Issuu

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Ann Arbor, Michigan

michigandaily.com

Too close for comfort

The Michigan football team nearly suffered another upset in Bloomington, but junior running back Karan Higdon came through with a touchdown in overtime to seal a victory. » Page 1B

CITY

Members of City Council kneel during nat’l anthem Four councilmembers knelt in solidarity at the body’s meeting on Monday

MORGAN SHOWEN Daily Staff Reporter

CAT MYKOLAJTCHUK/DAILY

Protestors at the Nationwide Solidarity March for Peace and Justice in Hanover Park Saturday.

City residents, students gather for peace and justice solidarity march

Over 100 brave the rain to participate in nationwide movement at Hanover Square Park MORGAN SHOWEN Daily Staff Reporter

Meeting at Hanover Square Park and marching to Liberty Plaza in the rain, over 100 University of Michigan students, Ann Arbor residents and others took part in the

Nationwide Solidarity March for Peace and Justice Saturday afternoon. The Ann Arbor march was in coordination with similar marches across the country, all of which were aimed at promoting peace and standing up to all forms of hatred and violence.

According to Ann Arbor resident Corky Wa, an organizer of the march, the purpose of the march was to boost the spirits of those who may be exhausted from constant activism since the start of President Donald Trump’s term. “After months and months of calls and letters and emails and

postcards, people are starting to lose their mojo and the hate seems to be stronger,” Wa said. Though the attendance of the march was dampened by rain, Wa led her fellow activists in a protest featuring chants against racism, the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the See MARCH, Page 3A

The national spotlight placed on the debate over kneeling during the national anthem was brought Monday night to the Ann Arbor City Council, as four council members knelt during the Pledge of Allegiance. Council members Jason Frenzel, Sumi Kailasapathy, Chip Smith and Chuck Warpehoski all knelt in silent protest during the Pledge of Allegiance, which is traditionally said prior to every City Council meeting. Warpehoski announced his intention to kneel during the pledge prior to the council meeting in a post on his website. In that post, he

compared kneeling during the pledge to kneeling during a football game for an injured player. “I can’t speak to what is in each person’s heart, but for me to ‘take a knee’ is an act of attention, of concern, and of respect. And it is in that spirit that I take a knee at tonight’s City Council meeting,” Warpehoski wrote. In the portion of the council meeting designated for announcements from the council members, Kailasapathy explained why she joined Warpehoski in kneeling. “For me democracy is more than just symbolic, it’s actually holding up democratic practices,” Kailasapathy said. “I would want others to judge See COUNCIL, Page 3A

Notable conservative thinkers debate Initiative Weekly MI to advance Pres. Trump’s immigration platform state house

RESEARCH

precision health care

Multidisciplinary project to aid process of discovery, treatment, implementation ALEXA ST. JOHN

Managing News Editor

Through discovery, treatment and implementation — along with the use of analytics and big data — University of Michigan researchers will soon advance specialized medicine and personalized health care. The recently revealed Precision Health initiative — which University President Mark Schlissel announced at his Leadership Breakfast earlier this month — will combine several research areas across the University outside of medical disciplines to create a broad approach to optimizing the use of research data. Aside from incorporating these different disciplines, however, Precision Health is partnered with the University’s Office of the Provost, School of Public Health, College of Engineering and Michigan Medicine. Tina Creguer, Precision Health senior project manager, said the goal is ultimately to improve patient care in a way that addresses several See PRECISION, Page 3A

GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know.

GOVERNMENT

Hans von Spakovsky and Bryan Caplin headline event hosted by Michigan Review COLIN BERESFORD Daily Staff Reporter

Hans von Spakovsky, The Heritage Foundation’s manager on the election law reform initiative, and Bryan Caplan, economics professor at George Mason University, debated if President Donald Trump’s immigration platform harms the United States in an event hosted by The Michigan Review on Friday night. In his opening statement, Caplan attacked many of the actions Trump has taken against immigration. Caplan explained the economic benefits of immigration and that immigrants do not commit crimes at the rate that Trump has said they do. Caplin said since immigration increases total production, the gains nationally tend to outweigh the losses. Spakovsky, however, advocated for the actions taken by the Trump administration, including laws that need to be enforced — especially for those that enforce legal immigration. “You often hear the terms that we have a broken system,” Spakovsky said. “We don’t have a broken system. We have a very complex set of laws governing immigration and who we allow in and who we don’t allow in. The

problem has been for decades is that the political will to enforce the law was not there in Washington.” Undeclared student Dylan Calewarts was disappointed the event didn’t explicitly address if Trump’s immigration plan is hurting the United States, but appreciated the topics discussed. “I thought it was great that the issues were being talked about from a policy

angle, not from a personality … angle. I would say that the point was struck home that the Constitution gives 100 percent immigration and naturalization authority to Congress and the only power the president has is what Congress has given him,” Calewarts said. The term “illegal aliens,” Spakovsky added, is the legal term used for illegal immigrants, so they should be called such. The deviation

from the legal term, he said, is a way for those who want to enforce immigration law to be discredited. “The reason this has happened, that it’s supposedly politically incorrect to use the correct legal term, is because many people want to blur the line between illegal immigration and legal immigration … the whole point of trying to blur that See DEBATE, Page 3A

MAX KUANG/Daily

Tim Carney, Commentary Editor at the Washington Examiner, moderates the Michigan Review Debate at the Union Friday.

For more stories and coverage, visit

michigandaily.com

INDEX

legislative wrap-up

Legislature passes bills on tax reform, consent, sex education, water quality COLIN BERESFORD Daily Staff Reporter

Each week, The Michigan Daily will be publishing a wrap-up of the most important bills proposed in Michigan Legislature over the past seven days: SB 620: This bill would amend a 1976 law on sexual education to require the teaching of consent in sexual education programs in school, to address sexual assault, bystander intervention and dating violence. State Sen. Curtis Hertel, D-East Lansing, proposed the amendment to the bill, calling it “Yes Means Yes” legislation in the press release on his website. “College-aged women are four times more likely than any other age group to face sexual assault. When we send our kids off to college, we should worry about their grades and how they are going to pay for their books, not if they will be sexually assaulted,” Hertel said in the press release. The bill aims to clarify the definition of consent, including what it looks like in a committed relationship. SB 629: This bill seeks to modify See WRAP-UP, Page 3A

NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 ARTS......................6

SUDOKU.....................2 CROSSWORD...............6 S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . B -S E C T I O N

News

2A —Wednesday, October 18, 2017

W O LV E R I N E O F T H E W E E K Every Wednesday, the Michigan Daily will be asking a University affiliate what the University’s Bicentennial means to them. “I hope what (the Bicentennial) could be is to mark a new chapter for many students of color on campus. As an Arab student, our identity can finally be recognized on campus. It’s been here for 200 years now — I think it’s about time that we are recognized on campus and with that so many doors can be open for us as students on campus.”

LSA sophomore Nour El-Hotaeidy

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Follow @michigandaily

Tweets Erin Finn @erinefinn

how many more office hours would i have attended if @umich’s campus were flat and i didn’t have to bike up a mountain to get there?

BPT @blakepittmann “This class requires 10-12 hours of work outside of class per week” First of all, I’m not even gonna come to this class

ALEXIS RANKIN/Daily

CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES Twitter Company Day

Super Sundae Bar at Mosher-Jordan Dining Hall

WHAT: Come learn about what it’s like to work at Twitter with the Engineering Career Resource Center. WHO: Engineering Career Resource Center WHEN: 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. WHERE: Duderstadt Center — Duderstadt Connector

WHAT: A sundae bar featuring Ashby’s Ice Cream and a wide array of toppings will be available to anyone with a meal plan or blue bucks! WHO: Michigan Dining WHEN: 11:00 a.m. WHERE: Mosher-Jordan Dining Hall

Perspectives on Teaching

Are You Looking to Do an Honors Thesis?

WHAT: This event will cover a variety of teaching concerns like how to actively involve students in discussion and work with disruptive students. WHO: Center for Research on Learning and Teaching in Engineering WHEN: 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. WHERE: Duderstadt Center — Room 1180

WHAT: Come hear from an Honors adviser about how to go about writing a thesis and the benefits of doing so. WHO: Newnan LSA Academic Advising Center WHEN: 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. WHERE: Angell Hall — Room G243

Navigating the Academic Interview and Negotiation Process WHAT: Come learn about the three stages of looking for a faculty position in the academic sector. The event features tips on interviewing and negotiating future offers. WHO: Rackham Graduate School WHEN: 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. WHERE: Rackham Graduate

National Cupcake Day WHAT: Markley, Twigs and Burley Dining Halls will be serving cupcakes in honor of National Cupcake Day! WHO: Michigan Dining WHEN: 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. WHERE: Bursley, Twigs and Markley Dining Halls

Flu Shot Event WHAT: The Department of Linguistics is offering a flu shot clinic. Please bring insurance information with you. WHO: Department of Linguistics WHEN: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. WHERE: Lorch Hall — Foster Library

Wiring Your Bonsai Plants WHAT: This is a hands-on workshop by bonsai artist and wiring expert Mauro Stemberger. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own trees. WHO: Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum WHEN: 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. WHERE: Matthaei Botanical Gardens

Trail linking North Campus and Botanical Gardens unveiled to public

UMich Catholics @UmichCatholics Tuesday Amelia is laughing in the face of Friday Amelia and all the homework she promised herself she’d do over the weekend Azi @Azi #TakeAKnee comes to the City Council in Ann Arbor

420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327 www.michigandaily.com

University aims to connect students to parks while reducing car traffic

EMMA KINERY NATHAN GUPTA trail will allow them to leave Editor in Chief Business Manager their cars safely behind,” she 734-418-4115 ext. 1251 734-418-4115 ext. 1241 Deputy Statement Editor said. kineryem@michigandaily.com nathankg@michigandaily.com The new trail additionally expands the extensive network Outdoor enthusiasts in the of motorless routes on the Ann Arbor area now have two northeastern edge of Ann Arbor ARTS SECTION NEWS TIPS PHOTOGRAPHY SECTION arts@michigandaily.com news@michigandaily.com photo@michigandaily.com new miles of paved trail to city and township, connecting blaze as of Saturday. the University Hospital, SPORTS SECTION LETTERS TO THE EDITOR NEWSROOM sports@michigandaily.com tothedaily@michigandaily.com 734-418-4115 opt. 3 The trail will connect hikers Central and North Campuses, and bikers to the Matthaei among other destinations, such ADVERTISING EDITORIAL PAGE CORRECTIONS Botanical Gardens northeast of as Eastern Michigan University dailydisplay@gmail.com opinion@michigandaily.com corrections@michigandaily.com Ann Arbor, Nicols Arboretum in Ypsilanti. and Gallup Park’s Border-toThe project was constructed Border bike trails along the through a multi-year Huron River, offering a pathway collaboration between the to the Matthaei gardens that University — which houses AMELIA CACCHIONE and EMMA RICHTER Managing Photo Editors photo@michigandaily.com doesn’t require a car. the trail — and Ann Arbor Senior Photo Editors: Zoey Holmstrom, Evan Aaron, Alexis Rankin, Karen Sikkenga, associate Charter Township. $2.5 million REBECCA LERNER Zach Moore director of the botanical was raised for the project Managing Editor rebler@michigandaily.com Assistant Photo Editors: Claire Meingast, Katelyn Mulcahy, Aaron gardens, said in a University through a combination of local, Baker, Sam Mousigian, Kevin Zheng press release she hopes the trail county and township grants, ALEXA ST.JOHN LARA MOEHLMAN alexastj@michigandaily.com will ease motor vehicle traffic and an additional $800,000 Managing News Editor Statement Editor statement@michigandaily.com Senior News Editors: Riyah Basha, Tim Cohn, Lydia Murray, to Syndication the gardens, noting the 135,000 visitors each year http://sudokusyndication.com/sudoku/generator/print/ raised from close to 150 local Nisa Khan, Sophie Sherry Deputy Statement Editor: Brian Kuang, Yoshiko Iwai Sudoku number of visitors to Matthaei carpool, ride a bike or drive a individuals and neighboring Assistant News Editors: Jordyn Baker, Colin Beresford, Rhea gardens has been increasing car to get to Matthaei. The new companies, including Toyota Cheeti, Maya Goldman, Matt Harmon, Andrew Hiyama, Jen ELIZABETH DOKAS and TAYLOR GRANDINETTI Meer, Ishi Mori, Carly Ryan, Kaela Theut and NSF. Managing Copy Editors copydesk@michigandaily.com Mike Moran, Ann Arbor ANNA POLUMBO-LEVY and REBECCA TARNOPOL Senior Copy Editors: Marisa Frey, Ibrahim Rasheed opinioneditors@michigandaily.com Charter Township supervisor, Editorial Page Editors said in the press release he was Senior Opinion Editors: Anu Roy-Chaudhury, Ashley Zhang, DYLAN LAWTON and BOB LESSER Managing Online Editor lesserrc@michigandaily.com pleased with the collaboration Max Lubell, Madeline Nowicki, Stephanie Trierweiler MEDIUM Senior Web Developers: Erik Forkin, Jordan Wolff between local stakeholders to BETELHEM ASHAME and KEVIN SANTO open the trail. ABE LOFY Managing Sports Editors sportseditors@michigandaily.com Managing Video Editor video@michigandaily.com “It’s an excellent example of Senior Sports Editors: Laney Byler, Mike Persak, Orion Sang, Senior Video Editors: Gilly Yerrington, Matt Nolan, Aarthi what can be accomplished when Max Marcovich, Ethan Wolfe, Chris Crowder Janakiraman, Emily Wolfe the township, the university, Assistant Sports Editors: Rob Hefter, Avi Sholkoff, Matthew Kennedy, Paige Voeffray, Mark Calcagno, Jacob Shames county government, state JASON ROWLAND and ASHLEY TJHUNG Michigan in Color Editors michiganincolor@michigandaily.com government, local corporate ANAY KATYAL and NATALIE ZAK Senior Michigan in Color Editors: Christian Paneda, Adam entities and citizens work Managing Arts Editors arts@michigandaily.com Brodnax, Halibut Olaniyan, Tanya Madhani, Sivanthy Vasanthan together to achieve a common Senior Arts Editors: Dayton Hare, Nabeel Chollanpat, Madeline Gaudin, Carly Snider goal,” Moran said. Arts Beat Editors: Danielle Yacobson, Danny Hensel, Erika ELLIE HOMANT LSA junior Miranda Miley Shevchek, Matt Gallatin, Naresh Iyengar Managing Social Media Editor was excited about the new Senior Social Media Editors: Kayla Waterman and Anna Haritos addition to the already- MICHELLE PHILLIPS and AVA WEINER design@michigandaily.com extensive network of outdoor Managing Design Editors trails north of Central Campus. “I think in the Arb the trails CAYLIN WATERS Brand Manager are especially nice and I’m really excited that there is EMILY RICHNER CLAIRE BUTZ Sales Manager Business Development Manager now a trail out to the botanical gardens,” Miley said. “It would JUEUI HONG JULIA SELSKY Special Projects Manager Local Accounts Manager be nice to have other trails that CAROLINE GOLD SANJANA PANDIT extend out of the immediate Media Consulting Manager Production Manager campus area to other places or parks in the surrounding The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the © sudokusolver.com. For personal use only. A FEVER. puzzle by sudokusyndication.com areas.” University OF Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily’s office Lara Moehlman also for $2. Subscriptions for September-April are $250 and year long subscriptions are $275. University affiliates are subject to a reduced subscription rate. On-campus subscriptions for fall term are $35. Subscriptions must be prepaid. contributed to this report. year to year. “Currently

BRIAN KUANG

than

It would be nice to have other trails that extend out of the immediate campus area to other places or parks in the surrounding areas.

Editorial Staff

SUDOKU

1 3

5 1

Business Staff

Generate and solve Sudoku, Super Sudoku and Godoku puzzles at sudokusyndication.com!

News

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

COUNCIL From Page 1A

MARCH From Page 1A

my patriotism by my actions when I uphold these values.” Following the protests, the council members returned to their scheduled business. The most pressing issue was the vote on the approval of more funds for the third year of Ann Arbor’s controversial deerculling efforts. The resolution on the table would approve an additional $110,000 to completely fund the estimated 2018 budget of $370,000 to be spent on the deer cull. The program, which began in 2015, was designed to help deal with the overpopulation of deer in the Ann Arbor area. Eight Ann Arbor residents spoke in the public commentary about the deer cull. University of Michigan professor Christopher Dick spoke in support of the cull, saying it was necessary for the health of the deer and the forests they lived in. “Culling the herd can actually help the dear by reducing the spread of deer diseases that may be exacerbated by overabundance,” Dick said. Other speakers, such as Ann Arbor resident Robert McGee, attempted to rebut the point that deer posed any extraordinary threat to the wildlife and forests of Ann Arbor, or to its citizens. Ann Arbor resident Sally Daniels went a step further and criticized the council for its past and current support of the deer cull. “Council members have based their vote on their own limited experiences rather than the wishes of their constituents,” Daniels said. “A deer ran on top of council member Kailasapathy’s car. Will killing 558 more deer make her feel better?” She concluded her remarks by saying, “everyone who votes for an increase in the cull tonight deserves to be voted off of City Council.” In a vote of 10-1, the council voted in favor of the additional funds needed for the 2018 deer

potential of war with North Korea. Gov. Rick Snyder and Bill Schuette, Michigan attorney general and gubernatorial candidate, were popular targets for the marchers. While marching, chants of “How do we spell Rick Snyder? C-o-r-ru-p-t” were common, and at the final destination, Liberty Plaza, protesters listened to activists deliver more fiery attacks on Snyder and Schuette. Sandi Smith, an Ann Arbor business owner and the former president of the LGBTQ support group Jim Toy Community Center, spoke on Snyder and Schuette’s roles in the landmark court case DeBoer v. Snyder. This case, which would be consolidated with others under the umbrella of Obergefell v. Hodges, led to marriage equality nationwide in a 2015 Supreme Court decision. Snyder and Schuette argued in DeBoer v. Snyder that the Michigan law preventing same-sex couples from having joint adoptions should be upheld. Smith blasted Snyder and Schuette for their positions in this case, saying that Schuette fought DeBoer v. Snyder all the way to the Supreme Court to deny people like residents April DeBoer and Jane Rowse the ability to protect their children. “(DeBoer and Rowse) filed their case on January 23, 2012, in federal court. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette fought this case all the way to the Supreme Court, but he lost, of course,” Smith said. Smith also spoke on the difficulties LGBTQ activists face in their fight toward equality, specifically singling out the state of Michigan for these hardships. “I mean think about how easy it would have been … to give up,” she said. “April and

Everyone who votes for an increase in the cull tonight deserves to be voted off City Council cull, with Mayor Christopher Taylor being the sole dissenting voice. The council members also took time to vote on a resolution to decline pay increases in their salaries. The council rejected this resolution, accepting the pay increase. The council also declared the month of October Co-op Month in the city of Ann Arbor in honor of the work local co-ops do for the community.

WRAP-UP From Page 1A the sexual education curriculum in schools to ensure instruction includes medically accurate sexuality education that is age appropriate. State Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood, D-Taylor, proposed the bill. The proposed curriculum seeks to better prepare adolescents to become sexually healthy adults. “Research continues to show that comprehensive sex education, which teaches both abstinence and contraception, is most effective for young people. Youth who receive this kind of education are more likely to initiate sexual activity later in life and use protection correctly and consistently when they do become sexually active,” Hopgood said in a press release. Currently, state law encourages an abstinence-only approach to sex education, which, the press release said, has not proved to be effective in increasing rates of abstinence despite $1.5 billion spent during the past decade on

Jane, with a house full of young children, each with full-time jobs, defending their moral standing as two lesbian moms that can raise children just as well as straight people, while their home state of Michigan, with our tax dollars, said that children raised by same-sex parents would be damaged for life.” The remaining speakers included Nina Muckenthaler, the president of Michigan National Organization for Women, who spoke on what she sees as attacks on women’s rights by the Trump administration, and local activists, who spoke out against pipeline development in Washtenaw County and in other areas of Michigan. The marchers’ spirits were also buoyed by local musicians and singers who performed classic protest anthems. Music, Theatre & Dance senior Mason Van Gieson, a member of the a cappella group Amazin’ Blue, sang John Lennon’s song “Imagine” and spoke on the benefits of marches like these. “I think primarily it’s a really wonderful community-building experience,” Van Gieson said. “I think that there is something

People are starting to lose their mojo and the hate seems to be stronger about — primarily for a peace march — there’s something about finding other people that are thinking the same things you’re thinking, having the same fears and the same exhaustions that you’re having, especially within the current political climate.”

abstinence-only programs. HB 5074: This bill seeks to amend the Income Tax Act of 1967 to allow for student loan tax deductions, which reduces the amount of taxable income. The bill would permit taxpayers to deduct up to $5,000 for single filers and $10,000 for joint filers. State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud, D-Dearborn, proposed the amendment, stating in a press release this bill will give some relief to students repaying loans. “The cost of a college education has increased exponentially throughout the years. In addition to providing muchneeded tax relief, this bill would provide the state a tool to help retain our talent in a competitive market. In today’s economy, talent is the number one determinant for a major corporation selecting Michigan as a place to do business,” said Hammoud. The bill only applies to those who attend college, both public and private, in the state of Michigan.

Read more online at

michigandaily.com

ARTIST INTERVIEW

Citizen to perform release show at St. Andrew’s Hall DOMINIC POLSINELLI Daily Arts Writer

At this point in their career, Citizen has reached an almost cult-like status. With roots in the angry, aggressive side of pop punk, fans quickly flocked to the band. However, each of their releases has marked growth for a band unwilling to remain stagnant, and on their third album As You Please we find Citizen in a full melodic bloom. Where sophomore record Everybody Is Going to Heaven, while gorgeously arranged, was sonically demanding, As You Please feels less jarring, more fluid and effortlessly captivating. This Thursday, October 19th, Citizen will be headlining a record release show at Saint Andrew’s Hall in Detroit while on tour with Sorority Noise and Great Grandpa. The Michigan Daily recently spoke to guitarist Nick Hamm about the tour, changes to their live show and the reception of their phenomenal new record. The Michigan Daily: I keep seeing the Detroit show referred to as the record release show. Do you guys have anything special planned for that date?

Hamm: Oddly enough, we generally do our record release shows in Toledo, but this time around logistically we weren’t able to. So, we decided to do the record release in Detroit, but we’re going to donate a portion of the proceeds to the Toledo public schools foundation. And I’m excited about that, because we feel a bit guilty. So many shows pass over Toledo, so we’re excited to be able to, I don’t know, make up to Toledo a little bit. So that’s probably the most special thing we have planned for it. It’s also going to be the first show that we’re showcasing, like, some production that we’re doing that’s nothing we’ve done before. We’re kind of excited to break in this new kind of style of Citizen show. TMD: Could you touch on specifics? Are you adding lights to the show or instruments for the production of the album? Hamm: The most noticeable difference with the new album and the new live show is that we’ve added keys into the mix. So now, you know, that’s a very new thing to see Mat (Kerekes, vocalist) up there playing a keyboard. And additionally, we have some lights and things like that that we’re going to be trying out. Hopefully

there’s no bumps in the road as far as that goes. We’re excited about it, so hopefully people enjoy it. TMD: In your recent interview with New Noise Magazine, you said that there was a pushback on the new sound on Everybody Is Going to Heaven. How has the reception with As You Please been compared to your sophomore record? Hamm: It’s been overwhelmingly positive. I really don’t think we’ve ever released anything that has had such an immediate positive response. Touching back on the Everybody Is Going to Heaven thing, you know, we had a very clear vision for that album and a very clear sense of how polarizing it might be, coming off of such a different record with our debut. This time around we knew people would — you know, it’d be a little less polarizing — we knew that people would like it. But we really had no idea that people would be as receptive and as responsive as they have been so far. So, it’s super exciting after having an album that people either loved or hated, it’s kind of nice to have this record out and seemingly anyone that hears it is really excited about it. TMD: With the tour starting

RUN FOR COVER

tomorrow, are there any songs you’re excited or nervous about playing live for the first time? Hamm: Yeah, we’re doing a new song called “Control,” and I think ever since we first wrote the song we’ve been really anxious to be able to play it live. So, we’ve been practicing that one pretty diligently, just making sure it’s perfect before we unveil it. That’s probably the one I’m most excited to play. TMD: I know you’ve toured with Sorority Noise a few times at this point, and they were really well received at your headlining show with Turnover. Could you tell me a little bit about your touring experience with them and the addition of Great Grandpa as the opener? Hamm: So we first toured with Sorority Noise in 2016 with Turnover, and we didn’t really know them at that point. We

knew their singer Cam (Boucher) through mutual friends, but we just really love touring with them. They not only are just a really cool band, but they’re great people. They also just know everything about gear, and they’ve helped us with little things like that along the way. If I’m having technical issues, I just ask one of them about it and they generally know what it is. They’re super fun to have on tour with because they’re so positive and friendly. But they’re also just so helpful, and they don’t ask for anything in return. They’re just really cool people to be able to tour with. And as for Great Grandpa, I had not heard of the before we started routing the tour, and I’m friends with their booking agent Greg Horbal, and he suggested them so we all listened to them. There were a few other options in the mix, and we all just really liked it and thought they were a

really cool band. Unfortunately for them, they have to drive all the way from Seattle to meet up with the tour, but they immediately said yes to doing the tour. Obviously, it doesn’t always work out that way, but immediately they were down and it seems like it’s going to be really cool getting to know them and watch them every night. TMD: How would you describe a Citizen show to someone who has never heard of Citizen before? Hamm: I would say first and foremost that it’s dynamic. I think that describes it pretty perfectly. There’s moments that are pretty chaotic and loud, and then there’s moments that are really calm and really pretty, for lack of a better word. So, I think that it’s something that not every band offers, and I’m pretty proud of the way we handle the dynamics throughout our set. I think that’s probably the best word to describe it.

The Michigan Daily | michigandaily.com | October 18, 2017

WEDNESDAY

OT N

RUN

Michigan 27, Indiana 20 (OT)

Despite penalties, Wolverines win in OT BETELHEM ASHAME Managing Sports Editor

BLOOMINGTON — The 10 yards could have made all the difference. With just over a minute left to play, the Wolverines were clinging to a 20-17 lead when freshman Brad Robbins launched a 45-yard punt. But Michigan was called for a holding penalty, moving the ball up to Indiana’s 30-yard line. The Hoosiers pieced together three receptions and left two seconds on the clock. Though Michigan tried to ice him, kicker Griffin Oakes nailed a 46-yard field goal to send the game to overtime. Behind the efforts of junior running back Karan Higdon and the Wolverines’ defense, the No. 17 Michigan football team (2-1 Big Ten, 5-1 overall) escaped the overtime period with a 27-20 victory over Indiana (0-3, 3-3).

Time for a change

The 19th-ranked Wolverines already know what they have in John O’Korn. It’s time for them to find out the same thing about Brandon Peters.

» Page 4B

But throughout the day, there was good reason to be worried. Michigan may not have turned the ball over, but the Wolverines certainly held themselves back. They were called for a season-high 16 penalties, totaling 141 yards. The most costly of which came at the end of the second half. It could have cost Michigan the game, too. That’s where Higdon and the defense came in. The Wolverines received the ball first and took all of one play to find the end zone. Though Higdon looked stuffed, he managed to bounce around to the outside and run 25 yards for the touchdown. “I’m going to be honest, I went the wrong way on that play,” said fifth-year senior center Patrick Kugler. “I messed up. (But) when you have a back like Karan, he’s going to make you right sometimes.” Indiana then had a chance to answer back, and it almost did. The Hoosiers made it all the

way to the one-yard line, but Michigan’s defense wouldn’t let them go any farther. On four consecutive plays, the Wolverines racked up two tackles-for-loss and an incompletion before sealing the deal with an interception from junior safety Tyree Kinnel. “We (were) going to have to dig down deep to do it,” said Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. “The goal-line stand was great, an opportunity for us to keep them out of the end zone and win the ballgame.” Added fifth-year senior John O’Korn: “We trust our defense. They continue to get the job done. … There’s never any doubt about that in any of our minds.” Though it took until overtime to finally finish off Indiana, Higdon thought he had already staked Michigan to a decisive lead in the fourth quarter. At the start of the second half, the Hoosiers had forced a three-and-out and then drove 64 yards for a touchdown to cut

the Wolverines’ lead to 13-10. But with 10 minutes left to play, Higdon broke through a gaping hole in the middle for a 59-yard touchdown. At that moment, Michigan thought it could finally breathe a sigh of relief. It couldn’t. With four minutes left, Indiana returned a punt 53 yards to the Wolverines’ 20-yard line. Quarterback Peyton Ramsey threw an eightyard touchdown pass to bring the Hoosiers within three again. After an onside kick went Michigan’s way, it went threeand-out and was forced to punt. The ensuing penalty could have been devastating. And there were plenty of penalties that could have cost the Wolverines on Saturday. Out of 16 total, 11 — amounting to 98 yards — came in the first half alone. Michigan could have had a touchdown in the first quarter, after fifth-year senior tackle

Maurice Hurst blocked a 51-yard field goal attempt and sophomore cornerback Lavert Hill returned it 35 yards to the Hoosiers’ 27-yard line. But the Wolverines wasted their gifted field position. Higdon rushed for a 10-yard gain, but it was negated by a holding penalty. Immediately afterward, the offensive line was called for a false start. Suddenly, Michigan was backed up to Indiana’s 42-yard line. Though Higdon then rushed for 22 yards on consecutive carries, the Wolverines had to settle for a 38-yard field goal on 4th-and-3 from redshirt freshman kicker Quinn Nordin — his second of the game — after Michigan’s offense stalled in the red zone. But the most costly penalty of the first half went against the Hoosiers. As fifth-year senior quarterback John O’Korn scrambled on 1st-and-10 near the beginning of the second quarter, Indiana linebacker

Tegray Scales was f lagged for a late hit. The penalty moved the Wolverines to the Hoosiers’ 28-yard line and Higdon took care of the rest — rushing 16 yards up the middle before completing a 12-yard touchdown run to the outside to put Michigan up 13-0. Still, 16 penalties are usually a recipe for disaster. For much of the game, it looked like the Wolverines were heading right toward it. “Those are some of the things we have to grow (from) and improve on,” Harbaugh said. “Just keep coaching, just keep talking about it, just keep learning from it. “… It’s a process. We gotta become a more disciplined football team.” Though Michigan managed to escape relatively unscathed Saturday, with a contest against No. 3 Penn State just a week away, the Wolverines will need to clean up their mistakes in a hurry.

The blueprint In speaking to the media Monday, John O’Korn laid out what Michigan needs to do to upset No. 2 Penn State.

» SportsMonday Column Page 2B

SportsWednesday

2B — October 18, 2017

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

SPORTSWEDNESDAY COLUMN

The 94-word blueprint for an upset

t was an honest, inward reflection. Asked to evaluate his play through the last two weeks — performances that have yielded 256 yards and three interceptions with a 47.3 percent completion rate — fifthyear senior quarterback John KEVIN O’Korn took accountabil- SANTO ity. “I need to pick it up, there’s no way around it,” he said. “Definitely not up to my own goals and aspirations. I need to pick it up, simple as that.” Not long after, O’Korn was asked if the postgame conversations with Jim Harbaugh, offensive coordinator Tim Drevno and passing game coordinator Pep Hamilton focus on the broader statistics of the passing game. “I don’t think I’m very concerned about the stats and I don’t think they are either,” he said. “What they want me to do is manage the game, manage the offense and things like delay of games and turnovers can’t happen. You saw the turnovers improve at Indiana, now we just gotta manage the play clock a little bit better. “Like I said, just hit guys when they’re open, execute the plays that are called. Our run game’s rolling, our defense is rolling. It’s on us as a unit, quarterbacks and receivers, to pick it up.” And there it was: 94 words, and the blueprint for an upset in State College. Everything O’Korn said was correct. Michigan’s defense still tops the national rankings. The Wolverines’ run game

AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily

Fifth-year senior quarterback John O’Korn needs to manage the game, not play the hero, for Michigan to have a chance to beat No. 2 Penn State on Saturday.

— after junior running back Karan Higdon posted Michigan’s first 200-yard rushing performance since Denard Robinson’s in 2012 — looks alive and well. With a matchup against the second-ranked Nittany Lions beckoning, though, there is no avoiding it: the passing offense mustered just 58 yards and 2.9 yards per attempt against Indiana. Those stats should be concerning. O’Korn does need to step up, but it doesn’t fall solely on his shoulders and the Wolver-

ines don’t need him to play hero — no matter how enticing that may be for a Pennsylvania native who grew up 45 minutes from Beaver Stadium and whose mom works as a waitress in State College serving Penn State players and the coaches’ wives. More simply, they need him to take what comes to him. Harbaugh admitted that Penn State doesn’t give up many big plays. Through six games, the Nittany Lions have allowed just three scores of 20-plus yards — all against Iowa.

I need to pick it up, there’s no way around it.

Michigan, on the other hand, has lived on them. Of the Wolverines’ 13 offensive touchdowns, seven have come on plays of 25-plus yards. The key, then, is in O’Korn’s own words. He needs to manage the game. He needs hit the open receiver. It sounds simple, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Harbaugh wouldn’t directly address if he formulates an offensive game plan catered toward avoiding risk and playing to his defense’s strengths.

You’ve got to keep them off the field.

Michigan recognizes weight of Penn State game TED JANES

Daily Sports Writer

If the No. 19 Michigan football team hopes to make the Big Ten Championship — or go even further — it essentially has to win out the rest of the season. “You can lose one,” said senior left tackle Mason Cole, “but you can’t lose two.” No two-loss team has ever made the College Football Playoff. And with one loss already on their record, the Wolverines (2-1 Big Ten, 5-1 overall) face their biggest test yet this weekend on the road at No. 2 Penn State. A loss removes them from the Playoff discussion, but a win keeps those hopes alive. It’s Harbaugh’s third year at Michigan, and the team doesn’t want to settle for just another random bowl game in Florida. Few analysts, fans or media outlets are giving Michigan much of a chance against the Nittany Lions. The critics rip on the

Wolverines’ struggling offense and, more specifically, the errant passing game. “You try to zone it out, but you definitely hear (the critics),” said sophomore receiver Kekoa Crawford. “Personally, I like that. I like being the underdog, being doubted.” The doubts kept pouring in after the Wolverines scraped past Indiana in overtime. Michigan dropped two spots in the rankings and got lined up as an 11-point underdog on the same day. It was “one slap in the face after another,” as redshirt junior defensive end Chase Winovich described it. “It’s pivotal for the season because (Penn State) won the Big Ten Championship last year, and they’re a great football team,” Winovich said. The matchup carries far more weight than it did last year, when the Wolverines embarrassed the Nittany Lions in a 49-10 stomping in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines’ defense

bottled up running back Saquon Barkley, holding him to just 59 yards. The secondary shut down Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley, sacking him six times and allowing just 130 yards in the air. Michigan held Penn State to just 191 total offensive yards in 2016, but a lot has changed. Now, the Nittany Lions average 456 yards per game. “I was kind of surprised that (Penn State) really turned things around,” Winovich said. “During the game, I don’t think we had the highest regard for them. … I’m sure they were embarrassed in their own way. No one likes to lose by that much.” Penn State was 2-2 at that point last year. It had already lost to Pittsburgh, and yet nobody would’ve predicted what happened next. The Nittany Lions upset Ohio State and ran all the way to the Big Ten Championship. And after getting snubbed from the Playoff, they put on a show

“Play to win the game,” he said. “It’s every week though. I’d say it was emphasized this week, but it’s emphasized every week with our offense.” In this case, though, playing to win the game revolves around the Wolverines’ defense. It’s centered on the run game too. With his performance against Indiana, Higdon made the case that he can be a workhorse back for Michigan. And if he can’t, Chris Evans and Ty Isaac are waiting in the wings. Either way, the Wolverines have the capability to

in a Rose Bowl classic against Southern California. Barkley ran for 194 yards, and McSorley threw for 254. It was that Rose Bowl performance that sparked an offseason filled with hype about the dynamic BarkleyMcSorley duo. So far in 2017, the two have delivered. Barkley averages 217 allpurpose yards per game and has scored nine touchdowns. McSorley has thrown for over 1,500 yards with 13 touchdown passes, and he has even run for four scores as well. Penn State has all the talent it needs to continue winning in the Big Ten. Aside from Ohio State, it’s hard to imagine another Big Ten East team taking the Nittany Lions down. Michigan believes it can be that team. It believes it can make the Big Ten Championship. And it believes there’s a spot for it in the College Football Playoff. But if it loses again, there won’t be.

AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily

Senior left tackle Mason Cole recognizes the importance of the Penn State matchup, admitting that the Wolverines can’t afford to lose another game this season.

shorten the game against the Nittany Lions. As for Michigan’s defense — which will now be tasked with stopping running back Saquon Barkley — it is holding opponents to just 82.1 yards on the ground per game, good for sixth in the nation. Even with this defensive unit, though, there’s only so many times Barkley can have the ball in his hands before he burns you. And even if Barkley doesn’t burn them, quarterback Trace McSorley will. “You’ve got to keep them off the field,” Higdon said. “You’ve got to keep their playmakers off the field, and that’s how we’re gonna thrive in this game.” Which circles things back to O’Korn. Missing a wide-open Donovan Peoples-Jones on a wouldbe 60-yard touchdown didn’t come back to bite the Wolverines against Indiana. Making the same mistake against Penn State will. Those opportunities will be few and far between. But throwing to Kekoa Crawford in double coverage, as he also did against the Hoosiers, is asking for a turnover — the one thing that could take away this defense’s leverage. Maintaining that leverage and keeping the game simple enough to play to the Wolverines’ strengths will be crucial in State College. If O’Korn makes his reads, hits the throws and doesn’t turn it over, all while allowing Michigan’s stable of backs to shorten the game, he will have created the circumstances needed to pull off the upset. And his mom may have some disgruntled customers Sunday morning. Santo can be reached at kmsanto@umich.edu or on Twitter @Kevin_M_Santo.

FIELD HOCKEY

Wolverines on brink of outright B1G title DYLAN CHUNG For the Daily

The No. 3 Michigan field hockey team officially has a shot at an outright conference championship. With a weekend sweep, the Wolverines clinched at least a share of the regular season Big Ten championship, their first title since 2011. The championship is in its grasp because Michigan has been on fire as of late. Coming into the weekend, it boasted an undefeated Big Ten record and had allowed just two goals in its last eight games combined — all of which were victories. This weekend, it added even more fuel to the fire. Friday, the Wolverines (7-0 Big Ten, 13-2 overall) easily dispatched Indiana (0-6, 6-10) in Bloomington, winning 2-0. Michigan continuously swarmed the Hoosiers’ attackers, creating turnovers and suffocating every offensive plan that Indiana tried to execute. Michigan senior goalkeeper Sam Swenson’s most difficult challenge of the game was likely fighting off boredom, as the Wolverines didn’t surrender a single shot attempt to the Hoosiers. “We’ve been defending with a whole lot of team speed and doubling down on the ball with our forwards,” said Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz. “We’ve been really diligent in continuing to play team defense.” The victory against Indiana was the Wolverines’ eighth shutout in their last nine games — an unprecedented stretch that has led Michigan to within one shutout of its program record of 10. After the relative ease of their Friday shutout, the Wolverines faced much more formidable opposition on Sunday afternoon, playing at then-No. 22 Iowa (1-5, 5-10). At the start of the match, both sides struggled to generate any offense — neither team had a single shot for the first 20 minutes of the

match. Then, the floodgates were opened. Shortly after chalking up their first shot with roughly 10 minutes left in the half, the Wolverines took the lead when fifth-year senior midfielder Esther De Leijer rifled a shot into the right corner of the goal. Just over a minute later, freshman midfielder Kayla Reed streaked down the right side of the field, dusting her defender and centering the ball to sophomore midfielder Fay Keijer. Keijer then deftly redirected the ball to junior forward Emma Way, who emphatically pounded it in the back of the cage for Michigan’s second goal. And quickly after, sophomore forward Meg Dowthwaite spun past a defender and crushed the ball into the net — her fifth straight game with a goal. “(Dowthwaite’s) skills are just outstanding,” Pankratz said. “She’s able to finish and make real polished world-class goals. It’s been fun to watch.” And just like that, the Wolverines were up 3-0. But they couldn’t rest easy. Iowa’s sputtering offense roared to life in the second half, and suddenly, the Hawkeyes had scored two goals. With under four minutes remaining in the game, Iowa aggressively pushed all of its players forward for a penalty corner, desperately trying to knot the game at three. Iowa forward Maddy Murphy received a pass, wound up her shot, and nailed the ball. She beat Swenson — but not the goalpost. Her shot glanced off the left post, and the Hawkeyes would fail to generate another chance. Despite Iowa’s second-half goals, Pankratz was still full of praise after her team’s 3-2 victory. “(The Hawkeyes) were taking a lot of risks, and that just changed the momentum of the game,” Pankratz said. “But I was really proud of our team for really holding on and getting the win.”

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

SportsWednesday

October 18. 2017 — 3B

Michigan should see what it has in Peters

LOOMINGTON — For those who thought Michigan would avoid any more quarterback controversy this year, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. It may be time for Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines to give ORION redshirt SANG freshman backup Brandon Peters a shot. They had a chance to do so in the second half against Indiana, and next week’s road game in a raucous environment against No. 3 Penn State may not be as good of an opportunity. But, with how abysmal Michigan’s passing offense has been the past couple weeks, it still seems worth trying. Michigan’s offensive woes looked to be solved after John O’Korn’s stellar performance on the road against Purdue. We haven’t seen that same player in the two games since. It would be one thing if O’Korn fit the category of ‘gamemanager.’ That’s a term that often carries a negative connotation. But right now, a game manager under center wouldn’t be all that bad. With how absurdly good the Wolverines are on defense, someone who could make the easy throws and reads while limiting turnovers would be a lifesaver. Couple that with an improving run game — Michigan rushed 44 times for 271 yards with two touchdowns Saturday — and you have a recipe for success. But O’Korn hasn’t been a game manager. Quite simply, he has regressed since that big game against the Boilermakers. In last week’s dreary, rain-soaked 14-10 loss to Michigan State, he threw three interceptions on three

consecutive drives, killing any momentum Michigan had gained with an early second-half touchdown. That game could’ve easily been won. The turnovers made things harder. O’Korn didn’t turn the ball over once against the Hoosiers on Saturday afternoon. But he still left precious points on the board after completing 10-of-20 passes for just 58 yards. In the first quarter, he overthrew a wide-open Donovan Peoples-Jones on a sure touchdown. On the same drive, O’Korn left one a little too high for Grant Perry on 3rd-and-12, and Michigan settled for a field goal. He may have made a bigger mistake in the third quarter on a play that developed beautifully. After the Wolverines sold a run fake, redshirt sophomore tight end Zach Gentry ran an ‘over’ route, cutting across the field, and broke wide open.

The throw was there. Acres of wide-open turf — and a game-changing touchdown — beckoned. But Gentry was left throwing his arms up in the air as he watched the ball fall harmlessly to the turf 20 yards away from him, the pass intended for a blanketed Kekoa Crawford. Two drives later, O’Korn did look for Gentry. It came off playaction once again. This time, though, Gentry wasn’t open. The ball was nearly picked off, and Michigan’s offense listlessly trudged off the field after yet another misfire. Besides the missed throws, there were simple mistakes that one wouldn’t expect from a fifthyear senior. Michigan took two delay of game penalties, including one that inexcusably negated a beautifully-designed shovel pass to Khalid Hill that would’ve kept the drive alive. Conservatively, all those

missed opportunities cost the Wolverines 11 points — points that would’ve been a buffer against Indiana’s late push to force overtime. No. 3 Penn State isn’t as likely to be so forgiving of such errors. O’Korn was defensive when asked what he thought it would take to fix the passing game. “We ran for over 200 yards,” O’Korn said. “That was what was working. I don’t know that we need to necessarily fix anything. We went with what was working, and we won the game.” Harbaugh, meanwhile, took a ‘wait-and-see’ approach with his assessment of O’Korn after the game. “Well, we have to really look at the tape before I go into that,” he said. “ … We had some opportunities. Not a lot — we were grinding some meat out there today. “There wasn’t a plan to throw 25 times, 30 times or 20 times.

Had some opportunities. Made some plays. … Overthrew an open go route to Donovan (PeoplesJones). Got to look at it before I say anything.” But with a passing game that has averaged just 4.65 yards per attempt the past two weeks, meat grinding can only take a team so far — especially with games against the Nittany Lions, No. 7 Wisconsin and No. 9 Ohio State remaining on the schedule. So here we are, yet again, embroiled in another debate over the quarterback situation. After today, though, the answer seems clear: at this point, Michigan should see what it has with its backup quarterback. It knows what it has from its starter. And if Saturday was it, there’s no sense in not checking what else is there. Sang can be reached at otsang@umich.edu or on Twitter @orion_sang.

AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily

Fifth-year senior quarterback John O’Korn has averaged just 4.65 yards per attempt in two starts, making Brandon Peters worthy of consideration.

The good, the bad and the ugly: Indiana BETELHEM ASHAME Managing Sports Editor

If you listen closely, you can hear the Wolverine faithful breathing a collective sigh of relief. Just a week after a bruising loss to now-No. 18 Michigan State pushed the Michigan football team’s College Football Playoff aspirations to the brink of extinction, the 19th-ranked Wolverines almost suffered the fatal blow Saturday in Bloomington. With a 46-yard field goal as time expired, Indiana forced Michigan to win the game in overtime. Thanks to a 25-yard touchdown rush from junior running back Karan Higdon and a goal-line stand from their defense, the Wolverines finally did — preserving their season in the process. The Daily breaks down the

good, the bad and the ugly from Saturday’s game: The good Though it may be hard to see at first glance, Higdon’s 200-yard, three-touchdown performance wasn’t the only bright spot in Michigan’s 27-20 win. As last week’s catastrophic five-turnover outing illustrated, the importance of winning the turnover battle can’t be overstated. The Wolverines got back on track against the Hoosiers, posting a pivotal zero in the turnover column while also forcing two interceptions — the latter of which came from junior safety Tyree Kinnel on the final play of the game. Saturday, every possession mattered. Last week also taught Michigan that halftime deficits aren’t easy to overcome, as the

Spartans led 14-3 at the break and the Wolverines scored just seven points after it. Against Indiana — for the first time since a Sept. 9 matchup against a lowly Cincinnati team — Michigan entered the locker room with a lead larger than three points. Though the Hoosiers cut into that lead on multiple occasions in the second half, the Wolverines learned the value of a safety cushion. They also learned how to contain a dual-threat quarterback. After Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke completed 11-of22 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown and tallied 15 carries for 64 yards and a touchdown, Michigan’s defense wouldn’t let Indiana quarterback Peyton Ramsey do the same. The Wolverines harassed

Ramsey all game, totaling three sacks for 20 yards and four quarterback hits along with the two picks. While he still threw for 178 yards and a touchdown, he found no success on the ground, carrying the ball 14 times for a total of 14 yards. The bad While the running game centered on Higdon had its best performance of the season, the same could not be said of fifthyear senior John O’Korn and Michigan’s passing game. Last week, O’Korn received somewhat of a pass for his three-interception night due to the torrential downpour that engulfed Michigan Stadium. His 10-for-20, 58-yard day against the Hoosiers can’t be excused. After the game, when asked about the Wolverines’ struggles in the air, O’Korn pivoted, explaining that they

AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh was quick to point out that the Wolverines’ program-high 16 penalties against Indiana need to be corrected moving forward.

stuck to the running game because it was working. Some of his teammates also stated that the ground game was the point of emphasis on offense. The truth of the matter is that both offensive units can work simultaneously. But Saturday, only one did. Michigan’s lack of success in the air hurt it toward the end of the game, as the Hoosiers launched their 10-point comeback in the fourth quarter. After Higdon gave his team a 10-point lead with 10 minutes left and then again after sophomore corner Lavert Hill intercepted Ramsey with six minutes to go, the Wolverines should have been able to ice the game. Instead, Indiana saw the runs coming and managed to stop them, forcing a three-andout on each series to lead up to their touchdown drive, and later, their last-second field goal. The ugly Sixteen. That is the programrecord number of penalties the Wolverines committed against the Hoosiers on Saturday. Those penalties, which were spread widely across the offense, defense and special teams units, totaled a whopping 141 yards lost. For perspective, that is nearly two and a half times the number of passing yards O’Korn had. On top of those high figures, the timing of the penalties couldn’t have been much worse for Michigan. You would need both hands to count the number of penalties that could have proven disastrous, including a pass interference penalty on Indiana’s first overtime possession that moved the Hoosiers to the 12-yard line. It took a stellar goal-line stand from the Wolverines’ defense to prevent Indiana from tying the game. With so much momentum on the Hoosiers’ side, if the game went to double overtime, Michigan might not have come out on top.

FOOTBALL

Stopping Barkley: Michigan’s biggest test TED JANES

Daily Sports Writer

It’s not easy to stop a Heismancandidate running back, and it’s a lot harder to do so on the road during one of college football’s most recognizable traditions — the whiteout game in Happy Valley. But that’s the task the No. 19 Michigan football team (2-1 Big Ten, 5-1 overall) is faced with this week as it prepares for No. 2 Penn State (3-0 Big Ten, 6-0 overall) and Saquon Barkley. Barkley is third in the Big Ten for total scoring with two receiving touchdowns, six rushing touchdowns, one kick return touchdown and even a passing touchdown. He averages 108 rushing yards per game and 6.4 yards per carry. Keeping Barkley’s contributions to a minimum will be tough to say the least, even for Michigan, which leads the nation in total defense. “It’ll be a team effort defensively to go against a great player, and a really outstanding offense,” said Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. “… (Barkley) can catch the ball out of the backfield. He can run all of the assortment of runs, inside the tackles and on the edge. Very good pass protector. He is a multi-purpose back that can do everything well.” Barkley’s presence pits an elite offense against an elite defense. The Wolverines’ two starting linebackers, senior Mike McCray and sophomore Devin Bush Jr., will have a lot on their hands. “I’m going to be matched up on him all game,” Bush said. “I’m going to have to stop him in the run game and the pass game, so I know he’s going to test me.” Linebackers played a big role in shutting down the Nittany Lions last year, when Michigan steamrolled Penn State, 49-10. Former linebacker Ben Gedeon racked up 11 tackles, and VIPER Jabrill Peppers had five tackles and a quarterback hurry. But Barkley has only gotten better, and sophomore Khaleke Hudson is the new VIPER. Him, McCray and Bush have to ensure that Barkley doesn’t break loose for big gains. “That’s something we pride ourselves on,” Bush said. “You know, they’re going to get those three- or five-yard (runs), but as long as they’re not breaking 20-yard runs consistently, we’re going to be fine.” Michigan’s defense has shut down opponents’ running backs so far. It has allowed just 2.64 yard per carry and has given up only three rushing touchdowns. The Wolverines should also take notes out of some fellow Big Ten teams’ playbooks. Two weeks ago, Northwestern completely eliminated Barkley from the game in the first half despite ultimately losing, 31-7. For the first 30 minutes in Evanston, Barkley ran just eight times for negative one yards. The Wildcats filled the gaps and packed the line of scrimmage to contain Barkley, but Penn State was able to spread the ball through its quarterback Trace McSorley and found ways to score through other components. Northwestern couldn’t contain Barkley all game though, and he ended up scoring a 53-yard touchdown run. Another opponent, Indiana, held Barkley to just 56 rushing yards. “When you play an offense like (Penn State), you have to try and eliminate those explosive plays,” said fifth-year senior defensive tackle Maurice Hurst. “You have to shut down two really dynamic players in McSorley and (Barkley). “(Barkley) just seems to get better every single year. We identified him as someone who was a really good player even as a freshman. Someone that we thought would be a top-10 pick one day.” He is well on his way to the high ranks of the NFL Draft, and if Michigan wants to pull off the upset, stopping him is the first step.

SportsWednesday

4B — October 18, 2017

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Hill highlights strong showing from secondary FOOTBALL Higdon leads ‘M’ in OT KEVIN SANTO

Managing Sports Editor

BLOOMINGTON — As Lavert Hill sat in the bowels of Memorial Stadium, he was asked if his brother had texted him. The sophomore cornerback admitted he hadn’t checked his phone yet, but it’s easy to understand why a detail like that could peak curiosity. It was just two years ago, after all, that Michigan found itself in a double-overtime game in Bloomington — one not too different from the overtime thriller of Saturday afternoon. That one came down to the final play too. Then-Hoosier quarterback Nate Sudfeld lined up in the shotgun from the two-yard line, and looked right. Mitchell Paige ran a curl route and Sudfeld took aim. The ball was in Paige’s hands, and the Wolverines’ season was about to be rendered irrelevant. Then-junior safety Delano Hill — Lavert’s older brother — had other plans, ripping the ball from Paige’s grasp. Saturday afternoon’s conclusion wasn’t quite as dramatic, nor convenient. Indiana had a chance to ruin Michigan’s season in Bloomington once again, but this time, the final pass never reached a receiver’s hands. The younger Hill didn’t replicate Delano’s game-ending play. Junior safety Tyree Kinnel did. “I (remember) watching that play a couple years ago, it was pretty exciting,” Hill said. “I thought about that during this game. I just wanted to go out there and ball out.” That is exactly what Hill did, even if he wasn’t the one to capture the final highlight. And if he had checked his phone after the game, there’s a chance he would have seen a tweet from Jourdan Lewis calling him an All-American. He may not be there yet, but

Saturday made it look like he is well on his way. “He’s been pretty high all season, he really has,” said Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. “Lavert’s been a really good player for us. (I) was gonna say steady, but he’s been better than steady. He’s been playing at a really high level — had some great defenses on balls, pass break ups, interception, tight coverage. “That’s why we brought him here.” Hill put his stamp on the game from the get-go. On Indiana’s second drive of the game. Ramsey dropped back to pass, only to watch Hill pick him off near the Hoosiers’ own 25-yard line. A questionable pass interference call brought the play back, but Hill would still have his moment. On 2nd-and-2 in the fourth

quarter, Indiana quarterback Peyton Ramsey targeted wide receiver Taysir Mack on the sideline. In doing so, he targeted Hill too. It was a decision he’d soon regret. Hill boxed out Mack — forcing him toward the hash marks — all while shadowing him on the inside, eventually contorting his body and highpointing the ball to come down to the turf with an interception. Theoretically, Hill’s pick should have put the game to bed. It came with just over six minutes remaining in the game and the Wolverines held a 10-point lead. Instead, despite having only one timeout, the Hoosiers managed to push the game to overtime with a field goal that went through the uprights as the clock expired.

I just wanted to go out there and ball out.

Hill’s counterpart in the secondary eventually gave Michigan its victory. Ramsey rolled to his left, carrying with him the Hoosiers’ final hopes of keeping the chance of an upset alive in Bloomington. He retreated to the 15-yard line with defensive end Chase Winovich collapsing on him fast. And just as he absorbed the hit, he f loated the ball into the end zone, albeit to no one in particular. Kinnel took full advantage, rising up uncontested to nab the ball out of the air and simultaneously put the Wolverines on the right side of their second consecutive upset scare. What you may have missed, however, is what made it so easy for Kinnel to pick the ball off. There was only one receiver that Ramsey could have been targeting on the play — Indiana’s top wideout, Simmie Cobbs Jr. But he was taken out of the play. Lavert Hill was the one guarding him.

AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily

Sophomore cornerback Lavert Hill recorded an interception in Bloomington, continuing his solid start to the season.

TED JANES

Daily Sports Writer

BLOOMINGTON — Junior running back Karan Higdon sat in the press conference room with a wide smile across his face. Deep below the stands of Indiana’s Memorial Stadium, Higdon had just finished answering questions, and as he got up to leave, he passed by his coach, Jim Harbaugh. The two bumped fists. “Good job,” Harbaugh told him. It’s easy to see why. In No. 17 Michigan’s 27-20 overtime win, Higdon put the team on his back, running for three touchdowns and 200 yards on 25 carries. He became the first Michigan player to rush for at least 200 yards since Devin Gardner in 2012, and he became the first running back to do so since Mike Hart in 2007. Higdon’s final touchdown was the difference maker, as the Wolverines (2-1 Big Ten, 5-1 overall) recovered from last week’s loss to Michigan State. On the first play of overtime, the coaches called for Higdon to run up the gut, but once he got the ball, the offensive line was stuffed. He ran into his own teammate, but bounced left for a footrace to the end zone. He sped past the Hoosiers’ defense and carried the ball 25 yards for a touchdown. The play mirrored his first touchdown in the second quarter, when he also had to adjust on the fly and skip out wide for the score. In fact, it was the same play. “We called that play earlier, and I broke out for a nice little touchdown run,” Higdon said. “So we felt good going back to it. I got the ball, saw the hole was clogged and decided to make something happen. So I bounced it, saw the defense overpursued and it was off to the races.” Added Harbaugh: “He was phenomenal. I don’t know how many yards he got after contact,

but those were tough yards. It looked like there’d be a tackle for loss, a small gain or no gain, and he found a way to get four or five yards out of it.” Running Higdon up the middle had worked well all game. He averaged eight yards per carry, and the offensive line was blocking for him and the other running backs better than they had all season. Oddly enough, two of his three touchdowns came on plays where the blocking didn’t pan out. His longest rush, though — a 59-yard touchdown — arrived in the fourth quarter. The Wolverines led by just six points, and they were starting a drive from their own 16-yard line. After handing the ball to Higdon three straight times, the coaches subbed him out for one play. When he came back on to the field, though, they called his number again. This time, all of the blocks arrived, and Higdon found a hole. He followed his blocker, burst through the gap, and streaked to the end zone. “We went with the run game a little more today,” Higdon said. “… We had a salty taste in our mouth from last week, and we just stuck to the game plan and trusted it. All of the guys did their job.” While Michigan’s pass offense struggled against the Hoosiers — totaling just 59 yards all game — the game plan this week had been to run. The passing game had also proven to be a problem against Michigan State, and Higdon’s physical run game was seen as the solution. “It was going to be more run heavy,” Harbaugh said. “We thought we could move the ball and be successful. “We wanted to play that kind of a ball game. We ran the isolation, we ran the power, we ran the counters. … It was just part of the plan.” The plan worked.

Five Things We Learned: Higdon a weapon, penalties a problem TED JANES

Daily Sports Writer

KEVIN SANTO

Managing Sports Editor

Those who hoped that the Michigan football team would follow up an upset loss to Michigan State with a no-doubter against Indiana were left sorely disappointed Saturday. The Hoosiers pushed the 19th-ranked Wolverines to overtime with a field goal in the final two seconds of regulation before Michigan sealed a 27-20 victory with a touchdown rush from junior running back Karan Higdon and a goal line stand that was capped off by junior safety Tyree Kinnel’s game-ending interception. Next up for Michigan is a date with No. 2 Penn State in State College — a contest that has earned ESPN’s “College GameDay” treatment. Before the Wolverines get there, though, here are five things we learned in Bloomington. 1. Hill can be a shutdown corner If it wasn’t clear enough already, losing Jourdan Lewis may not be so detrimental after all. Sophomore cornerback Lavert Hill has looked like a shutdown corner through Michigan’s first six games, and if you don’t want to take our word for it, then his numbers can speak for themselves. According to Pro Football Focus, Hill has been targeted 21 times this season. On those targets, opposing quarterbacks have a 18.8 quarterback rating, while receivers have managed just eight catches with zero touchdowns. On top of that, Hill has recorded six pass breakups and two interceptions — the latest of which came against Indiana. With just over six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Hill covered Taysir Mack perfectly before making an impressive play on the

ball to pick off quarterback Peyton Ramsey. If not for an uninspiring offensive effort to kill the clock, Hill’s interception could have iced the game. Hill had another pick on the Hoosiers’ second drive of the game, but it was called back on a questionable pass interference call. The Wolverines now rank as the third-best passing defense in the nation, allowing 138 yards per game through the air. Hill has played no small part in that. 2. Running the ball, with Higdon, is Michigan’s best weapon on offense It took five years, but a Wolverine finally rushed for 200 yards again. Denard Robinson did so in in 2012, and on Saturday, junior running back Karan Higdon hit exactly 200 rushing yards on the Wolverines’ final offensive play of the game — a 25-yard touchdown dash in overtime. Higdon earned the start over fifth-year senior Ty Isaac and sophomore Chris Evans, and averaged eight yards per carry. A handful of Wolverines mentioned last week that reestablishing the run game would be crucial to Michigan’s success, and it turned out they were right. And Higdon was the reason why. Harbaugh complimented Higdon after the game for his ability to gain yards after contact. A handful of times against Indiana, Michigan’s offensive line failed to get the right blocks in place, making it difficult for Higdon to find the designed gaps. Nonetheless, he created positive yards by breaking tackles and finding open space. He leads the Wolverines with five rushing touchdowns this season, and as the passing game continues to struggle, it’s likely that the Wolverines will have to rely on their running backs to carry the weight against Penn State. Higdon’s physical run game seems to be the best option.

3. Peoples-Jones is far more than a punt returner The bad news for Michigan fans is that the Wolverines mustered just 58 yards through the air. The good news is that Donovan Peoples-Jones is coming into his own in the receiving game. The freshman led Michigan with four receptions and accounted for 34 of the Wolverines’ passing yards — including an impressive overthe-head catch on 3rd-and-7 for a 17-yard gain in the second quarter. That’s without mentioning that Peoples-Jones should have had a 60-yard touchdown reception. In the first quarter, on 1st-and-10 from Michigan’s own 40-yard line, PeoplesJones streaked through Indiana’s secondary and beat his coverage in a foot race on a go route, only to watch as fifthyear senior quarterback John O’Korn overthrew him.

Still, after a shaky start to the year serving as the Wolverines’ punt returner, Peoples-Jones has shown he has all the tools to become a viable receiving threat in the wake of fellow freshman Tarik Black’s injury. 4. Penalties are a problem on both sides of the ball “I tell my six-year-old not to spill the milk, and gosh darnit, the next thing you know, he’s spilled the milk.” That’s the metaphor Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh used in comparison to the program-record 16 penalties the Wolverines committed. Just as he tells his son not spill milk, he tells the team not to commit penalties. But penalties happen anyway. Michigan’s offense caused four of them and the special teams units had three flags thrown against them on returns. On one play in the second quarter, the Wolverines’ defense was f lagged three times on a single play. Sophomore

defensive back Khaleke Hudson was called offsides, and redshirt junior defensive back Brandon Watson held his receiver. Then fifth-year senior tackle Maurice Hurst rammed into Indiana’s quarterback late and was f lagged for roughing the passer. It’s not often that you see three f lags on one play, but Michigan made it happen. It still came away with the win in Bloomington, but staying disciplined will be far more important against the three top-six teams remaining on Michigan’s schedule. 5. BOLD PREDICTION: Peters gets snaps against Penn State It wasn’t too long ago that the Michigan faithful were calling for O’Korn to replace redshirt junior quarterback Wilton Speight under center. As it turns out, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. O’Korn has started two

games since replacing an injured Speight against Purdue and throwing for 270 yards and a touchdown. Since then, the results haven’t been encouraging. With Speight still suffering from three fractured vertebrae, the Wolverines have averaged just 4.65 yards per attempt in the passing game. In the last two weeks, O’Korn has posted just 256 yards with a 47.3 percent completion rate and three interceptions. For redshirt freshman Brandon Peters to see time as Michigan’s quarterback in State College, O’Korn’s struggles will need to persist. It’s hard to imagine Harbaugh thrusting Peters into the fire midway through the game, but a catastrophe wouldn’t rule anything out. One thing is certain: O’Korn has played himself into a situation where the Wolverines need to at least entertain the thought of Peters.

AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily

Freshman wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones has proven that he is capable of becoming a viable threat in the passing game just halfway through his first season.

statement T H E M I CH I GA N DAI LY | O C TO B E R 1 8 , 2017

FITTING IN: Navigating campus culture as an international student

Wednesday, October 18, 2017 // The Statement

statement T H E M I CH I GA N DAI LY | O C TO B E R 1 8 , 2017

Managaing Statement Editor: Lara Moehlman

Editor in Chief: Emma Kinery

Managing Editor: Rebecca Lerner

Deputy Editors: Yoshiko Iwai Brian Kuang

Design Staff: Michelle Phillips Hannah Myers Emily Hardie Erin Tolar Emily Koffsky

Copy Editors: Elizabeth Dokas Taylor Grandinetti

Photo Editor: Alexis Rankin

Soundtracking: House hunting

BY MATT HARMON, DAILY STAFF REPORTER

*Three weeks ago* ying in my dorm room on a Tuesday night, I look around at my walls that are covered in the same posters and the same modular dorm furniture from my time in South Quad Residence Hall last year. Two years in the dorms keeps things simple. My phone vibrates. A new group chat with two friends I met in my hall last year. One message. “What are you guys doing for housing next year?” Shit. I Ain’t Got Time! — Tyler, The Creator I’ve been to my upperclassmen friends’ houses and house parties but I always assumed houses just fell into your lap. Last year I didn’t have to do anything. Housing sent me an email, I picked my room and my housing was guaranteed for another year. I was guaranteed meals every day, a bathroom and a wall to hang my Garfield cross-stitch on. The simple bare necessities. Now I’m lost. I haven’t thought about next year yet. We just got back from break in September and now the universe expects me to pull an apartment out of thin air and lease that bad boy for junior year. Fate is a cruel mistress. I run to my laptop and open a new window. Google search: How do you rent houses in Ann Arbor? Down the rabbit hole. Shop Around — The Miracles What seems like a million sites for apartment and house rentals near campus flood my screen. Clicking randomly, I open about 10 of them and start the hunt. Filters: 3 bed, 1.5 bath, Ann Arbor, For Rent, House or Apartment, Heat Included, Washer/ Dryer, Parking Available. All options upwards of $900 per person per month. I’m a broke college kid. I take other people’s leftovers if they’re going to let the wait staff take their plate. I pick up change I find on the ground. My shoes are so ripped they might as well be flip flops. I can’t pay rent like that every month. I cap the search to a certain amount of rent per month. Suddenly, my plentiful options disappear. I am left with six or seven pins on a map far from Central Campus. Looks like I’m buying a bike too, because off-campus might as well be Ypsi for my price range.

No Money (Jetski) — Joe Hertler & the Rainbow Seekers However, options are options and I have a few places to check out that I can afford. Why does this sound like a “House Hunters”-type reality show where the host cheesily talks to the camera and a price counter sits on the bottom right hand corner of the screen? *One week later* I’m standing outside a lovely red house waiting for a landlord to give me and my roommates a tour. There’s

a 19-year-old college student’s body. We step inside and my eyes dart all around. Impressions — John Coltrane The interior does not match the homey vibe I got from outside. Flooring is coming up; a leaky faucet won’t stop echoing in my ear and some parts of the ceiling are barely high enough for a 5-foot-8-inch dude like myself to fit under. Every question we ask is another bullet point in the con list of this entry in our “JUNIOR YEAR HOUSING LET’S GET IT” Google Doc. Is it furnished? Nope. Do you pay for heat and water? No way. Is it the same price as we saw online? No dice. I feel like I’m on “Punk’d” with post-“That 70s Show” but pre-”No Strings Attached” Ashton Kutcher. As we leave the tour, the landlord shakes my hand and says he felt like we really enjoyed the place. He says he’ll give us a call in a few days to check in and see if we want to schedule a lease signing date. Don’t Bother Calling — Moses Sumney *One week even later* No such luck in trying to put a roof over my head next year. Options keep getting crossed off our Google Doc. Pins on our homemade map disappear everyday. Promising listings turn into disappointing tours. My friends around me slowly sign their leases and leave my roommates and I floundering. ILLUSTRATION BY HANNAH MYERS It’s not even midterms yet and I’m already stressed beyond belief. Way to go, Mr. XO a big front porch but it’s currently blocked by the Dorm Llif3 by Lil Roomie Vert. remnants of a beer pong table that has definitely I Do Need Saving — Frontier Ruckus seen better days. Bikes are locked up around the The only thing saving me from resolving to live perimeter. in the Shapiro Undergraduate Library’s basement The landlord pulls up and hops out of his car with for the entirety of my junior year is knowing my a huge smile on his face. Yellow legal pad in hand, roommates are just as stressed as me. Strength in he’s ready to make a deal while I’m ready to piss my numbers. pants at the thought of taking this next step toward We schedule an apartment tour, expecting adulthood. another rough display of an even rougher apartment Judging from the front, the house looks amazing. complex that’s 20 miles away and has about 14 cats It gives me a very cozy feeling. As the landlord, my as current tenants. To our surprise, the place is roommates and I walk up the steps, pine needles beautiful inside and out. Large unit, two toilets, a stick to the soles of my shoes. I have to kick them dishwasher (which I have never had in my life so off before reaching the door. I’m ready to officially this is a new adventure for me) and the price warms fall in love with this place, agree to sign a lease on my heart. the spot and be done with this hellhole that is the *Today* housing search. I’ve looked at too many listings and Even if the entire process almost drove me mad, Google Docs and pro / con lists for a small child in we’re home now.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017 // The Statement

Personal Statement: Steeped in hot water

BY AMELIA CACCHIONE, MANAGING PHOTO EDITOR

hen I think about it too much, I wonder why I even go into all the effort of zapping water with waves of energy just to soak some leaves in it so it turns a slight shade that water is not supposed to be, for me to then sweeten it with copious amounts of honey that will only make my sedentary body softer. I started drinking tea in high school. I’m not really sure why. Probably because tea is easier to make than coffee. Operating a coffee maker required a level of commitment I was not ready for. Microwaves are easy. I’ve only ever made tea using a microwave and with every new microwave I have to learn exactly how long it’ll take to get the water just right. At home, put it in for 1 minute and 45 seconds every time. At school, it’s 1 minute and 30 seconds if I’m using a small mug and 2 minutes if I’m feeling patient enough to let it cool before I burn my tongue. I’m a brunette Goldilocks with a different preference of bland food. — I could look at one thousand pictures and never recall the same feelings as when I inhale the steam from a mug of tea and the first sip touches my tongue. The smell, the taste, the burning I can trace down my esophagus sends my mind reeling back in time. — I don’t know how to spell chamomille but I know how it smells and the smell makes me think of my mom. Last semester it took three weeks before I was diagnosed with mono and I learned that a phone call

is not the same as a hug. Six-hundred miles later, my mom was in Ann Arbor and not leaving until I was better. We carried bags of saltines and soup into a house we rented in a neighborhood by the train tracks. The living room had one lamp, lace curtains and everything was a shade of off-white.

middle of the woods and nobody’s there to hear it, it still makes a sound. I know because no one was there to hear us but our words shook the leaves. It was humid and we were both carrying 40 pounds on our backs and we hadn’t spent so much time together since Christmas. Now when I drink green

I hear the radio when I drink English breakfast tea. Some mornings it was NPR, some mornings it was the local show talking about celebrity gossip that no one wanted to hear at 7 a.m. My mug is a stress ball I squeeze between my legs as I sit in traffic. I balance a cup of yogurt on top of the steering wheel that I won’t

ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY KOFFSKY

I cried because I was 20 years old and with my mother who had done the nicest thing anyone had ever done for me. Her hands held me, and my hands held mugs of tea. The tea made me better then, but now it makes me uneasy. If I can’t take care of myself when I’m sick, will I ever feel independent? I tell myself to swallow the tea and remember that there is strength in needing others. — Green tea has the aftertaste of the wet soil where my sister and I hiked. If a tree falls in the

tea, I think about how much I miss you. I want to be home and running into your room to jump on your bed. I want to plan our next trip and vow that no matter how tired we get we will not get tired of each other. I want to be back on that trail and take back the words I said. But once a tree falls, it is too heavy to be lifted back up. I drink green tea and think about how all we could do was keep walking and I remember that sometimes the best way out is through. —

have time to finish before the bell rings. My mug has ridges on the handle. I used to know exactly how many ridges there were. My fingers traced them up and down, counting 1, 2, 3… my eyes flick up and around the room but I don’t want to make eye contact so I continue to raise the mugs to my lips even though there is no tea left. Eventually high school ends. Now I have a different travel mug with smooth sides. With no ridges to count, I open and close the lid: open, close, open, close,

open, close. — Christmas has a smell that is Trader Joe’s Candy Cane Lane tea. At home, the box of tea is still on the same shelf in the pantry but I can’t find my favorite mug. I lay on my bed as my family moves around the house. I haven’t been home all semester and suddenly I feel like a boulder dropped into a river, with the water continuing to rush around me. I’m not sure if home is home anymore and I can’t fall asleep. The tea still tastes the same. Sometimes you have to look for what stays constant in all the change. — A bit behind on the food trend scene, I recently got into Chai. The combination of spices make me feel a color deeper than the orange of fall leaves, and I love the feeling of fullness the milk leaves in my stomach. I am not sure what Chai will teach me. I am not sure what memories will flood my mind when I smell cinnamon or ginger or cloves. Maybe I will remember how it felt to be 20 — knowing who I am and who I want to be, but not really knowing how to reconcile those. I might remember my purple pen and journal that I took out at every coffee shop as I procrastinated writing papers that would actually get me a grade. I hope the taste reminds me of what it felt like to be able to change my mind, make mistakes, be forgiven and pour myself into my passions. In the end, I am thankful I take a couple minutes out of every day to heat some water.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017 // The Statement

FITTING IN:

Navigating campus culture as an international student

s a Japanese citizen who grew up in New Jersey, I know many Asian expatriates who never quite felt comfortable living here. Northern New Jersey is an area with a large Korean immigrant population. Many of my childhood friends attended Korean churches and associated with Korean cliques in middle school. I was once a part of this clique, along with a Nepalese friend. A Korean family friend also told me Korean adults in my area never really needed to master English because of how cohesive their community was. Another childhood friend of mine from my middle and high schools — who is originally from Tokyo — once told me he was embarrassed by his lackluster English and seldom spoke to Americans, instead opting to associate with the children of other Japanese expatriates. I have always felt torn about my two identities as a Japanese and an American. From a very young age, I felt as if I needed to prove to others that I was American enough, and did so by seldom talking about my heritage; on the other hand, I vociferously studied Japanese so my expat friends’ parents welcomed me as one of their own and not “one of those Japanese Americans.”

by Ishi Mori, My friends from both sides of the Pacific have simultaneously labeled me as “the most Americanized Asian I know” and “the most Japanized American I know.” I have a friend who hails from a town in Connecticut with a 98-percent white population and Japanese friends who left the United States never quite understanding why I wanted to stay in this “rubbish” of a country, where busses never come on time and police were patronizing toward their non-English speaking parents. But then again, I was repeatedly frustrated by divisions I saw growing up based on nationality. I repeated tried to persuade my friend from Tokyo to interact with Americans; but I also saw my American friends treating immigrant communities as something mysterious and incomprehensible. When I came to campus my freshman year, I expected to see less ethnic clustering. My hometown was 35 percent Asian; the University of Michigan was 15 percent, and I assumed in-state Asian Americans were thoroughly integrated into mainstream American society simply because I didn’t realize there was a sizeable Asian population in the Midwest. Surely there would be more mixing of cultures, I thought. But I forgot to account for the more than

COURTESY OF BENTLEY HISTORICAL LIBRARY

Jason Xu

6,000 international students who study in Ann Arbor. And I saw the same phenomenon again, where expatriates were not able to blend into mainstream society and Americans themselves were not interested in approaching them. From several conversations with Asian international students, I’ve gained insight into some of the cultural barriers that prevent them from stepping outside their comfort zones. ****** In 1854, Yung Wing became the first Chinese student to graduate from a North American university after receiving a diploma from Yale. In 1872, the University of Michigan admitted its first Japanese student. Two decades later, Mary Stone and Ida Khan, who would eventually become pioneers of Western medicine in China, came to Ann Arbor from China to pursue medical degrees. Fueled by a growing middle class across the Pacific, international student enrollment in the United States has expanded aggressively, with the largest driver of growth coming from China. In 1999, roughly 515,000 international students were enrolled in undergraduate or graduate studies in the United States. This doubled to 1,044,000 by 2015, with the number of Chinese students enrolled in American institutions increasing nearly six-fold to 328,500 and the number from South Korea growing by onethird to 61,000. The presence of international students on campus has provided many benefits to American universities. For one, international students provide a steady flow of income in the form of tuition because they are not eligible for federal or state government aid. Yet perhaps most importantly, an international presence on campus imparts both domestic and international students with an intercultural competency necessary to compete in a rapidly globalizing world. Or so the theory goes. In recent years, university administrators across the country have expressed growing concerns about the need to culturally integrate their international students into American culture. In a February Marketplace interview, University President Mark Schlissel stressed the University’s commitment to fostering a global community within campus and increasing cultural exchange. “We’re educating all our students to operate in a global marketplace,” Schlissel said. “And in order to do that, they need to be exposed to people from different nations, different cul-

Daily Staff Reporter tures, as part of their education.” ****** As of winter 2017, the University enrolled 3566 undergraduate and graduate students from China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Mongolia. By far the largest population within this subgroup is from China with 2717 people, according to the same record. Yet even with 2717 people from your country, attending school in a foreign country can be a frightening experience. Filling in this gap, international student associations like the Chinese Students and Scholars Association provide relief from the daily stress of adjusting to an alien land and a space for students from the same country to feel back at home again. Jason Xu, a School of Information senior hailing originally from Shanghai, finds these organizations useful for finding a community, but also thinks they can be a trap to prevent students like him from broadening their circles. Xu explained that though he likes to spend time with other Chinese students, most of his friends are domestic American students. He said the tendency for fellow Chinese students to aggregate among each other is the “most common issue” he encounters. “I feel like progress often takes place outside your comfort zone,” Xu said. “A lot of people in that comfort zone, they can’t speak English well, they don’t have American friends … it’s the same as studying in a Chinese university.” And though Xu admitted he may have an edge in adapting to new environments because of his upbringing, having lived in both Honduras and Macau, Xu argued in the end the comfort in staying with people from home will detract from the study abroad experience. “I try to give myself a little bit of a challenge,” Xu said of stepping outside the Chinese community on campus. Being said, Xu confessed he feels alienated sometimes because in groups, he does not understand certain jokes or topics domestic students like to talk about. He said he prefers one-on-ones instead of groups so he can take time to know about people’s backgrounds and interests without having to follow the majority. “I think everyone needs to have lunch and learn about their backgrounds and thoughts. I think it’s beneficial to me,” Xu said. “There’s no problem of communication if it’s one-to-one.” Janine Meng, an LSA sophomore from Taiwan, said though she, like Xu, personally

wants to better integrate herself into American culture, she knows several Taiwanese students who came to the U.S. exclusively seeking research and networking opportunities — not to foster friendships with domestic students. “Some students … they didn’t come here to make friends. They came here to study,” Meng said. “If interacting with their group of people is more easier to be on this campus, I guess they will just stay in the group.” However, Meng explained she did not find her American friends without help from others. Like many international students, she was afraid at first. Meng’s faith helped her in the end. Because she was compelled to speak with others at her church — attended by both domestic and international students — she was able to break the barrier and create lasting relationships. “I got to interact with domestic students … because (my) church is not an Asian church and I got to meet with a lot of new people, a lot of other freshmen,” Meng said. Are cultural organizations preventing students from integrating well? Ashley Wiseman, interim director of the Global Scholars Program on campus, doesn’t think so. Though she stressed the importance of breaking from one’s comfort zone, Wiseman also sees cultural organizations playing a significant role in international students’ lives. “It is important to connect to people who share that experience with you, being in a new place, being culturally marginalized,” Wiseman said. “I actually wouldn’t want to take away from some parts of that, the benefits of forming community to support each other and celebrate each other.” ShinDong Kim, an Engineering senior from the suburbs of Seoul, agreed with Wiseman. Kim himself is not involved too heavily in campus Korean organizations, but he said he can see how these groups can actually help an international student assimilate better into U.S. society. “It helps a lot to have people from the same nationality because they know what kind of struggle you go through and they’re able to help you out,” Kim said. “They can tell you what’s in Ann Arbor, how to go to places, get to places, what to do and they actually do it with you, so it’s a nice way to assimilate.” ****** In addition to student-facilitated organizations for international students, the University also seeks to provide opportunities for international and domestic students to learn from each other. That, Wiseman says, is the goal of the Global Scholars Program — a living-learning community for sophomores and above that gives domestic and international students a chance to live and interact with each other. Participants live together in North Quad Residence Hall and attend courses aimed at raising their skills in intercultural communication. Domestic students are also encouraged to study abroad to cap off their global experience. “The University of Michigan is such a large place. Without structured opportunities to interact … it can be hard for both international students and U.S. students … to build friendships,” Wiseman said. “We might have diversity in numbers, (but) it’s getting that interaction

to occur that can be a real challenge.” GSP compels domestic and foreign students to interact and learn from each other in novel ways. Wiseman explained that when assigning roommates, her team chooses two people who may have the most cultural differences. Students are also required to attend discussions with peers from a diverse range of backgrounds. GSP also hosts mandatory dialogues about current events. Xu, who is a dialogue facilitator for GSP, said he tries not to frame the discussion as a political debate but as an opportunity to gain multiple perspectives around a controversial topic such as the issue of gun control in light of the Las Vegas shootings. “We don’t want to get into politics — it’s easy to get into gun rights and people start arguing. We encourage personal experience,” Xu said. “(A student’s) friend’s dad passed away due to the shooting. People sharing different perspectives so we can understand how serious the situation is and its impact.” Wiseman said international students often come to GSP because they did not have a satisfactory experience making friends their freshman year. At North Quad, however, they find others who share the experience of being the only person of their nationality and faith and they quickly establish friendships. “They come here and they find out that they have their difference in common,” Wiseman said. “So that really brings people together, feels like home, feels like family. … They feel celebrated and affirmed.” The University’s International Center is also a resource for those who want to find friends among the international community. Kate Zheng, assistant director for Global Engagement and Education Abroad, said in the beginning of the academic year the International Center focuses on programming that builds friendships between international students so they can form an independent support network. Later on, the center actively acts as a springboard for students to step out of the comfort zone and interact with their peers from other cultures, including domestic students. “I think it’s two-fold. On one hand, especially at the very initial stage, it’s crucial to have that support,” Zheng said. “But once they make their transition adjustment, we’re really here to encourage them to make more friends, friends who may be different from yourself.” The International Center hosts events like monthly coffee hours and birthday celebrations as well as intercultural seminars to engage both domestic and international students. Zheng said though attendance falters as the year goes on, she does not necessarily see this as a bad thing. “Maybe eventually they find their own circle of friends and they want to do things that they are passionate and interested, which is great,” Zheng said. ****** Historian Ronald Takaki once wrote: “There are no Asians in Asia.” From a mainstream American perspective the statement may seem ridiculous, but to East Asian international students the statement is true. These students identify as Chinese, Kore-

HALEY MCLAUGHLIN/Daily

Janine Meng

an, Japanese — not the vague, general concept of Asian. However, there are Asian Americans in the U.S. But that identity exists because we formed a political union despite the linguistic, ethnic and cultural distinctions between us to address our common issues. This kind of rude awakening to the American phenomenon of race is not an uncommon experience among East Asian international students, who typically come from ethnically homogenous areas. Given the current political environment, international students are constantly reminded of race in the United States. Meng, for instance, said she found it surreal that the political unrest she saw on TV in Taiwan was happening blocks away on a daily basis. “You’ve always heard on the news, racial problems in the U.S. are a huge problem here, like what happened in Charlottesville,” Meng said. “But now here it’s like really experiencing, seeing these protests … that’s really interesting.” Xu recalled when he first learned about the difference in prison incarceration rates between Blacks and whites, and was shocked at how race extends to every aspect of life in the U.S., including necessities like employment and housing. “I never thought that skin color can make someone’s life so different,” Xu said. “I feel very upset about it because (there’s) not many things I can do.” These kinds of realizations are not limited to race. Chingun Khasar, an Engineering senior from Mongolia, explained in his home country, LGBTQ individuals still face a heavily prejudiced society and casually thrown insensitive comments and insults. He said he would have maintained his own prejudices if

he stayed in Mongolia and was glad college provided him an ample opportunity to meaningfully broaden his tolerance. “In Mongolia, when they curse the worst thing is ‘you’re gay,’ ” Khasar said. “I didn’t know (the LGBTQ) community existed, and if I was in Mongolia I would probably have discriminated (against) them too, but coming here definitely changed my perspective.” ****** On campus, I’m part of the Japan Student Association, an organization that connects me with Japanese international students. But within this organization I believe international students are marginalized because the Japanese American community and those who attended American schools in Japan form a majority. Other Asian ethnicities have separate organizations for those from the mother country and those who grew up in the United States. Yet I believe in the relatively smaller Japanese community we cannot afford a divide. There are undoubtedly significant barriers for Japanese international students to overcome while integrating to American campus culture. Which is why what Kim said earlier about these organizations — that there’s a level of comfort in associating with people of your own background — offered me a path forward. Immigrants like me are often the closest to “Americans” these international students interact with. If individuals like me actively seek to engage with them, to be by them side-by-side during their time in the U.S., we can bring them back into the fold of not just JSA, but also the University community as a whole.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017 // The Statement

Personal Statement: Puck

by Ellie Homant, Managing Social Media Editor

t’s March 1996. I’m only a few days old, and coming home for the first time. I was not old enough to remember anything, but I will always know this: my grandpa couldn’t be there for me when I was born, so he sent the next best thing — a giant, stuffed dog to hold his place as my companion until he could travel up from Chicago to visit me in Michigan. *** I’m only a few weeks old and already proving to be a handful. I get stomach aches. I’m nosy, and anxious and curious. I’m particular about my surroundings, what clothes are on my body, who’s around me. But the biggest problem is I won’t sleep. My grandpa comes up to visit on the weekends, when he isn’t working. My grandpa, grandma and mom all tag team to try to calm me to sleep. But it’s clear that my grandpa is particularly good at it — his calm presence lulls me. He rocks me, walking back and forth all night to the top of the stairs in my house and back. Even after I fall asleep, he continues to walk, just so I can rest. Through all hours of the night, we walk back and forth, in peaceful silence — one that I will find to be unique to our relationship, and one of my favorite parts about being around my grandpa. We’ve never needed words. *** I’m two years old, visiting my grandparents’ house in Florida with my parents. The warm, muggy air that would grow to be familiar over many trips was still new, as was their expansive, bright ranch. But my grandpa and I are off on our own adventure. There’s an owl nest in his neighborhood, and he wants to show me. We take a walk down the road, him patiently beside me and then, eventually, carrying me. He points out the nest to me — it’s dark, but I can still see. I see tiny baby owls, their eyes glowing in the darkness. He’s holding me tight. We go back to the nest often, the two of us. *** I’m maybe three or four years old. I’m at my grandparents’ cottage in Northern Michigan with my cousins. My cousin Nick has just gotten a new toy — a talking Mr. Potato Head, from the new movie “Toy Story.” When you press a button, Mr. Potato Head will talk to you. My grandpa presses it. “You’re a hockey puck!” Mr. Potato Head tells him. My cousins and I crack up, and my grandpa joins right in. “You’re a hockey puck!” we parrot back to him. He laughs, big and loud, his shoulders shaking — this is how he always laughed, even when the joke wasn’t funny. But this was hysterical — our grandfather, a hockey puck? We loved it. My grandpa gave everyone a nickname — Leroy, Tutu, Au Revoir — random names that made him think of you; that’s how you knew you’d made it in with him. That day, my grandpa got his own: Puck. And that’s what we called him, from then on.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ELLIE HOMANT

*** I’m four years old, sitting in my home in Michigan. My grandparents are visiting. Puck and I are sitting together at my kitchen table. We’re drawing together on big sheets of colored construction paper. I love to draw with Puck. I love to do most anything with Puck. He’s patient with me, always looking at my creations when I call to him, letting me help with his careful, beautiful drawings. He’s a talented artist, always sketching — but when I’m there, the clean lines and accuracy don’t matter. I can help all I want. *** I’m seven years old, and visiting my grandparents’ new cottage — a closer to make the journey from Chicago to Northern Michigan shorter. They decide to make a new purchase: a golf cart, a Northern Michigan staple. Puck and my brother go to pick it up a few days after we arrive — it’s bright yellow, and we all love it. Puck endeavors to teach my cousins, brother and me how to drive it — an admirable decision, given we are all under twelve years old. We sit in the driver’s seat, with Puck next to us riding passenger. He shows each of us which pedal is the gas, which is the brake, how to turn the wheel and steer it where we want it to go. My brother, too small to reach the pedals, sits on Puck’s lap and steers. We drive up and down the stretch of beach that backs up to their house; carefully back and forth on the shoulder of the quiet road in front of the house. After a week, we are all proficient in driving the golf cart. My cousins and I draw up golf cart driver’s licenses for ourselves, complete with our best impression of a photo. We deliver them to Puck to notarize; he does so enthusiastically. *** I’m nine years old, back at my grandparents’ Florida house. I’m still drawing regularly, carrying a small sketchbook with cartoon animals all over it wherever I go. I draw anything, and Puck loves it. He shows me his sketchbooks, full of meticulous drawings, especially of Timon and Pumbaa from “The

Lion King,” his favorite movie. I am in awe. I love them. He calls me over to his office one day, and hands me one of his sketchbooks, open to a blank page. “I want you to draw something in here,” he says to me. “Me? What do you want me to draw?” “Anything you want,” he says. He promises he’ll love it, whatever it is. I think about what to draw for hours, and finally settle on my at-the-time trademark: a cartoon monkey. I carefully draw the familiar shape, sign it, date it and deliver the sketchbook back. “Thank you, El. I love it,” he looks at me. There are tears in his eyes. He gives me a big hug. “Great job.” *** I’m 12 years old, muddling through middle school. Puck picks me up from school — he arrives 30 minutes before school lets out, and sits patiently in his car to wait for me to emerge. He loves this routine, one that we continue until I turn 16 and start to drive myself to school. I come out of school and immediately spot his big, white Envoy. It’s been a tough day for me — my friends have turned out not to be great friends after all. “Hey there, Miss El. You hungry?” “Yeah. Maybe. I guess.” “Alright, well let me know what you feel like,” he says. We pull out of the parking lot, both of us quiet. “Are you thinking about what you might want to eat?” he asks me a few minutes later. Immediately, I start to cry — hard. He sits next to me, patiently. I know now how much it hurt for him to watch me cry, but he did it without complaint. He puts his hand on my knee — his hand is huge compared to mine, and his nails are shorter — he was a chronic nail biter. I hold it. He drives another loop around the block, and then we go for ice cream. *** I’m 17. It’s a few days before Christmas, and I’m in my grandparents’ house in Michigan — purchased a few years prior so that they

could be closer to my family. Their house is less than a mile away from my own. We’re baking Christmas cookies, all sorts — chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, oatmeal, pizzelles. I start to measure out ingredients. I dip my measuring cup into the flour. “Wait!” Puck calls over. He hurries over to the silverware drawer, grabs a butter knife. “Take a big scoop,” he tells me. I take a heaping scoop — He reaches over and evens the measurement with the knife. “Perfect,” he proclaims. I dump it into the bowl. We’ve been baking all day. I’m exhausted from the heat in their small kitchen, and from all the measuring, mixing, timing — I go to take a nap on the couch. Puck has assured me he’ll keep an eye on the cookies in the oven. I come back into the kitchen and find him in his usual baking position: sitting on a step stool placed on the kitchen floor, directly in front of the oven, intently watching the cookies bake. “I have to get them at just the right time,” he tells me. *** I’m 18. It’s college move-in day. I’m terrified, but even more terrified of showing it. My stomach is filled with dread and anxiety as we load the car with what is going to become my entire life at school: bedding, small appliances, clothes. My grandparents arrive to see me off. There’s not enough room in the car (or my future dorm room) for them to come along. They get out of the car, carrying a cardboard box. It’s filled with bottles of water — Smart Water, to be exact. It’s my favorite, because there are little pictures of animals on the labels. They want to make sure I have enough water to take with me. Puck walks up, setting the box down next to the car. “You ready, Miss El?” He puts an arm around my shoulders, and I feel the lump in my throat get bigger. We stand together quietly for a few seconds, and then I look up at him, and tell him the truth. “I’m really scared. I don’t want to go.” He squeezes my shoulder. “I know you’ll be great.” *** I’m 21, on another visit to Florida. We’re in my grandparents’ new condo, a recent move from the ranch that had gotten to be too big. It’s a quiet morning; Puck and I are the only ones in the house. I’m reading, quietly, and he’s bidding on stamps online for his collection. The house is almost silent, each of us engrossed in our own tasks. After a while, he leans over from his desk to look at me, sitting in the chair next to him. “Hey, El,” he says. “Can I ask you a favor?” He needs me to address an envelope for him — his hand tremor has gotten bad, and he can’t clearly write the address. I do it eagerly, copying down the address from another envelope. “Oh, thanks so much. You’re my hero, El.” He smiles at me and pats my shoulder. I smile back. We return to the peaceful silence. We never needed words.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017 // The Statement

Personal Statement: Bus #904 to Chelsea by Adam Rozenberg, Contributor

hen I was a junior in high school, my sister moved away from our home in Michigan to pursue a career in the fashion industry in New York City. I was thrilled that my sister was finally pursuing her dream of living in New York but saddened by the fact that I would no longer see her every day. After our initial trip to move her in, our contact decreased significantly. Navigating a long-distance relationship between a brother and sister was uncharted territory for both of us. I would see her during big holidays but that was about it; I missed having the support of someone who knew exactly what I had gone through. My freshman year of college, I finally planned a weeklong trip to New York to see the city as my sister knew it. I was so prepared for this trip to change my life and reignite our relationship — but what ended up being the most impactful part of the whole trip was getting there. I opted for a $30 bus ride rather than a plane ticket because it was all I could afford. The bus was scheduled to depart at 5 a.m. to arrive in New York City 16 hours later. With that much time to waste, I packed my bag with books, enough sleeping pills to sedate a small elephant and a journal for the week. I arrived at my bus stop at 4:45 a.m. and still remember the brisk morning — I could see my breath as I waited. I stood in line with about 30 other people, many cherishing one last cigarette before the long haul. I remember looking around, curious of everyone’s lives around me. 5:30 a.m. We’ve finally boarded the bus. After some woman in the front got in a loud argument with the driver for a long 15 minutes, she realized this bus was New York bound, not Newark. I had to wake up an angry man with a moustache and shimmy into the last seat next to him. He made himself comfortable, leaning on my shoulder and loudly snoring — I can still feel his moustache through my shirt. How do men with moustaches date when the sensation of being slightly brushed is so unnerving? This is going to be a long trip. 8:43 a.m. We’ve arrived in Cleveland. I don’t think there is anything more boring than watching the Midwest roll by. The man sleeping on my shoulder gets off and I

can finally feel my arm again, which is all I’m really excited about. I’m curious what kind of business he had in Cleveland, or what business anyone has in Cleveland. A woman in scrubs replaces the man with the moustache. I’m excited because if she ends up sleeping on me, I can push her off easier. She immediately introduces herself as Brita, “like the water filter.” I can’t imagine how many times she has had to say “like the water filter” in her life. She asks me why I’m headed to New York and I tell her about my sister. I ask

layover. It’s the worst amount of time for a layover — I don’t have enough time to really explore, but I have too much time to simply sit. I lug my backpack and duff le bag to a local restaurant and order some fennel salad that they’re apparently famous for. I wonder what Pittsburgh must be like if a salad can be famous here. 2:00 p.m. Finally, back on the bus, I manage to secure the front seat on the second level. The seat has additional outlets and extra legroom — I think this is what first class

ILLUSTRATION BY HANNAH MYERS her the same and Brita says she is traveling to New York to meet her father for the first time. She explains her father was “a man who let his dick do the thinking.” Her mother was a librarian knocked up by a traveling businessman, so Brita was raised by a single mother. Brita and her husband were preparing to have a child and she wanted meet her real dad before raising a child of her own. “He doesn’t know I’m coming, but we started writing letters back and forth about six years ago. He’s a property manager out in Harlem now. I have his address and I’m going to surprise him.” We share a pack of Starbursts as she continues telling her story. We agree pink and yellow get more hate than they should. I really hope everything pans out for Brita. I’m not sure she knows exactly what she wants to get out of meeting her dad, but I hope she finds it. 11:20 a.m. We stop in Pittsburgh for a three hour

on a bus feels like. I’m so tired of sitting. I admit watching Pennsylvania through a bus window is way more exciting than watching the Midwest. This state is full of beautiful mountains and farms; there is always something new to look at. I try to draw some mountains but I remember I don’t really know how to draw. 2:50 p.m. I’m at a loss for words right now. From the time we departed Pittsburgh, the bus has been making worrisome noises — the kind you never want to hear from any vehicle. After every successive noise, passengers share worried looks — until there’s a loud boom and the back of the bus fills with thick grey smoke. We pull over and everybody runs off. I sit on the side of the road in Pennsylvania with a group of 60 or so strangers. It’s cold and it looks like it could rain any second. We may not get another bus for four hours. I’m beginning to understand why tak-

ing the bus is a last resort for many people. Brita finds me and we watch “The Empire Strikes Back” on her computer. 5:50 p.m. So this is what it feels like to be rescued from a desert island. I opt for back into my glorious first-class bus seat. This time a tall man with long, dark hair and a beard sits next to me wearing sandals, a brown vest and vertically striped green pants. Without saying anything, he hastily begins sketching me. I pretend I don’t notice until he catches me staring. “You’ve got a weird chin, I hope you’re not coming to New York to be a model.” A little insulted, I tell him I’m going to New York to pursue my dream of being a foot model for f lip-f lop ads. He looks confused but seems pretty convinced. The guy introduces himself: Kent is running away from home to be a painter. He looks a little old to be “running away” — “moving out” would have probably been a more accurate phrase. I take a few sleeping pills and drift off. 11:40 p.m. I wake up to see the bus entering the Lincoln Tunnel. I don’t think people realize how tiring it is to sit in one place for such a long time. Ever yone is wear y, but there might be some hope in the air. 12:18 a.m. When we emerge from the tunnel and f inally enter New York Cit y, the bus is silent in awe. Eyes f ixate on the skyline. It’s kind of humbling — ever yone is coming to New York for different reasons, but nobody can deny being totally enchanted by the view. 1:20 a.m. I have never been happier to reach a destination. I meet my sister. We get a slice of pizza. Af ter 20 hours, ever y thing falls comfortably back into place — like putting on an old pair of gloves, things f it perfectly just as they had before. The trip was totally f ulf illing. My sister and I fell back into place, and our contact became more frequent and meaning f ul af terward, which is exactly what I wanted. I think seeing my sister felt even more satisf ying because of how long the trip took — but more than any thing, I think I have a new appreciation for people taking the bus to New York.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017 // The Statement

V I S UA L STAT E M E NT

CAMER AMALL PHOTO WALK Photos by Prashanth Panicker As students of the University of Michigan, it’s easy to forget that this town isn’t made up of solely 20-something-year-old transplants. On Saturday, CameraMall — a local camera shop — hosted a street photography workshop taught by Andy Shields, a Detroit-based street photographer. With students fleeing town for fall break, this presented an opportunity to capture members of the Ann Arbor community.

Andy’s tips on using reflections and glare to create a scene really came in handy here.

The colorful graffiti and the stark interor of the building provide an excellent opportunity to photograph contrast.

I was able to snap a quick photo of this man as he hurried down the street. While Andy was teaching, this man approached us and stuck around, intently listening to the workshop before finding a new group to talk to.

A man walks his dog down Liberty Street while carrying his banjo and guitar.

I love how the three photographers all seem to be wearing the same combination of black raincoats on blue jeans. Their “uniform,” plus the fact you can’t see their faces, really suggests how photography is, at its core, rather invasive.