The Signal Vol. 88 No. 10

VOL. 88 | NO. 10

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PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR & ILLUSTRATION BY BROOKLYN VALERA | THE SIGNAL

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At 2:26 p.m., police officers arrested two nonGeorgia State offenders for a drug law violation and an outstanding warrant.

OCT. 19

Monday’s misdemeanor

At 1:58 p.m., a Georgia State student was a victim of larceny. The case is still active.

OCT. 20

OCT. 17

“Psst…can I sleep here?”

A non-Georgia State offender criminally trespassed University Commons at 4:06 a.m. The case was exceptionally cleared.

NEWS BRIEFS

EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brooklyn Valera signaleditor@gmail.com MANAGING EDITOR Sharayah Davis signalmanagingeditor@gmail.com MARKETING MANAGER Franky Huang signalmarketingmanager@gmail.com

Back with the dangerous duo!

I guess that’s why they call it a strip!

At 3:42 p.m., police arrested a non-Georgia State offender for public indecency, sexual battery and obstruction.

Gettin’ cuffed for conduct

Police arrested a nonGeorgia State offender for disorderly conduct at 10:20 p.m.

OCT. 21

Mates and a motor in the M Deck

Two non-Georgia State offenders criminally trespassed the M Parking Deck at 4:14 p.m. The case was exceptionally cleared.

LOCAL

NATIONAL

GLOBAL

Black Greek sororities “Stroll to the Polls”

The second and last presidential debate

French teacher beheaded in Islamist attack

On Oct. 7, pictures of several Black Atlanta sororities participating in a stroll to the polls went viral. Strolling is when a sorority forms a forward-moving line using the same dance move or motion. These historically Black sororities included Divine Nine, Delta Sigma Theta and Alpha Kappa Alpha. The organizer of the event, Maisha Land, is a member of AKA. Land comes from the same sorority as vice president elect Kamala Harris

The second and final presidential debate was held on Oct. 22. The initial date was to be on Oct. 15, but President Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis and opposition to a virtual debate presented complications. Compared to the first presidential debate, this face-to-face debate ran with less interruption. Socialdistancing was in order and the production crew was able to mute microphones.

On Oct. 16, 18-year-old Abdullakh Anzorov beheaded 47-year-old French schoolteacher Samuel Paty with a 12-inch knife. While teaching, Paty showed his students Charlie Hebdo cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. He was later killed as an act of Islamist terrorism. Police shot and killed Anzorov shortly after his attack. Police also detained seven others, including two students.

NEWS

October 27, 2020

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/NEWS

Learn why students attending the Clarkston Campus have been unable to use the Campus Cafe.

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

Perimeter students unable to dine-in on campus PantherDining saw a considerable decline in business, causing its doors to close MARY A. BRASSFIELD News Editor

D

ue to a decrease in face-to-face classes and oncampus activities, Perimeter dining halls saw a considerable decline in business.

As a result, Perimeter campus dining halls have closed for the remainder of the fall 2020 semester.

Executive Director of Dining and Sustainability Lenore Musick said this change in sales and not meeting business expenses were the leading causes for the campus cafeterias closing.

The reopening of the cafes has yet to be determined by the executives at Georgia State, including all Starbucks cafes.

“It really depends on when students will be back on campus, and the university is doing more face to face classes,” Musick said.

Before the consolidation of all Georgia State’s Perimeter campuses, the Board of Regents put out a Request for Proposals for food management contract companies.

The request allowed “any school within the [University System of Georgia] to utilize an approved food management company without having to go out and bid.”

According to Musick, this was a beneficial deal because it allowed more remote locations to pull in contract companies they probably could not do independently.

Four out of the five Perimeter campuses were listed in the bid package deal awarded to Aladdin through the Board Of Regents.

The Perimeter and Atlanta Campus may have consolidated, but their dining halls, not so much.

Aladdin is a third-party food management company that operates the campus cafes The BOR based this deal on the different campuses’ original infrastructures, excluding the Alpharetta campus because of lack of equipment for a dining hall.

Meaning, PantherDining has a limited say on pricing and operational aspects; they also only assist Perimeter campuses with some facilities and equipment elements.

Student Government Association Speaker of the Senate Brianna Bailey voiced her opinions about how campus life has changed and the closing of the Perimeter dining halls, calling it “very concerning.”

“SGA possesses the ability to propose the need for services such as dining on Perimeter campuses to the administration. However, we do not have the power [or] authority to require them to operate differently or fund necessary solutions,” she said.

According to Bailey, COVID-19 has severely affected the Atlanta campus dining halls, prompting several changes.

“Only two of the three dining halls remain open after the closing of Patton Dining Hall for the semester,” Bailey said. “Panda Express closed after the first few weeks of the semester, and the food court in Student Center West reduced its operating hours.”

According to Musick, students can expect to see some “exciting new vending options coming on Perimeter Campuses.” SGA is also working with the Dean of Students to bring some new options to the Atlanta campus’ PantherDining.

Perimeter students can find similar food options along with discounts with Panther Dining at the Downtown campus. “[The] Atlanta campus offers a variety of discounts when paying with PantherCash,” Musick said. “An example is you can dine in one of the dining halls, all you can eat. If you pay with PantherCash, you can get a 20% discount that makes your lunch right around $8, plus tax.”

Perimeter students will not take any financial losses, as in-state and out-of-state tuition does not include meal plans and dining halls. Still, it does inconvenience

some on-campus students who don’t have nearby restaurants.

“There are countless concerns [that] the impact of COVID-19 has [had] on general campus life, and the availability of food services is one of them,” Bailey said.

“

It really depends on when students will be back on campus, and the university is doing more face to face classes.

— LENORE MUSICK

”

Executive Director of Dining and Sustainability

The university is not seeing nearly as many students as it’s used to around this time in the semester, so it has to operate accordingly.

“COVID-19 has changed the landscape of many industries, but especially the hospitality industry,” Musick said. “Some drastic measures were taken to help maintain a sustainable outcome for many dining operations.”

Musick encourages students to monitor the dining hall website for any updates on the campus cafes’ reopening.

4

NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2020

The Student Government Association is moving forward with a new logo and branding.

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY OLIVIA NASH

SGA is becoming a Registered Student Organization The association gets a new logo and partnership with the university OLIVIA NASH Staff Reporter

A

t the Oct. 8 Student Government Association University-Wide Senate meeting, SGA members finally voted on a new logo.

Following this new decision all SGA members have recently decided to take steps “We will now move on to our first item under old business, which is the SGA logo,” SGA University-Wide President Kaelen Thomas said at the meeting. “So, SGA has been working towards creating a new logo … and revis[ing] the logo design that was voted on at our last University-Wide Senate meeting. We have one logo design to vote on tonight.”

According to Gail Sutton, the SGA advisor at the Atlanta campus, the association changed its logo because of its changing partnership with Georgia State.

“SGA is developing a new brand identity. As an organization, SGA has recently been changed to a Registered Student Organization (RSO) rather than a university department,” Sutton said. “RSOs are not permitted to use the university logos or other wordmarks on their materials, which is what prompted them to craft a new logo.”

Registered Student Organizations are now recognized by universities yet still are not overseen by the school.

Executive Vice President of the Newton campus Carlos Porter said that SGA is still transitioning.

“Our relationship is changing as well, and who we answer to is different,” Porter said. “As of right now, there are certain things we want to do, but we are limited by the university’s oversight. Now, with this change, we’ll have more leeway.”

Previously, the association was directly linked to Georgia State, causing SGA to be limited by what Georgia State deemed appropriate. Executive Vice President Takia Tinsley said that SGA revised its logo to reflect its now indirect extension to Georgia State. “[This created] the need for a new design that did not utilize the iconic [Georgia State] flame,” Tinsley said.

“We spent extensive time designing and voting upon the current logo design.”

At the beginning of the redesign process, members of SGA submitted their own logo designs. But according to EVP Porter, there were many conflicts throughout the meeting, including some members disagreeing on why their designs were not chosen.

SGA then created a five-person committee to

spearhead the design process.

“The hope is that this new logo will be around for several years before any change is necessary to it,” Sutton said.

Prior to this change this logo was only used on the SGA Panther Involvement Network page, the university calendar and news posts distributed through PIN. Now, this logo represents SGA across all social media platforms.

“You should see a change to the logo used on the SGA social media platforms,” Sutton said. “Our UniversityWide Communications Director has recently resigned, and he was the primary administrator of the SGA social media sites. Access to the administration of SGA social media sites is being reassigned in the next day or two.”

From virtual meetings, resigning members and an organization redesign, SGA has experienced many changes this semester.

“There have been some minor hiccups in our promotional material being completely updated, as we want to be thorough and precise with how we conduct ourselves going forward,” Tinsley said. “We took some time to decide upon this logo and have only recently concluded upon the design that you have seen. We plan to utilize the logo going forward with our projects for the remainder of this semester.”

The committee agreed to remove the flame, the panther or any other emblem that reflects the university.

“In addition to no longer utilizing the [Georgia State] flame, our organization now operates on the same level as other student-chartered organizations,” Tinsley said.

“Basically, any hurdles or walls we may have run into within previous administrations, in terms of how to conduct certain missions, have the chance to dissolve within this rebranding. It is a new year, and there is a new SGA.” EVP Tinsley said that though the association is becoming its own entity, SGA’s goals remain the same.

“Our goals and initiatives have not shifted. We are here to serve as a resource to the students, forever and always,” Tinsley said. “We have simply moved more toward having an identity as an SGA entity that is not as directly associated with the university, mirroring that of other chartered student governments at other schools.”

Both Tinsley and the SGA Senate want to encourage

more community engagement and more communication between SGA and the students.

“We want the student body to recognize and be able to access the folks that they all elected into these

“

We will now move on to our first item under old business, which is the SGA logo.

— KAELEN THOMAS

”

SGA President

student leader positions,” Tinsley said. “We want to do this by promoting even more community involvement for our team, having them go to the students and seek endeavors rather than wait for the students to come to us. This will show in both virtual and physical aspects.”

Transitioning into a new way of operating, SGA will continue to consider the implications COVID-19 will have on the university and its in-person events.

“We have recently begun explor[ing] how more in-person activities may be possible on campus in the near future, as many students are expecting the virusaffected campus life to somehow magically return to normal by the spring semester,” Tinsley said.

He, too, wishes that the virus would go away and Georgia State soon returns to normal. But he remembers that it is SGA’s responsibility to prepare for any possibilities in the upcoming semester.

SGA began hosting some different “trial run initiatives” and activities that require masks, sanitization and social distancing measures.

“It is hard and taxing, but we are striving to identify what avenues will provide the most exciting, safe and memorable college experience for Georgia State’s Panthers,” Tinsley said.

5

THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2020

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY J.P. IRIE

SGA met on Oct. 21st to discuss construction projects on campus.

GSU Greenway completion date moved to spring of 2021 Vice President of Facilities gives updates on Georgia State’s projects new and old J.P. IRIE Staff Reporter

A

t Wednesday’s Georgia State Budget Committee meeting, Facilities Management Vice President Ramesh Vakamudi gave updates on the university’s construction projects.

Progress on Georgia State’s several construction projects has not dwindled, and Vakamudi expects a couple of projects to be done next year.

“We’ve been busy since March,” Vakamudi said. “We’ve [been] working non-stop since April. We’ve not stopped since then.”

& Co., a local construction company that specializes in industrial and infrastructural projects.

Senior Director of the Facilities Design and Construction Services Kimberly Bauer predicted Pond & Co. would finish the plaza in March. Associate Vice President for Public Relations and Marketing Andrea Jones expected the plaza to open in May. However, Vakamudi set the new expected completion date for March or April of 2021.

Social Distancing on the Campus

Vakamudi said the Board of Regents approved a new addition to the NC building of the Dunwoody campus: a dental hygiene teaching lab. He estimated the project would cost $6.3 million. The board will contribute over $4 million.

This came after the Board, in their Oct. 13 meeting, established a Bachelors of Science in Dental Hygiene at Georgia State.

However, regents in the meeting noted that renovations or building additions weren’t necessary.

Their most immediate project introduced social distancing to the campus.

“The biggest task we were faced with at the time,” Vakamudi said, “was [modifying] 600 labs with social distancing layouts and installing social distancing markers, and that’s across all six campuses.”

The goal was to keep students six feet apart wherever possible, a task that Provost of Academic Affairs Wendy Hensel mentioned would drastically cut classroom capacity.

“We collaborated with [the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning] and all the colleges because there are several classrooms … with different layouts.”

The Greenway and Library Addition

The next task was the long-awaited Greenway, taking place where Kell Hall once stood.

Vakamudi showed pictures of what will replace Kell Hall and what construction teams have been working on for the past year: a new green space in the city, a new entrance to Library North and a new hangout spot for students downtown.

A concrete trail with trees lined on each side already cuts through the site of the greenway. Meanwhile, the Library North addition site is less photogenic — a large patch of dirt where metal trusses and a slab of concrete lay.

“We’ve completed the northern portion of the campus greenway project,” Vakamudi said. “As soon as we complete the Library North project … we’ll go back and complete the south phase of the … greenway.”

Georgia State delegated the construction of the Greenway and the addition to Library North to Pond

Dental Hygiene Addition to Dunwoody

Hurt Park

Hurt Park’s renovation has not slowed, but it has changed.

While the City of Atlanta owns Hurt Park, the city has entrusted the operation and maintenance to Georgia State.

Before the renovation, Hurt Park was known for its dispersed litter, broken fountain and homeless people.

Georgia State received the city council’s approval to repair and refurbish the park. The university promptly put up a chain link fence during construction.

In the photographs Vakamudi showed, the construction crews displaced much of the park’s grass turf, leaving the dirt underneath bare.

Simultaneously, homeless people who once frequented the park could not even sleep on its sidewalk without being dispelled by patrolling police.

Many Atlantans who were concerned for the homeless, protested on Twitter and Instagram. A few nonprofits such as Love Beyond Walls, an organization prioritizing homeless hygiene, have also spoken out.

Love Beyond Walls specifically highlighted “the growth of ‘hostile architecture” in a Facebook post on Sept. 8. A practice that removes unwanted groups of people from an

area by discouraging the use of the space by putting up fences or blocking the sidewalks and seating areas.

Even Atlanta’s urban design commission disagreed with implementing a fence in the final design, believing it would disperse the homeless further throughout the city.

Vakamudi noted that many homeless people have moved towards the Walgreens near Georgia State and Woodruff Park.

The controversy surrounding the park occurred in September. Now it’s October, and Georgia State is changing some of its plans for the park in response.

Vakamudi disclosed that there would be no fence in the final design of the park. “[There’s] also a HOPE Team [and] they … assist [the homeless] … but … as all of us on this call knows, this is an ongoing problem,” Vakamudi said.

Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement, or HOPE, is a nonprofit organization in Atlanta dedicated to resolving homelessness.

Convocation Center

Georgia State will begin construction on its Convocation Center in mid-November. It’s a “large, multipurpose, $85 million project,” Vakamudi said.

The 131,000 square foot center would hold graduations, commencement ceremonies, conferences, concerts, esports and basketball.

“It’s scheduled for opening in 2022,” Vakamudi said.

Smaller Projects

Vakamudi also discussed smaller improvements to buildings throughout the six campuses: • Refurbishment of the restrooms in the CH building of the Clarkston Campus • Replacement of the wooden handrails in Langdale Hall on the Atlanta campus with stainless steel rails. The old handrails “were not [Americans with Disabilities Act] compliant” and “did not have correct mounting heights,” Vakamudi said.

• Replacement of the 20-year-old Science Annex roof on the Atlanta campus.

Though Georgia State has been experiencing budget cuts, Facilities Management at Georgia State continues to push forward with its projects.

OPINIONS

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/OPINIONS

October 27, 2020

Students: we should appreciate the Rialto Georgia State’s concert hall deserves attention KENNETH LOCKETT III Staff Columnist

G

ILLUSTRATION BY MONIQUE ROJAS | THE SIGNAL

Horror movies’ obsession with torturing women

Don’t women face enough horrors in their everyday life?

ASHLAR BYLECKIE Staff Columnist

H

orror movies are a staple in any movie lover’s diet. With a pandemic raging across the world, movies are one of the few safe ways that lovers of the spooky and mysterious can stay connected to the genre.

While consuming an above-average amount of horror-related content this season, one thing stands out: The horror genre loves to torture women psychologically, physically and emotionally, especially relative to their male counterparts.

While the fear this torture elicits is supposed to be rooted in fun, it occasionally mirrors the genuine violence women face every day and sends male audiences the message that such suffering is acceptable.

Women already live in fear of male violence daily, so to see it in high definition during a movie can be uncomfortable. Horror movies have always been used as a form of escapism, to leave the real world behind. For women, a genuine part of our world can be victims of violence, such as kidnapping, rape or murder.

Movies such as “I Spit on Your Grave,” where the protagonist is attacked and raped by a group of men in her own home, might seem absurd and beyond

male audiences’ reach. For a woman, it’s just her worst nightmare come to life on the big screen.

“

The hell horror heroines go through sparks joy, whether it’s rooting for their comeuppance or escape.

”

— ZAVIER FRITH

Georgia State Junior

Xavier Frith, a junior at Georgia State, had a different outlook on the claim that a viewer may label such movies as “torture porn” for male audiences. He says he tries not to use that label but “couldn’t deny that … the hell horror heroines go through sparks joy, whether

it’s rooting for their comeuppance or escape.” Gender can affect our perception of violence.

In many movies where a killer murders a couple, the boyfriend is usually the first to go. Often by blunt force trauma to the head or something instant, the killer gets him out of the way so they may be left with their real target: the girlfriend.

Tobe Hooper’s 1974 classic, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” is a prime example of this. The protagonist, Sally, is tied up and forced to endure the company of murderous outcasts after the brutal murder of her boyfriend and friends. Her boyfriend got a swift whack to the head while she received hours of psychological torture.

Some websites offer a list of trigger warnings, ranging from sexual assault to generally emotional scenes. These websites can be life saving for women.

Although people’s triggers and comfort levels are not anyone’s responsibility but their own, we must ask why a director wants to create a narrative that closely resembles a real evil. Male directors dominate the genre and need to be held accountable for their movies’ message about violence towards women, without shrugging it off as creative fun.

eorgia State sits near many historic music and art venues, such as The Tabernacle and 787 Windsor. But we often overlook the one sitting right there on campus.

Georgia State renovated The Rialto in the 1990s and has since hosted multiple historical shows and events. It is well known for state-of-theart acoustics. Being the only local performing arts center in downtown Atlanta, it’s a cultural anchor that often doesn’t get students’ attention it rightfully deserves.

The Rialto has hosted legendary acts such as Gladys Knight through its amazing Rialto series. The School of Music regularly holds performances there, including the Georgia State University Symphony Orchestra.

When student organizations hold events, they use the Student Center, Dahlberg Hall or even the plazas. Imagine hosting a panel in the gorgeous auditorium of Rialto, learning in an environment rich with culture.

Picture entering from stage left as your family cheers you on from their seats. Paint the portrait of you hosting your art exhibit in the lobby, which students walk past regularly and wait in front of. Students often feel confined to our classrooms. Just a walk away from the walls we see daily is the refreshing setting of the Rialto.

The Rialto is an organization hosting educational outreach programs such as the Rialto Jazz Youth Jazz Orchestra and Rialto 2 Go. It regularly hosts events for the nationally acclaimed Atlanta Film Festival and the National Black Arts Festival.

In a brief conversation

with local Atlantan Jill Simione, she voiced her love for the concert hall.

“It used to be a movie theater, and as a child, I loved coming here and watching movies. It was something different,” Simione said. “And then [Georgia State] bought it, and I started coming to the little shows they had.

It was great. I can’t wait for it to open back up once everything clams down, and everybody is safe.”

The Rialto is a gorgeous building, with its grand piano and giant auditorium. For being so stunning and full of opportunity, it only doesn’t get the love it deserves.

The Rialto is a cultural landmark in the city of Atlanta and for Georgia State. It’s a place where artists can express themselves and show off their masterwork to the general public. It is a showcase of classical and jazz music from Georgia State students and professionals.

Due to COVID-19, the concert hall isn’t hosting many events, but definitely check out any online performances. In the upcoming months, students are invited to stream their online performances. The “Feed Your Senses Livestream” series will showcase musicians Joe Alterman and Joe Grandsen in November and December.

What better way is there to celebrate the holiday spirit?

So as the nation begins to open up, look out for shows at the Rialto. If you aren’t sold already, student discount tickets are available. With your discounted ticket also comes free parking, a rarity in the city. What more reason do you need to take the night off, grab some friends and enjoy a show at the Rialto?

OPINIONS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2020

7

LockDown Browser is invading privacy

Taking tests under the watchful eye of a webcam CALLIE MCNORTON Staff Columnist

M

idterms are behind us, and finals are almost around the corner.

It has taken hours at coffee shops, Zoom meetings and GroupMe to make it this far.

However, Georgia State students have not acclimated the way the university had hoped. The Signal reported that almost 900 more students have withdrawn from a course this semester than fall 2019.

With COVID-19 being the obvious hurdle, what went wrong in an almost entirely virtual semester?

According to the Respondus website, “LockDown Browser is a custom browser that locks down the testing environment within a learning management system.”

LockDown Browser has been used long before COVID-19 circumstances.

However, as it becomes more relevant than ever, we need to understand its impact on students.

Test-taking is already stressful. LockDown Browser records your environment, even notifying you when it can no longer detect a face in frame. We may have to attribute LockDown Browser to a lack of success and many students withdrawals.

It may not be worth it to students to take tests this way, especially when grades on tests provide most of the course grade. Furthermore, adding a global pandemic into the mix of it all, the transition to online testing has majorly affected mental health. COVID-19 has been such a whirlwind, and while all of us are struggling, students with preexisting conditions recognize the negative impact LockDown Browser can have.

“Using LockDown Browser while having unmedicated ADHD has made it hard for me to take tests,” sophomore Katelyn Vercher said. “I fidget and look around a lot during

tests usually, but now I can’t do that because the browser flags you and thinks you’re cheating.”

So why use LockDown Browser at Georgia State?

Tracy Adkins, director of learning technology at the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, attributes its usage to cost.

“Currently, Respondus LockDown Browser pricing has a low cost per student for unlimited quizzes, tests and exams on an annual basis. It offers similar features to other, more expensive solutions that would increase the cost for our students.”

LockDown Browser is, unbeknownst to us, costing students. While the cost may be lower than more expensive solutions, is it worth it?

Respondus, in essence, allows for testing to be monitored at different scales. Teachers have the opportunity to administer tests with or without certain restrictions. Taking a test with Respondus can restrict your ability to open outside tabs, which seems reasonable.

“Information comes from a variety of internal systems used to track tool usage. An external link can’t be provided,” Adkins said.

While this may seem fair, primarily online students should easily access the data systems are collecting on themselves.

If we cannot understand the intent of showing our ID and tracking our eye movement, what does that mean for students’ privacy?

More answers about our privacy, or lack thereof, may come as we go deeper into this primarily virtual college experience. It is essential to understand what is happening under our noses and what it costs us.

From mental health to privacy to actual costs, LockDown Browser seems to be a factor in the unsuccessful online integration this semester.

ILLUSTRATION BY MONIQUE ROJAS | THE SIGNAL

Cut me some slack; I’m teaching myself

Parents have no clue how difficult online school really is ALYSSIA HARDGE Staff Columnist

B

efore COVID-19, the average student’s life consisted of school, work, extracurricular activities and social media. Growing up isn’t just hard; it’s stressful.

Our parents have a hard time understanding that. They expected us to be the best students possible, and we don’t want to disappoint them.

We learned to live with the expectation that our parents could not understand the amount of stress we face. So with the pandemic, why did their expectations get higher?

Our parents didn’t grow up in the digital age. They characterize the youth as always being glued to their devices, so according to them, online school should be a breeze.

Little do they know the amount of pressure we encounter.

Students were not adequately prepared to take most of their classes online. Professors are giving more work than they would if classes were face to face. Online school is more than just a huge change; it’s an emotional burden in many students’ lives.

But, of course, when our parents ask, “How’s school going?” we will say, “It’s going great, a little stressful, but I’m making it through.” They’ll respond with a casual reminder that these stressors are normal and that our grades better be good.

Some students don’t dare to admit to their parents that they just don’t have the motivation for school anymore. After all, C’s get degrees, too.

A lot of our parents have forgotten what it’s like to be a student. Some parents live for their college days, still tearing up when they think about their experiences, all the fun they had. We would, too — that is, if we were having fun. Due to COVID-19, we are stuck with nearly empty football stadiums and Zoom sleepover calls with our friends.

It is not the same as it was when our parents were in school; we understand that. Why don’t they?

When the semester first started, many parents were (and still are) against students being on campus during the pandemic. With midterms and registration within arms reach, many students struggle to decide whether it’s time to go back home or stick it out for one more semester.

In a survey I conducted with 62 Georgia State Dining students, I asked, “Do you plan on taking face to face classes, if available, in the spring?” 56 out of the 62 said they would consider.

After reviewing the course schedule for the spring semester, many classes are online or blended.

But with the ongoing pandemic and

new COVID-19 cases every day, who’s to tell what will happen in the coming months?

Parents need to understand that online school is hard. It has made it so that we are simultaneously always in class, but also never in class.

They need to cut us some slack. It’s not easy to teach yourself three to five courses, maintain a 4.0 GPA, keep a healthy mental state, make new friends and adapt to this new normal, which is COVID-19.

I am a freshman, and I’ve been avoiding my family when talking about my grades. Whenever they ask, I would always hit them with the classic, “I’m passing, so don’t worry about it,” because, in high school, they just knew that I was making good grades and balancing every club, class and social event that I had.

My family’s expectations for me when it comes to my school work have always been high. Not to put my business out there, but between me and a couple of my friends who are also freshmen, we were failing at least one class, and our attitude toward that is, “It is what it is, at least I’m trying.”

As college students, we have lowered our expectations regarding what to expect from online learning; it’s time our parents do the same.

This Week’s Spread: ARTS & LIVIN WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/ARTSANDLIVING

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hen Georgia State students walk around the Atlanta campus, they are unknowingly walking through a history textbook. Atlanta is historically significant to American history, both a central commercial hub during the Civil War and a cradle of the civil rights movement.

Sherman’s March to the Sea destroyed most traces of antebellum Atlanta during the Civil War, and the buildings still standing today have undergone multiple renovations. Those who opposed the success of Atlanta’s Black businesses destroyed many civil rights-era buildings, but they are not the only ones to blame.

Historically Black neighborhoods like Sweet Auburn and Old Fourth Ward are underfunded, have become dilapidated or were partially demolished to make room for modern lofts and apartment complexes. Other historic downtown buildings are used for businesses and university development.

But Atlanta has not entirely rid itself of its history. Strolling around the downtown campus, students can find a multitude of plaques describing a building that once stood or is repurposed.

Do not shy away from reading them; there is a lot to learn about this culturally rich city.

Peachtree Street and Fairlie-Poplar Distr

Every step on campus leads to a historic landmark

A student’s guide to Atlanta’s history JADA JONES Associate Arts & Living Editor

The historic Fairlie-Poplar District is located city and surrounds Georgia State’s downtown ca students visit the Helen M. Aderhold Learning C the local Walgreens and their favorite restaurant and Rosa’s Pizza.

The district was a commercial hub in the late century. Atlanta’s first skyscrapers reside in this d construction put Atlanta on the map as an emer When students walk down Peachtree Street t College of Law, they walk past the Candler Build history. Asa Candler, the man behind the projec and a significant investor in the Coca-Cola Com The Candler Building completed constructio one of the earliest and, for a time, tallest skyscrap working in law, dentistry and banking used the C office space.

The building was ahead of its time, with elec carried passengers to a barbershop and swimmi basement. Today, the Candler Building is the Ca hotel owned by Hilton.

The corner of Peachtree and Marietta Street, Street, marks Jacob’s Pharmacy, where John Pem glass of Coca-Cola. To commemorate this sale, t Georgia State agreed to place a neon Coca-Cola across the street.

Remember Kell Hall?

Kell Hall was Georgia State’s first permanen Georgia State’s early years, Kell Hall was the onl contained classrooms, a library, a recreation cen Before the university acquired the building, building and parking garage, hence the steep ra climb to get to class.

Today, Kell Hall is an archived memory. Geo see where Kell Hall once stood between Langda Humanities building. Kell Hall is now complete new greenspace is under construction.

Oakland Cemetery

Founded in 1850 as the Atlanta Cemetery, th one mile from the downtown campus, is the old Oakland Cemetery is where some significant Bl laid to rest, including Maynard Jackson, Carrie Sloan Butler.

In contrast, nearly 7,000 Confederate soldiers Cemetery, and Alexander Stephens, vice presiden was interred at the cemetery for some time. Oakl home of the Confederate Obelisk, the tallest struc

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d in the heart of the ampus. In this district, Center to attend classes, ts such as Reuben’s Deli

e 19th and early 20th district, and their rging modern city. to the Georgia State ding, unaware of its ct, was a Georgia native mpany. on in 1906 and was pers in Atlanta. People Candler Building as an

ctric elevators that ing pool in the andler Hotel, an upscale

, specifically 12 Marietta mberton sold the first the City of Atlanta and a sign atop the Walgreens

nt classroom building. In ly university building. It nter and campus offices. , Kell Hall was an office amps students had to

orgia State students can ale Hall and the Arts and ely demolished and a

he Oakland Cemetery, dest cemetery in Atlanta. lack Atlanta figures are Steel Logan and Selena

s are buried at Oakland nt of the Confederacy, land Cemetery is also the ucture in the cemetery.

Edgewood Avenue and Sweet Auburn Edgewood Avenue runs from Five Points to Old Fourth Ward.

Today, bars and restaurants line the street. Georgia State art students walk down these streets to reach the sculpture studio but may not know the area’s rich history. Sweet Auburn became a business district for African Americans following the Atlanta Race Riots of 1906.

According to the National Park Service of Atlanta, Sweet Auburn is a “historically significant African American area.” This district was the stomping grounds of prominent civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis. Auburn Avenue is the home of King’s childhood residence and the original Ebenezer Baptist Church.

The second-largest Black-owned insurance company, Atlanta Life Insurance, began in the Sweet Auburn District. Alonzo Herndon, who was born into slavery, founded Atlanta Life Insurance in 1907.

Atlanta Life’s purpose was to provide life insurance for African American families who could not afford it or were denied by white insurance companies. Atlanta Life is still in operation today.

Atlanta Daily World, Atlanta’s oldest Black newspaper, can also be found on Auburn Avenue. Morehouse graduate William Alexander Scott II founded the newspaper in 1928. Atlanta Daily World’s former headquarters, located at 145 Auburn Avenue, is now an Arden’s Garden and Condesa Coffee.

The Coca-Cola Company is one of the biggest corporations to come from Atlanta.

Coca-Cola’s original bottling plant is the same building as Georgia State’s Baptist Student Union. Located at 125 Edgewood Avenue, the Dixie Coca-Cola Bottling Company Plant is the only building from Coca-Cola’s early history still standing.

Built in 1891, the Bottling Plant is where Coca-Cola transitioned from a drink sold at a soda fountain to the bottled drink Coke fans are familiar with today.

Fun Facts Margaret Mitchell, the author of the infamous “Gone with the Wind,” wrote the novel out of boredom when an ankle injury left her bedridden. Mitchell died at Grady Memorial Hospital five days after being struck by a car while crossing Peachtree Street. She is buried at Oakland Cemetery.

Martin Luther King bought life insurance from Atlanta Life when Civil Rights opposers endangered his life.

John Pemberton, the founder of Coca-Cola, was a Confederate lieutenant colonel. He sustained an injury in the war and became addicted to morphine. To wean himself off, he began experimenting with cocaine-infused wines, which led him to create the Coca-Cola recipe.

The historic Flatiron Building, found on Peachtree Street, is Atlanta’s oldest standing skyscraper and was built five years before New York City’s iconic Flatiron Building.

Atlanta is the only city in North America to be destroyed as an act of war.

Georgia State’s campus is unique not only because of its placement in the middle of a major city but also because of the lessons learned from Atlanta’s history. When Union troops burned the city in the Civil War, it prospered despite the devastating defeat. It is no coincidence the “Atlanta of the Ashes” statue is placed smack in the middle of downtown. Just like a phoenix, Atlanta rose from the ashes and was born again.

Georgia State students have the city’s entire history within walking distance of their residence halls and classrooms. Atlanta’s historical significance has shaped the university, and Atlanta natives will influence the future.

As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “We do not make history. We are made by history.”

ARTS & LIVING

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/ARTSANDLIVING

October 27, 2020

Students share plans for their night of horrors

Despite COVID-19, many are safely celebrating the holiday KARA MARTIN Staff Reporter

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ILLUSTRATIONS BY ROE GASSETT & MONIQUE ROJAS | THE SIGNAL

Once in a blue moon event on Halloween

Rituals and celebrations for the rare celestial event ISA CARDONA Staff Reporter

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alloween is associated with spooky vampires, zombies and other creatures that lurk in the night, all illuminated by a full moon.

A Halloween full moon only occurs once every 19 years, and a blue moon on this night is even rarer. This will be the second of the two blue moons that will happen this month.

In many spiritual practices, the moon represents balance, the flow of emotions, dreams and a pathway to one’s “inner world.”

The moon’s power offers the ability to powerfully manifest desires, learn from the past and feel deeply connected with the earth.

Graduate student Brittany Williams is celebrating the blue moon for the first time. She looks forward to using the event as an opportunity to focus on her longterm goals.

“I’m starting off my day with some affirmations and writing them down. I also do a spiritual bath,” Williams said. “I dabble in my ancestral spiritual practices in the Yoruba and Ibo tradition.”

In the Yoruba tradition, Oshun is the Orisha or goddess of love and sweet waters. Williams plans to go to the Chattahoochee River during the blue moon. She will give offerings of yellow or orange fruits and honey that have been pretasted, as those are some of Oshun’s favorite foods. Williams will also

dress in white, including her white headscarf to protect her chakras.

Junior Sunny Hasting is using this event as a way to gather energy.

They are going to spend the night looking at the moon and enjoying the outdoors.

“I feel like everyone’s connection to the moon is different,” Hasting said. “For me, it’s happiness and wanting to be outside all the time. I think that is what the energy gives me. It’s a welcoming energy that wants to draw you out.”

They also want to focus on ancestral work to learn more about their history.

“I wonder a lot about my grandparents because I can’t talk to the ones that have passed on,” Hasting said. “I’ll see if I can do something with that [and] with the energy of the [blue moon] to center myself and somehow connect with my ancestors or myself in a positive way.”

Sophomore Nika Luckett has been spiritual since 2014 but only recently connected with the moon.

“In the last two months for the full moon, I wrote down things that I just needed to let go of and find healing,” Luckett said. “I think every day is a good day to let go of

anything you’re going through, but the full moon just heightens the chance of manifesting things.”

In her opinion, there are no set guidelines for how one should celebrate or utilize the moon’s energy.

“Enjoy being in the flow and do what you want to do,” Luckett said.

“Celebrating the full moon is how you want to celebrate. There’s no right or wrong answer.”

Anyone can celebrate the blue moon, whether they are spiritual or not. There’s no need for money or materials to have a powerful, cleansing and fulfilling experience.

If anyone wants to utilize or celebrate the blue moon, this is a great time to take advantage of the extra lunar energy.

alloween is full of tricks and treats for anyone who celebrates it. From spooky jack-o’-lanterns to the infinite candy and wild costumes, it’s hard not to want to take part in the festivities.

Although COVID-19 will cause Halloween to look different this year, there are still many safe ways to celebrate the holiday, whether it be spending the night cozied up on the couch or enjoying the fun with others.

1. Pumpkin Patch

Junior Cameron Moore enjoys spending quality time with his family, especially during the holidays.This tradition began at a young age, and he never feels too old to celebrate the spooky holiday.

“For Halloween, since I was three, my family has had a tradition where we go to a pumpkin patch, then an apple orchard, and then we end the night at a haunted corn maze,” Moore said.

2. Pumpkin Carving

Senior Sidney Henry, her family and friends have their own fun and spooky Halloween traditions. In her final years of college, she still makes family her priority during the holidays.

“My favorite thing to do during Halloween is going to the pumpkin patch with friends and family, pick out different pumpkins and take them home so we can all carve and paint them,” Henry said.

Staying comfortably at home on Halloween, especially during a pandemic, is one of the safest activities for the holiday. However, even then, social distancing and face masks are still encouraged by the CDC.

3. Trick-or-Treating

Junior Ana Rodriguez feels like she has outgrown the holiday but makes it fun for the people around her.

Taking the kids she nannies

trick-or-treating makes her feel young again and helps her appreciate the little things.

“Now that I’m too old to trick or treat, I take the kids I nanny trick or treating instead. I’m lucky enough that the families I nanny for enjoy Halloween just as much as I did,” Rodriguez said.

4. Six Flags Fright Night

Junior Hadeyah Mobley finds the park incredibly exciting during Halloween because of all the scary characters and spooky rides.

“I’ve been going to Six Flags Fright Fest since I could walk, and Halloween is my favorite holiday, so it’s the perfect combination for me,” Mobley said.

Mobley, along with all park-goers, must follow Six Flags’ COVID-19 safety protocols before and after entering the park.

5. Hallelujah Night

Scary movies and haunted houses are not the only ways to celebrate Halloween.

Senior Semaj Lewis grew up spending his Halloween at church with his family.

“I couldn’t celebrate Halloween when I was younger, so we had ‘Hallelujah Night’ instead,” said Lewis. “It was always a good time, and I enjoyed it, but eventually I grew up and started celebrating with other people and going to parties instead.”

Although most churches have remained closed since Governor Kemp initiated quarantine, churches have decided to hold Hallelujah Night virtually.

From spending time at home with loved ones to going out for thrills, the ways to celebrate Halloween are endless. Although students may be celebrating Halloween differently this year, its spooky traditions and activities will continue to live on.

ARTS&LIVING

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2020

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Freestyle nail art’s role in the Atlanta art scene Wearable self-expression through nails KRISTY RIVERA Staff Reporter

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designs to life.

“I always push myself to try new designs,” she said.

“Recently, I had a client who wanted a bandana design, and I found it difficult to get all of the proportions correct in comparison to the reference image.”

Warren enjoys making a client’s nail dreams come true, and she also helps them learn the craft themselves. Warren offers individual and group classes that cover nail preparation, application and reshaping.

She also offers a “Bring a friend” freestyle set, which includes two bling or custom nails. Bling nails can include gems and charms that allow individual expression.

Nail art allows technicians to express themselves while also allowing clients to loosen control.

Clients are now opting out of simple designs and leaning toward bold sets that mimic artists like Saweetie, who push the boundaries on length and design.

Nail length and style add to the art form’s versatility, enhancing all sorts of designs with small details.

The use of crystals, colors and line designs allows Warren to develop her most unique looks, ranging from cow prints to streetwearinspired Bape designs.

The more intricate the — JAZMIN WARREN design, the more hours are Creator of Nobrokenails required to bring this art to life, making nail sets timeconsuming and unique art Local Atlanta at home pieces for each client and nail technician and creator nail technician. of Nobrokenails Jazmin Nail sets primarily cater Warren has used nail art to clients’ interests but to explore her creativity. often feature elements that Freestyle designs allow reference the city or things her to try more elaborate popular in mainstream styles and flex her creative media and adorned by muscles. celebrities.. Many opt to “I take creative control display logos, and/or pop and come up with nail culture references. looks based on our The Atlanta nail scene is conversations in the unique. It features iconic session,” Warren said. artists and shops that bring Warren enjoys freestyle individual elements of nail art because it wearable art that are unseen challenges her to try new in other still art mediums. styles and bring intricate ail art allows for wearable self-expression, spanning from gel to acrylic and from small heart designs to mini portraits on more extended sets.

Nail art culture plays a prominent role in the Atlanta art scene. Around the city, people sport manicures with a wide variety of styles, colors, designs and shapes created by nail technicians in shops or from at-home setups.

The city is home to some of the most iconic nail shops such as Poochiez Pawz Nail studio, which was founded by the Atlanta godmother of nails “Poochie” Green Robinson.

The nail art scene has become one of free expression for all ethnicities and races to showcase personality and culture through wearable art.

As the popularity of nail art has grown, more clients are choosing freestyle designs. Freestyle designs give nail technicians full creative freedom to create unique designs for their clients.

“

I always push myself to try new designs.

”

Check out some of the scariest horror movies to watch during this fall season.

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

Check under the bed after watching these movies

Students are creepin’ it real about horror films

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HANNAH ELISE JONES Arts & Living Editor ore, the psychological, paranormal and supernatural all center around one thing —

fear.

Fear is an innate emotion so central to life that an entire month and film genre are dedicated to eliciting the feeling.

Junior Jessica Redding is a film major who was once a self-described “scaredycat,” but after watching “The Conjuring,” became a fan of the world of horror.

Redding describes “The Witch” as the film that “really, truly unnerved me.”

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Halloween is this awesome time where we can all collectively watch a movie [that scares us] and … we all prove that we’re human.

— JESSICA REDDING Georgia State Junior

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“I couldn’t take my eyes from the screen,” she said. “It just felt so real, like not even a movie. Looking back, I’m really just fascinated by it.”

“The Witch’’ follows a Puritan family living on a rural farm. When their baby disappears into the woods, evil forces prey upon them.

The movie was scary for Redding because of the slow-burn storyline that left her hanging on each movement.

Redding enjoys suspenseful horror films when they don’t follow a predictable structure.

Junior Carter Dammann generally finds scary movies unrealistic, and most plotlines lead to him calling “B.S.” One story, though, got into his head.

“The Blair Witch Project” has realistic, terrifying elements that fuel nightmares.

The movie is about three film students who disappeared, telling the story through their camera’s perspective. The movie helped pioneer the found-footage genre, and the successful “Paranormal Activity” franchise later followed its structure. One scene shows the students finding bloody teeth outside their tent, and the image is etched into Dammann’s brain.

“The worst thing about getting scared is [the feeling] when you’re watching a movie at 3 a.m., and you can’t sleep afterward because you keep dreaming about it,” he said. “The best part is that it hypes you up, and you get your adrenaline pumping.”

Blood, specifically, gives Dammann the creeps, and he can’t stomach gory films. Former Panther Annabel Joyner likes horror films, favoring psychological storylines over blood and gore.

“Psychologically scary [movies are

the] only ones that really scare me,” Joyner said. “I just don’t dig gore because I think it’s really gross, and it keeps me up thinking about it.”

Her favorite horror movie is “A Cure for Wellness,” which depicts a man who visits a remote “wellness center.” The center is a front for medical experiments, and he soon finds himself held prisoner.

The paranormal subgenre is entirely off the table for Joyner. Storylines with demons, possession and exorcisms are not an option, as she says they mess with her “spirit.” She remembers watching “The Exorcist” at a middle school slumber party and leaving the room partway through.

Freshman Ayomikun Lasile is a film major, studying online while staying at home in Nigeria due to pandemic restrictions. Like Joyner, Lasile avoids any movies with spirits or demons and describes herself as “horror shy.”

Halloween is celebrated mainly in the U.S., and Lasile doesn’t understand why the fear-based holiday appeals to Americans.

“I don’t mean this in a terrible way, but Americans are crazy,” she said. “I think it’s fun, yes, but it’s more crazy than fun.”

Redding, an adamant fan of the season, views horror differently.

“Halloween is this awesome time where we can all collectively watch a movie [that scares us] and … we all prove that we’re human,” she said.

SPORTS

October 27, 2020

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/SPORTS

The Panthers are almost ready to pounce

Rob Lanier and company begin their season on Dec. 31 MICHAEL CUNEO Staff Reporter

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Jeff Teague warms up pregame during the Atlanta Hawks matchup against the Boston Celtics.

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

Best and worst scenarios for the Atlanta Hawks in 2020 The fate of the Hawks hangs on the young roster JULIAN HARDEN Staff Reporter

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he Atlanta Hawks are officially in playoffs-or-bust territory headed into the 2020 season. After two-straight seasons of rebuilding, the young Atlanta Hawks believe they are ready to take the next leap next season. Longtime Hawks playby-play announcer Bob Rathbun agreed that the Hawks are ready to take the next step after two seasons.

“Two seasons is enough to get your feet wet,” Rathbun said. “We all want to see this team take the next step next season.”

After a disappointing 20-win season in 2019, the Hawks have their work cut out for them to make the playoffs. Trae Young and John Collins pair well with veteran Clint Capela to provide muchneeded experience. With this in mind, here are the best and worstcase scenarios for the Hawks next season.

Hawks players understand they need to take that next step into the playoffs. They have the talent to do so and small forward Kevin Huerter has his sights set on returning to the postseason.

“I think we’re finally allowed to say it publicly.” Huerter said.

“I know Lloyd has said it, but our whole focus as a team is making the playoffs.”

Worst-Case Scenario:

Hawks finish win 20 wins and Lloyd Pierce is fired.

Another 20-win season would be a significant setback for the franchise and could cost Lloyd Pierce his job.

In this case, Young and Collins continue to put up great numbers offensively, but the defense still struggles. The addition of Capela, who the Hawks acquired during last season’s trade deadline, will continue to work through injuries and mesh with the young Hawks.

Another 20-win season might prove to be a setback in Atlanta, retaining their young core in the future. Young became more vocal last season about reaching the playoffs next season.

Another poor season could potentially sour relations between the young phenom and team, which has reportedly been tense at times. Both Young and Collins expect max contracts after their rookie deals expire, but will negotiations stall with another

season without the playoffs?

Ultimately, the head coach will be the scapegoat of any low season, and Pierce will be no different in such a scenario. Barring injuries, it would be hard to justify keeping Pierce if the Hawks find themselves in the lottery once again.

Best-Case Scenario:

Hawks make playoffs as seventh seed; Young becomes a legit MVP candidate, and Collins becomes first-time All-Star.

The stars would have to align perfectly for this scenario, but it is not far-fetched for the Hawks. The playoff appearance heavily depends on the Hawks nailing their draftnight decisions and making smart offseason signings.

Looking at the eastern conference, the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics are the top-3 for most people.

The seventh-seeded Brooklyn Nets won just 35 games, definitely attainable for the Hawks. Especially if the Hawks’ role players like Kevin Huerter and Cam Reddish breakout, a seventh seed is definitely doable.

he last time the Panthers were on the court, they were finishing up their participation in the Sun Belt Conference tournament, losing 81-62 to the Georgia Southern Eagles.

What may be more memorable was what happened after the Panthers’ season ended. Just a few days after Georgia State played, the NCAA announced that they would be suspending all tournament play due to the coronavirus.

Georgia State’s men’s basketball might look a little bit different this season in terms of scheduling.

However, a strong court presence that saw just two seniors leave the program leaves the team in a position to win.

Second-year head coach Rob Lainer looks to keep the wins coming as he led the Panthers to a 19-13 season in 2020.

Georgia State Associate Athletic Director Mike Holmes praised Lainer for his work in 2019.

“Coach Lanier was great last year; he continued a winning tradition,” Holmes said.

Lainer came to the program following an exciting 2018-19 year where the Panthers went 24-10, picking up wins against power-5 schools, such as the Georgia Bulldogs. The 2019 season may have ended with an SBC tournament loss, but Lainer may be as promising a coach as the Panthers have ever seen.

Just last week, the Sun Belt conference schedule for men’s basketball was released, giving the Panthers four road games before finishing in February at home.

While everyone waits for the announcement of nonconference schedules, let’s look at some of the most intriguing matchups for the Panthers that we know will happen this season.

For starters, Georgia State will open conference play with four straight road games. The first game will come at Appalachian State, followed by Coastal Carolina, the University of Louisiana and the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

The four-game road stretch may have mixed reactions, but returning all-conference guards Kane Williams and Justin Roberts are back for round two together.

Another bright spot: the team only lost two seniors from a year ago.

“It’s huge,” Holmes said when addressing Georgia State’s familiar roster. “It allows there to be more continuity, the guys know each other, the guys play together.”

The Panthers will finish up January with games against South Alabama, Troy and rival Georgia Southern, before playing six of their final eight games at home. The Panthers will mostly play the final stretch at home as a result of their early road games, something that could impact their overall record significantly.

Last season, Georgia State won their first meeting against Southern 82-77 but failed to win their final meeting, losing 70-79. A new season will provide plenty of opportunities for the Panthers to redeem themselves, and an emphatic win against Southern would undoubtedly help.

The Panthers will stop Texas to face the University of Texas at Arlington and Texas State before finishing conference play against Coastal Carolina on Feb. 27.

With the non-conference games yet to be released, there remains some uncertainty about who the Panthers will play first. However, the SBC schedule gives us a good glimpse of what is to come and reminds us that things are starting to get back to normal.

SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2020

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Lady Panthers freshmen finding footing on court Women’s volleyball picks up big win over App State AARON WILSON, J.R. Staff Reporter

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earning on the job is not always easy, but sometimes, the experience leads to a fantastic feeling. The 4-9 Lady Panthers are continuing to find their footing this season, but this past weekend saw them pick up their second straight win of the season.

The Lady Panthers volleyball team felt the thrill of victory as Georgia State won two out of three in the weekend series against Appalachian State. The freshmen made their mark in all three games, starting with the 3-1 loss on Friday.

Though the freshmen had big games, the stalwart leader up front was still senior Jordan Shoemaker. The senior had 38 assists in total, making this the sixth time she recorded 20-plus sets in a match this season.

Shoemaker also provided opportunities for her teammates to have double-digit kills.

Senior Meisheia Griffin had 12 kills while Leah Wilcox had 10. The most kills resided with Clara Bednarek as the freshman had 13 in total for the first game.

Defensively, freshman Ava Vlkovic became the first Panther to pass the 100 dig mark this year.

She ended up with 119 digs thanks to her careerhigh 27 dig effort.

The Lady Panthers dropped game one on Friday, but Saturday’s match was a completely different story.

Starting with game one at 11 a.m., the Lady Panthers came out stronger, starting the day off with five straight points before the Mountaineers tied the game at eight points.

Though App State kept the first set close, freshman Erin Wyatt was able to seal the deal with a kill.

App State controlled the second set, as the Georgia State offense struggled to find its rhythm. After

the second set, Georgia State never looked back.

They closed out the third and fourth sets en route and rode Shoemaker’s performance, capped by a game-winning kill, to a win.

Tied 1-1 in the series with the deciding game starting at 6 p.m., the Lady Panthers wasted no time peeling off to a 2-0 set lead. That lead came from Bednarek and Wyatt’s furious plays as the freshmen left App State reeling all weekend.

Bednarek’s weekend was likely one she will not forget as she amassed 33 kills over eight sets of play, leading to her third consecutive double-digit kill performance.

While scorers may get the glory, defense is the backbone of any good performance, and libero Ava Vlkovic was stout all weekend. On Saturday, she ended the day with 41 digs, 19 in the first game and 22 in the second as she foiled the Mountaineer offense continuously.

With seven freshmen on the team, the season is expected to come across a learning curve. It was inevitable, but this was a series that showed just how good the team could be for the future.

After overcoming adversity on Friday, getting a win on the road provided an excellent experience for the freshmen, benefitting the entire team as the Sun Belt Conference tournament steadily approaches.

Fresh off the weekend, Georgia State will take the three-hour trip down south to Statesboro to face the Georgia Southern Eagles next weekend.

The in-state rivalry will definitely bring out the best of the Lady Panthers’ freshman and the team as a whole. The Eagles will enter the weekend on a three-match losing streak, but homecourt advantage may help them out.

The Beach Volleyball stadium at Georgia State is more unique than other Sunbelt stadiums.

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

GSU Beach Volleyball Complex named best in the state to play

The history of the Sandy Panthers’ inner-city beach MEADOW BORROW Staff Reporter

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his month, Volleyball Magazine named Georgia State’s Beach Volleyball Complex the best place to play the sport.

The closest beach to Atlanta is about 267 miles away, but the trio of courts next to Piedmont Avenue and Decatur Street gives Atlanta a vibe like few other spots in town can.

For the past eight seasons, this fantastic complex has been home to the beach volleyball Panthers.

The Panthers never take the bright and colorful mural for granted, a staple built before the 2019 season.

“The mural adds a splash of color and brightens up our games and practices,” junior Maddy Delmonte said. “I think our mural captures the essence of the city and our sport.”

Delmonte, who made the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association AllFreshman Team in 2019, reflected on how her home court is special to the team.

“I think that our courts are one of the most unique places I have ever played at,” she said. “Being surrounded by buildings while playing a sport ordinarily seen at the beach helps us stand out from the norm. Our courts are super special to all of us, and it’s so cool that we have been recognized as the best place to play in the state.”

Senior Eden Hawes, who played in all 14 games this year with

Delmonte by her side, exceeding to a 10-4 record, also reflected on how the GSU beach complex brings the beach into the city of Atlanta.

“

The mural adds a splash of color and brightens up our games and practices. I think our mural captures the essence of the city and our sport.

”

— MADDY DELMONTE

Volleyball Student-Athlete

“This complex offers a view of the capital, city skyscrapers, our own beautiful mural, daily waves from the train conductors and a beach to call our own,” Hawes said.

“We are honored to have our courts be named the best place to play in Georgia. It gives you a little look

into the beach and city life! It truly is the best of both worlds!”

The diversity of culture among Georgia State’s beach volleyball players is something about which not many people know.

“Our team is made up of women from across the world and different beaches,” Hawes said. “This place is one of the many things that drew us to Atlanta.”

Former Sandy Panther Beth Van Fleet began guiding the Panthers in the 2013-14 season. In the last four seasons, the team posted 20-plus wins.

A pioneer who watched construction for the courts as they began in the summer of 2012, Van Fleet always feels amazed when she thinks about her home court.

“Our beach facility is a one-of-akind arena that feels like an oasis in the middle of the city,” Fleet said. “It’s an honor to be named, but it is more exciting to see how much this sport is growing within our community and around the country.”

The Sandy Panthers have not played since March 10 because of COVID-19 cutting their season short, but their 11-3 record paced them for another great season. With great talent and a scenic view for home matches and practices, you can book them to dominate in the upcoming 2021 season.

October 27, 2020

UNIVERSITY

STATE

NATIONAL

GSU steals one from the Trojans

Another tough Sunday for Falcons’ fans

Will the Dodgers do it tonight?

It took 85 minutes, but Maggie Hanusek put the ball in the back of the net on Friday night and led the Panthers to a victory over the Troy Trojans. The graduate transfer from Appalachian State’s first goal came off a beautiful pass from sophomore midfielder Jolie Ryff.

With the win at Center Parc Stadium, the Panthers extended their unbeaten streak to eight games, the best in the Sun Belt Conference.

The Detroit Lions came into Atlanta, saw a team two weeks removed from a head coaching change and seized the moment. After poor clock management, a Falcons touchdown left enough time for the Lions to march to the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown of their own to break Falcons’ fans hearts. For the Falcons, Matt Ryan threw for 338 yards and a touchdown as Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley combined for 12 catches, 166 yards and a (Ridley) touchdown. The Dirty Birds play the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon.

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Student STATEments Xavier Frith, GSU Junior, Psychology Major

H

E S I GNA L

-T

THREE BIG THINGS

GAMES SUDOKU

t statem

e need to raise attention to the mental health of our students and work to break stigmas involved.

With a 3-2 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays, the Los Angeles Dodgers are 27 outs away from their first World Series since 1988. The biggest reason: Clayton Kershaw’s postseason success and Mookie Betts continuing to remind everyone what the Red Sox lost last winter. The Rays are looking for a big game from their rising star, rookie Randy Arozarena. First pitch is tonight just after 8 p.m.

THE KICKBACK

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2020

GAMES

15

COMIC

Your Comic Should be Here!

UPCOMING EVENTS FRIDAY

Early Voting in Student Center 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Until Thursday Student Center East, Ballroom

Sustainability Day: DIY Terrariums 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Virtual

Mostly Ghostly Plaza 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Unity Plaza

Volleyball @ Georgia Southern Eagles 6:00 p.m.

Statesboro, GA

Talk Tuesday: My Costume is Not Your Costume 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Virtual

Women’s Soccer vs Alabama Birmingham Blazers 7:00 p.m.

Center Parc Stadium

Book Talk with Author and Researcher Maurice J. Hobson 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Virtual

OCT 30

THURSDAY OCT 29

WEDNESDAY OCT 28

TUESDAY

Nightmare on Panther St Haunted House 7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Newton Campus, Office of Student Life 2N Building

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Sun Belt Conference Women’s Cross Country Championships 10:00 a.m.

Mobile, AL

Men’s Soccer vs Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 1:00 p.m.

GSU Soccer Complex

Meditation Monday 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Virtual

Young Nudy’s Slimetober Halloween Bash 9:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Haven Restaurant & Lounge Lilburn, GA

Day of the Dead Painting Workshop 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Virtual

NOV 02

SATURDAY NOV 01

OCT 31

OCT 27

THE KICKBACK

Hot Wings Hot Topics 4:00 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.

Virtual