avenue local, sums up “The City of Halloween” best. He says, “Halloween is a time in which you can go back to the past while living in the present and looking towards the future. It’s the only time of year you can be anyone you want to be: a superhero, a rebel soldier from “Star Wars” or an inspiring leader like George Washington. Western Avenue does a good job giving this feeling towards its community, especially with the style of the houses and creepy decorations. If you want a good Halloween experience, come over to Western Avenue in Joliet.”

Photo courtesy ofofwww.kissclipart.com Photo courtesy clipart-library com

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Disposable E D I T I O N

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With the number of goods our society deems as “broken” or “useless,” it comes as no surprise that we can be summed up as a “throw-away society.” Whether it is technology, food or even our environment, society disposes of things that have true value. Unfortunately, advertisements and product outsourcing always seem to convince us that newer is always better. You may notice that some images throughout our “Feature” section were taken with disposable cameras. This decision was made in hopes of proving that by making small, adjustable changes in our individual lives, there is hope for a collective attempt to combat the American throw-away society we have created.

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THROW AWAY SOCIETY

BY MARY

MATHIEU

ONLINE WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER

“Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”

- Oscar Wilde

Photo courtesy of Lauren Wozniak

Oscar Wilde once said, “Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.” One interpretation of this quote is that we, as a society, spend our money and time willingly on things that are not necessary. Put in simple terms, we always want the latest technologies and clothes but they are not always needed.

This idea has led to the development of a “throw-away society.” To society, the price of items is what determines its value and this is not always the case. Most of us are aware of this incorrect ideology, yet we continue to only consider our “needs” which also results in “throwing away” something that may have just as much value as a newer, better version.

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Value is a concept that is easily discarded in contemporary society.

The new solution to boredom is to “throw away” the old and to bring in the new. It is through this act that humanity loses the importance of value. We must consider the impact our actions have before the value of an item or person become just a “thing” of the past. This can be seen with technology or even relationships.

The perfect example of the throw-away phenomenon is the iPhone.

According to www.9to5mac.com, the iPhone 11 was released on September 20, 2019. The iPhone 11 costs $699, while the “better” products known as iPhone 11 Pro and the 11 Pro Max cost $999 and $1,099.

Photo courtesy of www.pexels.com

People want these new and upgraded versions because that is the standard that society sets. If one does not have the newest version of the iPhone, people start to feel excluded or unconventional. Part of the throw-away culture in modern society is due to the pressures that people feel obligated to fulfill. If these obligations are not met then they are deemed as different and being different is often portrayed as something negative. Android users are constantly phone-shamed for the phones they have purchased just because they do not have an expensive iPhone. A USF freshman states, “I think people may feel pressured by society to always have the best or newest iPhone or they won’t be accepted.” While your Android might still work perfectly fine, one might be tempted by society to dispose of it just to receive the newest iPhone instead.

Whenever someone has something better than another, the natural instinct is to attempt to get something newer, proving to society that they are “trendy” and know how to save enough money so that they can spend it on these luxuries. It is almost as if throw-away habits are based on competition with those around us, or a competition that must be won to remain dignified in the eyes of others. As humans, we often seek others' approval. Without it, we feel that our life is meaningless, or that our goals and dreams are useless. It is now a matter of how society can unify and understand that objects and their prices do not define their value.

Throw-away culture is not limited to only physical things, but it can also apply to the emotional aspects of our lives.

Relationships often involve positive emotions but they can

FEATURE

also involve negative ones as well. It is with these negative emotions that stability is often lost within the relationship and arguments usually occur. For some, the occasional fight is essential and necessary. Fights must occur in a relationship because it can build strength and love between the parties involved. Fights allow people to learn more about the other person and it may also allow someone to understand something from a different perspective.

However, others immediately choose the easy way out and end the relationship if a single fight occurs. The latter reaction mentioned demonstrates a throw-away society as it pertains to relationships. It is sad to say that our culture gives up so easily on things when they become too difficult.

According to www.latimes.com, Associate Professor Omri Gillath states that, “Living without high-quality connections who provide love, understanding, respect, safety and security can negatively affect your mental and physical health.” For a relationship to work, instead of giving up when things get hard, we must strive to make it work if that is the best decision for both parties. If we continue to dispose of the people around us, it is also very possible we are giving up on real friendships, romantic relationships or even the chance to learn something new from someone else.

Throw-away culture is a fault in our society that must be corrected. Another USF freshman says, “Value in today’s society is more about money than morals.” Unfortunately, this is a common truth present in contemporary society. We must strive to improve this inequality by placing our needs before our wants, and not disposing of people or objects for our own personal gain.

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h t e r a z a N m r a F By: Katie Wozniak Editor-in-Chief

Photo courtesy of Katie Wozniak

Just imagine, you have decided to travel out to the mountains of West Virginia, only knowing the other people in the car with you. You soon find yourself pulling into the driveway of a small farmhouse that you have never seen before, the porch filled with the faces of strangers. Before you can gather your things, your car door flies open and you are faced with an unfamiliar smile.

“Welcome home!” they shout as they give you a tight hug. Kind of strange, right? However, for those who have been to the farm, this is the first memory you think of whenever Nazareth Farm is brought up.

Another way they look out for the environment is by limiting the use of water on the property.

When staying on the farm for the week, you are allowed two bucket showers and one indoor shower. By bucket shower, I literally mean filling up a gallon bucket of water, going to an outdoor stall built above the river running on the property and using natural soaps and only the water you bring with you. Even when you take an indoor shower, it is timed by a shower timer. Not only do they limit water, but they also limit electricity by shutting off all power to the property for one night out of the week they have volunteers.

Nazareth Farm is a Catholic community in the mountains of West Virginia that puts on service retreats for high school students, college students and families. They adhere to four cornerstones in which they model their way of life: community, simplicity, prayer and service. The main aspect of service at Nazareth Farm is the repair of homes in the Doddridge County community, such as building porches and patching up roofs. Faith and service are such a vital part of the farm, but sustainability is the center of it all.

The University of St. Francis (USF) ministry, for the second year in a row, recently returned from the farm after being there for fall break.

Michael Nickel, who traveled with ministry for his second trip to Nazareth farm, explains his draw to spending a week in the Appalachian Mountains.

“Nazareth Farm is truly an amazing place with some of the kindest and most generous people I have ever met. My experience at Nazareth Farm has been so fantastic because of all the service work I accomplished and because of how sustainable and environmentally friendly the farm is. I find it truly inspiring to see people caring for the environment in such a way that literally nothing is wasted and all leftover food is composted.”

The staff and sojos (sojourners, kind of like summer interns) at the farm care immensely about the preservation of our environment. One of the many ways that they reduce their carbon footprint is by composting all of their unused food. No food is allowed to be disposed of unless it could not break down in compost. As volunteers finish eating, if they didn’t join the “clean plate club” they have to scrape their dishes into the compost outside the back door. This is then used as fertile soil for the many vegetables they grow. Also, eating meat is a luxury. Every meal is derived from plant-based products and rarely is meat ever kept in the fridge. Unless you are there for the Fourth of July, like I was, then they will treat you to a hot dog or burger.

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After a week on the farm, we are challenged to take the teachings of sustainability and simplicity home with us. Whether you have been to Nazareth Farm or not, try and be more conscious of the impact you have on our environment and see how you can change your lifestyle in little ways to make a big difference.

food waste in AMERICA

By: Ashley Hare Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of Ashley Hare

A

Besides donations, restaurants can even recycle their food waste.

According to www.bbc.com, when food is tossed into the garbage, picked up by the garbage company and then taken to the landfill, the food releases greenhouse gases into the air. To avoid this, one of the best ways to recycle food is by composting. Composting is taking any type of left-over plant material, grains, pasta, bread, cereals, eggshells, etc. and placing it into the soil to decompose. When the waste decomposes, it can produce flowers, vegetables and shrubs.

According to a recent survey conducted by the “National Restaurant The decomposing produces better nutrients in the soil, as well.

Association,” only 22% of restaurants donate leftover food.

USF food supplier, Sodexo, provides positive initiatives to help stop Unfortunately, the rest of the food most likely ends up in the food waste across the country. According to the Sodexo website, trash. However, restaurants are able to receive tax deductions for donating food. Besides receiving tax deductions, donating food gives the company uses a "WasteWatch" program at 3,000 different sites where teams are able to easily capture food waste data and restaurants a great reputation and leaves a positive impact on the take action to drive cultural and behavioral change, whether it be community and those in need of food. Katie Wozniak, a senior at the University of St. Francis (USF) and foodservice employee, says, food waste generated in the kitchen or consumer food waste. The WasteWatch program prevents on average 50% of food wasted.

“Where I work, we donate a lot of our product to the local food Especially at USF, Sodexo says, “In addition to the many initiatives pantry. However, not everything can be given to the pantry, such as we take on as a company, we have implemented programs specific food that will spoil quickly. When we have a lot of food we cannot to the University of St. Francis.” Sodexo at the University of St. give to the food pantry, we often bring leftovers to the neighboring businesses. They love when we come around and it puts off a good Francis is a “trayless” campus. A “trayless campus” means no trays are provided at the food venues on campus. When trays are not image, showing we are not in the business of throwing away all present, customers tend to waste less food and drink. Trayless dining of our food.” Even if restaurants are nervous or scared to donate also reduces the amount of water and soap needed to clean the food because of liability, there is the federal Bill Emerson Good trays.

Samaritan Food Donation Act. The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act was signed in 1996 by President Bill Clinton to Disposing of food does not need to be the only option for encourage the donation of food and grocery products to those in restaurants. By donations or composting, restaurants can use need. their food waste to positively impact the community as well as the environment. ccording to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the restaurant industry wastes $162 billion dollars in food yearly. Even globally, about 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted each year. In addition, 42 million Americans are living with food insecurities. People who live with food insecurities are people who do not have access to high quality, affordable and nutritious food.

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BLOOD

DIAMONDS By: Amber James Assistant Editor

Diamonds are supposed to be symbols of commitment and new beginnings; no matter the size, these stones symbolize the faithfulness and commitment between two people. For some, however, these sparkling stones are more of a curse than a blessing.

These diamonds that fueled civil wars are often called “conflict” or “blood” diamonds and indirectly work to dispose of human lives as well as the environment. According to www.cnn.com, “conflict” or “blood” diamonds are any diamond that is mined in areas controlled by forces opposed to legitimate, internationally recognized government of a country. The diamond is then sold to fund military action against that government. In short, diamonds are sometimes used to fund violence in other countries. While most diamond-fueled wars have ended, the industry is still tainted with conflict and misery.

Thousands of men, women and children are used as slaves to extract diamonds and they are often forced to use primitive, dehumanizing methods such as digging into mud or gravel with their bare hands, rather than being able to use safe and proper tools. However, according to www.brilliantearth.com, conflict diamonds do not stop there; they are also negatively impacting our environment. The article states, “Due to poor planning and weak regulation, diamond mining has caused environmental devastation, severely damaging the land and water. This irresponsible mining has caused soil erosion and deforestation and has forced local communities to relocate.

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In extreme cases, diamond mining can cause entire ecosystems to collapse.” Chandler Kowaliczko, a recent graduate from the University of St. Francis (USF) says, “It is awful to think about the ways diamonds fund violence in other countries, but also how it is ruining the environment everyone is apparently so desperate to save. If we are looking for ways to help the environment, avoiding diamonds might be a good idea.”

The concept of blood diamonds also reached the box office in 2006. The political thriller movie titled, “Blood Diamond” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou focused on blood diamonds and their negative effects. According to www.imdb.com, the film was set during the Sierra Leone Civil War in 1991–2002 and begins with the capture of Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), a Mende fisherman, by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels when they invade the small Sierra Leonean village of Shenge. The source states, “Separated from his family, Solomon is enslaved to work in the diamond fields under the command of Captain Poison (David Harewood) while his son Dia is conscripted into the rebel forces, the brainwashing eventually turning him into a hardened killer. The RUF use the diamonds to fund their war effort, often trading them directly for arms.” The film depicted the diamond industry as deadly, disturbing and depressing.

Photo courtesy of www.brilliantearth.com

Given the ugly realities of the diamond business, it would be tempting to forgo or dispose of diamonds altogether. However, according to www.time.com, “Congolese mining officials say diamonds are a vital source of i­ncome—if not the only source—for an estimated one million small-scale, or artisanal, miners in Congo who dig by hand for the crystals that will one day adorn the engagement ring of a brideor groom-to-be.” According to the same source, Mbuyi Mwanza, a 15-year-old who spends his days digging for diamonds, also believes that diamonds symbolize his opportunity to eat. Mwanza told Time reporters, “If people stop buying our diamonds, we won’t be able to eat.” He continued, “We still won’t be able to go to school. How does that help us?” Bennie Radford, a senior student at USF says, “After dating my current girlfriend for almost three years, we have naturally talked about engagements, marriage, etc. She has always requested to not have a diamond ring because of blood diamonds and, while I do not think blood diamonds are ethical, I think movies like ‘Blood Diamond’ don’t talk about the ‘benefits’ that these diamonds can have for those living in other countries. They are living a completely different life than we are.”

the trade of conflict diamonds and ensure that diamond purchases were not funding violence. According to Amy Barry of Global Witness, the Kimberley Process has yet to demonstrate itself capable of stopping the trade because of a lack of political will among member states. The Brilliant Earth website also states that this process “... systematically ignores human rights abuses, worker exploitation, and environmental degradation. It does not require diamonds to be traced to their mine of origin, allowing smuggled diamonds to obtain ‘conflict-free’ certification and enter world markets.”

It is true that it has been years since the term “blood diamond” breached public consciousness. But no matter the statistics or facts we are given, the hard truth is that there is almost no way to know if the diamonds we are buying are discarding entire ecosystems or if they are also coming from the bloodied, calloused hands of the innocent.

According to www.cnn.com, to attempt to stop the unethical process of diamond-production, the “Kimberley Process” was discussed in South Africa in May of 2000. The goal of this process was to stop

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Recycling Should Be Fine, Not Fined By: Lauren Wozniak Staff Writer & Photographer

"Recycling seems easy enough. Paper, plastic and soda cans get recycled, and when in doubt you just look for the little recycle symbol on the item.

Simple, right?"

Photo courtesy of Lauren Wozniak

Recycling seems easy enough. Paper, plastic and soda cans get recycled, and when in doubt you just look for the little recycle symbol on the item. Simple, right? Well, sometimes it is not that easy. There are a lot more rules than you think and it can feel complicated to figure out. It also seems like it is better to just recycle it anyway and there are not any consequences if you are wrong, but that is not the case. Did you know that schools, like the University of St Francis (USF), can get fined if their recycling gets contaminated?

USF’s sustainability coordinator, Janine Hicks, explained that the recycling fine is a real occurrence here at USF. “...in the last academic year, we were fined nine times for a total of $3,416. Did you know that it costs less to pick up recycled trash than regular

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trash? If we can get it right, we would be saving money rather than spending more.”

So, what can and can’t be recycled? According to www.ecoscraps.com, items like newspapers, plastic bottles commonly found in kitchens, cereal boxes, aluminum cans and mail can be recycled. Plastic shopping bags, egg cartons, take-out containers and plastic utensils should not be recycled. Caleb Campbell, USF’s Sustainability Coordinator Assistant, wants to make students more aware of the differences in what can and cannot be recycled, especially here on campus. He informs us that, “If it has food on it and you haven’t washed it, don’t recycle it. None of the containers given to you by Sodexo are recyclable, anyway.” A lot of plastics will have a recycle symbol on the container with a number in the middle.

The numbers range from one to seven. Caleb explains that, “You can not recycle number six plastic, but numbers one through five and number seven are good to recycle. Just make sure the container is dry. The liquid can contaminate the other items in the bin and then the whole bin cannot be recycled.”

If you ever are about to dispose of something but do not know where it should go, many of the trash cans around campus have signs above them explaining what goes where.

Campbell elaborates on this by saying, “When in doubt, throw it in the trash. It is better than risking contamination and having none of the items in the bin recycled.” If we all take these simple steps, we can make recycling at USF more effective.

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Being "Just a Number" By: Sara Cahill Staff Writer Choosing a college can be stressful for many people. We all have been lectured to about finding the “right fit,” which is challenging without having any previous knowledge of what college is like.

There are many factors that go into making a decision that will change your life. According to www.thoughtco.com, while picking a college, one should consider the types of programs offered, financial aid options, student to faculty ratio and an overall sense of well-being for yourself. While many colleges offer these aspects, not every college will be a good fit. However, one specific aspect that could make or break a decision is the school’s size.

I can remember my college search and debating about whether I should attend a small or large university. The largest factor for me was my previous experiences in school. I attended a junior high and high school of 400 people so thinking about jumping into a school with 15,000 or more students scared the bejesus

out of me. While being very involved and experiencing great connections with my peers and teachers in my pre-college years, I was very worried that I would “just be a number” to professors and peers in college. Fortunately, I was not the only one with this thought. According to www.lovethesat.com, “At a big university, class sizes are much larger, meaning you’ll get much less individual attention from professors and even from their teaching assistants.

You might have to take many courses with hundreds of fellow students in big lecture halls where no one even knows your name. This might be a pro for some students who don’t enjoy the spotlight, but for students seeking individual attention and closer relationships with their peers and professors, it might constitute a con.” Kevin Clifford, a student at the University of St. Francis (USF) can definitely attest to this statement. He completed his undergrad in business at Illinois State University (ISU) and decided to attend the University of St. Francis for his master’s in science education.

Photo courtesy of www.pexels.com

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“I just felt like another student at ISU,” he explained. “22,000 students is a lot and I was just another one. I had some professors that gave me attention once I was in my major, but I was a part of a smaller major that could cater to their students. I know people who were in the College of Business who hardly had any individual attention from their professors.”

Why is attending a smaller university a great idea? While attending a large university, students may find it difficult getting involved in extracurriculars and activities on campus, making them feel isolated, according to www. scholarships.com. However, getting involved and meeting new people can come easier at a smaller university. For USF student, Sarah Deffenbaugh, being at a small university has positively kicked off her freshman year. She stated, “Being at a smaller school like St. Francis has really helped me grow and start to find my identity. Because the campus is so small, you recognize faces pretty easily, which is great! It’s easy to make friends and everyone says "hi" to each other in passing, even if you don’t know them. Small colleges feel like a tight-knit community, which I really love. I know that I wouldn’t be able to find and develop this at a larger university. Also, I really enjoy and appreciate the small class sizes. The professors here know you and want to help you. Between developing relationships and having focused attention, a small university really helps you succeed both in and out of the classroom.

I know that I have a great support system as I explore my career and move forward in working to achieve my dreams.”

Photo courtesy of Sara Cahill

"Instead of feeling like a small fish in a huge pond, we can stand with confidence and take the world head-on because of our small university experience."

While it’s great to make lifelong friendships in college, it’s equally great to have professors that genuinely care about your future career and passions. Dr. Spicer, one of the English professors at USF, opened up about his experience teaching at a small university and how he supports students’ academic journeys. He explained, “Good teaching begins with good listening—and it often happens that good listeners are frequently good ‘readers’ —and I use ‘readers’ in somewhat of a broad sense here: good teachers are good readers of students, they are good readers of situations in the classroom, they are good readers of so much: being able to listen well and read a room gets one almost all the way to properly differentiating the learning experience for everyone involved.” With that being said, having smaller class sizes allows the professors to analyze their students and to get to know them outside of the academic context of a classroom. It would be difficult for one professor to scope a class of 60 people compared to one of 20 to ensure they were meeting the needs of every student.

Photo courtesy of Sara Cahill

COMMENTARY

Dr. Spicer continued to talk about the benefits of going to a small school for students’ academic and career paths. While being at a small campus, we are exposed to personal interactions every day, which, as Dr. Spicer stated, “Many of our experiences in our lives have to do with the small scale: interactions with this student, with this neighbor, with this other person who is in need of my time.” Not only are we building meaningful relationships with our peers and professors but the skills to connect with people. While being at a tightknit university, we are forced out of our shells and into a world where we can make change and improvement. Instead of feeling like a small fish in a huge pond, we can stand with confidence and take the world head-on because of our small university experience.

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Recycling has been extremely popular over the past year on social media even though recycling has been a concept for years. With social media, people are posting non-stop about trying to “save the turtles” with the idea of using metal straws. The concept of recycling has changed within the past few years and there are now a lot of alternatives for products that get thrown away every day. Plastic products have always been a big concern when recycling.

Plastic is often thrown away in the trash and does not end up getting recycled. “Each year more than 35 million tons of plastic pollution are produced around Earth and about a quarter of that ends up around the water,” according to www.phys.org.

In the 1960s and ’70s, Americans changed the way they recycle to get the most out of the materials, and Americans began to recycle in order to deal with the massive amounts of waste produced during the second half of the 20th-century, according to www.time.com. When products can be purchased at a low value, it often makes more economic sense to simply throw away old items and purchase brand new ones. Americans who had been adapted to the “use it and then throw it away” model of consumption don’t become concerned about where their waste was going.

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Many companies are now getting rid of plastic straws with having an alternative solution. Starbucks and the University of St. Francis (USF) have gotten rid of plastic straws and now have strawless lids. Now, many teens and young adults are purchasing metal straws that they can carry everywhere.

Teens are thinking they’re “saving the turtles” by purchasing a metal straw, but still use other plastic products like water bottles and grocery bags.

According to www.how2recycle.info, “Plastic bags, wraps and films can’t be recycled in your curbside recycling bins.

But, you can take some of these items to local retail stores where they collect plastic grocery bags for recycling.”

USF student Andrey Simon works in a grocery store and states that not many people know that they can bring in reusable bags, which will save them money if they use this alternative instead of using plastic bags. Simon also mentions that he would often see plastic grocery bags around the parking lot. Many cities around the United

Photo courtesy of Lauren Wozniak

By: Angelica Bibian Staff Writer

Trendy Trash

States are banning the use of plastic.

Along with metal straws, reusable bags are now starting to become a trend as well.

The trend of recycling is all over social media. People are either recycling to follow the trends or they are actually willing to help solve the problem of plastic products. Does it really matter if someone is recycling to be “trendy” or not? Simple actions are always helpful to the environment but I believe using metal straws won’t entirely solve the movement of “saving the turtles.”

Recycling is more than just a metal straw.

Icon courtesy of www.cleanpng.com

The Draw to Reality

TV

By: Janelle Suriaga Staff Writer

Hot tub hookups, table-flipping, screaming matches and lots of tears. All can be said of what regularly happens in modern reality television. But how did this genre evolve to what it is today and why is it so popular?

The premise of “The Bachelor” is simple: a handsome gentleman dates 30 women and he narrows down his choices to see which lucky lady is proposed to at the end of the season. Season 23 of “The Bachelor” featured former NFL Reality TV started around the 1970s when TV shows like player Colton Underwood and it drew viewers in when PBS’s “An American Family” followed ordinary people and Underwood broke the show’s format. When Cassie Randolph, captured them undergoing interpersonal struggles, according one of the final three women, broke up with Underwood, to www.variety.com. The genre exploded 30 years later, with a heartbroken Underwood escaped the camera crews and shows like MTV’s “The Real World” and CBS’s “Survivor” abandoned the shooting location for the show. This was coming into the mix. These shows were unique because definitely a first for the franchise, according to www.vanityfair. they placed people of various personalities in high-stress com. This is what makes reality TV shows compelling; even environments without a script, maximizing the potential of in the most contrived environment, Underwood’s reaction drama and conflict. This became the foundation of almost to rejection was powerful and authentic. As a viewer, I could every reality TV show that came after. And it works; CBS’s “Survivor” has consistently ranked in the Top 20 TV programs relate to Underwood’s feelings as most people have faced rejection, whether it be in dating or in other aspects of life. every year since its premiere in 2000, according to www. theatlantic.com.

Relating to a show is not the only reason people watch reality TV. Millions of viewers watch these shows to unwind Despite the allure of reality TV, I admit that I was a skeptic after a long day at school or work. The University of St. of the genre at first. I did not understand the appeal of Mike Francis (USF) junior Sylvia Kordaczka is a fan of shows like “The Situation” getting into bar fights on MTV’s “Jersey “Bachelor in Paradise,” “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” Shore.” But one show changed my outlook: season 23 of and “Survivor.” “I’ve been watching these shows for a while ABC’s “The Bachelor.” and doing so helps me decompress. They make my life seem more normal,” she stated. Reality TV gives viewers a look at outrageous situations and dramatic conflicts from the comfort of a couch. It can provide an entertaining escape from our daily lives and we do not have to think of our problems as we watch people on TV deal with theirs.

At the end of the day, reality TV serves a purpose to its viewers. Some viewers can relate to the cast members, while others use these shows as a harmless escape from ordinary life. Regardless of the reasons why people watch it, reality TV shows are a fun watch and the viewers who tune in are more than happy to do so.

Picture courtsy of www.todayinpop.com

COMMENTARY

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WORLD WITHOUT MEN By: Alyssa Gomez Staff Writer

As the all-wise and powerful Beyoncé said, “Who run the world? Girls.” As always, she is correct. So the question now proceeds me, do we even really need men? The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the world may be better with nothing but girl power. Just the other day, my three female friends and I found ourselves in quite the predicament. We were attempting to move two friends out of one dorm and into another. This is obviously no easy task, and the four of us stared in defeat at the beds that needed to be lofted.

Maintenance would no longer assist in lofting beds according to University of St. Francis (USF) emails, and absolutely no male friends of ours were available to help. So, we collectively decided we didn’t need men to get the job done.

Through a lot of kicking, pulling and cheering, we ended up lofting the beds to perfection. Now in the grand scheme of things, this may

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seem minuscule. But there was a moment when it really clicked; we accomplished something that we thought couldn’t be accomplished without men. In a world without men, we would’ve never doubted ourselves in the first place.

Biologically, of course, we couldn’t live without men.

But socially, women would finally have the confidence and capability to do anything.

There would be no stigma of what jobs women should and shouldn’t do. Women could be anything from construction workers to CEOs without question. There would be no more gender pay gap to fight for. Not only would women everywhere have the right to vote but we would be voting for women in every position of power. There would definitely not be a “Pink Tax” on pads and tampons, which according to www.axthepinktax. com, is an entirely separate social issue that needs to be addressed.

Icons courtesy of www.cleanpng.com

For once, women would not be pitted against one another but instead may finally be able to support one another.

Beauty standards determined by men wouldn’t exist. We could finally celebrate every body shape, skin color and hair texture. According to USF freshman student Bella Russo, "A world without men would be pure bliss. I think a lot of us girls would be happy to see the day we can no longer have our hearts broken by guys."

A world without men would result in a world where every woman could be whatever she chooses to be.

WORLD WITHOUT WOMEN

By: Jalen Williams Commentary Editor & PR Manager

In a perfect world, cheap or free labor, such wearing makeup and everything would be as housework or taking a dress, it does mean in balance. Peace and care of families. These picking up where their harmony would expand are duties that have wives or girlfriends left across the world. There insurmountable effects off and cleaning the would be no disease, on the world that many house, cooking dinner sickness or pain. Just people take for granted. and taking care of the happiness and harmony.

USF senior Bennie kids.

However, one instance Radford says, “As much could throw the whole as I hope I don’t take A world without women world off-balance things women do for would be an imperfect and that would be the granted, I know that as place, no matter how existence of women. a man I do by default. much a man would As the infamous saying Whether we like it or argue otherwise. I can’t goes, “Women. You not, there are just some imagine a world without can’t live with them and qualities that women my mom and sisters and you can’t live without have that men do not all that they provide for them.” I believe the possess.” me. Companionship, latter half of that love and a woman’s statement is truer than Another difference touch are some of the anything. In a world would be the way that things that I think many without women, I feel gender roles would men would find they as though everything change and the view on can’t live without. I would be complete and femininity. For example, know for a fact that if utter chaos (to a degree). some members of the I didn’t have my mom, LGBTQ+ community I would have never According to Stephanie can be seen as feminine learned some of the Thompson of the as more gay men are invaluable skills and “World Economic becoming comfortable knowledge that can only Forum,” on March with letting their come from a woman.

8, 2017, hundreds of true colors fly. From Like they say, “Mother thousands of women the straight male’s knows best.” When became “absent” from standpoint, this can you imagine a world the world to show the come off as “girly” without women, think impact that they have on or “not masculine.” about how it would feel the world. Some of the However, if women to lose your girlfriend examples Thompson were to disappear from or wife or mother for a gave were donations to the earth, I believe even day. How well could you charity organizations more men would feel really survive in a world that better the lives of comfortable to change without women? children, the wage gap up gender roles. While being non-existent and that doesn’t mean

COMMENTARY

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Picture courtesy of www.blog.solna.io

The Myth of the Self-Care Quick Fix By: Clarissa Del Rio Staff Writer & Photographer

It is clear to see that we live in a fast-paced society in America.

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This is especially true for college students. We’re caught in a vicious cycle of class, homework, jobs, social lives, clubs, organizations and any other responsibility you can think of in-between. It’s like a balancing act on a tightrope, except you’re also juggling, while on a unicycle and have to jump through a couple of hoops on fire here and there. It exhausting to say the least and extremely draining to keep up with 24/7.

“quick fix” to make us energized and ready to tackle the next excruciating day of our overbooked schedules. Our well-being is often something we view as being disposable. Feeling tired? Sip on that red bull. Feeling sad? Wallow in some ice cream. Stressed out from class?

Party all weekend and forget about it for a while. Although at the moment we feel like these quick fixes will make us get back on track after a minute of “treating ourselves,” they’re really part of a vicious cycle of stress and damage to our overall well-being in the long run.

The New York Post website writes that, “We cannot see that we are causing our physical, emotional and behavioral health problems as we try harder to go faster, and then turn to medication to treat the unforeseen consequences. We believe we should be able to go this fast and there is something wrong with us if we can’t keep up.” With life as hectic and fast-paced as it is, it’s no surprise that whenever the subject of basic self-care is brought up, we end up looking for a

University of St. Francis (USF) senior Mayra Zaragoza shed light on her struggle to finding self-care, saying, “I think my breaking point in realizing I needed to put myself first was when I stopped having the energy to wake up and put myself together for class, work, etc. I would always be trying to be ten steps ahead of my responsibilities and never stopped for a chance to breathe.

I ended up burning out and having to deal with being unproductive for a really

October 28, 2019

long time while I was struggling to get my energy back.” Like Mayra Zaragoza mentioned, we all need time to recharge.

If our phones and laptops that we rely on everyday need time to recharge, we can’t expect ourselves to be running 24/7, either. After all, we’re all only human. It is also important to recognize that self-care is not, and never will be, a “quick fix” process. Self-care is a lifelong commitment that is essential if we want to be the best versions of ourselves.

It’s okay to not be perfect all the time.

It’s okay to put your well-being first.

You can’t help others without putting yourself first.

As impossible as it sounds as a college student, all of this means prioritizing your sleep, meals, hygiene and time to relax and breathe. This isn’t something that is done overnight. Self-care is an active choice we need to make every single day if we want to function as best as we can.

The College of Business and Health Administration would like to say

To Bob and Pat Wheeler for their generous grant to aid in moving our College towards a Catholic and Franciscan focus

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Life As an Injured StudentAthlete

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By: Bennie Radford Sports Editor Some athletes are involved in their respective sport longer than they can remember. As they’ve grown, so have their strengths, endurances and techniques. They have worked incredibly hard to get to where they are now. Studentathletes live to practice, perform and have a passion to compete. Then, the unthinkable happens...they get injured. Where do they go from there? How does their life change? What protocols need to happen so that they can try to recover?

As a student-athlete myself, I can attest to the fact that being an injured athlete is not fun, and even that is an understatement. Here is where it gets complicated: I am currently on the football team for the University of St. Francis (USF) as a “redshirt” sophomore defensive back (DB), even though I am a senior in the classroom. A “redshirt” is divided into two different categories: regular and medical. A regular redshirt is typically used when a student-athlete is not expected to play due to them needing a little more growth in the system. On the other hand, a medical redshirt is a type of redshirt given to an athlete who was injured during the season, either before they start the season or before they meet the cutoff on his/her athletic eligibility. Medical redshirts are usually decided after a severe injury or surgery that prevents an athlete from competing throughout the entirety of their season. So, since I am considered a sophomore on the field, I have definitely had my fair share of injuries.

Freshman year, I was already off to a bad start. I received a severe concussion that caused me to miss my entire first season, causing me to use my one regular redshirt.

Then, sophomore year, I ended up having a hernia repair surgery that caused me to miss my entire second season, causing me to use my one medical redshirt. When I was a junior, I sprained my ankle at the beginning of the season but was able to come back around game three, but then I ended up dislocating my left thumb during the spring season. Now, as a senior, I knew this would be my final chance to redeem myself after all these years. But, only a few weeks into the season and my world was flipped upside down once again. I had a situation that occurred with my heart after the third week of the season which has put my season, and possibly all sports, on hold until it is certain that I am healthy again.

Unfortunately, my bad luck is not rare. According to www. atyourownrisk.org, “Statistics reveal that 90% of studentathletes report some sort of sports-related injury. 54% of student-athletes report they have played while injured.”

These numbers, of course, do not count the individuals that might be experiencing some sort of injury during their respective sports but choose not to let someone know for one reason or another. These injuries range

Photo courtesy of www.gofightingsaints.com

from things as simple as a twisted ankle or jammed thumbs to severe injuries such as concussions and broken bones. USF senior Amber James says, “In seventh grade, I tore my ACL and my meniscus during track practice one morning. I ended up using crutches for a few weeks, but never actually got surgery. Now, I am always cautious when I am exercising or doing any physical activity because I am nervous I will go through that pain again.

The injury really did change my life and I always wonder where I would be now if I just got the surgery.”

In order to treat any injury, the athletic trainers, doctors and anyone else who is to take care of the athletes must follow the protocols and procedures necessary to nurse the athlete’s injury back to normal. According to www. ardorhealth.com, the most common student-athlete injuries are, “sprains, fractures and concussions.” Ospaldo Lopez, an Athletic Trainer at USF says, “In order for athletes to get better, they need to not only trust us, but they need to trust the system as well and fully listen and follow the instructions given to them. If not, their injuries could end up worse than when the injury initially happened.”

However, not only can student-athletes experience physical damage but they can experience emotional trauma as well. According to www.ncaa.org, “Some injured student-athletes restrict their caloric intake because they feel that since they are injured, they don't deserve to eat. Such a reaction can be a trigger for disordered eating.” Being an injured student-athlete can also trigger depression. The source states, “Another problematic response to injury is depression, which magnifies other responses and can also impact recovery. Depression in some student-athletes may also be related to performance failure.”

Being a student-athlete is not easy, but being an injured student-athlete is even harder. Standing on the sidelines instead of playing on the field is a difficult thing to go through. But still going to practice, asking my teammates how they are doing and encouraging them to be the best they can be are some of the things that have helped me feel included during my injuries. It is important for all injured student-athletes to know that they are not alone and to also remember that healing is a process and it will, unfortunately, never happen overnight.

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Are you interested in writing, editing or photography?

Join the Encounter staff in producing USF’s very own student-run news magazine.

For more information, email our Editor-in-Chief Katie Wozniak at KatherineWozniak@stfrancis.edu

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Trading Athletes By: Amber James Assistant Editor

Getting disposed of by a team is an emotional experience...

" Picture courtesy of www.nbcsports.com

One of the hardest parts about being a professional athlete is that the team that you play for is dependent completely upon someone else’s decision and not your own. Whether it’s through drafting, using some kind of financial gain or acquiring somebody in a trade, not being able to truly be part of a team can be frustrating. According to www.vice.com, “Getting traded represents an abrupt break in a player's relationship with his previous organization.” Athletes leave the comfort of their coaches, teammates and friends just to have to start the process all over again.

Antonio Smithberg, a senior student at the University of St. Francis (USF) says, “The first person that comes to mind is Khalil Mack. The Oakland Raiders kind of just let him go when they traded him to the Chicago Bears. He was by far the best defensive player on their team and arguably in the league. But because Mack didn’t fit their scheme to rebuild the team, they moved on.”

However, some athletes may not always be as innocent as they seem, resulting in their seemingly disposable careers.

According to the Sports Illustrated website, Antonio Brown was released by the New England Patriots on Sept. 20 after the National Football League (NFL) launched an investigation into his alleged harassment and intimidation of a woman who accused him of sexual misconduct.

Picture courtesy of www.twitter.com

However as of Oct. 8, Brown’s accuser, Britney Taylor, dropped her federal lawsuit against him and plans to refile in a Florida state court. So, while it is still unclear what Brown’s relationship with the NFL will be in the future, the source states that he still wants the Patriots to “give him a call.” “The best receiver right now is at home in Miami,” Brown said. "If you guys follow the Patriots, tell them to call me. They still gotta pay me, so might as well let me earn it.”

Of course, regardless of the situation, there are plenty of perks that come with being a professional athlete, but permanence is not among them. Players are always traded, dropped and picked back up again with the same swift, unsentimental nature. Getting disposed of by a team is an emotional experience; it is probably the first time an athlete has been told by a team that they aren't good enough. That's a tough pill to swallow, no matter who you are.

SPORTS

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Fantasy Football Fundamentals By: Andrey Simon PR Specialist & Photographer In honor of the ten-year anniversary of “The League” debuting on FX and in the spirit of football season, it is a wonderful time to look back on Fantasy Football and the impact it has had on communities around the world, and even right here on campus. Fantasy Football has a rich history dating back to the glory days of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1960s and has changed dramatically throughout the years to evolve into one of the most popular games in the world with over 40 million people playing every year.

Throughout the years, Fantasy Football has impacted various industries and even helped spawn two very successful companies, DraftKings and FanDuel.

The history and creation of modern fantasy football is often debated and disputed, but according to www. ufl.edu, many believe that the first Fantasy Football league draft took place in August of 1963 and involved communications and PR employees of the Oakland Raiders NFL team. Over the next several years, various other people and institutions created their own fantasy football leagues, helping spread fantasy football across the entire United States. By the mid-1980s, a few leagues were developed online to take advantage of computer scoring and network communications. Prior to then, all matters regarding fantasy football had to be written or typed on a typewriter and faxed to each member as the internet was not mainstream yet. According to www.ip.com, CBS launched the first free, publicly available fantasy football league online in 1997. By the turn of the century, nearly all major sports media companies had competing online leagues as well. By 2010, the NFL finally launched its own licensed fantasy football league and it has since become their most important marketing tool.

Fantasy Football has changed the lives of many people and its impact can be seen nearly everywhere.

“Fantasy Football is a way my friends and I can still do something together even though we are all in different places,” says USF student Antonio Smithberg. In 2009, a fantasy football-themed television show called “The League” debuted on FX and was very successful, lasting seven seasons.

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The Chicago-based show focused on a group of middle-aged men as they competed against each other for the league championship: The Shiva. The show was extremely entertaining and for a while could be streamed on Netflix and Hulu.

Due to its popularity, Fantasy Football also has its fair share of criticisms as well. For the longest time, NFL players did not like fantasy football because some fans would lose interest in their own team and focus solely on their own players’ stats on fantasy football. Businesses and schools also criticized fantasy football because they say it “distracts.”

Finally, some people claim that Fantasy Football is controlled by the Illuminati, who are trying to take the legitimacy out of the National Football League.

Overall, Fantasy Football has made a huge impact on the lives of millions of people across the globe. Its popularity spawned several other industries including Fantasy Basketball, Hockey, Baseball, etc. Also, sports betting websites like FanDuel and DraftKings have seen their respective companies’ stock increase dramatically since the peak of Fantasy Football.

There are even Fantasy Football leagues that offer thousands of dollars in cash prizes and other neat giveaways.

Being a big fan of Fantasy Football, my only advice is this: Have fun and do not draft a kicker in the first round.

Icon courtesy of www.espn.com

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