The Daily Northwestern — 2022 Holiday Guide

The Daily Northwestern

DEC 2022

Recycle Me

INSIDE: Local Events 6 | Opinion 8 | Pets 10 | Sports 12

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

Students find community on campus during break

By CHIARA KIM

daily senior staffer @chiarafkim

While many students left campus for the break, community members staying at Northwestern fostered their own holiday spirit.

Whether attending university events or building their own traditions, Northwestern students leveraged their resources to make the most of the break in the spirit of togetherness.

Since the early 2000s, Communications Residential College faculty chair and Medill Professor Emeritus Roger Boye has hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for CRC residents and former Medill Cherubs.

After last year’s socially distanced, masked Thanksgiving in the CRC lounge, Boye said the tradition would return to its roots this year.

“I thought last year didn’t go too well,” Boye said. “I think (this year will) go a lot better, and it gives people a change of pace.”

The dinner returned to a common area in a downtown Evanston residential building with a view of Lake Michigan, which Boye said he reserved about six months ago.

Communication sophomore Sophia Gambill attended the annual South Area Thanksgiving dinner hosted by Faculty-in-Residence Rifka Cook. Gambill said the event filled the Allison Hall lounge with over 30 people.

“Rifka had us fill out these little leaves that said what we were thankful for that went on a big tree,” Gambill said. “She also handed out these little stories about why you should be thankful for things in your life … and it was nice to get to talk to a lot of different people.”

Gambill stayed on campus last year as well and said she had a positive experience overall.

She spent time with friends who stayed as well.

Weinberg sophomore Kelly Teitel worked at a local restaurant over the break and spent a lot of time with her roommate who lives in Chicago.

Teitel said she didn’t spend much time on campus because there wasn’t much to do, especially with the dining halls operating on limited hours. Besides accidentally joining a turkey trot while going for a run on Thanksgiving, most of her activities were unrelated to Thanksgiving.

Photo courtesy of Roger Boye

Students on campus made the most of the break in the spirit of togetherness, from attending NU events to spending time with friends.

“Since my roommate has a car, we went to a few different cafes and things like that,” Teitel said. “We went to a disco night, which was fun.”

Teitel wasn’t looking for activities on campus, but she said she might have been interested in a more formal Thanksgiving meal or potluck.

Weinberg sophomore Toma Hirose, who doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving, said he and his friends went to Joy Yee because nothing else was open that day.

“Having at least some food would be nice on campus,” Hirose said. “It doesn’t have to be the

entire dining hall being open – having packaged food or something… would be nice.”

Gambill said that things being closed made campus feel “desolate” at times – she said events to restore campus energy may have been beneficial.

Over winter break, Residential Services is partnering with the Office of International Student and Scholar Services to offer programming like trips to the Christkindlmarket and Boxing Day shopping at Old Orchard.

Boye said hosting Thanksgiving for students

takes a lot of effort, such as dealing with catering. However, the gratitude he has received has made the tradition well worth the hassle for him. At one graduation, a mother thanked him for hosting her daughter during her freshman year.

“She was talking about an event that happened three and a half years earlier and still remembered it,” Boye said. “So that kind of gave me the initiative to continue.” chiarakim2025@u.northwestern.edu

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

Fall schedule causes burnout, students say

The Daily Northwestern

By JACOB WENDLER

Editor in Chief Jacob Fulton

daily senior staffer @jacob_wendler

While many students see Thanksgiving break as an opportunity to rest and spend time with their families, Communication sophomore Evelyn Mulchrone had assignments hanging over her head all week. Worse yet, Mulchrone said when she returned to campus for Reading Week, she found it challenging to motivate herself to finish out the quarter.

“Maybe if (Thanksgiving break) was a little bit longer, I would be more motivated to get back into the swing of things,” Mulchrone said. “But because it’s so short, I feel like I barely had any time at home and then it’s sort of like whiplash because it’s gonna be winter break again soon” If Northwestern’s quarter system is seen as a set of trade-offs, the Fall Quarter schedule is seen by many students as a burden. Some students said the two-week period between Thanksgiving break and winter break — which consists of reading week for Weinberg followed by exam week — stresses their budgets, time management and motivation.

Faculty have also expressed that the calendar makes it challenging to schedule classes around Thanksgiving.

Bienen and Weinberg sophomore Emily Amesquita said she appreciates the quarter system because it allows her to pursue various areas of study. However, she said the current Fall Quarter calendar is counterintuitive.

“After nine and a half weeks I am burnt out,” Amesquita said. “I find myself looking forward to Thanksgiving break for at least half the quarter only to have a very small break, and then a week or two of studying and exams only to have another break.”

Amesquita said starting earlier in September would solve this problem and would also reduce the amount of time students are alone at home while their friends on semester schedules are already at school.

Some other universities on the quarter system, such as DePaul University and Dartmouth College, begin their fall quarters immediately after Labor Day, allowing winter break to run from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. Michael Curry, a sophomore at Dartmouth,

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Students expressed frustration with the two-week period between Thanksgiving and winter break.

said the long winter break allows students to pursue other interests, such as working or traveling.

“I actually love finishing before Thanksgiving,” Curry said. “The last two weeks, things might be a little bit more stressful, but in my opinion … a little bit of added stress of trying to get those last few weeks in is 100% worth the six weeks we have.”

Jaci Casazza, assistant provost and university registrar at NU, said research stipulations require a three-month summer break, but the University must also have 30 weeks of instruction to award federal financial aid, making it challenging to change the calendar. She also said it would be difficult to find time for pre-enrollment programs that take place in early September if the school year started earlier.

“We don’t want further fracturing of the calendar system,” Casazza said. “And when we consider making major changes … it becomes even harder to foster collaboration across boundaries.”

Casazza said the academic calendar is typically reevaluated every five to 10 years. The last review took place in 2018-19 after former Provost Jonathan Holloway appointed a faculty advisory group to focus on proposed changes to the Winter and Spring Quarters.

The 2018-19 group proposed lengthening spring break and pushing commencement earlier after the Faculty Senate unanimously endorsed the ideas in 2017 following a community engagement process to identify possible areas of improvement in the calendar.

In late 2016, Faculty Senate’s Educational Affairs Committee proposed shifting the Fall Quarter one or two weeks earlier, arguing that an earlier start would make it easier for students to meet job recruiters and for international students to travel to and from home during breaks.

However, the 2018-19 workgroup did not propose any changes to the Fall Quarter.

Casazza said while conversations about the calendar can be frustrating, reevaluating the calendar is beneficial for students, administrators and faculty.

“If we’re going to stick with this calendar — and maybe we’re not — but if we’re going to, there’s certainly always room to make it better, more humane, more responsive to who our students and faculty community is today as compared to who they were 60 years or 100 years ago,” Casazza said. jacobwendler2025@u.northwestern.edu

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4 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022

Hot chocolate, horses destress students for finals

By NORA COLLINS

the daily northwestern @noracollins02

Several Northwestern organizations will host events across the next two weeks aiming to reduce student stress during reading and finals weeks.

NU Active Minds, a student organization focused on reducing stigma around mental health struggles, will hold its quarterly “stressless” event Dec. 1 and 2 near the Informations Commons desk at the entrance of University Library. Weinberg junior and co-President Pooja Jain said the event will feature coloring pages, snacks, and fidget toys.

“We want to do our part to help (students) de-stress a little bit,” Jain said. “If you have exams, if you have projects, if you have papers, you will have stress, no matter what. However, it’s just important to make sure that you’re managing that in a healthy way.”

Weinberg sophomore Maddie Kerr, the organization’s other co-president, said reading and finals weeks highlight a general pattern that pervades the NU campus: students putting aside their needs for the sake of productivity.

Kerr said they have often heard students “bragging or joking” about skimping on eating and sleeping during finals weeks.

“It’s really important to help people know that neglecting your needs is not going to make you more worthy or more accomplished,” Kerr said. “If anything, it’s going to be a lot harder to meet your academic goals when you’re running on empty.”

Norris University Center will also host exam relief events, including an NBC Peacock streaming event, miniature horse therapy and a latenight breakfast on Dec. 2, 5 and 6, respectively.

Norris program manager Linda Luk said the events are intended to give students an opportunity to de-stress and enter a positive mindset ahead of finals week.

The NBC Peacock event will partner with the Northwestern Bookstore to include giveaways and promotions, along with streamings of “The Amber Ruffin Show” and “Saturday Night Live” on the ground floor of Norris. The Peacock event will stretch from 11:30 to 2:00

Photo courtesy of Charlotte Sandler

Students pet a Miniature Horse in pet therapy with the non-profit Mane in Heaven.

pm on Dec. 2.

Later in the week, the horse therapy event will be run with non-profit Mane in Heaven, which offers on-site visits with miniature horses to hospitals, schools and other community spaces for therapeutic benefits. Luk said the event, which will be held in the Wildcat Room of Norris Dec. 5 from 12:30 to 2:00 pm, originated from student suggestions.

The next day’s late night breakfast will run from 11 p.m. to midnight. Luk said the breakfast was a student-favorite tradition before the COVID-19 pandemic. The staff decided to bring it back this year in the spirit of “throwback events” it has been hosting to celebrate

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Norris’s 50th anniversary, Luk said.

Chris Davidson, NU’s campus and community engagement librarian, said pet therapy has been a student-favorite stress reliever. Ahead of miniature horse therapy, students can also visit the large Reading Room in Deering Library to play with therapy dogs.

“That event gets by far the biggest turnout,” Davidson said.

NU Libraries will also provide free coffee, hot chocolate and tea in both Mudd and Main Libraries on Dec. 4 and 5, followed by popcorn Dec. 6. The “Magical Snack Trolley of Happiness” will also circle Main and Deering libraries starting at midnight on the first two nights of

finals week.

In addition to food and drink, the library will organize “relief stations” on the first floor and near the core section of the library. These stations are designed to be “point of need,” Davidson said, and will include large coloring pages, jigsaw puzzles and nostalgia-evoking Wii games.

“We want to give students the opportunity to give themselves a break because that’s such an important part of finals — making sure that you’re taking time to step away from what you’re doing,” Davidson said. “Think about something else and reset your brain.” noracollins2025@u.northwestern.edu

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THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022

5

Traveling without pandemic restrictions Reflecting on

By EMILY KIM and GIDEON PARDO

the daily northwestern

For Bienen senior Matthew Yao, winter break marked his first opportunity as a freshman to travel back home to Hong Kong after moving to Evanston.

“College is such a big experience and finally (getting) to go home to something that you’re familiar with is always really refreshing,” Yao said.

Since spring 2020, COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have disrupted holiday travel for many international students like Yao. But this winter is shaping up to be different: as Fall Quarter officially ends on Dec. 10, many NU students are going home for the holidays without the looming backdrop of spiking cases or an emergent variant.

Weinberg and Bienen sophomore Dami Akanni, who is from Lagos, Nigeria, said the pandemic factored into his decision to stay at school during Winter Break his freshman year. Per Nigeria’s travel restrictions at the time, he would

have had to quarantine for a week after landing home.

Spending a third of the threeweek break in quarantine didn’t feel worth it, Akanni said.

Though that year marked his first time being away from home during the holidays, Akanni said he was fortunate enough to have his family visit the U.S. for Christmas.

“Personally for me, my home is my family,” he said. “So since they

Photo contributed by Avrami Hacker

Weinberg Junior Avrami Hacker with his family in Los Angeles.

were here, it was really nice.”

With quarantine regulations now lifted, Akanni is going back for winter break this year. He said he is looking forward to eating homemade dishes, enjoying the warm weather and seeing his friends.

For McCormick sophomore and Singapore native Sophia Tay, her country’s strict pandemic policies last year added several steps to an already long journey home. Over the 2021 holiday season, the Singapore government required all international travelers to show proof of a negative PCR test.

Tay said she and several other Singaporean students, unable to secure the proper tests through the University’s testing center, paid upwards of $100 each to get tested in Skokie. This year, Tay said she looks forward to a more relaxed travel process.

Weinberg junior Avrami Hacker said he worked hard to avoid contracting the virus before winter break of his freshman year.

“The biggest challenge was being extra cautious a couple days before coming back,” Hacker said.

Even now, Hacker said he makes

sure to sanitize his seat, tray and hands whenever he flies.

Some NU students have found new meaning in celebrating the holidays away from home. For Yao, home now means something beyond a physical place.

“It’s just more the people,” Yao said. “I’m looking forward to seeing family, eating Chinese food, the warmer weather and just relaxing and spending time with friends.”

SESP sophomore Malcolm Go, who is from Manila, Philippines, traveled to New York City this year to spend Thanksgiving with family friends.

Though he enjoyed getting a taste of home for Thanksgiving, Go said he is excited to visit his actual home over the holidays.

“I’m just looking forward to seeing my family again,” Go said. “I’m excited to meet my brother again because he just started college, so he is a freshman studying abroad as well, so I’m excited to see how different he is.” emilykim2025@u.northwestern.edu gideonpardo2025@u.northwestern.edu

34th World AIDS Day

By LEXI GOLDSTEIN

the daily northwestern @lexipgoldstein

In a time of recovery and grieving from the COVID-19 pandemic and mpox outbreak, the 34th annual World AIDS Day renews questions about rising anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments and inequitable aid distribution.

Since 1988, Dec. 1 has been observed as a day to honor those who have died of AIDS and demonstrate solidarity with those living with HIV/AIDS. An estimated 38 million people globally are currently living with HIV, and last year around 650,000 died of related causes, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. With wider treatment distribution and fewer new infections, these statistics have fallen in the United States in recent decades. However, Black and Latine people are still disproportionately impacted by the disease.

Since the majority of HIV/AIDS cases appear overseas, the issue may seem less visible to some in the U.S., according to global health studies Prof.

Sokhieng Au. “I think in the U.S., people just don’t see it as a U.S. problem anymore,” Au said. “There’s about a million people in the U.S. who have HIV/AIDS, so it’s not a small number.”

Other diseases clouding the health field in the U.S. have also contributed to decreasing HIV/AIDS visibility in recent years.

However, the May outbreak of mpox has brought AIDS back into the national conversation, especially since disease has primarily impacted men who have sex with men.

“I think it was extremely traumatizing for gay men and queer men to have this happen again,” said Medill Prof. Steven Thrasher.

The skin rashes caused by mpox are reminiscent of the lesions seen in early cases of AIDS, Thrasher said.

Though the severity of the diseases differ, both have been stigmatized, Au added.

“When you’re afraid, you want…to blame something external to yourself,” Au said. “And that particular group that’s already marginalized — that’s already politically disenfranchised, that already kind of lacks those levers of power (and) can’t access that kind of social capital — is very convenient.”

Since mpox was contained relatively quickly, marginalized groups were not scapegoated as extensively as past epidemics, according to Mike Mazzeo, treasurer for the board of directors at Howard Brown Health.

Still, some criticized the news coverage and conversation about mpox as alarmist when the first cases surfaced.

“Of the thousands of things you could hold against someone, the fact that they are sick, that they need healthcare, seems like the worst possible thing to attack someone for,” Mazzeo said.

Like AIDS, mpox has physically outed some men as homosexual with its physical indicators. If not rashes on their skin, standing in line for vaccination can create potentially unwanted visibility, Thrasher said.

Though the U.S. has made significantly advanced LGBTQ+ rights since the first World AIDS Day, both Mazzeo and Thrasher said complete safety or acceptance is still not guaranteed for all LGBTQ+ individuals.

“It was a tough summer for LGBT communities in a lot of different ways,” Mazzeo said.

One of the ongoing obstacles for LGBTQ+ people, Mazzeo added, has been legislation targeting transgender youth and access to gender affirming healthcare.

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the mpox outbreak, Thrasher said many people have yet to find time to grieve and process their trauma. “(Mpox) was a legitimate grief for a lot of people,” Thrasher said, “to not only embrace celibacy and live in fear for a while, but also the grief that brought up for other people triggering their own AIDS losses.” lexigoldstein2026@u.northwestern.edu

Illustration by Olivia Abeyta

Since 1988, World AIDS Day has been a time to honor those who died of AIDS or are currently living with HIV/AIDS.

6 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022

chicago: spend the holiday season in the city with these events Harry Potter: Magic at Play Water Tower Place Nov. 11 – Jan. 29

By ALEX PERRY, ANGELI MITTAL, MAIA PANDEY

daily senior staffers @whoisalexperry @amittal27 @maiapandey

With most classes concluding regular meetings for the quarter, consider venturing to Chicago in between finals study sessions.

You can catch holiday lights, performances and festivals across the city over the next month — many of them for free.

Christkindlmarket Daley Plaza, Aurora and Wrigleyville Nov. 18 – Dec. 24 The iconic Christkindlmarket is an idyllic holiday must-visit. Find German sausage (complete with sauerkraut), latkes and hot chocolate booths in the center of the city.

Stay warm by clustering together with friends in souvenirs shops, or pick up baubles and tree decorations to gift to family and friends. The popup opens at three different locations around the Chicago area.

Maggie Daley Park Ice Skating Ribbon Wrigleyville Through Jan. 7 Want a change of scenery from skating at the Robert Crown Community Center? Maggie Daley Park’s Ice Skating Ribbon isn’t your average skating rink — with a pair of skates (available for rental on site), visitors can glide through the one-quarter mile path around the park.

Step into a magical, fantastical holiday world in this pop-up attraction located near Northwestern’s Chicago campus. Visitors to this immersive experience can sip butterbeer, pop on a sorting hat and live out their varsity athlete dreams on a Quidditch team.

Open to all ages, but free for children under two.

CTA Holiday Train Chicago Transit Nov. 25 – Dec. 20 It’s not hard to spot Santa and his reindeers if you look up to the train platforms during the holiday season — the Chicago Transit Authority holiday train makes its way around the city with its cars adorned in lights and holiday-themed decor. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot the holiday train during the scheduled windows, which vary depending on the “L” line. The CTA also has a holiday bus that roams the streets through Dec. 23.

“A Christmas Carol” The Goodman Theatre Nov. 19 – Dec. 31 The Goodman Theatre’s annual production of “A Christmas Carol” has welcomed nearly two million audience members and is back through the end of this month. Take in the ghosts of Christmas spirit in this adaption of the Charles Dickens classic, which the theatre has staged for more than four decades.

Tickets range from $20 to $80, depending on performance time, and are available for purchase online.

Angeli Mittal/Daily Senior Staffer

Items for purchase at Christkindlmarket. Here are some of the ways you can spend your holidays in and around Chicago.

Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light Museum of Science and Industry Through Jan. 8 The Museum of Science and Industry is celebrating the 82nd anniversary of its iconic Christmas Around the World exhibit. The exhibit kicked off in 1942 with a single Christmas tree, redecorated daily for 12 days to commemorate the countries fighting with the United States in World War II. It has since expanded to feature 50 trees honoring holiday celebrations around the world and decorated by volunteers from across the Chicago area. Entry to the exhibit is included in museum tickets, priced at $21.95 for adults.

​​Winterland at Gallagher Way Wrigleyville Nov. 18 – Jan. 8 Gallagher Way is expanding its annual holiday fare this year to transform Wrigley Field into a temporary skating rink — complete with carnival games and rides, ice bumper cars, the Wintertube ice slide and a train ride. While previous years saw an ice rink outside Wrigley Field, this season marks the first year the Winterland is decking the halls of the ballpark. Tickets are available on the Gallagher Way website and start at $5, with free admission for children two and under. alexperry20@u.northwestern.edu amittal@u.northwestern.edu maia pandey@u.northwestern.edu

evanston: festive events to catch if you're staying in town Downtown Evanston Warm Bevvy Walk

By EMILY LICHTY

the daily northwestern @emilymlichty

Whether you hope to celebrate the holiday season with last-minute shopping, warm beverages or live music, you don’t need to look any further than Evanston for seasonal events to add to your winter agenda.

Those in town during the month of December can bundle up, grab a holiday treat and join the Evanston community for festivals, lightings, musical performances and shopping specials.

Stroll through downtown with a warm beverage in-hand during the Downtown Evanston Warm Bevvy Walk on Dec. 1 from 4 to 7 p.m. Whether you are hoping to grab gifts for loved ones, browse seasonal shopping specials or simply take in Evanston’s magical holiday lights and decorations.

Attendees will receive a festive mug, map and wristband and spend the evening stopping in participating businesses to shop discounts and grab treats including apple cider, hot chocolate and donuts.

While admission for the event is free, registration is required.

Holiday Light Celebration Welcome the holiday season with Evanston’s annual Holiday Light Celebration on Dec. 3 from 5 to 7 p.m.

The event will be kicked off by a tree lighting at 5:30 p.m. and followed by photos with Santa Claus at The Merion and apple cider and churros. The free event will also include a visit from Mayor Daniel Biss and musical performances from the Evanston Children’s Choir, NU Purple Haze and a brass quintet.

Holiday Open House at the Evanston History Center Those looking to both learn something new and get in a festive mood can visit the Charles G. Dawes House, one of Evanston’s most historic landmarks, for their Holiday Open House. The home, which houses the Evanston History Center and is a National Historic Landmark, will be decked out in festive decorations.

Attendees will participate in self-guided tours and activities, including live music. This tradition will be hosted for the first time in three years on Dec. 4 from 1 to 3 p.m. and is free to attend.

Hometown Holiday Celebration and Stroll

Jonah Elkowitz/Daily Senior Staffer

There are lots of events in Evanston over the holiday season.

Shoppers can cross everyone off of their holiday gifting list at the Hometown Holiday Celebration and Stroll from 5 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 8. In addition to visiting open houses hosted by a variety of small businesses, attendees can also enjoy community caroling, sip on hot chocolate and vote in a tree decorating contest.

Some of the businesses will offer snacks, drinks, merchandise and the chance to win prizes. The event is free and hosted by Main-Dempster Mile.

Menorah Lighting & Hanukkah Celebration While the evenings might be dark, experience the light of Hanukkah on Dec. 19 at 5:30 p.m. with the lighting of a public menorah in Fountain Square.

The event will be complemented with visits from a variety of guests including Biss and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston). The event, which is sponsored by Tannenbaum Chabad House, will also include treats, live music and a LED robot dancer.

A Charlie Brown Christmas with the Chris White Trio and Choir Those looking for a way to enjoy live music this holiday season can attend the Chris White Trio’s performance of Vince Guaraldi’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Fans of this classic story can experience the trio’s rendition of the entire soundtrack. The trio, led by jazz pianist Chris White, will be accompanied by three singers. The event will take place at SPACE on Dec. 19 at 7:30pm. Tickets range from $15 to $25.

Kwanzaa Kinara Lighting and Kwanzaa Festival and Storytelling Event Gather for a Kwanzaa celebration at Fountain Square on Dec. 26. The event will begin with the lighting of the Kwanzaa Kinara at 11 a.m. Attendees can browse the Kwanzaa Festival, which will include local artists’ work and food vendors. Performances at the event will include a West African community drum circle and a performance by the Najwa Dance Corps.

Additionally, author Angela Shelf Medearis will read her book, “Seven Spools of Thread: A Kwanzaa Story.” emilylichty2026@u.northwestern.edu

campus: end-of-quarter events to ring in finals and winter break

By EMILY KIM

the daily northwestern @heyyitsemoly

The holiday season is back. Here are some upcoming events around Northwestern’s campus, from performances to holiday treats and get-togethers.

South Area The South Area leadership team planned an event with cookies, ice cream and card games for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1 in the Shepard Hall lobby. Students can enjoy sweet treats and sit in on a friendly card game.

Reformed University Fellowship On Saturday, the Reformed University Fellowship, a national campus ministry of the Presbyterian Church in America, is hosting its T House

Ball event. The event will include drinks, desserts and dancing.

McCormick sophomore Jung Min Yean recently decided to go to one of the RUF events. Yean said that her favorite part about being in RUF is the friendship, and she is looking forward to the T House Ball.

“This is one of the ones of the year where people will dress up and go all out,” Yean said. “It’s a great social hangout. There’s a lot of people that will come up and talk to you and make sure you are having a really good time.”

Cat shelter painting event All Paws In, an NU volunteer organization focused on connecting students with the animals at the Evanston Animal Shelter, will be painting walls in the new cat room from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1.

The Evanston Animal Shelter is working on

building a new facility in the coming year. Weinberg junior JoJo Holm, the president and founder of All Paws In, said she looks forward to helping the animal shelter have a completely finished space.

“This new shelter is really lovely, but is new still.

They still need a lot of cosmetic attention to the building. We need lots of painting,” Holm said.

MAPS December Volunteer The Minority Association of Pre-Med Students at NU will help out with the Evanston Art Center’s holiday arts and crafts events this month. Volunteers will wrap purchases, replace inventory and greet newcomers. There will be two hour shifts for students to join from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 4, 12 and 13.

Bienen School of Music On Sunday, “A Festival of Lessons and Carols” will take place at the Alice Millar Chapel. The program

will include carol music from medieval to modern for brass, strings, organ and choir.

Weinberg junior Jenna Lee, who plays the violin in Philharmonia, is looking forward to the event.

“I think you can look forward to some really nice music, especially if you're not super into classical music, there’s a wider variety and there’s fun carols that you'll probably know,” Lee said.

Holiday Baroque The Rembrandt Chamber Musicians will participate in their holiday tradition of performing baroque classics, including the works of George Frideric Handel, Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger, Georg Philipp Telemann, Henry Purcell, Nicola Matteis and Johann Sebastian Bach. Students can join them for their annual treat at 9 a.m. on Sunday in the Alice Millar Chapel. emilykim2025@u.northwestern.edu

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

7

c

a guide to december holidays

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By DAILY NORTHWESTERN STAFF

Las Posadas

the daily northwestern

Las Posadas is a religious festival commemorating the journey of Joseph and Mary, the parents of Jesus Christ, from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The couple sought safe refuge for Mary to give birth and were forced to shelter in a stable for animals.

Las Posadas is celebrated in Mexico and the U.S. and lasts from Dec. 16 to 24. During the festival, small children lead processions through each town while dressed in silver and gold robes, and images of Mary and Joseph riding a donkey are displayed.

St. Nicholas Day Christians across the world commemorate St. Nicholas Day on Dec. 6 to honor St. Nicholas for his charity. A fourth-century bishop from present-day Turkey, St. Nicholas was known for giving away all of his inherited wealth to the poor, and his feast day is often observed by gift giving. It was Dutch immigrants’ usage of his nickname, Sinterklaas, in the U.S. during the 1600s that eventually linked St. Nicholas to the presentday image of Santa Claus.

St. Lucia’s Day St. Lucia’s Day, celebrated this year on Dec. 13, commemorates the early fourth-century young woman who wore a wreath of lit candles to guide her as she secretly brought food to Christians hiding in Roman catacombs. The holiday, also called “St. Lucy’s Day,” is integral to Scandinavian and Swedish cultures and includes a procession of candle bearers and gingerbread biscuits.

Day of Reconciliation

Hanukkah

South Africa observes the Day of Reconciliation, a celebration of national unity, on Dec. 16.

Two significant events in the country’s history occurred on that date. Originally, the date commemorated the nation’s European-descended Voortrekker people defeating the Zulus in the 1838 Battle of Blood River. The date took on greater meaning 123 years later when the African National Congress formed its military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe, on Dec. 16, 1961 to begin an armed uprising against South Africa’s apartheid government.

Hanukkah, also spelled Chanukah, Chanukkah or Hanukka, is the Jewish holiday celebrating the Maccabees’ unexpected victory over their rivals and the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. During the Maccabees’ fight, the candles in the temple burned miraculously for eight days, outlasting the expected length of one day given little oil. The lighting of the menorah throughout the holiday commemorates this event.

The holiday is celebrated over eight days, beginning on sundown this year on Dec. 18. During Hanukkah, Jewish people play games with dreidels for chocolate gelt and eat oil-fried foods including latkes.

Yule

Winter Solstice The winter solstice, celebrated this year on Dec. 21, is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere because Earth is tilted the furthest from the sun. There will be just under nine hours and seven minutes of daylight on the solstice, and daylight will gradually increase until the summer solstice on June 21. The event is culturally celebrated across the world, including in China, Iran, Scandinavia and Native American communities.

Yule is the pagan festival of rebirth that starts with the winter solstice on Dec. 21 and ends with the start of the new year. Dating as far back as the fifth century, the Germanic pagans were the first to celebrate Yule by sacrificing animals, offering mistletoe and lighting Yule logs to ward off evil.

Today, the celebration of the Sun’s return is observed by Wiccans and neo-pagan practitioners.

Festivus

Christmas

Kwanzaa Kwanzaa is a celebration of African-American culture that begins on Dec. 26 and typically ends on Jan. 1, with a communal feast called Karamu occurring the day before. Activist Maulana Karenga first celebrated the holiday in 1966, basing it off of traditional harvest festival traditions that originated in Southern Africa. Karenga said she wanted to give Black people an opportunity to celebrate their history. The celebration is centered around seven principles, including unity, self-determination and faith, and candles are lit according to the day’s principle.

Christmas, which traditionally occurs Dec. 25, has been regularly celebrated since 336 C.E. The holiday gained popularity during the Middle Ages, when it spread outside of Rome. Christmas honors the birth of Jesus, also known as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth, who many Christians recognize as the son of God and the Messiah anticipated in the Hebrew Bible. On the holiday, many families practice gift-giving and engage in religious worship.

What started as a joke from a 1997 episode of the popular American sitcom “Seinfeld” has since grown into a genuine occasion for celebration. Festivus, officially observed on Dec. 23 but celebrated by some throughout the month, is a secular and anticommercialist holiday that eschews a Christmas tree in favor of an aluminum pole and a fancy meatloaf dinner. Traditions include an “Airing of Grievances” with friends and family as well as a “Feats of Strength” wrestling competition against the head of the family.

New Year’s Eve Dec. 31 marks a worldwide celebration of the close of one year and the start of a new one. The holiday follows the Gregorian calendar year, and nowadays conjures thoughts of ball drops, “Auld Lang Syne” and champagne — well, for everybody except CNN. But end-of-year traditions also date back to ancient civilizations. The Babylonians observed the New Year in March with an 11-day festival, and Julius Caesar moved the eve back to Dec. 31 when he introduced the Julian calendar, of which a modified version is used today.

illustrations by jacob fulton / design by wendy zhu

8 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022

OPINION

Join the online conversation at www.dailynorthwestern.com

Parent: Have yourself a merry “grown-up” Christmas While I love the unchecked chaos of the kids’ table, I can’t help but wonder if a part of me gravitates toward it subconsciously. If I wanted to, I could be aggressive and claim a chair at the adult table before the rest of

TABI PARENT

OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR

This Thanksgiving, my cousin and I found our 18 and 19-year-old selves sitting, for the umpteenth year in a row, at the kids’ table.

Last I checked, 18 is the legal age of adulthood in the U.S., and yet, there we were, sitting at a table where the youngest person still had yet to be born when Justin Bieber released his cultural reset of a song, “Baby.”

While many count down the days until they can assume a coveted chair at the adult table, I’ve long since gotten over my yearning for a seat at a table where the main topics of conversation are the stock market and whose kid is going where for college. No, I much prefer the kids’ table, where I’ve learned

”

I’ve long since gotten over my yearning for a seat at a table where the main topics of conversation are the stock market and whose kid is going where for college.

- TABI PARENT, Op-Ed Contributor

valuable information from my younger family members, like how to play murder mystery games on Roblox and which TikTok stars have a Netflix show that I just “have to watch” — I do what they say; otherwise they like to call me a “boomer”.

”

Leaving for college, just like leaving the kids’ table, is hard because it means you are growing up.

- TABI PARENT, Op-Ed Contributor

the grown-ups sit down. I was a pro at musical chairs in my prime, and I’m sure the skill would translate well.

Yet I remain content to find my place with ease at the kids’ table. There is something nostalgic and comforting, yet slightly heartwrenching, about listening to my younger cousins tell me all the trials and tribulations of their first years of high school and what I’ve been missing out on while I’m away at school.

When I left for college, I boarded that plane and sat crying between my parents for the full six-hour flight to Boston. I imagine these feelings are only slightly amplified versions of what I will eventually feel when I graduate to the adult table.

Leaving for college is not just hard because you will miss home. Leaving for college, just like leaving the kids’ table, is hard because it means you are growing up. And when you leave somewhere, if you are anything like me, you are bound to lose some things along the way.

In third grade, for example, I lost my belief in Santa Claus after a kid named Ian laughed

when I told him that I was asking Santa for a copy of The Hunger Games because my mom wouldn’t let me read it. He informed me that if my mom didn’t want me to read it, then Santa probably wouldn’t either.

Or take eighth grade, when my two cousins and I decided it was no longer our duty to direct spectacular holiday performances for our family before Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and passed the duty on to our younger siblings. The tradition has since been lost, most likely because my younger brother is old enough to refuse when I try to shove him into a homemade turkey costume and make him dance in a production of “Turkey Lake.” However, to this day, our original Thanksgiving production, “Wing It,” remains my proudest artistic achievement.

Of course, we can’t have a discussion about loss without mentioning all that we’ve lost to COVID-19. Cozy, intimate Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners around an indoor table are a thing of the past in this somewhat post-pandemic world. Now, it’s windbreakers, paper plates and “Everyone stay outside, please. If you need something from the kitchen, I’ll get it for you!”

Last year, when I came home for winter break, our Christmas tree had already been picked out, trimmed and decorated before I’d even finished my first final. It was only Dec. 11, but holiday decorating waits for no man or newly minted college student.

I found myself looking at the glowing tree that night in the quiet darkness of my living room and shedding a few tears while the San Francisco fog outside caused the street lamps to cast strange shadows across the walls.

Only a few hours earlier, I’d hung the last ornament on the almost-finished, unfamiliar tree. My family had saved this one decoration for me to put up because it is my ornament, after all.

The ornament in question is a little blonde girl holding a dog made of that kind of

mouth-blown glass that all the nice Christmas tree ornaments are made of. It’s meant to look like me holding my favorite stuffed animal since birth, Dodo (who sits next to me on my dorm bed as I write this now — even stuffed dogs truly are man’s best friend).

Every year, without fail, my hands have held that ornament delicately and chosen a special place for it on the tree. This year, when I come home from school, I’ll do the same. And at Christmas Eve dinner, I’ll find a spot next to that cousin who was born post”My World 2.0” and play her some pre-2011

”

It was only Dec. 11, but holiday decorating waits for no man or newly minted college student.

- TABI PARENT, Op-Ed Contributor

Biebs. Maybe I’ll ask my other cousins if they want to do a revival of all of our greatest holiday spectacular performances, just for the hell of it. Did someone say, “Wing It: Pt. 2?”

The holidays for college students are a reminder that we all have to grow up. But it’s also a reminder that you only really lose things once you stop looking for them. For now, I’m content to spend just a little more time finding my inner child at the kids’ table.

Tabi Parent is a Medill sophomore. She can be contacted at tabiparent2025@u.northwestern.edu.

If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022

9

OPINION

Join the online conversation at www.dailynorthwestern.com

Riker: How to do Bath & Body Works on a budget JOHN RIKER

DAILY SENIOR STAFFER

Mission accomplished.

One year ago, I attempted to buy a full outfit from Macy’s for less than 20 dollars and failed, nobly. The ill-fated excursion dealt a staggering blow to my confidence, but earlier this month, Holiday Guide Editor Nicole Markus offered me a chance at redemption.

The second time proved to be the charm. I found a red and white dress shirt in my exact size and on a major discount, making it a perfect fit for Holiday Guide editing night. Just 25 minutes after entering the store, I purchased the shirt and sat on a bench waiting for the CTA bus, feeling like Thanos with his Infinity Stones at the end of “Avengers: Infinity War.” Yet I felt unfulfilled. The lessons about high-end retailers and fashion that made my previous search so resonant had eluded me on my second go-around, replaced by brazen materialism. So I stood up, walked toward the heart of Westfield Old Orchard mall and headed to a store that had long piqued my interest — Bath & Body Works.

I embraced my fresh start, but this store was not exactly in my Q Zone and would certainly pose a challenge. I didn’t know exactly the type of products that Bath & Body Works sells, and the line of prospective shoppers extended out the door, raising the stakes and the pressure. The soothing vibes assuaged my fears when I made my way inside, but the immaculately organized displays intimidated me. I had a reasonable budget at my disposal, but no direction to my approach.

A couple minutes later, the outlook of my afternoon changed dramatically. An employee named Peter approached me and asked if I was looking for anything specifically, and I responded that I was just

John Riker/Daily Senior Staffer

browsing around. Then, I reversed course.

I explained my situation and told him the objective — to collect some high-quality, holiday-themed products with a budget of 20 dollars — and hoped for the best.

Peter loved the idea and we set off to fill my basket with six of the best, most festive Bath and Body Works products. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

First up, the soaps. Peter recommended the displays as a way to work in both holidayinspired and more general scents and work

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within the budget. He even said I could smell the different products to help in my decision, and I was more than happy to oblige.

We agreed that a touch of variety would be a smart move, so I added a Rose Water & Ivy foaming soap and a Winter Candy Apple hand sanitizer to imbue my apartment with the holiday spirit.

Next, the candles. Peter was up front with me that the candles, one of the most popular items in the store, might exceed the tight price range. However, he also pointed

Press play on The Daily's video coverage of Northwestern and Evanston.

out that in journalism, things are allowed to be off the record. I agreed — the graphitescented candle would be a great gift for my family and I could leave it out of the article so that Nicole wouldn’t find out. I added the candle and another off-the-record recommendation to my basket.

Peter continued to enlighten me on the nuances of potential items of interest, from aromatherapy soaps to bath products.

Whereas the eclectic fabrics of Macy’s appealed to my sense of touch, Bath & Body Works products won over my heart through my sense of smell. For the last stop, we touched the final frontier of the store, the aloe gels and body washes by the checkout counter. Peter introduced me to my favorite scent of the day — the Dream Bright aloe gel — and recommended a portable lavender hand gel to round out the haul.

At last, another mission accomplished.

Peter reminded me that multimedia is an essential part of journalism as well, and he graciously took a picture of me with the six products in front of the most colorful display in the store. Then, we shared a heartfelt handshake ,and I thanked him for his time and for sharing his thorough knowledge of Bath & Body Works.

On the CTA bus ride home, I played “An Evening With Silk Sonic” through my headphones and tallied up my four on-the-record items, the soap, full-size sanitizer, gel and pocket hand sanitizer, to see if I’d hit the mark.

The final total, including tax: 19 dollars.

But the true haul went beyond those 19 dollars and the lovely wintertime scents.

There’s no putting a price tag on my Bath & Body Works experience that day, from the sheer range of aromas I sampled to a muchneeded submersion in the holiday spirit to the most wonderful surprise of all, the brotherhood formed between two guys on a quest. johnriker2023@u.northwestern.edu

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SIGN UP FOR YOUR SENIOR YEARBOOK PORTRAIT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. GEORGE R. R. MARTIN CREATOR OF "GAME OF THRONES" CLASS OF 1970 NU SYLLABUS YEARBOOK PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS WILL BE IN NORRIS FOR A LIMITED TIME. Several poses will be taken – in your own clothes and with cap and gown. Your choice will be available for purchase. All senior portraits must be taken by Prestige Portraits/Life Touch. $10 sitting fee required.

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THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

11

Students say that studying abroad is ‘pure bliss’

By GRACE KNICKREHM

the daily northwestern @graceknickrehm

As students in Evanston gear up for the holidays, students studying abroad are preparing to return home.

While Weinberg junior Savir Maskara is excited to see their friends and reconnect with clubs, they say they will miss the slower pace of life in Madrid, where they’re currently studying.

“People basically take the month of August off,” Maskara said. “Spain has given me the perspective on what it’s like when your friends aren’t busy all the time.”

But while Spain’s pace of life may be slow, Maskara’s hasn’t been. Intent on immersing themself in Spanish language and culture, they said their goal has been to visit every major city in Spain by the end of their program.

Travel is a big appeal of study abroad for Communication junior Ani Feinberg, who’s also studying in Madrid. So far, she’s collected eighteen postcards, visiting places like Paris, Vienna and Budapest.

“There’s just such an energy and an invigoration to explore and to travel,” Feinberg said.

“There’s hardly a weekend where I’m not packing my bags or boarding a flight.”

Although she’s stepped back from the classroom this semester, Feinberg said she doesn’t feel like she’s missing out on anything. To her, exploring the streets of Madrid, visiting museums and trying new foods is an equally important type of learning, and one you don’t get in Evanston.

The academic portion of Feinberg’s study abroad program has still been significant, though, she said. As an international studies major, she studies a range of topics from economics and political science to Spanish art, architecture and language.

Two of her non-language classes are taught in Spanish, which she said can be difficult when they’re using economic jargon. “(I) might not know (the words) in English, let alone Spanish,” Feinberg said.

One thing that surprised Feinberg, however, is that study abroad didn’t automatically force

her into an immersive environment.

She said learning Spanish requires a certain level of proactivity.

“If I wanted to, I could never speak a lick of Spanish (outside classes) the entire time I’m here and just stay in my own little bubble,” Feinberg said.

In her free time, Feinberg teaches English at a local elementary school, where she can practice Spanish and connect with the kids.

While it can seem intimidating to take classes in another country, Communication junior Kate Davis said college is precisely the time to go abroad.

“You don’t have to figure out any of the hard stuff yourself like getting a residence permit,” Davis said. “It’s really easy to just pack your bags and show up.”

Davis said her time in Copenhagen so far has been “pure bliss.” Similar to Feinberg and Maskara, Davis said she has focused less on school and more on life.

While Davis said she’s a little worried about returning to classes in Winter Quarter, right now she’s focused on making the most of being abroad. While her classes are in Copenhagen, one of Davis’s fondest memories is in Dublin, which she visited for the NorthwesternNebraska football game.

“It was weird to be halfway across the world and see so many Northwestern people,” Davis said. “I was like ‘My worlds are colliding and this is really odd.’”

As fun as their programs have been, however, all three students are looking forward to returning home.

Maskara is excited to join the lacrosse team and get involved in theater at NU. Feinberg misses intimate relationships with her professors and being in a closer time zone to her family. Davis is excited to have Diet Coke, which is banned in Denmark.

Applications for study abroad in fall of 2022 are now open and available on the Global Learning Office website. “(The experience will) expand your own perspective and build your ability to empathize with others,” Feinberg said. “I encourage every single person to study abroad.” graceknickrehm2025@u.northwestern.edu

Photo courtesy of Ani Feinberg

Communication junior Ani Feinberg visits the Christmas Market in Copenhagen with fellow Northwestern students. Traveling to nearby cities is one of the best parts of being abroad, she said.

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Thursday, December 1, 2022

SPORTS

@DailyNU_Sports

FOOTBALL

If the ‘Cats can promise one thing, it’s consistency

By JOHN RIKER

daily senior staffer @jhnriker

Rock bottom sounds about right.

On a cool Saturday evening at Ryan Field, Northwestern finished its

2022 season with its most lopsided loss to its most bitter rival, sealing what seemed unthinkable after a thrilling season-opening win in Ireland — 11 consecutive losses and a winless record in the United States.

In the 41-3 loss, the Wildcats (1-11, 1-8 Big Ten) turned in their

rockiest performance of the season against bowl-eligible Illinois (8-4, 5-4) in what could be the final Land of Lincoln rivalry game played in the 97 years of Ryan Field. Sophomore quarterback Cole Freeman threw four interceptions and fumbled in his second career start.

Here, for the last time in 2022, are five takeaways from this afternoon:

1. NU offense held under 10 points for fourth straight game When coach Pat Fitzgerald was answering questions after the Cats’ 31-3 loss to Minnesota two weeks ago, he made sure to attribute some of the team’s struggles to the offense, rather than laying all the blame on a defense beat up by Golden Gopher running back Mohamed Ibrahim.

And now, with November complete and the Cats failing to score in double digits in any of their four games, there’s no hiding it — the NU offense is the team’s weakness.

Injuries at quarterback, tight end and the offensive line have played a part, but Saturday’s performance was nearly unwatchable. Starting quarterback Cole Freeman threw four interceptions, botched a handoff and saw two of his turnovers returned for touchdowns, before Fitzgerald benched him for true first-year quarterback Jack Lausch midway through the third quarter. A fourth-quarter field goal by graduate kicker Adam Stage helped NU escape what would have been its first shoutout loss to the Fighting Illini since 1968.

2. Cats’ rush defense can’t stop Fighting Illini attack The top priority for NU’s Big Ten-worst rush defense was slowing Illinois star running back Chase Brown, and the Cats succeeded at that objective: Brown carried seven times for 14 yards in the first half.

But NU couldn’t stop the Fighting Illini rushing attack, surrendering 83 yards and a touchdown burst to Reggie Love III. Love’s speed scorched the Cats defense on a couple occasions, though poor tackling — including one play where he broke three tackles to set up Illinois’ first touchdown — also doomed NU. One telling stat: defensive backs Cameron Mitchell and Devin Turner led the Cats in first-half tackles. NU’s turnover-prone offense didn’t do its defense any favors and gave up as many touchdowns when it was on the field as the defense did, but the Illinois run game gave the Fighting Illini plenty of breathing room.

3. Illinois’ big plays give visitors commanding first-half lead

Claudia Arriaga/The Daily Northwestern

With Brown out with an injury early in the first quarter, the Fighting Illini looked to lesser-known contributors to flip momentum in its favor.

A 23-yard rush on a fake punt by Illinois punter Hugh Robertson — with no defenders in sight for most of the run — kept the Fighting Illini offense on the field and with another

chance to pad a 7-0 lead. In NU’s next drive, defensive back Devon Witherspoon took advantage of a Freeman overthrow by intercepting the pass and breaking four tackle attempts by Cats offensive players. The 57-yard return set up an Illinois field goal and gave the Fighting Illini a 10-0 lead midway through the third quarter. Illinois defensive back Sydney Brown was at the center of two major plays, snatching a bobble by junior running back Evan Hull out of the air for an interception and running back a botched handoff 53 yards for a touchdown. NU didn’t have much margin for error entering Saturday, and while Illinois barely outgained NU in total yardage, the Cats’ poor execution on the big plays reflected on the scoreboard.

4. Wildcat seniors can’t write a storybook ending Saturday afternoon may be the last time NU fans see some of the program’s best players in recent memory compete in the purple and white.

Junior left tackle Peter Skoronski, a likely first-round NFL pick, kept up All-Big Ten-caliber play amid the disastrous season and a revolving door of quarterbacks and skill players. On defense, senior defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore took down Illinois quarterback Tommy DeVito for Adebawore’s fifth sack of the season and added another highlight to an impressive senior season. Hull, Adebawore, receivers Malik Washington and Ray Niro III, kicker Adam Stage and defensive backs Mitchell, Jeremiah Lewis and AJ Hampton Jr. were among the 22 players honored as a part of the Cats’ Senior Day festivities. For a graduating class that reached two Big Ten Championship Games and won the Citrus and Holiday Bowls, Saturday was a brutal way to see their NU careers come to a close.

5. 2022 season comes to a merciful end Illinois came to Ryan Field with plenty on the line: a win combined with a Purdue loss would ensure a trip to the Big Ten Championship Game to take on No. 3 Michigan. The Cats came in with two objectives, finally getting a win and sending out the seniors strong. NU couldn’t accomplish either, and now it will have the relief of not having to play until its Sept. 2, 2023 contest against Rutgers.

The 11-game losing streak made it abundantly clear — the Cats can’t run back the same approach next year and expect to compete in the Big Ten West. NU football’s most interesting offseason in a long time starts now. johnriker2023@u.northwestern.edu

FOOTBALL

Springer, Long and O’Neil will part from program

By CHARLOTTE VARNES

daily senior staffer @charvarnes11

After a 1-11 2022 campaign, Northwestern football is committing to major changes.

Defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil, wide receivers coach Dennis Springer and defensive line coach Marty Long are no longer with the program, coach Pat Fitzgerald announced Tuesday.

“Our entire football family is

grateful for what these three men brought to our program on and off the field,” Fitzgerald said in a statement. “They recruited and developed student-athletes who will be prepared for life and make our University community proud for years to come.”

O’Neil spent just two seasons in Evanston, but his units struggled to live up to the program’s tradition of strong defenses. Ranked among the top defenses nationally under defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz’s leadership in 2020, the Wildcats fell

to 66th nationally in total defense and 106th in red zone defense by the end of the 2022 season.

In 2020, NU allowed an average of 15.9 points per game. That number ballooned to 29 in 2021 and 28.3 in 2022. The program’s defense also finished this season ranked close to last in the Big Ten in sacks and interceptions and last in rushing yards allowed.

Springer and Long spent significantly more time with the Cats than O’Neil. Hired in 2008, Long coached

several of the program’s all-time sacks leaders and powered the defense to national acclaim in 2019 and 2020.

Springer, who has worked at NU since 2011, coached several dynamic, history-making units during his time in Evanston. The pair helped the Cats to two division titles and five bowl championships during their tenures.

Shortly before the announcement, Athletic Director Derrick Gragg released an open letter about the 2022 season. The Cats’ results on the field fell short of the “comprehensive

excellence” they strive for, Gragg said.

While he is proud of the way NU’s players represented the University, Gragg said there are plans in place to set the Cats’ up for greater success next season.

“Coach Fitzgerald and his staff have already begun their evaluation of all aspects of the program as we look ahead to 2023, and I am confident that next year we will once again rise to our standard of excellence,” Gragg said. charlottevarnes2024@u.northwestern.edu