USI The Shield March 2023

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 | USISHIELD.COM | VOL. 55 ISSUE 6

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WHAT WE’RE OBSESSED WITH

usishield IN THIS ISSUE: Students mad for USI, Mad for movies, Crazy about Evansville cuisine and Basketball teams’ picks for March Madness #USIShield

by Maliah White | The Shield

Graphic

SHELBY CLARK Editor-in-Chief

Embrace the Madness

I am crazy about making homemade granola bars. I love trying new restaurants. I look forward to posting photos on my Instagram and seeing what my friends across the country are doing.

I am a Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars fan who will happily share my opinion with you on the direction I think the famous franchises are headed. I watch movies and talk about them for a week like they are real life.

I get excited when I take a good photo or edit something nicely. I am crazy about coffee and adorable coffee shops. The list of things I get excited about goes on and on.

If I am crazy about something, I will gladly tell you about it over and over and over again. All my friends are probably nodding their heads right now.

The truth is we all have random things we are mad for. Whether it’s our favorite food, movies, drink, sports team, music or pastime, we all have things we get really excited about and maybe even a little embarrassed to confess openly.

I feel like, as a super busy individual who flows from meetings to class to more meetings to more classes, I spend most of my day talking about work or classwork. I don’t want to talk about the little random things I am obsessed with at the moment because they don’t feel as important.

When I am solving the world’s problems or fighting to make a change, it hardly seems like the time to talk about how excited I am to pile up on the couch and watch “Phineas and Ferb” or “Gilmore Girls” at the end of the day.

But honestly, we all need those little obsessions because they bring us a different kind of joy.

I find extreme joy and life satisfaction in the work I am doing. I love USI and getting to serve the university as Editor-in-Chief of The Shield and having passionate conversations with the most incredible, kind-hearted people on campus.

I love working with people. I love getting to be a platform for their voices and knowing we as The Shield are making an impact.

However, there is a type of joy that comes from those random obsessions you don’t get from work, and I am a firm believer we need both types of joy.

March is the point of the spring semester when we reconsider our life choices to be a student. It’s the middle of the semester. Projects and papers are in full swing. Exams are commonplace.

It’s also the month of the 2023 NCAA March Madness tournament. Spring events are popping up for everyone. New movies are coming out. It’s truthfully madness trying to stay on top of everything both for school and for life and personal enjoyment.

The purpose of “March Madness” is to let you know it is okay to indulge in things you are obsessed with. Watch the whole NCAA tournament. Go to the movies. Go to that restaurant with friends.

Still, of course, get your work done, but do not feel like you have to cut yourself short of the joy of being mad for something. This is my third year as a student, and I have found the best way to make it through a tough time is to mix the fun with the work.

For me, going to a coffee shop for a couple of hours makes me way more motivated and allows me to work better on schoolwork. Having a movie night on the calendar motivates me to get my daily work done faster and more efficiently.

The random things you enjoy are important to me and to the people around you because they make you human. They are a part of what makes you an interesting person.

Embrace the madness.

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Editor-in-Chief of The Shield

Photo by Shelby Clark | The Shield Editor-in-Chief Shelby Clark holds her honey-cinnamon latte in Penny Lane Coffeehouse Feb. 25. Clark is mad for coffee and getting coffee at local coffee shops.

STUDENTS WHO ARE MAD FOR USI

BY ALYSSA DEWIG, News Editor

Taegan Garner, senior political science and sociology major, has several roles on campus as the SGA president. She said one task she has is managing the Executive Board. She said she also helps resolve student issues on campus. “I think my bigger job is that I meet with all the vice presidents, I meet with the administration to make sure that student concerns get to the ears of administration and then trying to address those concerns,” Garner said. “I like to tell people my main job is that I try to find problems, come up with solutions and then present them and sell them to administration so that we can see changes on campus.” As a graduating senior, Gardner said she is excited for the next SGA president to take over. She said, “We’ve really tried to build on this organization so that we have a nice foundation to hand off.”

Tyler Henry, senior business administration major, is a senior guard for the men’s basketball team. He said he began playing basketball when he was seven years old. He said he was playing at a park in Brooklyn, New York, while a woman and her daughter watched him play. “I got super excited and I said, ‘Oh yeah, this is something I want to do for the rest of my life if it’s gonna get me the girls,’” Henry said. He said there is not a significant difference playing at a Division I level versus Division II. “There’s great players at every level,” Henry said. He said he chose to come to USI to do something different for himself and his family. Henry said, “A whole different area for them to come to, a different arena, the coach and staff, the love from Dr. Rochon, that all played an important role just to represent them, represent my team, represent my family at a high level like this, at a high regarded institution, because it’s amazing.”

Adrianna Garcia is the first person to hold the title of SGA’s administrative vice president of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee. Garcia helped form the position and was the only person to apply for the position. “Being the AVP of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, my role is to worry about the students who aren’t really worried about, so students with disabilities, Black students, Hispanic students, the LGBTQIA+ community,” Garcia said. “I feel like I was a prime candidate for this role because I’m part of the LGBTQIA+ community, I’m disabled and I’m Hispanic. I kind of felt like I could represent a big portion of those who weren’t being represented, but I want anyone who feels like they can help these students in any way to know that this role can be for them.”

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Photo courtesy of Taegan Garner TAEGAN GARNER, Student Government Association president TYLER HENRY, senior guard of men’s basketball Photo courtesy of USI Photography and Multimedia Photo courtesy of Adrianna Garcia ADRIANNA GARCIA, AVP of SGA’s EDI Committee

M a d M a d A b o u t A b o u t M o v i e s M o v i e s

The third film in the “Evil Dead” trilogy, “Army of Darkness,” completely on its own as a wonderfully wacky medieval-adventure film. Williams (Bruce Campbell) is transported into the past with nothing chainsaw for a hand and his trusty shotgun to fight an army of the dead. film from the early ‘90s with a budget of $11 million, “Army of Darkness” set on giving the viewer the most enjoyable movie experience of their life. This ending to the iconic horror trilogy has the least amount of scares, but what it lacks in terror, it makes up for in innovative practical and pitch-perfect comedic timing.

This movie is stuffed to the brim with stop-motion, puppeteered and costumed skeletons who are obsessed with pulling pranks on mortals. Campbell heart out as the chosen one of this tale: a complete moron retail worker falls through a time portal and goes on a quest to rid the land of demons fails to stop spouting terrible one liners after every single victory. I love If you want a film made by a bunch of dorks who somehow got enough to make a movie about knights, skeletons, chainsaw hands, death books, demonic doppelgängers, sword fights and time travel, then probably combust from the sheer joy of watching this.

“Inside” is a musical-comedy special released in 2021 written, directed, filmed, edited and performed by comedian Bo Burnham. The film is about Burnham’s experience staying inside during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it negatively affected his mental health. It also explores themes of performing, the internet, climate change and social activism. This is the most genuine and heartfelt musical I have ever seen. It perfectly describes the headspace people had during the COVID-19 pandemic over every other attempt by any other celebrity and artist. It’s funny, but as it goes on, it becomes emotionally gut-wrenching with Burnham’s experience as well as the current state of today’s society. “Inside” is a hard film to watch with how sad and hopeless it gets in the end, but that mood is a perfect depiction of how people felt during this time in history.

The musical-romance director Damien Chazelle. Sebastian Wilder (Ryan first, Sebastian and Mia form a relationship. They to go after what they of their dreams causes their relationship. I remember exactly was emotional and crying, Many romance movies comedies are one of “La La Land” showed between two artists. I music created for this Sebastian’s Theme.” Due watch it often, but I still watching a great musical this movie.

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IAN YOUNG, Staff Writer “Inside” ABIGAIL DURHAM, Staff Writer “La La Land” IAN LLOYD, Staff Writer

“Army of Darkness”

Photo courtesy of Netflix Photo courtesy of Lionsgate

Darkness,” stands film. Ash nothing but a dead. For a Darkness” is their entire of gore or practical effects costumed Campbell acts his worker who demons as he love him. enough money pits, evil then you’ll

musical-romance “La La Land” was written and directed by film Chazelle. This movie follows the romance between musician (Ryan Gosling) and actress Mia Dolan (Emma Stone). At Mia do not like each other, but they ultimately grow to They both support each other’s dreams, leading them they want more passionately. However, the achievement causes them to stray away from each other and threatens how I felt after watching this movie for the first time. I crying, but I thought it was a realistic but beautiful story. movies do not have a practical perspective. While romantic the genres of movies I enjoy the most, I loved how showed the heartfelt side and the difficult side of a love story like Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling as actors, and the film, especially “Someone in the Crowd” and “Mia & Due to the emotional rollercoaster of this movie, I do not still claim it as my favorite. If you are in the mood for musical with a comedic, passionate story, I recommend

“IT” (2017) is the first part of a film duology based on the Stephen King book of the same name. We follow 13-year-old Bill (Jaeden Martell) and his friends as they try to uncover the reason behind the mysterious disappearances of Bill’s brother and other kids in their hometown of Derry, Maine. When the group starts to be attacked by their greatest fears and taunted by an evil clown, they take it upon themselves to put an end to the terror.

I saw this film in theaters five times, and it is one of a handful of films I have on DVD. This is my favorite comfort movie. I see it as less of a horror and more of a comingof-age-comedy film. The group dynamic is so fun, and the jokes make me laugh out loud. The acting and special effects may leave some things to be desired, but the vibes are immaculate. Oh, to be a young boy running around town during the summer of 1989 with your best friends, forming trauma bonds and hunting a demon clown. This movie is by no means the best in any aspect, but I think it’s a fun time.

TEGAN RUHL, Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Based on the book by Stephen King, “The Shawshank Redemption” follows Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), an innocent banker, who’s sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife and her lover. After becoming a prisoner at Shawshank State Prison, Andy befriends fellow prisoner Ellis Boyd ‘Red’ Redding (Morgan Freeman), who shows him the ins and outs of prison. The two try to make prison life more bearable for the people around them as Andy tries to prove his innocence.

“The Shawshank Redemption” has been one of my favorite movies for years. It’s tear-jerking yet heartwarming and has challenged my idea of friendship. The writing is fantastic, telling a story filled with emotion and conflict from top to bottom with a satisfying payoff that will bring you to tears. This movie also has some of the best quotes ever, don’t fight me on this. It moves at a slower pace compared to other movies, but if you want to watch a really good classic, “The Shawshank Redemption” is up there.

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Writer

Land”

“The Shawshank Redemption”

SYDNEY LAWSON, Lifestyle Editor

“It” (2017)

Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures Graphic by Maliah White | The Shield

Crazy about Evansville cuisine

BY DAVID GRABER Staff Writer

There seems to be an endless number of options for food you can get in Evansville, Indiana. From restaurants that are dine-in or take-out only and ones anywhere on the spectrum of upscale to casual, the number of possibilities can be daunting. One of the best ways I like to think about a restaurant is whether or not I would go back to the restaurant and if I would ever recommend it to a friend. Almost all of the best restaurants I have gone to here in Evansville, including all mentioned in this article, I went to after it was recommended to me. While advising you in the direction of a good restaurant in Evansville would not be difficult, I would like to narrow the countless options even further for your convenience. Talking to you as a

friend would, I have included a short, inexhaustive list of recommendations for some of the best entree options I have been served in Evansville: Burrito, La Campirana

With your choice of any of the superbly seasoned meat or vegetable fillings, the burrito served by the Mexican restaurant La Campirana on Burkhardt Road in Evansville is, quite frankly, genius. If someone had told me that perfecting the ratio of rice, beans and guacamole inside a burrito would eclipse any burrito I have had before, I wouldn’t have believed them. The way La Campirana has masterfully crafted such a balanced and flavorful ratio of fillings inside their burrito should be studied by scientists across the globe. However, I would reckon they would come up short for the cause of its greatness simply because this burrito is magical in every way.

Detroit-Style Pizza, Pangea Kitchen

While this plate is not necessarily a set entree from Pangea Kitchen on South Green River Road, it is impossible to pick only one of their inventive topping options to cover. With a thick, pillowing base and cheese baked around the crust, Detroit style is definitely the best style of pizza ever made in my humble and correct opinion. So good, in fact, I will forgive it for being in the shape of a rectangle. Pangea Kitchen puts their own spin on this iconic style, with options such as Diavola, The Butcher and The Baller being presets and the ability to create your own custom pie. Any choice you make here will not disappoint. Red and White Plate, Sauced Sauced, located on Parrett Street in Haynie’s Corner, must be onto something with their Red and White Plate because they know exactly what

I want. Just as it sounds, this plate is divided into halves by the color of the sauce, each with its own specific meat pairing. The red half has a slightly spicier kick than expected in a red meat sauce, which pairs well with a meatball that is always well-seasoned and moist. The white half is creamy, not heavy, with a piece of fried chicken that has no business being as good as it is. Sometimes, I opt for only ordering the white half by itself in a bigger portion. But together, the two complement each other to create a transcendent experience.

I hope you enjoyed this brief tour of Evansville through some of the best entrees I have been served. Now, it’s time for you to go out there and try them.

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Photo by David Grabber | The Shield The pollo asado burrito, a tortilla shell carefully packed with chicken, rice, beans and guacamole from La Campirana, was served March 1 with guacamole and rosa cremosa salsa and a large horchata. Photo by Shelby Clark | The Shield The Detroiter, Pangea Kitchen’s Detroit-style pizza topped with pepperoni, house-made mozzarella, red sauce, garlic-olive oil and fresh basil, was freshly served Feb. 25 with parmesan cheese.

USI Basketball March Madness Picks

BY QUINTON WATT, Sports Editor

The men’s and women’s basketball team players and coaches predict the teams they believe will win the men’s and women’s basketball 2023 March Madness NCAA Division I Championship. The 2022-2023 academic year is the first year USI athletics has competed in Division I; however, USI athletic teams can not compete in post-season tournaments for at least four athletic years.