Volume 10 Issue 1

Contents Welcome letter from your student body president

pg 3

pg 7

Charleston’s music scene

pg 11

Ghostface Riller

pg 14

Where do I go?

Organizations you should know “The

pg 23

Insert”

pg 26

Black Lives Matter

pg 27

Coronavirus 2020 pg 36

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What they Don’t tell you about COFC At Orientation : The Halsey center’s Hidden Library A great spot for studying or reading about obscure objects —think, tattoos and the circus.

The Cursed Stairs of Bellsouth Free Cookies From marty’s place

The Ghosts of Berry

The kosher, vegan and vegetarian-friendly on-campus dining option offers free cookies on Monday’s with any meal swipe.

If you live in Berry and find yourself waking up at 3am–the witching hour–make sure to listen for the sound of marbles rolling in the hallways outside; the dorm was built on top of a burnt-down orphanage.

The College’s Art Dog If you find yourself in the Halsey, say hi to Murray, the art department’s resident dog.

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If your class is on the third or fourth floor of Bellsouth, give yourself at least three spare minutes to climb the stairs—oh, and waiting for the elevator takes just as long.

Basketball Game Freebies Get to basketball games at least an hour before the game. You might get the chance to compete for coupons to nearby restaurants.

A secret Green Green space can be hard to come by at CofC, but the garden across from CVS on St. Philip street is one of the most peaceful places.

CY Media Executive Board 5

Brittany Burroughs started with The College as the Assistant Director for Student Programming in September of 2019. She received her Bachelors Degree from Coker University in 2015 and her Masters Degree in Higher Education from UNC Wilmington in 2017.

Within her position she serves as the advisor for CisternYard Media and the Cougar Activities Board.

I’m from Spartanburg, SC (really Chesnee, but Spartanburg sounds better). I’m a double major in Meteorology and Physics. I am the Operations Manager of CY Media. I love the Twilight saga, I believe that it is the best piece of cinema in the past 20 years. I think that pineapple be5 longs on pizza. One Direction saved pop music, and my mom Kelly and my dog Penelope are my best friends. ope rations manage r

..

Zoë is from Columbia, SC and is a senior majoring in Communication and Women’s and Gender studies. While at the college she has held the position of Editor in Chief of CisternYard News, the College’s oldest and only recognized student media organization. She also founded the College’s inaugural fashion magazine-- CY Fashion Mag. When she isn’t designing magazines she likes to take care of her houseplants, eat dumplings and watch fireflies with her boyfriend.

Courtn ey Sm ith Courtney is a current sophomore in the Honors College majoring in Communications and Political Science. After graduation she would like to pursue a career in broadcast logistics or continue on to a graduate program for Public Relations.As the General Manager of the video program Courtney organizes meeting times and plans out filming and editing schedules. She also is there to help connect you with the right people in order to help streamline your creative process! vi deo ge n e ral manage r

Margie Hussey is the General Manager of CisternYard Radio and a senior at the College of Charleston. She is originally from Tennessee and is studying arts management with a concentration in music industry.

Radio ge n e ral Manage r

mallory barry I’m a rising junior at The College majoring in English in the WRP concentration double-minoring in Linguistics and Russian Studies. If you need a little more info for the bio: Originally, I am from Charlottesville, Virginia, but I consider Charleston more of a home to me.

Honestly my dream job set-up would be to work in editorial and design for a publishing company while doing translation on the side! m isce llany e ditor-i n-ch i e f

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by Margie Hussey pictures by Denzel Wright

Charleston's M usic Sce n e

So you want to get into the music scene in Charleston? As someone who runs College of Charleston’s radio station, CisternYard Radio, I have discovered the many local, eclectic, underground, and mainstream music outlets in this city. The beauty of a city as historic as Charleston is the combination of old tradition and new growth. This article will guide you through Charleston’s music venue spectrum while focusing more on the local talent that you might otherwise miss.

Charleston Music Hall, Charleston Gaillard Center, and North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center provide sit-down showcases for a more traditional music experience perfect for a night of dressing up and spending a little more money.

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The Music Hall and Coliseum feature more widely-known artists, while the Gaillard Center features more local acts. These venues are a great place to start for those who aren’t ready to tackle the more underground settings.

Th e Ve n ues For off-the-peninsula venues, there’s Charleston Pour House, Tin Roof, and the Purple Buffalo. The Pour House offers music 7 days a week for an average price of $12.

The Tin Roof offers a similar experience while also hosting karaoke nights, game nights, and other events. The Purple Buffalo showcases everything-- from hardcore bands to electronic DJs. On the edge of the peninsula, there’s the Royal American, a restaurant and pub with an outdoor patio that hosts bands regularly. For the most part, these venues showcase local, tribute, and touring bands from South Carolina.

Venues on the peninsula and downtown boast smaller spaces and more local talent. One exception to this is Charleston Music Farm-- a standing-room-only venue showcasing a variety of artists anywhere from Milky Chance to festivals organized by the College. It’s by far one of the most popular venues for any and all audiences.

For smaller gigs, Big Gun Burger Shop & Bar as well as blind tiger pub host bands several times a week for shows that are usually 21+.

Th e house shows Certain music scenes aren’t seen at venues at all-- hidden and scattered all around downtown Charleston there are house shows. Mostly hosted by college students, these artists are all friends of friends and open to anyone that will show up. Usually they only charge a small fee of around $5 for entry. if you want to dive deeper into the local scene, all you have to do is walk around downtown Charleston and you’ll see posters in the windows of bars, storefronts, and other music venues.

The arts management program at the College is full of students who support the local music scene, so befriend as many arts majors as you can. Go out of your way to make friends at other venues too, and more often than not, they’ll know something you don’t about other shows. You can also reach out to CisternYard Radio to find out more about upcoming events and rising artists.

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Addressing Our Past And En v isioning Our Future

By Katie Hopewell

Attending college while living in one of America’s top travel destinations certainly has its perks and a glamorous air to it,; but when the veneer of hospitality is removed, Charleston’s harshly stained history is revealed.

The old slave market now-commercialized to facilitate tourism, confederate monuments scattered around the city and countless 19th century buildings erected by enslaved persons serve as incessant reminders of the area’s past. Deeply ingrained in the city of Charleston and its history is a blatant disdain for marginalized groups, and College of Charleston is not exempt from this.

Built by the labor of the enslaved, the College of Charleston barred Black students from attending for nearly two centuries. In the 1940’s, when Black Americans were demanding equal rights in exchange for their sacrifices during the second World War, students from Charleston’s first Black public high school began applying to the College. These applications were ultimately ignored by admissions for nearly three decades, and in that time CofC went as far as establishing itself as a private university to avoid racially integrating.

These parts of the College’s past can never be erased, and the campus community acknowledges that—but these past harms have ignited an immense desire to mold CofC’s current community into one that celebrates diversity and guides all students and employees to success without a ceiling.

It is intuitive to note, however, that inclusion does not eliminate racism. Reaching the ideal campus environment requires more than simply allowing certain demographics to attend the school after previously precluding them from doing so; it demands prudent and substantive actions by administration that directly condemn discrimination on personal and institutional levels.

Provided the dire need for campus-wide groundwork to combat bigotry and properly facilitate higher education, the College has released an official strategic plan for fostering the sustainable, inclusive and intellectual community that many CofC affiliates aim to create.

College of Charleston’s President Andrew Hsu issued a campus wide email on May 7th of this year to announce that the groundwork that began in 2019 and included the judgement of more than 5000 campus community members had finally become a formal draft for the College’s strategic plan.

This draft explains the College’s institutional mission, the ideal future for CofC, their core values and how they intend on instilling those values in the campus community in order to become the institution they are aspiring towards.

The Strategic Plan Framework document, attached to President Hsu’s email, recognizes three spheres of the College’s community that the plan is focused on improving: student experience and success, academic distinction and employee experience and success.

As far as student life goes, the College intends on bolstering access to student support and wellness outlets to ensure pupils have equitable possibilities for success, upgrading and maintaining physical facilities on campus, increasing graduation and retention rates of minority and first-generation students and instilling a sense of belonging in all students.

For College employees, this framework explains plans to hire and retain more female and minority employees on campus, provide staff members with increased learning and training opportunities, reevaluate current employee procedures and programs and create an environment of inclusivity and purpose.

Each of these goals within the student and employee realms of the campus community will only serve to augment the academic goals the College has set for itself.

These include the establishment of an “integrated, interdisciplinary, experiential liberal arts” education, improvements of enrollment selections and student recruitment strategies, identification and refinement of the notable undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs on campus, further implementation of experiential learning and encouragement for teaching faculty to be innovative in instruction styles.

A strategic plan, as President Hsu noted in his ecstatic email, is a road map for the College, “[i]t gives us a shared objective and a shared mission,” Hsu said.

“Together, we thought big. Together, we set important and measurable goals. And together, we have charted an exciting path for the College,” Hsu said.

College of Charleston will never be able to write off its history of exclusivity and discrimination, but it can work to create a campus environment that leaves no room for such intolerance, and its newest strategic plan puts that goal at the forefront.

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GRANT RILLER GRANT RILLER GRANT RILLER GRANT RILLER GRANT RILLER GRANT RILLER G hostface Ri lle r An interview with College of Charleston guard Grant Riller by Bryce Warner Photos by Sophia Brarham

Grant Riller finished off his collegiate career averaging 21.9 points, 3.9 assist and 5.1 rebounds.

He was selected to the All-Colonial Athletic Association first team for the third time in his career and was also named preseason Player of the Year.

The guard from Orlando definitely made his mark on Cougar basketball, scoring 2,474 points throughout his four years at the College, putting himself second on the all time scoring list behind Andrew Goudelock. We sat down with the Cougar guard to talk to him about his collegiate career here in Charleston and what’s next for him in his basketball journey.

How would you describe your time here at the College of Charleston?

I think my time at CofC exceeded expectations. I met tons of people that I got a lot of love for and will be people I talk to for the rest of my life and it was just a place I got super comfortable with that I considered a home away from home.

GRANT RILLER GRANT RILLER GRANT RILLER GRANT RILLER GRANT RILLER GRANT RILLER Reflect on last season, how did you feel it went?

I felt the season was pretty good, we had our up and downs just like any team but it was just tough cause we worked hard all year towards one thing (the CAA championship) and didn’t end up getting it but I mean another part of me coming back was to have fun with the game and have fun with my teammates one last year and I did that so I def think this year was a fun one.

What were some ups and downs during that time? How did you recover from the downs in your collegiate career?

A down for me was tearing my ACL back in 2015 right before my true freshman year but I had a ton of ppl in my corner like team coaches and staff and then of course my fam so it was easy for me to bounce back and then once coach gave me the opportunity to perform the following year I just took it and ran with since then.

Describe your experience playing in the NCAA Tournament your Sophomore season?

It was a surreal experience that a lot of people don’t get to experience so to be able play in that and represent CofC was a big moment for me and def something I won’t forget.

What are some other memories that come to mind when looking back on your collegiate career?

I got so many memories but all the memories I have of days of us just chillin in the locker room are my best ones.

What is a piece of advice that you hold on to?

Some advice I’ve always built my life around was to run your race.

Everybody’s path is different as far when things happen for them so just knowing that I gotta be patient for my time keeps me motivated.

How have you been preparing for the NBA Draft? Has it been harder since the start of the national stay at home ordinances?

I’ve been able to work with a strength coach over zoom and been able to get my own private gym time in a local rec so it’s been good even though it’s not your typical pre draft experience but it’s been good for me to work on my game and still be able to chill with my family so this times been cool.

What takeaways did your gain from the Chris Paul camp?

I think the camp just showed me how to work even harder, be more of a competitor and most importantly learn what it takes to be an elite level guard and I got to learn that from an all time great PG in CP so it was good for me.

How did your approach to the game change after that?

I think my game stayed the same it’s just now you got a lot more eyes watching you that matter so I think my game stayed the same just had to make sure I was always on my A game.

Describe your growth and development from your freshman year to now.

As far as my game goes I think my shooting improved as far being able to get my shot off, I think I got much better in the pick n roll weather it was a shot for me or creating for a teammate and I def became more mature and the game slowed down a lot as I got older

What do you want NBA teams to know about you?

I’m a selfless team first guy that’ll be satisfied and hungry to be in any roll and a guy that’ll be ready to learn and work hard from day one.

Riller might not be suiting up in the maroon and gold any more but When did you start to realize that we are still pulling for him and wish you were on NBA radars? him the best of luck as he continues When I got invited to the CP3 guard his basketball career. camp last summer.

For decades, incoming college students have been warned about the dreaded Freshman 15 – the extra 15 pounds that is often said to accompany the first year of college. The reality is that many college freshmen can expect to gain weight. The good news? The gain is generally less than 15 pounds.

The even better news? Weight gain is okay. But, according to Torrance Memorial Physicians Network, a negative attitude towards food creates a perfect storm for developing an eating disorder, and if a student is struggling to manage the adjustment to college, food may seem like the only aspect of life a student can control.

This being said, the human body is beautifully remarkable, and weight gain is not something to be ashamed of. The human body fluctuates in weight based on the season of life you’re in, so why are we so quick to let the standard of beauty stem from people with fast metabolisms?

As stated by Eating Disorder Hope, the toxic use of the term Freshman 15 is now hitting a much younger generation.

Nationwide, many teenagers, especially females, who are juniors and seniors in high school,

Here are several statistics debunking the reality of the Freshman 15 that state the average weight gain for freshman college students: • A study at Auburn University found that only 5% of freshmen gained 15 pounds their first year.

• A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association suggested that the average female freshman gains 5 pounds in her first year.

• A study from Utah State University found that 25% of freshmen (both men and women) gained an average of 10 pounds during the first semester.

• Freshmen gained an average of 4.2 pounds during the first 12 weeks of school, according to a Cornell University study.

The Freshman 15

Multiple researchers found the following behaviors, along with the ready availability of unhealthy food, are most likely to contribute to weight gain among college students:

Toxic & innaccurate

• Skipping breakfast • Decreased physical activity • Overdoing all-you-can-eat dining • Stress-triggered eating • Late-night unhealthy snacks • Lack of control over food preparation and choices • Too many high-calorie liquids • Too little sleep • Eating larger portions

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are already starting to dread the Freshman 15, so much so that they start living a so-called ‘healthy lifestyle.’

Students begin obsessing about what and how much they eat and become overly interested in exercise. Sadly, this can lead to an eating disorder before they even set foot on a college campus. It is easy to restrict food to the point that an adolescent becomes anorexic, or becomes so involved with pure foods or eating “clean” that they become orthorexic, which is defined as an obsession with ‘righteous’ eating.

Fight to drop the toxic term Freshman 15, to help normalize fluctuating bodies and create a positive mental space for those with unhealthy views of themselves. The expression is absurd and nothing more than inaccurate. If you want to stay in shape check out our article, but trust us that you won’t be the only one hitting the dining hall more than the gym. Have a healthy and happy first semester!

by Shannon Murray

2020-21

? o g i o d e r e h W College of Charleston

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Fashion Fashion Thrifting

Head to Altered Ego Apparel! They specialize in vintage and thrifted street style at affordable prices for college students. For more information on the store from its owner, check out our interview with them in April 2020’s CY Fashion Mag.

Vintage

There’s no other choice than Red Rose Vintage. On Instagram as @redrosevintageshop, they have the best vintage denim, and their pieces are true vintage, which means they’re built to last. They also have other vintage pieces to elevate your personal style.

Staple Pieces

Madewell on King Street carries quality clothing that will last a lifetime. Their pieces serve as a practical foundation for your college wardrobe; perfect to dress up for a business casual dinner or dress down for a night out on the town.

Online

@tintedsaga on Instagram takes beautiful secondhand linen and cotton pieces and hand dyes them to perfection. Eileen who owns the brand, is well known in Charleston for her rusty and pastel toned dyes. No two pieces of hers are the same, so you’ll always stand out in her creations. Be sure to check out her newly-launched website to snatch up some of her unique creations at tintedsaga.com.

Home decor

Homesick Housewares curates the most luxe pastel and rattan vintage decor. They regularly sell mugs, planters, textiles, tables and even loveseats—anything your dorm or apartment may need. While she usually pops up at markets around town (like the Holy City Vintage Market at the Park Cafe), she has switched to posting daily sales on her Instagram: @homesick.housewares

Follow these instagrams for more: @homesick.housewares @cyfashionmag @redrosevintageshop @holycityvintagemarket @tintedsaga @majorxvintage

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George street fitness center

George Street Fitness Center, AKA the CCA gym, is a great place to work out. Fully equipped with machines to help achieve personal physical goals and stay fit, the gym offers different types of classes and training throughout the week including yoga and HIIT training.

Cougar counseling

College of Charleston offers counseling services to students through Cougar Counseling on the third floor of the Robert Scott Smalls building. There are meditation sessions hosted by the College’s Meditation Club. Cougar Counseling also holds weekly Dog Therapy Nights, where students can relieve stress by interacting with man’s best friend.

rivers green

Health

Behind the library lies Rivers Green, a place where students study, socialize, relax and sometimes even nap. Students bring their pets, and our very own President Hsu can be seen flipping pancakes during finals week.

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Johnson/ Silcox Recreation centers

Further down George St. are the Johnson and Silcox Recreation Centers, home to basketball courts, an indoor soccer field, indoor track, squash courts and table tennis. The recreation centers are helpful places to work out in. For basketball fans, students play pickup basketball throughout the weeks after classes are done. There are also intramural sports leagues that are open for student involvement.

Taking a walk

Charleston is a beautiful city and College of Charleston has one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. Walking is good for both your mental and physical health because you get the best of both worlds. You’re exercising while clearing your mind. And, what better way to familiarize yourself with the city of Charleston than to get away from campus and explore all the city has to offer.

Stern Gardens

Stern Gardens is a great place to chill. With a turtle pond and picnic tables, it is a great place to unwind, eat, or study. Student organizations often hold events in Stern Gardens where you can meet new people and check out some of CofC’s organizations.

Stern center game room

The game room on the second floor of the Stern Center is a great place to unwind after a long day of classes. Equipped with the latest game systems, board games, pool tables, air hockey and darts, it is a great place to take a break during a busy day.

Follow these instagrams for more: @Naptimekitchen @Charlestonpoweryoga @cofcbasketball

Follow these instagrams for more: @Charlestonfoodiebabe @CHarlestonfitfoodie @chsfoodiesonabudget

Poke Stop 116 Wentworth St $4-$27

Located on the corner of St. Phillips and Wentworth, Poke Stop serves up noodle bowls, sushi and, of course, Poke Bowls. The best part about this place? All sushi is half off from 4-7 pm, making it the cheapest sushi on the peninsula.

The Rarebit 474 King St $5-$23

For a fine dining experience without coughing up the cash, head to upper King to visit the Rarebit. They serve breakfast dishes all day and their Huevos Rancheros is drool worthy. Think: Crispy corn tortilla topped with Pinto beans, two fried eggs, roasted tomato salsa, avocado, sour cream, cilantro and scallions.

Queen St. Grocery 133 Queen St $9-$20

Open since 1922, Queen Street Grocery is a Charlestonian classic. QSG is recognized for its crepes and sandwiches, as well as its ability to incorporate the homey, residential vibe of surrounding Harleston Village into its dining room and kitchen. Queen St is a bit of a hike from campus, but it’s worth it for their Cuban sandwich.

Food & Bev

The Harken Cafe 62 Queen St $2.25-$12

This coffee shop, whose sister shop lives on upper King, brings a spunky fresh twist to the classics. Make sure to get yourself the White Chocolate Caramel Latte and the ‘Butter Me Up’ Breakfast Sandwich for a yummy meal without breaking the bank.

Bon bahn Mi 162 Spring St $4-$12

Do yourself a favor and head over to Bon Bahn Mi for traditional Vietnamese cuisine. Our favorite is the Bahn Mi Sandwich with lemon gingergrass chicken that’s filled to the brim with cucumber, pickled carrots, pickled radish, cilantro, thai basil, crispy shallots and chili-mayo.

Taco boy 217 Huger St $10-$17

If you’re craving mexican food but are burnt out on Chipotle, Moe’s and Juanita’s, Taco Boy is a solid upgrade. The dining room fosters a dynamic and eclectic vibe with windows made from melted wine bottles and an outdoor seating area perfect for any time of day. Taco Boy is always a fun experience with family or friends, especially when you order the Kimchi Beef taco.

recreation Follow these instagrams for more: @Charlestonshopcurator @bulldogtours

Folly Beach

Whenever CofC students say they’re going to the beach, they usually mean Folly. A quick twenty minute drive will take you to a beach lined with vibrant restaurants and volleyball courts. While a less tranquil beach than Sullivan’s, Folly never disappoints when you’re looking for a fun time.

Sullivans Island

If you prefer reading and lounging on the beach to other activities, then Sullivan’s Island Beach is an ideal location for you. Sullivan’s is a bit more residential than Folly Beach, making it a little quieter and more peaceful for when you need a zen beach day.

The alley 131 Columbus St

As a freshman at CofC, Charleston’s vibrant nightlife won’t be something you’re very involved in- the exception to the rule being The Alley. Voted Charleston’s Best Sports Bar, The Alley has bowling lanes and arcade games galore to combat any Friday night boredom.

Drinks

North Market St

Charleston means that you can’t go to bars legally, but it does not mean you can’t still have a drink. Kaminsky’s is a dessert cafe with a late night feel, making it a perfect spot for students under 21 to grab a high-quality, non-alcoholic milkshake and feel grown while doing it.

Ghost tours 18 Anson St

For a combination of a thrill and an entertaining history lesson, there’s no better option than a ghost tour. Companies like Bulldog Tours offer a range of tour experiences, from walking tours of the city’s oldest graveyard to full-on seances with trained guides.

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OrganizaTIONS YOU United African Students

Planned Parenthood Generation action

Collegiate Curls

Best Buddies

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An organ ization foun de d on th e study of auth e ntic african an d cari bbean culture, un ite d african stude nts strives to e ducate, share an d cultivate th e College of Charleston com m un ity on th e rich n ess of african an d cari bbean cultural dive rsity.

Th is club is all-i nclusive, so eve ryon e is we lcom e!

PPGA is a di rect subsi diary of Plan n e d Pare nthood an d was i m ple m e nte d on college cam puses to foste r advocacy for re productive fre e dom an d to promote sexual h ealth among young adults. Th e re are curre ntly 350+ chapte rs of PPGA across th e country.

Collegiate Curls is a natural hai r organ ization that promotes th e e m powe rm e nt an d support of m ulticultural stude nts as th ey e m brace th e i r natural beauty th rough hai r an d ski n care practices.

Best Buddi es is an i nte rnational non profit organ ization that works to i ncrease opportun iti es for pe rsonal con n ections, i ntegrate d professional growth an d i nclusive housi ng for i n divi duals with i nte llectual an d deve lopm e ntal disabi liti es. Th e Best Buddi es chapte r h e re at CofC was previously nam e d th e Outstan di ng Chapte r of th e Year by th e i nte rnational e ntity.

should know about Literati

Student Ambassadors

Center Stage

Cougar Votes

Lite rati is a great organ ization for any bookworms or lite rature buffs com i ng on to cam pus. Typical m e eti ngs give i n divi duals a platform to share lite rature of any ki n d with th e group, wh eth e r it was a movi e you watch e d, a pi ece of art you saw or a poe m you wrote—all work share d is appreciate d.

Lite rati additionally hosts occasional ope n m ic n ights for young write rs on cam pus to showcase th e i r work i n front of a we lcom i ng audi e nce.

H e lp with th e recruitm e nt an d rete ntion of m i nority an d fi rst ge n e ration stude nts at th e College of Charleston. Th ey h e lp we lcom e stude nts to cam pus duri ng Acce pte d Stude nts Day an d promote programs such as M.O.V.E. an d SPECTRA.

Do you pri de yourse lf for your th eatrical abi liti es? I f so, Ce nte r Stage is probably a good fit for you. Th ey are th e on ly stude nt-run th eatre organ ization on cam pus an d produce th e i r own shows that se rve as com m e ntary on socioeconom ic issues that m i nority groups com mon ly face.

Cougar Votes, establish e d i n 2019 as Th e College’s fi rst non-partisan vote r registration club, e ncourages stude nts to registe r to vote an d figure out how to request an abse nte e ballot. As a m e m be r of th e club, you can also trai n to registe r oth e rs to vote, canvass i n Cougar Mall an d e ncourage political activity aroun d cam pus.

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BLACK LIVES MATTE R.

by Bryce Warner

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Photo by Kelly Doyle of the Smithsonian Institution. Published under a Creative Commons license, found here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode.

No changes were made.

Afte r h eari ng th e n ews about th e wrongful m urde rs of Breon na Taylor, Amaud Arbe ry, George Floyd, an d many more i nnoce nt Black lives, people took to th e stre ets nationwi de, an d th e n worldwi de, to protest. Th e fi rst of a se ri es of protests h e re i n Charleston starte d on May 30 an d conti n ue d th roughout th e months of Jun e an d July. Protestors march e d th rough th e stre ets of Charleston expressi ng th e i r ange r towards th e syste m, honori ng th e lives that we re lost to th e han ds of police brutality an d racism, wh i le also showi ng th e i r support for th e Black Lives Matte r move m e nt.

Black Lives Matte r is a move m e nt that was starte d with th re e Black wom e n by th e nam es of Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors an d Opal Tom eti i n 2013 i n response to th e death of Trayvon Marti n. Black wom e n have always had th e i r han d i n fighti ng for th e rights an d th e lives of Black Am e ricans, but th is brought a resurge nce to Black people protesti ng i njustice i n Am e rica.

Bui ldi ng on th e foun dation of th e words an d i deologi es from Malcolm X an d Angela Davis an d followi ng th e blue pri nt set

by Black people i n previous ge n e rations, Black wom e n ste ppe d up to h e lp lead th e charge i n th is curre nt fight agai nst racial i njustice. Th e Black wom e n i n Charleston had a sign i ficant i m pact on th e protests that took place th is sum m e r. College of Charleston alum na an d th e Outreach an d Public Program m i ng Coordi nator at Th e Ave ry I nstitute, Courtn ey H icks, alongsi de a group of Black wom e n i n Charleston organ ize d a car protest. “Th is protest

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was organ ize d by a group of black wom e n leade rs i n Charleston who we re ti re d of fe e li ng le ft out of th e organ izi ng process, not truly h eard, an d wante d to voice th e i r anguish, pai n, an d disgust with th e unjust ki lli ngs of black bodi es by th e han ds of th e police force, ove rt an d cove rt racism i n Charleston, an d th e lack of accountabi lity an d support from our e lecte d officials,” sai d H icks.

“I give all respect an d honor to Tam i ka Gadsde n, th e foun de r of Charleston Activist N etwork for h e r work i n not on ly speaki ng truth to powe r, but also be i ng fearless i n h e r approach to change, havi ng critical conve rsations with all, an d raisi ng aware n ess to unsung black fe male h e ros i n th e lowcountry past an d prese nt. Organ ize rs such as Can dace Livi ngston, Kris Kayli n, Rave n Gre e n e, Nashon da H unte r, Ch e lsea Jacobs, N ije eah Richardson, an d myse lf have be e n able to use our ski ll sets, n etworks, an d creativity to not on ly publicly showcase our conce rns an d de man ds, but also use our voices an d gi fts to activate for sai d change without leavi ng any room for com fort for those who say th ey are h e re to se rve. Without strong black wom e n’s voices an d leade rsh i p i n Charleston, lots of what we se e ‘accomplish e d’ would not eve n have be e n on th e docket for conve rsation let alon e com pletion.”

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when the dust settles “This is one of the most active seasonal forecasts that NOAA has produced in its 22-year history of hurricane outlooks,” said United States Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, when addressing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration about the exceptionally busy 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. “As Americans focus their attention on a safe and healthy reopening of our country, it remains critically important that we also remember to make the necessary preparations for the upcoming hurricane season” he said.

construction and exposure to toxic waste due to flooded facilities, all by virtue of where they live. Financial instability (before hurricane damages) forces families into these inadequate living situations and the harms they endure from natural disasters keep them there. The predictions for 2020’s Atlantic hurricane season, on top of a pandemic that has plunged millions of families into economic depravity makes the coming months all the more men-

ence, and that number only accounts for a single demographic within the sphere of low-income Americans.

Nearly two years after the fact, countless houses in my Outer Banks hometown are still covered in tarps because inhabitants cannot afford to hire contractors to fix their roof.

Hurricane preparedness is just as much of a responsibility for individual Americans as it is their government; natural disasters (especially hurricanes) will only continue to worsen as climate change is ignored and that translates directly to the fiscal harms that low-income families will have to endure.

“This is one of the most active seasonal Ross’ statements are clearly intended to express care for forecasts that NOAA American citizens and concern for their well-being in the face of natural disaster, has produced in its 22but his sentiments are holyear history of low. The violent nature of this year’s hurricane season is collateral to the perpetu- hurricane outlooks” ation of climate change—if the current administration truly cared, they would follow through with policies that slow the detriment associated with a changing global climate.

acing.

In 2018, Hurricane Florence managed to inflict $24 billion in total damages Even worse is the presumption across the coasts of North Carolina, Ross makes through delivering South Carolina and Virginia, but this such a statement, that every Amer- cost was not distributed evenly among ican has the fiscal means to prepare socioeconomic classes. themselves for a nearly unprecedented storm season. Natural disas- Dan Emanuel from the National Low ters of any kind manage to harm Income Housing Coalition noted, low-income demographics most shortly following the storm, that over adversely for numerous reasons, the 98,000 ‘very low income renters’ were most conspicuous being housing; located in North Carolina counties that low-income and minority famisustained the harshest damages of Flor-

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by Grace Lowe and Katie Hopewell

CANE SEASON A scientific approach

The 2020 Hurricane season is one of the most active seasons in the past twenty years. The season was predicted to be notably busy in May, which has since proven to be true. It has already broken records before the peak month of hurricane season in September, with the first tropical formation beginning on May 16th. This is the first Atlantic hurricane season on record with 9 tropical storms having formed before August, and 13 forming before September. As of September 5th, there were already 15 named hurricanes, surpassing the typical 12 named cyclones within a single season. With this occurring so early in the Atlantic season, meteorologists are threatened with the possibility of having to use Greek letters to name the tropical cyclones. Should this become the case, it would only be the second time in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) history that such naming would happen.

The Greek alphabet has only ever been used during the memorable 2005 hurricane season, which featured powerful storms like Katrina, Rita and Wilma. So what would that look like if this method was used for the 2020 season? That season produced 27 tropical storms, and the 22nd through 27th storms were named Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon and Zeta. The updated outlook now for the 2020 season indicates that there will be 19-25 named storms, defined by winds of 39mph or higher, 7-11 that will become hurricanes (74 mph wind or higher), and 3-6 major hurricanes (111 mph or higher). Meaning that in the near future we could very likely see the use of the Greek alphabet again.

A comprehensive measure of the overall hurricane season activity is the Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) index, which measures the combined intensity and duration of all named storms during the season. Based on the ACE projection, combined with the above-average numbers of named storms and hurricanes, the likelihood of an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season has increased to 85%, with only a 10% chance of a near-normal season and a 5% chance of a below-normal season.

“This year, we expect more, stronger, and longer-lived storms than average, and our predicted ACE range extends well above NOAA’s threshold for an extremely active season,” said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. So why is this year so active compared to the other years? The oceanic and atmospheric conditions this year were primed for an active season. The warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean sea, reduced vertical wind shear, weaker tropical Atlantic trade winds, and enhanced West African monsoon played into this year’s season. Another factor would be the fact that La Nina developed months ahead (this can weaken wind shear over the Atlantic basin, allowing storms to more easily develop and intensify). These conditions fueled the storm development, creating one of the most active seasons in the last 22 years.

The College of Charleston has the only full Meteorology program throughout the entire state of South Carolina. The study of hurricanes is a speciality of Dr. Gabriel Williams and Dr. B. Lindner, two professors within the program, and lots of students enjoy getting involved with their research. Recently, they’ve published work alongside students on Statistical Correlation of Tropical Cyclones in 5 States. With this hurricane season being closely watched at the College, what does this mean for Charleston? Starting in 2016, major hurricanes have hit the coast of South Carolina, forcing the college to evacuate its students. With the way the 2020 season is panning out, evacuating again seems very likely.

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what to watch:

STAYING AT HOME EDITION

by Shannon Murray In between COVID statistics and racial injustice protests, we need down time. What better to distract ourselves, than some good ole fashioned television. Our quarantine entertainment ranged from a deranged tiger owner to founding fathers and Real Estate to deep love stories. This is what Opinions Editor, Shannon Murray, has been watching.

Se lli ng Sunset Think Real Housewives, but real estate queens. This Netflix original reality show depicts the cutthroat competition within the Oppenheim real estate Group. Selling luxurious multi million dollar homes in Los Angeles is all fun and games until you don’t get your million dollar commission. You’ll love and cry for Chrishelle and hate Davina and Christine.

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dati ng aroun d If you’re missing bachelor mondays like me, consider watching the heart warming show about first dates. The concept of the show is simple: one person has five first dates in the same bar, but only one person gets chosen for a second date. If you’re not a fan of the bachelor, that’s okay, Netflix’s Dating Around is very different: featuring LGBTQ couples, diversity and genuine relationships. Let these couples experience first date jitters and embarrassment, so you don’t have to.

ham i lton If you haven’t seen Hamilton already it’s probably because you don’t like history, musicals, or don’t have a Disney+ account. The recording of the original cast features strong Black, Latinx and Asian actors playing historically white characters. My favorite characters are George Washington (singing One Last Time) and Angelica (singing Take a Break). The ending of Eliza seeing her story being told will give you chills, and you might even start to hate Hamilton.

th e patriot

Still running steam from my Revolutionary War kick, I watched The Patriot, starring Mel Gibson, for the first time since middle school. The story, filmed mostly in Charleston, is about a grief stricken father creating a very successful Militia, and fighting against the British. The movie doesn’t shy away from war violence, and actually has a great subplot of white men developing great respect and honor fighting with Black soldiers.

mode rn love

When I tell you to watch this show, it is a command, not a recommendation. Modern Love, one of the most underrated shows of our generation, tells a different realistic story of love each episode. This star studded show includes topics like mental health, divorce and old age, that makes it one of the most beautifully written and filmed shows I have ever seen. Modern Love depicts love as friendships, loss, self realization and desire. Watch this show on Amazon Prime for a good tear jerker.

Je ffrey E pste i n: fi lthy rich A story that will leave you fuming, Jefffery Epstein: Filthy Rich tells the tragic and heroic stories of hundreds of women who were raped or sexually assaulted by Epstein. These stories are raw, brave and sometimes triggering, but fuel an investigation of the businessman that sent him to jail. Warning: watch this Netflix docuseries with caution, as it has triggering images and language.

th e lodge This psychological thriller tells the story of a cult researcher father and his ex-cult member girlfriend who take a trip with his kids to a mountain lodge for christmas. The plot thickens when the father leaves his girlfriend alone with the kids and things go array. When they wake up with all of their belongings missing and no power, things get eerie. Find this movie on Hulu.

by Katie Hopewell

Cougar Voting

A narrative exists in contemporary American political discourse that historically, the youngest generation of voters in America tends to be “politically apathetic” during elections. This has been true, and young voters avoid the polls for a multitude of reasons, citing mainly confusion and difficulty when attempting to register, as well as a lack of candidates that speak to the issues that are important to them. But troubles with registration and feelings of apprehension towards candidates should not be shoved into the umbrella term “apathy,” because America’s current youth, Gen Z, is far from being apathetic about political happenings.

In January of this year, the Pew Research Center conducted a survey regarding Americans’ attitudes about President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial and found that a little under a quarter (around 22 percent) of the surveyed Gen Z population (registered voters from ages 18-23) approved of the way President Trump is handling his job, while around 77 percent disapproved.

Since its date of publication, Gen Z-ers have become increasingly engaged in substantive political discourse and social justice action.

Most importantly: they have realized, at large, the power that their votes hold.

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A poll conducted by NextGen America over this summer showed that 50 percent of voters aged 18-24 plan on “definitely voting,” which is a 10 percent increase from the same poll conducted in 2016. Everyone is aware of the youth voting apathy narrative, even youth voters themselves, which makes them all the more enthusiastic to rewrite it.

“When I started learning for myself, I realized they really don’t make it easy for college students to cast their votes, like there are a lot of hoops to jump through, and it’s not super clearcut,” Kern expresses, but she hopes to eliminate, or at least minimize, the confusion that accompanies voting registration through her work with CougarVotes.

College of Charleston sophomores Lucas Moyon and Grace Kern echo the need for youth voters to exercise their civic duty, and even took the initiative to ensure all of their fellow student body will follow suit by founding CougarVotes.

This semester, CougarVotes plans on organizing a Google Calendar with important dates regarding registration and voting to share with the campus community

“I felt held back for a couple years when I couldn’t vote, but our political climate was getting increasingly more important to engage with, so the second I turned 18, I was like, ‘Oh, we gotta get everybody on board to show up’” explains Kern.

Through founding CougarVotes, students aim to get as many CofC students successfully registered as possible.

Kern, and the rest of CougarVotes, highlights the need for sustainability—because the systemic problems that Gen Z hopes to combat and the decades long trend of minimal youth voting cannot be solved within a single election.

Polling houses like PewResearch and publications like The Hill have indicated that there is a greater faith in Gen Z to make it to the polls this November than in other generations.

In the meantime, all we can do is keep pushing friends, peers, coworkers and all others around us to get registered and get to the polls (or get their absentee ballot in!) in order to establish ourselves as the youth voters who were not apathetic.

2020

s u r i nav

o r Co

by Zoe Murrie

“It feels incredibly selfish of the college to still encourage students to return to campus... the only reason I can imagine why the college would want students back on campus is that more students would enroll meaning the college still reaps benefits from the tuition.”

The coronavirus epidemic has given schools of all levels the incredibly difficult task of deciding whether or not to reopen and welcome thousands of students back into desks.

For colleges and universities, especially those like the College of Charleston that already struggle with underfunding and low enrollment, this decision is almost impossible.

The College of Charleston makes a significant amount of money from collecting student tuition and housing, as many universities do. The College boasts some of the highest on-campus

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living costs in the state, upping the cost of housing over the past decade by about 50% with 5% alone coming from this year’s newest increase. By receiving such a significant amount of money from housing, choosing to not let students live on campus this semester at all could paralyze the college. One CofC senior summed up her feelings about it: “This entire situation is horrible, and I would not want to be in President Hsu’s position because either way, parents and students and professors are going to be unhappy. Still, it is frustrating after pouring tens of thousands of dollars into my education that this situation is being trivialized, and as a student, to feel so neglected.”

As of the weekend of September 11, students were welcomed back and moved into residence halls. All students living on campus were required to produce a negative test prior to moving in. Students are also not allowed to check guests into residence halls at this time and are encouraged to self report any symptoms via a daily check-in students receive from email and text, and are encouraged to use the Everbridge app to report positive tests. The college has notified students of several available testing sites in addition to making testing available on campus.

If students are isolated they will be in Buist Hall and President Hsu made it clear in an email on September 8th that isolation should not be “viewed as luxurious” and is a vital tool for slowing the spread of coronavirus.

One of the biggest initiatives that the College has put into place, that other public universities like the University of South Carolina have not implemented, is to suspend students for the semester that are found to partake in off-campus gatherings with more than 10 people.

With all of these new regulations in mind, CisternYard held a poll on our Instagram story. With about 300 respondents, these were our findings. 16% of respondents said they did not have the appropriate materials to complete classes remotely. With the College’s new “mandatory” laptop initiative, it is unclear how many people were potentially left without a proper computer for classes. The College also has a history of a significant portion of students struggling with housing insecurity, which would presumably impede on reliable wifi connectivity.

53% of respondents said they would not be comfortable attending in person classes. 52% said they would report an off campus gathering of more than 10 people and 91% said they would self-report if they were knowingly in contact with someone with the virus.

Overall, students know what to do and want to do the right thing, but even with the precautions and “Back on the Bricks” plan from the College, students know the experience will not be the same.

“I am a senior, so of course I want to be on campus. Of course I want to be in class with my friends. Of course I want to have a study group in the library before an exam. Of course I want to sit in the front row of the classroom and listen to all of my professor’s lectures. Of course I do.

But I know that is not how visiting campus will be.” a CofC senior said. “Students will be wearing masks, sitting six feet apart, listening to lectures given with a mask on, constantly wiping down the surfaces and panicking about whether or not they have somehow contracted the virus. That is not what the college experience should look like.”

From speaking with other students, the general consensus about returning to campus is that it values money over lives.

“It feels incredibly selfish of the College to still encourage students to return to campus” our student said, “And for what? The only reason I can imagine why the College would want students back on campus is that more students would enroll meaning the College still reaps benefits from the tuition.”

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16%

the percentage of students who do not have the appropriate materials to complete classes remotely

the percentage of students who were not comfortable attending in person classes

52%

the percentage of students who would report an off-campus gathering of 10 or more students.

the percentage of students who would report an off-campus gathering of 10 or more students.

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53%

91%

None of us wants our college to close, and we all want to receive our degrees on time, but we also want people to be safe. It’s unfortunate that on state and federal levels, colleges are being forced to open to receive the meager state funding they rely on.

As for now, cases on campus have remained low and the College of Charleston has not had any major scandals like other schools whose students ignore restrictions to throw massive parties. However, Charleston is one of the biggest tourist hubs in the country (if not the world) and the city’s relatively lax mask and bar ordinances make it easy for students to shirk the College’s rules.

One college senior aptly sums up the uncertainty of life at the College of Charleston with coronavirus, “The college has failed to consider the extent and severity of the repercussions after the return to campus. Stressful situations are known to cause severe anxiety; has the College prepared counselors, therapists, or resources for students that will need help with their mental health?

What happens when students inevitably contract (and spread) the virus and miss two weeks of class?

What is CofC actively doing to ensure the success of its students? With students coming from so many states and from other countries, cases are anticipated. CofC mentioned this, but they failed to mention if or when they would close. I am curious what the spike of cases will look like when the College sends thousands of ill students home to different states and countries. College of Charleston is knowingly contributing to the spread of COVID, and I am disgusted with the way it is being handled.”

Charleston and CofC are such special places to go to school, but attending an inner-city university makes the coronavirus very complicated. Hopefully on the other side of this, CofC will still be standing with a relatively low toll on human life.

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