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FRIDAY, September 17, 2021

The Student Voice of Florida Southern College

Break shortened to meet credit requirements

VOL. 138, NO. 1

Computer science building ‘necessary’ for growth

Tim Keller Staff Writer

SOCIAL MEDIA

@fscsouthern

students from other states who may wish to attend college in the sunshine state. “We also saw an increase in students coming from out of state; as a destination institution, Florida Southern attracts students from all over the country, and the Class of 2025 included students from 41 states and 25 countries,” Erwin said. Many of these new FSC students are excited to be here, with some expressing how they enjoy being part of a larger group of students on campus. “It’s cool having a large group of kids in the same level as you, especially at a small school like this,” Colton Wilensky said, one of FSC’s many new freshmen. “It’s not too huge because I’m still going to have my small group of friends, but it’s still very cool being part of this larger group.”

New First-Year Students

Fall 2021

792

800

722

698

702

685

648

675

581

600

FSC school census reports that there are 792 first-year students this fall.

400

This year's freshman class is the largest in FSC history.

200

21 20

Between 2020 and 2021 there was a 17.3 percent increase of first-year students.

Returning Florida Southern College students and faculty will be seeing a much larger number of new faces this year than normal, this is because FSC’s freshman class of 2021 is the largest in the college’s history. On Sept. 10, Florida Southern’s census period ended, officially marking the class of 2025 as the largest in Florida Southern College’s history. According to the FSC Office Of Admissions, 792 total freshmen were introduced this school year, which not only makes this year’s freshman class the largest in recent memory, but also the largest in school history. According to the FSC Office of Admissions, 2019 FSC’s freshman class was 685 students, and the freshman class in 2020 was 675. This means that between 2020 and 2021 there was about a 17.3 percent increase in new freshmen, a large jump compared to previous years. According to FSC Vice President of Enrollment Management Erin Ervin, one influence on this class’s size was that the school had a lot of applicants to choose from. “We certainly did have an impressive number of qualified applicants; in fact, we received a record 11,000+ applications from prospective students,” Ervin said. According to Ervin there were many other factors which had an influence on the class’ size this year as well. “We saw growth in enrollment for our Nursing, Computer Science and Business programs. Additionally, expanded academic program offerings in areas such as Finance

and Interactive and Game design - coupled with CS concentrations in areas like Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning - attracted new interest from students pursuing programs and careers in STEM,” Ervin said. Computer science programs in particular have seen particular growth, with the opening of the Weinstein Computer Sciences Center facilitating the expansion of many programs within the computer science major. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that jobs within STEM fields will see a 10 percent increase by 2030, and a growing computer science program is one which makes Florida Southern particularly attractive as a school for students within the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. FSC has also grown as a destination for

Jameson Champion News Editor

“I am a little sad that it was cut short compared to our previous fall breaks,” Statile said. By cutting two days from Fall Break, Florida Southern was able to meet the minimum requirement of fifteen weeks of instruction with the sixteenth week being finals week. By fulfilling these requirements, the school continues to qualify for federal funding.

FSC admits largest freshman class

“

-Katie Statile FSC senior

Read the full article on Page 2

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... especially because the last two semesters I was feeling completely burnt out.

Photo by Diego De Jesus The recently constructed Weinstein Computer Sciences Center is located between the Sharon and Jim France Admissions Center and the Becker Business building.

Florida Southern College has announced that fall break would occur this year, beginning on Thursday, Oct. 21 and classes resuming on Tuesday, Oct. 26, making the break two days shorter than in previous years. The dates for this year’s fall break were “... chosen to provide as many contiguous days of fall break as possible within the constraints of pandemic circumstances and federal requirements for class time,” according to Lindsay Thibodaux, Registrar for Florida Southern College. The legislation that defines a credit hour in the eyes of the federal government is 34 CFR 600.2. It states that the legal definition of a credit hour cannot be less than one hour of in-class instruction and two hours of out of class student work for a period of fifteen weeks. Alternatively, these requirements can be substituted by other activities such as internships, practicum and studio work. It gives institutions some leeway in setting their standards for a credit hour, but ensures that there is a uniform requirement for academic institutions. When talking to senior Katie Statile about what she thought about the cut, she said that she was grateful we were having a fall break at all. “...especially because the last two semesters I was feeling completely burnt out,” Statile said. She went on to state that she thinks that breaks should be necessary to provide both an academic break and a mental break.

*Data provided by Florida Southern's Office of Admissions as of Sept. 10 census

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The Southern SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

NEWS BRIEFS FSC Volleyball Block Party There will be a block party on Mr. George’s Green on Sept. 18 for the FSC volleyball team’s first home game against Eckerd College. There will be tailgating, free pizza, music, games and prizes at the event. The event will take place at 4 p.m.

Florida History Lecture Series The Center for Florida History will be hosting its first lecture series event on Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. The lecture will feature guest speaker Craig Pittman, a reporter for the Tampa Bay Times newspaper.

Constitution Day The FSC Political Science Department will be hosting a Constitution day event on Sept. 17 on Mr. George’s Green. The event will run from 4 to 6 p.m. and celebrates the ratification of the United States Constitution.

Live Green Lakeland Ecofest On Sept. 25, The General Federations of Womens Clubs Junior Womans Club of Lakeland will be hosting the Live Green Lakeland Ecofest to highlight environmentally friendly businesses, nonprofits and organizations in the City of Lakeland. The event will take place in Munn Park and also feature local vendors from the community.

Lunch & Launch The FSC Office of Career Services will be hosting “Lunch & Launch: The Power of LinkedIn” on Sept. 22 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event will focus on helping students build a personal brand, teaching networking and searching for internships and jobs.

New building gives students new opportunities Diego De Jesus Staff Writer Computer Science professors and students alike now attend classes in the recently completed Carole and Marcus Weinstein Computer Sciences Center for the 2021 fall semester and beyond. It’s an upgrade for the Computer Science Department, who went from conducting classes in the Berry Sciences building to having its own building near the Becker Business Building and the Intramural Field. Due to the increased number of Computer Science majors at Florida Southern, the program was spread out throughout different buildings on campus for social distancing purposes last year. The number of Computer Science majors at FSC has nearly tripled since 2016, according to the Department Chair of Computer Science, Dr. Christian Roberson. Roberson’s research focus is artificial intelligence, specifically in AI application in solving games and AI players for games. “We are really excited for the new space. It will give us room to continue to grow the program and have the space to provide students with more hands-on learning opportunities and chances to get involved in undergraduate research,” Dr. Roberson stated. “The building process has taken several years, but the bulk of the actual construction has taken place over the last 12 months. Construction is complete but they are still making various small adjustments to the building.” The new building includes new fashioned high-tech classrooms close to the faculty offices, including an AI or Robotics research lab, a cyber range, an auditorium, a maker space and conference rooms. There’s one lounge area where the Computer Science Clubs get together to play board games. All of this is lined with white LED lights throughout the building. Anselmis Columna gave his input being a junior Computer Science major as well as his perspective on the building’s recent construction. “It’s a fantastic addition. It was highly necessary since the growth of the department. We would’ve had troubled housing classes since the growing number of new majors,”

Columna said. “It’s a hundred percent a fantastic addition. Especially since Dr. Lewis was only hired a year ago, that’s more proof of my major’s expansion. As well as different labs with different concentrations. It was definitely necessary.” In the midst of all of this expansion and growth for the Computer Science Department, it also received a $250,000 grant by SunTrust, now known as the Truist Foundation, to further the cybersecurity

on all sorts of areas in Computer Science.” Specifically computer equipment like Arduinos and Raspberry Pis have been purchased for cybersecurity courses. To bring more individuals experienced in the field, the grant will also pay for summoned speakers to share their knowledge on cybersecurity along with supporting events such as “capture the flag competitions” and “cybersecurity conferences.”

Photo by Diego De Jesus

The ceiling with its ornate design is visible from Lake Hollingsworth. concentration and train students in new innovative ways to provide better services in cybersecurity globally. Roberson commented on the past, current, and future uses of the grant toward the Computer Science Department. “Part of the grant was for the development of cybersecurity technology in the new building, including a cyber range for students to use to develop their skills,” Roberson discussed. “Another part of the funding was to support initiatives for cybersecurity including equipment for labs and research, student travel for cybersecurity conferences and events, and other student needs for cybersecurity.” The grant’s goal is to expand the cybersecurity concentration which “touched

The new building is home to an increasingly popular pretzel stand called Fresh Twist from Pretzelmaker, where customers can order an assortment of pretzel products and watch trained employees knead the dough behind a glass panel. On its opening day, Sept. 7, Fresh Twist had a line spiraling past three full rows of line dividers with students waiting to order. Columna commented on his first time eating from Pretzelmaker. “I had the eight piece mini dogs once. My friend actually ordered another eight piece mini dogs but he had class, he said I could have them so I got sixteen. They were good. I’m a really big bread dude,” Columna said. “It was a long wait but it’s a new store and they have to figure stuff out.”

variety of outreach necessary to be entirely successful,” John Pentek, a senior at Florida Southern said. “I feel like even with its shortcomings, the program wasn’t successful in encouraging those people who weren’t already vaccinated to get vaccinated.” The campaign concluded on Aug. 20, with the email stating that the school had reached 70 percent of its 80 percent vaccination goal. In an email statement to The Southern, Kelly Semrau, the VP of Marketing and Communications for the college said, “The Mocs Take A Shot program was started in early summer to encourage all staff, faculty and students who were attending FSC in the Fall to get a COVID-19 vaccine. At the time of that program’s introduction there were press reports about several variants such as Delta. However, Delta had not become a factor in Florida.” Florida Southern set a goal of hitting 80 percent of the campus population vaccinated by Aug. 31, the beginning of term. According to Semrau, FSC’s vaccination rate is at 66.79 percent as of Sept. 7. On Sept. 1, the CDC updated its guidelines for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.

The guidelines for vaccinated individuals state, “If you are fully vaccinated, to maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.” For unvaccinated individuals the guidelines read: “If you are not fully vaccinated and aged 2 or older, you should wear a mask in indoor public places.” According to new CDC data published on Sept. 10, unvaccinated individuals are five times more likely to be infected, ten times more likely to be hospitalized by the virus and eleven times more likely to die. On April 29, the American College Health Association said in an official statement on their website, “The ACHA recognizes that comprehensive COVID-19 vaccination is the most effective way for institutions of higher education (IHEs) to return to a safe, robust on-campus experience for students in fall semester 2021.” According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, more than one thousand schools across the nation are requiring vaccine mandates for certain faculty, students and staff.

Florida Southern falls short of vaccination goals

Harry Solomon Staff Writer

Florida Southern College’s administration implemented the “#MocsTakeAShot,” vaccination campaign over the summer. The program was started over the summer to encourage students, faculty and staff to get the vaccine. The school incentivized students and faculty to receive their vaccinations by offering four different awards for graduate and undergraduate students and on-campus organizations, as well as two different awards for faculty and staff. For undergraduate students the school offered a $300 award and t-shirts to seven different organizations, two $1,000 FSCares awards, as well as six $200 Mocbucks rewards during the ten week campaign. Graduate students competed for four $500 FSCares awards. Faculty and staff had the option of a $250 stipend, a vacation day or five meals from any of the venues on campus. “I think that the program was fairly successful, but it could’ve lacked the

3 The Southern SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

FEATURES

Summer plans adapt with pandemic conditions Sami Beason Staff Writer

When the vaccines finally became available to those who were 18-andolder, some college-aged youth rushed to seize the opportunity to participate in some of the activities we hadn’t seen since before the pandemic. The viral Tik-Tok and Instagram “hot girl summer” trend encouraged many to get vaccinated in order to get out and enjoy the summer as if the pandemic never happened. The restrictions across the world changed in response to the vaccine. States, cities, sometimes protocol even varying by local business, had seemingly

ever-changing levels of safety procedures addressing the percentage at which the population was vaccinated. Due to this, depending on what someone had planned, the same summer months could have led to vastly different experiences. “It affected my travel plans, moving across the country during the summer was very interesting due to all the different regulations in place,” 2021 Florida Southern alumnae Anna Wessling said. Anna, after graduating, moved to the Midwest to continue her education. On the road, Anna visited several different states on her way, encountering a range of attitudes the cities harbored towards the vaccine. “Some places required a mask at all

Photo courtesy of The Southern files

Female student receives J&J vaccine at FSC’s first vaccine clinic during the 2021 spring semester.

times, while others removed the mandate altogether. Some had limited occupancy while others were fully open. There was more than I thought I could do but I always kept my vaccination card and my mask on me anywhere I went,” Anna explains. Many students like Anna have similar experiences, travelling cautiously. As restrictions were lifted, some felt a sense of wariness about the continuous spread of the virus, while others were eager to finally have some more freedom. “The last two summers, my family were trying to go on a big Europe trip as my Grad present and if we knew the vaccine was going to be available and more things were going to be opening, we would have tried this summer,” sophomore Ruby Silver said. Despite having her plans be pushed back, Silver was really excited about the introduction of the vaccine and the activities she can now do. Due to the nature of the virus, certain groups were more directly affected. “I am immunocompromised so it was really nice being able to get vaccinated. I could go to theme parks, see friends, and visit family more without the fear of the virus. I could do things more consistently,” Silver said. Florida Southern’s population was vaccinated at about 56 percent before arriving for the fall semester, according to the FSC Mocs Take a Shot page. This percentage at least somewhat dictated the decision process for current regulations, especially involving maskwearing and social distancing and how they’re enforced.

Rauch announces 24/7 LPD officer rounds Faith Miller Sports & Entertainment Editor

Officer Eric Rauch, Director of Campus Safety and Security, has made it the department’s goal to be as transparent and open with students and faculty as possible. A new addition to the safety department is it’s extension of Lakeland Police Officers on campus at all times. There are now five officers that rotate shifts on campus and provide 24/7 surveillance. This differs from the previous coverage of only having officers during certain hours of the day Monday through Friday, along with only having two officers rotating shifts when Rauch first started at FSC. “When I got here I talked to [Terry Dennis] and said ‘look we need to look at having 24 hour a day 7 days a week coverage,’” Rauch said. After achieving this goal, Rauch “sleeps easier at night,” now knowing that students have the resources available whenever it may be needed. “We are a residential facility. We have students that are sleeping here, although the campus never really sleeps there’s always somebody awake somewhere,” Rauch said. Since this change has been made, the office has picked up more “traffic” and “foot traffic.” The office also has 30 seconds to a minute response time whenever they receive an alert from students or faculty. This past year, the office made the switch from the previously used safety key chains that students can press when needed, to the app Stanley Guard. Now, the app allows safety to get a students exact location,

track movement after the alert has been set off and see video of what is currently happening after the alert has been sent. After listening to feedback from students, they recently released the new feature called “ghost mode.” A main reason that students felt uneasy with the app in the past was that they felt like it was constantly tracking them. Now with the mode, the app will only track the user’s location after an alert is set off. Alerts can be set off in one or two ways, by aggressively shaking the phone or pressing the button on screen. Key chains that are linked to the app are also available for purchase through safety. “Overall, our mission statement is that we are here to protect our students and faculty members,” Rauch said. The safety office on Florida Southern’s campus consists of many parts, including a control center and a room displaying each

security camera feed throughout campus. The way the feed works is that whenever movement comes on screen, the feed displays a blue box so that the viewer can see what’s happening at each location in real time. A part of safety’s job on campus is that they don’t want to be referred to as the “mask police.” “We will do our share of the work, but we aren’t gonna be the only unit enforcing masks on campus,” Rauch said. Faculty, RA’s and safety alike are all working together to keep campus safe for all students and help each other out in this area whenever possible. “We will support the RA’s, we will support the teachers, if you have a student say ‘I’m not gonna wear a mask’ then yes we will become the mask police,” Rauch said.

3,000 flags planted for 9/11 memorial Salvatore Ambrosino Features Editor

On the late evening of Sept. 10, 11 students spent an hour planting flag after flag in remembrance of an attack that would rock the entire world 20 years ago the next morning. “There are lots of feelings,” Emily Miles said. “It means a great deal to me, especially having family in the military and who are first responders.” Miles, the President of Florida Southern College Republicans, the campus organization behind planning the memorial, described the feelings of excitement she had while preparing and planting the small American flags on Mr. George’s Green. Each flag is symbolic of a life lost during the attack on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Then, as nearly 3,000 flags began to loom over nearly half the massive field outside Allen Spivey, she says the excitement turned to sadness. “It was humbling knowing that every flag placed was a life lost on that day,” FSC College Republicans member Phillip Roney said. “Each one of those flags represented a family, spouse, children or parent who lost a loved one that day.” Roney says he lost track of time planting flags, and when he looked up at the flags, which had been planted every year as far as he can recall, he was frustrated and disappointed in a new way. “Disappointed that 20 years later, we handed Afghanistan back to the parties who supported those responsible. I think with the withdrawal of our military in Afghanistan the meaning of 9/11, instead of being in remembrance, is going to serve as a warning. A warning of what the people we just set free are capable of,” Roney said. On Aug. 26, nearly two decades after the attack, the bombings of Kabul airport killed over 100: at least 90 Afghans and 13 U.S. Service Members who were evacuating Afghanistan as the Taliban laid siege to its capital. This marked a bloody and poignant end to the U.S. 20-year occupation of the country. In addition to the flags, the deceased in Kabul too are remembered by 13 blue vases, decorated in red, white and blue, their name and a self-portrait taped to each one. “It shows that even twenty years later, we still remember them and mourn their loss,” Miles said. “The Kabul Memorial also shows that remembrance, given their faces and names shown on the vases.” Though tragic, Associate Professor of Political Science Dr. Bruce Anderson believes not all is lost in the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan. “We risked people over there trying to get people out, that job is a risky, dangerous, bloody job, and we managed to get thousands of people out,” Anderson said. “It was never going to be clean, coming out of Afghanistan.”

This article continues on fcsouthern.com Photo by Faith Miller Ingraham Ave. South Director of Campus Safety Eric Rauch in his office on

The Southern SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

CENTER

4 Photos by Christina DiGregory

Blast

Sophia Gonzalez Editor-in-Chief

Executive Vice President Manny Vacarez and Natalie McGinnis pose in front of SGA booth.

The Student Government for Athletes (SAAC) handed out snacks to students.

Lily Howard, Esti García, Emily Eidenschink from the Mocettes talk to a student about their organization.

Amanda Townes and Deanna Wright encourage students to sign up to become a member of Beyond Campus Ministries.

On the first day of being officially back o and 84 on-campus organizations participate of the semester for all on-campus students. The Student Government Association, w for Student Involvement, assigned each org tables with pamphlets, photo displays, gam their respective organizations are all about Katrina Schell is a sophomore student a Blast Off! last year and she explained the this one. Blast Off! was held on Zoom whe rooms with the clubs that interested them virtually felt “awkward” and that she wasn interested in. This year, Schell tabled for Beyond Cam visit other booths at her first in-person Blas “I signed up for a few clubs (maybe mor really persuasive), and I’ve already gotten really exciting,” Schell said. The event was lively, music played throug table welcomed students from all grade lev “It was great to meet some of the new connections as they make their way through Claire Bonham said.

Multiple times throughout the event, SGA of the music and earnest chatter to remind “We as SGA wanted us to just have a were able to participate and have that inter Executive Vice President Manny Vacarez s The Florida Southern campus looked a l population was remote and the majority of e before vaccines were available to the publi Since the last in-person Blast Off! was h CSI to create an event that was enjoyable b inside and outside. According to Vacarez, 5 Jenkins Field House and the rest of the tab Green. This arrangement allowed students outsi the “capability” to be maskless while socia This year’s Blast Off! gave clubs an oppor numbers again. “We just got about 80 signatures which is year with virtual [Blast Off!] we maybe ha expanding our club members this semeste Shibilski said. After their first meeting, Shibilski repor about half of which she “recognized from B According to Co-founder and President launched right before the pandemic started order “to get things up and running again.” “Although everyone did the best that the Southern students and clubs thrive doing it got to have that experience,” Potter said.

Of f!

5 The Southern SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 Photos by Christina DiGregory

CENTER

on campus, more than 1,400 FSC students ed at Blast Off! — the first in-person event . who hosted the event alongside the Center ganization a table. Each club adorned their mes, candies or tokens that describe what in order to entice students into signing up. at Florida Southern College. She attended differences between last year’s event and ere potential club members joined breakout m. Schell explained that holding Blast Off! n’t able to visit all of the clubs that she was

mpus Ministries and also had a chance to st Off! re than a few people working the tables are some emails from the new clubs, so that’s

ghout the night, as club members from each vels to learn more about their organizations. w faces on campus and give them more h their freshman year,” President of Flosoco

A members chimed in through the cacophony students to mask up whenever inside. first event [...] where all of our students raction portion of some normalcy,” SGA’s said. little different last year: half of the student events were held online in lieu of COVID-19 ic. held in 2019, it was important for SGA and but also safe. Therefore, the event was split 50 tables were located inside the George W. bles were located outside on Mr. George’s

Katie Statile holds poster for Rho Rho Rho, the Marine Biology Honor Society.

President of Psychology Club Katelyn Shibilski talks to an FSC student.

Tribeta (the Biology Honors Society) membbers pose behind their table.

ide to be socially distanced and gave them alizing on Mr. George’s Green. rtunity to start working on their membership

s a lot more than last year! I would say last ad 30 sign ups, so we are very excited to be er,” President of Psychology Club Katelyn

rted that they had a turnout of 50 people, Blast Off!” of Poetry Club Lexi Potter, her club was d and that being at Blast Off! was helpful in ” ey could with virtual [Blast Off!], Florida t in person, and [I’m] glad the new students

Moccassin Athletics pose behind their board, which states the different positions that students can sign up for.

The Southern SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

OPINIONS

US troop withdrawal leaves Afghanistan in ruin Andrew Thompson Staff Writer

On Aug. 15, 2021, Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, fell to the Taliban. This came after the United States announced their troop withdrawal. I believe that we must recognize this event as a global disaster and that we must come together regardless of party affiliation to condemn the President’s response to it. Determined to end the war, newly elected President Joe Biden declared that the U.S. would fully withdraw our troops by Sept. 11, 2021. Although this decision was wellintentioned, the Biden administration’s execution of it later proved to be a disaster. Rep. Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said “the chaos which was caused by the withdrawal of the U.S. troops from the region is an unmitigated disaster of epic proportions.” I agree with his assertion. President Biden’s decision left American citizens stranded in Afghanistan. Although the evacuation effort led to the successful escape of most Americans, the administration estimates that 100 to 200 Americans are still stranded in the country because U.S. forces were unable to evacuate all Americans by the withdrawal deadline. Rep. McCaul accused the Taliban of keeping six planes with the U.S. citizens hostage. This administration’s actions

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Members of Afghan National Police, Afghan National Army and U.S. Army soldiers stand together for a recognition ceremony in 2007. rejected the sacred military commitment to leave no one behind. After the Taliban shocked the world with its swift takeover, Suhail Shaheen, the spokesman for the organization, called for the creation of an “open, inclusive Islamic government.” President Biden’s decision allowed an authoritarian government to seize control in Afghanistan, resulting in a humanitarian crisis. The lives of minority groups, women and LGBTQ+ Afghans are at risk as the Taliban could reinstate their strict rules.

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Members of the group have even already raped and killed gay men, according to Business Insider. The Taliban, meaning students in Pashto, is an Islamist group, which led Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 as the Islamic emirate. During their reign, the Taliban committed multiple human rights violations such as public executions and amputations. The group also attacked minorities, outlawed the education and employment of women, supported the global terrorist organization Al Qaeda and required women to be fully

covered and in the presence of a man in order to be outside. When the Taliban refused to hand over Osama bin Laden in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, President George W. Bush declared Operation Enduring Freedom, a global war on terrorism to find Osama bin Laden. Although the Taliban government collapsed as a result of the war, President Bush announced that U.S. troops would remain in the region to fight against Taliban insurgents while assisting in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. On May 1, 2011, U.S. forces found and killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, thereby achieving the initial objective of the operation. Nonetheless, the war continued until Biden’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops. In order to evacuate Americans, the U.S. the military seized control of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. However, chaos ensued and 13 U.S. service members were killed in a bomb attack by ISIS-K. Biden’s handling of the troop withdrawal process represented a significant failure in U.S. foreign policy because it rejected the principles of leaving no one behind and the spread of our values around the world. Although most Americans opposed the war in Afghanistan, a Marist National poll shows 61 percent of Americans disapprove how Biden handled the withdrawal. This significant statistic in itself demonstrates how the event is a devastating disaster.

Students experience social exhaustion Sami Beason Staff Writer It’s the first few weeks back on campus. From past years’ busy and active back-toschool vibes, this year’s welcome back is a little more somber than expected. After a year of online classes and limited social interaction, it’s telling that our once full social battery is now more than half empty. Social exhaustion seems to have had a collective effect on FSC as the population returns to school. Students did a multitude of things during our time away, such as travel, spend time in our respective hometowns or work. We did all this with a combination of online classes. In that year, many of us juggled school and outside commitments, so why are we all so tired now that we’re back? After saying bye to our parents, all that’s on anyone’s mind is meeting new friends, decorating living spaces and enjoying college life. Every chance we get, we are up and moving. Classes start and late-night convos end. There is always an almost overwhelming number of events and social gatherings put on for new and returning students of FSC. “It feels good to see everyone but at the same time, it’s super draining. You spend all this time in quarantine by yourself and now you are thrusted back into school. It’s a really quick change,” senior McKenna Waston said. Post-pandemic, it seems like we are all exhausted. Having to move out of the comfort of our bedrooms is difficult and requires energy now more than ever. With a full capacity of students back on campus, the shock of having to do everything that we used to is overwhelming, deeming a sort of social battery crisis. There seems to be a universal understanding that with every long interaction, rest and recovery

are more than necessary. In the middle of the day, naps and social breaks are taken to gear up for the rest of the activities that we used to attend with enthusiasm. Mentally and physically, the lockdown has wired our body to interact with less energy. “Before, I would take a second to myself when I had the time, but now I look forward to the time I have alone, I make sure more now that I have time to take a breather and relax,” Watson said. Some ways people are coping are scheduling out downtime, keeping some sort of routine and staying active. There is characteristically a change in students moving from home to school, adapting to a new environment once again. After a year away, there is a lot more structure maintained in individual lives due to its abrupt removal last April. One thing the pandemic has taught us is the importance of self-care. FSC is a very involved school, promoting extracurriculars from day one. Our population loves to be involved, with high numbers in Greek life, over 100 clubs and ranking in the top ten for intramural sports participation. During my sophomore year, I was involved in Studio Box, Southern Ambassadors, SGA, Greek life and many more clubs, in which I held some executive positions. But going all the time can take a toll on the mind and body. Even though it taught structure, routine and how to listen to our own body’s needs away from school, it has lowered our capacity to operate as we once did, missing events or rescheduling plans to cope. Crises are often solved eventually, and what the cure may be is time. Adjustments to how students think and operate should change as the year goes on. Hopefully, retention of the lessons we learned are here to stay.

7 The Southern SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

ENTERTAINMENT New updates to Walt Disney World for 50th anniversary Deanna Wright Online Editor Walt Disney World has released new updates on perks for visitors in preparation for their anniversary. The Florida theme park has been operating in Orlando since Oct. 1, 1971. With Disney’s 50th anniversary right around the corner, many perks have either come and gone or have evolved over time to what they are today. One of these perks is that guests are able to purchase annual passes instead of just buying tickets each time they visit. Up until the COVID-19 pandemic started back in March 2022, all guests were allowed to purchase them. Once the pandemic hit and the parks closed for over three months, Disney made the decision to put a hold on selling passes, with the only exception allowing current pass members to either renew or cancel their current passes. On Sept. 8, Walt Disney World will sell annual passes again with new names for the different levels. These names and costs being the “Incredi-pass” which is available for everyone ($1299), the “Sorcerer Pass” for Florida residents/ DVC members only ($899), and the last two options being “Pirate Pass” ($699) and the “Pixie Dust Pass” ($399) that are only available to Florida residence. “I don’t mind the new names for the annual passes, they are more Disney themed which is fun,” junior Emma Lytle, said. Pricing on these passes did go up again with favorite perks not being included and guests having to pay more for these such as photopass.

Photo courtesy of Emma Lytle

Emma Lytle standing in front of the popular Purple Wall at Magic Kingdom.

“I currently have a silver pass, and the new comparable pass would be an upcharge of over 200 dollars without some of the perks I had with the silver pass,” senior Laura McKenna said. Both Lytle and McKenna have had their passes since they were freshman in college and neither plan to renew their passes after they end due to the new price increase. The new passes and pricing is not the only change the company has recently announced. The Walt Disney Company announced that the popular fastpasses had their last days, right before the pandemic due to them discontinuing the perk when

the parks reopened back in July 2020. “I really enjoyed the pre-pandemic fastpass system,” Lytle said. With free fastpasses being retired, Disney announced their new fastpass programs, “Genie+” and “Lighting Lanes,” which will include an additional fee to guests who choose to use them, launching sometime this fall. “I am so disappointed in Disney’s decision to discontinue fast passes,” McKenna said. “As a college student I can barely afford my annual pass, and I will not be paying for Genie+ or Lightening Lane.” Disney Genie is a free mobile app that will guide guests through the parks with tips that will help reduce time in lines, discover magic around each turn and help design the best Disney day. The Disney Genie+ will be a reservation system that allows guests to make one reservation at a time that will cost $15 per day to over 40 attractions. Individual Lightning Lane passes will be part of the Disney Genie+ but will be a separate expense and the price has not been announced. These passes will allow guests to utilize the Lightning Lane entrance at one of Disney’s highest demand attractions and will be available on a pay-per-ride basis. Guests will only be allowed up to two passes per day. Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests will be allowed to purchase up to two individual attraction selections through Lightning Lane access at 7 a.m. the day of their visit. Other guests not staying on property can make their purchases of their two when the park they plan to visit opens. For more information on these new services visit Walt Disney World’s website.

‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ trailer breaks record Isabella Garigulo Staff Writer After being delayed several times due to the pandemic, fans have received the long- awaited arrival of the latest installment in the Spider-Man franchise. Now, the wishes of fans have come true with a first look at the film, “SpiderMan: No Way Home,” on Aug. 23. Marvel fans have already watched Peter Parker (Tom Holland) take on Vulture (Michael Keaton) in “SpiderMan: Homecoming,” and Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) in “Spider-Man: Far From Home.” This time, Spider-Man is tackling one of his biggest and most frightening challenges yet: villains emerging from a multiverse timeline. Ever since the trailer’s debut, IGN reported that the trailer had broken the record for most global views in a 24-hour time period. The previous record holder was the trailer for “Avengers: Endgame,” which garnered 289 million views. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” surpassed the Avengers by almost 70 million views, as the trailer garnered a staggering 355.5 million views in its first 24 hours. Fans have a reason to be so excited for the film, as the trailer revealed a few familiar foes from previous film installments of the character. In this installment, Parker is still reeling from the aftermath of Mysterio revealing his identity in the post-credit scene of “Spider-Man: Far from Home.” Now marked as an enemy, Parker makes the decision to have everyone forget the secret identity of Spider-Man, enlisting

WHAT’S NEW FSC Theater ‘Blithe Spirit’ FSC’s theater department will be releasing “Blithe Spirit” on Sept. 30. The show will run from Sept. 30 through Oct. 3. The show is a “ghostly comedy” right in time for the month of October. Seating will be limited.

Marvel Studios ‘Hawkeye’ On Sept. 13, Marvel Studios released a trailer for one of their upcoming releases, “Hawkeye.” The show will begin streaming on Disney+ on Nov. 24 with new episodes most likely to be released Wednesdays. The show looks into the character Clint Barton’s life following the aftermath of his actions in Endgame with new protige Kate Bishop.

‘Only Murders in the Building’ Hulu’s new show “Only Murders in the Building” follows the storyline of three stangers that are all obsessed with a murder and true crime podcast. An actual murder occurs in their appartment complex, which is how they are brought together. The three stangers come together to find out who killed their neighbor.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons the help of Dr. Strange played by Benedict Cumberbatch. Things take an ominous turn when Dr. Strange is completing the spell, as Parker interferes to ensure his Aunt May, played by Marisa Tomei, his best friend, Ned (Jacob Batalon) and his girlfriend, MJ (Zendaya), remember he is Spider-Man. As Parker interferes in the spell, the multiverse is ripped open, with the resurrection of titular characters, such as the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) and Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) from the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man installments. Rumors of a possible Sinister Six team up are possible in the film as well, with characters such Electro (Jamie Foxx) making their return to the big screen, throwing Parker into one of his most harrowing battles yet. In reference to the expansion of the multiverse in current and future films, fans are excited yet worried. “I’m actually super excited! I think the movie and the whole multiverse concept is going to be so cool! I do

worry that if they keep making content around the multiverse beyond this phase (or phases depending on the story) that it’ll get confusing to follow. But I am so excited to see how they work with it now,” sophomore Kiki Johnson said. Fans are also anxious to see the inclusion of other newly introduced villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, such as those introduced in Marvel’s limited series that premiered on Disney Plus. “I hope they somehow tie Kang into all of this! I know it’s going to be a super packed movie so I wouldn’t be disappointed if they didn’t but I think it’ll be cool,” Johnson said. With only one trailer released, it is evident that Spider-Man: No Way Home is going to be a huge hit at the box office. While the possibility of seeing old, or new characters, with the possibility of Andrew Garfield or Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man, remains uncertain, fans can barely contain their excitement for this multiversal crossover, hitting theaters Dec. 17.

Marvel Studios ‘What-If?’ Over the course of the summer, Marvel Studios released several new shows featuring several characters from the films. The newest release, “What-If?” takes a look at the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole through a new lense. It explores the question of “what if” and gives a glimpse into what could have happened. New episodes are released every Friday on Disney+.

The Southern SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

SPORTS UP NEXT

Men’s Soccer 9/18 vs. Palm Beach Atlantic* 9/22 vs. Rollins 9/25 vs. Nova Southeastern

Women’s Soccer 9/18 vs. Palm Beach Atlantic 9/22 vs. Rollins* 9/25 vs. Nova Southeastern*

Women’s Volleyball 9/18 vs. Eckerd College 9/24 vs. Florida Tech 9/25 vs Barry University

* Indicates away game

PAST GAMES Men’s Soccer University of Alabama, Huntsville: T 0-0 University of Montevallo: T 2-2 Southern Nazarene: L 2-3 Shorter Univeristy: W 4-0 Lynn University: L 0-1

Women’s Soccer Edward Waters: W 7-0 Anderson University: W 2-0 Spring Hill: W 4-0 Texas A&M: L 0-1 University of West Florida: L 0-1

Fans officially return to athletic events Caroline Bryant & Isabelle Hancock

Staff Writer & Online Editor

As we kick off the new fall semester, Florida Southern’s athletics department is allowing fans at sporting events with set guidelines and protocols to ensure everyone’s safety as FSC tackles the new semester. On Aug. 31, FSC athletics issued a press release announcing information about sports teams having fans cheering them on in the stands this semester and the ticket prices to attend. “For all regular season ticketed events, ticket prices for adults are $7, with seniors, students, and military members paying $5. Florida Southern College students with a valid 2021-22 ID card are free of charge, as are all children under the age of 12,” FSC Athletics announced. According to the protocols and guidelines, fans must wear masks if they are attending any indoor sporting events held on campus. For outdoor events, fans are strongly encouraged to wear masks, though it is not mandatory. As of now, there are also no social distancing guidelines or restrictions on the number of fans allowed at each game. “The fans have an enormous impact on game day,” Victoria Routt, senior goalkeeper for the women’s soccer team said. “It changes the entire energy of the stadium and gives us much more motivation to do well and get the win for our home crowd.” Having that atmosphere come from fellow Mocs makes it worthwhile. “The fans also make game days more fun to be in and it’s amazing to know that so many of our classmates are supporting us in our sport,” Routt said. The school plans to keep venues clean and safe by sanitizing seats and handrails, as well as providing multiple hand sanitizer stations around each of the venues. With these protocols set in place, everyone can enjoy attending sporting events while remaining safe. “We are very excited to safely welcome back fans, it just hasn’t been the same without them,” Director of Athletics and Dean of Wellness, Drew Howard said.

Photo by Kathlita Hostetler, courtesy of FSC Athletics

FSC fans attend the men’s soccer game. Neither men’s or women’s soccer had played in front of fans since 2019. After a year break, both the women’s and men’s soccer teams returned to Moccasin field last Thursday, Sept. 2 for their first pre-season games. The women’s team defeated Edward Waters University 2-0, while the men tied 0-0 with the University of Alabama in Huntsville. While the teams utilized their time off for extra practice, many players believe the return of their supporters advanced their performance. The school’s first athletic game of the season was the FSC vs. SNU men’s soccer game which took place on Monday, Sept. 6 at Moccasin Field. Students, staff, friends and family showed up to cheer on our athletes. Soccer athlete, Kyle Carr was feeling a range of emotions about his recent game and having the stands filled. “I was a bit more nervous to have a bigger crowd again. We haven’t had a crowd like that in almost 2 years,” Carr said. “But I’m also definitely happy to have fans back and see my family attend the games.” Though the Mocs lost 2-1 in overtime, Carr said the fans were definitely impactful because “hearing them cheer us on drives all of us.” To fifth year Moc, Henry Phillips, senior outside back for men’s soccer, it

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doesn’t matter if the fans are from FSC or not. Any sort of cheering fires him up. “I remember playing our last game against Tampa this previous spring, at Tampa, in front of a packed crowd and the noise was deafening,” Phillips said. “Even though it wasn’t our own fans, just to play in that atmosphere again, just brought back what playing in front of fans was all about and what we had missed.” And what was missing was that sense of community. While we tend to overlook the roars and the “tap tap hiss” of the crowd at any sports event on campus, each game unites everyone together towards two objectives- the love for sport and the love for our school- re-emphasizing a sense of community that was microscopic in 2020. “When we score or win it’s not just for us as a team but it’s us representing FSC, all the staff, students, and professors within it,” AJ Pearce, junior goalkeeper, said. “We play for each other and for the school, [so] with fans back it helps make our job that much easier in bringing us all together.” “Fans can always purchase season tickets by mail or online and/or purchase single-game tickets on game day at each venue,” Howard said.

fscsouthern@gmail.com Editor-in-Chief

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Online Editor

Deanna Wright

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Online Editor

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Jameson Champion

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