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71%

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THURSDAY Nov. 18, 2021 Volume 126 Issue 16

WICHITA STATE’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896

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of WSU faculty are white Hispanic Alaskin/ American Ind. 0.18%

Multiple race Hispanic 0.36%

Not reported 2.36%

Black

4.3%

White 71%

Asian 13.6%

International 4.9%

2.7%

Despite university’s initiatives, faculty still not representative of students BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_KSmith

n the university’s website, Wichita State calls itself the “most diverse college in Kansas.” But according to data from the provost’s office, 71% of full time faculty members are white. Wichita State’s 549 faculty members reported their race as follows, according to data from the provost’s office: 71% white, 13.6% Asian, 4.9% international, 4.3% hispanic, 2.7% Black, 0.36% multiple race hispanic and 0.18% Alaskan American. 2.36% were not reported. Bobby Berry, the African American Faculty and Staff Association vice president, attended WSU as a student. He said he experienced very BERRY little representation as a student. Now as a faculty member, he said he still has that same lack of representation. Berry said working in a predominately white institution has put pressure on him that other faculty members may not have to face. “Feeling like when you’re at meetings, you’re almost speaking on behalf of everyone,” Berry said. “And just kind of always having that in the back of your head with everything that you do … Taking into consideration that sometimes my students, I’m the only Black professor they’ve ever had, period, in their entire life.” Berry said he wants the university to provide efforts for their faculty of color to not only get hired, but also advance in the university. “I would love to see, you know, intentional efforts to create opportunities for folks of color who are already on this campus to advance,” he said. “Give them opportunities to continue to grow and to elevate, what I would also like to see is intentional efforts to hire folks from diverse backgrounds.” Of the 13 members of the president’s executive team, two are Black. There is only one dean of color. The university is currently creating a five-year diversity, equity and inclusion plan that focuses on diversifying campus. “The goal is to make our campus reflect diversity in all aspects, not just in color, not just in race,” Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President Marche Fleming-Randlesaid. Fleming-Randle, who now oversees the university’s diversity initiatives, said when she first started at the university 14 years ago, she noticed a lack of diversity. FLEMING-RANDLE “I said, ‘Oh, I’m not going to stay long, a

“Sometimes [for] my students, I’m the only Black professor they’ve ever had, period, in their entire life.” BOBBY BERRY African American Faculty and Staff Association

couple of years as an assistant dean then I’m going to move on,’” Fleming-Randle said. “As I saw things develop, and I figured you know, when you know better you do better. If I leave, who’s going to stay here and do the work?” Fleming-Randle said since then, she has focused on promoting Wichita State to qualified candidates. But, she said, it can be difficult to get diverse faculty. “You have to get people to come to a predominantly white campus, some people don’t have that mindset,” she said. Fleming-Randle said that retention of faculty and students of color continues to be a main goal from the university, as well as a focus to get more faculty of color in administration roles. “If you look at the presidents, it’s been all white males,” she said. “If you look at all the vice presidents, they’ve all been white males.” Fleming-Randle said that while people tend to focus on race as diversity, there are other ways the university can be more diverse. “Diversity isn’t just about Black and white,” she said. “It’s about veterans. It’s about disabilities. It’s about LGBTQA. Just looking at somebody can you tell if they’re LGBTQA? Can you look at a vet and say he’s a vet? No.” She said her goal is to make sure the university reflects being the “most diverse college in Kansas.” “I just want [faculty and students] to know that they’re welcome, and that their concerns are going to be heard, and that we’re going to meet the classification of being the most diverse college in Kansas,” she said. Berry said that while it’s important to push the university to strive to be diverse, he said it is not entirely the responsibility of the institution. “And what I mean by that, from my perspective, is that, do I have the right to say yes or no? Yeah, for sure,” Berry said. “You know, and I think sometimes folks can put that weight on an institution and I feel sometimes that’s unfair.”

ZERO BUSINESS SCHOOL FACULTY REPORTED RACE AS BLACK With roughly 1,700 undergraduate students, the business school is a popular school of WSU. According to the data from the provost’s office, no faculty members in

the College of Business reported their race as Black. The business faculty self reported as: 38 white, eight asian, four international and two hispanic. Three business faculty members did not report their race. Business students have said the student body is diverse. However, many said they feel the faculty is lacking in reflecting that diversity. Junior business student Aram Khader said that while the majority of her classmates are still white,, she sees progress in diversity of the student body as she continues her education. KHADER “I definitely have some friends from different ethnic backgrounds in my classes,” she said. “I think we’re definitely making progress with that.” Khader said studying management information systems, she has a majority of foreign professors. However, for her more basic business classes she sees a lack in diversity. Students Becca Meyer and Tony Uhl reflected those same sentiments. “From the faculty, I haven’t seen much diversity. Diversity between genders, but not necessarily ethniciMEYER ties,” Meyer said. “I know most of my teachers are white —a good mix of male and female. I don’t really know a lot of teachers in the business school, but the ones I’ve had have been along those lines,” Uhl said. Barton School of Business Dean Larisa Genin said that diversity is a personal passion of hers. “Diversity, equity and GENIN inclusive excellence is an important area initiative and focus in the business school,” she said. “I think diversity and inclusive excellence is critical to any of our searches we’re conducting for new faculty and or new staff.” As for future goals, Genin said a new plan will be unveiled next fall that can help further diversify the business school’s faculty. “The strategic plan is built upon Wichita State’s mission and key strategic priorities and further defines how we are going to carry it out in the business school,” Genin said. “I think there’s an opportunity to continue to diversify our faculty population as we continue to attract new talent and potentially find ways for how our faculty population could be more representative of our student body.

*Data showed 27 faculty members reported as international and 13 were unreported, they were not included in these graphs.

2 | THURSDAY, NOV. 11, 2021

NEWS

The Green Group plans future sustainability events, partners with NetApp BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE news@thesunflower.com

On Oct. 10, The Green Group met for their weekly meeting to discuss future events for the semester, including the new compost bins going into the community garden, a recycled art contest in March, a move-out event for the Spring semester where students living on campus could “recycle” items that they don’t need anymore, and invited NetApp employees to discuss collaboration. Chris Hepner, applications engineer at NetApp, said that they would be moving into their new building on campus in January and wanted to reach out to the group to see how they could partner on upcoming projects. Jason Unrein, software engineer at NetApp, mentioned mentoring students in the group to help with advice on

projects and sponsoring events. “Getting all of the companies to help the campus more … I would like to help you guys succeed however you can, help however we can on the side,” Unrein said. In terms of volunteer events, The Green Group started planning Saturday events for the winter months, which include trash pick-ups and thrift-store volunteer events. The compost bins, which are available for all to use to dump plant-based products, should be going into the Community Garden sometime before the end of the semester. Fitzgerald mentioned working with Chartwells dining to make recycling more noticeable for students during things such as catering events, such as adding signs above bins. “They have a huge grasp on

what we are able to do on campus,” Fitzgerald said. Fitzgerald said she talked to housing and residence life about a move in, move out event, so that items that students didn’t need when they moved out could be recycled to another student for a much cheaper price than buying new. They also want to partner with Shocker Support Locker during this event to ensure access to low-income students. “I think the move-out event where we are kind of gonna be collecting, you know, just extras that people have, that’s gonna be one of my favorite events if we can carry it out,” Fitzgerald said. The Green Group also got advice from NetApp employees on how to create a recycled art contest, something that they had done previously. They discussed how to get people involved through

PHOTO BY MIA HENNEN / THE SUNFLOWER

Alice Fitzgerald, president of the green group, speaks at their meeting on Nov. 10 at the Rhatigan Student Center.

monetary prizes and having an art major and computer science major partner up to create something out of e-waste. “There’s a media gallery

downstairs and it always includes student submissions … I know that they are definitely open to the students,” Fitzgerald said. Read the rest at thesunflower.com

James Broughel speaks to economics students about reform in regulatory procedures BY MITCHELL ADAMSON mxadamson@shockers.wichita.edu

PHOTO BY MONIQUE GAINES / THE SUNFLOWER

Senators at the SGA meeting on Nov 10, 2021. They coverd a multitude of topics such asfailing a bill that would transfer the authority to recognize organizations to student affairs agenda and getting a sneak peek at plans for the new Student Success Center.

Senate rejects bill that would transfer RSO granting authority to student affairs BY JULIA NIGHTENGALE news@thesunflower.com

A student senate bill regarding the transfer of authority to recognize student organizations to Student Involvement was rejected after being tabled last week. The vote came after much debate on various options to amend the bill, create a new committee to craft a new piece of legislation, or to kill the bill altogether. This bill follows a controversial decision by the student senate last month that rejected the conservative organization Turning Point USA registered student organization status. The decision was deemed unconstitutional by the Student Supreme Court and was overturned the following week. The bill was introduced to the senate last week by Senator Ella Perkins. “Whether the senate has true authority over recognition of

RSOs has long been a question, and it has become increasingly clear through conversations that have been had over the last month, the denial of any student group RSO status will always have the potential to put the association in legal jeopardy,” Perkins said. Last week, the senate voted to table the bill after a large amount of debate from both sides. This week was no different. Student senators went back and forth about the different options for roughly an hour. The main source of debate was surrounding whether to kill the bill or create a committee to re-evaluate what the bill looked like. “I believe there are great intentions with this bill,” Ways and Means committee chair Tayton Majors said. “We need more time…In the end, let’s just vote to kill this bill tonight, I think this is the best potential solution.” Many senators voiced

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.

MISSION The Sunflower — both in print and online — will be a timely resource of information about the Wichita State University community. It will report on news, issues, activities, academics and athletics, in addition to offering a forum for discussion, reviews and commentary. It will also be an effective learning experience for students, who will have the final authority over what is published.

LEGAL One free copy of The Sunflower is available to members of the WSU community. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 in the newsroom, Elliott Hall 019. The Sunflower is private property and unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable. The Sunflower is funded by a combination of print and online advertisment sales and student fees allocated by the Student Government Association. The Sunflower is a member of Kansas Collegiate Media, the Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Association. Copyright © 2021 The Sunflower. This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted.

“One of my reasons for voting against this bill tonight is that a lot of those discussions were not made in the week we tabled.” ANNE WASINGER Freshman Senator

concerns that the bill was created too quickly to provide proper thought. “This bill has a lot of traction and it also has a lot of different viewpoints,” Freshman Senator Anne Wasinger said. “We can see that there are a lot of people who care how this decision is made. One of my reasons for voting against this bill tonight is that a lot of those discussions were not made in the week that we tabled… And that all comes from how quickly this bill was formed.

James Broughel, a senior research fellow from the Mercatus Center, with a PHD in economics, presented on this topic for the Institute of Economic Growth and AIER Bastiat Society program, giving insight into what Kansas can do to further stimulate reform in regulatory procedures. The event was held at the John Bardo Center, for the purpose of creating a discussion around the options facing policy makers improving economic freedom in Kansas and across the country. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the measure of all final goods and services produced and put on the market in a specific period of time, is a great measure of Standard of Living. Nations with a higher GDP, have a higher standard of living, and generally happier lives. Regulations take away the freedom for GDP to flourish, restricting it, slowing it, which takes away from the growth of the economy. Put simply, a regulation is a rule created by administrative agencies, more narrow in scope. These rules are supposed to help bring about the laws that are passed by legislatures. For example, these laws may concern environmental regulation and how much you can pollute as a business, child labor laws, minimum wage laws. Every aspect of your life is affected by these rules, they help make the laws passed by legislatures more applicable to your average American. “Regulation touches nearly every aspect of our lives in one capacity or another, from the shower head in your bathroom at home, to the fuel efficiency of your car in your driveway, to the labels on the food that you eat, that’s just

EDITOR IN CHIEF Lindsay Smith news@thesunflower.com

DESIGN DIRECTOR Thy Vo design@thesunflower.com

NEWS EDITOR Julia Nightengale news@thesunflower.com

PHOTO EDITOR Khanh Nguyen photoeditor@thesunflower.com

OPINION EDITOR Jaycie Nelson opinion@thesunflower.com

ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Lena Alhallaq photos@thesunflower.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Kyran Crist arts@thesunflower.com

MARKETING MANAGER Kaylee Stout marketing@thesunflower.com

SPORTS EDITOR Sean Marty sports@thesunfower.com

ADVERTISING MANAGER Rachel Thomas admanager@thesunflower.com

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Emmie Boese elboese@shockers.wichita.edu

FACULTY ADVISOR Amy DeVault amy.devault@wichita.edu

federal regulations,” Broughel said. “At the state level there are regulations affecting the professions you can work in, if you want to be a doctor or a pharmacist. ” As an economist, Broughel has had the ability to weigh the benefits and costs of regulatory procedures at the federal and state level. Making efforts so that the states can have clear and measurable plans that guide their thinking when making economic regulatory decisions. “Regulations are definitely necessary in some cases, but they also impose costs, so the trick is finding the right balance,” Broughel said. “That we get regulations that are effective, that are achieving good outcomes for the public, but are doing so at a reasonable cost. When we get too many regulations we can slow the economy, lower growth, lower incomes for people, lowering opportunity.” Quantifying regulations, with the help of computer programmers, has been less of a taxing process. Quantifying helps economists analyze regulations systematically. Regulation Data (RegData) is a complex computer program that measures texts from federal documents, assigning a probability to certain documents that can be applied when searching Regulations for certain text features. After finding certain passages that are important within the regulations, the probability assigned is the most important. “Then we can combine that information with the restriction counts from those parts, and say ‘okay there is a 5% probability that this part of the regulatory text applies to the manufacturing sector,’” Broughel said. “Then we will add that up for every part of the regulatory code.”

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Corrections

The Sunflower is committed to accuracy in its publications. If you find an error in any of its publications, please email the editor at editor@thesunflower.com immediately.

NEWS

THURSDAY, NOV. 18, 2021 | 3

PHOTO BY RACHEL RUDISILL / THE SUNFLOWER

Dominique Morgan talks about her past and how she first began Diversity Lectures on Nov. 17 in the RSC.

Dominique Morgan talks about her work combatting violence towards LGBTQ community BY MITCHELL ADAMSOM mxadamson@shockers.wichita.edu

DOMINIQUE MORGAN Executive Director of the Black and Pink Organization

She had been convicted of sex crimes that she said functioned as a means to make ends meet in a system that incorrectly punishes those that are Black. “In my incarceration I found a lot of strength, and I say that not because that is the outcome of incarceration, it may be stronger, not that they helped me be better, I got stronger because I had to

Panel shares the importance of intergenerational teaching at Wichita State University BY LINDSAY SMITH editor@thesunflower.com / @Lindsay_ KSmith

Dominique Morgan, executive director of the Black and Pink organization, spoke at the Diversity and Inclusion lecture series event giving insight into what perpetuates violence against those of the LGBTQ and transgender community. Black and Pink is an organization formed around the ideals of abolishing the criminal justice system in America. Morgan, who had been incarcerated at 17, described how the criminal justice system had allowed her to reflect on herself. “Most folks utilize survival crimes because that’s the only way we can support folks who are engaging in those behaviors and not be imprisoned for having to make it and survive,” Morgan said.

“In my incarceration I found a lot of strength, and I say that not because that is the outcome of incarceration, it may be stronger, not that they helped me be stronger, I got stronger because I had to make it.”

PHOTO BY MIA HENNEN / THE SUNFLOWER

Professor of Psychology Louis Medvene speaks to the room of faclty at the Strategies for Promoting Intergenerational Teaching at WSU meeting. The meeting was held on Nov. 16 and in the Rhatigan Student Center.

PHOTO BY RACHEL RUDISILL / THE SUNFLOWER

Dominique Morgan talks about her past and how she first began Diversity Lectures on Nov. 17 in the RSC.

make it,” Morgan said. After exiting the prison system, Morgan made connections that allowed her to pursue a degree in public health. This gave her the opportunity to help those who were struggling through the same situations she went through. She pointed to the resilience that she exhibited in all of the hard times that came her way. Resilience was a key theme of her speech, indicating that people in America can do anything that they set their minds to. “The idea that I could get up every day and do something I really cared about and pay my rent, feed myself, get a car,”

Morgan said. Doing these things allowed her to truly believe that she had attained what she dreamed of. Morgan advocates for those of the LGBTQ community as an ally, focusing on the fact that being a Black transgender woman is one of her strengths. “Simply because I am a Black trans woman with a job, I am one of the most privileged Black people in this country,” Morgan said. “Yes, I experienced incarceration, yes I experienced physical harm and sexual harm … Black folks are the most impacted by these systems.”

The Census Bureau projects that in 12 years there will be more people over 65 than under 18. “The whole gamut of our healthcare system is going to be impacted by this large number of older adults and people are not being prepared to work with those older adults,” Instructor Louis Medvene said. So, how do we combat this? A panel was held in the Rhatigan Student Center on Monday, Nov. 15 to discuss that exact topic. The panel — called “Strategies for Promoting Intergenerational Teaching at WSU” — was sponsored by Wichita State’s Regional Institute of Aging (RIA). Panelists included RoseMary B. Fuss Center for Research on Aging and Intergenerational Studies director Joann Montepare and three students. Medvene said the best way to prepare for this change in numbers is to bring and promote more intergenerational teaching to WSU. “Having an intergenerational student body is potentially a more effective way to teach new information about older adults, one of them being this idea of the longevity dividend,” Medvene said. “There isn’t any better way to teach it than to have people who are really still at the top of their games in the same classroom with younger students.” Medvene taught a course last semester that did just that — brought in undergraduate students and older adult students in the classroom together to work together, learn together and collaborate in a way that they wouldn’t have the opportunity to do elsewhere. “By having older adults and older students and younger students in the classroom, we have potential to create positive experiences and change potentially negative attitudes,” Medvene said. The class chose four topics to discuss: social media and aging, mental health and aging, attitudes towards aging, growing up: then and now and intergenerational contact. WSU Student Aliya Jankowski took the class and attended the panel to discuss her experience. “I just can’t really describe in words necessarily how awesome it was to be in that course,” she said. Jankowski said that a lot of students signed up because they thought the title of the class, “OK, boomer”, was funny. But once they started getting into the class’ topics, her eyes were opened. “Working with older adults in the class, my perspective widely changed,” she said. “I had held the idea that getting older ment frailty, disability, meant disadvantage, meant that you’re

“By having older adults and older students and younger students in the classroom, we have potential to create positive experiences and change potentially negative attitudes.” LOUIS MEDVANE WSU Instructor

sick and dying and you can’t really experience the good parts in your life,” Jankowski said. “But throughout the course I realized there is a big shift happening and successful aging …. Was something really new to me. Nancy, 74, said that she wanted to take classes to learn about where she was travelling to. “Everybody said, ‘Why are you doing this?’ I said, ‘I want to go to school and I want to travel.’ So I took classes here related to where we were going to go,” she said. Nancy took classes with her husband, Carl. He said that the interaction is the highlight of taking college classes. “Generally it’s when I had a question and was looking for some information,” he said. “[Being] able to do that answered questions for me, but on the other hand, just being the old guy in a group of college students is really cool. I enjoyed the interaction.” There are currently more than 400 lifelong learning institutes for older adults, many located on college campuses. Montepore said that at the university she instructs at, Lassell University, is home to Lassell Village, a retirement community. A condition of residency is to take some of these classes. Montepore said that not only do these classes provide opportunities for learning, but also provide ways for generations to gather together in other ways. “Bringing younger and older learners together in activities that involve service, especially around issues of mutual interest, like social justice, and political engagement are good ways to build solidarity across generations,” Montepore said. At a WSU angle, Montepore said that every university is different when figuring out how intergenerational teaching may look for them. “We’ve also been learning through our age-friendly efforts that intergenerational interaction, you know, should not be a one way path, meaning that it’s not just about, you know, providing educational experiences for one generation via another generation,” she said. “Preparation is key.”

4 | THURSDAY, NOV. 18, 2021

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Arts & Entertainment

HAVE A STORY IDEA? contact The Sunflower’s A&E editor, Kyran Crist arts@thesunflower.com

COURTESY PHOTO OF CHI SIGMA TAU FRATERNITY

Phi delta preformers take first place at the Stroll for tomorrow event hosted on Saturday Nov. 13th by the Chi Sigma Tau fraternity, winning a prize of$500.

Phi Delta Alpha team from Oklahoma take first place at Stroll for Tomorrow BY KYRAN CRIST arts@thesunflower.com

Stroll for Tomorrow, a competition between fraternities and sororities, took place on Nov. 13, the first time the event has been in person in two years. Alpha Charter of Phi Delta Alpha from Oklahoma took home first place, with a prize of $500. Second place was given to the Alpha Theta Chapter of Sigma Psi Zeta Sorority, Inc., at WSU with a prize of $250. Third place went to the Sigma Chapter of Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc. from the University of Oklahoma, with a prize of $100. The Chi Sigma Tau fraternity hosted the event in CAC Theater, with participants from Greek organizations on and off campus competing for the title of best strolling team. “The performances were very high-energy, engaging,

entertaining, and creative,” the event coordinator Henry Tran said. “This year’s lineup was actually the biggest our Stroll for Tomorrow competition has ever had, with a total of seven teams competing.” Strolling is a synchronized line dance performed by members of the Greek organization participants. Tran, as well as the external vice president of the Epsilon Chapter of Chi Sigma Tau, said that after the event being online last year, they still had a great turnout this year with almost 300 people in attendance. Many high-energy and entertaining performances were given throughout the night. Tran said the performers did well showcasing their individuality and talent, as well as Greek unity at WSU. “I am incredibly grateful to the teams for their hard work and endless hours of practice and preparation,” Tran said. “It was a great opportunity for each

“The preformances were very highenergy, engaging, entertaining and creative.” Henry Tran Event coordinator

Greek chapter to showcase their talent and individuality. It was also a great display of Greek unity at Wichita State University and beyond to see so many on-campus and out-of-town organizations not only compete, but also come out to simply support our event and enjoy the show.” With such a big event going back to in-person this year, Tran said that the performance was challenging to navigate this year but turned out well and was a good learning experience for all. “With the changing climate of

What to bring to your Friendsgiving get-together this year Elena Kuckleman Reporter racheltaryn268@gmail.com

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, many people have already begun their recipe planning and grocery shopping. For many college students, this means hunting for something to bring to Friendsgiving. But, those of us confined to dorm rooms or tiny apartment kitchens know that making a turkey, potatoes, and three different kinds of pie just isn’t practical. The good thing about Friendsgiving is that you don’t need to bring a difficult elaborate dish. There are all kinds of recipes that are cheap, easy to prepare, and will make the time with your friends that much more memorable.

Oven roasted potatoes If you don’t want the work of mashing potatoes but still want the great taste, then roasted potatoes are a great alternative. All it takes is a few pounds of small potatoes, cut in half and drizzled in olive oil and your choice of spices. Then, just bake for half an hour and serve. Stuffing Stuffing is a quintessential Thanksgiving side dish. And, with the right recipe, it won’t take long to make, doesn’t require many ingredients, but will still taste great. Roasted vegetables This side dish is a unique vegetable option for your friends who aren’t fans of green beans. You can roast all kinds of fall vegetables like squash, cauliflower, carrots, and even pumpkin. Plus this will pair well with turkey. Holiday salad

Sometimes you need a dish that is a bit lighter after eating three helpings of turkey, and a festive salad recipe is the perfect solution. You can prepare your salad any way you like. Plus you can use up some of your extra Thanksgiving food in your salad. Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies These cookies are a great dessert alternative to pumpkin pie. If you are needing to feed a larger group or just want something a bit easier than a pie, then these cookies are for you. (Full recipe on delish.com). Apple crisp Another classic Thanksgiving dessert is, of course, apple pie. Switching it up and bringing an apple crisp this year will be a hit at your Friendsgiving get-together. Tasteofhome.com has a good recipe to try.

the pandemic this year compared to last year, we were fortunate enough to be able to once again host Stroll for Tomorrow in-person this year, for the first time in two years,” Tran said. “It was definitely a daunting and challenging task to program and host such a large-scale event after being restricted by pandemic safety precautions for such a prolonged period of time. “But it also served as a great learning experience for the newer generation of Chi Sigma Tau brothers who have recently joined and will be leading the fraternity in the future,” Tran said. “I think the fact that this was the first Stroll for Tomorrow in-person since the onset of the pandemic was reflected in the abundance of support we received for our event.” Last year’s event was hosted online where the organizations submitted videos of their dances

and were uploaded for judging. They also brought in a new category called “Fan Favorites” where the fans promoted their favorite performance through likes, and could add more if they donated to Chi Sigma Tau’s national philanthropy, the Alzheimer’s Association. Tran said that the teams who all competed did amazing and that they all did well with making the event a success. The other teams who competed include The Chi Chapter of Lambda Pi Upsilon Sorority, Latinas Poderosas Unidas, Inc. at WSU, the University of NebraskaLincoln Associate Chapter of Delta Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc., the Rho Beta Chapter of Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, Inc. at WSU, and the Alpha Alpha Chapter of Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc., also at WSU.

THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK THURSDAY

Maker Market 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. in the RSC. Pee for Pizza 12-4 p.m. Braeburn Fall Scavenger Hunt 4-7 p.m. at Braeburn Square Transgender day of Rememberance 7-8:30 @ Harvey D. Grace Memorial Chapel School of Performing Arts presents: Love’s Labor’s Lost 7:30 @ Wilner Auditorium

FRIDAY

Lunar eclipse 2-4 a.m. The Lecture Series in the Mathematical Sciences presents: Dr. Chi-Wang Shu, Brown University 3p.m. @ Jarbara Hall GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP 2-3 p.m @ COSMIC BOWLING 5-11 p.m School of Performing Arts presents: Love’s Labor’s Lost 7:30 @ Wilner Auditorium

SATURDAY

COSMIC BOWLING 5-11 p.m

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THURSDAY, NOV. 18, 2021 | 5

Taylor Swift proves yet again that Taylor’s versions are always better 3. I BET YOU THINK ABOUT ME Lindsay Smith Editor-in-Chief editor@thesunflower.com

Okay, guys. It’s that time again. Another Taylor Swift review by yours truly. For people who may not know — I never write reviews. However, whenever Taylor Swift releases something new, you can bet your bottom dollar I will write a well thought-out full length review in detail of exactly how I’m feeling. So, here I am. I was torn on how to write this review. Should I rank each song? List my favorite lyrics? Talk about the improvement in vocals from the original Red? Honestly, I have so many opinions and there are so many ways I could go about this. But alas, I have to stick to some kind of word limit. So to keep things simple I made a list of my top three favorite vault tracks from this album. Enjoy.

Not going to lie, when I first heard this song I didn’t know what to think. But after listening to it more and more, I am happy to report that I am absolutely obsessed with this song. I love the sassiness Swift brings to it with lines like “I bet you think about me when you say ‘Oh my god, she’s insane, she wrote a song about me’”. The tone throughout the song is the perfect amount of confidence and devastation. I just love it.

2. BETTER MAN It happened. I finally got a recorded version of my all time favorite Taylor Swift song. After Better Man didn’t make the cut for the original Red version, Swift gave it to the band Little Big Town to record. I immediately fell in love with the song. I have very vivid memories of me jamming to it during my first break up. Ah, good

times. But there’s just something different about Swift singing it herself. I’m not the biggest fan of Little Big Town, but I let it slide just because I liked the lyrics and tune. But now that Swift has her own version of the song, you will never find me listening to the LBT version again. Sorry not sorry.

1. ALL TOO WELL (10 MINUTE VERSION) Just like any other Swiftie in the universe, I have been waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for the 10 minute version of this song since I first listened to the original version of Red. When I first listened to this song I had never gone through a breakup, but would act like I was the most heartbroken girl on the face of the planet. Here I am now in 2021 with life experience and an extra 4 minutes of this song to jam to, and all I can say is WOW. It’s beautiful,

COURTESY OF TAYLOR SWIFT

heartbreaking, devastating and all around poetic. If you see me singing in my car on the highway

at the top of my lungs, it’s safe to bet I’m listening to All Too Well (10 Minute Version).

Sunflower soundtrack Find songs from Red (Taylors Version) and other songs for Friendsgiving with the playlist featured below. Songs from Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and others, will set the perfect mood for the upcoming holiday or a fall car ride.

‘All Too Well’ short film sends fans down theory rabbit holes Rachel Rudisill Reporter editor@thesunflower.com

There is a saying that you never forget your first love. You will remember it all too well. Your first love makes the most impact on your life. Whether that impact is positive or negative, your first love helps to shape you. Most first loves do not last. Your first love is innocent, powerful, and when it ends so does a piece of you. Taylor Swift’s short film “All Too Well” is meant to be a story of her entire relationship with, who fans believe to be, Jake Gyllenhaal. The film stars Sadie Sink, who plays ‘her’, and Dylan O’Brien, who plays ‘him.’ The short film allows for Swift’s audience to not only come up with their own conclusions through words, but we can physically see the storyline of “All Too Well”. Swift uses numerous examples of easter eggs within the short film. This verifies that the story is about Swift and Gyllenhaal. The first clue is the age difference between Sink and O’Brien. Sink is 19 years old and O’Brien is 30 years old. They have almost the same age gap as Swift and Gyllenhaal when they dated. The second is the meaning behind the “red scarf.” Early in the song, Swift sings “...I left my scarf

there…” At first, this statement does not have a significant impact on the song. The scarf seemed to act as a sweater you refuse to give your ex boyfriend back; however, after watching the film, fans have concluded another meaning behind the “red scarf” is Swift’s virginity. She sings “But you keep my old scarf. From that very first week. ‘Cause it reminds you of innocence…” In literature, losing innocence often refers to losing virginity. She is saying although her first love is over, she and him cannot forget each other because they will carry that red scarf everywhere they go. Another reason fans believe the scarf represents virginity is because in the film, Sink and O’Brien’s characters are broken up. Swift sings this line as O’Brien is walking down the street and flashbacks of what seem to be his past memories show O’Brien and Sink kissing intimately. The way Swift calls out Gyllenhaal is his dating history. “I’ll get older, but your lovers stay my age.” If you look into Gyllenhaal’s dating history, he tends to date younger women. Gyllenhaal is currently 40 yearsold and he continues to date women in their mid twenties. Swift is now in her thirties, so she is saying she no longer fits the category of Gyllenhaal’s younger women. In the song, you also hear Swift and Sink being uncomfortable

around their significant other’s friends due to the age difference. Both Swift and Sink could not even drink alcohol like Gyllenhaal and his friends. They were also thirty, so Swift could not relate to the majority of their life experiences. I know I am only twenty-yearsold. I have older friends, I cannot relate to their life placements at the moment. When I was younger, I did not understand why some of these friends did not communicate with me as often. Now that I am older I see it is because we were at different moments in our lives. When I was in high school and my friends were in college, it was more difficult for them to share moments with me because I could not understand. I still have younger friends who are in high school. I love them to pieces; however, they cannot share my experiences at the moment. I can share these moments with my older friends. Because “All Too Well” represents losing a first love, Swift wanted to teach her audience how to carry that first love in a positive way. Just because some first loves do not last, a first love can be a significant moment of growth. At the end of the film, Swift plays the older version of “her.” She is selling and speaking about a book she wrote titled “All Too Well.” Sounds familiar right? This verifies Sink’s character is meant to represent young Swift. Swift used her heartbreak to heal and as inspiration for

PHOTO COURTESY OF TAYLOR SWIFT PRODUCTIONS

the song. We also see O’Brien looking through a window at the older version of “Her.” Both Gyllenhaal and Swift are celebrities. They more than likely hear about moments in each other’s lives. Although the two do not keep in touch, this shows they still check in on each

other. Your first love holds a special spot in your heart. Although that spot is no longer true love or passion, you still care and appreciate the lessons learned throughout your time together.

6 | THURSDAY, NOV. 18, 2021

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Sports

HAVE A STORY IDEA? contact The Sunflower’s sports editor, Sean Marty sports@thesunflower.com

JACKPOT

BETTING ODDS TO WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WICHITA STATE +15,000 MICHIGAN +1,200 ARIZONA +8,000 UNLV +20,000

PHOTO BY MIA HENNEN / THE SUNFLOWER

Clarence Jackson takes a jumpshot point during the game against South Alabama on Nov. 13 inside Charles Koch Arena.

Shockers ready to test their luck in Las Vegas after undefeated start BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty

fter two straight close games to open up the season, Wichita State picked up their first double digit victory on Tuesday, defeating Tarleton State, 61-45. The Shockers are now set for its biggest test of the season this weekend with the Roman Main Event on Friday. WSU will face Arizona in the quarterfinals and then face Michigan or UNLV on Sunday. The Shockers have not yet faced a top-100 opponent in KenPom this season, but that will change after this weekend. Arizona (No. 41) and Michigan (No. 3) are both in the top-50, according to the metric. “I’m excited about the challenge,” head coach Isaac Brown said. “These tournaments are big time, they can definitely help you get into the NCAA Tournament with some quality wins. Arizona’s a quality basketball team. We’ve got to play well in order to win these games.” The Shocker offense has had its growing pains through the first three wins, especially during first halves. WSU is currently shooting 35% during the first 20 minutes, but WSU’s offense clicked the final 20 minutes ahead of the trip to Vegas. In the second half against Tarleton State, the Shockers shot 52.2% from

“These tournaments are big time, they can definitely help you get into the NCAA Tournament with some quality wins. Arizona’s a quality basketball team.” ISAAC BROWN Head Coach

the field and 45.5% from three. “I think anytime you can see the ball go through the net, I think that gives you confidence,” Brown said. “Now those guys know we can make shots, when we take good shots and drive the basketball, try to create for a teammate. We’ve got to do that to beat these teams.” WSU’s defense looked ready for its biggest test of the season on Friday. The Shockers forced five shot-clock violations in the first half and held the Texans (0-3) to 38.3% shooting (18-47) and 3-16 from three. The Shockers utilized a three-quarters court press to help take a lead late in the first half. They trailed 20-19 and forced four straight turnovers to go up 23-20. Three more Texans turnovers allowed the Shockers to go up 29-20. “We know we’re very athletic,”

Clarence Jackson said. “Steals turn into buckets. Steals turn into dunks.” Starting center Morris Udeze turned in his best game of the season on Tuesday, scoring a season-high 15 points in the victory. Udeze’s 15 points were more than he combined to score in the first two games of the season. Udeze will be put to the test this weekend as Arizona’s frontcourt features Chrisitan Koloko, who has the ninth best block percentage in the country. Teams have also struggled inside the three-point line against the Wildcats, shooting 29.3%. That mark is the lowest in the NCAA. “It felt like I was forcing it the first two games,” Udeze said. “I kind of calmed down in the second half and let the game come to me. It felt like a little break-through.” WSU’s star guard Tyson Etienne is expected to make his return to the lineup on Friday, after missing the game against Tarleton State. Etienne came off the bench against South Alabama and scored five points on 1-10 shooting. “I definitely think he’ll be back,” Brown said. “He had to sit out tonight, he wasn’t feeling well again. He was a real leader on that bench and we needed that. He’s one of the better players in the country and he’ll be ready to go in Vegas.”

ARIZONA FRIDAY, NOV. 19 | 9 P.M. CT | ESPNU

WICHITA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SUNDAY, NOV. 21 | 8:30 P.M. CT | ESPN

THIRD PLACE GAME SUNDAY, NOV. 21 | 11 P.M. CT | ESPN2

UNLV FRIDAY, NOV. 19 | 11:30 P.M. CT | ESPN2

MICHIGAN

THURSDAY, NOV. 18, 2021 | 7

SPORTS

Women’s Basketball picks up second straight road win BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty

Wichita State senior Clayton Duchatschek races during the JK Gold Classic on Sept. 4 at the 4 Mile Creek Resort. | Photo by Sean Marty / The Sunflower

Cross Country records highest finish since 2004 BY SEAN MARTY sports@thesunflower.com / @TheSeanMarty

Yazmine Wright wrapped up her successful senior season with a 17th-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Midwest Regional in the women’s 6k race in Iowa City, Iowa on Friday. Clayton Duchatschek led the Shocker men in their 9th-place team finish, the highest Wichita State team finish since 2004. “Both groups handled the weather and conditions extremely well, which is what I expect from my team,” head coach Kirk Hunter said in a release. “I’m proud of them for coming out and being strong competitors.” Wright finished the 6k race with a time of 21:11.06 after having her last week of training interrupted by sickness. “That was a tough race to run on any given day,” Hunter said. “We’re not people that make excuses, but we weren’t able to prepare for this meet the way we wanted to because of last week. We lost a week of training, and when you’re only three or four seconds out of making it to the national meet, that little bit of fluid training that you needed in order to perform at the best level you possibly can is all it takes, and you miss the goal that you really want.” Wright’s medal-winning performance concludes a successful season, where she won individual titles at four of the five meets leading up to the regional meet. The Hutchinson, Kansas native also earned All-Region honors for her performance on Saturday. Wright was one of six women from the American Athletic Conference to earn All-Region honors from the regional meet. “I really commend her for being able to do what she did, and she was battling the entire way,” Hunter said. “You can’t take away what she’s done this year and the accomplishments that she’s had, so I’m really proud of what she’s done. She definitely did a good job fighting her way through that race given the situation that she had to deal with this last week.” Danielle Rinn crossed the line in 90th, with Lubna Suied, Jenna Muma and Miranda Dick also tallied points for the Wichita State women. Duchatschek led the way for the Shocker men in the 10k with a time of 31:14.77. “Clayton did a good job of just sticking his nose in there and he was smart early,” Hunter said. “He kept moving through the crowd making some big moves and then even at the end, he outkicked three guys.” Bryce Merriman and Adam Moore finished close behind with their 40th and 45th-place finishes, and Jackson Caldwell was the fourth Shocker across the line in 60th.

PHOTO BY RACHEL RUDISILL / THE SUNFLOWER

Brylee Kelly passes the ball during the match against Temple on Nov. 11 inside Charles Koch Arena.

Volleyball continues resurgent season BY EMMIE BOESE elboese15@gmail.com / @elboese15

SPORTS IN BRIEFS FORMER WSU RADIO ANNOUNCER DIES AT 102

he Wichita State volleyball team proved they can play with anyone in their conference once again this week, after beating Tulsa and Temple University for the second time this season. The Shockers played five sets with Tulsa on Wednesday and won 3-2. “The last three sets you know we kind of saw what Tulsa was made of,” head coach Chris Lamb said. The Tulsa that beat us 1-3, the Tulsa that beat Houston, so we knew they had it in them. We just hadn’t seen that yet so they sort of came back to who they were and put up a fight.” The Shockers clicked well in several areas on the court against the Golden Hurricane. Freshman middle blocker Morgan Stout recorded 11 blocks and 13 kills. Lamb said that Stout is continuing to improve with her placement on the court and reducing mistakes with blocking. “You know there’s some rotations in our conference where we have a pretty good idea where the threat is coming from and I’d be as happy as anybody to have her as close to Kayce Litzau [sophomore setter] and provide some resistance and you certainly saw that tonight,” Lamb said. Freshman outside hitter Morgan Weber said the team needed to do something different in their fifth set against Tulsa after dropping set three and four. “I feel like we had a lot more energy in the fifth set,” Weber said. “We knew we were going to have to change something, a lot more communication as well. Everything was a lot more urgent and everybody was knowing what they were going to do and we just communicated really well to let everybody know what their job was and what they had to do.” The scenario was a little different for the Shockers matchup against Temple on Friday, November 12. Earlier this season, the Shockers played four sets against Temple, but beat them 3-1. On Friday, the Shockers swept Temple in three sets. However, Head Coach Chris Lamb said it was not exactly his team’s best game.

The Wichita State women’s basketball program matched last season’s mark of two road wins on Monday, defeating Denver, 76-61. It is the first time since Feb. 2019 that WSU has won back-to-back road games. The Shockers had five players finish with double figures, with Trajata Colbert registering the first double-double of the season with a team-high 17 points and 13 rebounds. Mariah McCully scored eight of her 13 points after halftime and Jane Asinde set a new season high with 12 points off the bench. DJ McCarty added 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. For the third straight game Asia Strong finished in double figures with 10 points to go with eight boards. Wichita State dominated the rebounding battle, grabbing 23 of their 47 rebounds on the offensive end. The Shockers also cashed in at the free throw line, going 16-for-17. They needed every one of them after missing 10 of their 12 three-point tries. The Pioneers started the game hot from beyond the arc, hitting their first four attempts to take an early 14-6 lead. WSU tightened up its defense and finished the quarter on a 10-2 run to tie it up at 16 after 10 minutes. McCully and Carla Bremaud converted on back-to-back triples with just under two minutes in the half giving WSU a 32-26. Jane Asinde split a pair of free throws in the final seconds to put the Shockers up 33-28 at the break. Denver quickly erased the halftime deficit and tied the game at 43. The Shockers scored the next seven points to take a 50-43 lead.In the final minute of the third quarter, WSU stretched the lead to nine after Colbert scored inside. Denver hit a triple shortly at the end of the third quarter, cutting WSU’s lead to 54-48. The Pioneers cut WSU’s advantage to two points in the fourth, but responded with a 7-0 run with 4:43 remaining. The Shockers blew the game wide open in the final minutes, winning by 15 points. Wichita State wrapped up a three-game road trip with a visit to former MVC rival, Northern Iowa, on Saturday at 11 a.m.

PHOTO BY RACHEL RUDISILL / THE SUNFLOWER

Bryn Stansberry dives for a ball during the game against Temple on Nov. 12 inside Charles Koch Arena.

“You know this wasn’t our best performance but you know I’ve heard many coaches say you know good teams win the games they’re supposed to and beat the teams they’re supposed to and we should have won this game but it wasn’t a polished get ready for a car show kind of thing,” Lamb said. There is no doubt that the Shockers are a young team this season. Most of their starting lineup consists of freshman and sophomores in a conference that has teams mostly headed by juniors and seniors. However, Lamb said that his team has the ability to finish their regular season strong in conference play. “At the beginning of the season I don’t think anyone in our league would have thought Wichita State at Cincinnati late November was going to have some circumstances,” Lamb said. “Cincinnati needs to get these and find their way in the tournament and we have an opportunity to sweep Cincinnati. “We are going to have to be great up there and on and every team we are playing down the stretch here we’ve beaten, so you’d like we can do it and if we can get together and clean it up play hard and communicate better, we can go out there and make some magic.” The Shockers will take on the Bearcats this Friday at 5:30 p.m. The match will also be broadcast on ESPN+.

Gus Grebe, the former radio announcer for Wichita State athletics, died Tuesday at his home in California. He was 102.Grebe called WSU football and basketball games from 1966-1973 for KFH Radio. Grebe was known as “Mr. Excitement” and used “Put it in the ol’ deep freeze” to signal when the Shockers wrapped up the victory. He was with WSU when a plane carrying members of the Shockers’ football team crashed in Colorado on October 2, 1970. Grebe was aboard the other plane that landed safely Grebe later worked at KWCH TV before leaving Wichita in 1979 to Kansas City, where he did shows for the Chiefs. Grebe then moved to California in the 1979, where he got into real estate.

SHOCKER TENNIS LANDS FIVESTAR RECRUIT The Wichita State men’s tennis program secured the commitment of Luke Bracks on Thursday. Bracks, a Tulsa, Oklahoma native, is the No. 1 player in Oklahoma and the No. 49 player in the 2022 class, according to the Tennis Recruiting Network. “The thing that stood out to me the most about him was the way he competes,” head coach Danny Bryan said in a statement. “He is going to bring it every day in practice and matches. We look forward to getting him on campus.” Bracks is set to join the Shockers in the 2022-23 season as he wraps up his high school career. “I’m really excited to have Luke joining us next year,” Bryan said. “Luke is a pretty aggressive player with a big serve and forehand.”

8 | THURSDAY, NOV. 18 2021

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Opinion

HAVE AN OPINION?

contact The Sunflower’s opinion editor, Jaycie Nelson opinion@thesunflower.com

Reduce, reuse and go thrifting Jaycie Nelson Opinion Editor opinion@thesunflower. com

Consumerism is a large part of the world. We buy, spend and consume more now than at any other time in history. With this, there’s also a large amount of waste being created. To help with this, when we shop — we can start shopping green. Not everything we shop for can always be thrifted because it can be harder to find certain items. However, if you can, once in a while switch out that mall trip with some shopping at your local thrift store. Shopping green allows us to reuse clothes and lead them away from waste. Which in turn helps lessen the waste going into landfills. Thrifting or “shopping green” is also a fun adventure. I’m 1o times more satisfied when I find a “hidden gem” than just buying something brand new from the store. I do still shop new, however,

I’ve tried to turn my shopping habits toward the thriftier side. One reason this is great is because it’s a lot cheaper. Shirts, blouses and blazers are only $4, and other clothes tend to stay around that price. Dresses are around $7, and jackets tend to be around $11. You can usually find some great deals on clothes that look as good as new or are from normally expensive brands. There’s also a feeling of being thrifty and helpfulness that comes along with it. Finding a deal is a part of the fun, and is rewarding because not only are you saving money, but you’re helping to re-use. Another bonus is you might find items that aren’t circulating the main fashion stream. Vintage clothing is a huge trend right now, and considering thrift stores are from clothes given-away, there are some amazing vintage pieces hiding in Goodwill clothing racks that will set you apart. If you want a more unique or individual style, that shirt at Goodwill most likely isn’t still on the racks at stores, allowing your

One of my favorite books is one I found along the shelves at a Goodwill. The same goes for a picture I have hanging in my room currently. style to be more one-of-a-kind if that’s something that appeals to you. Because people buy and toss so much, thrift stores have a surplus of items that are looking for a home. While I don’t necessarily agree with people buying thrifted items and then reselling them for a higher price (unless they turn the item into a different design and re-made the piece), I also believe anyone can shop at thrift stores. Because of tik-tok and other social media sources, thrifting is becoming another big trend — as it should be. Since you choose to buy reused items, this creates less need for newer items to be made and overall helps to reduce the world’s waste. One person’s

throwaway is another person’s treasure — almost all of my favorite pieces in my closet come from a thrift store. Something else to consider is to go through your closet and declutter. Get rid of those items that haven’t been worn in years and give them to your local thrift store. Not only should you shop at thrift stores, but donate to them as well. That sweater you may never wear, could bring someone else a lot of happiness. Thrifting doesn’t have to just be for clothes though. They have appliances, paintings, books, accessories, and more. One of my favorite books is one I found along the shelves at a Goodwill. The same goes for a picture I have hanging in my room currently. The book was $1 and the picture was $4, and they are better than any

books and pictures I’ve bought for a higher price. Not everything we buy has to be new. We can find what we’re looking for on something besides Amazon, a site that gives us instant gratification, which isn’t always good. Donate, browse, and shop from your local thrift store.

The gym is an important part of self care Kyran Crist

Arts and Entertainment Editor

arts@thesunflower.com

If you would have told me last year at this time that I was writing a column promoting the gym, I swear I would have laughed at you, told you no way. So from a former fellow gym hater, please stick with me here. After recently becoming a regular at the gym, at first I thought there were a lot of judgments surrounding workouts and what to do or how to do and “this is how you should look after this amount of time.” The mindset was overwhelming and I wasn’t even in

the gym yet. I wasn’t going for the same reason as my sister, brother, best friend or my body building coworker. We all had different areas we wanted to work on and we had different end goals and reasons for going. At first, it felt like my reasoning wasn’t justified since it wasn’t the same. That the gym was only for people looking to lose weight or gain muscle and nothing more. I didn’t see it as a way of self care, like who would torture their body by running by choice and call that self care. (Don’t be fooled, running and I still have a toxic relationship). But something that I have learned from attending several

At the end of the day, the gym is just another form of self care and time to focus on being a healthy you. different gyms is everyone has their own progress schedule and everyone goes for different reasons, and whatever reason you’re going for is valid. No one is judging you. If it’s a way to help you better yourself mentally, physically, emotionally or whatever, no matter your goal — it’s valid. The gym shouldnt be a hateful and judgemental place. It is a place to take

time to work on yourself and focus on an activity. A way to help make the gym your place is to do the workouts you actually enjoy and give you the progress you want. If you aren’t feeling the burn like you want to, you’ll quickly move on and get annoyed. If you like free weights, try to find a routine that uses them frequently, or if you prefer machines look for a gym with more options, or if you’re really into cardio look into options for that. Whatever floats your boat, find it and pursue it. Another way to make the gym more interesting is making your own playlist to jam out to in-between sets. There is nothing more motivating than the Rock yelling

in your ear “It’s about drive, it’s about power.” Let me tell you, that will get you through any workout better than any pre-workout. Lastly, make it a time to love yourself and just have fun. It doesn’t have to be a serious time, it can be if that helps you, but don’t be afraid to have a little fun. Dance to your song in-between sets, bring a friend and be yourselves, strut to “Sexy and I know it” on the treadmill (because you are). Just have some fun and laugh a little. At the end of the day, the gym is just another form of self care and time to focus on being a healthy you. Live in your head for an hour and block out the world. Don’t focus on others just enjoy it and do you.

Jojo Siwa is the highlight of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Rachel Rudisill Columnist

racheltaryn268@gmail.com

Jojo Siwa is an 18 yearold influencer from Omaha, Nebraska. The young adult first came to the public eye when she was 9 years-old and competed on ‘Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition.’ Shortly after that she made an appearance on the hit show ‘Dance Moms’ for two seasons. Since being on ‘Dance Moms,’ Siwa has started her own Youtube channel (with 12.3 million subscribers), a singing career, and most recently Siwa has started her own dance show ‘Siwa’s Dance Pop Revolution.’ The 18 year-old has stepped away from her dance career to help others celebrate their differences. Siwa has always been ridiculed and made fun of

Siwa brought light to this season of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ by dancing with Jenna Johnson. Johnson and Siwa are the first same sex duo in the history of ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ due to her childlike personality. She often wears big bows and sparkly outfits so adults do not take her seriously. However, Siwa has proved just how powerful she is as she is now a finalist on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ Siwa brought light to this season of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ by dancing with Jenna Johnson. Johnson and Siwa are the first same sex duo in the history of

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.

‘Dancing with the Stars.’ Siwa came out as gay earlier in January of 2021. Siwa and Johnson being partnered up on the show was the right move from the producers. You can see how comfortable Siwa is as she dances with Johnson. The two have earned four perfect scores on the show, two of which were in the semifinals. However, the two have shared how this journey has not been easy. ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is known for ballroom style dances, but they do compete with contemporary and jazz. The show, in the past, has used strictly male and female partners because ballroom dances are traditionally performed by one male and one female, according to Conrad Green, show producer. The performers also do difficult lifts within dances, the male’s job is to lift and support women. This is because the males are typically both taller and stronger. While Siwa has performed multiple

difficult lifts, she has previously expressed how being a same sex duo has been challenging. She has told the public she is not nearly as strong as a man, so they cannot do many of the lifts that other competitors such as Iman Shumpert, NBA shooting guard for the Brooklyn Nets, do. Siwa also danced on television before so many say the competition is rigged by allowing a professional dancer on the show; however, that is incorrect. Swia competed for Abby Lee Miller, but stopped dancing while she was a teenager. She was never classified as a professional dancer. Even if Siwa were to be classified as a professional dancer, she would be classified as a hip-hopper. Ballroom dancing is a different ballpark than hip hop and is not done on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ Siwa is not the only member from ‘Dance Moms’ to be a part of the ‘Dancing with the Stars’ series. Mackenzie Ziegler was one of

the original members of ‘Dance Moms.’ She competed for six years and has been seen in multiple music videos. Shortly after leaving ‘Dance Moms’ she participated on ‘Dancing with the Stars Juniors.’ People did not have a problem with her competing, or winning second place. Siwa has shown tremendous growth as a dancer. She has learned multiple new styles that she can carry with her for the future. She has gained much more confidence as a dancer. If Siwa wishes to continue to teach young girls how to dance, she can teach these young girls and boys these confident skills. Finals of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ will occur on Monday, Nov. 22. Siwa is a fan favorite, but is predicted to win second place. I have high hopes for Siwa, and even if she does not win this season, Siwa has broken barriers for other same sex dance partners.

SUNFLOWER HOT TAKES The Sunflower editorial board gives their one-sentence opinions.

Lindsay Smith: Beck was better than Love. Julia Nightengale: They better not take away Spring break next semester. Emmie Boese: People should not ice peppermint mochas. Melanie Rivera-Cortez: We should get an entire week off for Thanksgiving instead of only three days.

OPINION

Street WHAT DO YOU THINK OF PRODUCTIVITY CULTURE?

CHÉ LITTLEFIELD JUNIOR, GRAPHIC DESIGN

“It’s kind of essential that you get time to yourself to do whatever that you want to do. I don’t think that working all the time is really necessary, I don’t think it should be necessary... This capitalist mindset... of working all the time or... it’s going to reward you or something, the only think it’s going to reward you is anxiety or an aneurysm.”

THURSDAY, NOV. 18, 2021 | 9

Let’s continue to be empathetic to mental health struggles, not just during a pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic brought and continues to bring loss to people in different ways, but along the way, people have learned to give each other grace and empathy and to make mental health a normal topic for conversation. While people continue to crave normality and pre-pandemic life, let’s continue to keep mental health in the conversation. Grief, loss, and negative mental health have never been a casual conversation topic. With the whole population experiencing one or many of these, people now understand the importance of being supported through your struggles instead of suffering through them silently. There’s a lot of reasons why it is important to talk about this stuff. Talking about loss, grief, and death openly helps to destigmatize these topics. Doing this makes us aware that it is a normal part of life for everyone, and further helps us to appreciate each other and be there for when someone needs a helping hand. As a society, we now understand that mental health is a public health concern. Right before the pandemic, in a study conducted by

STAFF

EDITORIAL the Kaiser Family Foundation, 1 in 10 people reported symptoms of anxiety and depression. After the pandemic, nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults reported having mental illness. Talking about mental health issues opens up avenues for education, both for those experiencing it and those who know someone who is struggling. We can learn new strategies for coping and building resiliency in a world that will continue to throw curveballs, time and time again. As people experienced job loss all across the nation, many hard-working citizens were forced to stop for the first time in a long time and come face-to-face with the ways that they had been lacking in taking care of themselves. Capitalism makes self-care look like selfishness, when it is really an essential part of living in order to put your best self into the world. Prolonged periods of isolation, staying safe at home during the pandemic, have led all of us to understand just how special it is to

be able to have a community and connect with other people. Being able to celebrate and have good times with the people you love became a privilege, not just a normal activity. Every moment is special, because we now know that it might be the last. Connecting with people is more meaningful than ever before, and hopefully it is a feeling that doesn’t go away. These topics are not things that should go away after the pandemic ends. People will continue to experience loss, grief and mental illness through different personal experiences. It is important that we continue to have hard conversations, because it is the first step in exploring different solutions to problems. A problem can’t be fixed if no one talks about it. Above all, the pandemic made people realize how similar we all really are, and how we all struggle with the same problems. If we work together as a society to openly have conversations about these struggles that we all experience at some point in our lives, they will be easier to go through because they become accepted as a normal part of the human experience, not weakness.

AMY NGUYEN JUNIOR, GRAPHIC DESIGN

I think it’s toxic... I kind of have ADHD so I kind of slack off a lot, and with this producitivty kind of mindset that’s pushed, it’s been like really pressuring me and then all of a sudden I don’t want to do anymore and so I kind of gave up. And that kind of makes you not have that passion you have for things you want to do, and it kind of kills all that kind of that motivation you had initially.

ANNIE WASINGER FRESHMAN, POLITICAL SCIENCE AND ENGLISH LITERATURE

I think it can be a really toxic thing if it’s not well balanced with like mental health and an emphasis on mental health. So I think that being productive is a great thing, its a bones day so that’s — that’s something. I’m productive only because of the bones day, but I defintely think there has to be a balance between prioritizing your mental and physcial health over being productive because sometimes the most productive thing you can do is just to rest. And sometimes that can help improve your productivty.

ISABELLE CYRIER SENIOR, NURSING

“I think there are pros and cons to it. I think it’s good to be productive, but I also think that it’s good and to know when it’s okay to slow down and rest and relax. There needs to be a good balance.

Being a loud sports fan is ok Melanie Rivera-Cortez Columnist

mrivera1047@gmail.com

I think that being a loud sports fan is okay. A few days ago my friends and I decided that we should go to Buffalo Wild Wings. This place is known for having sports games playing on all of their TVs. We made the mistake of going there on a Saturday night where there was a college football game. There was a loud fan who at the time we all thought was annoying. This man was noisy and very demanding of the plays if something were to go wrong. The whole time we were there this man would

not stop and we were frustrated to the point that we decided to leave early. Looking back, I think that how he represents his team is something that should be celebrated. This loud sports fan is representing and rooting for a team that they believe has their same morals. The team they root for might be the team they grew up watching or bringing back nice memories from their childhood. They might even be imitating a loved one that they respected. They argue with just about everyone who does not agree with them and will more often than not make a scene if their team scores. These fans can be annoying at times and as much as we tell

The games would be boring if there was no loud and outgoing fan who is constantly voiceing their opinon about what they think. them to be quiet they only get louder. Loud sports fans are pretty much everywhere, whether that be our friends, our parents, siblings, or even ourselves. I think that it brings us closer to our team and the sense of community that rooting for a team brings. The games would be boring if there was no loud and outgoing fan who is constantly

voicing their opinion about what they think. With the negative connotations that come with being a loud fan, many of them are limited in how much they cheer for their team. These fans don’t conform with the social norm of being just a regular sports fan. They standout and are unique in a way they choose to express themselves. As a sports fan myself I think that the sports community needs to be more supportive of these fans. They are loud and yes they can be obnoxious, but they are fans like everyone else. These loud fans are also very passionate and loyal to their team. I think that we should be happy for them.

Leadership comes in the most unexpected places Emmie Boese

Assistant Sports Editor

elboese15@gmail.com

Leadership to me is more than just being a vocal person. Leadership is about taking charge when nobody is watching. It is about having confidence in yourself as much as possible. It is about not believing the lies people spread about you. The knowledge of what I think leadership is of course comes from my faith. However, one of my first hand examples of a great leader comes from my sister. Me and my sister Sammy have very different personalities at times. We grew up arguing, but we also share a love that cannot be broken between two sisters. Sammy started showing she was a leader when she was almost two years old. My mom told a story of her cooking in the kitchen, while Sammy was out in the living room. Sammy noticed I was in a bedroom sleeping. She scooped me up in her arms so I would not be alone, and walked into the kitchen with me. I was only an infant. Sammy was the first one to tell

me advice I didn’t want to hear but that I needed to hear. She listens to me when I mess up badly and gives me so much grace. When someone picked on me at school, well the bullies never came back you could say. Sammy didn’t just show acts of leadership towards me though. She shows it everywhere and anywhere. I loved watching my sister’s leadership on the soccer field. She played respectfully, and with so much grit and competitiveness. She didn’t give up even if her team was down ten goals. She was kind to players who didn’t get to play. She encouraged them, and treated them like they were the stars on the team. She was there for her teammates when their family lives were in ruins or if someone was going through a breakup. Sammy had to transfer to three different schools during her college soccer career. Her first college, she experienced verbal abuse from coaches. Instead of pushing it under the rug, she stood up for herself and her teammates. She and her best friend decided to leave the team. She was made fun of for being not “tough enough” to play a college sport. What did Sammy do though? She held her head high and

transferred to another school. However, she tore her ACL in a spring ball game, before ever getting to play in the regular season. It was a junior college and she only had one year to play there. Sammy stayed on the bench though, she encouraged other teammates, she helped direct them at practice and at games on where to be at on the field or things she was seeing them do. I guess her acts of leadership paid off after being voted most inspirational player on the team. At Sammy’s last school, she had to walk on. Nobody knew who she was after sitting out a year. However, after her first year on the team, she became a regular starter and team captain. She quickly became friends with the younger girls on the team. I found that odd most of the season just because Sammy was older and married. However, during her team’s end of the season ceremony, Sammy received tons of letters that brought me to tears. Younger players talked about how she helped them in their first year of college, how she encouraged them and made them feel a part of the team. Older players said Sammy encouraged them to pursue a personal relationship

with Christ. Again, she was voted most inspirational player. However, even Sammy’s college soccer career does not impress me the most about her leadership. You see, my grandpa passed away in the hospital from lung cancer a little over a year ago. On my mom’s side, there are 10 grandchildren. Sammy and I are the youngest of them all. Due to Sammy living in Texas at the time with her husband for his current job, she only lived an hour away from the Oklahoma hospital my grandpa was at after collapsing at his house. My sister was scared but she still went to the hospital with her husband. She comforted my grandma, and stayed with her after my grandma said goodbye to papa. At papa’s funeral, she decided to speak with my cousin Elanya and represent the account of the grandchildren’s memories. Sammy wasn’t always the most popular for her leadership. She didn’t always get complimented, and I’m sure it did not always feel great to be the only one sometimes doing the “right thing.” However, it inspired others that she didn’t know were watching. Sammy sure did inspire her little sister if she did not already know that.

10 | THURSDAY, NOV. 18, 2021