Volume CXL Issue 3

Georgetown College’s Student–Run Newspaper

February 5, 2020

Volume CXL Issue 3

Men’s Chapel Day a roaring success for all

By JORIE BEIL Staff Writer Thursday, Jan. 30 marked Georgetown College’s annual Men’s Recruitment bid/chapel day. After a long ten days of recruitment events, over fifty men decked out in their new fraternity’s colors ran out of the John L. Hill Chapel to both accept their bids and be welcomed and embraced by their new brothers. Even for the observer, bid day is a highly anticipated event that has been celebrated by Georgetown students for years.

Four of the campus’ fraternities participated in bid day festivities including Lambda

Chi Alpha, Pi Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha and the President’s House Association. The energy radiating from the new members of these respected fraternities could be felt all

throughout campus over the duration of the day.

The numbers of the new members now stand as follows: Lambda Chi Alpha with nineteen men, Kappa Alpha

with eighteen, Pi Kappa Alpha with twelve and the President’s House Association with six. Each fraternity gladly accepted their new brothers and are looking forward to further welcoming into their respective organizations.

While the recruitment process was a long and often difficult process, the new members couldn’t be happier with their decisions.

Freshman, Jesse Morrow went through recruitment and found a home with the men of Kappa Alpha.

He said “I went through recruitment because I wanted

from the Iowa Caucus, although they are scheduled to be released at some point late Tuesday evening.

As this extensive delay stretched into late Tuesday, several of the candidates came out to their supporters to give speeches that sounded like declarations of victory despite the absence of voting results.

Currently, Pete Buttigieg holds 26.9 percentage points, giving him a 1.8 percentage

lead on Bernie Sanders with 25.1%. However, it is important to note that currently, only 62% of precincts are reporting.

A total of 41 delegates are up for grabs in the Iowa caucus, and this is of major importance to the election as the caucus gives a clearer look into which of the candidates will be the biggest contenders in the race. Candidates in the crowded Democratic field had to meet a threshold of support

(at least 15 percent of attendees at most caucus sites) to become viable, or they saw supporters move on to someone else.

David Plouffe, a former campaign manager for Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, said Tuesday that the caucus results delay only adds to the questions about the Democratic process in Iowa, adding that the lack of results will affect the momentum of both the winning and losing can-

didates. “I think there are already a lot of questions building about the caucuses,” Plouffe told MSNBC. “Obviously I have personal experience with the caucuses, I was an Iowa Democratic employee.

I think there’s a lot of positives to them, but it’s hard to argue now because we’ve had cycle after cycle where there are issues” Plouffe added.

Allegations of theft concern Allen residents page 3

Kansas City wins Superbowl LIV page 4

Popular hiking trails close to Georgetown page 7

Galentine’s Movie Recommendations page 9

THE GEORGETONIAN / BUDDY LUKENS AND BAYLEE SAYLERS

Left: The men of Lambda Chi Alpha after chapel day.

Right: The men of Pi Kappa Alpha in front of their house.

to be part of something bigger.

I was looking for a support group to walk with me through the rest of my college years.

Now that I have joined my new fraternity, I couldn’t be happier. I feel as if it’s the best decision I have ever made.”

The freshman and new member of PHA, Colton Sosbe, who said that “Men’s recruitment quickly became one of my favorite experiences at Georgetown. Finding my brotherhood has been, already, the most rewarding non-academic experience of mine. I’ll always cherish the time I spent finding my home.”

Continued on page 2

Iowa Caucus still does not produce official results

By ROB BIRD Staff Writer At nearly 1,700 sites across Iowa on Monday, voters gathered together to show support for their preferred candidates only for Monday evening’s results to be thrown into chaos when several “inconsistencies” arose in the polling, according to the Iowa Democratic Party. As of this writing on Tuesday evening, no official results have yet to be released

Inside

this issue

Continued on page 2

News

Page 2

Global

Headlines Compiled by Andrew Alvey  Demi Lovato opens Super Bowl LIV with a rounding rendition of the National Anthem.

This follows her comeback performance of her new single “Anyone” that she performed at the Grammys.  California Highway Patrol rescued a sea lion pup that was spotted attempting to cross a busy highway in the Los Angeles area. The pup was turned over to a marine mammal care center and will eventually be released back into the ocean.  A Kansas resident found a six foot boa constrictor hiding in his couch. Police have said that they do not know where the snake came from.  A Texas zoo is allowing Valentine’s Day singles to name a cockroach or rat after their ex and then watch them be fed to larger animals.  Firefighters in Ohio came to the rescue of a deer that fell through the cover of a resident’s backyard swimming pool.  An extremely obese owl is rescued after becoming too fat to fly. The owl has been put on a strict diet to lose weight.

The Georgetonian

Men’s Chapel Day....

...Continued from page 1 Just as elated are the current members who had the privilege of accepting these young men into their organization. Junior, Robert Bird is an executive council member of The Interfraternity Council and of The President’s House Association. When asked about men’s recruitment, he said that “Men’s recruitment 2020 was a blast!

Helping these men go through recruitment and finding their forever home is truly one of the most rewarding experiences I have been a part of while at Georgetown. Also being a member of the IFC executive THE GEORGETONIAN / ROBERT BIRD THE GEORGETONIAN / NINA CLAYCOMB council gave me even more insight The men of PHA took their new mem- The men of KA pose in front of the into the process. I can’t wait to do it again next year.”

Also quoted on men’s recruitment accountability backbone. I hope to pation to see how these men will grow was sophomore Lambda Chi Alpha, help my new brothers as my older and make an impact both within and Matthew Menendez, who when asked brothers have helped me.” outside of Georgetown College. Conabout his experience with Greek life As the excitement settles into nor- gratulations to the fifty young men, said the following: “Personally, Greek malcy and the Spring 2020 recruitment and may your years as a fraternity life has brought me a lot of connec- season comes to an end, the George- member be an experience to last fortions in the community and a great town community waits in eager antici- ever!

Iowa caucus...

...Continued from page 1 And those that did poorly are not going to pay the price.”

On the campaign trail Tuesday in New Hampshire, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg continued to use the v-word to describe his showing in Iowa on Monday — even though the Iowa Democratic Party did not release results until Tuesday evening “We are still waiting on some math, but one thing we know is that we are arriving with the momentum... we had a victorious night in Iowa that shocked the pundits and will compel us to victory.”

On Monday, he was among sev-

eral candidates to deliver victory-like speeches once it became clear the caucus results wouldn’t materialize before the end of the night. The others included Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.

After it is decided who won the coveted first race, it is going to be interesting to see whether the momentum from winning propels them to a victory in New Hampshire and the states that follow.

The race is only going to become more interesting as the primaries go on as after New Hampshire votes on Feb.

11, Nevada will vote on Feb. 22, South Carolina will vote on Feb. 29 and on Mar. 3 Super Tuesday will take place where fifteen jurisdicitions and Democrats abroad will vote.

The next democratic debate will air live on ABC from 8 to 11 p.m this Friday. Following this debate there will be two other debates in the month of February, followed by a debate in March and a debate in April.

With these shocking results out of Iowa who knows what will happen next, as the current front runner, Vice-President Joe Biden, placing in fourth is something that not many expected to happen.

Issue 3

News

February 5, 2020 Page 3

Allegations of theft concern Allen residents

By LAURA CALLIHAN Editor-in-Chief Recently on Georgetown’s campus, there have been multiple reports of personal items being stolen from residents in Allen Memorial Hall. This dorm is the home to many of the freshman ladies of Georgetown College, and in the past, has been a place of comradery and encouragement. However, since the beginning of the Spring semester of 2020, there has been a growing concern

for the residents’ safety and personal belonging.

Freshman Triniti Robinson, resident of Allen, states that “All the stuff going missing in Allen has made me feel very unsafe. I have to lock my room to do something as simple as shower, whereas before I felt comfortable that I could leave my room unlocked to do simple things such as shower and not have to worry about my safety or belongings.”

Freshmen have reported missing

items such as clothing, backpacks, jewelry and other valuable belongings.

There have also been allegations of a resident taking laundry from the communal laundry room on the first floor of the residence hall. Despite the residents locking their doors during the day, there have also been reports of girls coming back to their rooms to find their doors unlocked and items missing. This is a particular issue on the second floor, although there have also been issues on

the first and third floor.

Freshman and resident of Allen, Jorie Beil said, “As someone who has been personally affected by the events in Allen, it’s upsetting and scary to know that someone has been in my living space. While I know that the faculty at Georgetown is working hard to resolve the issues, I think I speak for the majority of Allen residents when I say that I don’t think I’ll feel completely safe until we have answers.”

Nelson-Suite, located outside of the Caf. Not only is this another NEXUS credit, it is also a good opportunity to learn about the interview process and how to kill it on your next interview. This may only seem beneficial to the upperclassmen, but it is never too early to prepare for your future.

GAC is sponsoring their “Taste of the Month” at Red State BBQ this month on Saturday, Feb. 8. The first 28 students to sign up will get their meal covered.

This one is a first-come-first-served basis and spots will fill up quickly. Sign ups have already started and will continue until all spots are filled.

If you were unable to attend the first Interview Workshop, there will be

another one on Monday, Feb. 10 inside the Jones-Hall-Nelson-Suite beginning at 6:30 p.m. This workshop, however, will not be a NEXUS credit.

Early on Tuesday, Feb. 11, we will be having the second chapel service of the semester starting at 11 a.m. inside the John L. Hill Chapel. This is yet another opportunity to earn a NEXUS credit this week. These chapel services are usually held twice a month, to encourage students to grow in their faith during their time here at Georgetown.

Prior to the interview process, a quality resume allows future employers to get to know you as a future employee. Tuesday afternoon, the Calling and Career Center will have a

Resume Workshop in the Jones-HallNelson-Suite starting at 5:30 p.m. They will highlight key aspects of a quality resume and discuss what employers are looking for when they read over resumes.

Shortly after the Resume Workshop, GAC is hosting their weekly Trivia Night inside the Mulberry Café at 7:30 p.m. This is a fun way for students to hang out with their friend and earn gift certificates to the Mulberry. Only the first, second and third place teams earn the prizes, but everyone is welcome to play and participate. This is a good way to save up credit for those late-night study sessions during midterms and finals.

20,000 reported cases of the virus worldwide, only 300 of these were reported outside of mainland China, with 11 in the United States. To prevent the epidemic from scaling to pandemic levels, over 2,000 hospital workers in Hong Kong went on strike to convince the government to close the border of mainland China so as to contain the spread of the outbreak.

Although the virus can be fatal, it has only shown to have a fatality rate

of 2.1% and has the greatest impact on the elderly population and those who are already immunocompromised. In China, over 80% of the patients who died from the virus were over 60 years old and more than 75% of them had an underlying disease.

In the U.S., the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have responded to the outbreak to reassure citizens that it is not currently spreading in American communities. Similarly to

the World Health Organization (WHO), they have reported that the virus is not yet considered as a pandemic and is essentially confined to China.

Current recommendations for Americans are to treat the coronavirus as they would the flu: wash hands often and avoid contact with those who are sick. Thus far, wearing face masks to prevent the virus is not deemed necessary. And restrictions of travel to and from China have been imposed.

This Week in Georgetown: Feb. 5 - 11

By BENJAMIN ROBISON

Staff Writer This Wednesday, Feb. 5, Fred Combs will be giving a talk inside the Asher Science building starting at 4 p.m. Mr. Combs is the Director of Planning for public transit in Lexington/ Fayette County. With a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning, he plans to talk to students and faculty about working with data in both academic and business contexts. This is a NEXUS event, so be sure to be stop by and get your credit.

On Thursday, the Calling and Career Center is hosting another Interview Workshop for students. The talk begins at 11 a.m. inside the Jones-Hall-

Coronavirus continues its deadly spread

By WILLOW DOVE

Staff Writer It is common for every few years for there to be an outbreak of some infection that causes panic across the nation. This year, the virus that is causing people fear is called the Coronavirus. This virus originated in China, where it has thus far killed nearly 500 citizens due to the shortcomings of the health officials in responding to the emergency.

Although there have been over

The Georgetonian Sports & Recreation Mahomes Magic strikes again: Kansas City win Super Bowl LIV

Page 4

By REESE ASHER

Staff Writer The big game we had all been waiting for finally took place over the weekend down in Miami as Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, who were looking for their first Super Bowl win in fifty years, were set to battle it out with Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco 49’ers.

It was a battle of defenses early, as neither team could find their rhythm offensively.

San Francisco was only able to get a field goal in the first quarter from the leg of fifteen-year veteran Robbie Gould, while surrendering a 1-yard touchdown run to Patrick Mahomes late in the first quarter. After one, the Chiefs held a 7-3 lead.

On the ensuing possession, Jimmy Garappolo looked to be coming into form as he hit Emmanuel Sanders for a quick eighteen yards to start the drive. Two plays later that drive would come to a screeching halt as Garoppolo was picked off by Bashaud Breeland of Kansas City. The Chiefs were charging on the next possession and looked to be at the doorstep of a breakthrough, but the relentless defense of the 49’ers would make a stand on their own thirteen-yard line holding Kansas City to a field goal, making the score 10-3 with about nine minutes to go in the first half.

On the next possession, the 49’ers would go eighty yards in seven plays as Garoppolo capped off the drive with a fifteen-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Juszczyk and Gould would come on to make the extra point, tying the game at

ten a piece with just over five to play in the first half. Neither team would be able to create any offense for the remainder of the first half and as both teams headed to the locker room the score was tied at ten.

When fellow student, Patrick Oakley was asked what he thought of the first half his response was, “It was mostly what I expected with San Francisco having such a tough defense and Kansas City struggling early in each playoff game to this point. I think the 49’ers defense will hang tough in the second half and gut out a win.”

As we all know, one of the most anticipated events each year at the Super Bowl is the halftime show. This year’s show did not disappoint. Jennifer Lopez and Shakira took the stage to perform some of their smash hits from the last two decades. Although it proved to be semi-controversial with some of the actions and gestures that took place within the performance, it did get a thumbs up for the most part from critics around the world.

When Ethan DeRossett was

asked for his thoughts on the halftime show, he responded with, “I loved it.” As the festivities came to a close and the field was cleaned off, both teams would make their way back to the field for the start of the second half. Both teams knew they had just thirty minutes to etch their name down in the history books as a Super Bowl champion.

The 49’ers would get the ball to begin the second half and would make a balanced attack down the field only to be stopped at the Kansas City twenty-four-yard line.

Thus, Gould would come on for a forty-two-yard field goal attempt and would send it through to regain the 49’ers a lead. Following the field goal, the Chiefs would take over with just over nine minutes to go in the third quarter.

Kansas City would pick up a couple of first downs on the ensuing possession, but on a third and twelve play, Mahomes would be picked off as he tried to find his superstar wideout Tyreek Hill. San Francisco would take over on their own forty-five-yard line

and on a quick, six-play, fiftyfive-yard drive capped off by a Raheem Mostert touchdown run, the 49’ers took a 20-10 lead with two minutes and change remaining in the third quarter.

Again, on Kansas City’s next possession they struggled to find an answer for the San Francisco defense as Mahomes would be picked off for the second time in the game. This time by Tarvarius Moore, and San Francisco would cling to their ten-point lead with only twelve minutes to go in the game.

The 49’ers would come up empty on their next drive and would have to punt it away with nine minutes remaining. This time down the field, KC would not be denied as Mahomes showed why he is one of the brightest stars in the game, finding Tyreek Hill for a forty-four-yard completion that would set up first and ten on the San Francisco twenty-one. On the next play, Moore would be flagged for pass interference setting up first and goal at the 49’ers oneyard line and on the next play

This athletic week will be kicked off on Thursday, when the Georgetown College men and women’s basketball host Thomas More.

The women play at 6p.m., and the men play at 8p.m.

Preseaon top-10 women’s lacrosse will open their season at Shorter University.

The baseball team hits the road this weekend.

They will be playing a double-header at Georgia Gwinnet College on Friday.

Women’s softball opens their season with a double-header at Union College on Saturday.

Men and Women’s track & field will be traveling to Cedarville, Ohio for a track meet. This will be their last tune-up meet before conference.

Men and Women’s tennis travel to Louisville on Saturday to open up their season against Bellarmine.

The cheerleading team will host their first competition in the Alumni gymnasium on Saturday at 9a.m.

The acrobatics and tumbling team close out the week by traveling to Wisconsin and compete on Sunday.

GC ATHLETIC PREVIEW

Mahomes was able to find tight end Travis Kelce for a one-yard TD making the score 20-17 after the Butker extra point.

SF’s next drive would end in a three-and-out, giving KC the ball with just over five minutes remaining. This time down, Mahomes would find Sammy Watkins for a monster thirty-eight-yard gain.

This gave way for another Mahomes TD pass, this time to Damien Williams. Butker would tack on the extra point to make it 24-20 KC with 2:44 left on the clock.

The 49’ers would make minimal noise on their next possession after picking up one first down, to then be stopped on fourth and ten to set up KC on the SF forty-two.

Damien Williams would come up big as he needed only two rushes to cross the goal line yet again to ice the game.

With the Butker extra point, the score was now 31-20 and the game was all but over.

On the next drive Garoppolo heave a ball down field in hopes that recievers would make a play on the ball, but it was consequently intercepted by the Kansas City defense, solidfying their comeback.

The comeback gave Andy Reid his first Super Bowl victory as a head coach. As for the Chiefs organization, it was their first Super Bowl win in fifty years. Patrick Mahomes would be named Super Bowl MVP as he threw for 286 yards with two scores and ran in another capping off a historic season for both himself and Kansas City.

Issue 3

Sports & Recreation

Damian Lillard having a dominant stretch of games

By JACOB CLEMONS Staff Writer

We are witnessing NBA History… Damian Lillard is demanding the respect of NBA fans.

The Trail Blazers guard is in the midst of historic offensive outburst, setting franchise and NBA records with his play and helping Portland on a four-game win streak in the process. He is on a scoring tear that is not only the best of his career but also historic. Over the last six games, the Portland Trailblazers point guard has recorded 293 points, 61 assists, 43 rebounds, seven steals and 49 three-pointers as part of an incredible individual run. To sum this up Lillard is averaging 48.8 points, 10.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds during the streak, becoming the first player in NBA history to average more than 45.0 points and 10.0 assists over a six-game span, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

This is a ridiculous run that started with a victory against the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 20 when Damian

exploded for a franchise-record 61 points. He’s scored at least 47 points five times, including 50 or more three times. The only time Lillard was held below 47 points was during a Wednesday win over the Houston Rockets, where he recorded the first triple-double of his career (36 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds).

However the Blazers are purely focused on their playoff chances, Lillard’s red-hot run has led to a few much-needed victories. The Blazers, who are 4 games below .500, have won five of their last six games, moving into a tie for ninth place in the Western Conference with the San Antonio Spurs (22-26).

This run solidifies Lillard as having the best 6-game run in NBA History, which makes him well worth the four-year, $196 million super-max contract extension the Blazers gave him in 2015.

What do you think about him this season, with this run and being an All-Star? Do you expect him to return to the Blazers in 2021-2022?

If you’re interested in becoming a writer for the Georgetonian, contact Gary Lukens at: GLukens@georgetowncollege.edu

February 5, 2020 Page 5

Wrestling: A sport on the decline

By HAYDEN SHEARON Staff Writer

As a high school wrestler, I have experienced the downward trend of the sport of wrestling first hand. During my Freshman year, the team had 35 to 40 wrestlers fighting for the 14 varsity slots. By the time my senior year came along, the team consisted of 8 total wrestlers, 6 competitors short of a full lineup.

The ultimate backhand to the sport happened in 2013 when wrestling was voted to be removed from the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. This vote was short-lived and eventually reversed, but nonetheless, it showed an immense amount of disrespect towards one of the initial sports included in the Olympic Games.

While many people may not understand the sport of wrestling, it is something I highly encourage people to get involved in. Wrestling teaches hard work and commitment, as well as offering a lifetime connection between teammates and wrestlers nationwide.

Something I have always enjoyed about the sport is the respect that is developed among peers of the sport through this shared experience. The sport may seem complex and dull to the inexperienced viewer, but when understood it is an extremely strategic and challenging competition that is enjoyable to watch.

This sport is facing a declining fanbase, but it deserves

to be revived. Once given a chance, wrestling is extremely engaging as it is one of the most intense and competitive sports.

As it is now February, we are in the back half of the college wrestling season and in the final two weeks of the high school season.

As a former wrestler, the state wrestling tournament is one of the most exciting times of the year. The arena is filled with competitors who are competing to make their mark on the sport as well as the stands being filled with the local supporters of the sport.

The Kentucky state wrestling tournament is being held at the Alltech Arena in Lexington, Kentucky on Feb. 14 and 15.

Football is over, it is time to get excited for baseball season

By COOPER JACOBELLI Staff Writer

It is the best time of the year for sports in my opinion.

It’s almost MLB season. The 30 teams that get to play for a World Series have to duke it out game by game with nothing but slow-paced mayhem.

Possibly, the most notable thing that has happened in the past decade of baseball is the fact that there has been an increase in home runs and extra base hits by over 30%.

There has been some major shakeup in the offseason. New

teams are poised to become contenders, while previous juggernauts have taken hits.

Expect madness to ensure over the grind of a 162-game season. Maybe go watch a game.

The Georgetown Baseball Season is also about to start and with them coming off of an impressive regional tournament run. They are confident about their chances this year. Most of the players have already been practicing and reporting for bullpens and such, which is very encour-

aging. The season starts very soon, and the first home game is only weeks away.

If you have not been a Georgetown baseball fan before please try and watch at least one game at home, I assure you, its worth it. These games are not worth missing and if you pick a player to root for it makes it even better.

Have fun watching to all you past fans out there and go Tigers, they have a tough road ahead.

Features

Page 6

The Georgetonian

AOD helps Georgetown honor Black History Month

By KATIE SWANSON

Staff Writer Black History Month has risen another year where we all come together to celebrate the lives of those strong black leaders who have paved the way for our greatness. This year, Ambassadors of Diversity have come together to put together a few events that highlight black excellence on campus and within our community.

Black History Month is not just a month that comes and goes. This is a time where we draw emphasis to our past and how we can break boundaries. It is important to know that Black History is not just a topic for the month of February. Black History is a part of our day to day lives.

It is reflected in the students that walk across this campus every day. We believe that here at Georgetown we are all one. As a family, we must come together to support each other’s backgrounds, history, and culture. That is what Black History Month is all about.

As members of Ambassadors of Diversity, we belive that it is our job to help our community and peers understand the importance of Black History. At the end of the day, if it was not for important figures like Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks who opened the doors to allow everyone in society to become one, then we would not be where we are today.

Being a part of the minority

here at Georgetown is important because it opens the doors for children in the community to see someone like them and have the want to have that same opportunity.

Along with Ambassadors of Diversity, we have the Bishop Scholars Program which is a group of Black students carrying the legacy of the historically black institution of Bishop College located in Marshall, Texas. It may seem small to some people, but these are the things that create groundbreaking connections and change mindsets of others who may not understand.

As stated before, AOD has come together to create some campus-wide events in order to honor Black History Month.

The first event is the Dashiki

Fundraiser on Feb. 5th from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. There will be another Dashiki Fundraiser on Feb. 12 and Feb. 19 at the same time. There will also be a Dashiki Friday every Friday during the month, beginning on Feb. 7. On these Fridays, students are encouraged to wear their Dashiki.

On Feb. 11th, Georgetown’s chapel service will be held at 11 a.m. and will feature Rev. Chester Palmer as a speaker. It will be a NEXUS event.

Another NEXUS event will be the showing of “When They See Us” on Feb. 17 in the Ward Room at 7 p.m. There will also be a blackout on Feb. 24th, during which everyone is encouraged to wear all black for the day.

Finally, on Feb. 25th, the Georgetown chapel service will feature Min. Roszalyn Akins as a speaker. As always, the chapel is a NEXUS event and will begin at 11 a.m.

As a whole, we hope that Ambassadors of Diversity can leave a lasting impression on current students. However, we also hope that we can pass the baton to future and incoming students who share the same passion for creating change.

We believe that the leaders from our past and our ancestors did not make such progress for our generation to cease their work. Black History Month should be a reminder for all that there is a fire burning within us that no one can dim. We will always rise.

Celebrating Fraternity life at Georgetown College

By KATIE SWANSON

Staff Writer This past week, GC’s men went through their recruitment process to find their new home and new brothers at the school. This was a big week for them! It spans across two weeks and includes formal and informal events at all of the frat houses on campus.

A lot of schools move their recruitment process to the beginning of the fall semester.

However, here at Georgetown College, the boys’ recruitment is in January during the second semester of the year.

A lot of people like this more because they can come into the school year without worrying about joining the raternity that they didn’t want to

join. This allows people to get best. It started at 5:30 p.m. and and Saturday, Jan. 31 and Feb. to know everyone on campus the boys ran out of the John L. 1, the fraternities had parties to and find where they truly Hill Chapel. One after another celebrate their new members. want to be. the boys came out repping the The parties started at 8 p.m.

Pi Kappa Alpha, or PIKE, colors of the fraternity they and went until 11 p.m.

Kappa Alpha Order, or KA, would be joining.

Students were welcome to The Presidents House AssoOn the following Friday come and celebrate with everyciation, or PHA one. PIKE’s party and Lambda Chi was at the Japanese Alpha, or Lamb Gardens in Georgeare all the fratertown. KA’s was nities that went located at the Clarithrough recruittin Hotel in Georgement on Georgetown. Lamb’s bid town College’s day party was at campus. the Clarion Hotel in Last ThursLexington. day on Jan 30, Towards the the boys ran out end of the night, of the chapel and the fraternities cirTHE GEORGETONIAN/MACEYMCKENZIE cled up and did joined the fraternity that they The Men of Kappa Alpha stand outside the Chapel a chant that only felt fit them the with their New Members. the members of

that frat know. Recruitment is a great way to bring people together, and it can provide a sense of motivation to do better because they are a part of something.

The majority of students who come to Georgetown join a sorority or fraternity in their first year. However, this is not necessary and some who decide to not partake in this their freshman year can still do it the following years.

If you are thinking about joining a fraternity, be sure to get involved on campus, go to any events that are held at the Greek houses and begin talking to some of the members to see where you should start. This is a great way to get out and meet new people!

Features

Issue 3

February 5, 2020 Page 7

Popular hiking trails close to Georgetown

By CHARITY STOLTZ

Staff Writer Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow on Sunday, Feb. 1, predicting a much welcomed early spring. Soon we will be moving outside with our textbooks and enos in hand into the quad. Walking to class will no longer be a dreaded venture and the need for vitamin D will drive us to seek outdoor adventures. If you’re looking for adventures in the form of great hiking trails, keep reading!

The following is a list and description of a few of my favorite hiking spots. Most of them are within an accessible distance for a good day hike, but it is highly encouraged to spend a weekend camping with a group of friends.

1. The Cumberland Falls State Resort Park Corbin, Ky. The Cumberland Falls is often considered to be the

Niagara of the South, and offers a unique event each month after dark.

On nights when there is a full moon, you can experience the Moonbow, which is a lightly colored “rainbow” that appears in the mist of the falls at dusk. This is a true spectacle and would make for a beautiful end to a day spent hiking in the park.

Within the park are both campsites and lodging surrounded by all of the hiking trails. The most popular trail is trail #9 or the Eagle Falls Trail.

I have hiked this trail over 100 times, and it is just as beautiful no matter how many times it has been hiked.

Though only a short trail, it is very rewarding as it ends at Eagle Falls, another small waterfall. On a hot summer day, you can cool off in the shallow pool under the falls and then spend a few hours

If you are interested in writing for the Features section of the Georgetonian, please contact Abby Sparkman at asparkman@georgetowncollege.edu

ther through a one distance for an afternoon hike person pass between after a long day of classes. two rocks and up 4. Blue Heron Mining stone steps to the top Community Stearns, Ky. of the arch. Trails Blue Heron is a little off continue at the top the beaten path and takes you of the arch but take a through old neighborhoods well-deserved break and down some steep, windy in the small gazebo roads. You may lose all cell placed perfectly for signal, but you don’t need hikers to catch their service to take pictures of the breath. historic train cars and old coal 3. The Pinnacle mining company.

Berea, Ky. The PinAfter exploring the old nacles of Berea offer mining caves, take one of the big reward for mini- many trails that branch out mal effort. The initial away from the mill and you 1-mile climb to the will not be disappointed. Most top is well worth the trails turn upward and take THE GEORGETONIAN/CHARITY STOLTZ Charity Stoltz stands on the Tennessee 360-degree views of you to the top of the ridge and North Carolina border on Roan Berea below. Atop the lines above, but after the initial pinnacles are plenty ascent, they follow the ridges Mountain. of trees for hammock- until it is time to head back relaxing on the rocks, nap- ing and far less inclined trails towards the river below. ping to the sound of the falling that take you from the East Once again, these Kenwater. You can add on some Pinnacle to the West Pinnacle. tucky trails offer the best views mileage by taking the loop trail If you’re willing to stay from what seems to be the top and the lookout trail that leads until dusk, the wait will bring of the world, but this commuyou to spectacular views of the cotton candy colored skies on nity has more to offer. Bring gorge and waterfall below. a clear night. The best part a kayak or two and follow Another beautiful hike is about these trails is that they the river downstream about 6 the Moonbow Trail. It is very are located only about 45 min- miles to the Yamacraw bridge. difficult racking up over 13 utes from campus, a perfect miles one way to the Laurel River Dam, but it offers various types of terrain and foliage to keep your mind off of the difficulty.

2. Natural Bridge State Resort Slade, Ky. Located within the Red River Gorge, this park offers both short and long trails that lead around, up to, and over the natural bridge. A short, but steep hike leads you up to the natural bridge so that you can take it in from every angle.

THE GEORGETONIAN/LAURA CALLIHAN If you can handle a Left to Right: Charity Stoltz, Laura Callihan and Mariah squeeze, follow the trail furAddington are pictured hiking in Carter Caves State Park.

Page 8

ArtsEntertainment

The Georgetonian

“Flirty Dancing” is refreshing reality T.V.

By AMANDA GAUNCE

Staff Writer One of my newest T.V. obsessions is the new show on FOX, “Flirty Dancing.” In the reality show, two couples are made from six singles. The singles are put together, love triangle style, by matchmaker Jenna Dewan, the show’s host. She will take the main client that she is matchmaking for and have them learn their half of two different dance routines. The other potential love interests learn their half of one dance.

The dance routines are set to one upbeat, jazzy song and one slower, more romantic music choice. The couples then meet for the first time on the dancefloor and let their moves do all the talking. Once the dance is over, the

couple parts ways without a word to each other, and tells the camera their thoughts on the dance and their partner.

“Flirty Dancing” does not shy away from difficult dance moves like lifts and turns, or using their incredibly beautiful locations to aid in the dancing.

To the credit of their choreographers, the clients have seemed to master the routines passably well and no one has been dropped. The choreography itself is matched to each single to accentuate personality traits Dewan thinks her client will like best about each partner.

After dancing with both potential love interests, the main client will meet one of them at a restaurant or café. Only when they meet up for the second time

will they have the opportunity to introduce themselves and get to know one another.

The show was created stateside after clips from the British version went viral last fall. However, a major difference between the American and British versions is that in the UK, there is only one dance. One shot. One partner.

They both must agree to a date after the dance is done, or that’s it. If either one of them decides they didn’t have the right chemistry, they both go home. In the American version, one dance partner is always stood up, waiting at the cafe to see if the main client chose them.

Another setback of the United States version is that the dance routines, and therefore the dance partners, are

unfairly compared. One simply can’t get a good read of chemistry or compatibility when you are trying to desperately remember the fast-paced steps and the flurry of movement within the jazzy routines. The slower dances, however, set the scene for romance to flourish. The steps are not as hurried so you can look in your partner’s eyes for longer than two seconds. You have the time to get a read of the other person instead of just performing what seems to be a frenzied circus routine.

Despite its shortcomings, I plan to watch the new creative spin on matchmaking. Watching ordinary people live out what they often describe as “...like straight out of a movie...” is refreshing when it comes to reality television.

but I think that out of all of the awards, The Grammys are the most diverse. We also have The Oscars coming up with those nominees not being very diverse.

And by diverse, I mean there are no women directors and very few women nominees in gender neutral categories.

Of course, there are many hopefuls for

the show, but no one will be surprised that The Oscars are whitewashed again.

The SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Awards were a couple of weeks ago with, yet again, most of the awards going to the whitest nominees in each category. One of the most notable reoccurring themes in each awards show is

that each of the most outspoken winners used their time to bring attention to certain problems all across the nation and the world. They used their time to give their opinions and then bring a call to action to anyone who was watching and willing to listen.

While many winners have been one sided and some have raised a few eyebrows (suchas Joaquin Phoenix), the whole awards season in general seems to lose more and more credibility every year. With award shows losing hosts, viewers and fanbases, the entire awards season is seemingly going down the drain.

I personally love to watch the awards, and I love being able to cheer for the speeches and boo the ones I don’t like. My favorite awards show would have to be The Emmys, the television awards, but those aren’t a part of this award season. The call to action in each speech, the performances, and the comradery between the performers make all of it worth while.

Are the Grammy Awards the most diverse?

By ASHLYN REED

Staff Writer It is awards seasons folks, and that means more fashion articles, horrible speeches and awkward on-stage moments. However, it also means that almost every other weekend, there is another program on television dedicated to another portion of entertainment.

The Grammys, which are dedicated to some of the best in music, were some of the most recent awards. While I personally like alternative rock, I still highly enjoy the Grammys because they showcase the best (deemed by The Academy) in the entire music business.

The biggest “upset”, or rather surprise, of the night was Bon Iver’s “i,i” taking album of the year home, and the track titled “Hey Ma” taking home record of the year. With no surprise, Lady Gaga prevailed with her song of the year for “Always Remember Us This Way” from “A Star Is Born.”

There is a current argument that The Grammys are not diverse enough,

Flickr

The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards aired on January 26

Issue 3

ArtsEntertainment

February 5, 2020 Page 9

Galentine’s movie recomendations

By TAYLOR REESE

Staff Writer Ladies, it is about that time again.

The time where there’s hearts everywhere and an entire aisle in Walmart full of sweets and candy just tempting you to get some. It’s called Valentine’s Day, and it is the season for love.

However, for some, it is just another day and the only thing special is that on Feb. 15, the candy will be on sale. I know on Valentine’s Day I’ll probably order a heart shaped pizza, bake some cookies and watch Valentine’s movies with my girls. I am going to share with you the best movies to watch on Valentine’s Day when you are single and watching them alone or with your girlfriends. Here is everything from the saddest romances to the funniest romcoms.

First up is a newer movie that appeals to both teens and young adults, and that is “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” This movie has hilarious moments and moments so awkward that they are funny like when your little sister mails your letters to all your crushes. Yikes! However, this movie also has sweet and deep moments, and

the plot develops as the characters and their relationship also develop.

Next is “27 Dresses,” which is an older movie, but is a classic tale of “always the bridesmaid and never the bride.” This follows a woman who is always there for everyone else and helps them with their wedding, but puts their needs before her own. This is a funny and sweet tale of a woman discovering who she is and what she wants in life.

Then we have “Pretty Woman,” which in my personal opinion, is an amazing classic that is not only great to watch on Valentine’s Day, but any day.

This movie sees a prostitute and a businessman form an unlikely and genuine relationship. Not only does this movie have an actual meaningful plot that develops, but Roberts’ character develops and sees herself as more than just a prostitute and learns to appreciate herself.

Last is “Bridesmaids,” which is hilarious and keeps you laughing nearly the whole time. In this movie, you see bridesmaids support their best friend who is getting married while also having hilarious mix ups and

disasters. However, this movie is more than just about making you laugh. It shows a best friend being there for her friend and being her true self rather than trying to live up to standards or be better than others.

Now, here come the movies that are sweet romances that are both happy and sad, and will probably make you cry. First up is a personal favorite and is, of course, a Nicholas Sparks creation, “A Walk to Remember.” This movie is one of Sparks’ older creations, but is amazing and has such a heartfelt story. You see two very opposite teens fall in love, but it is not that easy. There are trials and troubles which they try to endure that make you want to smile and cry.

Next is a more modern novel adaptation and that is “The Fault in Our Stars.” This movie is an amazing story of two teens who are dealing with more than the average teen - they must deal with being potentially mortally ill. These two teens through their struggles and battling sickness find each other and their love. This movie will definitely make you cry, but it is such a poetic love story that veers from

normal cliché love stories.

Next, we have another older classic, “The Princess Bride.” This movie does not scream Valentine’s romance, but that’s the point. It is a movie that you could watch any day, but on Valentine’s Day you can appreciate the endless love Wesley has for Buttercup even more. Also, you get some comedy, action and an overall interesting plot.

Last up is another romance movie that veers from the normal and has a magical twist to it: “The Time Traveler’s Wife.” If you love movies with a supernatural spin, then you’ll love this movie, especially in regard to its deep and emotional romance. You will meet a woman who falls in love with a man who spontaneously time travels. You will see their romance and troubles grow and develop as their love literally spans across time.

Here you have 10 great movies some that will make you laugh, some cry and others that will do both. So, go to Walmart, get some candy from the Valentine’s aisle and sit down and watch some of these movies by yourself or with your gal pals.

becoming her own strong and powerful woman, encouraging all of us to be one.

The second single that Gomez released was “Look At Her Now.” While this song was a little less emotional and more of a trashy pop single to blare on the radio every 32 minutes, I still sometimes find myself listening to it. The first song on the album, “Rare”, was a light and fun number that taught each listener that their partner should cherish them.

The second song, “Dance Again,” seems like quite the throwback. First, this number gives off a lot of “Love Me Like a Love Song” vibes. Secondly, this

song also brings back visions of Selena Gomez dancing as Mary in “Another Cinderella Story.” Gomez also included the gem “Ring.” This song is so funky, you can’t help but move your hips to the sound of the bass bumping in the background.

Right after, Gomez has a beautiful song entitled “Vulnerable.” In this song, Gomez talks about the strength in being vulnerable. An act all of us can learn a little more about. In three minutes Gomez is able to express her belief that despite all the pain, she would much rather be vulnerable than to let everything go. The next song on

Gomez’s album, “People You Know,” highlights one of the pains about letting people in. Even when you let them in, one day those people you knew will go to people you don’t know. Yet, Gomez will still choose vulnerability.

The last six songs in “Rare” are incredible. Especially “Kinda Crazy,” “Fun” and “Cut You Off” that just make me want to bop my head to them while I fold laundry. Gomez has created an album that acts as an intensely emotional, confessional diary, but the kind that I feel like I can dance and clean my room to.

Selena Gomez’s new album is a hit

By MORGAN FRANK

Staff Writer Selena Gomez released her longawaited album “Rare” in the second week of January 2020. This album included 13 songs that Gomez had been working on since the close of her last album “Revival,” that was released in 2015.

Gomez’s new album was not a disappointing one. Her lead single “Lose You To Love Me” was an emotional rollercoaster that any tween who followed the Jelena split felt deep within their core. Yet, the song was also an empowering move towards Gomez

Opinion

Page 10

The Georgetonian

The arts are just as important as STEM

By AMANDA GAUNCE

Staff Writer The Arts need to be pushed just as much as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) in K-12 education. Yes, STEM is important and it’s great that there have been so many STEM program additions in public schools across the country, but the arts are now falling through the cracks and have been for a while.

STEM can help make a person’s life longer through medicine, but the arts are what makes life worth living.

In public education, we act like the arts are an option, but forget that throughout humanity’s entire existence, we have

been artists and creators.

We use the various arts as a way to explain, show, explore and change the world we live in. Having music teachers forcibly make us play Hot Cross Buns on a recorder for one week out of our lives is not going to give us the fulfillment we need in creating our own art because creating art is human nature.

There are plenty of private schools that students can attend that are Arts and Humanities specific but private schools are simply not affordable for everyone. Everyone deserves a chance at enjoying and creating art, not just the wealthy people who can afford these schools. Art is human nature,

not just what rich people do for fun.

I suggest that we start to phase in different arts programs slowly into the curriculum, that way schools have some time to brainstorm which programs or specialties they would like and how to create a budget for them.

It is well known that schools are severely lacking funds, and teachers aren’t getting paid enough. But when there are hundreds of new public schools being built every year and a 30-year low birthrate in the U.S., there is obviously enough money going to building new schools when it could be going to arts programs.

I attended my senior year at Frederick Douglass High School in Lexington, Ky., the very year that it was built (school year 2017-18). It cost $82 million to build that school and it was sectioned off in “academies”. One for 9th grade students, one for technology, one for health sciences and one for professional services.

During my year there I was constantly reminded that this brand-new school was going to be where the future doctors, engineers, and the like would go to be educated.

But what about the artsy kids who didn’t want to be in those professions but had to attend Frederick Douglass because of what district they

were in? Yes, they had a drama club, dance team and various other extracurricular offerings, but I felt that the faculty of the school made it clear this was the place to be for STEM students, not for someone who loved the arts.

In order to make the world the best version we can create, we need to treat every child’s individual interest as equal to their classmates’ interests We need to start pushing for arts in schools as aggressively as we push for STEM. From there, we can start trusting that each child has a unique path and should be encouraged to pursue what they are passionate about, whatever that may be.

the glass on your window. This is especially if you are curled up on a couch with a blanket and you are sitting at the window and you feel the cool from the cold front that brought in the rain.

Reading a good book is another possibility that you can do; it goes along Wikipediacommons.org A rainy day in Kentucky in 2009 on I-64E with relaxing and increasing your comfort levels when me, you enjoy falling asleep all you are doing is to the sounds of rain drops. nothing but stressful things The sound of a light drizzle is that can ruin your day. soothing. Actually, it’s almost Also reading a book can hypnotic the way the sound fulfill your New Years’ Resof rain drops hitting metal or olution for trying to learn

something new, because books are filled with knowledge and wide array of places to go, figuratively. There are lots of choices from the newest best sellers to the classics that can never go bad, to poems that you were trying to read but you always put-off, and to the comic books or graphic novels that you were always interested in.

Reading is always a great thing to do whenever you get stuck in the rain. Board games are also fun for everyone to do; even if you had friends over. The classic games that always brought families closer together for decades include connect four, battle ship, risk, etc. are always a great time because it builds a little competition between you and

those who are close to you.

If you are not really into board games as much as others, then there are always video games that can pass time; party games like Mario, Super Smash Bros, and Just Dance to name a few are excellent to get your mind off of what was going on outside.

The last thing that you could do on a rainy day is have a movie marathon or a TV marathon with your significant other.

It’s also an inexpensive and romantic date ideas for any of the guys reading this who would like “brownie points”. Rainy days are not as bad as they seem any more, now are they?

Ain’t no day like a rainy day in Kentucky

By TYLER EVANS

Staff Writer When it is wet and dreary outside there seems to be very little that you could do for the day; yet that is not really the case now is it? There is actually a very wide variety of things you can do.

One thing is that you can do some of those assignments that you have been putting for the past week. You won’t be distracted by birds chirping or that nagging sensation that you need to be outside because it looks and feels amazing; rainy days are the perfect conditions for you to focus on what you need to get done, and get it done to the best of your abilities.

Another great thing to do is to take a nap. If you are like

Opinion

Issue 3

Is the DNC trying to rig the primary again?

By COOPER ADKINS Opinion Editor The disastrous Iowa Caucus that happened on Monday proves that the Democratic Party elites are once again attempting to rig the primary against Bernie Sanders. Monday morning, it was announced that a poll by the Des Moines Register that was supposed to be released on the day of the caucus was withheld due to a possibility of it being “compromised.” This poll is widely believed to have shown Sanders with a sizeable lead, which would have given him momentum into the caucus that day and the primary in New Hampshire next week. The actual results of the caucus have also been delayed as the Iowa Democratic Party reported “inconsistencies” with their results. Most of the results will be released, but the other results will not be released until they can check and count them.

With the Democrats constantly paranoid about Russian interference in elections, it really makes me wonder why these ballots have “inconsistencies”. They did the caucus differently this year instead of doing it the way that has worked securly for decades. A new app was used in order to calculate, compile and report the results. The app, developed by Shadow Inc., was made by a group composed of former Hillary campaign staff-

ers and Buttigieg supporters.

Both the Biden and Buttigieg campaigns, which are considered the moderate party favorites, donated tens of thousands of dollars to this app last year for “software rights and subscriptions.”

Another tech company that assisted in the app’s creation, Acronym, is run by an avowed Pete Buttigieg supporter. This has led many to believe that there is something suspicious going on with the app and the actual results. However, paper ballots were also used in addition to the software, so the true results will eventually be reported. It just might take a while for the manual count of all of those.

The 2016 Democratic Primary was inarguably rigged against Bernie Sanders in favor of Hillary Clinton. For example, Hillary Clinton received the Democratic debate questions ahead of time from the Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Donna Brazile. Clinton was treated as the apparent nominee from the start, much like Biden is being treated now. This treatment led elected officials, donors and interest groups to rally behind Clinton earlier in the election, making it clear that other candidates would struggle to find media coverage, funding, and endorsements which are all so crucial in running a successful primary campaign.

This election cycle, Biden or other moderates were

treated this way, with many people and the media simply overlooking the “radical” candidates like Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Andrew Yang.

While ultimately the decision on who to vote for is up to the individual voter, the media has tremendous power in swaying the minds of Americans. The power of the national political party is even stronger, as they can decide the rules regarding primaries, caucuses, debates, and the national convention. Allowing the media and the national party to determine who a person votes for is undemocratic and elitist. The voice of the people is all that should matter when determining presidential elections.

Even if you disagree with Bernie Sanders’ policies (as I do), the fact that his voters are being ignored and silenced once again is a disgrace to our democratic process. These voters are voting for the anti-establishment candidate because they are disillusioned by the policies of career politicians among many other reasons. The rigging of an election for a candidate supported by party elites only adds fuel to their fire. Bernie supporters need to be saying to themselves: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” Refuse to allow your election to be rigged in favor of the party elites and corporations who truly run this country.

February 4th, 2020 Page 11

Georgetonian

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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

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THE BACK PAGE

Thoughts from Places: Tent Girl’s Grave

By CARRIE JO CECIL Back Page Editor If you’ve ever driven out toward Kroger from campus, the way that goes past the nice Dollar General, you’ve passed the Georgetown Cemetery. It’s bigger than it looks at first glance, and in the back of the cemetery there’s a grave from 1968. It’s a red headstone with an engraving of a young woman’s face with the name “Tent Girl” underneath.

If you’re a fan of true crime stories, you might have heard this one before: in May of 1968, the body of a young woman was found in the woods wrapped in the kind of canvas used to make tents, which would later give her the name “Tent Girl.” She was partially decomposed, and despite their best efforts, the police were unable to identify the body—for 30 years. Tent Girl was buried with a donated headstone that bore a sketch of her face and her description. The last line of the description—“unidentified”—would define the case until 1997 when Todd Mathews’ interest in the case led him to early internet forums for missing people. There, Mathews connected with Rosemary Benton, whose sister had disappeared in 1967. The description of Tent Girl was remarkably similar to Benton’s sister, Barbara Ann Taylor, and DNA proved what Matthews and Benton expected: Tent Girl was indeed the long-lost Taylor. Police have since conjectured that Taylor was killed by her husband (CBS).

Shortly after the tests confirmed her identity, Barbara Ann Taylor was reburied in the Georgetown Cemetery with the same red headstone that had bore her image and description for so many years. The only change was a new gray stone insert between the upright and base stones that stated her name, birth date and presumed death date, as well as the description “Loving Mother, Grandmother, and Sister.”

More than twenty years after the

identification of Tent Girl, her story continues to be told. The true crime podcast “Crime Junkie” and the Investigation Discovery show “Who Killed Jane Doe?” both did an episode on the story in February 2018. The details of the case were even familiar to me before I started researching her earlier this week. I remember hearing about her as a kid and again when I came to Georgetown. More than anything, I was fascinated by her proximity. I actually visited her grave M o n d a y afternoon.

I had passed the Georgetown C e m e t e r y Barbara Ann Taylor’s grave many times, catching glimpses of its rolling plots over the stone wall that separates it from the road. The long winding roads that cut through the cemetery made it look inviting and accessible. After a friend mentioned that she had visited the grave recently, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and explore the cemetery in search of Tent Girl. My only directions were “back of the cemetery” and I don’t have a good sense of direction, so it took a good twenty minutes of driving in circles to spot the headstone.

It’s truly in the back of the cemetery, in a less crowded and newer area of the expansive graveyard. I did my best to be respectful to Barbara Ann’s final resting place, only stopping briefly to take a picture before moving on.

Why, in a series of articles that so far have covered locations integral to college life, would I feel the need to talk about a murder mystery? I had a

few reasons. First, I thought the story was an interesting bit of local lore.

Georgetown is more than just the college. There’s a whole community just off campus that we students are technically a part of, and hearing about Tent Girl is one way to connect to the larger Georgetown area.

Second, I’ve been thinking about death a lot recently—at least, more than usual.

I’ve never been particularly afraid of the dead as found in cemeteries. There was a family plot across the creek from my grandmother’s house, just up GEORGETONIAN/Carrie Jo Cecil the hill from her vegetable garden. It was a beautiful, sunny spot framed with three tall pines. We visited often to clean off the stones of grandparents, uncles and cousins and my grandmother hand-makes brightly colored flower arrangements each year for Memorial Day. As a kid, I never understood why people were afraid of cemeteries. I loved visiting all three cemeteries where my mom has family on Memorial Day and hearing the same family stories every year. My favorite grave was my great-grandmother’s. She’s my namesake, so I know exactly what my name looked like over a grave.

It’s also been a while since I’ve been afraid of death. There was a period when I was about eight when I was afraid that any little thing, from getting shampoo in my mouth to getting bitten by a spider in my sleep, would kill me; luckily, that eventually passed. Now, one of my favorite

ways to waste time is to watch videos from the “Ask a Mortician” YouTube channel. I highly recommend it for those who aren’t squeamish about dead bodies or strange funeral practices.

Besides my general morbidity keeping death constantly in mind, I realized recently that important people in my life are getting older. My parents went to a funeral recently of someone not much older than them, and my mom’s first words to me when she got home was that she needed to start figuring out her pallbearers. My dad’s reaction was only slightly better—he tried to explain how to handle our finances and where to find life insurance policies. This is just one conversation I’ve had with them about death in recent months. My mom has always talked about where she wants to be buried and what kind of headstone she wants, but she’s gone so far in the last few months to call “dibs” on dying before my dad. She thinks that would be for the best because she doesn’t know how to do taxes and she thinks he has a better chance at getting remarried. Clearly, a preoccupation with death runs in the family.

Finally, more than sharing an interesting true crime story or funny personal anecdote, I wanted to write this piece as a memento mori—a reminder that I will die and so will you. To paraphrase Shakespeare, our little lives are rounded with a long sleep. I think it’s good to talk about death every once in a while. Traditionally, a memento mori is not meant to be depressing but rather cautionary. Don’t live in terror of the inevitable end but don’t forget the limits it puts on our time and the gravity it adds to our actions. Death matters because we are alive, here and now.

Barbara Ann Taylor died young and tragically and, like her, none of us know how long we have. If you’re anything like me, you do better work when you know you have a deadline. This final deadline is quite literal, so don’t waste time. Live well, since you will die.