/ The Sunflower
THURSDAY Oct. 21, 2021 Volume 126 Issue 11
WICHITA STATE’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896
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PHOTO BY RACHEL RUDISILL / THE SUNFLOWER
King Sanders, who is master’s degree, describes the different paths he went in life before deciding he wanted to be a teacher on Oct. 20 outside the Rhatigan Student Center.
Master’s student returns to school with the goal to shape the next generation BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE news@thesunflower.com / @JuliaNightengale
King Sanders, a student currently earning his Master’s degree in Special EducationHigh Incidence Alternative Certification, has walked multiple different paths in life that led him to the decision to go back to school while also having a full time job at Eisenhower Middle School. “When I was younger, I always wanted to be a teacher,” Sanders said. “When I was in the military, one of the things that I enjoyed was developing young men and women to be better people in the military. I wanted them to be better. I want to develop young children or teenagers to be better people in society, to me that was my wealth. I loved doing that.” Sanders first received his Bachelor’s degree in strategic leadership from Southwestern College, and when he didn’t want to do that
“If you have your mind set on something, continue. I fyrthered my education and within a couple of months, next year some time, I’ll have my Master’s degree.” KING SANDERS Wichita State Master’s student
any longer, he knew he wanted to go into education and heard from other within this program that this would be his best option to get his Master’s degree while also doing something he was interested in. “I went back to college after 20 years in the military,” Sanders said. “Most people would say, ‘Ah, it’s too late,’ but no, it’s never too late. If you have your mind set on
something, continue and I furthered my education and within a couple of months, next year some time, I’ll have my master’s degree.” Sanders said that this is not the path he saw his life going. He said his father wanted him to be a doctor and he decided to join the military, just like his father who was in the air force during World War Two, and he ended up staying there for 20 years. “I always thought I would do four years in the military, that would have been enough, and then get my education but I enjoyed my time in the military and it helped me grow,” Sanders said. “Once I got out and I thought maybe I want to further my education, I was mature enough to take on that task. Hopefully within the next couple of months I can achieve that goal.” While also working full-time at Eisenhower Middle School in Goddard, KS, Sanders is also a
father to a sixteen year old and a nineteen year old who is also currently attending college. “Hopefully I am sending them the message that, you know, get your education and try to do your best, anything that you put your mind to. If my daughters didn’t want to get their college degrees, whatever it is, do your best at it and things will work out in your favor.” Sanders decided to pursue his second degree at WSU because of the transition-to-teach program as well as the availability of online classes. He said he has learned many valuable tools from professors that he implements in his own classroom. “I teach full time and I have a full time household, so you know that can be trying at times,” Sanders said. “A lot of the professors are understanding, they still will hold you accountable but they are understanding and will
work with you, especially if you advocate for yourself. That is big, so I learned a lot from the different professors and the different courses that I have taken.” Sanders said his passion for education lies in wanting to connect with the future generation of leaders and shape them to be the best they can be. “I have two daughters of my own and I want to see them do well,” Sanders said. “Going into the 21st century, I want to see our country develop well and what better way to do that than to reach out to the younger generation, those that will be a part of that generation when I am gone, why not reach out to them and give them guidance and streamline things that we could do better going into our future.” Sanders said as a teacher, he thinks it is important to not just SEE SANDERS PAGE 2
SGA votes against granting Turning Point USA RSO status BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith
The Student Senate voted against a bill yesterday that would recognize the right-wing organization Turning Point USA as a registered student organization. Senators cited concerns regarding campus safety and hate speech. “All of us should be worried about the safety of our constituents,” Senator Victoria Owens said. “It should absolutely be a priority that all students feel safe, and I do understand that promoting groups to have a voice is incredibly important, however you can not have a voice if you are unsafe.” Senator Kathlynn Short urged students to think about the consequences of the organization, no matter which way they voted. “I encourage everyone in this organization … to deeply consider
the consequences of the type of white nationalism this organization is encouraging,” Short said. “I love America. I am frequently proud to be an American, but it is important to recognize and celebrate the myriad of cultures and identities that come from other great nations, especially those that are represented on our campus.” The bill was supposed to receive a vote during last week’s meeting but was tabled due to free speech questions from senators. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) wrote a letter to the student government on Tuesday, urging the senate to approve recognition to the TPUSA chapter. “As a public university bound by The First Amendment, WSU and its student government SEE SGA PAGE 2
PHOTO BY RACHEL RUDISILL / THE SUNFLOWER
Senators discuss legislation at their meeting on Oct. 20 at the Rhatigan Student Center.
2 | THURSDAY, OCT. 21, 2021
NEWS
Annual Safety Walk addresses safety concerns on campus BY MITCHELL ADAMSON mxadamson@shockers.wichita.edu
On Thursday, October 14, just past dark, SGA and other students took to campus to spot any places that would seem potentially troublesome for students that were on campus at night. To start, the group was divided into teams that would each cover a section of campus, some on foot and some by UTV. This has been a tradition by the Chair of Safety and Student Services to help and point out potential problems that could arise if there wasn’t more protection. Each group was assigned a police officer that would help lead the group and address any issues that the students felt were important. The main job of these police officers is to maintain security on campus, driving around checking buildings and surveying vehicles that come in and out. The connection between
SANDERS FROM PAGE 1 focus on the curriculum, but the social and emotional aspects of students, especially after experiencing COVID-19. “We overlook that because we expect kids to be able to take on whatever we put in front of them, but that is daunting,” Sanders said. “I have never been a part of a pandemic ... I think we have a very very bright future, even you guys as young adults, I think you are so mentallly tough. Forget about what the naysayers say out there
SGA FROM PAGE 1 may not deny recognition to a student group based on its views or speech,” the letter reads. “Because this TPUSA chapter satisfies the SGA’s criteria for recognition, the Senate’s denial of recognition would violate the group’s well-established rights under the first amendment.” This is not the first time the Student Senate has received attention from FIRE. In spring of 2017, SGA denied recognition to Young Americans for Liberty, citing that the free speech group promoted hate speech. In response, FIRE wrote a letter to then-President John Bardo asking to reverse the decision. The Student Supreme Court ultimately overturned the senate’s decision and the group received RSO status. Senator Ella Perkins encouraged students to vote without legal concerns in the way. “I don’t appreciate the pressure being put on senators to vote a certain way, I believe you’re all elected or appointed as senators to represent our constituents and it is our responsibility to vote to represent [them],” she said. “Everyone gets to
SGA and the Wichita Police Department helped to provide a better communication system between the student body and the Police. When starting off, identifying lighting fixtures that were out, was the first concern. In the UTV, students wrote down on clipboards areas around buildings and other structures on campus that were not provided with much light. Not only was there a concern for students with lighting, but also making sure that the emergency centers located on campus were properly working. These emergency centers are located within less than a mile of each other, providing a direct line to dispatch if an emergency arises. When pushing the button a bright blue light begins to flash, and dispatch answers, with surveillance of the area around the station. There were areas around Clinton Hall and around the
Heskett Center that were poorly lit, along with the area behind Alberg Hall being completely dark. When traveling near Shocker Hall, police described how bikes had been stolen because students have been using chains that get cut. Also, the courtyard between the dorms needed further inspection as there wasn’t much light. Afterwards when talking with SGA members they described how they felt that they were truly making a difference. Checking all the physical aspects of campus made them feel like they were bettering the campus, making it a safer place. Many talked of how this event has been hosted over the years, and how it carried an amount of sentimental value to them. Engaging with the officers was something that they normally did not get to do, and getting to see their perspectives and voicing their concerns.
about, you know, they need to do things like we did in the past. “No, we need to, as the prior generation, we need to get with the younger generation, because the movement is your direction, it’s what your vision is. It’s not what my vision is no more. My vision is gone and past. It’s your vision, your vision is going to see us through, not only the pandemic but whatever else stands before us coming in the future.” Once he finishes his degree, Sanders plans on continuing to teach in his current position and hopes to eventually move up to the highschool level. He
is also considering and has been told to consider working in administration. Sanders, who is originally from Brooklyn, New York, said that he encourages others to experience and understand other cultures other than your own. He said he believes that most people are naturally and inherently good and want to do good things. “Nobody is going nowhere, we are going to have to learn to live together,” Sanders said. “We have already integrated as a country, so we need to take that on and move forward as a society.”
WSU’s first indigenous language instructor hopes to preserve his language and culture BY EMMIE BOESE elboise@shockers.wichita.edu
J.W Webster is Wichita State University’s first ever indigenous language instructor, and he has made it a lifelong mission to preserve the language he could speak before he could speak English. He has been teaching Cherokee at Wichita State for less than three months, and is one of only 1,200 people who can fluently speak, write, and read Cherokee. Webster’s background in Cherokee comes from being raised by his great aunt in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, a Cherokee nation. Webster said it was customary to speak Cherokee at home. However, he also said it did not bother him to learn to speak English due to other relatives speaking it to him and around him. When Webster was around the age of 13 or 14 he started his mission to preserve the Cherokee language and culture due to noticing that after elders passed away, their family was not speaking Cherokee anymore. He began interviewing elders and writing everything down. He said that if the Cherokee language is completely lost then the culture will be too due to it being a tonal language. When Webster turned 17, he became a certified language instructor in Cherokee, and has taught language classes for over 20 years in adult education classes and community classes. “I realized that when you
speak another language it’s a whole nother way to see the world around you and if we didn’t have our language we wouldn’t have anything,” Webster said. “Our traditional teachings is that we should be equal regardless of who we are, where we are, we are all free. Since everything about our language is centered around that, we would lose our identity without our language. It’s crucial to save our people. We have to save our language.” Webster said that something he values in Cherokee culture is the respect for women. Cherokee culture has a matrilineal clan system. This means that when someone is born into Cherokee culture they are born into their mothers clan. The reason a child takes on their mothers name is because in Cherokee culture they value women over men, and that men need women to co-exist. “Not that we see men as less than women but it’s because our respect for women is higher than our opinions of men and our respect of men’s opinions because they do carry on life, they create life, they are everything we need to be a complete being,” Webster said. “That’s the number one aspect of our culture that I don’t see in many other cultures. Especially in, you know, contemporary American culture. They think that women are just disrespected and treated very poorly. That goes completely against our own belief.” Read the rest of the story on www.thesunflower.com
come to their own conclusion on what that is.” Both SGA advisor Gabriel Fonseca and Student Body Vice President Kamilah Gumbs recommended the students to vote in favor of the resolution. “As your advisor, I always try to give you the honest truth and honest advice … and [you need] to understand the ramifications of the decision,” Fonseca said. “I want to make it very clear that the senate vote to grant recognition is not an endorsement of the organization, but is recognition that the organization has met the criteria laid out by you in the statutes.” “I do not fully endorse the message of this organization of course, but it is our responsibility as a student senate to give them the right to be recognized on our campus regardless,” Gumbs said. WSU’s TPUSA President Olivia Gallegos said that the group is still planning on pursuing different ways of becoming a registered organization. “Pursuing our options to become an RSO, that’s been a goal of ours since back when our organization started here on campus,” she said. “So that’s still something that we want to pursue and it’s still something we are going to pursue.”
The Sunflower, founded in 1896, is the student-run newspaper covering Wichita State University. The print edition is published Monday during the fall and spring semesters. The staff publishes daily online at www.thesunflower.com.
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THURSDAY, OCT. 21, 2021 | 3
Sports
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PHOTOS BY MIA HENNEN / THE SUNFLOWER
Sophomore Lily Liekweg celebrates after a point during the match against Cincinnati on Oct. 17 inside Charles Koch Arena.
‘We fought to the end’
Volleyball extends winning streak to five games with wins over East Carolina and Cincinnati BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty
W
ichita State volleyball secured a pair of victories over the weekend, extending its winning streak to five straight matches. It’s the first time since WSU’s undefeated run through the American Athletic Conference in 2017, that the Shockers have won four straight matches in AAC play. The Shockers took the opening set handily, 25-12, but dropped sets two and three to East Carolina on Friday evening. The Shockers found themselves trailing 11-7 in the fourth set, but answered with a 18-10 run to force a fifth set and regain the momentum. “I think we did a better job of not freaking out in situations,” sophomore Kayce Litzau said. “We were talking more, we were communicating more and then we were also just not making errors, not giving them an easy way out. I think we did a better job of having confidence in ourselves as well as just fighting. We fought to the end.” The Shockers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the final set, before closing out a 15-10 victory to cap off the comeback. WSU also improved to 5-1 in fifth sets with the comeback win. “What I was really proud of was we grabbed back our focus,” redshirt sophomore Brylee Kelly said. “We lost the focus in sets two and three, we were making errors that we normally wouldn’t but we grabbed our focus back and I think that’s what helped us dial set four and five. Even if we did make an error it didn’t affect us as much.” Head coach Chris Lamb inserted freshman Kailin Newsome into the lineup after the team trailed in the fourth set. Newsome was sidelined with an injury since the conference opener against Tulane on Sept. 23, when she tallied a season-high 18 kills. Newsome contributed five kills and four digs in her first game action in four weeks. “It was really good,” Litzau said. “We were struggling there for a while so having her bring new energy, new legs, just some more aggressiveness is really what we needed. It sparked a fire under all of us and we were able to pull through and she was a big part of that.”
“I think we just really wanted it. Even though we had the let down in sets two and three like we had the other night, we all knew we could get out of it.” SOPHIE CHILDS Freshman
The Shockers then knocked off first-place Cincinnati in five sets, for their fifth straight victory on Sunday afternoon. WSU’s victory over the Bearcats is their first since 2017. The Shockers took the opening set, 25-23, but dropped sets two and three, similarly to Friday’s contest against East Carolina. The Shockers found themselves trailing by nine points in the third set, but cut the deficit to three points. The Bearcats hung on for a 25-21 victory but the late charge helped swing the momentum in the match. “We were really fighting, getting closer,” head coach Chris Lamb said. “The other night, we rolled a team and for the next 40 minutes we’re looking at the better team on the other side of the net. You just never know what 0-0 is going to do to anybody. We get to 0-0 to start the fourth and we take off.” The fourth set remained close throughout, with the largest advantage being three points for either side. Kayce Litzau delivered several crucial plays for WSU, providing five kills, eight assists and three digs in the set to lead the Shockers offense. Her kill ultimately won the set 25-23 to force a fifth and final set. The Shockers jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, after a pair of Lily Liekweg aces, and the advantage grew to 9-2 with two Sophie Childs kills. The Bearcats clawed their way back in it, cutting the Shocker lead to four points but WSU closed out the upset victory, 15-10. WSU’s third consecutive fifth set victory improved its record to 6-1 in five set matches this season. “I think we just really wanted it,” freshman Sophie Childs said. “Even though we had the let down in sets two and three like we had the other night, we all knew we could get out of it just like we did the other night. Even though Cincinnati’s ranked No. 1 it doesn’t really matter. I think all of us wanted to keep this winning streak
AAC STANDINGS 1. CENTRAL FLORIDA – (7-1) T2. HOUSTON – (6-2) T2. CINCINNATI – (6-2) T4.WICHITA STATE – (5-3) T4. TULANE – (5-3) T4. TULSA – (5-3) T4. SMU – (7-1) T4. HOUSTON – (5-3) 8. EAST CAROLINA – (3-5) T9. MEMPHIS – (1-7) T9. TEMPLE – (1-7) 11. SOUTH FLORIDA – (0-8) going and prove ourselves.” Freshman Sophie Childs tallied a team-high 14 kills in the match and combined for 23 kills this weekend as the team’s starting right-side. Lamb said that he’s impressed with Childs’ growth over the course of the season. “The Sophie Childs that I met had some self doubt as a volleyball player,” Lamb said. “She would seem frustrated, just coaching her, giving her feedback. As she’s grown so has her confidence and her volleyball. She’s got some physical talent, she’s got the tools and she’s a fast learner.” The Shockers have now won five straight matches, their longest winning streak since an 8-0 start to the 2020 season. Childs said that the team’s success has given them more motivation to keep it going. “I feel like we’re all on the same page on what we want out of the season and we all want to win,” Childs said. “So, I think getting those wins more and more, we don’t want to stop. Keep it alive and everybody wants to win.” The Shockers will play the next four matches on the road, beginning on Wednesday night at Tulsa. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. and can be streamed live on ESPN+.
Senior Bryn Stansberry dives for a ball during their game against Cincinnati on Oct. 17 inside Charles Koch Arena.
The Shocker volleyball team celebrates their come-from-behind win against Cincinnati on Oct. 17 inside Charles Koch Arena.
4 | THURSDAY, OCT. 21, 2021
SPORTS
Softball concludes fall home slate with victory BY RACHEL RUDISILL racheltaryn268@gmail.com
The Wichita State softball program played their final home game of the fall season on Sunday, with a 13-2 victory over Fort Hay State, for their seventh straight win. The Shockers started strong with two back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the second inning. At the top of the sixth inning, they allowed 2 runs. They needed to communicate with each other quickly. Defensively, the Shockers excelled. With more communication, the Shockers were making big plays. Wylie Glover made two back to back catches at the top of the fourth inning, which excited her team up and gave her teammates hope. The outcome of their game was
13-2, however, the Shockers felt defeated. Their batting was not up to par, and they have a hard couple of days to face their biggest opponent of the fall season, Oklahoma State University. “The girls are going to play to the level of their opponent,” said Head Coach Bredbenner. “They will probably play well on Wednesday.” OSU has many returning players offensively and five of their pitchers were able to travel and play in last spring season’s world series. For their fall season, OSU has played four division I colleges, whereas, the Shockers have only played one. “We’re going to have to elevate our team,” said Coach Bredbenner. Last season, OSU made it to the world series, but Wichita State did not make it easy for them. The Shockers beat the Cowboys two
out of the three times they played them. “We’re going to bring the energy,” said Sydney McKinney. The Shockers have learned a lot over the course of this season. One main key they learned over the course of this fall season is communication. The Shockers have brought in numerous new players, so the returners needed to help communicate the message. “Communication gets repetitive,” McKinney said. “Like Coach B says, ‘It might be the one time you say something to the left field that they didn’t remember, and then the ball is hit at them.” To communicate with the infield, the outfielders need to pay attention to signals and speak loud and proud. “On the field we’re the talkers,” Glover said. “We always yell ‘hey,
PHOTO BY RACHEL RUDISILL / THE SUNFLOWER
Sophomore Addison Barnard celebrates after hitting a double against Fort Hays on Oct. 17 in Wilkins Stadium.
you got me’ or ‘be here for my cut.’ We are always talking because we have loud voices.” The Shockers will be traveling
Men’s Volleyball Club helps provide new connections
to Stillwater, Oklahoma this Wednesday to face OSU in the Cowgirl Stadium. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.
Shockers ranked No. 62 in KenPom preseason rankings BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com
BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com
The men’s volleyball club’s season is in full swing, after the club held limited events last year, with fewer people on campus. Wesley Horner, the club’s president, has helped grow the club this year, with open gyms being held twice a week. “It’s been amazing to give this opportunity to people. I know last year the only opportunities we’d have was a 4 v. 4 game. At the start of the semester, I already had enough for four teams of four and after two weeks, I have been consistently getting around 40 people a night.” Cole Carothers, a freshman member of the club, said that it’s been the main avenue for him to make new friends. “It’s been pretty great actually,” Cole Carothers said. “I had never played volleyball before and I really wanted to play. I didn’t think there were going to be that many people but a whole lot of people started showing up and I’ve made the majority of my friends here.” Horner said that with less restrictions and a return to a more traditional school year, it has helped grow the club immensely. “I think it’s been a huge thing, especially just the Involvement Fairs and just people being more comfortable with going outside and meeting new people,” Horner said. “I think it’s definitely given it more accessibility to everyone.” Freshman Zach Payne said that as the club continues to grow, it will get more competitive over time. “I think we can all get better and grow more and then even get more people, like incoming freshmen, even people that’ve been here for a couple years and continue to get more people and continue to get better,” Payne said. The club currently just hosts open gyms every week, but Horner said he is looking into tournaments for the club to play in more competitively. “I am at the moment looking into contacting other schools and looking at tournaments and stuff we may go play in. At the moment, it’s just open gyms and getting people together that enjoy volleyball.” Horner said his main goal for the club right now is to ultimately form a travelling team to play against other colleges. “My next goal is to build a travelling team, probably an A and B team so around 12-15 people that I can go play other schools, play regional to national tournaments,” Horner said. “Really not just have fun but play at a competitive level.” The clubs holds open gyms on Tuesday and Thursdays insude the Heskett Center, starting at 7 p.m. The clubs also plays weekly in a YMCA league starting at 7:30 on Wednesdays.
PHOTO BY SEAN MARTY / THE SUNFLOWER
Wichita State redshirt sophomore Jed Helker races during the JK Gold Classic on Sept. 4 at the 4 Mile Creek Resort.
‘I had a lot of work to do’
Jed Helker’s development from freshman redshirt to all-conference honoree
BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty
When Jed Helker first arrived on Wichita State’s campus, many around the cross country program felt he wasn’t ready for the Division-I level. So, the Shockers decided it would be best to redshirt. Helker ran in high school at Edmond Senior High School, but races were only 6k long. Once he arrived in Wichita, he had to make the adjustment to an 8k or 10k race and was given his first year to adapt to the increased distance. “Especially cross country, I had a lot of work to do,” Helker said. “The freshmen now are probably 40-50 seconds better than my PR was. Adding on more miles in training and in the races was tough but it was comforting to know that every guy here has gone through that same process. I knew that would take time, just being patient through that freshman year.” Helker had the ability to sit back and watch that season, getting stronger as the season went on. He competed unattached in four meets, tallying two top-35 finishes, including a 14th place finish at the JK Gold Classic. As he looks back on it now, Helker said that redshirt season was crucial in getting back to speed while dealing with some health issues at the time. “I’ve had breathing issues on and off and it was pretty bad that season, I think it would’ve been even tougher to go into a race and my confidence get knocked down,” Helker said. “To be able to just train and work my way up was just a weight off my shoulders and
“He’s really bought into everything that we’ve done and because of that he’s developed. I think his confidence level has just increased.” KIRK HUNTER Head Coach
it made me hungry, it made me really excited for the next year.” Cross Country head coach Kirk Hunter said that Helker’s adjustment to the greater distances have impressed him. “His first season of cross country, we redshirted him because he wasn’t quite ready for jumping up to 8k or 10k distance,” Hunter said. “Now, he’s really bought into everything that we’ve done and because of that he’s developed. I think his confidence level has just increased as time went on.” Helker competed at five meets for WSU the following season and scored in all five. He was the fourth Shocker across the line at the AAC Championships as well as the Midwest Regional. “I did come in ready that following year, almost too ready and I kind of just plateaued,” Helker said. “So now, it’s just each year finding a balance of how to go into the season and how you’re maximizing your fitness at conference, regionals, and hopefully nationals, rather than the first part of the year.” Helker has continued that success the past two seasons, picking up all-conference honors last year and his first ever individual
collegiate title this fall. Helker said that his story is helpful for some of the younger athletes on the team and hlp keep the winning culture going. “Part of the reason I came here was because I saw what Hunter had done with the older guys when I was young and they helped carry that culture and I wanted to be a part of that,” Helker said. “Just to see the success after I graduate would be super special and I think we’re set up pretty well for that right now.” With Helker’s quick rise within the program, he has also taken upon a leadership which he said comes naturally to him. Helker has paid a pivotal role in WSU’s two team championships this fall, which he said are more important than any individual success. “I just have a passion for sports but just that drives me to want everyone else to be the best,” Helker said. “I’ve experienced great team moments and that’s even more special than any individual moments. That’s the culture of our team of being each other’s biggest supporters, having fun with it no matter what.” Helker is slated to graduate from WSU in the spring with a degree in exercise science, but is planning to stay more years to compete and earn his master’s degree. Helker said he’s interested in continuing to run and start coaching soon after that. “I would love to run professionally,” Helker said. “Even if I don’t get a contract, I still want to train as long as my body is capable of it. After that, I would love to coach at any level but mainly I’d love to do college.”
The popular basketball analytics website KenPom released its yearly projections and rankings for all NCAA Division-I men’s basketball programs on Tuesday. After finishing with a ranking of No. 68 last year, the Shockers are the No. 62 team heading into the upcoming season. Last season, WSU opened up as the No. 94 team in the country before jumping 26 spots across the course of the 2020-21 season. Currently, KenPom predicts the Shockers to finish 19-10 with a 10-8 record in conference play. In the American Athletic Conference, the Shockers are projected to finish fifth in the conference only behind Houston (No. 11), Memphis (No. 16), SMU (No. 60) and Central Florida (No. 61). Last week, in the AAC’s Coaches Poll, WSU was picked to finish in fourth place in the conference. The Shockers opened the season with an adjusted offensive efficiency of 107.6 (No. 53) and an adjusted defensive efficiency of 94.5 (No. 71). WSU’s offensive ranking is fourth-best in the AAC while its defensive ranking is fifth-best. Last season, the Shockers has the No. 84 defensive efficiency and the No. 61 highest offensive effiency in the country.
SPORTS IN BRIEFS WRIGHT WINS THIRD AAC ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Wichita State’s Yazmine Wright earned her third American Athletic Conference (AAC) Cross Country Athlete of the Week award of the season after her first-place finish at the Bradley Pink Classic Friday, Oct. 15 in Peoria, Illinois. Wright raced to another personal-best time of 20:35.50, outkicking Xavier’s Rachel Butler by 4.7 seconds to remain undefeated in completed races this season.
LITZAU NAMED TO SECOND HONOR ROLL Wichita State sophomore setter Kayce Litzau was named to the American Weekly Honor Roll after a pair of career performances vs. East Carolina and Cincinnati, the AAC announced Monday. She handed out 54 assists in Friday’s comeback win against the Pirates, then added 43 more against the Bearcats for a total of 97 on the weekend. Over her last six matches, Litzau is averaging 10.78 assists per set, moving her up to fourth in the conference with 9.77 per set for the season. Litzau also set a new career-best on Sunday with 19 digs after racking up 11 against East Carolina. The native of Greendale, Wisconsin has now recorded nine doubledoubles, and ranks 18th in the American with 2.61 digs per set.
5 | THURSDAY, OCT. 21, 2021
Arts & Entertainment
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HAVE A STORY IDEA? contact The Sunflower’s A&E editor, Kyran Crist arts@thesunflower.com
Sam Taylor signs copies of his books for Wichita locals on Oct. 19 inside the Ulrich Museum.
PHOTOS BY RACHEL RUDISILL / THE SUNFLOWER
Sam Taylor reads from his previous book, “Nude Descending an Empire,” on Oct. 19 inside the Ulrich Museum.
Ulrich host poetry reading with Sam Taylor BY RACHEL RUDISILL rtrudisill@shockers.wichita.edu
On Tuesday, October 19 the Ulrich Museum hosted a poetry reading by Sam Taylor. Taylor is the director of creative writing and the associate professor of poetry at Wichita State. On Tuesday Taylor spoke on his newest collection of poems, The Book of Fools. “The Book of Fools has a similar meaning to Nude Descending an Empire (one of his previous books),” says Taylor. The difference between Nude Descending an Empire and The Book of Fools is that Fools is more personable. We have all experienced, or will experience, the death of a loved one. We hear the overcoming and darkness not only with the death of Taylor’s mother, but a friend who shot himself and his father’s mental breakdown The Book of Fools was published on October 14, 2021. Taylor wrote these poems focusing on the death of his mother. Taylor’s mother passed away when he was 22 years old and still carries on her legacy.
One of the first poems of the book is The Age of Positive Thinking. Within this poem, Taylor includes a painting by Pablo Picasso. This image was one of Picasso’s more depressing paintings. There is a dying woman in bed who is surrounded by loved ones. A man is holding her wrist because she is too weak to hold his hand back. Within this poem, he compares each of his family members to someone in the painting. The dying woman, his mother, and the man holding her hand, his grandfather. In poetry, the author is given creative freedom to display the text however they see fit. Taylor uses this to his advantage as he represents the underworld. There are some poems in the book, such as Return, where you have to turn the book upside down to read. Return begins normally. The first column is long and continuous; however, once the reader reaches the second column, they must turn the book because the text is upside down. Taylor does this to show the difference between worlds and how the underworld is
completely upside down and different from normal life on Earth. Taylor also represents the coming out of the underworld by fading his text. In the beginning of multiple poems, the text is very bright and almost difficult to read; however, as you get closer to the end of the poem the text returns to the normal black color. The light text not only represents the underworlds, but hard moments in life. When you reach the poems about Taylor’s mental breakdown, and other hard life moments, the majority of the text is light. This is due to life moments being difficult to see and understand. At the end of Taylor’s reading, a Q&A was offered. Many of his PAINTING BY PABLO PICASSO readers were intrigued by the One of the first poems of the book is The Age of Positive Thinking. Within this footnotes included in the majority poem, Taylor includes a painting by Pablo Picasso. This image was one of Picasso’s more depressing paintings. of his poems. “The footnotes were really like are available for purchase on views that can be interpreted looking outside the frame of a Amazon and Barnes and Noble. from each of his poems. Poems classical poem,” said Taylor. “(the To learn more about upcoming do not have one true meaning, footnotes) is the idea that there is but multiple. The meaning is just events, go to the Ulrich Museum’s always more outside of the frame. how the reader can understand. Really, it is about creating art.” website or upcoming events on Both The Book of Fools and Taylor wanted the reader to the Wichita State University Nude Descending an Empire know that there are multiple website.
6 | THURSDAY, OCT. 21, 2021
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Michael Myers slays the box office once again BY PIPER PINNETTI Piscesbxnny@gmail.com
Candy fills the isles at grocery stores, costumes are selling out, and the nighttime greets us sooner as Halloween grows closer. Not only is it the season of scares, but the season of horror movie icon, Michael Myers. David Gordon Green became the new director of the ‘Halloween’ movie series in 2018 and was given the chore of bringing the reboot back from the cold ashes of the epic flame from the first film in 1978. After a few dull sequels, and a sad excuse for a Michael Myers mask in the 1998 film ‘Halloween H20: 20 Years Later’ that had me laughing the whole 86 minutes, the series turned into dull remains of what used to be. After three long years, ‘Halloween Kills’ finally arrived in theaters and on-demand via Peacock this Friday, making $52M so far for the $20M budget. Not only did Green understand his assignment with ‘Hawlloween,’ but he aced it. The reboot broke sale records for the series at $76M and the series was brought back to life. Although the experience is amazing, anyone who is queasy at the sight of blood should certainly be prepared to close their eyes for at least a quarter of the film. The Universal and Blumhouse production begins immediately after ‘Halloween’ with a distraught Laurie Strode being transported to Haddonfield
Memorial Hospital after leaving Myers’ to burn to the ground in her home. Horror movie buffs will be excited to see that the new film will also feature the most deaths ever to be featured in a single ‘Halloween’ movie. The 1978 film gives the unkillable Myers a body count of five people compared to the 16 this weekend. Between the increase of gruesome (and a hilarious death involving a car door) deaths and the great gore effects, the movie has rightfully earned a spot on a Halloween movie bucket list for future years. The details put into each scene have highly improved and deepen the overall terror. For instance, brain matter was not a weird goo leaking from unrealistic places, but was chunky and mixed with fake blood. Ligaments broke and bent in realistic ways. I appreciate the work and dedication put into each scene and can understand why it took three years to release. Throughout the slasher film, deaths are used for various purposes. A majority of the victims have been preyed upon then caught like a mouse (with an awesome version of John Carpenter’s classic “Halloween Theme” song from 1978) by the horror icon’s cat-like reflexes. It creates an intense build up of emotions that lead the audience into either cheering for Myers’ to get the kill or freaking out to see if the prey will make it out of his radius. The tension is broken
up a few times with a funny stab or a hilarious fail that will make at least half the crowd laugh out loud. However, I cannot forget to add that despite a clear statement from Laurie Strode towards the ending of this sequel, enough critics have gathered to discuss their feelings towards how the antagonist is dramatically indestructible. Since the debut of Myers over forty years ago, the killer has been described as human. “Halloween Kills’ reveals that the horror icon is beyond a person and has been deemed supernatural which greatly adds to Myers’ monsterization and helps viewers further understand why the murderer is unkillable. The ending scene, like every previous movie, leaves me at the edge of the theater seat wanting the movie to continue. It ends on an annoyingly great cliffhanger. Myers is standing where everything began in the final few seconds of the film. For almost two hours, friends can meet at AMC Theaters and claim the comfortable reclining chairs with salty popcorn and sweet candy for the best horror experience. Watching the slasher movie on the weekend is a perfect spooky season activity and also makes for a great first date. All together, the movie is by far one of my favorite movies (other than the original) and I will probably end up buying it to watch for future years, and maybe again this weekend.
COURTESY PHOTO BY UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
‘Halloween Kills’ smashes the box office after releasing to theaters and Peacock streaming last Friday.
Don’t want the mess of carving? Here’s 5 other ways to decorate your pumpkin BY PIPER PINNETTI Piscesbxnny@gmail.com
We are officially over halfway past October and Halloween is creeping around the corner. The breeze is getting colder on campus and nighttime arrives sooner. A majority of pumpkin patches have their best pumpkins picked by now. Let’s not forget that college students do not always have the time and money to dedicate to buying and carving pumpkins between their classes, homework and other commitments. Not only can any of these ideas prevent a mess (cleaning the slimy bit of pumpkin off the dorm floor totally kills the vibe), but also gives the opportunity to create a unique pumpkin.
1. GLUING RIBBONS OR LACE If paint is too messy or not fancy enough, ribbons at craft stores range from really cheap prices. Michael’s has three yards of Halloween and Autumn themed ribbons for $2.99 before their seasonal sales are applied. Ribbons can be featured by running up and down along the ridges of the pumpkin or tied in a bow around the stem. Using liquid glue to secure the ribbons onto pumpkins is the best option.All-over lace on a sphere will not be an easy task. Using a foam brush to apply mod podge to the outside of the pumpkin will be a seriously sticky task but can leave you with perfect Autumn room decor.
2. FLOWERS Take a stroll down the flower section at Hobby Lobby and get
lost. From realistic baby’s breath, to black roses, to twigs and foliage for your flowery pumpkin dreams can be found.The store typically has sales in the flower section and will allow for a cheaper experience while also giving the perfect opportunity to go out with the roommates or a few friends and have fun off of campus. Trim the stem down and poke it through the surface of the pumpkin. Cutting the flowers and petals off of the stem and gluing them down to the pumpkin is also an easy way to add 3D elements to the pumpkin. From flower crows, to a fully-covered pumpkin of white daisies, anything is possible when you have a craft store available within 20 minutes of campus, a creative mind, and Pinterest.
PHOTO BY KYRAN CRIST/ THE SUNFLOWER
3. PUSH PINS
There are many ways to decorate a pumpkin for the season such as painting (as pictured above), using other supplies such as lace or push pins, or covering it in glitter.
When money is tight, push pins save the day. The super cute, shiny gold push pins reserved for notes and photos on the bulletin board in the dormroom - can easily become a cute accessory for any pumpkin. Simply push the pin through the surface of any pumpkin type and create a totally chic new design for pumpkins with barely any effort.
Michael’s also has multiple tools such as Sharpie paint markers to draw metallic designs or trace letters on the pumpkin to make them pop. However, brushes are cheaper to buy from 5 Below. They offer giant packs of paints for only five dollars before taxes. They also have a wide variety of brushes that come in large packs for low prices. From large brushes, to small detail brushes, to foam brushes, you can find what you need. Michael’s offers larger bottles of paint and other colors. From pastels, to neutrals, to vibrant and neon, there is every color imaginable in the paint aisle. For specific colors, it is easier to buy a specific bottle rather than trusting that creating a lilac purple is as easy as artists make it look by using only primary colors and mixing. It will
4. PAINTING YOUR PUMPKINS Pumpkin painting has slowly become a fun trend the past few years through the younger crowd decorating and sharing on social media platforms such as Pinterest, Instagram, and VSCO. Plastic craft pumpkins are on display at Michaels craft store to buy between $4.99-$9.99 before tax depending on chosen size.
waste time and paint. Buying a pack of fun and bright colors will only cost about ten dollars (give or take) and will be perfect for multiple people to use and share. As far as canvases go, painting a real pumpkin is easier than painting on plastic ones. The small pumpkin pie pumpkins at Target are about three dollars and are adorable. The texture of the pumpkin allows an easier canvas to paint. The paint covers the surface and does not chip away as easily as it does on the smooth plastic. The paint separates with each stroke on the plastic and will show visible brush strokes on the pumpkin even after the paint dries. Nail polish is another item that can be used to splatter color across your pumpkin canvas if money is tight or if there is an old bottle laying around somewhere.
5. GLITTER Glitter can be used for an entire pumpkin or just in addition. A sparkly magenta pumpkin is the perfect way to draw attention to the dorm room. Glitter can be used in different ways such as buying glitter glue to drip down the pumpkin or to make a shimmery concoction by mixing it into the paint. Although a real pumpkin can be easier to test out a lot of the crafts, the fake plastic pumpkins also allow your masterpiece to be taken out of storage for future Halloweens to put out for display. Trying these ideas for pumpkins this year will give you the “coolest roomie” vibes when other students walk past your dorm. A glittery pumpkin will be the perfect prop to hold in your spooky season Instagram posts as well.
THURSDAY, OCT. 21, 2021 | 7
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Opinion
HAVE AN OPINION?
contact The Sunflower’s opinion editor, Jaycie Nelson opinion@thesunflower.com
Success is an opinion not a fact Jaycie Nelson Opinion Editor opinion@thesunflower. com
What defines success? Is success having a nice job, car or clothes? Is it having lots of friends and partying? Who decides what success is for us? Success is an opinion, not a fact. Success is not the same for everyone and we need to understand this. It will help us to avoid comparison over who is more “successful.” If you think success is having that competitive job in the big city, then you go after it because that’s what you want. If you think success is being a family-oriented person, then you do that because it’s your success story. You can also do both, you don’t have to be one or the other. In life, but specifically college, we get this idea that the busier we are equals how successful we are. A game of “who’s the busiest?” is a popular question among friends. Does being busy now mean being successful? If you love to be busy and it truly makes you happy, then go for it. However, if it doesn’t and you find yourself miserable being busy and “successful,” reflect what success actually looks like to you. Maybe success to you is having lots of free-time to hang with friends, family, or even to watch tv. Your idea of success will change, and probably has changed multiple times over your life — if not multiple times just in college itself.
“Your idea of success will change, and probably has changed multiple times over your life — if not multiple times just in college itself.” Some students might look at getting a 80% on an assignment as awful, while others look at the score like a million dollar deal. It all comes down to our perspective of what success is. Neither is wrong nor right. We tend to — even if we don’t want to — put a lot of pressure on our shoulders to reach certain expectations, then when we fall flat we get disappointed in ourselves. Instead of getting disappointed, maybe we just need to reevaluate those expectations to see if they were realistic. Are you unsuccessful if you don’t reach those expectations? No. You learn from the experience and try again. I truly believe “success” is not a destination, but a state of mind. You’re not only successful when you get that job or buy that car. You are successful right now. Nobel prize winner Albert Schweitzer said, “success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” Essentially say if you’re happy, you’re successful. Take some weight off your shoulders, and just appreciate how successful you are right now. Because you are.
FILE PHOTO BY KHÁNH NGUYEN/ THE SUNFLOWER.
Marietta Farm, located in Andover, has a corn pit, grass maze, inflatable bouncer, live animals, hay bale rides, games, and of course pumpkins for visitors to enjoy.
Halloween is an underrated holiday Elena Kuckleman Columnist
Everybody loves the holiday season. There is a reason they call it the “most wonderful time of the year.” It includes some of the best holidays with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and News Years. However, one thing the holiday season lacks is a holiday that doesn’t require hours of cooking or gift shopping and wrapping. That’s why Halloween is such a great holiday—you don’t have to do much preparation ahead of time. Aside from buying some candy, all you have to do is get a costume. Getting to dress up in a costume is partly what makes
“Halloween can be fun for everyone no matter their age.” Halloween so unique. When else is it acceptable to wear an outfit covered in fake blood while carrying around a toy knife or to cut holes in a sheet and dress up as a ghost? Even if you’re not one for dressing up, Halloween provides the perfect excuse to eat all the candy you want. Some of the best types of candy go on sale during this time of year, so people of all ages can enjoy their favorite sweets. Halloween is also the perfect time to marathon-watch horror movies. And, if you don’t like scary movies, you can always watch Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown
on repeat. As the countdown to Christmas starts earlier every year, many people have started to complain that Thanksgiving is getting overlooked. But, if you have been on TikTok in the last month, you might have seen that the countdown started even sooner this year—which means that Halloween is now getting overshadowed by the Christmas hype. My question is, why start anticipating a holiday when you have a great one to celebrate now? Halloween can be fun for everyone no matter their age. You just have to find your own way to celebrate it, whether that’s by filling your house with decorative skeletons and pumpkins, or simply baking those Pillsbury pumpkin sugar cookies.
Don’t try to recreate childhood memories Rachel Rudisill Columnist rtrudisill@shockers. wichita.edu
Do you remember when you were a child and the world seemed magical? Colors seemed brighter and our imaginations were so full, we changed how we view everything. The deep end of the pool seemed as though it were an ocean, and as you jumped off of the diving board, you were walking the plank of a pirate ship. When we visited the zoo we were no longer on Earth, but instead a foreign planet full of unknown tropical animals. As children, we were unaware of true meanings, which caused us to create our own world. We were influenced by story books and children’s television shows because that was our source of education. Our imaginations were so realistic, we were physically able to see the pirate ship we escaped from as a child. We could see Tinkerbell and the lost boys flying above us as we hit the ice-cold ocean water. These are amazing memories we are able to hold with us as we go through our everyday lives, but have you ever tried to recreate these memories years later? As all human beings, we tend to reminisce on past memories and sometimes wish to relive them. Whether we are reliving these memories for ourselves, or for our children, reliving these memories is never the same. Have you
“Because we no longer have a strong imagination, when we try to relive these memories for ourselves, we are left disappointed and unsatisfied.” noticed how doing this can also cause our memories to change? When revisiting the zoo, the unknown planet filled with various plants and animals seems different. The zoo is just an ordinary zoo, and there is nothing special about the “foreign planet.” This tends to happen when we try to relive our childhood memories. As we grow older, our imagination begins to go away. This is because we are no longer clueless children. We are taught the meaning of things which means we no longer have our imagination to create false definitions and memories. Because we no longer have a strong imagination, when we try to relive these memories for ourselves, we are left disappointed and unsatisfied. These memories are meant to stay in the past. It’s like a childhood television show. The show that always comes to mind, for me, is Full House. Full House was an amazing television series. The show occurred when my mother was in middle school. She watched the show and so did
Opinion LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters should concentrate on issues, not personalities, and must be fewer than 400 words. Letters may be edited for accuracy, clarity and length. Please include your name, WSU affiliation and a phone number for verification purposes. To submit letters, email opinion@thesunflower.com or submit at www.thesunflower.com. The opinions expressed in The Sunflower editorials, columns, guest columns, reviews, advertisements, letters and editorial cartoons are not necessarily those of the staff, publications board, student body or the university. The Sunflower reserves the right to edit or reject any submission. We also reserve the right to edit or reject any advertisement.
FILE PHOTO BY MARSHALL SUNNER/ THE SUNFLOWER.
A group of kids wait to run the bases after the SCREAMage that was held at Eck Stadium on Oct. 20, 2018..
I and my younger cousins. The show was a hit, so Netflix decided to recreate the show, now titled Fuller House. Doing this had good intentions, but in my opinion recreating the show was a waste of time. Do not get me wrong, I loved seeing DJ and Steve get their happy ending, but the show tried too hard to recreate previous episodes. All of the shows had some sort of parallel to the original Full House series, and it was just
boring and felt unoriginal. That is the same dissatisfaction you get with recreating memories. If we choose to not recreate a childhood experience we can hold that excitement we once had. Instead of recreating these memories, we should instead pass them on. What I mean by this is, we can share it with our children and younger generations. By going into a past experience with a different expectation than
when you were younger, you will not be left unsatisfied. Instead, you can help your child, niece, nephew, or sibling live the memory instead. You can help influence the way they see the world so they can feel that joy you once did. Please, stop trying to relive memories for yourself. Instead, help others to see the magic in the little things.
SUNFLOWER HOT TAKES The Sunflower editorial board gives their one-sentence opinions.
Lindsay Smith: People need to stop making me upset. Sean Marty: Graduating is scary. Jaycie Nelson: Fruit snacks are the best snacks. Kyran Crist: It’s too windy. Julia Nightengale: There’s no reasy I shouldn’t get help with my computer from IT.
8 | THURSDAY, OCT. 21, 2021
Street
OPINION
Censorship is the Moving the discussion elimination of freedom forward to obtain a of expression soccer team Mitchell Adamson
ARE YOU DRESSING UP FOR HALLOWEEN?
AARON GORDON JUNIOR, SPANISH
“Sadly, I’m working Halloween… Usually I dress up with family, but not this year.”
VIJAY MATHESWARAN GRAD STUDENT, AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
“No, I’m too old for that.”
Columnist meadamson1@wichita. shockers.edu
When you eliminate people from making contributions to conversations because you disagree with their point of view, you are erasing the individuality that makes each person unique. There is a gross systemic problem rooted deep with liberal media to suppress conservative voices. In the book 1984, by George Orwell there is a quote that perfectly fits this situation “Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it.” “Newspeak” is a language that exists in the fictional world of 1984, simplifying language and restricting it so that those in power can control a person’s expressionality. “Thoughtcrime” is the problem of individuals thinking “incorrectly” and the government’s way of punishing them for their “mistakes.” Although this world and language created by Orwell is fictional, many can draw parallels to current political circumstances. The media often claims that there is no bias within telling news, which is absurd, considering that there is extreme negativity pointed towards one view, and assumptions made with no factual objectivity considering the opposite view. When you choose to only present news on issues that are more liberal, giving no voice to conservative ones—how can you say that you aren’t biased? How can you say you aren’t
biased when assumptions are made to the extent of benefitting the liberal party? These assumptions are critically eradicated from those that present the opposite views. Not only is there a need for information for both perspectives, there is a desire from major media outlets, such as CNN, ABC, NBC, The New York Times, and HuffPost, to ostracize and condemn anyone that disagrees with them. What generates from this type of rhetoric presented in the media creates a situation for conservatives to censor themselves or to be punished. Punishment is different in all situations, except a commonality of harsh treatment is involved in each faucet. This often takes the form of cancellation. Cancelling means taking the livelihood of an individual simply because you disagree with their framework, the disagreement with how they see political ideology. I’m not saying that you have to agree with what is presented, all I am saying is that I should be able to state what I believe unapologetically. I shouldn’t have to be afraid of losing what I have worked for, just for having an opinion that disagrees with the majority. Limiting freedom of expression is what totalitarians do, in reality, what people do not see is that the people in power (media) are in control. They say neutrality, but in reality someone always has power. “Limit the voices” although implicit, because no one will state it explicitly, takes your view and superimposes it on mine. In the end you remain in power, what you’re saying is that “only my voice matters.”
Emmie Boese Assistant Sports Editor
elboese15@gmail.com
Two weeks ago, I brought up the idea of Wichita State University’s athletic department starting a men’s and women’s soccer program. The story got a lot more attention than I thought it would. The majority of responses I saw, and heard seemed to be positive reactions. I saw multiple people share my story regarding the topic on Facebook and Twitter. Due to the attention this idea got from the public, I have decided to further discuss this idea and what it would mean for the athletic department at Wichita State. When my story was posted, a former WSU alumni mentioned that adding even just a women’s soccer program would help bring to light the idea of bringing a football program back again to Wichita State. It’s obviously been discussed that a football program is out of discussion right now due to financial reasons for the university. However, starting a women’s soccer program would give the oppurtunity for a football program. Since football is a men’s sport, the university would have to add another women’s sport according to Title IX due to needing equal opportunity to compete in a men’s and women’s sports. For those not aware of Title IX, the NCAA website provides a definition of what Title IX is meant for. Accoring to the Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or
“Wichita State would have to make sure both programs receive the same amount of money in scholarships, equal treatment, and benefits.” be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” Due to college athletics being a part of an educational institution, this law applies to college athletics. I am totally against the idea of Title IX. As someone who has had every member of their family play a college sport I understand why the laws of Title IX exist. However, if both a women’s soccer program and football program were to coexist with one another, Wichita State would have to make sure both programs receive the same amount of money in scholarships, equal treatment, and benefits. A football program has a larger amount of players in their program versus a soccer program. Therefore, it would be difficult to provide the same amount of dollars that are equal for scholarships since it would already be a great struggle for Wichita State to even have enough money to start a football program. Remember how I mentioned starting a men’s and women’s soccer program though? Well, starting a soccer program for women and men would be easier to do financially and in compliance with Title IX more so than a women’s soccer program and football program.
CAMILLE BRASHEARS SENIOR, GRAPHIC DESIGN
“My family and I do dress up, we all, I have two kids, so we all dress up as a family. And then for school I’ll probably just wear like a Halloween headband or something like that.” ILLUSTRATION BY THY VO / THE SUNFLOWER
Tips for time management JOCELYN MALLONEE SOPHOMORE, AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
“It’s still up in the air for me right now, but I might just because it’s fun. Haven’t really settled on anything right now.”
MAX FIELDS JUNIOR, PRE-MED
“I’m not dressing up cause I work that day, and I’m twenty.”
Rachel Lyons Columnist
raylons@shockers.wichita. edu
Time and time again we hear from professors, university faculty and staff, and our parents that we must work on using our time better. I’m here to tell you that, even as a senior, I don’t have this down. Is it possible that our ever evolving pandemic state and the strange balance between ‘normal’ and ‘new normal’ is creating some challenges with planning— absolutely. Is it possible that I might have a touch of the non-existent senioritis, also yes. Rather than rehashing tips that you may have heard consistently throughout middle school, high school, and freshman orientation, I’ve chosen a few tips that take a different approach to the topic of time management and accomplishing what we need or want to get done. The first tip is less of a ‘tip’ per say but two different mindsets suggested by Arts and Entertainment Magazine. They suggest these
mindsets lean towards action and avoid the black holes. To lean towards action is exactly what it sounds like: To do rather than to over-think. We can get lost in analysis and the decision fatigue we face on a daily basis. While this is designed to get creative thinkers out of the planning stage and into the making stage. If a non-creative person wanted to use this mindset, it might look like getting started with the to-do list after making it rather than making the to-do list, agonizing over and procrastinating until it’s almost too late, and then executing the list. Avoiding the black holes shouldn’t only be for creative people, as nearly every human being can benefit from this mindset. This mindset is designed to hold the person accountable for how they are using their time. How did you spend the last hour of your time? Was it spent surfing social media, or were you looking for information for that research project that is due in three weeks? In this mindset, technology is both a blessing and a curse. The second tip is to opt for physical over digital when practical or possible. While I understand
that the age of iPads and digital everything makes bringing all of the necessary materials to classes much easier, consider utilizing paper and pencil once in a while. For example, one may want to type notes in a class or while doing a reading assignment, but one may want to consider having a physical textbook so that there is a physical component to studying. Or, rather than scheduling everything in Google Calendar or a similar software, consider using a paper planner. Yes, there is the risk that a paper planner will get left somewhere, or inevitably have a drink spilled on it. There are also benefits to having a planner that doesn’t require you to look at a screen to put something in, especially if you might forget to go add it into the digital calendar. For the third tip, it comes directly from Central Michigan University, and they suggest adding a study related task during downtimes. Although, I might add that one may not want to always do this, as it may lead to a toxic productivity mindset. This tip suggests using the last ten minutes of a lunch break to read a chapter, or a long line to
TIPS FOR TIME MANAGEMENT 1. TO DO RATHER THAN TO OVER-THINK 2. OPT FOR PHYSICAL OVER DIGITAL WHEN PRACTICAL OR POSSIBLE 3. ADD A STUDY RELATED TASK DURING DOWNTIMES. review a to-do list or flash cards. In and of itself, this is a great idea, until the brain takes it too far. While the toxic productivity mindset is a topic for further discussion, it essentially blames the person with the mindset for not doing enough work, or having down time at all. Down time is important, but sometimes there is an urge to fill an uncomfortable down time with something productive. I advise using this tip with caution. All three of these tips can be used to help with time management and make the most of your college career.