The Miami Hurricane: February 19, 2019

Vol. 96, Issue 18 | February 19, 2019 - February 26, 2019

Meet the candidates for the student government election NEWS // Pages 2-3

The real emergency within America’s government OPINION // Page 6

Hurricanes knock off Cardinals for historic victory SPORTS // Page 13

III DAYS IN WYNWOOD EDGE // Page 10 WEEKEND IN WYNWOOD: Singer-songwriter SZA performs for a vibrant crowd Saturday night at the III Points music festival. III Points is an annual three day event that celebrates music and art.

Hunter Crenian // Photo & Visuals Editor

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NEWS

THEMIAMIHURRICANE

February 19 , 2019 - February 26, 2019

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Meet the candidates: 2019 Student Government Execu

By Jaime Harn Copy Chief

Ticket: Empower U President: Emily Gossett Gossett is a junior majoring in communication studies and sociology. She is a member of Zeta Tau Alpha, a program coordinator for the Association of Greek Letter Organizations, vice chair of Greek Week and chief of staff of Student Government. Gossett was on the planning committee for What Matters to U, which is the event that brought Bill Nye to campus, and was a part of a tailgate task force.

Vice President: Millie Chokshi Chokshi is a junior majoring in public health and Spanish.

She is the vice president of the Indian Student Association, a President’s 100 student ambassador, participated in the 2018 Homecoming Executive Committee, a member of the Phi Delta Epsilon medical fraternity and a project coordinator for Student Government’s Freshmen Leadership Council (FLC), which she has been involved in since her freshman year.

Treasurer: Jason Kaplan Kaplan is a junior majoring in accounting with minors in finance and management and is in the five-year accounting program at the Miami Business School. He is a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi, treasurer of Hillel and his current role in Student Government is director of communications.

Platforms: Make Your Life Easier One facet of this platform is to increase pay for student employees. While creating a base minimum wage will be impossible due to federal work study restrictions, Empower U plans to tackle this on a case-bycase basis.

“To give an example, if you’re

a graphic designer in the school communications and you’re making $15 an hour and as a graphic designer in the business school you’re making $12 dollars an hour, make them both $15 and standardize that by positions across campus,” said Kaplan.

Empower U also wants to implement digital cane cards on smartphones and reduce costs for Postmates during finals. To implement this, Gossett said that it’s all about allocation from dining or parking and transportation.

“You know when you get those discount codes from Postmates, it would kind of be like that for UM students, and it can even be a free delivery,” Chokshi said.

Support U in the Classroom As part of this platform, Empower U wants to publish course evaluation data and establish a syllabus database, which they compared to an internal Rate My Professor.

“What we are looking to do is use that quantitative data and release it to students. You’d be surprised at how open professors are to this idea,” Gossett said.

To help reduce the amount students pay for textbooks, Empower U also plans to reduce costs by partnering with different digital publishers for better deals.

Improve Your Campus Empower U wants to provide two-ply toilet paper, add food trucks by the Panhellenic building and modify parking restrictions for student-athletes during practice. They said that none of this would cause an increase in tuition, and the money would come out of other sections such as facilities.

Prepare U for the Future While there are already career fairs once a semester, Empower U would like to create a job fair with alumni employers only.

“I wish there was just one big universal job fair that wasn’t based on what school you were in or what career you wanted to go

to where we would have alumni only coming,” Gossett said.

As for their idea of creating a fund for graduate school applications and interviews, Gossett said this is one of the hardest to implement, yet most important because there are so many students who cannot afford to pay application fees.

Connect U To encourage collaboration and community bonding between different organizations on campus, Empower U wants to create a public calendar of student organization events and establish a collaboration grant for student organizations, whether it be through Student Government or the Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee.

A Less Stressed U The initiatives under this platform would overall bring more awareness to mental health issues and make the counseling center more accessible by expanding their hours and creating an online appointment system.

Care for Your Identities Empower U wants to bring attention to the socio-economic diversity that UM has and create a food pantry where UM students can donate food to other students who may not have enough money for food.

“It’s something that really needs to be addressed,” Kaplan said.

As for their plan for genderinclusive bathrooms, this is something that Empower U wants to include in any upcoming buildings on campus.

Engage With U Finally, Empower U has three initiatives to try to connect and engage with students through creating listening tours, establishing a council for student organizations to collaborate and opening executive positions in Student Government to applications and interviews.

Photo courtesy of The Switch Up Candidates from left to right: Treasurer Julia Lynch, President Dewayne Washington and Vice President Justin Grauer hope to switch it up.

Photo courtesy of Empower U Candidates from left to right: Vice President Millie Chokshi, President Emily Gossett and Treasurer Jason Kaplan aim to Empower U.

THEMIAMIHURRICANE

NEWS

February 19 , 2019 - February 26, 2019

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utive tickets promote platforms and plans for change Ticket: The Switch Up President: Dewayne Washington Washington is currently a junior majoring in finance with minors in accounting, public advocacy and business law. He is a part of the debate team, a member of the National Association of Black Accountants, a member of the exclusive Hyperion Council in the Miami Business School and a member in the business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi. Vice President: Justin Grauer Grauer is a junior majoring in finance and legal studies with a minor in real estate. He is a three-time elect Student Government senator currently representing the Miami Business School, a founding member and one of the presidents of the fraternity Pi Kappa Alpha and vice president of recruitment for the Interfraternity Council.

Treasurer: Julia Lynch Lynch is a junior majoring in legal studies and finance with a minor in public administration.

She is the captain of the debate team, the vice president of chapter operations for Delta Sigma Pi, a mentor in the Foote Fellow class and was tapped into Iron Arrow.

Platforms: Increase meal plan flexibility at on and off-campus locations There are two parts to this.

The first is aimed towards freshmen who have 150 dining dollars and are restricted to the dining hall, Pura Vida or The Market after their balance runs out.

“We want to come in and increase the vendors on campus that allows meal swipes that have special menu options where you can use your meal swipes,” Washington said.

As for off-campus vendors,

there are companies that help universities partner with other vendors to allow dining dollars.

“This will allow more variety for students off campus,” Washington said.

Implement $10 student employee minimum wage “I know a lot of people are worried about tuition. But it doesn’t hit the university as much as people might think. The way we’re going to do it, we’re putting it in the budget,” Washington said.

Advocate for faculty diversity and veteran affairs The Switch Up says this will be simple to implement and has already garnered support from students and faculty.

Install swipe station at Dickinson Dr. gate The idea behind this is to help with the language barriers between ride-sharing service drivers and customers.

“They aren’t able to navigate to tell them how you get through the university and drop you off at the dorm,” Lynch said, who personally experienced this.

Designate ride sharing and food delivery locations The Switch Up explained that there would be multiple hotspots that students can click on in the app to select a drop-off location.

“We’ve pinpointed about 15 locations, and it puts a GPS targeted location instead of an address,” Lynch explained.

Reserve student vendor locations at Farmers’ Market Currently, the Farmers Market contracts out to different vendors. The Switch Up would request tents to allow students to sell their items at.

“We thought that this would be a great way to showcase the entrepreneurial spirit of the University of Miami students and allow them to further their business in a market that already exists,” Grauer said.

Establish Life Skills 101 Course This is a class that Juniors and Seniors have the option of taking to help their personal growth.

“We’re gaining academic growth, but how do you househunt, how do you do a mortgage, how do you pay off your student loans when you graduate? All these things that you don’t learn in school that are a necessity to life, it should be the responsibility of the university to cater for their students’ transition into the real world,” Washington said.

Enhance SG support of student orgs Because the Committee on Student Organizations already exists, The Switch Up plans on fostering a better relationship with them in order to bridge the gap between other organizations

and Student Government, better serving the community.

Decrease price of parking tickets Since the goal of parking tickets is not necessarily to make revenue for the university, The Switch Up wants to implement a set price for parking tickets that may go up if the student or faculty does not pay on time.

Improve access to mental health services The Switch Up wants to increase the number of medical professionals at the counseling center, making it easier for students to make appointments.

The Switch Up also aims to create different stations around campus to get people talking about mental health issues.

“The fact that we have mental health and the fact that

[Empower U] has mental health showcases that it is a big issue on this campus,” Washington said.

Voting is open from Feb. 18-21.

Go to

www.themiamihurricane.com for news coverage on President Trump’s recent visit to Florida International University.

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NEWS

THEMIAMIHURRICANE

February 19 , 2019 - February 26, 2019

CAMPUS LIFE

Biology students study UM’s lake and canals

By Naomi Feinstein Senior Editor

Students and professors walking around the University of Miami have reported pungent odors emanating from the oncampus lakes and canals. In an effort to find the source of the smell, students in Biology 161 are testing the water as part of their class biodiversity project.

Teaching assistant Sijan Sharma said her lab was assigned this project to determine which factors are affecting the variety of life in aquatic habitats around campus.

The students broke off into pairs and began conducting tests on the lake water, looking at variables such as pH, salinity and mineral composition and paying close attention to the biodiversity of the water.

According to Sharma, students “will primarily observe the microorganisms found in the water and depending on their project might check some chemical properties such as

nitrate or phosphate that hint fertilizer runoff or pollutants,” said Sharma.

Freshman Brianna Dessa, a health science major, and sophomore Preston Allen, a biology major, were two of the students who tested the salinity of Lake Osceola and the canals on campus. Although the results of their tests are not yet ready, they both predicted that Lake Osceola will have less biodiversity and a higher level of salinity in comparison to the other water systems.

Since its creation in 1957, Lake Osceola has been a landmark of UM’s campus.

Nonetheless, many students have complaints about it.

Dessa said she finds the lake “genuinely disgusting” because so many people dispose of their garbage in it. In addition to the waste, Allen said the lake is eutrophic or “dead” because of the extra runoff of nitrates.

Donald Olson, a professor in the department of ocean sciences, said UM’s lawns are fertilized

every week, which causes nitrates and insecticides to pollute the water, making the water anoxic, or low on oxygen.

“When oxygen starts to run low, algae on the bottom of the lake dies and floats to the surface,” Olson said. This can cause a sulfur-like smell.

Additionally, as students and faculty walk past the canal by the UM Business School and Mahoney Pearson Residential College, they encounter an even stronger odor, leaving some wondering if sewage is polluting the water.

However, UM management said the waterways and sewage systems undergo frequent inspection.

This process includes visual investigations, telemetry data collection and weather information analysis to ensure each system is properly maintained to prevent spillage.

Olson said the strong smell is likely from an overabundance of algae due to chemical runoff.

Dana Krempels, designer of the Biology 161 biodiversity

Cameron Tavakoly // Staff Photographer TROUBLED WATERS: An unknown odorous film collects on the shore of Lake Osceola.

project and director of undergraduate studies in the department of biology, said that harmful Cyanobacteria may be to blame for foul odors.

Cyanobacteria have been polluting coastal areas and killing aquatic life all over South Florida. This ongoing problem

forced Miami-Dade County to close beaches in Key Biscayne back in October.

To fix the issue of algal blooms, Krempels said Florida must pass stricter regulations on fertilizer usage and prevent chemicals from polluting aquatic environments.

CAMPUS LIFE

UM reflects on the meaning of Black Awareness Month

By Kay-Ann Henry Opinion Editor

Every February, the University of Miami campus hosts multiple events to celebrate Black Awareness Month (BAM), the school’s desired term for Black History Month.

Most of the events are put on by the Butler Center for Service and Leadership, the office of Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) and the United Black Students (UBS) organization.

The events range from forum discussions to movie nights to showcases.

This past week, MSA hosted a discussion on interracial relationships and another for

Brothers Overcoming Negativity and Destruction on respecting women. The Caribbean Student Association had a forum discussion on colorism in the Caribbean, and UBS hosted an open-mic night with Speak What You Feel and had their annual Day of Service on Saturday.

According to junior Tiara Brown, BAM’s Day of Service is one of her favorite events.

“The culture of Black America is literally just reaching out to other people and trying to pull support and help so why not do that during a month about us,” said Brown, an industrial engineering major.

For this year’s Day of Service, students went to Overtown Youth

Center to engage in a day of fun and service.

There are four events left for the month: the Students of Color Symposium on Feb. 22-23, “Throwblack” Movie night on Feb. 20, a karaoke night on Feb. 21 and House of Black Culture on Feb. 27. The last three are hosted by UBS. “I’m mostly excited for the Students of Color symposium and especially for the House of Black Culture,” said Nia Byrd, co-president of UBS. “It’s done differently every year but the essence of it is a staple of Black Awareness Month.”

As the month nears to a close, Byrd reflected on all the planning that went into Black Awareness

Month.

“Between us and the other organizations that were planning BAM, we had so many events we had to take some off the calendar,” she said.

Byrd also praised all the committees involved.

“Everyone was running themselves dry to get these events across and really just host something that represents all parts of the culture,” she added.

Despite the many on-campus events for BAM, there are still mixed feelings about how blackness is represented and celebrated among students and faculty.

Some students of color said they don’t feel supported by

the larger campus community.

Sophomore Makelsey Page is one of those students.

Aside from UBS, which started in 1967 and is the oldest black organization on campus, Page said she doesn’t think that other student organizations are sources of support.

“I feel like there is no other organization that looks out to make sure that Black students are okay, especially during this political climate we’re in now that makes race a little harder to talk about,” said Page, who is majoring in marine biology.

Visit www.themiamihurricane. com to read the full story.

GREEK LIFE

THEMIAMIHURRICANE

NEWS

February 19 , 2019 - February 26, 2019

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Four UM fraternities under social probation

By Alanna Cooper Cntributing News Writer

As part of an ongoing investigation, four University of Miami fraternities have been placed on social probation for the remainder of the semester following a prohibited pool party hosted Saturday, Feb. 9, by the frats at a popular Brickell Avenue club in Miami.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Chi, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Pi Kappa Phi violated UM regulations by hosting a Greek life event during the recent SportsFest, the on-campus event where students from each residential college and commuter students form teams to compete in recreational sports and other activities.

For a Greek life organization, social probation means that the organization cannot host an event where alcohol is present on or off campus for the remainder of the semester. If an organization

violates this probation, consequences could be as severe as suspension, meaning that the organization wouldn’t be allowed to operate at UM. Some members of the affected frats spoke respectfully about the judgment.

“Obviously you don’t want to be put on social probation,” a member of SAE said. “But we accept the school’s judgement as well as any decision they make going forward.”

Steven K. Priepke, senior associate dean of students and the founding father of University of Miami’s SAE chapter, explained that the deans overseeing Greek life don’t allow any social registered Greek events during any major UM programming event.

“Because SportsFest involves a lot of freshman students, we do request that Greek life do their best not to have events during SportsFest,” Priepke said.

All UM fraternities and

sororities were notified via email that they were not permitted to host any social events during SportsFest, which ended on Saturday, Feb. 9.

Sources involved in UM Greek life said that many of the frats canceled parties they had scheduled for that weekend.

“Everyone canceled the pool parties at the frat houses,” one source, a UM student who attended the Club 50 pool party, said. “So, I guess they thought, ‘If we can’t party at the houses, why not party somewhere else?’”

During the last day of SportsFest, members of SAE, Sigma Chi, Sig Ep and Pi Kapp hosted a pool party at the WET Deck, also known as Club 50, on the 50th floor of the W Miami Hotel. Priepke said he became aware of the party on Saturday afternoon, while it was still occurring.

“There’s a lot of ways that we find out about things in this particular situation,” Priepke

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said. “We found out about it from both the police and careless social media posts.”

Despite the fact that the Club 50 party was not a registered social event, it was still determined to be a Greek event based on what Priepke calls “the duck test.”

“If it looks like a Greek life event, quacks like a Greek life event and waddles like a Greek life event, it’s a Greek life event,” Priepke said. “When we look at any event we ask, ‘Who was invited, how were they invited, what did people invited think they were going to, how did they get there, who organized it?’

There’s almost always planning by organizations that makes it their event.”

A student who attended the party confirmed that the frats involved organized transportation for guests to arrive to Club 50 via buses.

Although Priepke was made aware of the party, no immediate

action to shut down the party was taken.

“The only time we issue a cease-function order is if we found out an event is occurring where someone is injured,” Priepke said. “No one was injured, so no immediate action was necessary.”

Instead, Priepke said he reached out to the student presidents for each frat involved and the Interfraternity Council president to advise them that they would be discussing the incident. Priepke said he met with the presidents on Monday, Feb. 11.

Priepke declined to comment on what disciplinary action was taken against the involved frats as it is an ongoing investigation.

“We’re still in the process of the conduct cases for some of the frats,” Priepke said.

“Any organization who was found responsible for violating regulations will be held responsible.”

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Opinion

THEMIAMIHURRICANE

OPINION

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February 19 , 2019 - February 26, 2019

EDITORIAL

Honor present and past black students during Black Awareness Month It’s February, which means that on the University of Miami campus, we’re celebrating Black Awareness Month. This is a time for everyone to formally recognize the achievements of black Americans and celebrate their history.

Though traditionally UM is a predominantly white institution, we boast diversity in many different ways. When it comes to overall diversity, we score a 92 as compared to the national average of 60.66, according to College Factual. We are ethnically diverse too, with almost half of our student population identifying as Hispanic or Latino. However, we still have one of the lowest percentages of black students compared to other universities in Florida.

7.8% of UM’s students are black or African-American.

UF is right behind us with 6.2% while Florida State University has 8.3% and the University of Central Florida and the University of South Florida are roughly 11.1% black.

While recruiting more diverse students will take time, right now we can acknowledge the black students that are already enrolled at UM and pay homage to the alums that have made UM a better place. Our university has a tremendous amount of black history and honestly, we should be

ashamed we don’t know more about it.

Our school was desegregated on Jan. 31, 1961, after the Board of Trustees voted to “admit qualif ied students without regard to race or color beginning in

president, and demanded that the administration do more for black students.

They were all members of United Black Students, which gained formal recognition in 1967 and is the oldest black organization on campus.

“Don’t limit your efforts to just Black Awareness Month.

Be aware of black issues and the complexities of blackness for all other 11 months of the year – our black students have no other choice.” the summer of that year.”

Additionally, UM served as a consultant for school districts in South Florida as they began the process of desegregating.

UM’s f irst black graduates faced continuous strife from their white counterparts but that didn’t stop them from creating change on campus.

Among the f irst black UM students, there were 14 people who marched into the off ice of Henry Stanford, UM’s third

These trailblazers helped implement institutional changes to the school by calling for more black student enrollment and scholarship opportunities, as well as more black representation in faculty.

Now, the dream of those 14 black students has been mostly actualized.

Black enrollment is signif icantly larger and there are a number of scholarship opportunities

for black and low-income students. UBS is a central force on campus and serves as a support group for most black students. In 1961, UM had just a little over 70 black students enrolled. Today, that number is signif icantly larger.

In a month dedicated to the history and achievement of these students, do what you can to honor them.

Attend the events that are being put on for Black Awareness Month.

UBS, Multicultural Student Affairs and other organizations have been hosting different events all month. If you haven’t attended any, show up and make sure your presence is felt before the month ends.

Learn the history of black folks in this country and on this campus and do not just put this information in the back of your mind. Internalize it and put it in context. Keep it in your peripheral view as you interact with black students in this particularly sensitive political climate.

And lastly, don’t limit your efforts to just Black Awareness Month. Be aware of black issues and the complexities of blackness for all other 11 months of the year– our black students have no other choice.

Staff editorials ref lect the majority view of The Miami Hurricane editorial board.

THEMIAMIHURRICANE

OPINION

February 19 , 2019 - February 26, 2019

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STUDENT LIFE

Ghosting: The downfall of our generation T h e r e seems to be an unwritten code of conduct in the dating scene for our generation.

I remember dating in

By Daniel Schwartz 2013, the Columnist olden days, when the sweet ding of an incoming text from that special someone sounded off, you read your message and you answered it. Today, you can’t respond too quickly or else the person might think you’re a psycho, so it’s probably best to wait 20 minutes. Or 30 minutes or an hour. Maybe even four.

It is socially and physically painful to watch the endless

games that both guys and girls play with each other nowadays.

I feel an enduring melancholy watching my friends be played, manipulated, taken advantage of and ghosted because it is the way we “date” these days.

Did you hook up with a kind, cute, intelligent girl? Better ghost her before you catch feelings!

Did you go out with an aspiring, successful, attractive guy? Better wait a few days before answering him so he doesn’t think you’re coming on to him too strong.

This is raw, but it is true.

We live in a culture where being honest, forthcoming and candid is out of style. Ghosting, manipulating and “not answering too quickly” are the way to go. Think I’m wrong? You’ve probably ghosted someone, and if you haven’t, congratulations, you

haven’t caved to the quintessential downfall of us millennials.

There may be some confusion about what ghosting actually is. If someone is harassing you, stalking you or persistently sending you messages after being told of your lack of interest, then you’ve done your duty. By all means, you should delete them, block them and eliminate them from your life as you see fit.

That’s not ghosting.

Ghosting is a specific course of action: It is suddenly and unexpectedly disappearing from someone else’s life. As a former ghostee, it’s fair to say that it is not a fun feeling, but it is something that you get over. If you’ve been ghosted enough times, you may even become numb to it. It is simply inexplicable to me that one would rather ghost someone than

tell them what’s on their mind – or worse, ghost someone because it gives the ghoster a twisted sense of pleasure knowing that they just emotionally traumatized another human being.

What I’m advocating for is a return to the transparent, honest and forthcoming culture that was at one point normal. Perhaps the most perverted aspect of this issue is the normalization of ghosting.

Have you ever ghosted someone?

If you did, you probably don’t feel too bad about it because you were once the victim of ghosting.

It is quite sad to see this “trend” take over younger generations.

Frankly, I don’t understand what is so darn difficult about being honest and forthcoming in your relationship, and I use the term relationship very loosely as a catch-all for exclusive

couples, hook up buddies and everything in between. I firmly believe in the power of honesty and candor, and they should be qualities quintessential to every relationship, friendship and companionship.

I want to end on a cheerful note because I honestly believe that we all deserve to be happy.

No one deserves to have their love life impeded by others. From the bottom of my heart, I want to wish everyone a happy season of love, cuffing and everything else that comes with it.

In a world where you can be anything, be kind.

Daniel Schwartz is a master’s student studying philosophy.

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OPINION

THEMIAMIHURRICANE

February 19 , 2019 - February 26, 2019

POLITICS

America’s national emergency goes beyond the border We have a national emergency and no, it’s not coming from Mexico.

The emergency is sitting in the Oval Office on

By Daniela Perez Pennsylvania Columnist Ave. President Donald Trump said Friday, Feb. 15, that he was going to declare a national emergency to build his long-professed campaign promise, the border wall.

After the longest government shutdown in history and several negotiations with Congress and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Trump finally declared the emergency he’s been flirting with since December. According to the White House, the emergency is to stop the “humanitarian crisis” at the border that brings in “criminals, gang members and illicit narcotics.”

The severity of Trump declaring a national emergency

to build the wall is terrifying but not that surprising. We know he’s happy about the loopholes you can use to execute absolute power.

Despite Congress approving a new deal to avert another government shutdown, Trump proved to the country that democracy only thrives if the president allows it.

“You want to talk about a national emergency, let’s talk about today,” said Pelosi, reminding Trump that it was the one year anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida. “That’s a national emergency. Why don’t you declare that emergency, Mr. President? I wish you would.”

Presidents have declared dozens of emergencies, but Trump’s declaration is the first of its kind.

“On the surface, this ‘Oh, other presidents do this, too’ line seems logical,” said Chris Edelson, an American University government professor. “But there is no example where a president

asked for funding for something from Congress, Congress said ‘No,’ and the president said, ‘I’ll use emergency powers to do it anyway.’”

The president’s move left Capitol Hill sharply divided, especially the Senate Republicans.

Trump sought to portray his invocation of emergency powers as a routine use of executive authority that was never controversial when his predecessors did it.

“I’m going to be signing a national emergency, and it’s been signed many times before,” Trump said. “It’s been signed by other presidents. From 1977 or so, it gave the presidents the power. There’s rarely been a problem. They sign it. Nobody cares.”

But everybody cares. The Brennan Center for Justice provided a recent study of presidential emergency powers, and it demonstrated that Trump’s declaration is a problem compared to the 59 previous times presidents since

the Carter administration have invoked emergency powers. The “overwhelming majority” of those instances imposed sanctions on various foreign officials and groups who were accused of human rights violations, terrorism or transnational narcotics trafficking. According to the New York Times, “They attracted no controversy because Congress has wanted the executive branch to operate that way.”

“There is nothing approaching an ‘emergency’ in this situation, no matter how loose a definition you use,” said Elizabeth Goitein, the researcher for the Brennan Center study. “Congress has made it as clear as it can that it does not want the president to use funds for this purpose, so this is the president using emergency powers to thwart the will of Congress. That is very different from how emergency powers have been used in the past.”

Trump’s national emergency declaration will ‘free up’ $8 billion– far more than the $5.7

billion he initially demanded.

The White House will access that money by essentially taking it from other budgets such as military construction, drug interdiction and drug forfeiture.

While running for office, Trump repeatedly promised that Mexico was going to pay for his wall. But this declaration proves that we all will pay for it.

Thousands of people are dying on a yearly basis from gun violence. Flint, Michigan hasn’t had clean water since 2014.

Climate change is overtaking our planet. Racism is evolving.

Student and medical debt is continuing to rise.

We are facing several emergencies, and the ones that are happening north of the Mexican-American border are sure to be our most interesting yet.

Daniela Perez is a junior majoring in journalism and political science.

STUDENT LIFE

How UM students can safely hook up in college Va l e n t i n e ’s Day just passed but the air is still filled with love.

There’s also quite a bit of talk about sex.

Many students aren’t committed

By Karina Sloan in relationships, Columnist so college campuses have become breeding grounds for hookup culture.

While this phenomenon can be scary and intimidating, it also offers countless opportunities for new and exciting experiences.

Depending on who you ask, hooking up can mean anything.

Most people don’t consider interactions “hooks up” unless

sex is involved, but really the term is all inclusive. It can be anything from kissing to intercourse.

Regardless of how you define hooking up, it should always be a fun and safe experience for all parties involved.

The keys to college hookups include being open about your expectations and always putting safety first. Whether you’re looking for a casual fling or hoping to find something more serious, communication and safe sex practices are essential to navigating hookup culture.

The first step in ensuring a good hookup experience is communication. Being honest with yourself about what you want and communicating that to your partner is essential to having a positive sexual experience.

Whether you just met someone at a party or have been hooking up for months, it is always important to make sure you’re comfortable enough to enjoy the experience.

Talking about hooking up can sometimes be uncomfortable, but communicating and understanding your own personal desires can help you better navigate the ups and downs of hooking up.

But communicating while hooking up is not always as easy as people make it seem. It’s sometimes hard to communicate exactly what you want, especially when the person you’re hooking up with may not be on the same page. But it’s essential that you continue to evaluate and reflect on what you want so that you can avoid any misunderstandings

between you and your partner.

If you chose to actively participate in college hookup culture, it’s important to be aware of good sexual health routines and all the resources you have on campus.

There are multiple forms of contraceptives that are affordable and accessible both on campus and from your healthcare providers. Condoms can be found in every residential college, the Shalala Center, the University Center and of course, the Student Health Center. They are readily available to students and are constantly being restocked. The health center also offers free STD testing every day. It is easy to either make an appointment or just walk right in. And the bonus is, it’s free.

Outside of condoms, there are a numerous other birth control options that you and your partner can explore. There are tons of choices, including the pill, an IUD and a hormone shot.

Whether you’re new to hooking up or you’ve had plenty of past experiences, nothing is ever perfect. But remembering to communicate and practice good sexual health can help to ease the rollercoaster of crazy emotions and experiences that comes with hooking up in college.

But perhaps the most important thing about having good sexual health is consent.

Nothing can happen without clear and enthusiastic consent from both parties.

Karina Sloan is a junior majoring in communication studies.

THEMIAMIHURRICANE

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December 4, 2018 - January 21, 2019

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MUSIC REVIEW

THEMIAMIHURRICANE

February 19 , 2019 - February 26, 2019

EDGE

10

Hunter Crenian // Photo & Visuals Editor MUSIC MOOD: The sixth-annual III Points music festival attracted thousands of people to Wynwood this past weekend. Festival goers listened to a wide variety of artists, including headliners James Blake, SZA and Herbie Hancock, as well as a lineup of local up-and-comers.

III Points music festival brings SZA, James Blake to Wynwood

By Jordan Lewis Edge Editor

This past weekend, Feb. 15-17, III Points came to town. What does that mean? Well, if you’re asking that question, you probably skipped my beginner’s guide to III Points music festival (which I do take personally, by the way). But that’s okay. I’ll tell you anyway.

III Points is an alternative music festival that has taken place in Wynwood for the past six years, and this year, it returned with its most star-studded lineup yet. I had planned to go all three days, but due to my work for The Hurricane, my school assignments and the headache I had for three days straight, I only made it to one night— Saturday.

Music at III Points runs from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. everyday, so I arrived at around 7 p.m.

From the moment I stepped out of my Uber, which I fell asleep in, I knew that this would be an experience unlike any other.

The entrance resembled a portal; it was an elevated black surface that lit up, leading you to a wall that dawned a lit-up III Points logo, creating an air of mystery that seemed to hide another world behind it. This other world was filled with people in eclectic outfits— all seemingly without a care in the world— three stages, pop-up shops, a free skating rink, bars selling water and alcohol at sky-high prices, a club called “Boiler Room” (Degrassi, anyone?), women doing psychic readings and

a “green space” where self-proclaimed stoners could purchase weed paraphernalia and people handed out pamphlets on how to get approved for medical marijuana.

Around 8 p.m., I headed to my first show.

One of the two smaller stages, the Main Frame Stage was set up inside a dimly-lit room of the Mana Wynwood Convention Center. At first, the crowd was small; people were spread out, passing around blunts and oil pens that only added to the already foggy atmosphere.

But around 8:30 p.m., the stage went dark, and suddenly the gaps in the audience filled with people of all races, ages and ethnicities.

First, there were blue lights and then bright white ones. Screaming filled the air, and selfproclaimed “TrapHouseJazz” artist Masego took the stage.

Having never actually listened to his music, I was not quite sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I definitely left the venue as a new fan.

Masego alternated between singing, rapping, playing the saxophone and bantering with the audience. He performed songs from this 2018 album “Lady Lady,” accompanied by two backup singers, heavy bass, a keyboardist, a drummer and a screen of visuals that ranged from flowers to female silhouettes.

His show was sexual in nature, with most of his songs sounding like what I now can only describe as “baby-making music.”

His show wrapped up after about an hour,

and I was on to the next one. Scheduled to take the Mind Melt Stage at 9:45 p.m., singersongwriter James Blake started right on time.

As one of the weekend’s headliners, hundreds of people crowded the stage and sang along under an almost full moon. A giant disco ball also hung over the crowd, appearing to descend straight from the sky.

Blake’s show was exactly how I imagined it would be— simple. He wore a black t-shirt and performed against a matching black background. He sat in one spot the entire time, playing the keyboard while adding in the distinct vocals that made him famous. About half-way through the set, I decided to sit down for two reasons. The first was that Blake’s show was intimate; it was calming and vibe-worthy, and I could not focus while being constantly bumped into by a man- clearly intoxicateddoing something that resembled interpretive dance (no judgement, though. We’ve all been there). The second was that, even though I am only 20, my knees were killing me.

After roughly an hour, Blake finished up.

“Thank you so much. You’ve been f*cking awesome,” he said before leaving the stage.

The last performer I saw was singersongwriter SZA. Though she was scheduled to come on at 11:45 p.m., she was did not start until around midnight. The crowd didn’t seem to mind.

Known for her eccentric style just as much as her distinct voice, she took the stage in

blue cargo pants, a sheer shirt and matching red jacket with ruffled sleeves. The first song song was “Normal Girl” off of her 2017 album “CTRL,” which famously features her grandmother’s voice on multiple tracks. The audience members belted out the lyrics as if their lives depended on it, and since this was the only artist of the night that’s a staple of my Spotify playlists, I was no different.

Mid-performance, someone yelled out, “I love you,” to which SZA replied “I love you.

I really f*cking love you. You guys get me the f*ck out of bed.”

SZA delivered a captivating performance consisting of impressive vocals and a lot of jumping and dancing that kept the crowd energized. She sang other songs from “CTRL,” including “Go Gina” and her most popular song, “The Weekend.” She even hinted at a new album.

One of her last songs was a rendition of Sixpence None the Richer’s 1997 song “Kiss me.”

“That song just makes me happy as f*ck. I just wish it was ‘98 right now,” SZA said after wrapping up.

With one song left in her set and in hopes of beating the Uber rush, I made my way to the back of the crowd and into the normal world. Though I would have loved to stay until 5 a.m., I just couldn’t hang.

Nonetheless, III Points will definitely be seeing me again next year.

11

EDGE

THEMIAMIHURRICANE

February 19 , 2019 - February 26, 2019

Well-dressed but in distress: I went to NYFW

By Natalie Abatemarco Edge Writer

New York Fashion Week is one of the world’s four major fashion extravaganzas.

During the festivities, designers show off their long-awaited collections to buyers, the press and the general public.

A lot can happen during these eight days. Trends are set, careers are made and models rule the runway. Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes? Luckily, I got to go. Even better, I was able to work as a NYFW public relations intern.

“Fashion week?” I thought, “Easy stuff. Show up, look good, watch models strut up and down a runway. How hard can it be?”

Turns out, it’s very hard.

The first mistake many people make when working NYFW is giving into the temptation to wear high heels. They’re cute, sophisticated and make you a few inches closer to that unattainable model height, but they are a terrible idea. While working as an intern for a public relations agency, wearing high heels is considered a sin. At the end of the day, your feet will thank you for choosing those ugly flats, especially after you’ve carried seven garment bags from the Upper West Side to the World Trade Center.

When signing up for NYFW, it’s important to know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. Checking people into shows may seem like a breeze— just add a checkmark next to a name, right?

Actually, it’s not that simple. The wealth in the air at NYFW is suffocating. Asking celebrities for their names might be an even bigger sin than wearing high heels.

Ever seen “The Devil Wears Prada?” The iconic binder filled with pictures of the rich and famous are shockingly real, and you have to memorize the name and face of everyone in it. You might also have to show guests to their seats, so recognizing

anyone who’s anyone before they step foot in the door is a must. And if you don’t? Oh, honey.

If you are given some sort of schedule, consider yourself lucky. But be prepared to completely disregard it, and expect to work 16 hours a day instead. Pack a snack, although you probably won’t even have time to enjoy it. Be ready to fulfill any task that’s thrown your way, whether it’s hopping on the subway and heading to Brooklyn, buying everyone in the room a latte with almond milk or carrying your favorite actress’ dress to her apartment.

Your favorite designer’s show is today? That’s cute. You may get lucky and catch a glance from behind the five rows of Getty photographers, but odds are, you’ll be too busy. Though there is usually an hour allocated for each show, know that it will never start on time and that most people will be late. And don’t get discouraged by the fact that so much preparation goes into a show that only lasts 10 minutes. Although the experience is short-lived, witnessing a fashion show is always enchanting. It doesn’t even matter if you’re watching from behind the scenes.

Working NYFW is a workout. You’ll certainly get your steps in, and you’ll also burn twice the calories you would at a SoulCycle class. But the downside is that your body will be twice as sore. Interns are always the ones doing most of the physical labor, and they’re working for free. Oh, you thought fashion interns are getting paid for working 16 hours a day?

Think again.

People often forget that fashion entails a lot of sleepless nights and physical labor. Behind every beautiful model is a team of hair and makeup stylists who spent hours working to create the perfect look. Behind every lavish event is an army of people planning, emailing and lifting furniture until they physically can’t do it anymore. Behind every Chanel-level

Natalie Abatemarco // Edge Writer POWER POSE: Contributing Edge Writer Natalie Abatemarco takes a break to pose while working at New York Fashion Week 2019 in February.

artist is a designer in a cheap apartment who’s working several part-time jobs to make ends meet. Although the end result is exquisite, it wouldn’t be possible without a huge team of people who work longs hours and make tough sacrifices.

If you can handle NYFW, you can handle anything. After it’s all over, any task will seem trivial or even relaxing.

Although getting through the week

can be difficult at times, the feeling of watching a fashion show open and close is a breathtaking experience that makes up for the sleep deprivation. I highly recommend interning at NYFW to anyone with a passion for fashion. You’ll do great, as long as you’re a problem solver and a bit of an adrenaline junkie.

DREAM DESIGNS: The New York Fashion Show features many daring and vibrant pieces including those by famous designers, such as Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors and Tom Ford. The event also provides a platform for smaller, lesser-known designers to earn acclaim.

Natalie Abatemarco // Edge Writer

THEMIAMIHURRICANE

MUSIC REVIEW

EDGE

February 19 , 2019 - February 26, 2019

12

Vince Staples brings West-Coast flair to Revolution Live

By Kay-Ann Henry Opinion Editor

If you follow Vince Staples on Twitter or have watched his interviews, you’ll know that he is hilarious. In fact, if he wasn’t a rapper, I think he could still make it in the entertainment industry as a comedian.

One of my favorite examples was when he tweeted, “The national anthem don’t even slap,” in response to the controversy surrounding the NFL and Colin Kaepernick. The tweet quickly went viral.

Staples’ debut and sophomore albums, “Summertime ‘06” and “Big Fish Theory,” offered fresh perspectives

on gangsta rap and challenged radio trends. He’s a vibrant storyteller, brash and unapologetic in his social criticism.

He often reminds me of Dave Chappelle (with whom he actually shares a manager with).

But listening to his music and liking his tweets wasn’t enough. I knew I needed to see him in person.

Lucky for me, Staples’ “Smile, You’re on Camera” tour stopped in Fort Lauderdale this past Valentine’s Day at Revolution Live, and it was a hell of a time.

Staples’ first opening act was a new rap group from Texas called PNTHN. I walked in as the 10 members— 7 rappers, 2 producers and a DJ— piled onto the

Photo Courtesy of Def Jam RAVE REVIEWS: West-Coast Rapper Vince Staples performed in Fort Lauderdale Feb. 14, bringing California influence to South Florida.

stage and started performing songs from their latest EP “Potluck.”

“It’s our first time performing in Florida. Man, Y’all live as f*ck,” said rapper Dc4Prez.

I originally thought PNTHN was an upcoming group from Broward County that I hadn’t heard about yet. Why? Some of them had cool dreads, which is seemingly a requirement for Florida rappers (think Kodak Black, Lil Pump, Robb Bank$, etc). The faces of their group were diverse, and they had a great amount of energy that made it easy for the audience to rage to their songs. They fitted right in. Though they are actually from Texas, their music reminded me of California’s weed and Florida’s sun. How could I complain?

Opening acts are supposed to warm you up for the headliner and get you pumped. Sometimes, they do more and blow you away. Lady Gaga did this when she opened for the Pussycat Dolls in 2009.

The second opening act of the night, a rapper named Buddy, did that for me.

Buddy burst onto stage, hailed his hometown of Compton and got the crowd super hype as he rapped the song “That Much.” There’s something about West Coast rappers that I just really love.

They’re not only charismatic and skillful in their individual styles of rapping, but they also paint a picture of their California hometown that’s as jarring and vivid as their experiences growing up in it.

Buddy painted that picture on “Trouble on Central,” one of the standout singles from his 2018 debut album “Harlan & Alondra.”

He got the crowd lit (literally) with his stoner anthem, “A Lite.” His Valentine’s Day banter was supported by his feelgood love song, “It’s Love.” We bopped our heads to “Hey Up There” with Ty Dolla $ign singing the hook. Buddy sang, rapped, engaged and entertained. After his set, I found myself wanting to hear more from him, but the West Coast fun

wasn’t done. Vince Staples was up next.

Staples isn’t the typical gangsta rapper.

As he performed “FUN,” the hit single off of his latest album “FM!,” it became evident that this was an experimental project. “FUN” sounded like it could be something you hear on the radio or at an EDM concert, but lines like “My black is beautiful, but I’ll still shoot at you,” reminded me that Staples’ life in Long Beach isn’t anything to take lightly.

Staples performed classics such as “Blue Suede” and singles off his 2017 album “Big Fish Theory,” the latter of which caused a mosh pit to form in the center of the stage, much to Staples’ delight. But still, there was another song I was waiting to hear. As the end of the concert drew near, I looked around and could almost see the anticipation hanging in the air. They knew, and he knew too.

As I heard the opening chords of “Norf Norf,” the crowd erupted, and I sighed.

Finally.

I’m used to seeing a lot of different faces at rap concerts, but I have to admit that it was weird to hear a whole bunch of white folks screaming, “I ain’t never ran from nothing but the police,” knowing that most of them would never attempt such a feat. All types of people consume modern hip-hop and rap music, even groups of people who once opposed it.

Staples’ music video for FUN ends with a blond-haired, white teen closing his laptop after watching the video when his mother calls for him. I find white suburbia’s consumption of rap music quite interesting, and I’m glad that Staples pokes fun at the concept.

Music transcends time. Buddy brought me to the 90s with his groove and Staples’ latest album gives me 2003 nightclub feels. It transcends space too. In the span of a couple hours, I spent a little time in Texas and indulged in the West Coast all without leaving Florida. Thank you Vince Staples, you absolute genius.

For more arts and entertainment news, visit

themiamihurricane.com

THEMIAMIHURRICANE

SPORTS 13

February 19 , 2019 - February 26, 2019

BASKETBALL

Hurricanes history: No. 20 Miami shocks No. 2 Louisville

Josh Halper // Staff Photographer ALL SMILES: The Hurricanes have upset five ranked opponents this season, including two top-five teams in the last 10 days. Miami sits atop the conference and controls its own destiny to claim its first Atlantic Coast Conference regular season title since 2010-11.

By Justin Sobelman & Josh White Senior Sports Writer & Sports Editor sports@themiamihurricane.com

On Feb. 25, 1964, the late Muhammad Ali upset World Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston in Miami. After the fight, the Louisville native said he “shook up the world.”

Nearly 55 years later, the Hurricanes shook up the college basketball world with a historic victory over the Cardinals in Louisville.

No. 20 Miami rallied from a 14-point deficit to stun No. 2 Louisville 79-73 in front of a raucous 12,193 fans at the KFC Yum! Center Sunday afternoon.

The victory marked the program’s first-ever top-three win, moving the Hurricanes into first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

“I’m sure when I’m retired and sitting on the beach somewhere, I’ll

think about this as the greatest win, but these wins can be canceled out really quick if you don’t focus on the next one,” Miami coach Katie Meier said after the 350th victory of her career. “We’re on a mission and we just have to keep getting better.”

The Hurricanes (22-5, 10-2 ACC) trailed for the majority of the contest, but senior Emese Hof led the Canes’ comeback charge.

Hof knocked down a layup with 1:27 remaining to put Miami up 70-68, giving them its first lead since the first quarter.

Hof, fellow Netherlands native Laura Cornelius and sophomore Mykea Gray combined to nail nine of their final 10 free throw attempts in the closing minutes to put the game out of reach.

“It’s huge,” Hof said about the Hurricanes toppling their fifth ranked opponent this season.

“After we beat Notre Dame at home, we were happy, but we

wanted more.”

Hof led Miami with a gamehigh 25 points—12 of which came in the final quarter—grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists in the Hurricanes’ second top-five victory in 10 days.

“I think she’s got the highest IQ of any post player in the country,” Meier said. “She was just a grown woman on the basketball court, taking care of business and her team really rallied behind her.”

Cornelius added 16 points and chipped in a team-high six assists.

Gray totaled 10 points and secured a pair of crucial defensive rebounds late in the contest.

Miami shot 55.1 percent from the floor, including 66.6 percent from 3-point range, and held Louisville (23-2, 10-2 ACC) to just 41.2 percent overall.

“We played one of our best games of the year, if not the best,” Meier said. “It wasn’t perfect. We had to fight and overcome some

stuff, so that’s what made me really happy. It’s not like everything went our way and just played great. We didn’t play well in the first half, but we hung in there.”

UM stumbled out of the gates, shooting just 4-of-12 and ultimately getting outscored 22-13 in the first quarter. The Cardinals extended their lead to 14 points in the opening moments of the second quarter before taking a 37-29 advantage into the halftime break.

But Miami and Meier adjusted.

The Hurricanes started the third quarter on a 6-0 run, before eventually tying the contest at 4545 with 1:06 left in the period.

Louisville junior Kylee Shook drilled a pair of shots from distance in the closing minute of the frame to give her team a 51-47 lead heading in the fourth.

The Hurricanes scored 34 points and shot 64.3 percent in the closing 10 minutes to complete the

upset.

ACC leading scorer Asia Durr struggled for the Cardinals, shooting just 5-of-17 and 1-of-10 from beyond the arc. Durr only posted 16 points after coming off a 34-point outburst against Virginia Tech.

Three other Cardinals finished in double-figures. Dana Evans notched 14 points and Shook and Bionca Dunham both tallied 12 points each.

Miami will look to extend its four-game win streak when the Hurricanes travel to Virginia Tech at 7 p.m. Feb. 21. UM now controls its own path to claim its first ACC regular season title since 2010-11.

“There is nothing to dream about,” Meier said. “We have to win the next game. I’m really pleased where we are right now. I think we’ve learned a lot of tough lessons that brought us to this win, but we have two losses we’re still mad about. I want those back.”

14 SPORTS

THEMIAMIHURRICANE

February 19 , 2019 - February 26, 2019

COMMENTARY

Takeaways from the Canes’ opening series under DiMare

By Josh White Sports Editor @_JoshRWhite sports@themiamihurricane.com

1

Phenomenal freshmen

The Gino DiMare era officially kicked off for the Hurricanes Feb. 15 at Mark Light Field. Miami secured its first series sweep over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights since 2016.

“I’ve talked about setting the tone for the season and I don’t think you can draw it up any better than that,” DiMare said.

Here are three takeaways from the opening series.

The Hurricanes have struggled at the plate the last two seasons, which was a big reason why Miami missed out on the postseason both years. The Hurricanes batted just .257 and scored only 4.8 runs per game in 2018.

However, this season, the bats have gotten off to a hot start.

The Hurricanes batted .348

3

The Hurricanes brought in the No. 10 recruiting class in the country, according to Baseball America.

While rankings can be flashy, the college game is very different than the high school level.

Yet, freshmen Anthony Vilar and Adrian Del Castillo were not fazed by the spotlight.

“The freshmen guys didn’t seem overwhelmed at all,” DiMare said.

“They seemed very calm, and I was very happy to see that because this is a big deal. These are local guys, a lot of them. Vilar grew up right here in this ballpark. There’s got to be a little something going on before your first opportunity to play here.”

Vilar started at second base and went 7-for-11 (.636), which leads the conference among players with at least 10 at-bats.

Del Castillo drove in a team-high seven runs as part of a 7-for-15 (.467) weekend.

The prized rookie served as the team’s designated hitter.

“Del Castillo has been special since Day One, so

Offensive outbursts

and scored 35 runs against the Scarlet Knights, including a program opening day record 19 runs.

“It’s so hard to gauge in the preseason,” DiMare said of his offense. “I have confidence in our guys, but until you really get out there and start doing it…I’m starting to see some guys and going, ‘Oooh, this could be

special.’”

Seven different Hurricanes slashed above .300 in the first weekend, including 2018 Freshman All-American Freddy Zamora. Zamora, who slugged just one home run during his rookie campaign, notched a .417 average and blasted a homer.

“I definitely noticed the ball was jumping off the bat more

than it did last year,” Zamora said. “It’s all about approach at the plate and getting a good pitch to hit and a pitch to drive.”

Fellow sophomore Alex Toral, who struggled mightily during his freshman year with a .161 average and one home run, hit a pair of round-trippers in the first two games.

Praiseworthy pitching As prolific as the Hurricanes’ offense was against the Scarlet Knights, Miami’s pitching dominated as well.

UM tallied a 1.67 ERA and held Rutgers to just seven runs.

A 2018 All-ACC Third Team selection, Evan McKendry, tossed six innings, allowed three runs on four hits while striking out eight and walking just one.

McKendry retired the first 10 hitters he faced.

“It was awesome, I mean a dream come true,” McKendry said. “I always wanted to be the Friday night here. It was just a great experience.”

Sophomore starter Chris McMahon followed up McKendry with five innings of one-run ball, surrendering just three hits.

Brian Van Belle dazzled in his Hurricanes debut, pitching six scoreless innings. The redshirt junior allowed five hits and one walk while striking out five.

“It feels great that I finally got it under my belt,” the Broward College transfer said. “I’m hungry for more.”

we all knew that,” DiMare said. “I was really, really impressed and certainly happy to see Vilar swing the bat.”

Heralded hurlers JP Gates and Slade Cecconi combined to toss three scoreless innings, allowing just three hits.

The duo racked up five strikeouts.

2

For more sports coverage, visit themiami hurricane.com

THEMIAMIHURRICANE

February 19 , 2019 - February 26, 2019

V’S TAKE

Dealing with V-Day’s aftermath Have a question for V? Email

dearv@themiamihurricane.com.

Midterm season is upon us and I have literally never been hor nier. My stress levels are bouncing off the walls with t wo tests and a paper due this week.

As you may have g uessed, I have never wanted to release these hormones from my body more than I want to right now.

Admit it—you all k now the feeling.

To make things worse, my back-to-back Valentine’s Day dates with t wo different Hecht residents did not go as planned.

They lef t me hungr y for more. A lot more.

Guy number one —let’s call him *inser t eggplant emoji*— had a ver y large...hear t. His passion wasn’t the only thing that grew that night in the back of his late model T-ford in a Publix parking lot. It was fascinating, sit ting back and just watching all of that... grocer y shopping.

Now g uy number t wo —he’ll just go by Brian—went down another path. He took me out on a date, bought me chocolates and even wrote me a love poem.

For once, I felt like this man had the potential to become someone meaningf ul in my life.

Then ever ything went downhill

when he said he was act ually in love with me.

But lucky for me, I have at tachment problems and will never catch feelings for a g uy who is act ually nice to me!

I want more than anything to call *eggplant emoji* and ask him if he wants to Ram—as in the Ford—me into the sunset. I also want to ask Brian if he act ually meant what he said.

But these were just one-day f lings. Maybe I can hit them up for t utoring at least? I do need help with my anatomy exam...

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