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EDITORIALLY INDEPENDENT SINCE 1908 | SEPTEMBER 2026

DESIGN: MEGAN GOURLEY

‘DON’T JUST SIGN A LEASE BECAUSE IT’S THERE IN FRONT OF YOU’ Second-year exercise science student Isabella Pataky pulled into The Radley parking lot expecting to move into a safe, clean apartment for herself and her roommates. But when she stepped into her new home, she found that wasn’t the case. Her apartment door was wide open, with a family waiting outside their unit. The showers were used, with wet hair strands left behind. and the stove wasn’t working, suggesting a

family of potential squatters had stayed there over the summer, she said. When she opened the door to her individual unit, the living room reeked of marijuana and cigarettes. Water stains marked the ceiling, and paint was splattered across the floors. Cockroaches had claimed their territory within the unit, and someone else’s belongings had been left behind.

Anthropology class explores USC’s history of enslavement

Behind the screen: The Nickelodeon Theater’s programming

PAGE 10

“I’m deathly afraid of bugs,” Pataky said. “But I’m sort of getting used to killing them. I have no choice; It’s either that, or I let them crawl on the floors at night, and I’d rather just kill them so that they can’t reproduce more.” This was only the beginning for Pataky and her roommates. They discovered roach infestations in and around the walls and filled holes in the walls with

cotton swabs to prevent bugs from crawling in. The conditions of Pataky’s apartment highlighted the persistent maintenance issues The Radley’s residents can face. The national average rent for off-campus student housing is about $1,000 per bed each month. Pataky pays $570 a month, over 40% less than the national average, according to the National Student Housing Report.

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Students find second home with Gamecock MMA PAGE 19

There’s a bad side to body positivity and people are noticing PAGE 26

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The Gamecock | 1

C O N T E N TS 2

Letter from a managing editor

South Carolina Arts Commission postpones two grants

USC researchers cast doubt on last-place water quality ranking

Lawsuit sparks veteran‑led defense of open primary elections

Recurring pressures behind off-campus housing

Anthropology class explores to USC’s history of enslavement

Behind the screen: The Nickelodeon Theater’s programming

Inside USC’s all-female a cappella group, the Cocktails

USC students find unique ways to make money

New international grocery store brings authentic groceries to Columbia

Novel Nook: Book Hangouts is an open space to read

Cocky inducted into Mascot Hall of Fame

Students find second home with Gamecock MMA

Freshman pair brings on-court connection to South Carolina volleyball

Emil Seedoff comes to Columbia ready to compete

This month in Gamecock history

Print journalism students aren’t getting real experience

Opinion Grab Bag: Rising enrollment at USC

Privacy is a thing of the past

Comics

There’s a bad side to body positivity, and people are noticing

H. 5356 could restrict voter’s voices if passed

Continued Stories

Visuals of the month

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Staff Page

The Daily Gamecock Mission Statement The Daily Gamecock’s mission is to inform, seek the truth and inspire through our reporting on issues that face the Carolina community. Founded in 1908, The Daily Gamecock is the editorially independent student newspaper at the University of South Carolina. Dailygamecock. com, along with a daily email edition, is your online source for The Daily Gamecock’s coverage of all things USC.

The Gamecock | 2

Letter from a managing editor: Find what fulfills you SIMONE MEYER | MANAGING EDITOR

The end of summer hits you little by little over time, but print weekend hits you all at once. As a section editor and a writer, I felt the pressure of fulfilling the duties of my role. I gave up precious hours of sleep and little pieces of my soul. But becoming a managing editor made me have to think critically about what I was putting in all this effort for. Hit back to back with assembling my first print edition, the first football game of the season and our fall training for new staffers, I found myself spending hours upon hours staring at my computer. I was trying to make sure everything was perfect, that I was doing my part and that

PHOTO: KILEY WAGNER DESIGN: NAT CAMPBELL

I stayed on schedule. My brain started spinning. My reality felt like it was fracturing. And I came to a startling realization: There was nowhere I’d rather be. Maybe I was tired, drained and wasn’t studying enough for my econ test next week. But I’ve committed so much of my time to this paper, and what that commitment has given back to me is invaluable. I’ve learned how to meet deadlines, delegate hard tasks, take responsibility for my actions and

work in a team. Most of all, I’ve learned – as cliché as it may be – that I am capable of more than I’d imagined. When I first started at the paper, I had a long way to go. My confidence was low, my patience was nonexistent and delegation was not a word in my vocabulary. Something I wish I had told myself is that dedication and commitment doesn’t have to feel grueling or self-critical. It’s about finding balance. It’s about finding what’s important to you. For

a lot of people, the school newspaper may not be worth precious hours of sleep and little pieces of your soul. Still, I encourage you to find whatever is “it” for you. Whether it’s academic or extracurricular, whether it’s mainstream or niche, lean into the things that make you feel passionate and get you all fired up. Fulfillment is important, and so is authenticity. What’s important to me is by no means important to you. Diversity is what makes us stronger as a society, so lean into what makes you unique. What are you here for, if not to pursue what fulfills you?

NEWS | 3

South Carolina Arts Commission postpones two grants MADISON SINKHORN | NEWS WRITER The South Carolina Arts Commission, or SCAC, received approximately $3.7 million in grants this summer. More than 170 art programs across South Carolina received funding from the SCAC, but the Greenville Gay Men’s Chorus and Proud Mary Theatre Company of Spartanburg had their grants put on hold. SCAC is an autonomous state agency that guides the development of the arts in South Carolina. For over 50 years, the agency has worked to uplift a thriving art scene. Since 1967, SCAC has been awarded more than $132 million in grants to help fund artists and art organizations across the state. Federal and state budget appropriations fund the $3.7 million in grant SCAC received this summer, a part of the commission’s annual total budget allocation.

The commission said its board, whose members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate, are obligated to consider concerns about the use of public funds. “We have not denied these two applications; rather we will revisit them to determine what these public funds are proposed to be used for and the artistic merit of such proposed purposes,” SCAC Communications Director Jason Rapp said in a statement. Numerous organizations submit to receive a portion of the grant including the Greenville Gay Men’s Chorus, a LGBTQ+ nonprofit choral ensemble, and Proud Mary Theatre Company of Spartanburg, a nonprofit theater company that produces plays and musicals centered on LGBTQIA+ voices and stories.

PHOTO: NAT CAMPBELL The South Carolina Arts Commision building in Coumbia on Sept. 5. The commission postponed grants for two LGBTQ+ arts organizations following concerns about funding restrictions.

Emails obtained through public records revealed that board members Jessica Rourke and Russell “Rip” Parks objected to funding the two organizations. “My decision is based on a personal and governance principle that commission funding should not be directed toward organizations structured around specific sexual orientations, nor should public funds support drag performances,” Rouke said in an email to SCAC interim Executive Director Ashley Kerns Brown and outgoing Executive Director David Platts. Parks voiced similar concerns, arguing that organizations may promote their agendas privately but should not receive state funding to do so. Parks also said he would appreciate if such “controversial requests” for funding were brought to the commissioner’s attention in advance. Rourke later alluded to President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting federal funding for what it describes as “gender ideology,” a term the order defines to include recognition of gender identity apart from biological sex. The commission’s decision prompted criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina, a nonprofit organization that advocates for civil liberties and constitutional rights. Jace Woodrum, executive director of the ACLU of South Carolina, said the commission’s actions specifically discriminate against LGBTQ+ communities and are attempting to silence ideas its members disagree with. “LGBTQ+ people have always lived in South Carolina, and we have always found ways to express ourselves. Our existence is not an ‘ideology,’” Woodrum said. “The commission can claim they’re choosing not to fund ideology all they want, but all they’re doing is discriminating against LGBTQ+ people and attempting to silence ideas they disagree with.” In a letter to the commission , the ACLU cited a Rhode Island court case in which four arts organizations challenged the National Endowment for the Arts over a similar condition tied to Trump’s “gender ideology” executive order. The condition would have required grant recipients to

certify that federal money would not be used to promote gender ideology. In September 2025, a federal judge ruled that the policy’s viewpointbased funding restriction violated the First Amendment, therefore deeming it unconstitutional. Following its Aug. 20 meeting, the SCAC adopted broader language stating that grant funds cannot be used to promote “any ideology.” How that standard will be applied remains unclear. The commission’s comprehensive list of grant recipients includes religious, cultural, civic and identity-based organizations, postponing only two LGBTQ+ affiliated art programs required to defend their artistic merit to the board. Sally McClellan, Proud Mary Theatre Company’s grants coordinator, said Proud Mary has not received a followup from the commission, leaving the program unsure how it should defend its artistic merit. Despite their uncertainty, McClellan said the company aims to reflect LGBTQ+ experiences onstage, producing four shows a season, including plays, musicals, cabaret performances and a drag show. McClellan said Proud Mary is volunteer-run and does not depend on the commission’s withheld grants to survive. She said losing the grant would carry significance beyond merely the dollar amount. “The bigger disappointment for us would be … that we would be singled out for who we are and would not be receiving that funding,” McClellan said. “Discrimination would be the more painful part.” Meanwhile, the Greenville Gay Men’s Chorus is seeking $13,000 in grant funding from the board. Mary Adam, the chorus’s executive director, said the grant money is for general operating support, not a specific performance or program. The funding helps cover expenses such as salaries, office supplies, theater rental, lights and utilities, Adam said. CONTINUE READING ON PAGE 35

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NEWS | 5

USC researchers cast doubt on last-place water quality ranking KATE DURDEN | ENVIRONMENT BEAT WRITER

irst-year biology student Keiragan Gleissmer said she doesn’t notice anything fishy about the water she uses to stay hydrated or shower, but new statistics may make her question where she gets it. The University of South Carolina finished last in a ranking of 50 U.S. college towns by water quality conducted by Culligan Water. But USC is not alone, said Julia Reardon, vice president of marketing consumer products at Culligan, in a statement. Ninety-two percent of college towns evaluated had at least one harmful contaminant in their water – and 82% of the college towns ranked had lead levels above the Enviremental Protection Agency goal.

The study considered four factors in the ranking. USC scored a C for hazard mixture grade, a D for lead grade and an F for both synthetic forever chemicals perfluorooctane sulfonate, or PFOS, and perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, levels. Had she known where USC ranked before committing to it, Gleissmer said she may not look at it the same way. “I feel like water, it impacts all of you,” Glessimer said. “So, I feel I probably would have looked at that and considered others.” This is a concern Susan Richardson, a professor within the department of chemistry and biochemistry, shares. Richardson said the statistic could have a negative impact on students thinking of attending USC, but that’s not the

PHOTO: BEN CALKINS An outdoor bottle filling station stands in front of Davis Field on Aug. 25. Students use the water fountains daily, especially during the summer months.

only concern she has. Richardson takes issue with the statistics themselves. According to Reardon, Culligan Water evaluated quality based on publicly available data for lead and total PFAS. Richardson said these public records are where her concerns for the study arise. “It seems not true to me based on what I know, based on what I’ve dug up,” Richardson said. “It’s misleading.”

BASELINE BIAS

Other research on campus raises similar questions. Tammi Richardson is a professor with a research focus on ecology and marine biology. After reading the statistics from the Culligan study, she said the prominent word ringing in her head is bias. “The fact that it’s a water treatment company presenting this data immediately makes me more skeptical than I might be otherwise,” Tammi Richardson said. “If the EPA was coming out with this, then I would worry.” Culligan’s methodology page explains how it gathered lead data from an annual consumer confidence report, a data analysis that water utilities complete. However, only one out of the 50 sites exceeded the action level for lead. The main contributor to traces of lead is due to out-of-date pipes through service lines. “This has nothing to do with the incoming water and the way they treat the water at the water treatment plant,” Susan Richardson said. Susan Richardson’s research works closely with Columbia’s water treatment plants to monitor the exact variables within the Culligan study. Over the past 12 years, her graduate mass spectrometry classes have been studying levels of lead in Columbia’s drinking water. Her students have never reported high levels of lead through this work, she said. Before reading the details, Susan Richardson assumed bacteria would be at the core of the study due to sewer overflows. “That’s not what they’re talking about in this,” Susan Richardson said. “They’re talking about drinking water, and that’s my wheelhouse.” Tammi Richardson said Culligan should have used research directly sourced from local scientists.

“If you generate your own data, you know the standards you use,” Tammi Richardson said. “You know the replication that you did, that’s a big one. You know that you have qualified people doing the analyses.”

COLUMBIA’S CONCERN

According to Susan Richardson, Columbia’s main water quality concern flows in the Broad River where PFOS has been found up to eight nanograms per liter. A new drinking water regulation to be enforced in 2031 would decrease the mandated PFOS level to 4 nanograms per liter, a dip she said is a small difference to the, as she described, already unalarming level of PFOS. “PFOS is the one that we’re a little higher in,” Susan Richardson said. “It’s coming from something upstream. We use things with Teflon in them all the time, dental floss, stain resistant carpets, the nice suede boots you might have. That type of stuff has the PFOS on it, comes out from wastewater treatment plants, comes from industry, carpet industry, this kind of thing.” Tammi Richardson’s research involves analyzing water quality, including PFOS analysis. The water her lab works with is what eventually comes out of the tap in Columbia. As a researcher and mother of a USC student, she said her skepticism of the study encourages her to withdraw on further action. “Would I run out right now and call Culligan and say, ‘We need to fix the water in my son’s apartment?’ No,” Tammi Richardson said. USC researchers continue to investigate the social science behind risk perception on environmental communication errors. How these statistics can shape a community’s trust is still developing. However, noting if a study has a target audience is key when reading results to identify any red flags, Tammi Richardson said. “I think one of the first things I do when I look at these things is see who wrote it,” Tammi Richardson said. ”Are they biased or are they not? I think in this case, it’s a drinking water treatment company targeting colleges and college kids.”

NEWS | 6

Lawsuit sparks veteran‑led defense of open primaries TAYLOR LUCZYWO | STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS BEAT WRITER

recent lawsuit is uniting South Carolina independents and veterans to fight to keep primary elections open statewide. In South Carolina Republican Party v. Bolchoz, the SCGOP filed to close the state’s semi-open primary system. The current system allows any registered voter, including independent voters, to vote in any one party’s primary each election cycle. If primaries are closed, voters who aren’t currently members of the Republican or Democratic parties will be unable to vote in either party’s primary. According to the lawsuit provided by the American Civil Liberties Union, this would effectively shut independent voters out of primary elections. This would, in turn, disenfranchise many of these voters, including veterans, said Christopher Himsl, Army veteran and South Carolina state leader for Veterans for All Voters. Himsl said many veterans and young people are becoming more independent as the two major political parties fail to meet their needs. Closing primaries would erase the ability of those independents to vote in the election that, in South Carolina, often determines who will win the office come November, according to Himsl.

“When people don’t vote, we get worse politics,” Himsl said. “It entrenches the political parties. It gives them more power. So, it makes things harder to change, harder to influence, and then it increases polarization.” The South Carolina branch of Veterans for All Voters is attempting to join the case as an intervener. VAV is a national, non-profit and nonpartisan organization focused on election reform. Himsl spent 30 years on active duty in the Army, but now, he said, he has a different battlefield to defend. “Every military member swears an oath to the Constitution, and by extension, to the American people,” Himsl said. “That oath doesn’t end when you take off the uniform, and the best way to serve the Constitution is to protect it.” According to Himsl, it is important to take the Constitution and the Founding Fathers’ original intent into account when making decisions about political parties. Specifically, he said George Washington’s advice was to avoid creating political factions in the first place. “We are the government, not political parties, but we the people,” Himsl said. “We are not just Republicans. We’re not just Democrats. We’re South Carolinians.” Legal director of the ACLU of South Carolina, Allen Chaney, is part of the legal counsel for VAV as they intervene in the lawsuit. According to Chaney, the primary election is the election of consequence. He said when independent voters are forced to choose a political party or be excluded from elections, it could be seen as excluding them from the democratic process. “The idea that you are forced to associate with a political party in order to participate in the election of consequence where you live is an outrageous affront to the democratic principles that we say we hold true to in this country,” Chaney said. Eric Bronner, founder and chief mission officer of VAV and a U.S. Navy veteran, said he is dissatisfied with election systems across the U.S. and within South Carolina. Similar to Himsl, Bronner discussed his oath and the exhaustion veterans feel when choosing between the Democratic and Republican parties. Bronner said he and many other veterans

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ERIC BRONNER U.S. Navy veteran Eric Bronner stands with his parents to pose for a photo. Bronner is the founder and chief mission officer of the Veterans for All Voters in South Carolina.

have not fought for these parties, but for the Constitution. “Our oath is to something much bigger and much more important than political power,” Bronner said. “We want our public taxpayer-funded elections to remain fully open to all voters.” Bronner also stressed the importance of competition and its impact on accountability. He said the system was outdated and many politicians have lost a sense of integrity and no longer dare to do what is best for the country. According to Bronner, the two parties are just two sides of the same coin: only looking to maintain power. “They really don’t care about what’s best for the voters,” Bronner said. “It’s a bad system that rewards bad behavior, and that’s what we’re trying to change.” According to both Himsl and Bronner, the VAV is cross-partisan and it is important to reach across the aisle. They also said VAV is fighting against the polarization of politics and the zero-sum game that it has become. “In the last 10 years, families have fractured, neighborhoods have fractured,

friendships have fractured, based on politics alone,” Himsl said. “That’s because now it’s zero-sum, and, ‘If you’re not with me, you’re against me, and you’re the enemy,’ and that’s not the American way.” According to Chaney, students can have a role in this change, though they may feel discouraged. He said primary elections could often be more consequential than the midterms. “As soon as politicians have the sense that these students are affecting the outcome in these elections, they will be forced to care about the interests of those voters or lose,” Chaney said. According to Himsl, the people are meant to pick the politicians, not the other way around. He addressed students and told them to get involved by contacting local representatives to voice their dissent against changes to primary elections. “Let’s return power to the people, the way our Founding Fathers wanted it,” Himsl said.

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Recurring pressures behind off-campus housing CJ LEATHERS | MANAGING EDITOR . CONTINUED FROM COVER Pataky’s story is reflects what is often a broader reality: Finding affordable, offcampus housing is often a mysterious process, as many students are signing leases for the first time, not knowing what to look for and not knowing how much their budget allows them to spend on housing. So that leaves the ultimate question: When does the search begin? Some USC students begin touring apartments only weeks after moving into their freshman residence halls. Others sign leases before ever stepping foot inside a unit. Six prominent off-campus apartments have opened in Columbia over the past five years, collectively housing more than 4,500 beds. This accounts for nearly 15% of the university’s undergraduate population, according to a student headcount updated on Aug. 25. As the university continues to grow, and space for on-campus residence halls becomes increasingly limited, students say the transition to off-campus living can come with unexpected costs, maintenance problems and safety concerns . Although specific issues vary from property to property, several USC students

highlighted a common theme: Off-campus communication and accountability often fall short when problems arise.

THE RUSH TO FIND HOUSING

Fourth-year psychology student Heze Stallings said he felt unprepared for finding housing after his freshman year. He said upperclassmen didn’t mention it as a concern. “They didn’t tell me, ‘Oh, yeah, you’re going to have housing problems,’” Stallings said. “That wasn’t ever the story. But, I mean, after I kind of adjusted for my junior year, probably seemed like, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m probably not going to get housing next year.’’ Fourth-year sport and entertainment management student Meredith Hoover remembers being surprised by how quickly students around her began signing leases. She said she began searching for housing in September of her freshman year after hearing rumors that apartments near campus were filling up quickly. She initially signed a lease at Stadium Suites before deciding the location was too far from campus — more than a 10-minute drive or nearly an hour-long walk away. After canceling that lease, she signed at The Station at Five Points, where she has lived with her roommate, third-year neuroscience student Nevaeh Jackson, for the past two years. Jackson said she experienced similar pressure. Although she said University 101, an introductory course to living as a college student , encouraged her and her peers to start looking for housing early, she said she did not begin seriously searching until February of her freshman year . “I honestly didn’t even tour it until the last week of my freshman year,” Jackson said. “I just needed a place to stay.” The students described a housing market driven by urgency, where fear of missing out on available units often outweighs the ability to thoroughly research a property. That pressure is compounded by the fact that many students cannot remain in university housing beyond their first year.

That fear is intensified for out-of-state students, Hoover said. “If you’re from really up north or out west, you don’t really know the area,” Hoover said. “It’s kind of crazy that they just throw you to the wolves and have you figure that out.”

DORM LIFE TO INDEPENDENCE

Both Hoover and Jackson described positive experiences when living in Women’s Quad, an on-campus residence hall, during their freshman year. They cited locked doors, controlled building access and a general sense of security . Those experiences contrast sharply with some of the concerns students described after moving off campus at The Station, where Hoover and Jackson now live. While off-campus apartments often advertise amenities such as pools, fitness centers and game rooms, they said the reality of daily life is highlighted by maintenance requests, security systems and how quickly management responds when things go wrong. For now-USC alumnus Aidan Atance, living at College Town on the River began as a largely positive experience. Atance moved into the complex during his sophomore year after quickly signing a lease with friends. Because he signed early, he secured a unit near the gym, shuttle stop and leasing office. For most of his time there, he said management was responsive, and community events helped create a positive environment. That changed after an eventual management turnover. “The thing to understand about these off-campus housing places is that your experience is highly dependent on management and random chance,” Atance said.

WHEN MAINTENANCE BECOMES A BIGGER PROBLEM

One of Atance’s most significant issues with College Town on the River involved internet service . After a transition between internet providers, Atance said he and many other residents experienced widespread WiFi outages and eventually went without internet service for roughly a month.

According to Atance, management initially denied the severity of the issue and repeatedly blamed the service provider. “We all couldn’t use the Wi-Fi ,” he said. “Not a single person in College Town could use the Wi-Fi for a while.” Although service was eventually restored, Atance said residents received little communication and no meaningful compensation. But this wasn’t the only issue he experienced. A much more serious problem emerged when his bathroom developed a strong odor that he believed was linked to mold. The mold had a harsh smell and was white and hard to see, blending in with the shower tile, Atance said. Atance said the smell became so overwhelming that it spread into his bedroom and made the bathroom unusable. When he submitted maintenance requests, he said responses were inconsistent. Some requests were marked complete without meaningful action, while others generated promises that never materialized . “I start to get the impression that they knew the issue,” Atance said. “They heard the word mold, but they know it’s not an issue that can easily be fixed. And so they’re going to delay it and postpone it and hoped I stopped talking about it.” The issue persisted for more than a month, he said. Atance said he often showered at his girlfriend’s apartment and spent more time in her unit than his own during that period. After repeatedly contacting management and threatening to negotiate lower rent or break his lease, a cleaning crew eventually treated the bathroom with bleach. The odor mostly disappeared, though Atance said he could still occasionally detect the smell returning. For him, the issue was not simply the presence of mold or maintenance concerns. “The main issue associated with living here is incompetent management,” he said. Hoover and Jackson at The Station described different concerns regarding security. Both Hoover and Jackson identified gate and access-control issues as major problems. According to them, garage security gates were broken for extended periods, allowing unrestricted access to the

NEWS | 9 property. The Station is located at the edge of Five Points, one of Columbia’s most traffic-heavy districts. “There were homeless people coming in and sleeping on the first floor by the garage opening because of the doors being broken,” Jackson said. One morning while walking her dog around 5 a.m ., Hoover said she entered an elevator and encountered a man she believed may have entered the building without authorization. While she said the individual was not threatening, the incident highlighted vulnerabilities created by broken security systems. “He was sweet, I assumed,” Hoover said. “But the next person might not be.”

DAILY FRUSTRATIONS

Security concerns weren’t Hoover and Jackson’s only recurring complaint. Both Hoover and Jackson pointed to frequent and inconvenient fire alarm activations as one of the most frustrating aspects of living at The Station. They said alarms rang late at night and were frequently triggered by normal cooking activities . Jackson said false alarms became especially disruptive during finals week, going off during the early morning hours when students were either sleeping or studying for their exams. Hoover recalled a period during her sophomore year when alarms activated for four consecutive nights. Jackson and Hoover said they also had issues regarding their mailboxes, leaking sinks, broken locks, damaged appliances and ongoing maintenance delays. Jackson recalled reporting what she believed was mold around a window shortly after moving in. According to Jackson, maintenance eventually painted over the affected area after determining it was caused by moisture. Hoover said she had concerns regarding apartment entry procedures including when maintenance personnel sometimes entered units with little warning. In one instance, her roommate woke up to find an unfamiliar man standing in their living room working on the television . “My roommate came out of her room, I was in class, and came out of her room, and there was just a man standing in our living room,” Hoover said.

THE COMMUNICATION PROBLEM

Although students described different maintenance and safety issues, their

frustrations often returned to the same overarching issue: communication. Atance said management frequently failed to acknowledge legitimate concerns until he and other residents became persistent. Jackson agreed that management companies should not give false promises to their residents. “If it’s not going to get fixed, just tell me it’s not going to get fixed,” Jackson said. “Don’t say it’s going to get fixed and then it never actually does.” Atance said the lack of accountability left him feeling powerless. He mentioned getting a lawyer as another option and going the legal route, but that can be an expensive process. “The way I feel right now is that if there’s a major issue in my room, I’m going to be living with it for a month and I’m not going to get anything for that,” he said.

UNIVERSITY RESPONSE

In response to concerns about off-campus housing, USC highlighted resources available through its OffCampus Living and Neighborhood Relations office. “The University of South Carolina encourages students to visit with our offcampus living and neighborhood relations team to understand the resources available to them as they look to find off-campus accommodations,” the university said in a statement. The Off-Campus Living and Neighborhood Relations Office declined to interview with The Daily Gamecock. The university noted that the office’s website provides housing search resources, answers to frequently asked questions, information for narrowing housing options and opportunities to schedule one-on-one consultations. USC also acknowledged demand for additional on-campus housing and announced plans to expand residential capacity. According to the university, more than 1,000 additional beds are expected to be added near the center of campus by fall 2028 through renovations to the Honors Residence Hall and construction of a new residence hall, The Commons at Carolina, at the former McBryde site. University officials said those additions will create more options for continuing students who wish to remain on campus.

ADVICE FOR FUTURE STUDENTS

Hoover, Jackson and Atance all advised future residents to look beyond promotional materials and speak directly with current tenants before signing a lease. Atance advised students to pay close attention to management quality rather than focusing solely on amenities. For many students, the pool, gym and shuttle routes attract attention during a tour. But once classes begin and daily life settles in, students say the most important factor is often much simpler. When something breaks, they want confidence that someone will answer the phone, respond to the email and fix the problem. And for many students navigating off-campus housing around USC, that confidence remains difficult to find. “Don’t just sign a lease because it’s there in front of you,” Atance said. “Like, really consider, after that first year, if the experience you had was worth staying there again, and if it’s not, don’t sign that lease.”

Editor’s note: Nat Campbell and Will Miller contributed to the reporting in this article. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ISABELLA PATAKY, EMILEE DAVIS From left to right, a bullet and a container of deodorant sit inside a drawer, an insect is visible on the floor, an orange stain marks a couch, scratches and dirt are visible on the front door, and mold is visible on and inside a vent above the refrigerator in an apartment at the Radley. The photos were taken by Isabella Pataky, a resident at The Radley on move-in day, Aug. 14, 2026, as she documented the condition of the apartment. Pataky said the couch had a vomit-like smell when they moved in and the apartment appeared to have several maintenance and cleanliness issues. She also said she believed people had been staying in the apartment over the summer without paying rent.

NEWS | 10

Anthropology class explores USC’s history of enslavement EMILEE DAVIS | ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR On USC’s historic Horseshoe, in front of McKissick Museum, yellow barriers surround an active worksite in the dirt. The area is an excavation site for anthropology students in the honors college. USC professor Kelly Goldberg has taught the course, called “Digging through the past: Exploring the Archaeological Resources of USC,” since it began in 2024. Goldberg said people tend to perceive archeology as an exotic field only performed abroad. She wants the course to engage students by changing that.

CREATING CONVERSATION

Her reason for choosing the McKissick Museum is to bring awareness to USC’s history. “We believe the structure is associated with people who were enslaved on campus,” Goldberg said. “People who were enslaved are very underrepresented.” The responses she’s received from students so far have had a positive

impact on how Goldberg will continue to teach, she said. They make her approach her teaching with optimism. “I’m not coming at this assuming I’m pushing back against already negative perceptions, but rather I’m able to come in with the assumptions that these students want to contribute and want to learn what archaeology does,” Goldberg said. Creating public conversations is a key part of why doing an excavation is important, Goldsberg said. “While small, I think little by little the just awareness of the history that is still here is another thing that’s changed,” Goldsberg said. Third-year english, anthropology and journalism student Brea Stone said she hopes this project will continue to spark important conversations about the history of USC long after it ends. “I think it’s important just continuing conversations,” Stone said. “People need to

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PHOTO: BEN CALKINS The archeological dig on the Horseshoe unveils history on Aug. 25. Researchers hope to uncover hidden history from the 19th century as they excavate in front of McKissick Museum.

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NEWS | 11 be talking about the fact that this campus has a history of enslavement .”

HISTORIC FINDINGS

Goldberg said she believes the excavation site they are currently working at was the kitchen at the first president’s house built in 1807, which most likely housed enslaved people. Goldsberg’s assumption stems from a series of maps showing the Horseshoe’s old layout, she said. So far, Goldberg said, the tens of thousands of artifacts found have supported her theory. She said several animal bones have been discovered at the site. Enslaved individuals most likely found and trapped the animals to supplement their diet besides what the university provided them, according to Goldberg. Stone said the class found shoe buckles at the site they believe belonged to the enslaved people. The buckles were flat, which indicates they would’ve been worn by people who couldn’t ride horses, such as enslaved people, she said.

Goldberg and Tina Sandoval, who studied anthropology, environmental studies and Spanish, said the enslaved individuals also used the animal bones to make personal hygiene products such as toothbrushes and combs. Sandoval said for her, these findings help broaden the conversation around enslaved labor: the people who were enslaved were more than the sum of the work they completed. “I think that a lot of people sort of steamroll the idea of enslaved people’s having a life defined by labor, but (this) shows that the people who lived on campus and who worked on campus had a well-rounded life,” Sandoval said. Sandoval wanted to join the project due to her own African American heritage and said that she wanted to uncover important history for her community. After completing her work on the project, she said she has a new appreciation for history. “I think that it’s shown me that there’s value in having a vested interest, not only

PHOTO: BEN CALKINS Students learn about the archeological dig on the Horseshoe from Professor Kelly Goldberg in preparation to explore the site themselves. Researchers hope to uncover hidden history from the 19th-century as they excavate in front of McKissick Museum.

in the place that you’re in, but in its history as well,” Sandoval said. Goldberg said children’s toys found at the excavation site are also important because enslaved children are doubly underrepresented in history, and this provided insight into their lives. “Artifacts like that really kind of help prompt you to think about some of these other people who are living in the space,” Goldberg said. Rachel Lanning, a master’s student in anthropology, said her favorite artifact so far has been a purple marble because of its personal nature. “Something like a marble, something that’s specifically used for fun, it’s just so special to know that someone had joy,” Lanning said. “You don’t usually get joy out of brushing your teeth, or fixing a wall, but playing and that kind of aspect, it was just so much fun to see that.”

A POSITIVE IMPACT ON STUDENTS

PHOTO: SEBASTIAN GODUN Third-year english, anthropology and journalism student Brea Stone holds an artifact that was extracted from the University of South Carolina Horseshoe in Columbia, South Carolina.

According to Goldberg, the relationship between her and the university has positively changed as they have realized the value in her work. More importantly, she said the public’s interest in this project has allowed her to show her students the importance of archaeology. “We’re not just doing the research and siloing it and keeping it to ourselves, but the larger goal is to disseminate what we

learn to the broader public,” Goldberg said. For Lanning, the public’s enthusiasm over the project felt uplifting as she begins her career in anthropology. “It was so positive,” Lanning said. “Everyone was so receptive of what we were doing, and excited to learn about archaeology.” According to Sandoval, the public aspect of the project has put USC’s history of enslavement more out in the open to have discussions about. She said she feels the project has opened up how people in the community feel about history. “I think this marks a moment, one in public relations, of like, it is ok to acknowledge that slavery has happened on college campuses, and we can talk about it openly,” Sandoval said. “Also, it marks that people are interested in history.” Lanning said the project has made her reflect on the history she’ll one day leave behind at USC. She hopes the physical marks left behind by the enslaved people of USC’s past will inspire others to create positive change now. “No one really realizes the impact that they have in history until they see physically that something from 200 years ago still persists today,” Lanning said. “I think that’s the only way that we can improve the present, is to understand that what we do is going to leave a mark.”

Behind the screen: The Nickelodeon Theater’s programming EMILY BECKMAN | ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

he lights dim, and your view fades to black before it’s flooded with light. Sound surges through the speakers, and opening credits start to roll. When going to the movies, many individuals buy tickets from big-name theaters like AMC and Regal. Many in the Columbia community, however, rally to somewhere else. Non-profit, independent and local, The Nickelodeon theater shows blockbuster movies and independent films closer to home. Locals refer to the theater as “the Nick.”

HISTORY

Two USC media arts students, Linda O’Connor and Carl Davis, founded the Nick in 1979. They were seeking more classical film in Columbia.

Originally, the Nick showed three films a week: a classic film on Monday and Tuesday, an older repertory film on Wednesday and Thursday and a new independent or foreign film on the weekend. In the summer of 1988, the Nick closed down due to debt. It reopened in the fall with a renewed commitment to function as a member-based, nonprofit organization. Over the next two decades, the Nick became a crucial part of the arts scene in Columbia. In 2007, the Nickelodeon began hosting the Indie Grits Film Festival. The festival focused on Columbia’s culinary, theatrical, artistic and musical talent. The Nick moved to its current Main Street location in 2012. The theater

continued to grow in its local presence. At its peak, there were 3,500 members and an annual budget of $1.7 million. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused all theatrical and educational programming to stop for 14 months. The Nick laid off most employees. The Indie Grits Film Festival also shut down and did not return. When the theater formally reopened in 2022, the film industry was still recovering from the pandemic. The Nick had to navigate a new industry and refresh itself. Prior to its shutdown, the Nick sustained itself with a wide range of independent films. This model didn’t work, Kassidy Johnson, the Nick’s marketing manager, said.

“Ticket sales in general were way, way, way down,” she said. “What happened once we opened back up specifically is, we had to kind of pivot because the revenue wasn’t backing up our programming .” In the last fiscal year, the Nick showed 129 films — that includes everything from blockbusters to local films. Out of the 129 films, 33 films made up over threequarters of ticket revenue for the entire year, Johnson said. “It is a lot easier for those bigger movies to make a lot more revenue, which then brings in more concessions revenue, and then it kind of trickles down into being able to fund the other programming,” Johnson said.

MONEY FLOWS The Nick makes two kinds of income: earned and contributed income. Contributed income is made up of memberships, individual donations, grant money and foundation money. Earned income is ticket sales, concessions, merchandise and gift certificates. Sumner Bender, the executive director of the Nick, estimated that 60% is earned income, and 40% is contributed income . An average of 60% of that money goes back to movie studios . Some studios require an advance before they show the film, while some they pay afterwards, Johnson said. “We have to do a box office report that tells them the amount of tickets we sold, what kind of tickets, what the prices were, all of that jazz,” she said. “And then we’ll send them that report and then they will pull the number that we owe them .” After programming and studios, the rest of that money goes to theater employees, administration costs, legal fees, accounting fees, auditor fees, facility fees, parking fees and more, Bender said .

TO SHOW OR NOT TO SHOW

The Nickelodeon marquee showing the love for Columbia on Jan. 17th, 2024, on Main Street.

PHOTO: ZOE ORECHWA

Negotiating with movie studios is another hurdle the Nick faces with programming. The Nick has a dedicated booker who has spent a lot of time in the business and is able to make good deals that someone else could not, Johnson said .

ARTS & CULTURE | 13 special programming, like our ReelTalk series,” Schreier said. “We show a lot of documentaries, which are not like full-run screenings, but we still, I think, try to focus and like to screen these indie films .” Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount of independent films with a theatrical release has greatly decreased. It has gone from roughly 700 films per year to fewer than 100, Bender said. If the Nick were to show exclusively independent films, 40 weeks out of 52 weeks would still require content, Bender said . “The rest you would have to do all rep, which is all old movies,” Bender said. “There’s a market for that, but that’s not going to work here … So what we realized and what we had to take a chance on was we’re going to have to show bigger, more mainstream movies .” Despite the increase in blockbusters shown at the Nick, the other programming still reflects its original values.

UNIQUE TO THE NICK

The audience arriving on Jan. 17th, 2024, at the Nickelodeon Theater on Main Street. The theater shows everything from blockbusters, to indie films, documentaries and special events.

When making an agreement with a studio, it’s not as simple as deciding to show a film or not. Studios have demands that the theater must agree to, like with “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” “A studio can say to us, ‘You have a three-week commitment when you get the movie,’” Bender said. “So just to get the rights to the movie, you have to show this movie for three weeks. After that, they get to tell you whether or not you can take it off your screen .” Additionally, studios have a “clean screen policy” that restricts other films the Nick can play. If a certain movie is being shown, nothing but that movie can be shown on that screen, Bender said. The movie must be shown at least twice a day . This causes problems for smaller, independent films. Blockbusters have a larger marketing budget that allows them to heavily promote films, which in turn brings in more crowds and money to theaters. Indie films do not bring in the same revenue and require word-ofmouth promotion, Johnson said . Blockbusters also can push out smaller films if a movie is doing well enough. The Nick faced this with “Teenage Sex and

Death at Camp Miasma” and “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” “The studio that gave us ‘SpiderMan’ said, ‘You cannot take it down,’” Bender said. Another issue with studios is deciding between new releases and a studio’s archives. This impacts the Nick’s ReelTalk: Book Club series the most. Many book-to-movie adaptations are from previous years. If the Nickelodeon wants to show a specific movie, the organization has to make sure it doesn’t conflict with a prior contract. It becomes complicated with studio conglomeration. “If you do their first run movies, you lose all access to their back catalog,” Bender said. “If you think about the majority of movies that come out that are Disney, it’s insane. Because you wouldn’t even think about it. But they own so much of the movie studios and the movies coming out.” To be able to show those movies, the Nick had to give up access to other back catalogue, she said.

STANDING OUT AS A SMALL THEATER Even with these disadvantages, the Nick is able to compete with larger theaters

PHOTO: ZOE ORECHWA

in the area, like Regal Cinemas and AMC Theatres. Being close to campus allows students to see films without having to get on the interstate. The Nick can’t control ticket prices, but it keeps its concessions prices low. Fiona Schreier is a staff member at the Nick and previously worked at Regal. She said working at the Nick has been a pleasant experience compared to working at a chain movie theater. “Our members are so, so nice, and I really enjoy the conversations that I get to have with them,” Schreier said. “I feel like even when we get people who’ve never been there before, there’s a kind of wonder at like, ‘Oh my god, the movie theater looks like that, and also it doesn’t cost $50 billion to get popcorn,’ or something like that.” Though the Nick has studio obligations, it still shows a lot of independent films, Schreier said . The amount of independent films shown depends on the season. The summer often brings in blockbusters, but as students return to Columbia, smaller films return to the screens as well. “You get into the fall, and … not only do we do more independent movies like, first run movies, but we also have our

A lot of the main programming is studio-negotiated showings, but the Nick does community programming as well. Local organizations approach the Nick to show specific movies. This type of programming allows for collaboration between the theater and the community. For example, Free Mom Hugs worked with the Nickelodeon during Pride Month and All Good Books collaborates with the Nick for ReelTalk: Book Club . The Nick has series and festivals dedicated to underrepresented groups. These special showings promote lesserknown films by directors who are often ignored by the spotlight. For example, the Nick has a Women’s History Month Film Festival, a Black History Month film series and a Native American Heritage Month film series. Supporting independent films remains the Nickelodeon’s goal, but it cannot happen with showings alone. “If audiences want to see a big blockbuster, we’re gonna play a big blockbuster,” Schreier said. “But also … what are the people in the community interested in, in terms of like, documentaries, and in terms of like, rep screenings? So we are interested in, like, what the audience wants to see. But the audience definitely has to show up and keep seeing it .”

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ARTS & CULTURE | 15

Inside USC’s all-female a cappella group, the Cocktails BROOKLYN JONES | ARTS & CULTURE WRITER

n the count of three, the sound of a beatbox rhythm kicks in. One by one, tenors, sopranos and altos chime in, layering their voices until they fill the room with a perfect harmony. The Cocktails showcase a strong sense of sisterhood and empowerment throughout their music. Originating in 2002, this all-female a cappella group displays a diverse range of pop harmonies with ten unique voices. Leading the group are several student leaders. Fourth-year neuroscience student Christina Baris serves as the 2026-27 music director. Third-year elementary education student Adriana Nargentino serves as their 2026-27 business manager. Fourthyear mass communications student Tamaria Dawkins serves as the group’s 2026-27 treasurer. They’ve performed at multiple events around campus, including national anthems at sporting events such as baseball, basketball and soccer. The group has also performed at off-campus events, including a caroling event in Five Points. Nargentino said they find these events by reaching out to clubs and organizations they’re interested in. “We just kind of see if they have any upcoming events,” she said. “We check everyone’s availability, and we really try

our best to be there, ‘cause we love to share our music with people.” Behind the performances, though, there are logistical and financial duties that come with managing an a cappella group. Some of the group’s largest expenses come from recording studios, licensing fees and accommodations for recording because they don’t do it locally. “We’ll go to Raleigh, North Carolina, or we went to Charlotte last semester to record,” Baris said. “And accommodations can be pretty pricey for 16 girls. “ Despite the financial work involved, the Cocktails have continued to record music that reaches audiences beyond their live performances. Over the summer, the group released a five-song EP titled “A Teeny Bit Tipsy,” available on all streaming platforms. It features covers of artists from Ariana Grande to The Cranberries. In the past, the group has covered songs such as Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop The Music,” Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name,” BØRNS’ “Electric Love” and more.

GROUP HARMONY For the Cocktails, forming connections through singing together has become just as meaningful as the music itself. While being in harmony is of great importance for an a cappella group, having

DESIGN: ISABELLA HUFFINES

a personable environment to be yourself and be vulnerable is just as significant. Members describe the Cocktails as a safe space where they can express themselves while also getting to know each other on an intimate level. What started as a way to keep singing soon became an experience that has shaped their college lives. For Dawkins, being at rehearsals gives her something to look forward to, specifically when the group takes a song from a sheet of music and turns it into a finished arrangement. “It gives you a sense of wanting more,” Dawkins said. “Especially when we do our EPs and our concerts. It really does make your heart warm and puts a smile on your face.” Each semester, the Cocktails will do a set list of roughly nine or 10 songs, and then each Cocktail will get assigned one to three songs to arrange. “We’ll listen to the song over and over again until we write out each part,” Baris said. “So, we might start by writing out the solo line, then we’ll find a rhythm and write out the line for the basses, add some harmonies for some other parts and make it from what it’d be with instruments into more sounds and lyrics.” The result is a pop-oriented set list that ranges from pop stars such as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé to soul artists such as Stevie Wonder. While the group sings a few classic songs, they typically tend to drift towards empowerment, Nargentino said. Once Baris finishes arranging the songs, the group comes together during rehearsal to make those individual parts become one cohesive performance. On certain rehearsal days, the group starts out with a casual check-in. “Since we’re all girls, we like to be very close with one another, checking on how everyone’s doing,” Dawkins said. “And we’ll do that on Tuesdays.” The group shares announcements and warmups before the group gets into the music. Baris steps in to determine which song needs more practice and modifies it to how she thinks the group will best learn it.

MUSICAL JOURNEYS For Baris, Nargentino and Dawkins, joining the Cocktails was the perfect route to continue pursuing their passion for music after high school. “I did a lot of music in high school, but not in an organized singing group,” Baris said . “When I came to college, I wanted an environment and sort of a place to go to be able to continue music while studying.” Dawkins and Nargentino also came from musical backgrounds. Nargentino was previously involved in a cappella during high school and took an interest in joining the Cocktails after committing to USC. “It just looked like a really fun environment,” Nargentino said. “And definitely, like a group of girls that has a passion for the same thing, and a passion for being there for each other.” Dawkins grew up being involved in choir and wanted to keep singing after graduation . “My roommate was in the Cocktails at the time, and she was like, ‘Oh, you should try out.’” Dawkins said. “So, I joined it, and it’s been the best thing for the past two and a half years.” The audition process typically starts with warmups. They will sing a verse and a chorus of their choosing, as long as it’s not musical theater, Baris said . They may or may not get a callback based on that. Then they prepare another verse and a chorus and do some blending exercises. Following this audition process, they will be notified of their acceptance. New members are selected through a voting process. As a new semester begins, the Cocktails are now looking ahead to their next performances and future members. The group has a couple of national anthems coming up at men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball games, giving students another chance to hear them perform. Students can find more information about the Cocktails through their Instagram and their TikTok.

ARTS & CULTURE | 16

USC students find unique ways to make money MAGGIE HARMON | ASSISTANT ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

eople typically imagine college students working in restaurants, retail stores or offices. However, some students take a different route. There are endless ways to make money, and some students at USC have paved their own unique road to cash flow in college.

Second-year biology student Emmy Welch began her business, Nails by Emmy, in January 2025. She started doing her own nails as a creative way to practice manual dexterity for dental school. Welch taught herself by watching videos on TikTok and YouTube. Now, those skills serve to help her make connections through her craft. “I really like to get to know a lot of people on campus,” Welch said. “I’ve honestly met some of my best friends doing it.” Before deciding to start her own business, Welch was struggling to find a good-paying job on campus. Her entrepreneurship has solved that problem. Welch typically sees four to six clients a week at her apartment complex. She specializes in acrylic, gel x and gel. She often does clients’ nails in study rooms so other people will see. “I just love the creativity aspect of it,” Welch said. “Some people come in with really fun designs that I get to try.” Another creative, yet unusual job on campus is button making. Second-year elementary education student Natalie Campanelli heads a business called Pins by Nat, founded in May. Campanelli’s business is primarily focused on creating cute and trendy college game-day pins, most of which are USC-themed. However, she has also made pins for other schools like Indiana, Clemson and Florida,

as well as birthday parties for both dogs and people. Back home in New York, Campanelli worked at a supermarket. She finds working for herself much more enjoyable than cooperating with c o m p a n y management. “As much as it’s stressful at times,” Campanelli said. “I’m able to leave and come back to it as opposed to a normal job where you can’t really just leave.” Welch also enjoys the flexibility that comes with running her own business. “If I have a test coming up, I can be like ‘Listen, I’m not going to book anything the day before the test,’” Welch said. “Whereas I feel like if you have a part-time job, your hours are pretty set.” Campanelli designs all her pins on Canva, then prints out her designs and cuts them by hand. “I’m a very crafty person,” Campanelli said. “So, I’m glad I found something that I enjoy doing... that’s not working at a facility.” Denims by Ben, an online thrift store ran by third-year retail management

student Ben Richards, is another testament to how students can turn their hobbies and interests into a source of income. Before starting his business, Richards enjoyed thrifting in his free

time. After a while, he started finding increasingly valuable items during his searches. Richards sold a few items and began going to the Goodwill Bins Store to stock up on clothes to thrift. Richards once bought a Harley Davidson shirt from the 1960s for $1. He then sold it for $430. “That was my best find,” Richards said. “That was pretty exciting. I thought it was probably an $100 shirt, but it was worth way more.” Richards attended a few vintage markets as a vendor before changing his business to sell jeans exclusively online. He now sells Japanese jeans imported from wholesalers in other countries. According to Richards, Japanese jeans are high end fashion, allowing for larger profit margins. “I’m trying to really build a brand around a specific niche and try to market to that niche,” Richards said. “And be, like, the biggest supplier for that style of jean.” Richards has been running his business since the end of 2024 and, unlike Welch and Campanelli, hopes to continue his business after college as a full-time job. He wants to build his Instagram brand up to where he could utilize more marketing campaigns and photographs. Eventually, he hopes to have his own website. Social media and e-commerce play a big role in each of these businesses. Welch primarily advertises her services on Instagram. Campanelli uses Instagram, Depop and TikTok to advertise and sell her products. Richards has an Instagram

page for his store, but exclusively sells on Depop. “If I could build up enough following on social media, maybe I’d create my own jeans and market it the same way I would the other jeans,” Richards said. “I’d use it as a transition into owning and manufacturing my own brand.” Richards said he appreciated the handson experience with business that he has gotten since starting his store. He specifically said he has gotten a greater

understanding of the concepts of supply chain and wholesale. “This is my first semester in the retail program, so it’s also kind of opened my eyes more,” Richards said. “I already know a lot of the stuff my teachers are teaching me, so it’s kind of interesting that I learned it without having to be in college.” On the other hand, Welch credits her business for strengthening her professional skills and study habits. “Time management is the biggest thing for me,” Welch said. “I’ve had to plan out when I study throughout the semester more, and I honestly think it’s helped me get better grades because I’ve had to be so organized with my business.” Across three businesses, each of the students have learned valuable business skills. Campanelli said she enjoys seeing her business grow through her hard work and dedication. “Yeah, the money is great, but I feel like it shows me that I can actually follow through with something and be passionate about something,” Campanelli said. Although these may not be the most common college jobs, these students have found unique ways to convert their passions and hobbies into income. DESIGN: BELLA HUFFINES

ARTS & CULTURE | 17

International grocery brings authentic, affordable goods to Columbia MAGGIE HARMON | ASSISTANT ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

ara Ahmed and her father, Yousif, wanted to make international groceries more accessible in Columbia after their continuous, twohour-long trips to find their favorite foods. They had the idea to bring their favorite foods to them. Sara’s father is Moroccan, and her mother is from Greece, making her a big fan of international cuisine. “Down here in Columbia, we usually don’t have a bunch of healthy Mediterranean groceries,” Ahmed said. “We always have to go all the way down to Charlotte to get this stuff.” Al Salam Groceries is an international grocery store located in West Columbia. The store opened in June and offers a variety of dried goods, freezer meals, refrigerated items and snacks from different parts of the world. Ahmed’s father owns the store, but she serves as the manager. One aspect of the store Ahmed said customers particularly enjoy is the range of seasonings.

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“They see a lot of seasonings that are different and have more flavor,” Ahmed said. “There are international seasonings that you won’t find at any convenience stores.” Laura Alghothami noticed the store on a trip to the doctor’s office and couldn’t help but stop by on the way home. Alghothami is Turkish, and her husband is half Turkish and half Syrian. One of Alghothami’s favorite international dishes is makdous, which is sold at the store. The dish consists of fermented baby eggplant that is stuffed with walnuts, red peppers, chili and garlic, and then preserved in olive oil. “You cannot find that at any other store,” Alghothami said. “And if you order it online, it comes with the oil all leaking, and it’s a mess.” Alghothami was also impressed by the store’s cheese selection. She said it was nice to find international cheeses beyond Feta, especially those that are native to Turkey.

PHOTO: KILEY WAGNER Multiple Middle Eastern snacks on display at Al Salam Groceries on Aug. 18, 2026. The store is open every day from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Similarly, Alghothami found the products to be more authentic than typical grocery stores. She specifically appreciated the thin pita bread. “The one you get at Publix isn’t really pita bread” Alghothami said. Moe Alsufari works as a cashier at the grocery store. Since Alsufari started working there, his family has started shopping almost exclusively at the store because it carries certain seasonings and products from their native country, Yemen. Alsufari said he appreciated the diverse range of groceries that the store offers. He especially likes that people from all over the world are drawn to their wide array of products. “It has something for everyone,” Alsufari said. “I know people from Bosnia that came in and found something that reminded them of something from back home. ” However, Alsufari still guarantees customer satisfaction for customers who are wanting to experiment with different foods. “If you come in and you try at least two, three things, you’re going to find something you like” Alsufari said. Despite the store’s reported wide selection of authentic groceries, Ahmed said the store remains affordable while still offering healthy products.

“We want the students to know that they don’t have to spend a lot of money to eat well,” Ahmed said, “I know these days everyone is looking for healthy options and affordable groceries and that’s something we have. ” Another reason Ahmed said people should shop at the store is to support a local business. Ahmed said she welcomes the community and wants them to know that the business truly cares about their customers. On the other hand, Alsufari encourages people to step out of their comfort zone and try foods that are unfamiliar to them. “I don’t want to be going to Chick-Fil-A every day,” Alsufari said. “Yeah, I like it, but it gets boring fast.” Ahmed shared that the store is hoping to expand by the end of the year. The store will broaden its selection to include fresh meat and produce. Al Salam Groceries is located at 1082 Sunset Blvd. The store is open every day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The store posts frequent updates on its Facebook and Instagram accounts @alsalamgroceries.

ARTS & CULTURE | 18

Novel Nook: Book Hangouts is an open space to read JACKSON TAYLOR | ARTS & CULTURE WRITER

aculty member of the Department of Women and Gender Studies Nima Yolmo was tired of not having enough time in class to dive deep on the pieces of media she discussed with her students. So, she formed Novel Nook: Book Hangouts in March 2025. “I’d meet students after the course or like during office hours, and then felt the need that it’d be nice to have a space to talk about books,” Yolmo said. Novel Nook: Book Hangouts is a book club inspired by Yolmo’s love of reading and her desire to connect the community. The club meets at 3 p.m. on the last Friday of every month at All Good Books, a bookstore in Five Points. “It’s not really a book club. For the want of a better word, we call it a book hangout,” Yolmo said. Unlike many book clubs, Novel Nook doesn’t focus on one book at a time. Members are encouraged to bring any book they want. If members don’t have a book for the meeting, they can borrow one from the many books sourced from the Women and Gender Studies’ Lending Library. “You have lots of classes, things are going on, we didn’t want to be reading the same book,” Yolmo said. “It felt like homework.” A typical meeting lasts around an hour and a half and is split into three, 30-minute segments. The first segment is devoted to silent reading time. For the next 30 minutes, members share and discuss what they just read. At the end, members get together to discuss whatever is on their mind, whether it be the book they read or how their week went. Meetings also feature free snacks and drinks. Some meetings have a theme meant to help spark conversation and connect readers, but Novel Nook intentionally keeps them broad, Yolmo said. Some past meetings have carried the themes of hope, nature and faith. Yolmo doesn’t require members to match the theme. She enjoys connecting to members through their shared love of books. “I love Novel Nook because I get to see people read fun stuff,” she said. Morgan Bowen is a second-year neuroscience student who joined Novel Nook last semester after hearing about it in her women and gender studies class. One of Bowen’s favorite parts about the meetings is how the books spark

PHOTO: KILEY WAGNER Popular nonfiction books trending currently on display in local Columbia bookstore All Good Books on Sept. 3, 2026. The Novel Nook book club meets on the last Friday of every month at All Good Books to discuss current books members are reading

conversations and let them meet new people. “You go up to whoever and you’re like, ‘X, y and z sounded really interesting’ because people say the book, what they liked about it. Some people read romance, and so we talked about our favorite authors, and you know, ‘What does it mean to be in love?’” Bowen said. “So, it can be very silly or more deep, depending on what you want to do .” Yolmo said the location of the meetings is also important, as it opens up the bookclubs to members of the wider Columbia community. “I think it’s a great place to talk about books, but more importantly, life, politics, just really anything,” Bowen said. Yolmo didn’t create the Novel Nook: Book Hangouts on her own. She got help from her colleague Rebecca Dobson and also a few students. One of those

students was fourth-year women and gender studies student Sage Braddock. Yolmo approached her with the idea to start a book club where people can read whatever they want. Dobson was immediately on board with the idea and helped create the club flyers and a social media page to spread the word. Braddock said he recommends Novel Nook to anyone who is seeking a tight knit community. “If you’re looking forward to come to a space where you’ll be welcomed and invited no matter what, where we are encouraging open minds, open thoughts, open communication and you want to read whatever you want, or you just want to have snacks as well ... come along,” Braddock said. Braddock has created many memories over her year and a half with Novel Nook,

but the one that stands out the most was seeing how many people decided to show up to the soft opening. “I think one of my favorites it was probably the first couple of ones. I want to say it was the second one because we had a soft opening of the book club, just because we didn’t know if people were going to show up,” Braddock said. “That’s probably one of my favorites because I like to talk ... I think I just love seeing new people find a new club where they can belong.” To join the Listserv or GroupMe, you can email Rebecca Dobson at rdobson@mailbox.sc.edu.

SPORTS | 19

Cocky inducted into Mascot Hall of Fame MARLI MAIN | VOLLEYBALL BEAT WRITER The University of South Carolina’s endeared mascot, Cocky, was elected to the Mascot Hall of Fame in August. The announcement was made on ABC’s Good Morning America after fans participated in online voting. Since becoming the face of the university in 1980, Cocky has since grown to be a local icon and personality. Present at most university events, the mascot also partakes in Cocky’s Reading Express, where Cocky travels to Title 1 elementary schools across the state to tell stories and give away books. Most notably, Cocky opens home football games at Williams-Brice Stadium. With a theatrical entrance to 2001: A Space Odyssey, Cocky rises from his Cockaboose as the Gamecocks run onto the field. “We each take a quarter,” said the lead Cocky in an interview with the university.

“Because I’m a senior and I’ve been here the longest, I get to do the first quarter and come out of the magic box or the train. That’s an amazing feeling. Not many football stadiums are like Williams-Brice. It’s an electric environment. I feel so honored to represent USC as Cocky.” This is not Cocky’s first recognition. The mascot won its first award, the Universal Cheerleading Association Mascot Championship, in 1986 and again in 1994. Cocky also won the Capital One Mascot Challenge in 2004, and in 2008 and won another national championship title in the National Cheerleaders Association’s Mascot Competition. In 2019, Cocky was named one of the ten greatest mascots in college football history by Sports Illustrated. Alongside Cocky in the 2026 class are fellow collegiate mascots, such as Goldy

Gopher from the University of Minnesota and Cosmo from BYU. Professional league mascots Miles of the Denver Broncos and Mrs. Met of the New York Mets shared the honor as well. Last year’s class consisted of the NFL’s Toro from the Houston Texans and Blitz from the Seattle Seahawks. Rounding out the diverse 2025 class were SJ Sharkie from the San Jose Sharks, Fredbird from the St. Louis Cardinals and Sebastian the Ibis from the University of Miami. Cocky and the four other inductees, received the honor through a process of fan nominations and eventual voting. “Mascots are more than entertainers,” said Christopher Bruce, Executive Director of the Mascot Hall of Fame, in a statement. “They are community builders, brand ambassadors, performers, athletes, comedians, and cultural icons. This

induction process gives fans everywhere a chance to celebrate the characters and performers who have created unforgettable moments for generations.”

PHOTO: JOHN CARPENTER Cocky dances in the end zone during USC vs. Clemson at Williams-Brice Stadium on Nov. 9, 2025. The mascot hyped up fans between plays as the crowd filled the student section early in the rivalry game.

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SPORTS | 20

Students find second home with Gamecock MMA JOHN DAVIS | SPORTS EDITOR

fter years of boxing, Paul Myers felt like he’d hit a wall. He won Carolina Boxing Club’s end-of-year tournament in 2024 and decided to embrace a new challenge. “That was it for me, because I’m not going to compete in amateur boxing,” Myers said. “So, I thought, ‘OK, what’s the next thing I can do?’” Myers, a graduate student working on his master’s in social work, turned a new page by helping one of South Carolina’s fastest growing clubs takeoff. Founded by seven students last fall, Gamecock Mixed Martial Arts club provides a space for students to learn everything about the combat sport. Gamecock MMA had just 12 members in the spring — nine men to three women. It has now nearly tripled in size. Before starting the club, Myers was a member of South Carolina Boxing Club located upstairs from the now-MMA gym. While with the boxing club, Gamecock MMA’s founding members met Alan Clarke, who became their coach. Clarke started Battle Combat MMA in 2024 alongside Kevin Brown, a fellow coach at Battle Boxing Gym located upstairs from the MMA

gym. Brown is also the head coach of the Carolina Boxing Club. Myers’ relationship with Clarke made it easy for Myers to fully commit to the MMA club after concluding his time with the Boxing Club. Before coaching, Clarke was a member of the New England Cartel, a prominent MMA team and training group based in Massachussetts. The group houses high-profile UFC fighters such as Rob Font and Calvin Kattar. “I’ve done some form of martial arts, mixed martial arts, my entire life,” Clarke said. “We wanted something that professionals could come and train, but also your enthusiasts and your college students could also get something out of it as well.” Clarke believes the sport’s accessibility gives it a unique appeal. “You know soccer, you need a ball. Basketball, you need a ball. Hockey, you need equipment,” Clarke said. “Everyone has hands, legs.” Gamecock MMA hosts three practices per week open to any student interested. A student’s first two practices are free before they pay the $75 entry fee for the remainder of the semester. If a member wants more than three practices a week, they can pay $250 to receive full access to the gym for the semester.

“It’s based on integrity system,” Myers said. “We just hope that you have integrity when you have your free practices, and then you pay when you think you want to actually be a member.” As club president, Myers oversees decisions such as setting the club’s buy-in and choosing the executive board. Samuel Kinnear, a secondyear nursing student, operates as the club treasurer, overseeing the collection of funds from joinees. He was among the dozen members who have been with the club since spring. “Compared to what my MMA training was, and martial arts training was beforehand, it’s by far the cheapest option available to anyone,” Kinnear said. For fourth-year integrated information technology student Shubham Patel, joining the club came in a less-than-expected manner. He watched UFC with his friends who trained in martial arts. He wasn’t originally interested in training with them, but they had other plans. “One day we went grocery shopping, and they actually kidnapped me to get here,” Patel said. “So then ever since then, I fell in love with the place. I couldn’t go back.” Now the club’s vice president, Patel teaches newcomers MMA fundamentals and works to facilitate communication between the students and Coach Clarke. He says that while the club expected growth, it couldn’t have predicted the extent to which its popularity has surged. “The fact that we got this much love, this much people coming in, is really showing that MMA is really bringing everyone together,” Patel said. Love for MMA spans across gender lines, and so does its inclusivity. Second-year integrated information technology student Ellyanna Mattingly is the club’s social media manager. Alongside her executive

role with the MMA club, Mattingly also serves as the vice president of Carolina Jiu Jitsu and Judo Club. As the MMA club continues to grow, she encourages women to venture out of their comfort zone and come to the gym. “They’re always like, ‘I’m scared I’m going to get beat up. There’s going to be sweaty men on me,’ and I’m like, ‘That’s completely valid,’” Mattingly

SPORTS | 21

said. “It’s just something you have to condition yourself to get used to.” Mattingly grew up surrounded by martial arts. She was put into jiu jitsu by her dad in seventh grade, and, for a year, she was the only girl on her high school wrestling team.

But she is no longer alone. As of Sept. 3, the club is up to 23 new members and nearly 60 prospective joinees who have attended at least one practice. “It has its ups and downs. It’s hard to do everything compared to last year,” Mattingly said. “But I like that there are

more girls that go here, and there’s more faces, people I can connect with.

She’s joined on the executive board by Raven Figueroa, a fourthyear exercise science student, who serves as the club’s fitness manager. Figueroa shared similar sentiments regarding the club’s growth. “I remember I was in class, and I’m like, ‘OK there’s a new GroupMe text,’ and I go ahead and check, it says 74 people,” Figueroa said. “I’m like, ‘Y’all, how are we going to fit everyone in here?’” Since the first meeting of the semester, Figueroa said she knew she was going to have to work to accommodate the club’s new members. Figueroa works to ensure proper caution is being taken in practice, whether that’s workout form or hydration. Now in her second semester with the club, Figueroa has grown to consider Gamecock MMA her family. “This is really my decompression space, and I love helping people,” Figueroa said. “So it’s a little two-in-one.” Growing up with an uncle who specialized in jiu jitsu and a variety of brothers who took karate, Figueroa has never been a stranger to combat. At school, that combat has served as a way to escape from any stressors in the classroom. “People have a lot of stressors they need to release, and they have a lot of schoolwork and problems that talking doesn’t help with,” Figueroa said. “I feel like with all the fighting, it’s a very calming place.” Looking to the future, Clarke hopes to grow the gym into a place of development for future professional fighters. He said it’s likely some members will continue their training competitively, whether that be at an amateur or professional level. “There’s so much talent in the state of South Carolina that’s untapped just in terms of physical talent,” Clarke said. “You think about like the third string running back on the Gamecocks is probably a worldclass athlete and can’t get on the field there.”

While there may not be a more violent sport, Clarke doesn’t believe martial arts needs to be aggressive or harmful. Clarke said the key to honing one’s temper is to understand the violence they can cause. “We associate violence with tearing things down, but you use violence in a controlled manner to build a more controlled, stable individual,” Clarke said. “A person that understands the capacity to violence is a person that can be gentle because they know the devastation that they can cause.” The mindset of Gamecock MMA’s head coach has not only nurtured the club’s development, but has left an impact on a variety of the club’s members. Figueroa expressed gratitude for Clarke’s experience and the time and energy he dedicates to teaching the club’s members. “Not only does he teach us stuff in fighting, he also wants us to carry it out in life,” she said. “And I really respect that.” Kinnear expressed a similar appreciation for Clarke’s contribution not only to students, but to martial arts. “For him to not only volunteer his space, but just him, his expertise, his knowledge built over an entire lifetime, really just is more valuable than any equipment or any space,” he said.

Myers highlighted the genuine care the head coach dishes out to every single member of the club. Above all things, Gamecock MMA provides opportunity for any and all students with an interest in learning combat sports. “The first step is always the hardest. I was terrified walking into the first gyms that I went to alone, didn’t know anybody,” Kinnear said. “They always say white belt is the hardest belt to get, but once you’re in the door, once you’re there, it’s so much easier to continue.”

DESIGN: JOHN DAVIS PHOTO: MOLLY STOVER Ellyanna Mattingly (left) and Elizabeth Luz (right) train together. Elizabeth Luz practices boxing during the Gamecock MMA practice. The club meets at Battle Combat MMA LLC in Rosewood, where they have access to a wide array of equipment to use for training. Jake Morris (right) and Sean Finney (left) wrestle in the cage during the Gamecock MMA practice. Members of the club meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays to train with their peers. Coach Alan Clarke of Battle Combat MMA LLC in Rosewood wrestles with a member of Gamecock MMA. He is the club’s host and has over 30 years of experience as a martial arts practitioner. All photos were taken during their practice on Sept. 1, 2026.

SPORTS | 22

Freshman pair bring on-court connection to South Carolina MARLI MAIN | VOLLEYBALL BEAT WRITER

wo of the newest additions to the Gamecock volleyball roster are not new to playing on the same side of the court. While they attended different high schools, freshman middle blocker Ella Grivna and freshman setter Jill Bohannon played together on their club volleyball team. “We could just build a connection starting before we get there and that’s just to make things like the transition a lot easier,” said Grivna. Grivna committed to the University of South Carolina as a junior in high school on Aug. 1, 2024 while Bohannon followed, announcing her verbal commitment on April 17, 2025. Bohannon had previously committed to Appalachian State University but recommitted to USC to follow head coach Sarah Rumely Noble. They officially signed to South Carolina on Nov. 12, 2025. The duo came to South Carolina from Louisville, Kentucky, where they played with accomplished high school programs. Grivna attended Ballard High School and Bohannon attended Assumption High School. In Bohannon’s senior season, Assumption High School ended with a 40-4 record and won the KHSAA Girls’ Volleyball State Championship title. Bohannon tallied 1231 assists, 238 digs and 36 aces on the season and snagged the Most Valuable Player award. Grivna helped Ballard to a 29-5 record in her senior season, contributing 311 kills and 96 blocks. Although the schools were separated by just under eight miles, Assumption and Ballard only faced each other once during their tenures. The matchup was a result of a preseason tournament that had no affect on either team’s record. Kentucky Indiana Volleyball Academy, or KIVA, is a prestigious volleyball program based in Louisville. The program has won 55 national championships and developed 385 players who have received athletic scholarships. “From playing KIVA since I was, like, 9 or 10, like, it’s a very competitive club, and I think that was really helpful coming into college because, this is also a competitive program,” Bohannon said. “They’re asking a lot out of you and I think KIVA really prepared me to come here.

Bohannon, having played for KIVA for most of her volleyball career, recruited Grivna to complete their final club season together. KIVA had lost some players, leaving a gap that Grivna would eventually fill. “We needed some players on our team because a few people had left. One girl was graduating early to go to college and one girl just decided to leave.” Bohannon said. “Everybody knows who Ella is. She’s the tallest girl in Louisville and she’s also a really good athlete, clearly.” Knowing they would become Gamecocks within the next year, Bohannon took the opportunity to develop their oncourt compatibility ahead of time. “Me and Ella are going to be playing together in a year,” Bohannon said. “This will be really nice to have Ella on our team because that’ll be helpful for us in the long run.” The dynamic between a setter and a middle blocker is crucial in offensive strategy. The positions are designed to finish each other’s plays, and doing so successfully gives an offensive advantage. “I think we have a really good connection on and off the court,” Bohannon said. “I think it definitely helped being able to play together and to experience competition before we got here.” With the move to the collegiate level, their connection has only grown stronger. Added practices and team bonding activities have pushed them even closer together. “We spend a lot more time in the gym together, so it’s gotten a lot better, a lot faster than it would in club,” Grivna said. “In club we would practice, twice a week. So now we’re practicing everyday, so our connection’s gotten along.” Rumely Noble landed five freshmen ahead of the 2026 season. Joining Grivna and Bohannon are freshman libero Maggie Penn and freshman outside hitters Madisyn Crnjac and Norunn Westersjo. The 2026 recruitment class has already welded together on and off the court. “I think the first three weeks we were here, all the freshmen did literally everything together,” Bohannon said. “We had all these requirements that we had to do, like orientation, stuff like that. So we spent a lot of time together, which is really helpful.”

Other additions include five transfers, as the Gamecocks lost over half of their roster following the 2025 season. Despite being a newly thrown-together team, the Gamecocks developed a sense of chemistry ahead of the season. The duo received some playing time together during the Gamecocks’ exhibition game against the College of Charleston. South Carolina volleyball has scheduled 10 preseason games ahead of their competitive SEC schudule. “Throughout club, I got good preparation. Being able to play in the top levels ... and playing against people who

are also going to other SEC schools,” Grivna said. “That was good preparation.” Grivna and Bohannon look to use their experience together to perform as Gamecocks alongside the other new additions to the team. While both players navigate their first years at South Carolina, having a familiar face makes the adjustment less intimidating. “I think our connection on the court was there in club but when we got here, I think it really just hit off,” Bohannon said. “I think it’s nice for me having Ella here because it’s almost like a little sense of home.”

PHOTO: KILEY WAGNER South Carolina freshmen volleyball players Ella Grivna, No. 32, and Jill Bohannon, No. 11, pose together during preseason practice. The Louisville natives and former club teammates reunited at South Carolina, bringing an established on-court connection to the Gamecocks’ 2026 season.

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SPORTS | 24

Emil Seedoff’s voyage to Columbia prepared him to compete KOFI AYIKU | SOCCER BEAT WRITER

amecock sophomore midfielder Emil Seedorff knows how to make a first impression. As a freshman at Georgia Southern University, he won Sun Belt Freshman of the Year with seven goals and three assists. He also inscribed his name in school history books, becoming the third GSU player since 1999 to get a hat trick when he scored all 3 goals in GSU’s 3-1 win on Halloween night against the South Carolina Gamecocks. “You could definitely feel how it was like, ‘Oh, USC is coming, we really want to beat these guys,’” Seedorff said. Beat these guys Seedorff did, and it’s something he and his Gamecock teammates can laugh about now that he has switched sides. At the start of his journey, though, Seedorff wouldn’t have thought he’d be making waves in the Sun Belt Conference.

RAISING THE ANCHOR

As a child growing up in Frederikshavn, Denmark, Seedorff’s dad had to force him to go to soccer practice. After that first push, Seedorff’s passion for the sport grew. In kindergarten, he started following a Danish club called Brøndby. He wanted to wear the team colors. “My dad told me if I started playing soccer at the club level, I would get a shirt,” Seedorff said. “Since then, I’ve loved playing and never looked back.” He climbed through the ranks at the soccer team, Hobro IK in the 1st Division of Denmark, which has been the second tier of the Danish soccer pyramid since 1991. After six years at Hobro, Seedorff made his professional debut. After his dream came true, though, he had to face the realities of being lower down in the pecking order. “Coming from under-19 where I was one of the guys that the team relied on, and then coming into a first team with professional guys that had played 10, 15plus years as professionals, it’s a different environment,” Seedorff said. “And that was tough to be in.” In search of playing time, he left Denmark for AB Argir in the Faroe Islands. “Far away from the family, but it was a nice experience in different surroundings,” Seedorff said. “I think it was good for me as a soccer player, but especially as a person.”

In the Faroe Islands, he played against opponents like Klaksvíkar Ítróttarfelag, or Sports Club of Klaksvík, which competed in Champions and Europa League qualifiers as well as making the main phase of the Europa Conference League. This was a test he enjoyed, going into tough environments to compete against teams playing in the highest levels of European soccer. Seedorff then returned to Denmark to play at Thisted FC in the 2nd Division. As his contract began to run out there and unable to play due to an injury, he considered making a decision that would change his life: going to play college soccer in the United States. “Being back home in December, it’s cold, the sun is barely out, and you just want to experience something new and get to a new environment,” said Seedorff.

SETTING SAIL

Seedorff thought moving from Europe to the United States would be good for him as a player. “I wanted to come out here to get a new opportunity and new eyes on me as a player,” he said. “Because the thing is, when

you play in the lower leagues back home, it’s easy to get stuck at that level.” There was one obstacle, though: He was utterly unfamiliar with the US college soccer system. “To be honest with you, I really didn’t know anything,” Seedorff said. “It’s tough coming from Europe, where you don’t have a college system, and then understanding how they do it out here.” He learned how things worked as he talked with coaches and his agents, eventually settling on GSU in the Sun Belt Conference. After his first season there, he was sure he had found the right competition to continue growing his game. “When you hit the Sun Belt games, you can definitely feel the increase of the level,” Seedorff said. “When you play against Marshall, West Virginia, Kentucky, USC, it’s different brand names, and you get to know these schools very quickly... But it’s nice, though, I’m out here to compete.” At Georgia Southern, he had an eyecatching goal tally for a midfielder. His secret to regularly getting on the scoresheet is simple.

“I started to understand that it’s about getting in the right position and getting inside the box,” Seedorff said. “Here at USC, we call them ‘sniffers.’ Get close to the goal, and then hopefully it’s going to hit you.” Now that he is a goalscorer, he has a go-to celebration inspired by the iconic goalscoring run of former Swansea striker Michu. He first tried it at Thisted before coming to the US. But after scoring on his debut at GSU, the celebration just came naturally, so it stuck. Come the end of the season, it came time to make another decision regarding his future, and Seedorff chose to transfer to South Carolina for a number of reasons.

COMING HOME TO COLUMBIA

“It’s a truly beautiful place,” Seedorff said. “And then of course the coaching staff. What Tony Annan has done through his career speaks for itself, and how he has turned guys into pros, that was also very appealing.” Seedorff also noted South Carolina’s unique status among other Southeastern Conference schools.

PHOTO: SEBASTIAN GODUN Sophomore midfielder Emil Seedorff dribbles the ball behind two defenders from USC Upstate at Stone Stadium on Aug. 24, 2026. Seedorff had 1 shot on goal in the Gamecocks’ 4-0 win over the Spartans.

SPORTS | 25 “It’s a very special school, since you’re an SEC school, and there are only two SEC schools with a men’s soccer program, so I think this school is so special,” Seedorff said. Now that Seedorff is here, he has taken it all in and enjoyed the opportunity to both work and play. In comparison to previous seasons, he notices a difference in intensity in South Carolina. “How we work every single day here, it’s so different,” Seedorff said. “But it’s been a pleasure since I came; I’ve loved every part of it. Both the people and just being around in this city, it’s been a pleasure, and it’s nice to be a part of such a big school.”

PHOTO: SEBASTIAN GODUN Sophomore midfielder Emil Seedorff runs up the field during a match against USC Upstate on Aug. 24, 2026 at Stone Stadium. Seedorff played 32 minutes for the Gamecocks in their home

This month in Gamecock history JOHN DAVIS | SPORTS EDITOR

s the school year enters full swing, South Carolina’s fall sports teams continue to find their identities throughout their seasons. The month of September is full of a variety of iconic moments, wins and landmarks for Gamecock Athletics.

1972

Williams-Brice Stadium received its name on Sept. 8, 1972 during a game against the University of Virginia. Honoring Martha Williams-Brice and her late husband, Thomas Hardin Brice, the couple’s estate funded stadium expansions that increased capacity to 54,000 ahead of the 1972 season. Brice played football for South Carolina from 1922 to 1924.

1992

South Carolina played its first ever football game as a member of the Southeastern Conference on Sept. 5, 1992. The Gamecocks lost 28-6 and started the season 0-5 but won five of their last six games to end the year, including a 24-13 win over Clemson.

2000

For the first time in nearly two years, South Carolina won a football game, defeating New Mexico State 31-0 on Sept. 2, 2000. The Gamecocks lost 21-straight games to end the 1990s, and upon ending the streak in the win over the Lobos, fans stormed the field with 36 seconds to play. Then-head coach Lou Holtz and his staff had to usher them off the field to finish the game. Both goal posts were torn down by fans when the clock hit zero.

2001

Just nine days after 9/11, on Sept. 20, 2001, head coach Lou Holtz and South Carolina took on Mississippi State in the first nationally televised football game since the attacks. Both team’s players held the American Flag during the national anthem, and the No. 18 Gamecocks earned a 16-14 win over the No. 17 Bulldogs.

2006

South Carolina men’s soccer captured its 400th victory in program history in a 2-0 shutout over University of Alabama at Birmingham on Sept. 27, 2006. Every win came under legendary head coach Mark Berson, who finished his 43-year tenure with the Gamecocks as one of four coaches in NCAA Division I men’s soccer with over 500 wins.

2010

In one of the most iconic games in Gamecock history, South Carolina defeated No. 2 Georgia at Williams-Brice Stadium on Sept. 11, 2010. Legendary running back Marcus Lattimore finished with 182 rush yards and two touchdowns on a staggering 37 attempts. The Gamecocks defeated No. 1 Alabama less than a month later.

2014

After a nearly 90-minute delay due to severe lightning, No. 24 South Carolina held No. 6 Georgia out of the endzone to capture a 38-35 win on Sept. 13, 2014. Facing a 1st-and-goal from their own 4-yard line, the Gamecocks stood tall against the Bulldogs and star running back Todd Gurley to capture victory.

DESIGN: MIRACLE BARKSDALE

Print journalism students aren’t getting real experience NAT CAMPBELL | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

hen I enrolled at the University of South Carolina as a multimedia journalism student in 2023, I always heard about the newsroom experience I would get in my capstone semester. It would be a full 12-credit-hour semester spent fully focused on writing for Carolina News & Reporter. In the spring semester of my second year, my journalism professor told our class that it was going to look different. Rather than taking all of the classes in one semester and getting an experience similar to a real 9-to5 job, it would be split between two semesters and taken at the same time as other classes. The USC website describes the capstone course as “an immersive experience” to provide students with “’real world’ newsroom experience.”

While this was once true, it’s no longer the case. Now, students have two capstone classes in the afternoon every other day for two semesters, while still dealing with a full course load. Because the experience is no longer all day every day, students are required to do reporting outside of all their other classes as opposed to working throughout the day. Multimedia reporters are also now responsible for their own photos and video packages, in addition to writing. While this does prepare multimedia students for times in which they will have need these skills, the workload has gotten a lot bigger with the stretch of the curriculum. This is in comparison with broadcast journalism students, whose senior semester hasn’t

Largest Sweetgrass Basket

By Corey Alston

changed, still providing a simulated work experience. Some multimedia students are also involved in student media, which is already reporting on their own time. In past years, several members of The Daily Gamecock’s staff were also in senior semester, but the balance between reporting during the day for CNR and reporting outside of class for TDG was much smoother. Now student reporters are stretched thin, trying to balance the major time commitment each publication requires. This is especially true with the added multimedia aspects of the new program, not to mention the other classes students are taking on top of it. Even if a student isn’t involved in student media have other obligations,

such as work and extracurriculars. The workload hasn’t been reduced; it’s just been stretched out. For many of my friends, this was not what they signed up for. I know someone who traveled out of state specifically for the “real world newsroom experience,” and just barely missed the cutoff before the switch. I personally changed my major due to the changes. My work with TDG is the most rewarding part of my college experience. I knew if I wanted to give it my all and do well in school, I wouldn’t be able to handle such an intense workload. I miss being a journalism major, but, for me, the newsroom experience I get in student media makes up for it.

OPINION | 27

Opinion Grab Bag: Rising enrollment at USC OPINION WRITERS

Enrollment at the University of South Carolina has been steadily rising for the last few years. Is the university doing a disservice to students by accepting too many new students? ANSLEY DANTIN

ASSISTANT OPINION EDITOR There seem to be too many people everywhere. Parking is impossible; I have to weave through people to make it to class on time, and don’t get me started on trying to secure a football ticket. As the number of new students at South Carolina continues to grow, more frustrations come along with it. I have especially noticed this problem regarding Greek life. This year, South Carolina made headlines for having the largest group of Potential New Members, or PNMs, for fall sorority recruitment. As someone who has been one of those scared PNMs and has stood on the other side of the doors, excited to talk to a potential sister, I found myself becoming less and less excited about the growth in numbers. According to Dunbar’s number, a single person can maintain about 150 meaningful relationships. After that, people become merely acquaintances. So, what do you do when you are in a sorority with more than 300 members and your new member class is comfortably over 150? Does calling someone a sister become less meaningful when it’s impossible to know them all? I think this takes away from the purpose of Greek life. When sororities and fraternities started, they were places where students could be their true selves and express their opinions in a place of comfortable debate. While much has changed over the years, the founding principle hasn’t: connection. Don’t get me wrong — I firmly believe there is a place for every person in either a sorority or fraternity at South Carolina. Joining a sorority has helped shape my college experience and brought me some of my best friends. However, many member classes this year are comfortably

over 150 members. If I follow Dunbar’s theory, one cannot be best friends with all of these people. These are supposed to be your sisters and brothers, but how can they be if you can’t connect with them all?

INDIGO NATH OPINION WRITER

USC is indeed struggling to accommodate all of the students that it is admitting, and perhaps, it is admitting too many. To be exact, according to statistics from USC’s own enrollment data page, the headcount on our Columbia campus has increased by about 17%, from 35,590 to 41,650, from fall 2022-26. To compare to other large southern schools, the University of Georgia, over the same time period, is projected to have increased the headcount of its student body by about 9.6%. At Tennessee, it’s projected to have increased by over 21.3%. At UNC Charlotte, enrollment is predicted to have increased by about 11.8%. Thus, it appears that USC is not exactly an outlier among schools in its area, and it may be that the university needs to keep up with its competitors, or that societal trends are driving this increased enrollment rather than a pure desire by school administration to admit more students. Furthermore, if admitting new students brings in more revenue that can be reinvested, that could be beneficial, as long as the money does not end up disappearing into the bowels of administrative bloat. Essentially, a larger student body is not necessarily bad. However, while it may be that admitting more students is unavoidable or necessary, the university should still take measures to increase on campus housing, strengthen public transit and increase the amount of advisors to manage this larger population.

LEGARE JENKINS OPINION WRITER

USC’s increasing freshman class sizes are a disservice to students and will continue to be if upholding quality and experiences for current students are not prioritized. Over the course of four years at USC, original promises that interested and excited students can become unmet or met at a lower value when the university

overwhelms itself with students. From busy campus dining locations, to fuller parking lots, to limited housing to overcrowded seating areas, students are upset that the quality of the experience they pay for is decreasing. The limited housing, although likely to be improved when construction at McBryde and Honors is completed, is a large issue. 650 Lincoln housing, which once allotted primarily to honors upperclassmen students and athletes, is now housing mostly freshmen, without belonging to the athlete or honors groups. In finding space for a large freshman class on a campus that cannot fit them, the sophomores, juniors and seniors are neglected, either losing a housing spot or losing one they were originally advertised as exclusively for upperclassmen. Regardless of USC’s admissions process that may warrant larger class sizes, the university needs to pay greater attention to how drastically larger freshman classes hinder existing students’ experiences if they want to continue fostering a positive experience for all USC students.

SYDNEY WHITKINS OPINION WRITER

Yes, the university is doing a disservice because while it is great that so many people want to come to this school, it is hurting the current students. Because of the over-acceptance, current students are facing problems like Wi-Fi issues, low parking availability and most significantly, a lack of housing on and off campus. Freshman students are now facing the repercussions of the university tearing down McBryde, being placed in housing, like Park Place, far away from campus. Sophomores, juniors and seniors are forced to make some difficult decisions quickly as off-campus living options dwindle throughout the year, as there is no space left on campus. If a student wants to live in apartments close to campus, they are often very expensive. Alternatively, they can choose to live in a less expensive rental farther away, but risk driving to campus every day and spending hours finding parking spaces. The real problem is not the influx of admitted students; it is the lack of adequate planning to ensure current student needs

are being met. Admitting more and more students and then building new housing is just not working, it is doing a disservice to the current Gamecocks who want to enjoy the college experience and make lasting memories without the housing stresses.

SAM CANCILLA OPINION EDITOR

I don’t necessarily think that the university is doing a disservice to students by growing the population. However, I think that if the university doesn’t curb the growth soon to allow for local infrastructure to grow and catch up to its rapidly rising population, then it will be doing more harm to Columbia and USC students. In fall 2019, the student population was made up of 35,364 students, which stayed consistent until fall 2023, where the population grew to about 36,000 students, and now, in fall 2026, there are 41,650 students. That’s about a 17.8% increase in just three years — a rate of growth that Columbia’s housing, roads and other infrastructure are struggling to keep up with. Construction is happening left and right, and parking is nearly nonexistent, streets are overcrowded and there’s no place to house the increasing population. Without giving the city time to catch up, continued expansion will begin to hurt the students it’s trying to serve.

OPINION | 28

Privacy is a thing of the past as Flock cameras invade SAMUEL J. CANCILLA | OPINION EDITOR

n 2025, Flock Safety reported more than 20 billion vehicle scans per month, and as the Flock Safety camera network expands across the country, millions of Americans will continue to be recorded and potentially tracked simply going about their lives. While cameras on the roadway aren’t necessarily new, Flock cameras and other newer cameras feature automatic license plate recognition capabilities to instantly snap pictures of drivers’ plates for later processing. The main problem isn’t that Flock Safety cameras take pictures of cars’ license plates. Rather, it’s what happens to those pictures afterward. Instead of providing a feed of footage and images that an investigator would have to manually search through, Flock turns vehicles into searchable data assisted by artificial intelligence. Investigators can use a license plate or vehicle description to track where and when a vehicle was detected by the Flock network. What once would have simply recorded a car passing can now create a digital record of its movements across multiple locations. At first, this ability to search through data quickly and efficiently may seem harmless and maybe even beneficial to the public. Flock cameras can help investigators locate stolen vehicles, identify suspects and even piece together the events surrounding a crime. However, the same technology that can help find a stolen car can also be used to find a person even if they’ve done nothing wrong. When the system can trace where a vehicle has been, the question becomes how far we are willing to let that search go and how can we protect innocent people from potentially corrupt or overreaching authorities? That question became a reality in Texas, where a sheriff’s deputy used Flocks license plate reader software to search over 83,000 automatic license plate reader cameras throughout the Flock Safety network to find a woman who had a self-administered abortion in Texas. Cameras were even searched in states where abortion is protected. When the officer searched through the Flock system for her, they were prompted to give a reason for the search. The reason

listed according to 404 Media was, “had an abortion, search for female.” What makes this particularly concerning is what happened before the search was conducted. The safeguard implemented by Flock Safety did not require the officer to obtain a warrant or any sort of approval before accessing the Flock system. Rather, the system relied on the officer to provide a plausible reason for the search. Flock Safety advertises these prompts and audit logs to prevent misuse. But that requirement is just not the same as requiring an officer to first demonstrate probable cause to a judge. In this case, the officer was able to track the person down without anyone reviewing the request or verifying that the reason for the search was valid. If it’s not already clear, a system like this opens the door to endless possibilities of misuse. Someone with access to the Flock Safety network could potentially track and stalk an ex-partner. An officer has done

this. Someone could use Flock to track a romantic rival. An officer has allegedly done this. Someone could enter a false justification to mask why they are trying to track someone. An officer in South Carolina has done this. These ideas that Flock Safety could be abused simply aren’t hypothetical anymore. These are real examples of what can happen when an incredibly powerful surveillance network is in the hands of individuals without meaningful oversight. As Flock Safety continues to expand their camera coverage the amount of information available to search through will only grow larger. Now just imagine if that same network were used to track people because of who they associate with, where they go, what they do, or what political ideologies they support. This may sound extreme. However, the technology is there, and it does not know the difference between a criminal and a political enemy. It simply

DESIGN: MEGAN GOURLEY provides a platform to search where a vehicle has been. The danger is not only that flock is being used this way today. It is that we are allowing the infrastructure to continue to be built that will make it possible tomorrow. Every new Flock camera adds another piece to the safety network capable of tracking and recording every vehicle that passes through. Then as the network grows it becomes even harder for someone to travel through their community without leaving behind a record of their movements. A person does not even have to be suspected of anything. They just have to drive by a Flock Safety camera and that data is stored for up to 30 days unless otherwise requested. Further breaching that individual’s privacy. Today, Flock Safety is composed of a network of cameras that are used to find missing people and solve crimes. However, if left unchecked it could develop into a detrimental monster that would devour the livelihood of every American.

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OPINION | 31

Comics Page

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BY ABBY SHORT

BY TEANDRA JOHNSON

OPINION | 32

There’s a bad side to body positivity, and people are noticing ANSLEY DANTIN | ASSISTANT OPINION EDITOR

efore-and-after compilations, zoomed-in videos and concerned comments. This is what you will find if you scroll on social media long enough. An influx of videos pointing out celebrities’ ever-shrinking bodies has slowly taken over my social media timeline over the past year. What used to be videos talking about the high fashion gowns worn on the red carpet has turned into videos pointing out the increasingly visible bones of the celebrities who wear them. Comments have turned from praise to concern. And then from concern to defense. Since the days of “heroin chic” and tabloids pointing out lower-belly fat, one would think that, as a society, we have taken great strides when it comes to critiquing people’s bodies. For years, the message has been, “Don’t comment on people’s bodies.” But sometimes silence is where harmful ideas only grow stronger. Body positivity has done some good. However, it has also made having honest conversations about unhealthy beauty standards increasingly difficult. There has been an increase in online discourse over “healthy” bodies, especially regarding celebrities. While celebrities’ bodies being critiqued is nothing new, there has been a change in how media discusses it.

SICKLINESS AND BEAUTY Body trends are not a new concept. But in the Victorian era, a certain disease would prove to change beauty standards for hundreds of years. Tuberculosis, an infectious disease that attacks the lungs and other organs, began to intertwine itself in female beauty standards in the early 19th century. Since tuberculosis caused a slow death, made visual by thinness and pale skin, many thought it accentuated the beautiful parts of women. Upper and middle-class women sought to emulate the desired look by lightening their skin and reddening cheeks and lips for that low-grade fever look. While I would like to think these specific beauty trends have gone out of fashion, one can only wonder how people began to associate sickliness with beauty, and if people have stopped. “Heroin chic” is a term that was popularized

in the 1990s. Pale skin, dark under eyes and thinness. A pushback to classic ideas of beauty, “heroin chic” was grunge and cool. However, while this look was embraced by Hollywood and the fashion industry, it caused fear in many Americans. Because while “tuberculosis chic” was seen as somewhat of an unavoidable sentence, Nancy Reagan said to “just say no” to drugs. So the ultra-thin standard of the 1990s passed, no doubt leaving its claws in many young girls across America.

CHANGING TRENDS The 2000s began to see a movement of women starting to embrace their bodies. Celebrity women were pushing back against questions regarding their diets, and the public took issue with magazines pointing and zooming in on bikini pictures. Nevertheless, tabloids and skinny jeans had a hold on pop culture. The 2010s saw the emergence of the body positivity movement. A movement that said, “This is my body and I love it!” Curves were in, and people took that opportunity and ran with it. Dr. Lauren Fowler, an assistant professor in the University of South Carolina Health Promotion, Education and Behavior department, acknowledged the accomplishments of the body positivity movement. “It really has been able to influence a fair amount of the media to be more inclusive, to think about representation of larger bodies in ways that it didn’t before,” Fowler said. The body positivity movement didn’t start out with Instagram hashtags and influencers telling you to wear a crop top. It actually has its roots in activism and calling out discrimination against people in larger bodies. It was a pushback against diet culture and a call for equal treatment no matter someone’s size.

MEDIA ATTENTION Today, body positivity is a mainstream movement. Influencers build entire brands around loving your body and accepting yourself just the way you are.

But when a movement becomes so focused on acceptance, does it begin to ignore unhealthy trends? In many corners of the internet, even acknowledging a growing trend regarding bodies can be seen as body shaming. Still, the media has never stopped commenting on people’s bodies. No matter the platform, social media comments are full of people stating their opinions on the way others look. Since singer and actress Ariana Grande started her tour, nearly every video of her performing is filled with comments of people expressing their concern over her

OPINION | 33 appearance. But for a lot of the comments expressing concern, there is a reply saying to not comment on people’s bodies and that people shouldn’t assume they know anything. The discourse over Grande’s appearance reached its peak when she released her Petal music video. Ironically, the song taking aim at critics and people’s desire for her to change

truth that smaller bodies are glamorized and seen as the standard of beauty, but how can people fight back against unhealthy trends if they aren’t allowed to point them out? “So, I think actually the conversation can then become, you know, there are a lot of very thin people on social media and in you

While it’s harmful to look at someone and say, “They look sick”, or to “eat a burger”, it’s just as harmful to not recognize a trend

okay to acknowledge that. There is a way we can have these conversations about unhealthy trends and still not point fingers and jump to conclusions. Now Fowler doesn’t necessarily align herself with the body positivity movement. Instead, she emphasizes her support of fat liberation/body liberation. A movement that instead of demanding that everyone should love their body, emphasizes being able to live in one’s body without scrutiny. “We don’t have to love (our body). It’s just a vessel—we can be neutral about it,” Fowler said.

A NEW OUTLOOK Body neutrality is a shift in thinking. It says, “I don’t feel negative towards my body as a vessel, and I don’t feel positive toward it.” The thinking is when people stop assigning moral value to their bodies, it helps curb negative thinking. Bodies aren’t achievements. Bodies aren’t failures. Bodies simply are. “Being and feeling positive about your body is not accessible for all people, particularly gender diverse folks who live in bodies that they feel do not match how they identify, and so you know we see the rise of like body neutrality and these other kinds of concepts where we can just think about our body, and we don’t have to be positive about it,” Fowler said. Body positivity has done a lot of good, but it has also discouraged honest conversations. If, as a society, we don’t have these conversations regarding unhealthy trends, it will make it harder for people to realize them. We can do exactly that in a constructive way: by not labeling things as bad or good, but by acknowledging reality. Body shaming and silence are not our only two options. There is an honest conversation to be found somewhere in the middle, and that is a conversation I want to have.

her appearance drew intense backlash. Only a couple of days later, a representative for Grande told People Magazine she will be taking a “step back” after her tour ends. While it is true that no one should speculate about anyone’s private health status, that doesn’t mean people should be discouraged from discussing these beauty standards that are being reinforced in public view. It is a sad

know celebrity spheres right now, and it might seem like that is something that we should idolize. But let’s have this conversation about what it means to live in your body and feel good about that, and that is the goal.”

WHAT GROWS IN SILENCE I want to highlight that there is a difference between body shaming and the open discussion of beauty standards.

in society of seeing certain bodies as aspirational. Silence tends to be where ideas grow. Some good, some harmful. When we see these images of celebrities and influencers appearing fragile and undernourished, it’s important to recognize that these bodies are increasingly being presented as aspirational. Body positivity often says that you must love your body no matter what, but what if that isn’t the answer? All that idea does is reinforce the notion that it’s not okay to notice when something looks off. If seeing someone who is shockingly thin walk a red carpet causes you negative feelings, it’s

DESIGN: TEANDRA JOHNSON

OPINION | 34

Column: HB 5356 could restrict voter’s voices if passed SAMUEL J. CANCILLA | OPINION EDITOR

magine walking into your precinct’s polling station to vote in the primary election. It’s the same one that you have been voting in for your entire life, and then suddenly you’re turned around and told that the ballot that you want is no longer available to you. Not because you’re a felon, forgot your ID, or failed to register to vote in general, but because you did not align yourself with a political party. This is the reality that will happen if legislation like House Bill 5356 gets passed in the South Carolina House. Historically, South Carolina voters have not been required to register with a political party. Instead, South Carolina has operated on an open primary system. This means that on primary day, any registered voter can go and vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary. They can choose which primary they want to vote in regardless of any affiliation. However, a voter cannot participate in both primaries during the same election. Instead, they choose whichever ballot they want when they arrive at th e polls. This system is perfect. It gives voters the ability to focus on individual candidates rather than committing themselves to one political party. A voter might support a Republican one year in the primary and then want to support a Democratic candidate in the next primary. But it also gives independent voters a voice. They might not feel fully represented by either party but still want a say in which candidate appears on the general election ballot. So, by keeping primaries open, independent voters have an opportunity to make their voices heard. This is important because, unlike open primaries, closed primaries can give more power to the more partisan and committed members of a political party. This indirectly causes candidates to have an incentive to appeal to those partisan voters during the primary, even if their positions are less popular with the broader population they could eventually represent. Now, open primaries do not guarantee that the more moderate candidate will win. However, allowing independents to participate can cause candidates to consider a wider range of voters before reaching the general election. This system, which gives everyone an equal voice, could change soon.

The South Carolina State House on Gervais Street in Columbia, South Carolina on Sept. 15, 2025.

H. 5356, which has been introduced in the South Carolina House, if passed, would move the state away from its current tried and tested open primary system towards a system based on party registration. The bill proposes that, “a person is not allowed to vote in a partisan primary election… unless the person has registered as being a member of that political party.” This means that you must choose a party before voting for candidates from that party in the primary. For voters who identify with one political party very strongly, this is a nonissue. A voter who consistently votes in Republican primaries can register as a Republican, while a voter who consistently votes in Democratic primaries could simply register as a Democrat. The problem is for the voters who do not fit into either category. Voters who do not consider themselves Republicans or Democrats would essentially be forced to choose a political label if they wanted to participate in a partisan primary.

H. 5356 would also change when voters make that choice. Under the current system, voters are not registered by party and can decide at the polls which party’s primary they want to participate in. If the proposed legislation passes, voters will have to establish a party affiliation before participating in that party’s primary. Voters would have no more than 30 days before the primary to change their party affiliation. This burdens so many independent voters. They will have to commit to voting in a certain party’s primary nearly a month before the vote. Thus, shifting the decision away from purely the candidates on the ballot and toward a voter’s formal party affiliation. Advocates for closed primaries believe that a political party should be able to choose its own nominee. Republicans should solely decide who represents the Republican Party while Democrats should decide who represents the Democratic Party. Supporters also argue that limiting

PHOTO: HARRISON HIRSCH participation to party members helps prevent voters from crossing party lines to influence an opposing party’s nomination. This argument, however, overlooks whom those nominees could eventually represent if elected. They would not only represent only Republicans or only Democrats. They would represent everyone in their domain, including independent voters. For South Carolinians, the difference is between walking into a voting booth and choosing the candidate that represents them, or being limited to candidates from the party that they are registered to. When voters walk into a polling place to vote in a primary, they should choose the candidate they believe best represents them. Not the candidate that represents them from a certain party. Voters shouldn’t have to choose a party before voting for representation. H. 5356 shouldn’t pass.

Continued stories CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 “It’s the base-level existence of the organization,” Adam said. Adam said the program has received this funding before with no issue. If the grant is denied, the chorus would have to raise an additional $13,000 independently. Otherwise, the program will experience profound budget cuts. Adam also said the impact would reach beyond the chorus’s LGBTQ+ members. “It’s not just about a handful of gay men to kind of stop them from singing,” she said. “This is about people who work in the arts industry.”

Adam said the two organizations have become caught in a broader debate over public arts funding and is worried the dispute could create a precedent for officials to limit arts funding in the future. “We’re on the front lines today,” Adam said. “But if this doesn’t hold now, what’s next?” The commission is scheduled to meet on Oct. 15, where both programs are expected to appear and defend their programs’ artistic merit. The meeting may allow the commission to clarify their definition of “ideology” and how that standard will be applied.

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The Gamecock | 36

Featured photos and designs of the month

PHOTO: GRETA MOWERS

PHOTO: SEBASTIAN GODUN

PHOTO: JOHN CARPENTER

Redshirt Freshman running back Jabree Coleman celebrates towards the student section after scoring a touchdown against Kent State on Sept. 5, 2026

Freshman forward Cristian Ortiz (left) fights for control of the ball against a USC Upstate player at Stone Stadium on Aug. 24, 2026.

Members of Tri Delta celebrate together after Bid Day on Aug. 16, 2026, at Colonial Life Arena. The group gathers on the arena floor after the event comes to an end.

PHOTO: KILEY WAGNER

DESIGN: TEANDRA JOHNSON

The Gamecocks hug one another and celebrate on the field over their victory against the Tigers on Aug. 20, 2026 at Eugene E. Stone III Stadium. The Gamecocks won 1-0 against the Tigers with a goal made by senior midfielder Cuyler Zulauf.

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The Gamecock | 38

Crossword

ACROSS:

3. King snake 6. Arca and ROSALIA are living life to the fullest 7. Unable to face negative consequences (Ethel Cain) 10. Opposite 4-down, No Doubt is... 11. (Are we ever gonna get out?) Nuclear 12. “...It doesn’t even matter.”

DOWN:

EDITED BY SAM MOORE

1. “How many times do I have to say to get away?” 2. Aerosmith says amble in this direction 3. Nirvana is really inclusive 4. Olivia Rodrigo is thinking too much about her boyfriend’s ex 5. Grimes is “just a man” 8. “...Has got me going like you couldn’t imagine.” 9. No Doubt is just counting the days, anticipating...

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The Gamecock | 39

STA F F

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