Volume CXL Issue 1

Page 1

January 22, 2020

Georgetown College’s Student–Run Newspaper

Volume CXL Issue 1

Spring semester kicks off with Chapel Day 2020 By ROBERT BIRD Staff Writer This past Sunday, Georgetown College celebrated the annual sorority Chapel Day, a day in which every sorority organization on campus welcomes new members to their chapters. After a long week of women’s recruitment, the women who accept bids from their chosen sororities run out of the John L. Hill Chapel dressed in that organizations colors and letters. The new members run out into the arms of their new sisters who are welcoming them at the base of the chapel, and it is

truly quite an amazing event for anyone to witness. The four sororities who participated in Chapel Day were Alpha Gamma Delta, Phi Mu, Kappa Delta, and Sigma Kappa. Each chapter welcomed home many new members, and each and every member was overwhelmed with joy and and happiness at seeing their new sisters run out of the Chapel. The new member numbers for each chapter currently stands as follows: Kappa Delta, Sigma Kappa, and Phi Mu each received seventeen new members, and Alpha Gamma Delta received five. At the beginning of the week of recruitment, over 90 women had signed up to go through the recruitment process. Jorie Beil, who is a freshman here at Georgetown and went through women’s recruitment said that, “Recruitment was a process THE GEORGETONIAN/KELSEY ADAMS that gave me the Freshman Lacrosse women run out opportunity to of the chapel together in their new grow so many of my sorority colors, showing their panhel- friendships here on lenic spirit. campus. Not only

Inside

this issue

Tensions rise as Iowa Caucus looms page 3

was I able to join a group of women that will support me throughout the rest of my college journey, but I also met so many girls along the way…I would encourage anyone considering Greek life to go through recruitment.” One of the key and interesting aspects of women’s recruitment is that several women are selected, who do not wear the letters of their sorority so as to become neutral and unbiased, and become leaders for the women going through recruitment. These individuals are called Gamma Chis. Emma White, who served as a Gamma Chi for this year’s recruitment had the following to say about her experience as a Gamma Chi: “Being a Gamma Chi and being a part of the Panhel team is probably the most self-gratifying experience I’ve had while at GC. Empowering these women and guiding them through the recruitment process to find their home wasn’t always easy, but it was all worth it in the end. Also, because of being a Gamma Chi, I’ve gained a TON of new friends!” Also quoted was Hailey Bowman, who was another one of the Gamma Chi’s for

GC Mens Basketball continues to dominate page 4

THE GEORGETONIAN/ELIZABETH HUDGINS

Gamma Chis, the Greek women who help potential new members through the recuitment process, stand together before running out of the chapel. women’s recruitment. She said on her experience, that she, “wanted to help the Georgetown College ladies find their home and be there when things got hard…Recruitment 2020 brought its challenges but this team was amazing and so were the women who went through!” On being involved in the recruitment process in her sorority for the second time, Sigma Kappa member Samantha Hutchinson was quoted as saying, “Sorority recruitment was such a great ay to not only open our doors to the women around campus, but also our values, philanthropy, and

sisterhood. Each organization has such a beautiful and unique way of expressing our love for the sisters and friendships we have made and we are so happy that we got to welcome and share our experiences to all the new members.” All in all, women’s Chapel Day was definitely a rousing success. Coming up next is men’s Chapel Day, and it will definitely be another interesting and exciting event to experience on campus, as we see the men of Georgetown College find their forever homes as well.

Harry Styles tries new marketing stragety page 8

Should student athletes get paid? page 10


News

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Global

Headlines Compiled by Andrew Alvey  Roddy Ricch Hits No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 with hit “The Box,” blocking Justin Bieber’s “Yummy” from the top spot.  An overturned truck in Iowa releases 1,738 piglets onto the interstate in Des Moines. Police and personnel from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa worked for hours to round up the loose piglets.  A bar made out of over 1 million Legos is coming to Orlando, Florida in March. The bar will feature sculptures built from Legos and an adult playground where patrons can create Lego structures.  Police in Australia shared footage of a clumsy thief attempting to wheel a stolen dishwaser out of a home, dropping the dishwasher onto the sidewalk in the process.  Two deer crash through a furniture store in London, Kentucky. The store owner stated that about $5,000 worth of damage was caused by the deer that had broken through the glass door.

The Georgetonian

Legacy & Legends Scholarship celebrates GC Bicentennial

By WILLOW DOVE

Staff Writer Starting with the upcoming class of 2024, Georgetown College will be offering students from several local counties with a new and transformative opportunity in the form of the Legacy and Legends Scholarship. This scholarship will be offered to incoming freshmen from the fall of 2020 up to the fall of 2029, in honor of the College’s bicentennial celebration in 2029. Funded in part by alumni and donors, the purpose of this scholarship is to honor the history shared with multiple local counties including Scott County, Owen County, Casey County and Franklin County. For students who have either graduated from a high school in one of these counties or of which were residents for the previous year, this scholarship offers them a chance to attend one of the best liberal arts colleges in Kentucky. The Legacy and Legends Scholarship awards eligible recipients a full tuition scholarship, which is renewable for four years. These full-time, residential students will still have the opportunity to apply for outside scholarships to remaining expenses, such as meal plan and room and board; however, no additional Georgetown College scholarships or grants will be awarded to recipients of this scholarship. Although these students will be unable to receive scholarships from programs of distinction such as Honors programs or athletics, they are still highly encouraged to participate in such programs. These programs contribute to the fabric of what makes Georgetown a unique and meaningful four-year experience, and are meant to be enjoyed by all who attend. Aside from being a resident and/or

Georgetown College

Scott County students fill the John L. Hill Chapel as President Jones announces the Legacy and Legends Scholarship graduate of one of the selected counties, eligibility for the scholarship is simple and inclusive. These students must simply be admitted to Georgetown College under the same criteria as any other student, which allows a large number of students to have the opportunity to benefit from this scholarship across a wide range of backgrounds. Although it is encouraged for students to attain an ACT of at least 21 and a GPA of 3.0, admission is granted to those who have around a 19 ACT composite score and a 2.3 GPA (unweighted) or higher. Once admitted, students must remain in good standing while full time (at least 12 credit hours per semester) and live residentially on campus. This encourages students to use their time at Georgetown College to their best potential and gives them the greatest chance of success. Although this scholarship is directed at incoming students of local communities, it has the potential to greatly benefit the currently enrolled Georgetown students as well. The Legacy and Legends Scholarship will bring in more students as well as revenue that can be

put towards the constant effort of the school to improve upon the education and experience of the students. Georgetown College’s Vice President of Enrollment Management, Jonathan Sandswise, expounds on the multitude of benefits that the scholarship offers, commenting, “The Legacy and Legends Scholarship is an exciting opportunity not only for the students who will get this scholarship, but also for the college itself. The scholarship is significant and life-changing for eligible students, but even more significant is the growth that it is going to make possible for Georgetown College: the refresh of the physical campus that it will help to underwrite and drive, the new programs that it will support, and all of the ways that it is going to make us a stronger college while controlling costs for all of our students.” The upcoming years of Georgetown College will reflect the changes brought about by the Legacy and Legends Scholarship and will continue to contribute to the constant growth and upward momentum of the school.


News This Week in Georgetown: Jan. 22 - 28

Issue 1

By BENJAMIN ROBISON

Staff Writer Welcome back everyone! The semester is just beginning, and so are all the fun and exciting events happening at Georgetown. Be on the lookout for fun GAC events as well as more opportunities to earn those NEXUS credits. This week and next week starts Men’s Recruitment, with informal parties begin at every fraternity house, this week, followed by the formal parties next week. If you are an independent male and at all interested in fraternity life, make sure to go to all of the houses on campus, you can get good food, have a good time and make life-long connections As the semester begins, GAC will continue providing fun and free activ-

January 22, 2020 Page 3

ities for students to enjoy. Tonight, Jan. 22, in the Jones Hall Nelson Suite, GAC will be hosting a Canvas Painting session for all students beginning at 7 p.m. During the fall semester, this event attracted many students with the opportunity to paint and create something fun. This is one of a handful of crafting events sponsored by GAC that is happening throughout the semester. The monthly SGA General Assembly will be taking place in the Ward Room of the LRC at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23. During the assembly, the council members will be giving their monthly committee reports along, with other student organizations. Guest speakers for the assembly are Holly James, Director of the Graves Center, and Andrew Adler, Director of Library Services. Holly James will be speaking to

students about the importance and basics of resume building. Andrew Adler will be speaking about library services for students. This is also an easy and informative NEXUS event. GAC continues the fun this week on Saturday, the 25, as they will be giving away free movie tickets to the first 50 students who show up to the Theatres of Georgetown. The event starts at 4 p.m. and all students will need to bring their G-card in order to receive their ticket. New movies to check out are Like a Boss, Bad Boys for Life, 1917, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Why not stop by and check out a free movie at a local theatre during this cold winter season? On the morning of Tuesday, the 28th, the first chapel service of the semester will take place inside the

John Hill Chapel at 11 a.m. This is one of a handful of opportunities to earn your Tiger NEXUS credits. A former GC alum, Brittney Thomas, will be speaking for the service. She is a Lexington native and is an advocate for raising awareness about fighting human trafficking. Later Tuesday night, GAC will be continuing their weekly Trivia Night series at 7:30 p.m. in the Mulberry Café. The theme for the night is Harry Potter, with questions coming from the movies and books. Teams of up to four can compete for Mulberry gift certificates worth up to $20. These gift certificates are golden tickets later in the semester when you are stuck in library during midterms or finals. GAC will be having this Trivia Night every Tuesday night in the Mulberry at 7:30 p.m.

appealing to the two most energized portions of the Democratic electorate: suburban women and African American voters, according to The Washington Post. These appeals are especially notable in the early voting states, such as Iowa, where there are around 60 percent of voters who are still undecided on who they are going to ultimately vote for. In Iowa it is also relevent who the candidates second choice is as in the caucus system, if a candidate does not reach the 15% threshold in a precinct their voters much choose a different candidate who has. It is unclear with how the candidates attacking one another will play out when it comes to the polls, but it has party leaders worried. One of the most publicized infighting between the candidates originated in a 2018 meeting between Warren and Sanders, where Sanders aledgedly stated

that a woman was unable to become president. In last weeks Democratic Debate, Sanders denied that the exchange happened, while Warren stated that she was dissapointed that he said that. In an intense post-debate exchange ,Warren accused Sanders of calling her a liar on national television. Following the debate Sanders’s supporters took to twitter to attack Warren with the hashtags #NeverWarren, #LylinLiz, and #WarrenisaSnake all trending. Though, in polling of likely primary voters Warren’s favorability increased while Sanders’s decreased following the exhange. The underlying issue that most voters are worried about for this election is which candidate is best able to defeat President Trump in November. Joe Biden has stated that Sanders position as a Democratic Socialist is a weak point that Trump will take advantage of and one that will hurt downballot Democrats.

Warren and Bloomberg have a different rivalry going on however, as Warren has criticized how Bloomberg is “buying his elections.” In an interview with CNN, Warren said, “He’s [Bloomberg] decided to skip the ‘democracy’ part of the election. He’s not coming to places like Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada and meeting people. Instead, it’s all going to be set up for his TV ads, running his TV ads and making it work.” She has also stated that she is furious that Bloomberg was able to get an extension for filing the federal forms that all presidential candidates are required to fill out. Notably Bloomberg has spent $248 million so far this election, in comparison Warren herself has only spent $3.3 million and Biden has spent only $2.6 million according to MSNBC. After the Iowa caucus on Feb. 3, the number of candidates will likely decrease even more.

Tensions rise as Iowa caucus looms

By TYLER EVANS

Staff Writer With the 2020 presidential election happening in November, tensions are running high with candidates trying to win their primary elections; there are 15 total candidates remaining in the race, 12 Democrats and 3 Republicans. There are two weeks left until the Iowa caucus and the Democratic candidates are beginning to show agression towards one another. Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden have argued over electability, as Sen. Elizabeth Warren has begun criticisizing former NYC mayor Mike Bloomberg for spending millions to run for president. With Democratic front runners Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Pete Buttigieg essentially tied in both Iowa and New Hampshire according to aggregate polling, the candidates have focused more on


Page 4

Sports & Recreation

Conor McGregor triumphs at UFC 246, but who’s next?

By JACOB CLEMONS Staff Writer After a shocking performance at UFC 246 this past Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Conor Mcgregor has his eyes already set on another fight within the next five months, according to longtime coach John Kavanagh. Kavanagh also states that McGregor plans to treat 2020 like a season, as he plans to fight in three headline events this year. This comes after a 14-month timeframe in which he was not in the octagon after a notable loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov on Oct. 6, 2018. McGregor finished his fight this weekend in 40 seconds, winning with a round 1 KO over Donald Cerrone, in which Cerrone did not land a single strike against McGregor. This helps McGregor plan his next fight quicker, with zero recovery time from the fight. Conor and his team have stated that they are “staying ready” in case of injury or withdrawal from UFC 249, where Tony Ferguson is scheduled to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov on Apr. 18 in Brooklyn, Ny. However, with this being unlikely, Conor is going to be looking at opponents such as Jorge Masvidal, Jose Aldo or Justin Gaethie. McGregor’s coach, John Kavanagh, has told ESPN that any of these fights will be fought at 170lbs. The only way for that to change was if a title fight was being discussed.

Nate Diaz will also be a name brought up during McGregor’s next fight discussions. These two last fought in August of 2016, with that victory going to McGregor by decision after the fifth round. If a fight with Diaz was to happen, this would be McGregor’s third fight with Diaz in the last four years. The betting odds for this fight have already been released, having Conor as a -250 favorite. Conor looks for a trilogy of fights this year, all setting up for a title fight early 2021. His eyes are set on acquiring his titles which he lost in 2018 to Khabib Nurmagomedov, including the featherweight and lightweight titles. Who would you like to see McGregor fight next?

The Georgetonian

GC Mens Basketball continues to dominate

By ADAM BETZ Staff Writer The Georgetown College Men’s basketball team is off to a great start this season while trying to match their National Championship season a year prior. The Tigers are 17-0 with wins over four teams either inside of the top 25 NAIA poll or receiving votes in the top 25 poll. They look to continue their success through this week on the road against long-time rival Campbellsville on Thursday, and against Lindsey Wilson at home on Saturday. The Tigers are led in scoring by Nico Clareth with 20.1 points per game while coming in off the bench. Jacob Conway is averaging 16.8 points per game, and he has recently led the team in scoring against

conference foes Pikeville and Cumberland. Third on the team in scoring is Jake Ohmer with 16.6 points per game. Chris Coffey leads the nation and team in rebounds per game with 12.7, and he also adds 16 points per contest. Point gaurd, Eljay Cowherd leads the team and is third in the nation in assists at 7.4 per game, and he adds 12.9 points per game. New addition Rade Kukobat joins the team after transferring from Eastern Illinois University. He made a huge splash in his first game in the black and orange as he led the team in scoring with 14 points against Life University. This Tigers team is full of explosive scorers, but they also pride themselves on defense. They are first in the

nation in field goal percentage and second in the nation in points per game. Additionally, the defense is second in the nation in field goal percentage, holding opponents to under 37 percent from the field. The Tigers are also fourth in the nation in total rebounds. It has been an impressive performance thus far for the Tigers and it is one they only hope to build upon for the rest of the season. The Tigers next home game is on Saturday against Lindsey Wilson at 4 p.m. following the women’s game at 2 pm. NAIA Hoops Report said, “Some say [the Tigers are the] best NAIA team they have ever seen,” so do not miss out on your limited opportunities to see greatness.

GEORGETOWN ATHLETICS JANUARY Thu 23 6:00 PM Thu 23 6:00 PM Thu 23 8:00 PM Fri & Sat 24-25 Fri & Sat 24-25 Sat 25 Sat 25 Sat 25 2:00 PM Sat 25 4:00 PM Wed 29 6:00 PM Thu 30 6:00 PM Thu 30 8:00 PM FEBRUARY Sat 1 Sat 1 Sat 1 2:00 PM Sat 1 4:00 PM

Women’s Basketball @ Women’s Basketball @ Men’s Basketball @ Men’s Indoor Track & Field Women’s Indoor Track & Field Men’s Indoor Track & Field Women’s Indoor Track & Field Women’s Basketball vs. Men’s Basketball vs. Cheerleading @ Women’s Basketball vs. Men’s Basketball vs.

Campbellsville University Campbellsville University Campbellsville University Tom Hathaway Distance Challenge Tom Hathaway Distance Challenge Jessica Starks Open Jessica Starks Open Lindsey Wilson College Lindsey Wilson College Midway University Shawnee State University Shawnee State University

Men’s Indoor Track & Field Women’s Indoor Track & Field Women’s Basketball @ Men’s Basketball @

Greyhound Invitational Greyhound Invitational University of Pikeville University of Pikeville


Issue 1

Sports & Recreation

January 22, 2020 Page 5

GC XC and Track & Field make huge leaps

By HAYDEN SHEROAN

As an incoming freshman for the Georgetown cross country and track team, I have had to learn to adjust to the standards of college athletics in comparison to high school. Learning to adjust to this level the training is physically and mentally demanding. While cross country and track are two very competitive sports that require challenging and time-consuming training, they do not get the attention that they deserve. Throughout my experience as a runner in both high school and college, the sport seems misrepresented among the surrounding community. This year at Georgetown College, the current and incoming tigers have made

unprecedented Hamlett set strides and show two new school potential to be an records, one in exciting program the 200-meter to follow. Some and the other in of the accolades the 400-meter. achieved during Hamlett was the this past cross country season track athlete to include two runbe named to the ners of the week mid-south confer(Jaxon Downs ence indoor athand Jodie Smith), lete of the week. the 11th fastest At the same meet, women’s 5k time Reed Feagle set a in school history twitter.com/gtownxctf school record in (Anna Wells), a Pre-Meet huddle for the mens cross country team. the weight throw second team all conference runner attempt as a tiger. ship. Although the track and (Anna Wells), a At the most recent indoor meet for the en’s team at the mid-south the team has already shown Tigers, high jumper Emma conference championship signs of great improvement Bianchi cleared a national qualifying height that tied the the men’s team at the Mid- indoor meet of the season for school record and was enough south Conference Champion- the tigers, sprinter Austin

the meet. Buddy Lukens threw a personal best in the weight throw and earned the second best mark in school history. The men’s 4x400-meter relay team was two seconds off from the school record. Three female runners, Myah Menfee, Rosey Jones and Libby Miller, all topped the women’s 60-meter dash school record with Miller posting the best time of the three. All in all, the two teams have shown great success compared to previous marks in school history and are continuing to show improvement. More acknowledgement of these achievements should be encouraged among the Georgetown College community in order to spark some tiger pride and congratulate these hard working athletes.

Superbowl 54 Set: Chiefs vs. 49ers By REESE ASHER

As the NFL season winds down, two teams are left to battle it out for the Vince Lombardi trophy on Feb, 2 in Super Bowl LIV. The Kansas City Chiefs will be representing the AFC down in Miami as they square off against the NFC champions, the San Francisco 49’ers. This is sure to be a great game as the Chiefs are coming off of one of the most impressive passing seasons in NFL history and they will go up against, what many have said, is one of the best defenses in the league this season. The road to the Super

Bowl for both teams was quite different. The Chiefs surrendered massive leads to both the Texans and the Titans in the divisional round and the AFC championship. In the divisional game, the Chiefs let the Texans jump out to a very early 24-0 lead, but that would be squashed within a matter of three minutes as they came storming back to take down the Texans 51-31. The next week felt all too familiar for the Chiefs as they allowed the Titans to jump out to an early lead. They got out to 10-0 and 17-7 leads in the would reel themselves in and score 14 unanswered to take a

21-17 lead going into the half. In the second half, the Chiefs would not be denied as they had the Titan defense on its heels, opening up the running lanes for a Damien Williams touchdown in the fourth. The Titans would manage to come up with a late score, but a 60-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes would solidify the Chiefs spot in Miami in two weeks. For the 49’ers, they made things look a whole lot easier as they bullied the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship and took a 27-0 halftime lead. They were dominant on both sides of the ball and the Packers did not have an

answer for Raheem Mostert as he would go for four scores and nearly 230 yards on the ground. The Packers did show some life in the second half, but it was too much to mount any sort of comeback, therefore helping the 49’ers punch their ticket to a date with Kansas City in Miami. This Super Bowl is des-

tined to be a good one. There is a plethora of young stars for both squads and the San Francisco defense looks to be the direct counter for one of the brightest young talents in the game, Patrick Mahomes. Make sure you tune in on Feb, 2 at 6:30p.m. to watch the action unfold.

If you’re interested in becoming a

writer for the Georgetonian, contact Buddy Lukens at:

GLukens@georgetowncollege.edu


Features

Page 6

The Georgetonian

Georgetown hosts annual MLK Jr. Day parade

By KATIE SWANSON

Staff Writer On Monday, Jan. 20, the Martin Luther King Jr. parade took place in downtown Georgetown. This day is to remember the actions and accomplishments King made in his lifetime. Today, many people remember the fight he went through over racial injustices in America and in its justice system. King was born on Jan. 15, 1929; however, we celebrate the holiday on the third Monday of the year. This day honors his legacy, promotes nonviolent changes, gets people involved in public services and focuses on civil rights issues. In Georgetown, we put on a parade to honor him and bring

people together. Most schools everyone involved. Once the march was comand businesses are closed on The march started on Col- pleted, Rev. Dr. Aaron Parker, MLK, JR. Day. This allows lege Street, turned onto Mil- the Senior Pastor of Zion Hill people to take a break from itary Street, and then went Baptist Church from Atlanta, the stress of their own lives, down to Main Street, through Ga was welcomed by the city come together and remember the downtown area, on to to speak at the program. The what we have been through. Broadway and then back to program started at 5 p.m. at This event is sponsored by the college. the First Baptist Church in the city of Georgetown Georgetown. and the Scott County GovThere was transernment, the NAACP and portation availGeorgetown College. able for those who To begin the day, there could not get to and was a meet and greet held from the college to in the Student Center the program. Rev. Lounge at Georgetown Parker spoke at the College at 3:30 p.m. program. Bringing before the march started. people together and The march started at forming relationapproximately 4 p.m. ships through educaRev. Dwight Webster was tion and faith based present at both the meet nps.gov organizations is one and greet and the march Martin Luther King, Jr. in Washington D.C. of his main goals to enjoy the day with through Justice &

Beyond, an organization that analyzes and addresses issues that are critical to justice and righteousness. Choirs, combined of Scott County High School and Great County High School, played music during the program. The hopes of the march and program were to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and remember everything he believed in and fought for. Portraying his message throughout generations is important because it shows our history and where we have come from. Georgetown holds many events like this near the college in the hopes of bringing the community together. Be on the lookout for upcoming events like this one!

through recruitment learned about each sorority’s values and philanthropy and then got to spend a special night in the house(s) of their preference hearing about the possibilities that await them as members of the Greek society. There were a few hiccups along the way and many late nights; yet, the excitement for chapel day far exceeded these frustrations. For many, last week was extremely emotional as women were faced with some big decisions. Often times, the voices of friends and family ring loud in the thoughts of the potential members. Other times, it’s each lady’s own inner voice that is frantically

chants and rooting for their new girls. At around 2:30 on Sunday afternoon, many girls ran through those chapel doors and down the stairs into the warm embraces of their new sisters. The crowds of pink, purple, green and red were beautiful against the backdrop of the John L. Hill chapel and a sight looked upon by an eager crowd full of fraternity brothers, campus faculty and staff and even our president Dr. Jones and his family. Congratulations to all of the new members of Greek life! Enjoy your new homes away from home and cheers to receiving endless love and support from your new sisters.

Georgetown College takes on recruitment

By CHARITY STOLTZ

Staff Writer A much anticipated time for many women on campus, recruitment has finally arrived. After an entire semester of socials and parties which allowed freshmen and independent upperclassmen ladies to meet women from each sorority, it was finally time for these friendships to be taken to the next level through the bonds of sisterhood. Last week, the ladies of Kappa Delta, Alpha Gamma Delta, Phi Mu and Sigma Kappa spent hours preparing, organizing and decorating within their houses for potential new members. Within three days, women going

trying to decide where they feel most at home. Emotions were especially tested on Saturday night when the first round of parties was delayed by four hours. Gamma Chis worked hard to provide entertainment and peace of mind for the recruits while each sorority found different ways to have fun and perfect some last-minute details. Those who were determined to finish out recruitment strong reaped the reward of getting to share one last emotional night with their new friends and potential new sisters. It was a week of transition from break to school and from friends to sisters and

tears and screams of joy were warranted. It was a week full of hard work, sweat, and even some tears as emotions ran high. It is truly a wonder how these women tackle both their first week of classes and recruitment. Still, with a few mixups and a lot of excitement, the week ended in a cold but energizing chapel day. Having received bids that morning, the potential new members quickly ran to Walmart and Kroger to get paint, clothing and hopefully hand warmers in the color of the sorority they accepted their bid from. Excitement grew as each sorority gathered outside the chapel doors screaming their


Features

Issue 1

January 22, 2020 Page 7

Alumni spotlight: Maggie Donaldson Mills

By BEN ROBISON

Staff Writer The annual Founder’s Day Convocation took place yesterday inside the John L. Hill Chapel. Founder’s Day Convocation is a time to remember and celebrate the history of the college, as well as honor former GC alumni who have impacted the college and lives of countless others following their time at Georgetown. During the ceremony, six GC alumni were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Among them were Leroy and Jean Flowers Albright, Betty Jean Lindle Chatham, Bob and Betty Bell Lykins and Gwen Cranfill Curry. The Founder’s Day address was given by Maggie Donald-

son Mills, a 1969 graduate here at Georgetown College. Maggie Mills earned a German major and English minor with a certificate in teaching during her time at Georgetown. During her senior year in 1969, she won the honor of Belle of the Blue while representing Kappa Delta sorority in the contest. She also won the Maskrafter’s “Best Actress” awards for her performance in “The Crucible.” While at Georgetown College, Maggie met her future husband, Bob Mills, whom she eventually married during the winter of 1969. Following her time at Georgetown, Mills continued her education and obtained her Master’s in German from

Indiana University. She began her teaching career shortly thereafter and captivated students with exciting, new experiences. During her tenure as a high school teacher, she was also a drill team instructor for 15 years and took multiple study abroad trips to Europe with her German students. For her extraordinary service to students, she was given the “Above and beyond the Call of Duty” Commendation Award in 1991 by the Norwood Board of Education. During her Founder’s Day address, Mills touched on the history of Georgetown College and how it came to be a distinguished educational institution. She also shared

Tree hugger: Claire Oyler

By ABBY SPARKMAN

Features Editor Claire is a senior at Georgetown College, where she is very involved on and off campus. Some of her favorite memories at Georgetown are from her time spent playing lacrosse, running XC and/or spending last semester studying abroad with one of her best friends, Sara Shawver. Both ladies studied at Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford. Claire is hopeful that after she graduates she will continue spreading awareness about keeping the environment clean.

her experiences at Georgetown and how proud she is to be a Tiger. She spoke about the past presidents of the college and the impact they had on creating the quality education and atmosphere we experience on Georgetown’s campus. Maggie also talked about the difficult times the college persevered, especially during its infancy, to become a foundation for students to grow in their faith and education. She also briefly mentioned that the college will be celebrating its bicentennial just nine years from now in 2029. Before concluding, Mills explained her overall experience as a student at Georgetown College. She said, “my

four years at Georgetown College were solid ones, providing a rich, varied, and strong foundation from which I expanded as I built my life and my career. The passion possessed by my professors for their teaching and their care for my learning were clearly evident and inspired me daily in my 35 year career as an educator. The many campus organizations in which I participated, including Kappa Delta, taught me life lessons about leadership, friendship, cooperation, and communication and to this day, I treasure the lifelong friends I made while here. Georgetown College and its liberal arts tradition were invaluable for me, and I believe that they

If you are interested in becoming a writer or photographer for the Features section, contact Abby Sparkman at asparkman@george-

THE GEORGETONIAN/Claire Oyler

Claire hugging one of her favorite trees.

towncollege.edu


Page 8

Arts Entertainment

The Georgetonian

Harry Styles tries new marketing strategy By MORGAN FRANK

Staff Writer Harry Styles released his album “Fine Line” right at the end of the fall 2019 semester. This album included 12 songs that amounted to a total of 46 minutes and 43 seconds of enchanting vocals and funky vibes. However, even though the album was incredible, the coolest thing Styles did was his marketing strategy regarding his music video for “Adore You.” During the end of November, ads for a vacation spot called Eroda began to pop up. This little Europen Island seemed to be a little strange. It had a small website that pushed for tourists and yet no links to any flights or hotels as well as a few social media pages with only a couple of posts. One of these posts highlighted the African Jewel fish that had recently made the news. The island of Eroda relied heavily on fishing, so the tweet didn’t stick out too much, other than

the fact that it was ous. one of the only tweets First of all, Eroda from the country. is simply Adore However, as strange spelled backward. as it was, all was fine Styles’ third song until a very concerned on Fine Line is entitwitter user began to tled “Adore You.” investigate this interTwo of Eroda’s street esting destination. names mentioned on This user explained the site are Golden that in his investiWay and Cherry gation he discovered Street. “Golden” and that Eroda doesn’t “Cherry” are also actually exist. After two of Styles’ songs wikimediacommons.org his questions about on “Fine Line.” FurHarry Styles’ “Fine Line” this mysterious thermore, Styles dropped last fall island went viral, was actually seen many others who filming on a coastal were intrigued also began to investi- spot in Europe. This area looked gate the interesting island. Not many vaguely similar to the look of the questions were answered until it was so-called Island of Eroda. found that there was a Facebook pixel This mystery was soon resolved on on the Eroda website that can also be Dec 6 when Styles released his “Adore found on Harry Styles website. It was You” music video starring himself and here that the clues began to seem obvi- a fish that he loves: the exact fish that

was highlighted on Eroda’s Twitter. While this extensive marketing trick might seem strange and out of place, it may have actually been effective. Any die-hard Styles fan was going to listen to his album and likely watch his new music video, but those were not the type investigating this strange island of Eroda. By creating this intriguing and new form of investigative marketing, Styles broadened his audience and marketed his new album to more people than he would have without the mysterious island destination. Was it annoying for the people who spent hours running down the rabbit hole of Eroda? Sure. Yet, it left many who wouldn’t take a second look at Styles’ new video with exposure to it and likely a little more respect for him. Props to the former boy band member who created an entire island vacation spot to promote his new music video about a fish.

traumatic past in order to be able to focus on the present and dream about the future. This can be seen in Anne’s quote from the official season three trailer, “I want to know who made me, who came before...I need to know if I was loved.” But that’s not all that must be solved for Anne. She must also navigate social life with the rest of her classmates; protests to her opinions, personal mistakes and how to rectify them, criminal protests, loss of loved ones, dating, embracing new friends, finding independence, deciding your own path in life, how to stick up for each other and various other life lessons. The cancellation leaves us all with two major unfinished plot lines, one featuring a new character just

CBC, a Canadian network that also airs the show. “Anne with an E” was also popular not just with the masses but with award committees. The cast and crew has been rewarded handsomely with awards such as: ACTRA Toronto Award for outstanding performance (Amybeth McNulty – Anne), Canadian Screen Award for: Best Production Design or Art Direction in a Fiction Program or Series, Best Photography in a Dramatic Program or Series, Best Lead Actress -Drama Series, Best Dramatic Series and the Golden Trailer Award for Best Animation/Family. This list only includes awards won in 2019, not even mentioning all the nominations the show had or how many were won in 2017 or 2018.

“Anne with an E” releases final season

By AMANDA GAUNCE

Staff Writer “Anne with an E,” the latest adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s classic “Anne of Green Gables,” released the third and final season on Jan 3 of this year. This final installment takes us through Anne and her classmates’ struggles in becoming young adults and finding where they fit in the world, as well as what kind of people they want to become. Anne and her friends in Green Gables are in their senior year of school. They are spending the year getting ready for their college entrance exams; yet sometimes life just demands your attention away from academics. During the course of the year, Anne must deal with her

introduced to us this season, and no new insight on Anne’s college years. The fans of the Netflix original series showed their disappointment and demand for a fourth season by trending #AnneWithAnE with over one million tweets on Twitter and getting the starring actress Amybeth McNulty to one million Instagram followers. There is even a petition to renew the show. A group of determined fans have also paid for multiple digital billboards to be displayed in downtown Toronto which promoted the adaptation. Despite this show of support for the Netflix original and the cast, “Anne with an E” will not be returning. It is said that the reason for the popular show’s cancellation was a dissolution of the partnership between Netflix and


Issue 1

Arts Entertainment

January 22, 2020 Page 9

Why you need to watch “You”

By TAYLOR REESE

Staff Writer “You” is the show of the year. It is all the rage and is gaining lots of interest, especially with the psychotically thrilling season two having been released just last month. If you have not watched “You” on Netflix, then you are truly missing out. “You” is a show for those interested in almost everything, from criminal justice and law to psychology. If these subjects spark your interest, you may be in for a late Christmas present. The writers have outdone themselves as they continue to keep their audienceon edge. Those who are just really into thrilling shows, full of dramatic plot twists, crime and murder will also enjoy this. It is especially targeted to

people who are interested in riveting shows that feature fascinating, somewhat attractive serial killers (I’m looking at you “Ted Bundy girls”). For those of you who have not watched “You” but do fall under one of these categories, you should definitely watch this show. I just recently binge-watched both seasons within four or five days because I was just that hooked. I am not going to spoil anything for those who have not watched it because I hope that you either are going to start watching it soon or you are going to watch it immediately after you have read my very convincing article. The first season of “You” introduces you to Joe Goldberg, an attractive young man who runs a small bookstore in New York City. In the first

episode he “meets” Guinevere Beck. Well, more like he sees her first, then meets her. I am not going to say too much more so I don’t spoil the plot, but I will say within the first episode you get a shocking look into Joe’s obsessive nature. Instead of easing the audience into what seems to be Joe’s unstable mentality, we instead see into it from the get-go. You are automatically hit with the insight of Joe’s obsessive nature, especially concerning Guinevere Beck. Within the first 10 minutes of the first episode you get to see that Joe may seem normal on the outside, but, internally, there is something just not quite right. As the season develops, you get to see more of Joe’s psychopathy and get to see his seemingly normal rela-

tionships develop, but while watching these seemingly normal interactions, you also get to see the dark and obsessive side of these actions taken by Joe and others. Season one is thrilling to say the least; with so many twists and turns, the writers make it difficult to foreshadow what is going to happen next. Season two is the same way and will give you even more of an insight into Joe’s mentality. In season two you think you know what’s going to happen, but then you are completely blindsided, and that is honestly part of the appeal in watching “You”. So, if you haven’t yet, you should watch “You” and become just as hooked as I am.

This is the best song cover of all time

By TREY SMALLWOOD Staff Writer I have a bold claim, and I know it might sound crazy: I have found the best cover of a song of all time. Strike that, I have found possibly the most technically perfect opening line to any song, ever. Let me explain. I am a big fan of the British Broadcasting Corporation’s Radio One Live Lounge performances. They invite various artists to come and perform a song or two of their own, but they also perform a cover of another artist. The greatest of these is Thirty Seconds to Mars’ cover of “Stay” by Rihanna. I discovered this cover by going down the metaphorical “Youtube rabbit hole.” I was watching cover after cover until I stumbled upon greatness. Being seven years down the list of covers, I discovered that on Sept. 17, 2013, Thirty Seconds to Mars covered “Stay.” Since that day

the video has received nearly 53 million other views, making it the top cover from the BBC Live Lounge. The video became so popular that a year later the band recorded and released a single on streaming services of the band playing the song. While the unchanged musical introduction to the song seems long (23 seconds) it is well worth the wait. When Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman Jared Leto starts to sing, it hits you harder than a freight train. In the video, Leto stands completely unphased in his leather jacket and aviators as he bellows the sharpest and most precise opening line to a song ever. With sparse backing on drums and piano, Leto allows himself to delve the depths of his voice for the requisite soul and emotion the pop ballad demands. With every crack in his voice, Jared Leto made the song his own and, was it not for the video, you wouldn’t know

he was reading the lyrics off of a music ing “Thirty Seconds to Mars - Stay stand. Leto even knows he killed the (Rihanna) in the Live Lounge,” and I performance, cooly uttering, “There encourage you to. I hope that with this you go...” at the end. piece I can start a series on an often Leto goes on long runs through- overlooked part of music - covers. So out the song and in similar places as if you have a cover that you would like Rihanna (putting emphasis on the title me to review, send me an email at drsword “stay”) and each time, putting in mallwood@georgetowncollege.edu. more gusto than the last, slowly building the emotion of the song up to tremendous heights. I am not a super fan of Rihanna, and I have tried to listen to other Thirty Seconds to Mars songs, but truly none compares to this cover. In fact, I would not say that I even enjoy the rest of his music (or even acting) which just makes this song so much more credible in my opinion. Wikimediacommons.org You can check out this Thirty Seconds to Mars live cover on Youtube by search-


Opinion

Page 10

The Georgetonian

Should student athletes get paid? Of course. By KATIE SWANSON Staff Writer Going to college and furthering your education has become more popular over the last few decades. It is something that is expected now; however, what a lot of people do not realize is that the cost of any university can put you in debt for many years once you graduate. Many arguments center around athletes and whether or not they should get paid for their sport. Some social figures, such as pro athletes and senators, support the idea that students who are involved in

varsity sports should receive payment. They feel this way because playing a college sport is like a full time job. Most college sports, at any level, take up the majority of a student’s day. There is not enough time between meetings, practices, treatments, and classes to get a job. A lot of students play sports because it helps them pay for their school. However, a lot of times this is not enough because many students deal with financial issues. The majority of people today are categorized in the middle to lower working class,

which means that paying for school is not so easy; therefore, if students could continue to take classes and play sports while also receiving money for it, then we could see a drop in student loan debts. In addition to this, when dealing with physical sports, many athletes will run into injuries. This can lead to surgeries, therapy or having to purchase medical equipment. Some may not be able to afford these needs; however, if they were also being paid it may be easier to afford, and again, they would not be in as

much debt. This would be an added benefit because student athletes would be healthier. On the other hand, sports teams can be one of the leading sources of income for many colleges. At any school, sports teams could bring in thousands of dollars to the program. This becomes free advertising for the school because it becomes well known through the sport and it allows for more money to circulate. This leads to better facilities for its students and can increase enrollment, and thus increase revenue. This would ultimately

attract more athletes that are prepared to play at a higher level, and lead to higher profile athletes coming to the schools which would then bring in more money for the college. Overall, paying athletes would benefit both the student and the school. Even though there may be minor problems that arise, the benefits that come out of it would overshadow those minor issues. This would lead to a better experience for student athletes and a better outlook on the school and the sports program.

By COOPER ADKINS & ASHLYN REED Opinion Editor, Staff Writer Cooper Adkins: Over the past few months, Georgetown College has announced multiple scholarships giving free tuition to students across the state of Kentucky. Many students have complained about this, and I completely understand where they are coming from, especially if you happened to have graduated from one of those high schoools and pay much more than future students from your school will pay. However, looking at the economic aspect of things for the College, this is a smart move. While the students don’t have to pay tuition, they still have to pay for their dorm and their meal plan. This will drastically increase the revenue of the college, as there

are empty rooms in various buildings across campus. The increase in students paying for housing and meal plans would provide an influx of money for the college. This money could be used to provide much needed renovations to dorms all over campus, and other projects such as that. These scholarships also provide a chance for an excellent education, especially for people who normally couldn’t be able to afford it.We are a Christian college, and providing affordable education to everyone should be a goal. In addition to assisting those who may have financial problems, the scholarships would increase student involvement on campus. By increasing enrollment, more people would be on campus to take part in events and join

clubs and other organizations. While these scholarships have been controversial among the students on campus, they are crucial to Georgetown, by continuing to provide an excellent education to everyone, in funding renovations on campus, and increasing the size of the student body on campus.

that county’s high school or live within the county limits. How does this affect you? It really doesn’t. Except for the fact that instead of fixing moldy showers and crumbling ceilings, Georgetown can give free tuition to new students. While this opportunity opens so many new doors for students who never thought they could go to college, I also don’t want them deceived. It is free tuition, so they still have to pay for room, board, fees and books. But let’s be honest, free tuition is already a large cut anyways, and if scholarships apply to their discounted rates, then we also don’t have any chance at better HVAC units in our dorms. This new scholarship will allow so many more less fortunate students a better shot at an education, but slanted

doors and rusted hinges will have to wait. The requirements for the new scholarship are fairly low also, just like the amount of parking spaces Georgetown has for the current students. While nothing has yet been said about how this affects our current tuition or fees, I will believe that this does not affect me when I don’t see new costs on my bill for each semester. I worked very hard to gain scholarships and even with my high academic acheievment, I am not paying as little as the new students are. However, I can’t wait to meet these new students, and I hope that Georgetown College becomes their home because of how we make them feel and not because of the small tuition rates they pay.

Student perspectives on Legacy and Legends Scholarships

Ashlyn Reed: It isn’t a secret, Georgetown College has been at the center of local and state news here recently. Why? It’s all about the Legacy and Legends Scholarship Georgetown College has signed a few new deals with local schools, stretching from Casey County all the way to Louisville. What is this deal? That graduates of certain high schools will receive free tuition at Georgetown College if they either graduate from


Opinion

Issue 1

January 22nd, 2020 Page 11

Our society needs to The Georgetonian end fat shaming now By TAYLOR REESE Staff Writer Shaming and being rude to someone just because of their outside appearance has gone on since the dawn of time but with social media it is able to be so much more prevalent and easy to do, so that dozens, hundreds, and even thousands, or millions of people are able to see it. Within the past decade and especially the past few years fat shaming has become an issue, especially on social media platforms. People see pictures or even just profiles of large women and will take the time to comment something awful about their weight or sometimes they even privately message these women saying they need to lose weight and calling them awful names about them being full-figured. With social media people do not have to even know the people they are fat shaming. They can just see a random person or a celebrity and can share a mean message and everyone can see it. A specific situation I currently have in mind is where the singer Lizzo has been fat shamed on numerous social media platforms, especially on Twitter where numerous people have fat shamed her for the sole reason of being mean. One man on Twitter made a statement claiming that Lizzo is only famous

because she is full-figured and that her supporters and fans are supporting obesity. Personally, I completely disagree with this and most others would probably agree with me especially her fans. I did not start listening to Lizzo because she is full figured I started listening to her because her songs make me want to turn up and scream her lyrics to the top of my lungs. Do I admire her for not letting her weight stop her? Heck yeah I do because too many women and men who are full figured feel that they cannot get out there like average sized people or do not believe they are as good as average sized people. I support her for embracing who she is, not letting the haters get to her and being an amazing artist. Being her fan is not supporting obesity or unhealthy weight gain that is detrimental to your health. What is supporting obesity is the fact that a Little Debbie’s Fudge Round is cheaper than fruit or to stuff to make a salad. Or that it’s cheaper to go through the drive thru of a fast food restaurant than it is to buy the ingredients for a healthy home cooked meal or a gym membership. That is the real problem in our society, not full-figured women who are good singers. Lizzo is an absolutely beautiful singer who is aware of her size and if she is healthy

and her life is not affected by her weight, then why should people be bothered by it? Women and men who are overweight may just be born large boned or figured and will be that size, regardless of their food intake or exercise, they may have a health condition that causes them to stay that weight no matter what they do, or they could be completely healthy and just be larger. People such as Ashley Graham is full figured and is an actual super model but still gets fat shamed even though she is healthy and literally just delivered a perfectly healthy child. People should not fat shame or shame of any kind, especially not on social media platforms where your only goal is to make your target feel bad about themselves. Because if you are fat shaming with the excuse that you are concerned you would not be fat shaming or trying to discount their talents you would know the facts before you ever said anything and just let them politely know your concerns without being derogatory. All I’m trying to say is be nice to everyone, especially on the Internet. If you feel the need to go after someone, make sure you know all the facts before you berate and bully or someone because of how they look.

Editor–in–Chief........................... Laura Callihan Managing Editor................................ Riley Noe News Editor................................ Andrew Alvey S&R Editor................................. Buddy Lukens Features Editor..........................Abby Sparkman A&E Editor.............................Lauren Parkinson Opinion Editor............................ Cooper Adkins Back Page Editor........................... Carrie Jo Cecil Copy Editor.................................... Becky Gray Copy Editor.................................. Colton Sosbe Copy Editor............................... Nena Claycomb

The Georgetonian is a free weekly newspaper published most Wednesdays during the academic year by Georgetown College in Georgetown, Ky. Its contents are written and edited by current students of Georgetown College. Letters to the editor should be under 600 words and should include the writer’s name and telephone number. Letters may be edited for clarity and brevity. Please send letters to one of the following addresses: email : georgetonian@georgetowncollege.edu post

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All material printed in The Georgetonian is copyright ©2020 Georgetown College, unless otherwise noted. Any republication in any form without express written permission from the writer and editor is prohibited.

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THE BACK PAGE

Thoughts from Places: Two Bedrooms By Carrie Jo Cecil

BackPage Editor This semester’s Back Page theme is “Thoughts from Places.” Each article is inspired by a specific location or period of time connected to Georgetown College. Before college, I had only ever had one bedroom. My family has not moved houses in my lifetime. My younger sister was the one to move into her own room, leaving me in the same room for as long as I can remember. The room has changed over the years. When I was very little, the walls were Cookie Monster blue with an alphabet border, which became the princess pink of a Barbie-filled childhood. Later, I chose a more serious and scholarly light blue before settling on a much-needed peaceful yellow in my senior year. For comparison, my sister’s room has only been shades of purple for the past fifteen years. To say that my sense of self has changed over the years would be an understatement. Despite the various cosmetic changes, it’s always been the same room. And deep down, I’ve always been mostly the same. More than anything, I’ve been a homebody. Allow me to demonstrate. When I was young, probably 10 or 11, I went away to summer camp for the first and only time. I spent every day of the week away from my parents and my younger sister miserably homesick. Discussing the event with my mom years later, she recalled that I wasn’t myself for days after I got home. Some part of me was still stuck in the horrible reality where I never got to come home and I was just at that camp forever. Forever sharing a shower, forever without privacy or a moment of quiet, forever surrounded by drama but ultimately alone, and homesick for the rest of my days. Am I exaggerating? Most definitely, but I can’t deny the impact that week had on my apprecia-

tion for the comforts of home. If you were wondering, yes, I was very nervous about coming to college. My dorm room would be my first new bedroom in eighteen years. I hadn’t had a roommate in almost that long. Frankly, I was petrified. This wouldn’t be some week-long Purgatory, either. This was my life for the next four years. I wonder what ten-year-old me, fresh from Camp Misery, would think of me now. I wonder if she would feel betrayed by how badly I was ready to get back to school after this past winter break. Though I am a nerd and I was excited for my classes, that wasn’t the only reason why. Ironically, considering the site of my past torment, I had cabin fever. I was going stir crazy. I, the perennial homebody, was dying to get out of the house. In my informal polls of friends and acquaintances after break, I find the most common college student reply to, “How was break?” is any number of variations of “It was good, but too short.” My answer is one of the few outliers. Again, yes, this is a nerd who likes her classes speaking, but even I don’t get excited at the thought of all the essays that await my return to good ol’ GC. Rather, it was the thought of my friends. It was my job at the library and my walks to class. It was all the places I can go on the weekends. It was a sense of freedom. It was even my dorm room with its tan walls covered in large, carefully-chosen floral posters. It was the person that I could be at college that I couldn’t be from my very comfortable couch at home. Although many griped about the short break, surely I’m not the only one glad to be back. My sister visited me this weekend. Her college had started a week before Georgetown did, so I hadn’t seen her in two weeks. She had been home to see our parents and stopped for lunch with me on her way back to school. As we

chatted, she mentioned something that brought me pause. “You sound different at school,” she said. “Mom and Dad and I were talking about it. You always sound happier here.” This is true, of course. Even when I’m worn down by classwork, I’m happier at Georgetown than I am at home. That’s just not something you want your empty-nesting parents to pick up on, though. It’s not like I don’t love my family dearly. I do, and I do miss them when I’m at school. And I love my hometown too. I was a homebody for a reason—I loved being where I was. Part of my fear of my dorm room stemmed from the knowledge that it may be my first new bedroom, but it wasn’t the last. In fact, it’s just the first in a long series of bedrooms that aren’t my bedroom at home. The worst thing about all of this is that my bedroom at home isn’t comfortable anymore. It feels like a hotel room, like a storage closest. It used to be more like home, and I wish it still felt that way. I want to be home, and I want to be at Georgetown. I’m happy at home with my family, and I’m happy at Georgetown. The tragedy of loving two places is that you can’t be in both at the same time. The way I’ve come to reconcile this divide has been through “Moana”— cathartically, that is, not literally. For me, Moana perfectly captures feeling torn between the place you love, and your future away from it. If you haven’t seen the wildly popular Disney movie (one of its best recent ones, in my opinion), beware spoilers ahead. Moana begins the movie with a desire to travel the sea, but because she’s responsible and not selfish, she sets that aside to settle down to ruling her people. It’s a sacrifice, but not a terrible one because Moana does lover her people and her island. She

could be happy among them. In fact, she doesn’t leave the island until it’s absolutely necessary for the sake of her people. As she leaves on her quest, she is happier at sea—more fulfilled, more herself. It’s where she’s meant to be. That doesn’t mean her quest isn’t hard, and that she doesn’t miss her family. The most emotional moment in the film shows Moana at her lowest point, seemingly defeated by the difficulties of her task (what college student can’t relate?) only to be comforted by the spirit of her grandmother, who reminds Moana that her family goes with her wherever she must go. Moana finds her identity both in love for her people and her love for the sea. These two loves together, not one or the other, guide her toward her destiny. Of course, because it’s a Disney movie, Moana gets the perfect resolution to the struggle of balancing her responsibility to her family with her responsibility to herself. Her family takes to the seas with her, and her family literally goes wherever she goes. Few college grads are that lucky, even those who return to their hometown. You can’t step in the same river twice, and the home of your childhood just isn’t the home of your adulthood, even if it’s in the same house. Like hermit crabs, we have to change shells as we grow or we risk limiting ourselves to the point of harm. My bedroom at home isn’t home anymore. In a few years, my room at Georgetown won’t be either. But what made these places home—my family, my friends, my sense of self—goes with me, and grows with me. Like Moana so wisely points out, no one’s identity is in one place, but all the places and people who’ve shaped us congregate in our heart and lead us forward. It’s not such a bad thing to have more than one bedroom.


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