Monday, September 9, 2019

SINCE 1891

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

VOLUME CLIV, ISSUE 4

BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM

UNIVERSITY NEWS

UNIVERSITY NEWS

U. community remembers Toni Morrison Student, faculty members reflect on, celebrate the work of late Nobel laureate

Peter Cohen reportedly helped raise funds connected to Epstein at MIT

BY ALLIE REED UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

BY CELIA HACK UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

Assistant Professor of Literary Arts Colin Channer was born with a disease that made him legally blind. When a surgery meant to fix his eyes further blinded him for three months, he sought solace in books the second his sight started to return.

Against his doctor’s orders, Channer begged a friend to give him a book, any book. “I needed, so badly, to read.”

His friend handed him a copy of Toni Morrison’s “Sula.” “I read it, and it hurt.

It hurt the eyes; it hurt the soul. But it was also leavening because in a moment of pain, in a moment of wondering what I would do with my life, I was given direction from a book.”

Channer was one of several community members who spoke at “Remembering Toni Morrison: A Reflection and

SEE MORRISON PAGE 4

SPORTS

Men’s water polo wins opening game

U. administrator with ties to Epstein placed on leave

COURTESY OF JOHN MATTHEW SMITH

Toni Morrison, who passed away on August 5, was the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

The University has placed Director of Development for Computer and Data Science Initiatives Peter Cohen on administrative leave following reports that he helped secure money from Jeffrey Epstein for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab, where he was previously employed, according to Brian Clark, director of News and Development.

The University hired Cohen in October 2018. He previously served as the Director of Development and Strategy at MIT’s Media Lab. Joi Ito, former director of the Media Lab, resigned from his position Saturday after the New Yorker published an article revealing that Epstein was credited with securing the Media Lab $7.5 million in funding. At the time,

Epstein was listed as “disqualified” in M.I.T.’s official donor database.

“We are engaged in a review of available information regarding Mr. Cohen in the context of Brown University policies, core values and the University’s commitment to treat employees fairly,” Clark wrote. “The review does not constitute any adverse determination, and it would be premature to speak to any potential outcomes.”

Clark said in an email to The Herald that Brown has never received any funds from Epstein.

Cohen could not be reached by press time.

The New Yorker article, published on Friday, reported that staff at the Media Lab, including Cohen, attempted to conceal the extent of its relationship with Epstein from 2013 to 2015. In spite of Epstein’s “disqualified” status, the Media Lab continued to accept his help, marking the contributions as anonymous. Emails obtained by the New Yorker show that Epstein acted as a liaison between significant donors

SEE COHEN PAGE 4

ARTS & CULTURE

‘Fertile Ground’ exhibit challenges gender roles

Coach says defensive strategy landed first game against Wagner College

BY AMELIA SPALTER STAFF WRITER The men’s water polo team opened its home slate with a 13-10 double overtime victory against Wagner College Saturday.

The win was the first of five total at the Bruno Classic, which took place over the weekend. Brown established a solid lead in the first period against Wagner, but the Seahawks surpassed Bruno’s strong opening and clinched an advantage, which lasted until the Bears tied the score in the final ten seconds of regulation play.

During the first period, attacker

SEE WATER POLO PAGE 2

REBECCA HO / HERALD

The recent exhibit at the Bell Gallery featured numerous collaged pieces, as well as a three-dimensional video installation, all of which challenged social conventions of gender and environment.

Bell Gallery multimedia, multi-artist exhibit portrays women immersed in nature

BY KAITI YOO SENIOR STAFF WRITER “Fertile Ground,” an art exhibit showcasing the complex and layered works of artists María Berrío, Zoë

Charlton and Joiri Minaya, opened Aug. 31 at the David Winton Bell Gallery in the List Art Center. The collaborative exhibition was largely orchestrated by Heather Bhandari, guest curator and adjunct lecturer.

Sports

Sports

Commentary

Arts and Culture

Sports Roundup: Field hockey, women’s soccer, volleyball earn victories over weekend Page 2

Men’s soccer loses Friday home game to Hartford College on late goal Page 3

Schmidt ’21: Orientation should organize introvert-friendly events Page 7

Taylor Swift releases new album “Lover” exploring romance, politics, family Page 8

“This exhibition … is about how these three artists conceptualize their identities and homelands in relationship to where they are now (in the

SEE EXHIBIT PAGE 3

TODAY

TOMORROW

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS

The Bears’ tenacious mentality and strategy contributed to their critical 13-10 win against Wagner College Saturday. Brown proceeded to win five out of its six games in the Bruno Classic over the weekend. The team will return to the pool in the Princeton Invitational this Saturday.

WATER POLO FROM PAGE 1 James Thygesen ’20 scored in under 45 seconds of play. Relentless in their

scored the team’s only other goal of the quarter, taking advantage of a whistle on Wagner to launch into action and score before the Seahawks realized the

the hit. Attacker Armen Deirmenjian ’20 and Thygesen leaned into the momentum shift, netting a point apiece to tie the score at 7-7.

The three minute overtime period featured rapid-fire passing and several intercepted turnovers. In a series that was evocative of pinball, Cole Atwell

in 31 seconds, including a successful five-meter penalty shot. At one minute and four seconds remaining in the period, Simko solidified the lead with a

give-and-go, the Seahawks sunk their first shot 3:52 into the quarter. After a physical minute of turnovers, attacker Leo Berkman ’23 grabbed a 2-1 lead for Brown, his first collegiate score. The Bears glided past Wagner’s defense several more times in the stanza, but were unable to find the inside of the net. The final 30 seconds of the period featured the heroics of goalkeeper Ugo Piovan ’22, who blocked three shots from three different angles to preserve Bruno’s 3-1 lead.

The Bears were faced with a newly combative Wagner defense in the second period. The Seahawks’ physicality did not always work in their favor, as they committed multiple penalties allowing center Matt Simko ’22 to score Brown’s first point of the period. Simko

ball was back in play. Wagner responded with four points to enter halftime tied at five.

The Seahawks maintained their momentum in the third period, putting Piovan to the test with four attempted shots in the first three minutes.

Brown’s offense weaved toward the Seahawks’ cage, but an offensive fumble turned possession to Wagner, who scored on a severe angle at 3:32 in the quarter to bring the score to 6-5. “(The Seahawks) really worked for the center. They did a great job on passing, they finished their plays,” Piovan said.

Wagner’s offense scored again, but the Bears’ defense began to tighten up. Wagner managed to fire off a high and precise shot, but Piovan absorbed

The fourth quarter got off to a slower start as the teams grew more familiar with one another’s tactics.

Wagner scored just once in the first half of the stanza, with Berkman scooping up a goal 4:24 minutes into the period to equalize the game at eight. With eleven seconds left in the period, the Seahawks skipped one past Piovan to take a 9-8 lead. But the Bears continued to play as though the game had only just begun. Thygesen rocketed the ball to center Hudson Rawlings ’20, who slammed it into the Seahawks’ cage with three seconds remaining.

“I was frustrated, because I felt we left a lot of opportunities in the water,” said Head Coach Felix Mercado. “(But) it was great to see the resilience of not quitting.”

’23 broke the tie with only six seconds remaining on the shot clock. His tally put the Bears in the lead at 10-9.

“We were hyping each other up and encouraging each other to keep going,” Atwell said. “We didn’t let our guys sink into a depressed mode.”

With 33 seconds remaining in the stanza, Wagner exploited weaknesses in Brown’s offense to take possession and score, tying the game again at 10.

Thygesen attempted a powerful shot with one second remaining but lost the angle when he was crowded by Wagner’s defense.

Thygesen picked up right where he left off entering the second overtime, winning the swim off and storming the Seahawks. Backed by a unified Bruno defense, Thygesen scored twice

steely corner shot to earn a three-goal lead for Bruno.

Brown’s defense pulled together to deny the Seahawks any further scoring opportunities, including a frantic attempt to score in the final ten seconds of the period. Piovan dove from the right side to intercept a tight left corner shot from the five-meter mark and dubbed the save the most critical of the match. “That was a crucial shot, because if Wagner had made it, they could have gotten their psychology back,” he said.

The Bears went on to win five of their six games of the Bruno Classic, earning four consecutive victories on Saturday. Brown will face Wagner College again as its first opponent in the Princeton Invitational this weekend.

SPORTS ROUNDUP

BY ALEXANDRA RUSSELL AND ALEX SMOLAR This past week saw a series of impressive performances from Brown’s athletes on the field and court. The field hockey and women’s soccer teams’ shutout victories over Bryant University and the University of Connecticut, respectively, showcased a successful slate of contests for the Bears. The volleyball team also earned a convincing win against the University of North Dakota, and cross country’s Hannah Butler ’21 recorded a firstplace finish in the seasonopening Maribel Sanchez Souther Invitational.

Field Hockey The field hockey team opened its 2019 campaign in formidable fashion, sweeping Bryant 3-0 at

home Saturday. Gina Openshaw ’20 scored twice and Emma Rothkopf ’23 notched her first career goal to secure the advantage for Bruno in the first two quarters.

The Bears outshot the Bulldogs 17-6 and led in penalty corners 7-3. Goaltender Allee Ayles ’20 made a trio of saves on penalty corners for the shutout in her first career start with the team.

Brown will return to Goldberger Family Field to face off against Stanford University Tuesday.

Volleyball In the volleyball team’s home opener Sunday, the Bears powered past the University of North Dakota in four sets.

The Bears won three sets in convincing fashion, and

dropped only one in a tight 2624 battle.

Makena Ehlert ’20 led the Bears with 16 kills, and Eliza Grover ’21 followed up with 12 of her own.

Bruno hit .324 for the match and .300 in three of the sets.

The Bears will compete in the Friar Classic this coming weekend, taking on Coppin State University Friday, along with Fairleigh Dickinson University and Providence College Saturday.

Women’s Soccer The women’s soccer team continued an undefeated season Thursday with a 2-0 victory against the University of Connecticut to move its record to 3-0. Malina Yago ’22 found the back of the net in the 43rd

minute before Claire Myers ’22 solidified the lead with a strike in the 62nd. The win marked Bruno’s first success against the Huskies since 1990.

Goaltender Kayla Thompson ’21 managed to hold off the Huskies for all 90 minutes, notching four saves in her first start for the Bears after transferring from West Virginia University in the offseason. Bruno dominated the stat sheet, outpacing UConn in shots, shots on goal and corner kicks.

The Bears will open Ivy League play against Dartmouth Sept. 28 at Stevenson-Pincince Field.

Women’s and Men’s Cross Country Both the women’s and men’s cross country teams earned

second place in the seasonopening Maribel Sanchez Souther Invitational against Dartmouth, Hartford University and the University of Maine Saturday. Hannah Butler ’21 finished first overall in the women’s race, while Dominic Morganti ’21 achieved the best men’s result for the Bears with a fourth-place finish. Butler clocked in her victory with a time of 21:58.74 around the six-kilometer path. Samantha Valentine ’21 crossed the finish line in third, followed quickly

by Ally Hajda ’21, who earned fourth place.

The Bears will next travel to Boston for the BC Coast-toCoast Battle in Beantown Friday, Sept. 20.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS

3

SPORTS

Men’s soccer stunned by Hartford Hawks on late goal Bears lose first game at home after late goal with two minutes remaining

BY RYAN HANDEL SENIOR STAFF WRITER After Michael Chung ’23 fired a shot past the opposing goalkeeper in the first half of the men’s soccer team’s opener against Hartford University this Friday, it looked like the Bears were on their way to a winning start for the year.

But the Hawks roared back during the second half to defeat Brown. They tied the game on a successful penalty kick by Sergi Martinez and took the lead when their own star first-year, Addrian Knights-Browne, sent a screamer into the back of the net in the 89th minute.

The late result gave Hartford (1-2) their first win of the year and sent Brown (0-1) back to the drawing board as they search for their first victory.

The first solid scoring opportunity for either team came in the 18th minute, when veteran forward Matthew Chow ’20 took a cross deep inside the Hartford penalty box but headed the ball wide left of the goal. Luckily for the Bears, they were able to convert on a chaotic possession just seven minutes later. Dennis Pyetsukh ’22 attempted to push the ball toward the Hartford goal but was surrounded by Hawk defenders and fell to the ground. While on the ground, Pyetsukh managed to pass the ball out to Chung, who steadied his feet and launched a 20-yard bullet into the goal. Chung, who made Brown’s starting lineup for his first game of his rookie season, notched the first goal of his collegiate career and the first of Brown’s 2019 season.

“From what we saw, (Chung) did a really good job of locking down the right side defensively, and then pushing up and attacking down the right flank,”

EXHIBIT FROM PAGE 1 U.S.),” Bhandari said. “It also dovetails into the conversation many of us are having as U.S. citizens: What does it mean to not be from here?”

The exhibit features an array of vibrant, colorful 2D and 3D art, which Bhandari loosely refers to as “collages,” that feature women in nature.

Although united on the same gallery walls and by an overarching theme, each artist’s work reveals their individual personality, heritage and perspective on gendered, cross-cultural power structures through their artistic choices.

Berrío’s work features intricate, lively and surreal collages centered around her upbringing in Bogotá, Colombia. In her works, female subjects meld with the environment to embody the theme of transition and exemplify a partnership between the land and the body.

Charlton’s pieces compile hundreds of stickers, cut paper and gouache to create large-scale figures of women consumed by natural foliage. Paying homage to her grandmother, who was one of the first African-American females to own land in the United States, Charlton underscores the duality of how women broke barriers to own property, yet

COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS

Will Mims ’21 earned a yellow card in the 80th minute of the game. The Bears maintained solid defense against the Hawks’ attack until the 88th minute, when Hartford’s Knights-Browne broke the tie, resulting in a 2-1 defeat in the Bears’ first game of the season. said captain Daniel Schiller ’20.

Hartford had multiple opportunities to level the score before the end of the first half, but Bruno’s defense held firm.

The Hawks used a corner in the 33rd minute to drive the ball into Brown’s box, but Bears goalkeeper James Swomley ’22 made a diving save to block a shot from Hartford’s striker Rasmus Karlsson. A Bruno turnover late in the half gave the Hawks a good fast-break chance, but they sent the ball over the goal. Despite Hartford’s late first half push, the Bears took a slim 1-0 lead into the break.

The Hawks’ persistence finally paid off in the 54th minute of the game.

were historically and routinely marked as property, Bhandari explained.

Minaya’s work explores the underlying roots of colonialism and stereotyping behind the tourist industry and associated environments. Hailing from the Dominican Republic, she emphasizes the manipulation and hyper-sexualization of female bodies amidst the tropical Caribbean landscape.

Minaya described her “Container” pieces, which feature photographs of anonymous women wearing tropical-print Spandex bodysuits that force them to strike stereotypical “#dominicanwomen” poses. By portraying the women this way, she emphasized how the women in these photos are often represented as immobile “bodies to be colonized and spaces to be conquered.” Additionally, her “Labadee” video installation narrates the colonialist elements still present within tourist resorts, like one in Haiti from which locals are banned from frequenting. In her work, Minaya exposes how the resort’s seemingly natural landscape is fabricated and “tailored to [the tourists] who can afford it,” as is expressed in written text in the video.

When asked what she most wanted viewers to take away from “Fertile Ground,” Minaya’s answer was simple: “A reconsideration. … An awareness. …

Nicolas Perez ’22.5 gave Karlsson a shoulder inside Brown’s penalty box, forcing the referee to give Hartford a penalty kick. Martinez stepped up to the penalty spot for the Hawks and calmly sent a direct shot into the right side of the goal.

Once Hartford tied the game, they were able to open up their offensive attack. Still, they failed to break through Brown’s stingy defense to score a goal from the field until late. A hard foul from Will Mims ’21 earned him a yellow card in the 80th minute, but the Bears maintained their defensive aggression.

The score remained tied at 1-1 up to the 88th minute, until Knights-Browne

A consciousness.” Minaya’s desires for such a reckoning is better understood in the context of the curated works of Berrío, Charlton and Minaya together. In vibrant colors and multimedia installations, the pieces question the historical and current connotations of female and foreign, of body and land, of conquest and colonialism, of then and now. Together, their mediums amass a powerful, three-pronged dialogue on many relevant political conversations that navigate our society today.

Hannah Ponce ’22 was moved by the exhibit upon entering. Referring to Charlton’s work, she said that although “historically African-American women have been depicted in art as the ‘sexy mulatta’ or the ‘masculine mammy,’ Charlton makes a point of defying these cultural tropes by paying homage to their strength ... through explosive natural imagery.

It’s powerful.”

Ponce’s realization shows that indeed, Minaya’s wish, a simple, empathetic reconsideration by the viewer, is possible.

The official opening reception of “Fertile Ground” will take place at the Bell Gallery at 5:30 PM, Sept. 13.

The exhibit is on display until Nov. 3.

stepped up for the Hawks. His efforts paid off when he took an assist from Aitor Elena and sent a low shot into Bruno’s goal. The Hawks held off two late desperation shots from the Bears to clinch their first win of the season.

Brown looks to move on quickly from Friday’s defeat, said defender Jack Hagstrom ’19.5. “It’s behind us. We saw a lot of good soccer today, it was exciting. Unfortunately it didn’t come out our way today,” Hagstrom said.

Hartford’s offensive tenacity was apparent in the final statline for the match. The Hawks outshot Brown 138, led 7-3 in shots on goal and led 6-1 in corner kicks. Despite allowing the

winning score, Swomley impressed with five saves.

Head Coach Patrick Laughlin also pointed out the strong play of Chung and Owen Schwartz ’23 in their first collegiate game as a positive sign. “I’m really proud of those guys, because your first college game is challenging. And, you’re playing an experienced team in Hartford,” Laughlin said.

After opening their season at home, the Bears head south to the nation’s capital for their next two matchups. In D.C., Brown will take on Howard University Thursday before facing George Washington University Saturday.

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS

MORRISON FROM PAGE 1 Celebration,” hosted by the Department of Africana Studies. Morrison, who the New York Times called a “towering novelist of the black experience,” authored 11 novels in addition to her essaying, editing and teaching. Although Morrison died in August, Chancellor’s Professor of Africana Studies Tricia Rose could not allow the community to “just let it pass.” Instead, she organized the event to utilize “the power of the collective to heal itself” and “to hold close between us” the lessons Morrison has taught the world.

For many at the event, Morrison gave their lives meaning and direction.

For Channer, he found a “redoubling of purpose” through Morrison. After struggling to find his footing as a writer, he saw Morrison as she was walking around New York. “I was frightened.

COURTESY OF PALM BEACH SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

Peter Cohen was placed on leave following reports of his connection to Jeffrey Epstein (above).

COHEN FROM PAGE 1 and the Media Lab — directing $7.5 million from Bill Gates, philanthropist and founder of Microsoft, and Leon Black, the founder of private equity firm Apollo Global Management, to the Media Lab. Cohen reportedly worked to ensure that Epstein remained anonymous in both public-facing and internal communications. “Jeffrey money, needs to be anonymous,” Cohen wrote in

an email obtained by the New Yorker.

When Epstein visited the Media Lab, Cohen directed his staff to keep a professor who didn’t approve of Epstein’s involvement away from the meeting room in which he would be presenting.

Epstein pled guilty to two charges of prostitution in 2008, one involving a minor under the age of 18. This July, Epstein was indicted on charges of sex crimes involving minors and denied bail. He died in jail August 10, by an apparent suicide.

When you’re a literary canoe in the presence of a galleon, you’re concerned about the power of the wake.” He was transfixed. Seeing Morrison inspired him to write 30 pages of his book later that day. Now, Channer has authored eight books.

Professor of English Kevin Quashie, who teaches ENGL 1760Y: “Toni Morrison,” said the gifts Morrison gave the world are “plentiful and massive,” yet they also exist “on the level of the glide and grace of a sentence.”

He cited one example from Morrison’s novel, “Jazz,” where she used a literary device called chiasmus, which contrasts two phrases with reverse grammatical structure. “A thing is undone by its opposition,” he said when describing it.“Chiasmus is magical, spiritual; it’s pure magic itself. It’s a spell in words. It’s prayer.”

“Toni Morrison is chiasmus,” he

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

said. He ended his address by borrowing words from Morrison’s eulogy for James Baldwin after he died in 1987.

“Dear Toni, you crowned us.”

Following the prepared addresses, Hip-Hop artist and activist Akua Naru performed her 2015 song, “Toni Morrison.” In her song, Naru asks, “How can one hand hold a pen, one pen hold a people?” She asked the audience to say the answer with her each time: “Toni Morrison.”

At the end of the event, attendees were given the chance to participate in a Folkthought, an opportunity to reflect on their own experiences with Morrison and her work. Many discussed the first Morrison novel they read, or the moment they found out about her death.

Although everyone in the room had a unique relationship to the celebrated author, all were united by the power of her name reverberating through them.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | TODAY

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CareerLAB Grad Student WalkIns 12:00 P.M. CareerLAB

Peer Career Advisor Open Hours 1:30 P.M. CareerLAB

Play Frisbee with Brown Women’s Ultimate 4:00 P.M. Pembroke Park

Brown Mock Trial Info Session 7:00 P.M. Friedman Hall

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IPP: Microsoft Resume Exchange 10:00 A.M. CIT

Weekly Community Mindfulness Session 12:30 P.M. 121 South Main Street

Coffee & Conversations with the Deans 1:00 P.M. 121 South Main Street

Coffee, Cupcakes and Chemistry 3:00 P.M. MacMillan Hall

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Q U OTE OF T H E DAY

“I read it, and it hurt. It hurt the eyes; it hurt the soul ... in a moment of pain, in a moment of wondering what I would do with my life, I was given direction by a book.”

—Colin Channer, Assistant Professor of Literary Arts SEE Morrison PAGE 2

A L I B E R AL ARTS EDUCAT I ON CR O S SWO R D

LEON JIANG / HERALD

During shopping period, students take advantage of the opportunity to explore a range of academic pursuits. Students can register for courses without a fee until September 17 at 5 p.m.

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | COMMENTARY

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

LETTER TO THE EDITOR PUBLIC CONDEMNATION BY CS HTAS FURTHER ISOLATES STUDENTS As a computing education researcher, a teaching assistant and, most importantly, an equal member of the CS community, I was deeply dismayed by the April 25 letter by Head Teaching Assistants for CSCI 0150: “Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming and Computer Science,” condemning The Herald’s April 23 article as a misrepresentation of the culture of the computer science department. The Herald’s article quoted several students (including myself) who felt isolated in the CS department.

While the CS15 HTAs are fortunate to have had such positive experiences as students in the CS department (and they are right to celebrate those experiences), their experiences do not erase, lessen or invalidate the pain and stress of other students. In all of my four years here, my office has been a center of “growth and self-reflection” in which my

friends have come, shut the door to the rest of the CIT, sat on the floor and cried it out.

In many instances, I have urged these friends to speak up about their experiences; they have been universally reluctant to do so. With the April 25 letter, I begin to understand their reluctance.

As teaching assistants, we undertake a special responsibility to listen to, affirm and support our fellow students. We must, as the CS15 HTAs do, assure our peers that we are open to their feedback — public or private. However, the consequence of providing feedback must not be an official repudiation by the course staff in a school newspaper. To do so undermines our credibility as allies to those who need us most.

John Wrenn, ScM ’18, PhD ’21

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | COMMENTARY

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How to make orientation introvert-friendly Brown orientation provides an opportunity for new students to meet each other and to explore the myriad of social and extracurricular opportunities Brown has to offer. First-years should be prepared for the countless social activities in their unit meetings, classes and any other clubs or student organizations they may join. For introverted students, this can be a living nightmare. In the socially daunting environment of orientation where extroverts thrive, how do the less gregarious of the first-years fare? Most of the time, the introverts are left in the dust.

As a member of the Orientation Welcoming Committee, I am offering suggestions for how orientation might be improved to encourage introverts to meet other students without the crushing pressure of having to introduce themselves. My perspective is rooted both in my own experience — when I was a first-year, I had a lot of difficulty participating in the events — and in the many conversations I have had with others who shared this experience. That said, I want to be clear that there are many positive aspects of orientation that are essential to all people — introverted and extroverted. Explaining the open curriculum, attending advising meetings and having open conversations about consent are all extremely important, and their place in the orientation schedule is necessary. These events are highly structured and provide a great base of information for incoming students regardless of their social style. The more social, open-ended activities, on the other hand, are where some students may struggle.

Not everyone who comes into orientation has the desire to approach someone random

and start a conversation. Some do, and some like to fake it. But what do students who feel socially awkward or introverted do during unstructured periods of social activity?

Think back to your own orientation experience: Were you overwhelmed by the sheer volume of students, by living away from home for the first time and by missing your high school friends? Did you feel pressured to cement new friendships as quickly as possible with peers you have only just met? These experiences are common at Brown’s orientation among both extroverts and introverts, but the former group has a leg up.

any direction or common activity, besides waiting in line for ice cream. A sea of new people in an unfamiliar environment is intimidating, especially to an introvert.

Smaller events in quieter spaces during orientation may be trying to make introverts feel more comfortable — offering a more relaxed social setting with common activities to strike conversation like board games and movie nights. Even still, more introverted students may feel uncomfortable with activities that compel them to approach others on their own and ask to join.

Approaching new people is a valuable life

“Most of the time, the introverts are left in the dust.”

A common critique of the orientation program is that many social events are almost entirely unstructured. Large portions of the orientation schedule involve dropping masses of first-years in an open area with the hope that they will naturally mingle with each other. Take the ice-cream social for example. Hundreds of students coalesce on the Main Green without

skill and is certainly applicable in situations later on in life. But when first-year students are already overwhelmed by moving away from home and moving onto campus, orientation should do more to actively alleviate fears of making friends.

The only obvious solution is to provide more structured social activities for students

who struggle with tackling small talk. Icebreakers may be unpopular, but they serve a purpose by giving students topics of conversation and potential grounds for finding common interests. Facilitated discussions like these would provide a more comfortable way for students who hang on the outskirts of events to enter conversation.

Thinking about restructuring orientation should also prompt further consideration about the way the college experience tends to favor extroverts throughout all four years. Studies show five key traits ensure success throughout their college careers. Those five traits are agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, extraversion and openness. Students who possessed these traits expressed greater satisfaction with school, earned higher GPAs and showed greater desire to pursue post-baccalaureate education.

Given the challenges that introverts will face throughout college, it is especially important to make orientation accessible and encouraging for this set of students, myself included.

Brown prides itself on supporting a pool of students with varying backgrounds, skill sets and perspectives. But to make good on that objective, the University needs to recognize and value differences in personality.

Rachael Schmidt ’21 can be reached at rachael_schmidt@brown.edu. Please send responses to this opinion to letters@browndailyherald.com and other op-eds to opinions@browndailyherald.com.

8

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

ARTS AND CULTURE

Taylor Swift’s new album ‘Lover’ charms fans Latest album revokes darker character of ‘reputation,’ speaks to the many facets of love

BY LIYAAN MASKATI SENIOR REPORTER In 2017, Taylor Swift unveiled a darker, angrier side of her personality through her sixth album, “reputation.” The controversial album lived up to its name and challenged the way people perceive Swift — both musically and personally.

Following “reputation,” Swift’s seventh album, “Lover,” released August 23, exhibits quite a turnaround. The song lyrics express maturity and emotional growth, and the musical style offers hopeful hints of resurrection to fans who were mourning the death of the old Taylor.

The album begins with a catchy, brutally honest song, “I Forgot That You Existed,” which flaunts the glories of becoming indifferent toward an ex-lover, former friend or foe. “I forgot that you existed / And I thought that it would kill me, but it didn’t / And it was so nice,” Swift croons in this upbeat song, which is interspersed with light laughs. The track is devoid of any sign of heartbreak, self-doubt or resentment and introduces a welcome sense of positivity that is unfamiliar in most of Swift’s breakup songs. Indeed, the song’s lyrics are almost antithetical to those of Swift’s earlier records, in which she broods despondently about how “time is taking its sweet time erasing you” in the 2012 track “Sad Beautiful Tragic” or angrily “strike(s) a match on all (her) wasted time” spent in a previous relationship in the 2006 song “Picture to Burn.”

The focus of the album moves swiftly from old flames to a current paramour — presumably British actor Joe Alwyn, whom Swift has been quietly dating for three years. Wearing rose-tinted glasses, Swift wonders about “forever and ever” and sings about the warm comfort of a happy relationship in the title track, “Lover.” In “I Think He Knows,” she relishes in the confidence that accompanies mutual infatuation.

“He got my heartbeat / Skipping down 16th Avenue,” she sings, adding breezily, “He’s so obsessed with me, and boy I understand.” It seems clear that Swift is finally in a happy relationship.

Unfortunately, Swift’s soppy, romantic feelings are accompanied by

a sense of cliche banality. A paradigm of this mushiness is the track “London Boy,” an obvious ode to Swift’s British beau. The forced British colloquialisms and name-dropping of various London destinations in “London Boy” are so affected that they are almost analogous to a student who studies abroad for a few months and returns with a fake foreign accent. However, the catchy tune of the song warrants some forgiveness for its trite lyrics.

Romantic love is a recurring theme in Swift’s music, but her latest album also examines a different form of love.

In the earnest “Soon You’ll Get Better,” Swift wears her heart on her sleeve and sings bravely about her mother, who has been diagnosed with cancer. Amid references to medicine bottles and the doctor’s office, Swift emotionally describes her emotions regarding her mother’s illness and her hope that one day she will no longer be sick. “Desperate people find faith, so now I pray to Jesus too,” Swift sings in anguish, her pain evident.

Some of the album’s tracks go beyond Swift’s personal life, instead addressing current political and social issues. For instance, the music video for “You Need To Calm Down” features several LGBTQ+ celebrities, including a line of popular drag queens dressed as various female pop stars.

The video concludes with an appeal to sign Swift’s petition to support the Equality Act. In “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince,” Swift invokes a stereotypical high school scene, rich with classic prom queen and football game imagery, to subtly comment on the state of America under President Trump. “American glory / Faded before me / Now I’m feeling hopeless / Ripped up my prom dress,” she sings, alluding to her disillusionment with the current political situation in America. “Where are the wise men? / Darling, I’m scared,” she asks, referencing the “blue wave” of the last midterm elections by noting that Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince are “so sad (they) paint the town blue.”

Ultimately, “Lover” packs a lot into 18 tracks — relationships, illness, politics and the central theme: multi-dimensional love. The album exhibits a sequence of Swift’s introspections, painted in pastel colors. It is a journey of emotional growth, and despite its occasional over-dramatic and oversimplified moments, it does not fail to charm.

COURTESY OF GLENN FRANCIS

Taylor Swift’s seventh album, “Lover,” is far from her last album, “reputation.” Her latest album features 18 tracks on the central theme of multi-dimensional love.