SEPTEMBER 27, 2017 VOLUME 102 ISSUE 7
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Sierra Wood printz reporter
On Saturday, Sept. 24, The University of Southern Mississippi’s Alpha Omicron Chapter of Phi Mu hosted their annual philanthropy event, BonnaMU. The event receives its name from the popular arts and music festival Bonnaroo that occurs every summer in Tennessee. Southern MIss follows its example with an arts and music fest of its own with Greek Life members as its participants. Phi Mu’s national philanthropy
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News
Southern Miss is the #1 military-friendly.
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Features
DACA dreamers on campus at USM.
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Opinion
Jemele Hill’s tweets cause controversy.
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USM’s Phi Mu chapter poses together following BonnaMU’s festivities
is Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Proceeds from the event went to the Batson Children’s Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi which is the only Children’s Miracle Network hospital in Mississippi. Last year, USM’s Phi Mu raised over $28,000 for the hospital. According to the sorority, the money they raise for Blair E. Batson goes straight to patient care, new medical equipment in addition to research of children’s illnesses, diseases and injuries. Phi Mu’s creed is to “To lend to those less fortunate a helping hand,” and they seek to accomplish this through their continued support
of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. BonnaMU’s festivities occurred in Spirit Park, on the lawn between the Thad Cochran building and the Century Park dorms. Besides the main dance-off competition, the festival also had tents with other activities dedicated to raising money for Batson Children’s Hospital. Local vendors also took part in the fundraiser by setting up booths and donating their proceeds. There were tents selling food, snow cones and even a “Pie a Phi Mu” tent where participants could pay to throw a pie at a Phi Mu member.
The afternoon kicked off with live musical performances from students and was followed by a Greek dance-off. Each sorority was paired with a fraternity in order to choreograph and perform a dance routine in the competition. Seymour even hopped on stage to show off his moves in a couple of the routines. The competition was judged by several dance professionals and Phi Mu alumnae. In the past, former patients of Batson Children’s Hospital. Sophomore kinesiology major Lexy Runnels said her favorite part of the event was “the unity felt by
the sororities represented” in the competition. Runnels danced with her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, in the dance-off for the second time and said she loves the event. “I love that this event brings the campus together for such a great cause, ” sophomore nursing major and Phi Mu member Celsey Harpster said. This year’s judges named Chi Omega and Sigma Nu the winners of the competition. Another successful BonnaMU brought USM’s campus together to raise money for an incredible cause— Mississippi’s sick children.
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KAITLYN WATKINS
KENYATTA S. ROSS
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• The Office of Sustainability is hosting a series of events in October to celebrate Campus Sustainability Month. Events include the monthly swap table on Oct. 4-5 and the CCE Sweet Potato Drop on Oct. 11.
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OPINIONS
EDITORIAL POLICY The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not necessarily represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submissions must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@ gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.
Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.
Ashley Hobson social media editor
Toys “R” Us declared bankruptcy on Monday, September 18. The toy store that dominated childhood entertainment in the 80’s and 90’s said that it will keep all of its locations open through the upcoming holiday season with $3.1 billion financing. However, while Toys “R” Us might not want to admit it just yet, bankruptcy experts say store closings are inevitable. The company reveals in bankruptcy petition documents they do plan to move to smaller stores as part of a long-term solution. The company said it is “currently performing a detailed review of their real estate portfolio” to pinpoint locations where rents can be negotiated and square footage reduced. The bankruptcy filing has created an even steeper uphill battle for the former toy giant. Suppliers have begun to demand cash payments before shipping merchandise, or even full payment on all remaining accounts in some cases. This means that vendors and suppliers become the ones who suffer the most. While larger suppliers such as Hasbro or Mattel can absorb the lost profit, there are many smaller suppliers who will suffer greatly. Reports say some clients “will be lucky to see 10 cents on the dollar” after being owed in the millions. Toys “R” Us joins a growing list of previously solid and profitable
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companies that have declared bankruptcy this year. Many blame the growing reach of giants such as Walmart, Target and Amazon which has exploded in the past year. Shoppers, who are incentivized by perks such as convenience and same-day delivery, are using stores such as Toys “R” Us to see what the market must offer while searching competitor’s prices online. In other words, stores like Toys “R” Us are used for browsing a selection while
online competitors such as Walmart and Amazon are used for actual purchases. Toys “R” Us cannot compete with competitors’ low prices, and shoppers know it. Perhaps the largest contributor to Toys “R” Us’ declining, if not, nonexistent profit margins is the store’s failure to adapt to the boom in entertainment technology. Kids are playing with tablets more than building blocks and would rather beg for a new app than a
new Barbie doll. Niko Partners, a firm specializing in games market analysis, report that Toys “R” Us ranked as the number two retailer for video games and software in 1999. Today, their market share is less than one percent. Of course, the retailer still offers video games and such, but why would you go to a Toys “R” Us when you can get your video games and groceries in the same place - in some cases, without ever leaving your home at all?
For now, Toys “R” Us will continue to offer a toy land through the decisive holiday season. This means they have around 14 weeks to come up with a way to save their hundreds of stores and thousands of employees. In an ever changing and evolving market, the once toy giant must adapt to keep its doors open, much less become the childhood attraction it once was.
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Dyck announces winners of National Juried Painting Exhibition Morgan Clark news editor
T he 2017 National Juried Painting Exhibition has been displayed in the George Hurst Museum of Art since August 3 1 . T h e ex h i b i t i o n d i s p l ay s different for ms of artwork of varied painting mediums ranging from oil to pastel and airbrushed fresco with styles such as hyperrealism, extreme sizes and landscapes. Galler y Director Traci Stover set up the show. The opening reception was held on August 31 and the show will be taken down on Friday, September 29. The awards ceremony was held on Friday, September 22 at 6 p.m. Prior to the ceremony, juror Peter Van Dyck gave a lecture in the Liberal Arts Building to gathering art students, professors and visiting painters. Almost 75 students and faculty attended. Van Dyck studied in Florence, Italy at The Florence Academy of Art from 1998-2002 after studying at Wesleyan University i n M i d d l e t ow n , C o n n e c t i c u t from 1997-1998. He also taught as an instructor at The Florence Academy of Art from 2000-2002 while he was a student there. From 2009-2010, he was a guest instructor at Gage Academy in Seattle, Washington. Van Dyck later went on to teach at the Pennsylvania Academy of Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 2003 and later gained the title of assistant professor in 2011.
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He has been featured in eight publications for his paintings. “When I’m painting, I don’t try to like balance those things; I try to just let them have a war on the canvas,” said Van Dyck. “I’ll collect like huge areas of tone and color together and then g radually start to distinguish them more from one another.” Van Dyck’s lecture included slides of his work and explanations
on how he progressed in his career and painting development. It lasted about an hour and served as an effective source for the students to learn from. “I just found it interesting to see a different perspective on what art is from a new person,” said senior painting and drawing major Alex Townsend. “While I didn’t agree with all of his methods and views on painting, I still
respect the diversity in his style.” N e i l C a l l a n d e r wo n t h i rd place for his piece “Early Spring Window,” taking home $200. Michael Nichols won second place for his trio of tonal panels “Slur,” “Blear” and “Blume,” receiving $300. Allan Anderson won first place for his landscape “Red Roof in New Brookland,” gaining $500. The gallery will put up a new exhibit of The Do Good Fund:
A C e l e b r at i o n o f S o u t h e r n Photog raphy on October 12 and will host a lecture from William Ferris is the Gonzales Auditorium in the Liberal Arts Building room 108. The reception will follow the lecture at 7 p.m. The Museum of Art is free and open to the public Monday through Fr i d a y f r o m 1 0 a . m . t o 5 p. m .
USM ranks #1 best military-friendly online college Natalie Buckley printz reporter
The University of Southern Mississippi has ranked number one among the best militaryfriendly online colleges in the nation for 2017 by AffordableCollegesOnline.org. The site ranked schools based on cost of tuition, financial aid, class size and strived to find colleges “with the most notable balance of academic rigor, military student services, program variety and affordability.” USM placed first with a score of 99.76 out of 100. The website also reported USM’s percentage of students receiving financial aid as 74 percent, student to teacher ratio as 13-18:1 and graduation rate as 50 percent. A l o n g w i t h t h i s r a n k i n g, USM was also named a 2015 Top Univer sity by Militar y Advanced Education and a 2015 Military Friendly School by Victory Media, according to USM’s online military website. “Southern Miss is proud to have been recently designated as a ‘Military Friendly School’ and a ‘Top Military Friendly University,’ and is committed to providing veterans, service members and their families every opportunity to succeed,” Director of the Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families Maj. Gen. (ret.) Jeff Hammond said in the Center’s brochure. The Center offers over 45 online undergraduate and
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graduate degrees and provides numerous services for veterans, active-duty service members and members of their families, such as scholarships, internships and work-study opportunities. The campus has Air Force and Ar my ROTC programs, along with a Military/Veterans Bachelor of Science in Nursing (VBSN) pathway degree designed for both veterans and active-
duty service members. USM also participates in the Leadership Scholar Program, which provides admission assistance to Marines to get into four-year universities across the country. Both undergraduate and graduate online tuition at USM averages at $7,659, proving to be more affordable compared to other four-year universities ave r a g i n g b e t w e e n $ 8 , 4 4 5
and $15,463 in tuition costs. Options for semester course loads range from 12 to 18 hours for undergraduates and 9 to 13 hours for graduates. Additional c o u r s e f e e s r a n g e b e t we e n $20 and $150 per credit hour. To v i e w t h e r a n k i n g results, visit w w w. affordablecollegesonline. org/military-onlinecolleges/#best-college-
ranking#best-college-ranking. For more information about the Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families, call 601-264-4629, or visit their Twitter and Facebook pages, USM Vets Center, or their website, www.usm.edu/militaryveterans. To find out more about the online programs, visit www.online.usm.edu/military.
Local store allows Hattiesburgers to ‘Seek the unique’ Will Veazey printz reporter
Founded on Nov. 1, 2012, the Lucky Rabbit is a store unlike any other. Hundreds, if not thousands, of vintage memorabilia is strewn about the store. From Nintendo Entertainment Systems to a signed and framed picture of Tom Hanks in Castaway, this place has it all. When you walk in the store, it seems as if you’ve just stepped into the warehouse of the TV show American Pickers. You’re overwhelmed by numerous neon signs and general clutter that’s neatly arranged in pods throughout the store. Though it may seem like mostly just cool, old junk, treasures are sure to be found if you look hard enough. When people come to the Lucky Rabbit for the first time, they are generally overwhelmed and don’t know where to look for things. “Personally, on my first time going in to the Lucky Rabbit, I was instantly transfixed by a plethora of cool old stuff to browse,” Beckett Welsh, University of Southern Mississippi freshman said. “I ended up buying an old Roy Orbison songbook and some MLS soccer cards from the 80s. Even though I had been in the store looking around for a few hours, I don’t think I even scratched the surface on discovering all that was in there.”
The idea for the Lucky Rabbit actually has its roots in Buffalo, Minnesota. Abby Thaxton, owner of the Lucky Rabbit, said, “I had heard of an ‘occasional store’ out in Buffalo, and I thought it had a fabulous concept. I knew I had to bring this concept to Hattiesburg. I wanted it to be in an old building. Not just wanted it to be, the store had to be in an old building.” First opening in a smaller building off East Pine Street, the Lucky Rabbit struggled with the building’s limiting size and its leaking roof. They began searching for a larger venue, eventually finding a vacant building built in the 1920s on Mobile Street which was not for rent at the time. “[The building] had blue tarps over the windows and was forgotten. We approached the building owner with a lease offer and she accepted it! We slowly have grown to what we are today, bringing in 8,000 people on average in four days. I’m so happy we were able to bring the building back to life,” Thaxton said. The name of the occasional store ties into its origin. “Well, I was watching some of his cartoons from the 1920s, and during one of them Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was in a Five and Dime store. At the time, my concept was a modern day Five and Dime, which has morphed a bit since then. But still. When I saw Oswald in that Five and Dime, it hit me like a ton of
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bricks. The Lucky Rabbit was the name! Never looked back or second guessed my decision,” Thaxton said. Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was the “Mickey Mouse” of Disney before Mickey Mouse was created, and he greatly resembles Mickey Mouse, except for being a rabbit. One of Thaxton’s favorite parts about owning the Lucky Rabbit is
that it gives her the ability to create. “I get to paint furniture, design store displays and fixtures, design t-shirts and also vignettes for people to envision in their homes.” However, possibly the most important aspect of the Lucky Rabbit is the effect it’s had on the community. “The Lucky Rabbit matters to a lot of people in our community. If we shut
the doors tomorrow, people would notice and some of them would miss us. I love the fact that children love our store. I remember making childhood memories in cool stores - like hiding in the clothes racks at a big department store - and I know we are making those kinds of impacts on small children. It’s incredible to me.” said Thaxton.
Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds continues to break records Carlton McGrone printz reporter
The explosive online sensation PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, more commonly referred to as PUBG, broke records with over one million users playing daily and over 10 million copies sold. What began as a side project for creator Brendan “PlayerUnknown” Greene quickly became an obsession for fans of the survival, battle royale genre. The game has sold over 10 million copies since launching in early access March 2017, earning the title of the best-selling game on any game system this year, according to The Verge. PUBG also recently broke the rec ord fo r m o st concurrent players, according to Polygon, at over one million users. In PUBG players parachute out of a plane into the desolate, ashen wilder ness of Russia with no food, tools, weapons or sense of direction. Survivors, either individually or through team efforts, are forced to fend for themselves by gathering supplies and artillery until they are the last one(s) standing. Only after one person or team is left alive will they receive the increasingly iconic and incredibly rare “WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER” message. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Greene commented on how the idea for this unexpected instant-hit spawned. He was inspired to create a game in which the stor y for med as the player progressed instead
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of the typical sequences that traditional games offer. “ I n B a t t l e Ro y a l e ( t h e franchise from which the game and genre originated from), you never have that,” Greene said. “You’re never sure what’s going to happen. You get a unique story every time. Every time you play you’ll have a different
experience, and that’s key.” To many players, this is the essential aspect that adds to P U B G ’s s u c c e s s. H u n d r e d s o f Yo u Tu b e p e r s o n a l i t i e s l i ve s t r e a m t h e g a m e d a i l y because of the random and otherwise hilarious plotlines that unfold throughout each round. “Basically anyone can jump
i n a n d h ave a m e a n i n g f u l e x p e r i e n c e, ” S a m B y f o r d , writer on T he Verge, said. “PUBG has none of the trappings of online shooters that I’ve found so off-putting for the past decade. Anyone with a basic grasp of shooters can have fun with PUBG.” PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
has been in the beta-launch status since March, but it will eventually make a full release later this year on Xbox One. Fans are eager to see what fresh, new blood the full release will bring to the game’s community, and gamers that have been following the PUBG news are waiting in anticipation to snatch their copies before they’re all gone.
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managing editor Hazel Tepec is easily lost among the early evening rush at Starbucks. An 18-year-old freshman of average height and stature, he is no towering presence. The media production major smiles as he pulls open the door, nervous but hopeful, the quintessential “dreamer” - and he does dream, of a world where tales like his are shared. “I always hear people say that movies tell a story,” Tepec said, explaining his interest in films. “A lot of people don’t tell my story.” Tepec was born in Mexico but arrived in the U.S in 2004. He doesn’t remember life in Mexico. One of many dreamers at USM, he grew up in Hattiesburg and has called it “home” his entire life. However, President Donald Trump’s cancellation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, has cast doubt on the sanctity of that word, and Tepec is now one of nearly 700,000 immigrants who fear they may be deported as the Trump administration phases out the DACA program. Former President Barrack Obama expanded DACA in 2012 to include young undocumented immigrants and help them contribute to society in legal ways. These young adults were brought into the country as children by their parents but have made the best of their situations since. USM graduate student Aldo
Bradley Booth printz reporter
L ady Gag a, bor n S tefa ni Germanotta, has had quite the interesting career to say the least. When she was headlining the Born This Way Ball, she broke her hip in the middle of the tour and was forced to cancel the rest of the dates and refund over 25 million dollars in ticket sales. When she felt like she lacked control over her own artistry and message as a pop icon, she made moves in the industry that would shock and baffle many, including wearing meat dresses and arriving to a red-carpet event in an egg. Then in 2013, she released her most self-indulgent album Artpop. The album flopped, and it flopped hard. Tired of all the pop noise and sharp criticism, she created a jazz album with Tony Bennett. She then acted on the set of American Horror Story and released a countrypop album that featured songs like the ballad “Million Reasons” and the break-up number “Perfect Illusion.” In Gaga: Five Foot Two, we encounter Lady Gaga as a culmination of these past experiences in the industry. We see her not as the perfor mer, but as the artist and human b e i n g b e h i n d t h e m a d n e s s. Gaga expresses the experience s h e h a s g a i n e d f ro m h e r hectic career and her recent choice to present herself more authentically in the film a n d i n h e r p e r f o r m a n c e s. “I can see now. I don’t need to have a million wigs on and all that to make a statement. I know that we wanna elevate everything. I’m trying to elevate
Martinez said Obama’s move saved him. “I wanted to start working legally and try to contribute to this country,” Martinez said. “It was an opportunity to go back to school, finish my undergrad, and start working at a full-time job.” Martinez’s parents didn’t even expect him to graduate high school, let alone pursue a graduate degree. When they returned to Mexico, Martinez stayed behind. ”It would have been easier for me to just follow them,” he said. “But I felt like I wanted to stay. I didn’t know anywhere else to make a life. I decided not to take the opportunity I had for granted.” For Tepec, an avid reader, the goal had always been obtaining as much knowledge as possible. An outsider, he grew up finding comfort in knowledge and “found a home [amongst] books,” which made him elated to be able to attend college. Now, he fears losing it all. “Everything that I’ve learned, everything that I know can be taken away from me in a second,” Tepec said. “It’s just scary.” Former Southern Miss student Dany Vargas, who was arrested earlier this year, knows that feeling all too well. Vargas was granted deportation reprieve under the DACA program. However, her family was detained. Several news outlets described the scene: Vargas was asleep when the agents arrived. Her father was apprehended in the driveway. Her brother was also detained. Vargas hid in a closet, sobbed and called her mother. ICE agents eventually forced
everything, but I can’t elevate it to a point where I become Lady Gaga again,” Gaga said. Chris Moukarbel, the filmmaker and creative behind Lady Gaga’s new documentary, presents Gaga in her rawest form yet. She is unraveled and in a lot of pain. She is depicted losing a loved one to cancer, breaking up with longtime boyfriend Taylor Kinney and suffering from fibromyalgia amongst many other events that the scope of her life and career involve. In this pain, Gaga finds herself isolated. Gaga expressed it best in the documentary. “I am alone ever y night, and all these people will leave. Right, and I’ll be alone. I go from everyone touching me all day and talking at me all day to total silence... I can’t help but realize that when I sold 10 million records, I lost Matt [Williams]; I sold 30 million, I lose Luc [Carl]; I get the movie [“A Star Is Born”], I lose Taylor [Kinney]. It’s like a turnover.” Gaga said. Overall, the documentary does a wonderful job exposing us to the human being behind all the wigs and makeup. Hailee Buras, a University of Southern Mississippi sophomore psychology major, expressed how the documentary changed her view on Gaga. “I had limited knowledge about Lady Gag a before watching the film, and this documentary really opened my eyes. She was so exposed. My heart was breaking for her.” Buras said. Lady Gaga didn’t shy away from showing the worst parts of herself either. Sophomore elementar y education major Kristen Holmes was shocked by how much the pop star revealed.
their way in with a warrant and with guns raised to search the house. Vargas was handcuffed but later released. Her father and brother were sent to a detention center in Louisiana. When Vargas spoke to the media in protest of her family’s detention, federal immigration authorities arrested her, claiming she no longer had DACA status. Vargas lives and goes to school in Washington D.C. now, and in spite of everything, she still believes America is better than the nightmarish homeland her parents escaped 15 years ago. The things she remembers about Argentina are chilling. “I remember days that were so cold, my mom would iron [our beds] so we wouldn’t go to bed so cold,” she said. “She would boil hot water for [us] in the morning so we could brush our teeth with warm water. My mom kept getting assaulted. [My dad] was held at gunpoint, and they took his 18-wheeler. He felt we wouldn’t survive. He wanted a brighter future [for us].” In America, however, things were not always bright - both Tepec and Vargas faced instances of racism that they recall easily. Vargas entered the first grade upon arrival and constantly weathered insults from one of her teachers. “I felt so out of place,” Vargas said. “I was so lost and I hated it. I didn’t know how to do the schoolwork. We were learning how to read - how the hell was I supposed to read in English if I didn’t even speak the language?”
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Vargas said that the teacher would ask her numerous times a day why she was up without permission. “It was engraved in my head even though I didn’t know what it meant,” Vargas said. Vargas was also bullied by her classmates, who would tell her to “go back to Mexico” and accused her of eating dogs. Tepec faced racism too, but he tried his best to ignore it. “If you give them the satisfaction that they somehow made you angrier or sad, it’s just going to add more [fuel] to the fire,” he said. “So I don’t let it bother me.” When she lost her accent
in 8th g rade, Vargas said she finally “felt nor mal.” “I felt American,” Vargas said. “I felt I belonged here. I felt I [had] struggled enough to deserve to feel like just another classmate rather than ‘Mexican.’” The more struggles Vargas faced throughout her life, the more she understood what it means to be a “dreamer.” “Dreamers are what the word itself says,” Vargas said. “We are dreaming of opportunities that we would not have elsewhere - but we aren’t [just] dreaming; we’re rising up to the challenge to achieve the goals that our immigrant parents set out for us when we were brought here at such a young age.”
Though I’ve fallen in love with the more theatrical Gaga, it breaks my heart that she is hanging up the meat dress. However, I’m happy that she is being her authentic self. I would rather see an artist speaking their truth than an
artist doing everything for shock value alone. This documentary effectively introduces Lady Gaga as a new artist who just wants to be herself. We all finally get to meet the talented and soul bearing Stefani Ger manotta.
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“There were a lot of cringew o r t hy m o m e n t s. S h e w a s topless. She was unprofessional. She was unruly at times, but she was not fake. She didn’t put on a show.” Holmes said. Gaga was raw and unapologetic.
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Guess what, you guys? Swipe Right is now a proficient crawler with a mature pincer grasp and severe separation anxiety. That’s right! My horrible humor column is a whole year old. You’ve been listening to me ramble about nothing for one year now, and - as I’m sure you’ll be delighted to know - I still somehow have more to talk about. Before we embark on this journey toward the terrible twos, however, I thought I’d return to my roots and introduce a new “project.” For those of you who don’t remember the inception of this column and can’t guess from the name, Swipe Right began as a response to the dating app Tinder - more specifically, as a response to my awkward experiences on the app - and has since evolved into a rambling narrative about life as a hijabi in the most southern place on earth. I have covered it all and I’m excited to cover more, but this week, I’m returning to Tinder - and this time, I’m doing it for my friends. Now, I’m sure you realize that trusting an instant gratification addict and struggling college student/humor columnist with your love life is the questionable act of someone who is probably very, very desperate. I’m sure you also know that such desperate people exist, often in mass quantities. I wrote about one such person in my novel, which you can read in a few years when it’s either published or dropped from the top story of a tall, tall building. In my novel, the person in question trusts the protagonist to find her a boyfriend by pretending to be her on Tinder. I have also been lucky enough to find a similarly desperate person in my own newsroom. Enter Kaitlyn, the executive editor of The Student Printz, who— in spite of knowing how horribly the aforementioned character suffers as a result of my protagonist’s less-than-amazing matchmaking skills— has decided to trust me with her love life. I feel it necessary to note we’re doing things that are markedly different from the things that happened in my novel (since those things would probably be illegal), but we’re seeking the same outcome. I’m on Tinder for Kaitlyn, but I’m not pretending to be her. I’m serving as a sort of overly emotional, oversharing middleman. In my bio, I’ve explained that I’m looking for someone to date my friend. I’ve also added a stipulation: before they date my friend, they have to meet me for an interview. For my profile picture, I’ve uploaded a polaroid of me and Kaitlyn and then blacked out most of my face. I left an eye out so that her matches would remember I’m still there, and I’m always watching. I figure anyone willing to brave an interview and an eye with that much eyeliner must be really, really into Kaitlyn, and surprisingly enough, we do have some matches-And though we’ve had quite a few interesting things happen already, my matchmaking business is still in its infancy and I don’t want to share everything just yet. Find out more in two weeks.
A freshman’s guide to making new friends Lanie Leach printz reporter
Making new friends is hard, especially when you’re first starting out in college only knowing maybe two people total. High school (although it wasn’t my favorite) was easy, in the sense that I knew I had at least one person I could go to everyday. I got so used to only talking to the same people that I had known since middle school, that when I got to Southern Miss I realized that I had literally forgotten how to
make friends (Thanks a lot, high school, for preparing me for college). Getting involved on campus is a great way to meet people that are interested in the same things as you are. Personally, I decided to go through formal sorority recruitment to meet some people that I would connect and feel comfortable with. In my head, all of that ended when I dropped because quite honestly, I just got super stressed out. I received a snap bid and signed, but still there was a feeling of isolation during that first new member meeting. I still felt alone because I didn’t
get to start bonding with all of those girl on bid day like the rest of my pledge class. In my head I was wondering, “Does anyone even want me to be their friend?” Putting myself out there is like trying to give a cat a bath. I freak out and slip around because I don’t want to get my feet wet and panic because I think I will fall. (Turns out cats actually don’t like water just because it makes their bodies lose heat, but you get what I’m trying to say). I knew that even though it would be scary, I had to dive in head first and I couldn’t be afraid to fall.
I started by simply accepting invitations to go places with people. For instance, I was making the hike back to Century Park North from Sorority Row, and a few of my sorority sisters hopped out of a car and invited me to go to the Power House with them for dinner. My initial reaction was to politely decline and just eat something in my room, but I impulsively accepted and had no regrets of doing so. Those girls will never know how much that meant to me. Another time, a friend that I had just met asked me to go with her to Popeyes. Reluctance struck me again,
but I accepted and had a great time - and a chocolate donut after we went to Krispy Kreme too. I had to tell myself over and over that almost every other freshman is going through the same thing, so I have not really been alone in this experience at any point. Everyone is trying to make friends with as many people as they can. People want to be your friend; you just have to accept invitations and sometimes, invite people to go somewhere with you. You can’t always expect someone to make things happen for you. Put yourself out there!
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Alyssa Bass
entertainment editor When ESPN’s SportsCenter cohost Jemele Hill ranted in a series of tweets about Trump being a white supremacist on Sept. 11, conservative fans of ESPN and Trump’s press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called for Hill to be fired. Trump himself declared via Twitter that “ESPN is paying a really big price for its politics (and bad programming)” and demanded Hill “Apologize for untruth.” While ESPN has since denounced Hill’s tweets, the fight between politics and sports continues thanks to comments made by Trump at an Alabama rally on Sept. 22. Hill’s comments represent the dilemma of black employees with social media accounts: How does one objectively do their job in the Trump era when their community is constantly being disrespected? The answer is a hard one. You forfeit your opinions while on the job or risk getting fired. Thankfully, ESPN did not fire Hill for her personal comments, but the company emphasized that Hill’s comments do not reflect the views of her employer, saying “Jemele has a right to her personal opinions, but not to publicly share them on a platform that implies that she was in any way speaking on behalf of ESPN.” ESPN’s statement is both understandable and frustrating. They are simply a company devoted to sports; therefore, the comments made by employees on air should be nonpartisan, so that the company does not run the risk of alienating certain audiences; key words being “on air.” Though I’m sure Hill uses her social media accounts to comment on sports new off the clock, I see no reason why she wouldn’t be allowed to post personal opinions on her own time. If fans of SportsCenter only wish to hear her comments on sports, they should exercise
Morgan Clark news editor
North Korea’s role continues to be that of a child in my eyes with the recent occurrence of them being sanctioned by the United Nations. With the announcement of their hydrogen bomb test, allies have decided to take control over their war-begging nature, especially after Kim Jong-Un and Donald Trump had their embarrassing scuffle of empty threats. The sanction on North Korea cut off their resources of crude and refined oil along with textile bans and restricted access to visas and work permits for North Korean immigrants and workers. While this is a large amount of money to cut off from an already poverty-stricken nation, the United Nations made the right decision to do so. When restricting someone of what they need when behavior is unacceptable, the intent is to teach a lesson. Some learn quickly while some are stubborn and ignorant to what’s good for them. If North Korea has any big guns, they essentially have to be slapped on the hand and put in the corner until they learn their lesson. But of course, the response was that the United States would suffer the “greatest pain”
selective exposure and opt out of following her social media accounts. Thankfully, Hill did not apologize for her comments, but rather for voicing her opinion as an ESPN employee. In a statement posted to her Twitter account, Hill said, “To address the elephant in the room... My comments on Twitter expressed my personal beliefs. My regret is that my comments and the public way I made them painted ESPN in an unfair light. My respect for the company and my respect for my colleagues remains unconditional.” I am failing to understand how the comments she made on her personal (arguably, “work” too, which serves as a clear PR nightmare) Twitter account implied that she was speaking for ESPN as a company, seeing as she is arguably low on the totem pole in terms of professional advancement within ESPN in comparison to, say, John Skipper, the president of ESPN, for instance. What I do understand is that an employee of any status within a company is supposed to reflect that company’s values. According to ESPN’s jobs and careers website, ESPN values diversity, inclusion and wellness. Notable quotes from the website include, “At ESPN, Diversity is about who gets to play on the team. Inclusion is about who gets to play.” and “We’ve created a culture that embraces ideas, experiences and unique personalities.” So yes, while I will give ESPN a brief pat on the back for not firing Hill at the inappropriate request of press secretary Sanders, I will also flag ESPN for their failure to embrace and attempting to shut her up because her opinions based on deeply personal experiences and feelings don’t align with those of Trump’s, ignorant, racist and misogynistic fanbase. The heads of ESPN could have done more to emphasize their culture “that embraces ideas, experiences and unique personalities” and therefore, stand by Hill as an ESPN
that we could suffer. Yeah, okay. Once again, this response only makes me see them as parallel to a badly-behaved child when a babysitter threatens to tell the parent about their mess or cutting their little sister’s hair. These threats will continue. Now who would want to retort to that, I wonder. Oh yeah, it’s Trump. Luckily, he did not get too severe with his words in this case. Apparently, the sanction is nothing compared to what he could do to them; yet another threat. I believe though, that despite the role Trump plays, he still has more authority and power than Jong-Un only because of the country he runs. The fact is that America is a more developed and significantly more advanced nation than North Korea, though they think otherwise because they finally developed a “hydrogen bomb.” I’m not sure how accurate the name is for whatever they’ve created. “We think it’s just another very small step, not a big deal,” Trump said. “I don’t know if it has any impact, but certainly it was nice to get a 15 to nothing vote. But those sanctions are nothing compared to what ultimately will have to happen...” I know I may be oversimplifying a serious situation, but it’s hard for me not to see it in a comical and childlike manner with the involved
continue the show without her. This type of solidarity was shown on an even bigger scale after Trump made a turn from legislative and international affairs to random references to Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality and other injustices in America during the 2016 NFL season on Sept. 22 at an Alabama rally. “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a b--- off the field right now. He is fired!” Like almost everything Trump attempts to do, his comments backfired when multiple statements from numerous NFL teams, owners and CEOs made statements a g a i n s t Tr u m p ’s c o m m e n t s. The best and boldest statement
of them all was made by the NFL Players Association, one of the first to comment, who said, “The line that marks the balance between the rights of every citizen in our great country gets crossed when someone is told to just ‘shut up and play.’ . . . NFL players are a part of a legacy of athletes in all sports who throughout history chose to be informed about the issues that impact them and their communities. They chose - and still choose to this day –to do something about those issues rather than comfortably living in the bubble of sports. . . . No man or woman should ever have to choose a job that forces them to surrender their rights. . . . We understand that our job as a Union is not to win a popularity contest and it comes with a duty to protect the rights of our members. For that we make no apologies and never will.” Take notes, ESPN and its watchers. The movement of resistance is growing and can no longer be ignored. Thank you, Mr. President for taking the time to actually help the “snowflake agenda” by attacking a First Amendment right when you could have easily been aiding Puerto Rico or easing tensions with North Korea. As I conclude this article on a Sunday morning, I am moved to tears by the first NFL game today where members of the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars linked arms and took a knee - with hundreds more expected to do so later today. I am moved by MLB player Bruce Maxwell of the Oakland Athletics, the first MLB player to take a knee. I am moved by the Golden State Warriors’ move to decline their invitation to the White House. In short, this loud opposition from the sports world has made it clear that the American flag is meant to represent the unification of all people in the United States and that the rights of all of its people will not be infringed upon, even by the President of the United States.
US ambassador Nikki Haley said. “We are not looking for war.” Ultimately, the future occurrences depend on North Korea’s further reactions. Their actions could make the sanction go away, or they could make the sanctions more severe and
possibility of war grow. The most likely scenario; however, is that they make yet another mistake. We can hope that the childlike, ignorant behavior will cease. But with practicality, the United Nations should be prepared for the worst case scenario.
Courtesy Photo
employee, but more importantly, a black woman with an opinion. If Hill is not allowed to share her non-sports related opinions publicly, then where and when does she share them? In emails from a secret, personal account awaiting to be leaked? In secret meetings facilitated by a white ally and surrounded by other black colleagues reminiscent of The Help? In the Trump era, minorities and allies of marginalized communities cannot afford to be silent. Allies, especially those with bigger followings, should be elevating and echoing the concerns of the oppressed. Allegedly, ESPN attempted to replace Hill with coworkers Michael Eaves and Elle Duncan, but they as well as Hill’s current cohost Michael Smith refused to
Courtesy Photo parties. At the same time, sanctioning off North Korea is definitely a big deal considering who all it could provoke. This is most commonly used prior to the development of a war. “We don’t take pleasure in further strengthening sanctions today,”
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Golden Eagles split opening weekend of conference play Andrew Abadie printz reporter
The Southern Miss volleyball team (10-7, 1-1 C-USA) opened conference play at home against North Texas, a team that was riding an 11-match win streak and a 12-1 record. T he Golden Eag les found themselves in a five-set match against the Mean Green that resulted in multiple careerhighs for Southern Miss. Junior Sarah Bell set a career-high of 75 assists, junior Kylie Grandy and freshman Chandler Marshall each set career-highs in kills with 25 each and senior Natalie Druhan rounded out the night with a career-high of 27 digs. “It was a team win tonight, just very gritty,” said Head Coach Amanda Berkley. “We had a lot of great performances, especially from our pin hitters in Kylie and Chandler. Both played outstanding I think Natalie had a great match for us defensively and Sarah just moved the ball well for us.” In the first set, the Golden Eagles found themselves down 11-7 early. Southern Miss fought their way back forcing North Texas to deal with over nine lead changes and ties in the second half of the set resulting in a 2624 win for the Golden Eagles. The second set was almost parallel to the first, but r e s u l t e d w i t h N o r t h Te x a s finishing on top 27-25. The Golden Eagles tried to breakaway in the third set with a 25-20 win. Souther n Miss jumped out to a 9-4 lead and never looked as the Golden Eagle offense found 17 kills in the set. The Mean Green were far from quitting in the fourth set as they held off seven ties and two lead changes by Southern
Shradha Bhatta, Printz Team celebrates after scoring. Miss to secure their 25-23 win. In the fifth set, the Golden Eagles jumped out to an 11-8 lead. The Mean Green responded with a 4-0 run to give them a 1211 lead, but Southern Miss battled back to tie the set 13-13. A crucial ace and kill from Grandy helped the Golden Eagles hold off North Texas 15-13 and win the match. Despite UTSA’s 2-10 record, the Roadrunners have played one of the toughest schedules in conference going up against
nationally ranked Minnesota (No. 2) and Texas (No.6) along with facing other power five teams: TCU, West Virginia, Tennessee and Baylor. The Golden Eagles found themselves in another tough match but an underrated UTSA got the best of the Southern Miss. In the first set, the Golden Eagles jumped out to an early 4-1 lead. From there, the Roadrunners and Golden Eagles tied the set nine times, but at 1919 UTSA broke away with 6-2
run to give them the set 25-21. UTSA and Souther n Miss continued to go back-and-forth in the second set. The Golden Eagles took a 9-6 lead, but four team errors helped propel the Roadrunners ahead at 10-9. From there, the set stayed within at least two points, but Southern Miss held on for the win with two back-to-back kills from junior Alexis Coombs. UTSA regrouped and found momentum at 18-15 mid way through the third set and went
on an 8-3 run for a 25-18 win. The Roadrunners still held onto the momentum early on, but the Golden Eagles never quit. UTSA jumped to a 12-5 lead. The Golden Eagles battled back to close the lead, 12-11, which was kickstarted by a kill from Marshall. However, the effort was not enough as UTSA closed the set with a 7-3 run to win both the set, 25-18, and the match. The Golden Eagles continue conference play on the road against Marshall on Sept. 29.
Golden Eagles lose overtime game against Marshall, 4-3 Kyle Williams sports editor
The Southern Miss women’s soccer team (6-3-1, C-USA 0-11) forced its second consecutive overtime game against conference opponent Marshall (3-7-0, C-USA 1-2-0) this past Sunday after an overtime draw against Western Kentucky last Thursday. The first half of play was completely one-sided. Marshall recorded its first goal in the 30th minute of play when Freshman Rene Ross recorded her first goal of the season, 1-0. Ross’ goal would be the only one for the first half but the Herds defense would keep the match in their favor. Marshall only allowed the Golden Eagles to record four shots in the first half. Southern Miss, a team who leads C-USA in shots and goals, struggled to find any opportunities in the first half as they recorded six fouls and two offsides calls to assist Marshall in keeping the momentum leading into the half. Despite Marshall recording two more goals in the 52nd and 64th
minute of play and increasing the lead to 3-0, Southern Miss found its offense late in the second half. Forward Ola Akinniyi broke the scoring drought for the Golden Eagles in the 67 minute with her fourth goal of the season, 3-1. Four minutes later, Akinniyi would yet again find the back of the net to bring Southern Miss within one, 3-2. After a failed corner by Marshall, Souther n Miss found itself another opportunity to score after Stephanie Garcia headed in the tying goal in the 87th minute to force overtime. Overtime would not last long as a defensive breakdown from the Golden lead to the go-ahead goal for Marshall in just one minute of overtime play, 4-3. Southern Miss will have to wait to claim its first conference road victory but looks to improve on its conference record next Sunday when they host Rice University. Play is set for 1:00p.m.
Andrew Abadie, Printz Karren Torres makes calls to pass the ball downfield.