Niner Times: November 11, 2013

pionships. p. 7

Season comes

ence USA Cham ls of the Confer d in the semifina

to an en

2015 Marching Band

UNC Charlotte expects a marching band to join the 49er drumline for the 2015 season, when the football team joins Conference USA.

p. 4

Awkward encounters

A few anonymous Niners share some of their most awkward sexual encounters.

p. 13

A A PRODUCT PRODUCT OF OF STUDENT STUDENT NINER NINER MEDIA MEDIA •• THE THE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF OF NORTH NORTH CAROLINA CAROLINA AT AT CHARLOTTE CHARLOTTE •• VOL. VOL. 26, 26, ISSUE ISSUE 12 11 NOV. 12 - NOV. 18, 2013 NINERONLINE.COM

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Volume 26, Number 12 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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Marching band will join the 49er drum line in 2015 UNC Charlotte Department of Music beginning search for Director of Athletic Bands

The marching band, said to arrive in 2015, will join the drum line at Charlotte 49er football games. FILE PHOTO

ANDREW JAMES STAFF WRITER

One of the many exciting things about the Charlotte 49ers football team entering Conference USA in 2015 will be the fielding of a marching band.

The UNC Charlotte Department of Music announced the plans for the band on Oct. 28, 2013.

This season a drumline has performed at all of the Charlotte 49er home football games.

The drumline will continue to play in the second season before being installed into a full marching band for the 2015 season.

“This year, we will do a national search for

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our inaugural Director of Athletic Bands,” said Dr. James Grymes, professor of Musicology and Interim Chair. “[The selected director] will take over the ‘pep band,’ that plays at basketball games, will conduct one of our concert bands, and will begin meeting with students to begin planning the marching band.”

With the search only in beginning stages, applications will be reviewed in December.

The field will then be narrowed down to three applicants by early spring who will be invited to campus for interviews.

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The director will become a faculty member in the fall of 2014, leading the creation of the marching band with the help of students.

Grymes shares that the band will consist of approximately 150 members in its first year.

The band will feature brass instruments, woodwinds and a color guard.

“Really the only challenge we have faced is that it is a really complex process. There is a lot of moving parts to get into order in a very short time. We have to select and purchase all of the instruments and design and purchase all of the uniforms. It is a lot of organization and

NINERTIMES

administration,” adds Grymes.

The design process for uniforms will begin once the Director of Athletic Bands is in place.

Grymes looks forward to seeing the marching band take the field for the first time in August 2015.

“I think it will be really rewarding to see the whole gameday experience. It will be nice to have pregame festivities with the marching band out on the field, getting the fans riled and ready for the game,” said Grymes.

Student interest in the marching band at UNC Charlotte seems to be growing everyday from more than the students in the Department of Music.

“There are 25 players on the drum line and only four of them are music majors. The marching band will probably be 90-95 percent non-music majors,” said Grymes.

The UNC Charlotte marching band offers students a unique chance to make history and create the traditions that will live on for years to come.

Students interested in becoming

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a part of the inaugural marching band should visit music.uncc. edu for updates. A Facebook page will also be made in the coming weeks to offer more information to students.

SHIGELLA OUTBREAK REPORTED IN CHARLOTTE AREA The Cabarrus Health Alliance has reported an outbreak of the sickness Shigella in the county, located only a few miles from campus ANGELA ALIMI INTERN

Coughing, sneezing, and boxes of tissues are becoming more and more abundant as we get closer to winter time.

However, Shigella, an infection that lasts from five to seven days, was reported to be an outbreak in Cabarrus County this past week.

The infections may be acquired from eating contaminated food.

Sixty-four people reported symptoms of a typical infection; 21 of those people have a confirmed infection. The Cabarrus County Health Alliance published reports encouraging people to stay at home.

“Hand washing with soap and water is key in preventing further spread of this infection, especially before eating and after going to the bathroom. It is important to note that hand sanitizers are not effective in killing this bacteria,” said Emily Stewart, the associate director of Clinical Services at the UNC Charlotte Health Center.

“This illness is very

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uncomfortable for those who are infected, but usually these people recover without complications.

Sometimes being infected with Shigella can be more serious, especially with children. It is important to follow the guidance of health officials to avoid this illness,” states Stewart.

If people comply with the instruction from the Cabarrus County Health Alliance, the spread of the infection to others should be minimized and the outbreak contained.

Antibiotic treatment is recommended for patients with severe disease, bloody diarrhea or compromised immune systems.

Doctors also recommend to wash hands with soap carefully and frequently, especially after going to the bathroom.

For more information on the UNC Charlotte Health Center, visit http://studenthealth.uncc.edu.

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National Novel Writing Month intrigues university students November is nationally recognized as National Novel Writing Month, a national competition which offers cash prizes to successful participants.

STEPHANY MCMILLAN

NOV. 7

From the United States to Asia to Africa and beyond, writers are embracing their talents this month.

For the month of November, writers are celebrating National Novel Writing Month, commonly known as NaNoWriMo. NaNoWriMo has 292,180 participants and still counting.

The goal of participants is to complete a 50,000-word novel in just 30 days. Some say it is incredibly hard while others buckle down for the challenge.

UNC Charlotte junior Sarah Despain attempted the worldwide event in high school but unfortunately could not push herself to the minimum word count.

Throughout the month of November, writers and novelists are creating unique suspense, thriller and even romance novels while interacting with fellow writers.

Each participant will have a log-in username and password to the NaNoWriMo Web site. On the page, participants can track their progress, create widgets to display their word count competitively across regions and genres, and talk with other participants.

NaNoWriMo was started in July of 1999 in the San Francisco Bay Area with just 21 participants.

However the celebration suddenly grew after a fellow participant created a Web site. Friends shared the site with other friends, causing the event to gain popularity.

“I wrote a story about my

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friends and I in high school with supernatural powers ... kind of lame,” said Despain.

Now after 13 years of spreading awareness of how important individual creativity is, libraries, coffee shops, eBooks and book businesses are all on board.

Participants have Municipal Liaisons within their region that they can contact with any questions regarding their novel and nearby events occurring.

The Municipal Liaisons host parties, all-day writing events, weekly “Write-Ins,” and “Thank God It’s Over” parties.

In addition, each NaNoWriMo participant receives pep talks and support from well-known authors via NaNoMail. Past authors have included Bell Andre of the Sullivan Series, James Patterson, an author for teen thrillers and suspense, and Ralph Peters, an author of 30 books, journals and essays.

The authors send inspirational letters to each writer providing insight to developing a valuable novel.

There are even lists of past authors who provided pep talks and support from the very first launch.

NaNoWriMo forums are used for writers to get to know one another and receive updates with the latest ongoing competitions.

Participants are encouraged to use the site’s “NaNoFlair,” which is the branded image for National Novel Writing Month. Many

post it on their blogs, Facebook accounts and even print out the pre-made flyers to post around their school’s campus. This spreads the word about the event and those participating.

The national event also has a plethora of sponsor offers called “Wrimo-Only Offers.” In total, NaNoWriMo was able to gain a total of $6,000 worth of offers to give back to participants.

Many writing businesses providing encouragement to the event.

For example, CreateSpace is giving two free paperback copies of the NaNoWriMo winners’ book.

Wattpad is providing one lucky NaNoWriMo winner, who is also a Wattpad user, $2,000.

Another business called Kobo Writing Life is giving away 10 free eBooks to all of the NaNoWriMo winners.

As the month digresses, users are using crunch time to get those last few thousand words to complete their novel.

There is so much to help mold and enhance a group of young students, adults and teens into great writers during November.

After November ends there is NaNoWriMo Camp, which over 44,000 people attended last year.

If you are interested in more information about NaNoWriMo or would like to donate money to the event, visit http://nanowrimo.org/.

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

55°F

45°F

52°F

56°F

Isolated rain showers in the afternoon. Low of 31°

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Mostly sunny. Low of 26°

NOV. 14

Partly sunny. Low of 31°

NOV. 12 - NOV. 18, 2013

• Cone Parking Deck, driver of vehicle one reported that he struck an unoccupied vehicle backing out of a parking space

CALLS FOR SERVICE NOV. 4

• Alumni Way, officer responded to a call regarding a subject communicating threats

HIT AND RUN NOV. 8

• Martin Village Road, subject reported that he witnessed a driver hit an occupied vehicle and then fled the scene

LARCENY NOV. 5

• Alumni Way, subject reported her vehicle missing

NOV. 6

• Craver Road, officer responded to a call regarding a fight in progress

NOV. 8

• John Kirk Drive, an unknown subject forcibly entered a secured vehicle and removed items

TRESPASSING

TUESDAY NOV. 12

FOLLOW FOR FORECASTS AND WARNINGS

NOV. 5 - 8

ACCIDENTS

STAFF WRITER

@UNCCWeather

POLICE BLOTTER

NOV. 15

Partly sunny. Low of 42°

NOV. 6

• University Road, an unknown subject entered a victim’s vehicle and removed property without permission

For more information on Mecklenburg County arrests, visit arrestinquiryweb.co.mecklenburg.nc.us

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Charlotte women’s soccer team’s season comes to an end in semifinals of the Conference USA Championships ALEX ANTHONY AND LIBBY WEIHSMANN NT SPORTS TEAM

The Charlotte 49ers women’s soccer team knocked out the Marshall Thundering Herd on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at Holloway Field in Houston, Texas in the quarterfinals of the Conference USA Championship.

The 49ers clinched the East Division title after defeating Old Dominion 3-1 on Oct. 31 in their final match of the regular season.

The match got off to a late start due to the North Texas and FIU game running long after Colorado College barely slipped past Tulsa in a game that came down to penalty kicks.

Charlotte freshman Perri Bonner was the first

Women’s soccer defeated Gardner-Webb 2-1 in August.

Photo by Ben Coon

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The Charlotte 49ers women’s soccer team in a game against UNC Wilmington. Photo by Ben Coon

to put up a shot for either team.

It was Marshall’s Erin Simmons that found the back of the net 18:56 into the game after slipping one inside the left post past Charlotte keeper Alex Kubrick, giving the Herd a 1-0 lead.

It wasn’t long before Amanda Jones countered Marshall’s goal when she placed one past keeper Lizzie Kish on an assist from Brooke Mulloy 25:19 in the first half of play.

Jones’ goal was her ninth of the season for the 49ers.

At the half, the 49ers were tied 1-1 with the Herd.

Marshall had an 8-3 advantage in shots and a 4-0 advantage in corner kicks.

Both teams came out firing in the second half.

It was Jones that took the first shot, but it was blocked.

Charlotte had a big stop when a Marshall corner kick was headed a few times before Kubrick could get her hands on it.

Marshall appeared aggressive as they took three consecutive shots within two minutes, but Kubrick was able to prevent any of them from being converted to goals.

Jennifer Lee put up a shot for the 49ers in the 60th minute of play, but it went just high off the crossbar.

In the 61st minute of the game, Jones drove one past Kish, giving the 49ers a 2-1 lead over the Herd and giving the goal-scoring Jones her 10th one on the season.

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In the 64th minute, freshman Ari Reilley tallied her second career goal, giving the 49ers a 3-1 lead over Marshall.

Reilley’s first goal of her career came just 12 days earlier when she scored on the Herd in the final home game of the season for the 49ers.

Sara Trexler had a long run with the ball down the field in the 74th minute, but her shot went right to Kish in the box.

Trexler made another attempt to put up a goal in the 81st minute, but it went just high off the crossbar.

Though the Herd made a few more attempts on goal to try and catch up, the 49ers came away victorious and knocked out Marshall from the conference tournament.

Marshall finished the evening with a 16-15 advantage in shots and a 12-2 advantage in corner kicks.

Jones now ties Jill Currie and Hailey Beam with the record for most goals scored in a single season.

The 49ers then faced North Texas in the semifinals of the tournament.

The team (11-7-2) was pushed to the limit on Friday night as they fell short in double overtime against North Texas (14-6-1).

After dominating the team from Marshall in the quarterfinals, the 49ers were ready to build off their momentum, heading into the next round of the conference tournament.

The Mean Green didn’t show any signs of

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weakness or lack of rhythm.

Within the first 15 minutes of play, they created two chances in the offensive zone and caught the 49ers defense napping.

A free kick went wide along with one off the far post, keeping the score 0-0.

It wasn’t until late in the half when Charlotte was able to establish a rhythm and settle in on offense.

Despite their effort, the 49ers finished the first half on the low end of a 13-2 shot deficit.

Fortunately, the Charlotte defense held and North

Texas couldn’t separate themselves.

The score remained 0-0 at the intermission.

With the second half getting underway, the feeling in the air was that the match was going to be one for the ages, and the players were going to be in it for the long haul.

With the clock reaching 10 minutes to play in regulation, overtime was becoming a reality.

The 49ers gathered another nine shots on goal against the Mean Green while allowing the opponent to double their total from the first half.

North Texas finished regulation play with a 26-

In one of the final home games of the year, the 49ers defeated Marshall 1-0. Photo by Ryan Sarles

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11 shot lead and forced senior Alex Kubrick to be at her best and make a stand as a leader for her team.

Going into the first overtime, the 49ers were not ready to let the game slip away.

Staying alert and not giving up on loose balls would be key going into extra minutes.

For Charlotte, it has been junior forward Jennifer Lee that made the most of her playing time, racking up five shots on goal.

The semifinals matchup for the 49ers found made its way into a second overtime.

A final 10-minute period would have to decide a winner, or else the infamous penalty kick shootout would take place.

Within the first three minutes of play, North Texas was rewarded for the Mean Green’s gritty performance.

Tori Adame made a sizzling pass on a corner kick to Lindsey Hulstein who was able to capitalize against the positioning of Charlotte and found the back of the net behind a goalkeeper that laid her heart on the field.

The goal was scored at 102:17 and gave the Mean Green a 1-0 victory, and the rights to advance in the Conference USA tournament.

The Charlotte 49ers finish their season with a record of 11-7-2 overall under Head Coach John Cullen.

College soccer careers come to a close for graduating junior Dana Robertson, along with seniors Alex Kubrick, SarahAnn Waugh, Dakota Olson and Brooke Mulloy.

Charlotte will lose a former team MVP in Mulloy, but like any good team, the 49ers have a bright future, young talent and a lot to build off of heading into next season.

49ers women’s basketball Tori Carter posted a career-high 14 points and also recorded her first career start in Friday’s win over Liberty.

49ers men’s basketball Mike Thorne Jr. scored a career-high 17 points in Friday’s win over ETSU. Thorne Jr. also posted nine rebounds.

Football’s Martay Mattox recorded his first interception of the season in Saturday’s game against the Wesley College Wolverines.

Second-string quarterback Lee McNeill recorded his longest touchdown pass of the season when he found Mark Pettit in the end zone on a 22-yard pass after a fake field goal attempt.

Alex Kubrick, Brooke Mulloy, Dakota Olson, SarahAnn Waugh and Dana Robertson wrapped up their careers with the Charlotte 49ers women’s soccer team finishing 11-7-2 on the season.

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49ERS MEN’S SOCCER PREPARES FOR CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIPS LIBBY WEIHSMANN SPORTS EDITOR

The Charlotte 49ers men’s soccer team (9-5-3, 4-3-2), host to the 2013 Conference USA Men’s Soccer Championships at Transamerica Field, have earned the sixth seed after recording four shutouts in the last five games.

For much of the regular season, Niner Nation was left wondering if the 49ers would make the tournament. Charlotte has won five straight games and in those five, the 49ers have outscored opponents 16-1.

In the first round of the conference tournament, the fourth-seeded South Carolina (7-6-5, 4-2-3) will face off with the fifth-seeded Tulsa (9-5-3, 4-3-2) at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13.

The second-seeded Old Dominion (10-4-1, 7-2-0) will play the sev-

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enth-seeded Kentucky (6-9-3, 3-4-2) following the South Carolina-Tulsa game at 5:30 p.m.

The 49ers will make their tournament debut on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. against the third-seeded UAB (12-4-1, 5-3-1). Charlotte tied UAB on the road in a 0-0 draw earlier this season in double overtime. In the 29 times that the two teams have met over the years, Charlotte holds a 159-4 record.

New Mexico (11-4-2, 7-1-1) earned the top seed and a first-round bye in the tournament. New Mexico will play the winner of the South Carolina-Tulsa match in the semifinals of the tournament on Friday, Nov. 15 at 5 p.m.

The winner of the Old Dominion-Kentucky game will face the winner of the Charlotte-UAB match

in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m.

The championship game will be played on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 1:30 p.m. and will be broadcasted live on the CBS Sports Network.

UNC Charlotte students can use their valid student ID to gain admission to any of the tournament games for free.

CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET WEDNESDAY, NOV. 13

FRIDAY, NOV. 15

SUNDAY, NOV. 17

(1) New Mexico (4) South Carolina

5 p.m.

3 p.m.

(5) Tulsa 1:30 p.m.

(2) Old Dominion

(CBS Sports Network)

5:30 p.m.

Conference USA Champion

(7) Kentucky (3) UAB 8 p.m.

(6) Charlotte

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7:30 p.m.

All games played at Charlotte’s Transamerica Field and game times are Eastern.

9

DOWN, SET, WHAT? Gender inequalities raise questions about intramural sports and the activities offered to both genders

ANDREA ROCHA INTERN

The cool breeze of fall is in the air and so is America’s favorite sport: football.

With the Charlotte 49ers making history in the midst of their inaugural season, you can only imagine the excitement amongst UNC Charlotte’s high-spirited fan base of football enthusiasts.

Only the school’s football players will truly experience that incredible rush of endorphins and adrenaline each time they step foot on the field of Jerry Richardson Stadium. However, non-student athletes have their own means in order to try to emulate that feeling.

UNC Charlotte offers a variety of intramural sports to students throughout the school year, with plenty of options for active recreation.

The school provides fields and equipment for participants, and I have personally had the pleasure of attending a few competitive flag football games in support of some friends. I enjoyed watching from the sidelines and soon became interested in running the ball into the end zone myself.

After mentioning my interest to Grey Edwards, a friend and player involved with one of flag football teams, he was quick to inform me of the opportunity to play for a co-recreational, or “CoRec,” league.

Teams in CoRec leagues are made up of both male and female players.

The idea sounded appealing, and I began to daydream about my Peyton Manning days to come.

However, the fantasy was cut short when Edwards said to me, “Yeah, but I would hate to play on one of those CoRec teams. It’s complete ‘B.S.’ that girls get nine points each time they score a touchdown.”

I was puzzled. All I could think to say was, “Huh?” I’ve never been a football whiz, but due to my well deserved ‘A’ in high school physical education class to boost my athletic credentials, I was well aware that a touchdown was equal to six points, not nine.

Perplexed by my newfound knowledge, I took it upon myself to look further into these supposed CoRec team rules. I received confirmation through the UNC Charlotte Flag Football Study Guide, used as an aid in preparing for a test that all potential participants must complete.

Statement 28 reads as follows: “In CoRec, females who score or throw the ball to someone who scores, will be awarded with nine points.”

I would like to give a huge, sarcastic thanks on behalf of all the female players who apparently aren’t skilled enough to earn a regular sixpoint touchdown, but instead need to be awarded a spankin’ nine points.

A few other statements from the study guide had some notable gender disparities, as well. For instance,

EDITORIAL POLICY Niner Times is written and produced by students at UNC Charlotte. All unsigned editorials are the expressed opinion of the editorial board and do not represent the views of the University. Views expressed in signed editorials are solely those of the author. Niner Times is published on Tuesdays during the regular academic year except during holidays and exam periods.

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A male defender leaps to block a female quarterback’s pass in a CoRec flag football game.

Photo by Chris Crews

take a look at statements 25, 26 and 27.

“In CoRec, on an open play, any gender can be involved. Whereas on a closed play, the play must involve a female.”

“In CoRec, to open play, the play must include all three of these things; involve a female, a legal forward pass and net positive yardage.”

“In CoRec, males may not run the ball through the neutral zone.”

Although these regulations strike me as a bit inequitable, it is still an effort in trying to make the school’s recreational services as fair as pos-

GIVE US SOME FEEDBACK Niner Times welcomes letters. Feedback should be under 200 words, legibly written or typed and should include the author’s signature, year in school, major and telephone number. Faculty and staff should include title and department. Unsigned, anonymous letters will not be printed. All letters are subject to editing for space and style.

NOV. 12 - NOV. 18, 2013

sible. I do not disagree it is probable that if these rules are not implemented, females may never receive a pass or have the chance to be acknowledged for their respectable athleticism. Nevertheless, females who partake and contribute to these teams should not be praised for being “good for a girl,” but good for a player.

For more information on UNC Charlotte’s Recreational Services and becoming involved with intramural sports, visit http://recservices. uncc.edu/.

SUBMIT LETTERS TO:

NINER TIMES Student Union, Charlotte, N.C. 28223 OR E-MAIL:

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TAISHA BETHEA After missing the mark to make it onto “American Idol,” Concord native Taisha Bethea didn’t give up— she proceeded to start her music career on her own terms AARON TRAN STAFF WRITER

“I hope to play Coachella,” says 22-year-old artist Taisha Bethea. “That’s the goal.”

Bethea, who grew up in Concord, N.C., has been singing since the age of five.

Flashforward to her high school years, where a exciting new singing opportunity emerged.

Some classmates approached her about being the lead singer for their band.

“They needed a singer so [my friend] Ben messaged me on Myspace,” she laughed. “Totally 2008.” And like that, Bethea became the lead singer for local alternative rock band, Carson.

Being a black, female singer for a rock band, Bethea received skepticism for not fulfilling the stereotype. “I mean, of course people were always saying something about it,” said Bethea. “I love all different kinds of genres and it’s so fun to be able to do it all.”

“We always got the whole ‘black girl rock band’ thing and that was always pretty lame but […] it’s not that big of a deal.

I sing what I want to sing with hopes that at least one person will love it, black or white. Who cares?”

Bethea laughed.

While she sang for Carson, she looks at the experience as highly successful.

“We got to play [Vans] Warped Tour a couple of times. We went to Chicago for a Victory Records showcase,” she recollected. “[The band] made me the musician I am.”

Regarding the band’s recent breakup, Bethea says that she was expecting the split. “We were all just growing apart musically, you know? We were a band for six years and that’s a long time.”

She admits that she didn’t realize before how much work had to be done to keep the band successful.

Bethea says that she was, “just a girl in a band who sang and wrote. That’s it.”

The band split up shortly after she auditioned and made it to Hollywood to participate on American Idol. Bethea had no prior ambition to participate. “[It was] totally spur of the moment. A friend messaged me a few days before, and I was having a crappy day and was just like, “You know what? Fine.

I’ll do it!” she laughed. The auditions were recorded at Lowes Motor Speedway in Concord, just minutes from the university.

Her participation in Hollywood was also the first time that she had ever flown on a plane. When asked about something that the audience in front of the television may not know about the show, Bethea stated that she wasn’t allowed to share.

She just knows that she’ll “never try out again.”

As for her performance, she tells us that she lasted three days and ended up top 80 overall, and top 40 girls. “Live shows start at top 20.” Exhaustion is what Bethea blames for her being sent home. “I would’ve rested more,” she said. “I was too hype.”

After returning to North Carolina, Bethea continued to work multiple jobs to record and produce her musical endeavors.

She says that after leaving American Idol, she realized “how easy it is to achieve what you believe if you just try.”

Hollywood left her excited and driven to finish recording her first album, which she has completed within the past month and will be releasing independently soon.

A release party is in the works and she hopes to begin playing shows once again, this time as a solo artist.

She describes her sound as “really experimental, soulful hip-hop.” Not unconfident in her claim however, Bethea suggests “listen[ing] to it yourself to find out. It doesn’t really fit into any genre because it’s a mix of a lot of different sounds.”

Photo by Aaron Tran

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NOV. 12 - NOV. 18, 2013

11

49ER FIGHT NIGHT HOSTS FIRST POKÉMON TOURNAMENT CHESTER GRIFFIN STAFF WRITER

For the first time, 49er Fight Night is making “Pokémon” their final biweekly tournament of the semester.

Matt Harrold, who arranged the event, explained why they’re creating a tournament centered on “Pokémon,” despite the fact their tournaments have always had a strong emphasis on fighting games.

“For the record we focus on fighting games like ‘Street Fighter,’ ‘Marvel vs.

Capcom’ and ‘Tekken,’ but this month we’ve decided to throw ‘Pokémon’ into the mix since it shares a lot of qualities and has a large player base here on campus,” Harrold says.

For those who have never been to a 49er Fight Night, Harrold encourages newbies to not feel intimidated to come out.

“If folks haven’t played in a tournament before, they’ll find ours pretty accommodating. The range of games that our club plays is pretty diverse.

It’s really easy to get some tips and tricks if you sit down and play with some of the more experienced members,” says Harrold.

As a part of the Fighting Game Community Illuminati (FGC), Harrold’s job includes keeping meetings consistent, advertising the club and helping coordinate trips to major tournaments on the east coast.

With this being their first “Pokémon” tournament, the FGC officers have a new set of challenges to face.

“The new game doesn’t have a ruleset that is set in stone. As a result, we’re trying to get a few standards in place to keep the competition fairly even,” Harrold says.

In preparation for the upcoming event, some of the competitors shared their thoughts on the tournament.

Caleb Waters, a UNC Charlotte student, will compete in the tournament and has been an avid fan of the series since classic “Pokémon” titles like “Pokémon Red” and “Pokémon Blue.”

“I started playing when I was five.

‘Pokémon Red’ was the first game for my Game Boy Color. I remember spending time with my brother and our friends all those years ago playing that game,” Waters says.

Waters better watch out because he may have some competition with UNC Charlotte student Austin Traylor.

Like Waters, Traylor also grew up with the first generation of “Pokémon,” but stopped after the third generation.

After his brief hiatus with the series, he’s come back with a renewed vigor this generation.

“I feel like a lot of the competitors are going to be watching out for and trying to predict the new meta-game,” Traylor says.

“I’m going to be entering with an attempt at rain teams which most people will probably not expect, as weather has been made weaker this generation.”

When asked about his assembled “Pokémon” team, Traylor said, “Do you know the analogy ‘putting your eggs in one basket?’ I’d say my team is like that.”

Players looking for some intense “Pokémon” battling should go to 49er Fight Night at Student Union in Room 150 on Friday, Nov. 15.

Sign up and check-in starts at 6 p.m. and the tournament begins at 7 p.m.

58 59 60 61 62 63

ACROSS 1 Michael who plays Alfred in many Batman movies 6 Mess maker 10 Remote 13 Lightweight synthetic 14 Nothing, in Nicaragua 15 Scheme in which three of four lines rhyme 16 First two reindeer named in Rudolph’s song 19 Jai __ 20 Fury 21 Baseball legend Mickey 22 It has a trunk but no wheels 24 Layered cookie

25 Use a mouse to move a file between folders, say 30 Queue between Q and U 33 Charged, infantry-style 34 The Beatles’ “Abbey __” 35 Administer, as justice, with “out” 36 Eden exile 37 Thorax organs 38 Thor’s father 39 Book part 40 Former Atlanta arena 41 Lopsided 42 Make a typo 43 List of behavioral recommendations 45 Cry of dismay 47 Ten-speed unit 48 Prisoner 50 “How can __ sure?”

51 Ring of light 55 2003 prequel subtitled “When Harry Met Lloyd”

Many Keats poems Stunt rider Knievel Sprinkles or drizzles Was in first “Don’t touch that __!”

Supplement

DOWN 1 Sonata ending 2 Inland Asian sea 3 “Casablanca” heroine 4 Diamond gem 5 Santa Barbara-to-Las Vegas dir.

6 Marching band percussion instruments 7 Freeway division 8 Unusual 9 Snits 10 Accounted for, as during calculations 11 36-Across’ second son 12 Steak request 15 Diarist Frank 17 Nothing, in Nice 18 50-and-over org.

23 Critter before or after pack 25 Fall in folds 26 Plane tracker 27 Made “talent” from “latent,” e.g.

28 Prima __ 29 1980 De Niro film about a boxer 31 Clown heightener 32 Camp shelters 35 British heavy metal band with the album “Ace of Spades” 37 Not as tight as before 41 Cavity filler’s org.

43 Census gathering 44 Regard 46 Research sites 48 Revered entertainer 49 Naked 50 Inventor’s spark 52 Bone-dry 53 Gave for a while 54 Roughly 56 506, in old Rome 57 Bikini top

Image courtesy of Pokémon’s official website.

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NOV. 12 - NOV. 18, 2013

NINERTIMES

‘IT STARTED OUT WITH A KISS, HOW DID IT END UP LIKE THIS?’ Students anonymously share their most awkward sexual encounters For two months, this one guy and I were trying to get together. We’d both get all worked up and right before we actually went to do the deed, he’d go limp.

Every. Single. Time.

Eventually I just started telling him that I wasn’t interested when he’d ask to hook up. I was getting to the point where I was embarrassed for him.

I should have expected something like that though. The first time we made out, he got a nosebleed and bled all over my face. The boy obviously had some circulation issues.

We were making out ... then I threw up.

I met this guy at a party last year, and because I was intoxicated, I found him very attractive.

It wasn’t until I was flat on my back with him on top of me that I realized he had a rats tail.

As it dangled in my face my entire sex drive went down the drain.

I rushed my own orgasm just so I could hurry up and send him out the door.

It was my first time, and I freaked out from the pain and screamed, “I’M SORRY MY VAGINA HATES YOU!” really loudly.

I didn’t know he left the window open. And his dorm is right beside an academic building.

One time, I was over at my boyfriend’s and his parents are a little overbearing to say the least.

His mom told us we weren’t allowed to go up to his room, but his dad said it was OK. We almost immediately started having sex. After a while, we heard his sister coming up the stairs, making a lot of noise.

She was yelling “I need some more slack!” down the stairs.

My boyfriend started yelling at her to go away, but she wouldn’t so he put his pants on and

went to go see what she wanted.

Turns out, his mom was sending his sister up with a video camera that had a live feed to the TV in her bedroom in order to catch us in the act or see if we were getting “too close.”

His sister had been making a lot of noise to try to warn us.

Luckily his mom didn’t catch us, but his sister did walk in right as I sat up on the bed to begin looking for my clothes. She got a full frontal view.

I had sex while drunk with my friend. We made a playlist on YouTube that consisted only of the same Skrillex song.

We put it on repeat and just had sex to Skrillex for like an hour.

Submit your awkward encounters to lifestyle@nineronline.com NINERONLINE.COM

NOV. 12 - NOV. 18, 2013

13

YOU DON’T KNOW UNTIL YOU GO Time is your X-factor, use it to move toward your goals and dreams.

RYAN HESS

GUEST COLUMNIST My most surprising discovery from study abroad? My time.

Wait, you mean something amazing pops up and I can go? What?

I had the time to meet the design director of Ferrari, Paulo Coelho, espresso industry tycoons and upcoming authors.

I had the time to go to a food festival, to taste wine in Tuscany, and to attend a dozen-plus art gallery inaugural receptions.

That’s what having a life is like: having the time to do what you want to do.

To kickstart having a life, it’s not about effort or will to start. First, it’s about removing whatever’s stopping you, physically and mentally, and everything else that is bearing down on you.

Yes, there are some things you have to do (like take out the dog), but since when did you have to live the way others expect you to?

Stop doing things to be loved and start doing things out of love.

If the genuine pursuit and curiosity isn’t there, try out a bunch of different things and then repeat what you love.

This isn’t the ‘follow your passion’ model, this is the ‘chase your dreams’ model. That probably involves acquiring skills to where you can’t be ignored.

That’s hard and it takes effort, but all the best dreams do.

Milan took 172 steps. At the start, my bank account was in the red and I was still $5,500 away from the final payment three months out.

Had I stayed an RA, unequivocally active and leading within SigTau and other clubs, among all the other things that I “kind of” did … Milan never would have happened. Not a chance.

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You have the X-factor —it is just that you’re spending it on things that aren’t in alignment with where you want to be.

You’ll make mistakes, but that’s where information is found. All you need is the intelligence to know if the move you made was a step forward, and if it wasn’t, how to redirect.

That comes from a lot of trial and error, with emphasis on the error part.

The secret to accomplishing your dreams is not about talent, charisma, innate leadership qualities or extraordinary work ethic.

It’s about letting go of what doesn’t work or won’t fit, or is toxic. It’s a wonderful realization, yet hard to implement.

You’re going to let people down, but you’ll disappoint someone even more if you’re barely there at all to begin with.

If you don’t have the time to live your dreams, you’ll probably just waste more time on your expertly-curated Pinterest.

Imitate nature: ruthlessly eliminate what isn’t working. Quit to focus. Quit because you’re tired of doing something to seem like somebody that you’re not, or don’t truly want to be.

That whole stick-with-it loyalty is better for relationships that hit a rough patch every once in a while, not club memberships that you acquired to look impressive.

I eat my own cooking here. I’ve let go of many things since Italy. Don’t expect me to have 21 hours next semester and never be around. I’ll have more free time in the day than not.

That’s what I’m working toward: time to live a healthy and loving life.

Sounds dreamy, doesn’t it?

NOV. 12 - NOV. 18, 2013

NINERTIMES

DRINK

of the

WEEK

PUMPKIN PIE SMOOTHIE

When holiday time rolls around, it can be extremely difficult to resist all of the delicious foods that are popular that time of year.

Even if you’re trying to eat healthy, it’s important to be able to indulge once in a while for a yummy fall treat.

This pumpkin pie smoothie is the perfect healthy alternative for when those pumpkin pie cravings hit.

The ground flaxseed even adds the taste of pie crust, so it really gives the impression of a real pumpkin pie.

This smoothie is light and delicious, so you’ll be feeling satisfied and healthy after drinking this.

INGREDIENTS • • • • • • •

1/2 cup pumpkin puree 1 medium banana (frozen) 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed 1 tablespoon honey ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice ¼ teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup vanilla soy milk

INSTRUCTIONS 1.

Add everything to a blender.

2.

Blend until smooth. You may need to stop to stir once or twice. If the smoothie is too thick, add a touch more of the soy milk or even a little water.

HAVE AN IDEA FOR DRINK OF THE WEEK? EMAIL LIFESTYLE@NINERONLINE.COM

WITH YOUR DRINK, A PHOTO AND A RECIPE OR WHERE TO GET IT

NINERONLINE.COM

NOV. 12 - NOV. 18, 2013

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NOV. 12 - NOV. 18, 2013

NINERTIMES