Washington Square News | February 10, 2020

4 CULTURE

9 OPINION

From Student to Gucci Runway Model in Just a Few Months

Incompetence and Disaster in the Democratic Party

6 ARTS

10 SPORTS

Clive First-Year Crushes Musical Conventionality with Charisma

Men’s Volleyball Bump, Set and Spike Its Way to an Undefeated Start

VOLUME LIV | ISSUE 3

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020

Stigma Dominates Coronavirus Conversation in NYC Media coverage, social media postings and institutional responses to coronavirus have inflamed anti-Asian sentiment in NYC and beyond.

By EMILY MASON News Editor The coronavirus has consumed social media platforms recently, and the conversation and containment efforts surrounding the virus have inflamed years-old stigmas against Asians in New York City.

Coronavirus, a pneumonia-like virus which originated in Central China’s Hubei province, has killed 811 people in China and infected 37,198, according to China’s National Health Commission. The concern in the United States surrounding the spread of the disease has dominated news cycles and tensions have built in New York City as the total number of people tested for the deadly disease in the city has risen to five.

Masks are worn to prevent against the spread of airborne diseases. In light of the recent coronavirus outbreak, many have taken heightened health measures.

CHARLIE DODGE | WSN

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Exploring the Empty Met Words and Photos by CELIA TEWEY

Exposures Editor Anyone who has ever been to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on a weekend will know it’s a brag-worthy achievement to even get a glimpse at something without getting shoved, pushed and rushed out of the way. For a photographer, it is next to impossible to get a single picture without 10 curious tourists in the background, trying (and failing) to duck out of the way. The Metropolitan Museum

of Art of New York City is the largest art museum in the United States, with its roots dating back to 1860s Paris. Thousands of people visit the Met every day to see masterpieces by artists such as Edgar Degas, Van Gogh, O’Keeffe, Monet, Warhol and countless others. With 7.35 million visitors to its three locations in 2018 alone, it was the third most visited art museum in the world.

I had the privilege of visiting the museum on an early Saturday morning at 7 a.m. this past January. A hashtag on Instagram, #EmptyMet,

informed me of a three-hour window of private guided walkthroughs before the museum opens at 10 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The tours allow for photographers, art geeks, historians and everyone in between to access a completely private, open and spacious Met for a few quiet hours. As a photographer, having the opportunity to photograph these empty halls, the lonely statues and the soaring ceilings all by myself was a wonder. Even the Grand Steps out front on 82nd Street were empty.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

CELIA TEWEY | WSN

The American Sculpture Wing presents the museum’s unsurpassed collection of American monumental sculpture, architectural elements and stained glass. The north end of the open hall is anchored by the Neoclassical facade of the Branch Bank of the United States, which was originally located on Wall Street.

Washington Square News

2

NEWS

NEWS@NYUNEWS.COM

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020

Edited by LISA COCHRAN and EMILY MASON

Stigma Dominates Coronavirus Conversation in NYC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Tisch sophomore Sarah Peng was visiting family in China and was planning to study abroad at NYU Shanghai this semester. After classes were delayed once again, she decided to return to the NYC campus.

“I go through the coronavirus hashtag on Twitter, which is terrible,” Peng said. “I think because of that, I am very cautious when I’m outside — I’m very afraid of coughing or sneezing or sniffling even a little bit because it does feel like someone might look at me and think I’m diseased.”

Misinformation surrounding the virus has infected social media platforms. For example, there is the idea that coronavirus originated with people eating bat soup spurred by a YouTube video of a Chinese woman holding a bat with chopsticks, which went viral near the time of the outbreak.

This video only assisted in fueling the fire, contributing to the trope that Chinese food is unsanitary and consists of exotic animals.

Founder of the Asian/Pacific/ American Institute at NYU and Rutgers professor John Kuo Wei Tchen commented on the stereotypical view of Chinese people as unclean.

“The association of disease with Chinese and Asians is a long historical one in this country, and also to some degree in Europe,” Tchen said. “So the idea of being associated with something dirty is not necessarily based on any understanding of the culture.

What’s considered dirty, what’s considered clean, then automatically gets projected onto race.”

The beginnings of anti-Chinese sentiment in the United States date back to the 19th century when Chinese people began migrating to the country to join American workforce, instead of trying to find employment in what was a declining Chinese economy. Frustrations regarding job competition took the form of resentment towards growing Chinatowns, which were imagined to be unclean areas filled with opium dens, and eventually the Chinese Exclusion Act, the first and only federal law banning a single nationality.

This history rears its head in the virality of the coronavirus, Peng said.

Though the common flu has caused 10,000 deaths this season alone, panic remains centered around the foreign-born disease.

“I think the point of that isn’t ex-

actly like the number, it’s more like the common flu isn’t racialized in a way that the coronavirus and other diseases like Ebola or Zika,” Peng said.

“These kinds of things become metaphors for ‘the other’ or people of color, and it’s unfair. It’s like we’re under constant scrutiny.”

Johnnie Yu, a CAS sophomore and an E-board member of NYU’s Chinese Students Society, emphasized the harm that can be caused by tactless references to the virus.

“I’ve heard some people call the coronavirus ‘the China virus,’” Yu said. “I think it’s just labeling the virus and then blaming it on China, especially when so many people are at risk with the coronavirus, and everyone’s really trying to mitigate the issue. I think it’s been a bit disheartening for Chinese students and the community.”

The history of perceiving Chinese people as unclean conflates with cultural miscommunication to create a stigma-ridden conversation surrounding the coronavirus, Tchen said. An example of one of these miscommunications is the perception of medical masks, which have become prevalent on the streets of New York.

“In Asia, it’s actually quite common for people who have a cough or cold to wear a mask as a way to not to spread it and for them to be actually very aware of germ theory,” Tchen said. “I think masking, in general, is seen as hiding something, so someone who’s actually trying to be considerate in their community and cultural context is perceived de facto as somehow dangerous or a disease spreader.”

Tchen says media irresponsibility lies in misdirected focus, citing coverage of a shortage of masks rather than a focus on how diseases are spread, bad strains of the flu or overuse of antibiotics, which present more pressing public health concerns. Press coverage and institutional leaders, Tchen said, are responsible for properly contextualizing coronavirus.

“The headlines, certainly, and the announcements that higher-ups write to assuage fear, but oftentimes in some ways contribute to it, about coronavirus in particular,” Tchen said. “Without the context that’s more informed and less panicky, people are just kind of responding to the fear. Then all of a sudden something like coronavirus feels like it’s lurking on our block, or lurking with the Asian-looking per-

son next to you.”

Tchen said that it is institutions’ responsibility to help bridge cultural divides, especially at a university as global as NYU. “The city is responsible for creating a different atmosphere, but so are universities like NYU,” Tchen said.

“Which have far more resources to really grapple with these questions, but actually don’t take them as seriously as they should, other than simply having public alerts that some PR person or some vice president is responsible for getting out there.”

Moderating conversations and keeping them based in fact is important to controlling panic surrounding the virus, according to Yu. “It’s unlikely that the coronavirus will affect a majority of students in NYU,” Yu said, “judging by how many cases there are in the Western world and the mitigation practices we’re taking to ensure that it doesn’t affect us. [The paranoia] mostly comes from how we talk about issues like this, and how people perceive Chinese students.”

Email Emily Mason at emason@nyunews.com.

Stern MBA Program is Designated STEM

By EMILY MASON News Editor NYU Stern’s MBA program received a STEM designation, increasing the program’s appeal for international students by allowing them to work in the

U.S. for more time after graduation.

STEM groups science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines under one umbrella. The designation reflects Stern’s analytics- and technology-heavy curriculum, according to a press release. The full time,

two year program is the second Stern MBA program to be dubbed STEM as of January 2nd.

“Many top MBA programs have announced STEM designations, although Stern is one of a select few to receive the designation for its entire

MANASA GUDAVALLI | WSN

Located on West 4th Street, the Leonard N. Stern School of Business is the business school of New York University. Stern recently received a STEM designation to help out international MBA students.

program as opposed to a select track or concentration in the program,” JP Eggers, Stern’s Vice Dean for MBA Programs, told WSN in an email. “The fact is that STEM skills are a ubiquitous skill set today that help MBA students compete for jobs.”

But the designation does more than reflect a STEM-based curriculum — it also has important implications for international students. International student visas for non-STEM programs allow graduates to stay in the country for 18 months for optional practical training, or OPT, but STEM student visas allow for three years after graduation instead. Professor Marti Subrahmanyam said this issue is particularly relevant for NYU. “NYU has a larger proportion of foreign students than many of its peer schools,” Subrahmanyam said, “so this means that a significant portion of the Stern student body would be affected by the previously-short practical training period.”

In 2019, OPT was threatened when the Washington Alliance of Technology Workers sued the Department of Homeland Security, claiming it had overstepped its authority by using OPT to create a loophole for international workers in the U.S. without congressional approval. Subrahmanyam says that abolishment of OPT would be a major concern for NYU. “For NYU this would be a disaster, because our whole model is based off foreign students,” Subrahmanyam said.

Over a hundred U.S. colleges, including NYU, challenged the suit in defense of OPT. The U.S. District Court ultimately ruled in favor of the program. NYU is able to capitalize off its global reputation to outcompete other U.S. universities for the brightest students internationally, according to Subrahmanyam.

“If someone got into an Ivy League school versus NYU, they may well go to an Ivy League, especially if they are from somewhere else in the United States,” Subrahmanyam said. “But with the foreign students we’ve got a bit of a better shot at getting that person.”

Originally from Greece, Stern sophomore Michail Angelos Pantouvakis studies in the U.S. on a visa and said that the STEM designation is an important development.

“It’s a major thing [...] maybe I’ll do it,” Pantouvakis said. “After I graduate, I need to get sponsored by someone, by a company — otherwise I have to leave the U.S. If they make it a STEM program now that’s a whole lot better because I can stay longer, look for more opportunities after the extra two years of the MBA.” Stern worked with the university for months to match its curriculum with the requirements for a STEM designation, according to Eggers.

“The Department of Education has a taxonomy and these guys are using that. Both the Department of Education and Department of Homeland Security, but the people who actually sign off on it are the immigration people,” Subrahmanyam said. “This is not an easy process. I suspect a lot of things get rejected. It’s not something you just apply for and get.”

Stern currently has five undergraduate programs and six graduate programs that fulfill this STEM designation for F-1 visa holders.

“You need to be able to do statistical work, data science work, computer work, all this kind of stuff,” Subrahmanyam said. “You really need those skills, otherwise you really can’t get a good position.”

Email Emily Mason at emason@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | News

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020

Professors Create Games to Improve Brain Function

LEO SHEINGATE | WSN

Before each level, All You Can ET shows players which treat monsters crave. It’s a lingering question as to whether these educational apps will prove popular enough to achieve their academic goal.

By SILVIA GUI Contributing Writer Three research-based game apps co-programmed by an NYU Steinhardt professor along with professors from the City University of New York and the University of California, Santa Barbara have been proven to develop cognitive skills, as determined by studies on the apps’ effectiveness.

The games were all developed at NYU Create — a consortium combining education and gaming app technology. The f irst game, Gwakkamole, trains inhibitory control, which enables people to control their impulses. The second game, CrushStations, develops working memory, the part of short-term memory that stores information currently in use, like recalling a phone number.

The third, All You Can ET, trains cognitive flexibility, the ability to multitask or mentally switch between two concepts.

“We want to show that [ ... ] these kinds of technologies can improve

your cognitive function [and] can improve your learning,” NYU Steinhardt professor Jan L. Plass, a co-developer for the games, said.

Plass worked with Professor Bruce D. Homer from the City University of New York and Professor Richard E. Mayer from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

“Our research shows that playing a game such as All You Can ET for two hours can help students improve the executive function of skills being able to switch eff iciently between tasks,” Mayer said.

For one of the games, All You Can ET, app users need to feed a monster based on the monster’s preferences. As players progress through the game, the monsters change their desires more frequently, thus increasing the diff iculty of the game.

“We found that even after 20 minutes [of All You Can ET], you see f irst signs of improvements in executive functions on measures that psychologists use,” Plass said.

The project was funded by the

U.S. Department of Education through its Institute of Education Sciences with the aim of Plass and his colleagues have done this research for nearly four years with the aim of discovering whether or not cognitive skills can be developed through video games. The funding represents a push for game-based learning from the department.

“Many strong claims are made for the potential of computer games to revolutionize education, but I wanted to take a research-based approach to systematically test these claims,” Mayer said. “We want to develop games that are grounded in a cognitive theory of how people develop skills.”

The games are all free and currently accessible on the Apple Store and Google Play. Additionally, the researchers created a handbook outlining the studies on game-based learning as well as research results from their own gaming studies which became available last week.

Several Tandon students who used the game and claimed to be familiar with the programming technology used for the games commented on their enjoyment of them.

“Programming the app seems not very diff icult,” Tandon f irst-year Zihan Zhang said, after playing the games for 10 minutes. “As you play longer, you can feel that you are better at it.”

But Tandon f irst-year Hongyi Zheng does not think the apps will become popular enough to prove effective.

“Gwakkamole is similar to ‘Poke a Mole.’ I think there is not much difference between these three apps and the other ones,” said Zheng, “I don’t think people will spend two hours playing it.”

Zheng’s claims could be aff irmed by a 2016 study which found that, on average, college-aged students have 10-15 minute attention spans.

Regardless, Mayer indicated that the research is ongoing and the group’s next goals are to convert the games into virtual reality.

Email Silvia Gui at news@nyunews.com.

3 CRIME LOG

Alcohol Possession Reported at Tandon

RACHEL BUIGAS-LOPEZ | WSN

By CRIME BOT Robot Reporter From Feb. 1 to 6, the NYU Department of Public Safety received one report of Fraud, one report of Criminal Mischief, one report of Drug Law Violation, six reports of Harassment, eight reports of Liquor Law Violation, two reports of Robbery and one report of Simple Assault.

Fraud On Feb. 3 at 7:40 a.m., a staff member reported an attempted fraud in 726 Broadway. A police report was filed and the case is open and under investigation.

Criminal Mischief On Feb. 4 at 12:30 p.m., a Public Safety Officer reported witnessing graffiti at the Kimmel Center for University Life. The case is open and under investigation.

Drug Law Violation On Feb. 6 at 11:51 a.m., an RA reported a drug law violation in Founders Hall. The case is closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

Harassment On Feb. 1 at 4:47 p.m., a student reported being harassed in Lipton Hall. The case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 3 at 3:30 p.m., a student reported an incident of harassment in Alumni Hall. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 3 at 11:02 a.m., a student reported an incident of harassment in 404 Lafayette Street.

Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 6 at 9:12 a.m., a staff member reported an incident of harassment at Washington Square Park. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 6 at 10:39 a.m., a Starbucks staff member reported an incident of harassment in Starbucks at the Square. The case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 6 at 8:36 a.m., a staff member reported an incident of harassment on East 10th Street and Fifth Avenue. Police notification was declined and the case is

open and under investigation.

Liquor Law Violation On Feb. 1 at 1:19 a.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Third North Hall. The case is closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Feb. 1 at 1:31 a.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Third North Hall. The case is closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Feb. 1 at 11:02 p.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Othmer Hall. The case is closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Feb. 1 at 11:06 p.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Lipton Hall. The case is closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Feb. 2 at 6:10 p.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Rubin Hall. The case is closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Feb. 2 at 10:20 p.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Third Avenue North. The case is closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Feb. 2 at 10:56 p.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Othmer Hall. The case is closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Feb. 6 at 11:02 p.m., an RA reported underage alcohol possession in Founders Hall. The case is closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

Robbery On Feb. 2 at 6 p.m., a student reported a robbery in Washington Square South. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Feb. 4 at 3:30 p.m., a staff member reported a missing laptop in Fairchild. A police report was filed and the case is open and under investigation.

Simple Assault On Feb. 6 at 4:24 p.m., a student reported a simple assault on Bowery and 2nd Street. A police report was filed and the case is open and under investigation.

Email Crime Bot at news@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News

4

CULTURE@NYUNEWS.COM

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020

CULTURE

Edited by BELLA GIL

Lessons From Celebrity Encounters Told By NYU Students

By ADDISON ALOIAN Contributing Writer One of the best parts about living in New York is constant celebrity sightings. As NYU students, we can brag that we walk past stars on the daily whether it’s strolling by the Kimmel Center for University Life or weaving through the crowds at Times Square. If you’ve ever seen a celebrity, you know how intimidating they can be.

Some people like CAS sophomore Valentina Parra-Rodriguez just seem to attract celebrities. She’s seen celebrities from Matt Damon to Jacob Elordi and Zendaya. She spotted the rumored couple while walking on Houston to meet her roommate at a nearby Chipotle.

“I was like, ‘Oh my god, hi, can I take a picture?’ and [Elordi] said yes,” she recalled. “Zendaya was the one who took the photo. And she handed my phone back to me, and I didn’t even realize it

was her, so I got a pic with her too.”

CAS junior Tori Bianco is another lucky student to have experienced a celebrity encounter. She met “Jane the Virgin” star Gina Rodriguez.

“Gina Rodriguez was filming ‘Someone Great’ in Washington Square Park,” she said.

After her sorority sisters alerted Bianco to Rodriguez’s presence, she sprinted across campus.

“I would normally never go up to a

PHOTO COURTESY OF VALENTINA PARRA-RODRIGUEZ

Sophomore Valentina Parra-Rodriguez with actor and model Jacob Elordi. Students frequently run into celebrities in NYC.

celebrity,” she said. However, she took the risk and asked Rodriguez for a picture. “Then I said ‘I just wanna let you know you’re even more perfect in person,’ and I started to walk away.”

To her surprise, the actress grabbed Bianco’s shoulder and replied, “Thank you, by the way, you’re stunning.”

“And then I cried in the park,” Bianco admitted.

While some celebrities welcome selfies and compliments, others don’t want to be bothered. CAS junior Kayla Arradondo has been lucky to see four celebrities in the city: Tyler, the Creator, Guillermo Diaz, Vanessa Williams and Ben Schwartz. She spotted both Tyler, the Creator and Guillermo Diaz on Lafayette next to the NYU Broome St. shuttle stop, but didn’t speak to either. “[Tyler, the Creator] was just casually strolling in the middle of a circle of four bodyguards,” she said.

As for Diaz, she didn’t approach him because she could tell he didn’t want to be bothered.

Although Arradondo did not talk to Tyler, the Creator or Guillermo Diaz, she did get to meet Vanessa Williams during the NYC Pride March last year.

“She was in a huge -ss rainbow-feather, coat-type thing, strolling with a team of eight people around her,” she said.

“We sprinted to catch up to her, and then finally, we got close. My friend chickened out, but I asked her, ‘Hi Ms. Williams, can I please have a picture?’

And she said, ‘Yeah, hurry up.’”

While some students strike up courage to speak to celebs in the heat of the moment, others like Tandon first-year

Lillie Connors, maintain their silence.

After seeing “Hadestown,” the musical, last October, Connors ran into Reeve Carney, one of the show’s stars.

“I was walking up the subway stairs of the West Fourth station a week later, and he was walking down, so we made eye contact but, like, there was no time to say ‘hi,’” she said.

Similarly, Global Public Health junior Anelis Hernandez has seen both John Legend and Phoebe Tonkin roaming around SoHo near NYU’s Broome Street Residence Hall. She saw Legend in Taasha’s Deli, which he frequents.

“When I realized it was him, I was like, ‘I just wanna see him’ because this was the first time I saw a celebrity,” Hernandez said. “I didn’t talk to him because I didn’t wanna bother him. They’re people too, so it must get annoying.”

That same year, she saw Phoebe Tonkin, who starred in an early 2000s TV-show, “H20: Just Add Water,” in passing on the way to the Broome shuttle stop.

“I did a really obnoxious double take but didn’t bother her on the off-chance that it wasn’t her,” she said. “But it was because it was the day she posted an Instagram photo in SoHo.” Regardless of whether or not you decide to talk to a celebrity when you see one, it still makes for a great story and lets you flex on your friends. Another piece of advice: hang out at the NYU Broome shuttle stop.

Email Addison Aloian at culture@nyunews.com.

From Student to Gucci Runway Model in Just a Few Months

By CHAD EVANS Staff Writer Upon being signed, Finlay Mangan’s agency asked him what his ideal modeling gig would be. He answered that it would be a Gucci runway show, citing their eclecticism and dominance in the fashion world. Several months later, his first international fashion show just so happened to be Gucci’s Autumn/Winter 2020 Menswear runway show at Milan Fashion Week.

The CAS first-year’s modeling career is currently on an anomalous, swift rise.

Mangan, who is from Fairfield, Connecticut, admitted modeling was never on his mind growing up.

“It was definitely something I didn’t seek out,” Mangan said. “I suppose my mom was like ‘you need to do that’ when I was younger but I never took that seriously.”

Instead, his upbringing in suburban Connecticut was occupied with academics and skating. He delegated his creative energy to playing bass in the indie pop band Similar Kind. Day trips to the city to go skating at the LES Coleman Skatepark had piqued his interest in New York and the atmosphere he discovered at NYU on a campus tour was enough to submit an early decision application.

Having been accepted several months earlier and with an arrival at NYU on the near horizon, Mangan was at the Governor’s Ball Music Festival in the summer of 2019 when he was approached between sets by a scout from IMG Models Worldwide, a top-tier modeling agency.

The scout gave Mangan his card and he would soon be signed with IMG, a major goal for aspiring models that Mangan achieved from the start.

“I think I had an unusual entry to the industry,” Mangan said. “A lot of people will get scouted by what’s called a mother agency that acts as a manager for the models and they introduce them to the larger agencies, like IMG.”

By September, Mangan had landed his first runway gig, walking for R13 at New York Fashion Week. By December, he had appeared as the sole male model in The Marc Jacobs Pre-Fall 2020 lookbook.

At the turn of the year, Mangan had yet to venture outside of the United States for work but had already accumulated experience in the top tier of the New York Fashion industry, skipping the early regional stages of modeling that can take some models years to surpass.

This all would change in January of 2020 when he boarded a flight to Paris in an aim to walk the runways of the European Autumn/Winter Menswear weeks. Once there, he flew to Italy for Milan Fashion Week.

“When flying to these places, you’re not sure what castings you’re doing or if you even have a show,” Mangan said.

In such uncertain circumstances, it would only make sense to have the most coveted house in fashion reach out to personally request that he attend a closed casting call. Mangan spent nearly a day with Gucci and their extensive casting procedures before being confirmed for the show.

It’s a seminal moment in any model’s career to walk for such an eminent and storied label. Mangan’s moment would be made complete when, dressed in a yellow tiger print overcoat in homage to Kurt Cobain, he became the signature look of the show.

Before leaving Europe, Mangan appeared on the runway again but this time in Paris for 1017 ALYX 9SM. This show saw him walking alongside the likes of supermodels Bella Hadid and Kaia Gerber.

Mangan is now back in New York and continuing to work in the fashion week circuit. By the time of this article’s publication, he will have appeared in the Palm Angels Autumn/Winter 2020 show for New York Fashion Week.

Such unmitigated success can make one forget that Mangan’s career began less than a year ago. Exuding a sense of unforced humility when recounting his accomplishments, Mangan seems genuinely grounded, yet focused on his career trajectory. He speaks earnestly and evokes a down-to-earth sensibility more expected of someone living in the heartland than downtown Manhattan.

When addressing his career, he carries reverence that acknowledges the ephemerality of modeling and his gratitude for his rare success. Despite having eyes set on future runway shows and print campaigns, Mangan admitted the fickle nature of the industry.

“There’s no certainty, no security, no consistency. It’s definitely passive income,” Mangan said.

He still has every reason to keep reaching higher, however. Mangan’s shoul-

der-length hair, cobalt eyes and acute cheekbones help attract casting opportunities, but it is his likable demeanor and dedication that helps secure jobs in an industry that values professionalism as much as looks. A successful model-

ing career may be difficult to ignite and sustain, but Mangan’s shows no sign of burning out anytime soon.

Email Chad Evans at bstyle@nyunews.com.

ALEX TRAN | WSN

Finlay Mangan is a freshman from CAS. His career just happened to start with modeling for Gucci’s 2020 Autumn Winter Menswear runway show at Milan Fashion Week.

Washington Square News | Culture

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020

Six Places for a Low-Key Night Out

CHELSEA LI | WSN

Spot Dessert’s matcha lava cake is made of a chocolate sponge filled with warm matcha ganache. This popular dessert shop is just one of six must-try places for the next time you’re looking for a laid-back night out.

By MEHHMA MALHI Contributing Writer A night out in New York City has no definitive meaning. It can refer to a wild adventure to the hippest bar or club, but every now and then, you may feel exhausted at the end of the day and prefer a more easygoing night out. Listed below are six places that are still a good time, albeit more toned down.

Mudspot Café & Restaurant 307 E. 9th St. (7:30 a.m. - 12 a.m.)

that always manages to fill the space, it is a great place to get a little boozy while keeping it low-key.

“Big Daddy’s has everything one could possibly want from a good lowkey night out: comfort food, tempting milkshakes and a witty trivia game for those who prefer their dinner with a pinch of brain-teasing,” said CAS junior Nadia Koritareva.

Cha-An Teahouse: 230 E. 9th St. (12 p.m. - 11 p.m., 12 a.m. on the weekend)

Mudspot is for the true coffee addict. It’s one of the most famous coffee houses in New York City. Coupled with their delicious coffee, they have a few classic desserts and a great selection of food.

“I like going to MUD on the weekends because it’s the perfect place to grab a coffee with some pals late at night,” said Aggie Dent, SPS junior.

“There is great food, perfect for latenight snacks. My friends and I go there to have a fun Friday night without the pressures of a party atmosphere.”

The café is dimly lit with fairy lights and quirky lamps while the dark brown interior and narrow spaces give the café a warm and comforting ambiance.

Taking it down a notch, we now turn to Cha-An Teahouse. Hidden from the streets of New York, it sits on the second floor of a building on 9th Street.

Giving off an extremely calming atmosphere, Cha-An Teahouse offers a wide and extensive list of teas and tea-infused cocktails, paired with some delicious desserts. It is a great spot to catch up with friends and have a relaxing night out on the town.

“A hole in the wall tea spot where there is no worry in the world. Just sip on tea while you spill the tea,” said SPS junior Melvin Nguyen.

The Uncommons: 230 Thompson St. (8:30 a.m. - 12 a.m. on Monday-Thursday, 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, 11 p.m. on Sunday)

Spot Dessert Bar may not be the most well-known, however it is one of the most delicious dessert places. Located near campus, it is a great spot to satisfy your late-night sweet tooth.

“I went to spot for the first time this semester, and I can’t believe I hadn’t gone sooner,” said CAS junior Mark Malcom. “It’s a super cozy place with great music and really artsy desserts.

It may be a bit pricey but it’s worth a visit or five.”

Coining themselves as “Manhattan’s first board game café,” the Uncommons seats 65 people and takes reservations. There’s something here for everyone. Serving coffee, food and even beer, the Uncommons boasts an original concept. While enjoying your drinks and catching up with friends, you can play a game of Scrabble or even Catan and maybe even make a few more friends while you are at it. It is a great scene to chill with your friends and catch up, whether it’s for a quick game or if you play for hours.

“It’s a great place to just lose track of time in. Especially worth the money if you stay for longer and try lots of different games!” said CAS senior Isla Na.

Big Daddy’s 239 Park Ave S (7 a.m. - 12 a.m., 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, 11 p.m. on Sunday) Keeping on the theme of games and food, we travel further up Midtown to look at one of the coolest old-school diners in town — Big Daddy’s. Containing old trivia cards and a vibrant décor, Big Daddy’s serves some of the most delicious boozy shakes in town.

Coupled with its extensive menu that serves breakfast throughout dinner time, Big Daddy’s also plays some of the chillest and old-school tunes. With bright lighting and the constant bustle

Spot Dessert Bar 13 St. Marks Pl. (12 p.m. - 12 a.m., 1 a.m. on the weekend)

Bubby’s: 120 Hudson St. (8 a.m. - 10 p.m., 11 p.m. on the weekend) Known for its pancakes, Bubby’s is not a place where you would typically think of spending a night out. However, Bubby’s vibe at night is incredibly pleasant. With soft lighting and a bustling restaurant, the bar is a good place to sit and have a few drinks. With an extensive list of beers, it is a quiet and slightly more relaxed place to catch up with a friend.

Whether you are looking for the wildest time of your life or a laid-back evening with friends, there is something for everyone in New York. Although the city has some of the most famous bars and clubs in the world, it also has many wonderful places for a mellow night out.

So the next time you are looking for a more temperate night out, these are just a few possibilities.

Email Mehhma Malhi at dining@nyunews.com

5

More Than Just a Little Shop

By RIA MITTAL Staff Writer Imagine craving Doritos on a night out and not having to leave the building to get them. I know that sounds like a dream, but thanks to The Little Shop in the Manhattan Seaport District, it can now be a reality. The Little Shop may seem like just an extra clean New York City bodega on the outside, but, once you enter, there’s a secret speakeasy in the back waiting to surprise you.

Since The Little Shop has been praised for its signature cocktails and speakeasy menu, I decided to bring along two friends of age to order and get a better idea of the full menu. We arrived at 8:30 p.m. on a Friday, not expecting a crowd.

True to what we anticipated, the bodega seemed empty with only the cashier in sight. But once we crossed the aisles of slightly upscale convenience products, we were caught off guard by the hustle and bustle of the speakeasy, separated from the shop by a sliding door.

As we slid open the door, an extremely drunk older man stumbled out and asked if we knew there was “alcohol back there” and not just “a pizza place.” At the speakeasy, I was immediately struck by how authentic the decor looked — from the intricate floral wallpaper to the period light pieces and mirrors — it radiated an air of nostalgia. The size of the establishment was surprising, too. It seemed no bigger than a living room with a few couches here and there, and a bar along the wall.

Considering the amount of space, the speakeasy was extremely crowded.

We sat by the bar, where the bartender

promptly greeted us with an explanation of the menu.

The drinks we ordered were named the Turmeric, the Celery and the Strawberry, three of their bestsellers, and they all came out looking vibrant. My friend found the flavor of the Turmeric to be different than anything she had ever tried, while I had to settle for being impressed by the presentation. The dark red garnish and the antique cup it was served in supported the vintage vibe of the place.

Satisfied with the drinks, we moved onto the speakeasy’s “Bites” menu, which turned out to be not very vegetarian-friendly. There were only “try” dishes that a vegetarian or a vegan could eat. In the meantime, my friends felt confused by the variety of cuisines offered; it felt like the speakeasy was trying to do too much and, yet, wasn’t doing enough at the same time. We settled on the Pepa Goat for me, which was just tiny peppers stuffed with goat cheese, and the Duck

Dumplings for them. Though served on beautiful plates, both dishes fell flat. The Pepa Goat was pretty underwhelming, and my friends found the texture of the meat in the duck dumplings unusual but enjoyed the curry it was served in, not to mention they weren’t pleased with getting only three dumplings for $13.

Disregarding the disappointing culinary experience, the drinks and the overall feel of the place sufficed for a good time.

My friends and I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the vintage design to the modern, upbeat music. The age of the customers varied widely, from college kids like us to an older crowd of middle-aged New Yorkers. I would definitely recommend The Little Shop for a casual night out or even for a first Tinder date you don’t want to invite over, but make sure to pick up some Doritos on your way out instead of navigating the expensive dining menu.

Email Ria Mittal at dining@nyunews.com.

RIA MITTAL | WSN

The interior of The Little Shop is characteristic of a typical New York bodega. However, an unsuspecting door leads to a secret speakeasy with drinks and a food menu.

Washington Square News

6

ARTS

ARTS@NYUNEWS.COM

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020

Edited by KAYLEE DEFREITAS and ETHAN ZACK

Clive First-Year Crushes Musical Conventionality with Charisma

By NICOLAS PEDRERO-SETZER Music Editor Sporting a puffy yellow jacket and an unguarded smile, Jackson Craig sits before me, ready to distill his knowledge of dad-rock and good vibes. Hot off the release of last year’s “Secrets at the Bottom of the Pool,” Craig is prepping his second concert in New York City as an up-and-coming first-year at Clive Davis.

Having performed in Philadelphia ever since he picked up a guitar at the age of ten, Craig now brims with enthusiasm, ready to take on the world and redefine our concept of what pop music should sound like.

“Whatever I’m working on next, I want it to be a bit more experimental with the sound and instruments I’m using,” Craig says.

Noting the looseness of what pop music can be, Craig looks to recontextualize familiar sounds with a singular spin of his own that draws from 70s dad-rock, a legacy of soul, and contemporary hip-hop.

“It’s more about the production of the music,” he tells me, “and experimenting with certain sounds that may be more familiar to people, and placing those within the context of my own music, where it might be more about the songwriting or a little more jazzy than what’s typically found in the top charts.”

Used to arranging and recording all of his work from the solitude of his bedroom, Craig finds himself overjoyed

by the fact that he’s in a “program with such creative people.” He now holds the ability to warp his sounds as much as he’d like, to explore any genre he might be interested in and work with a variety of artists that carry the same enthusiasm for musical experimentation as he does.

“Coming here and working with different artists that might do rap or EDM or all sorts of stuff like that has made me think about the direction my music could take moving forward,” he tells me.

It’s a sentiment that not only applies to the ever-evolving sonic condition of Craig’s music, but to his drive to experiment with different artistic mediums too.

“I am a storyteller, that’s probably where I get the most joy out of songwriting,” Craig says. “Even though I started out very much as a musician simply playing guitar and singing and stuff, as I’ve gotten older I’ve been focusing more on how to convey different ideas and stories through the art that I’m making.”

Constantly consuming music, films and a myriad of other art forms, Craig notes how each and every artistic force he encounters impacts his music by showing him how “different stories unfold.”

“I’m writing stuff down every single day, things that strike me, things that interest me or other art forms like film that may completely redefine my perception of how a story can be told,” Craig says.

Music, movies and moments from everyday life are all instrumental to the brand that is Jackson Craig, a musical

GABRIELA MANCINI | WSN

Jackson Craig performs for Summer Love Fest at the World Cafe back in July, 2019. A year later, Jackson continued to experiment with developing a persona through his music.

project he’s been meticulously cultivating ever since he played gigs across Philadelphia with a trio of middle schoolers who dubbed themselves Skyline. “[My brand] is something that I’m still trying to discover and a lot of that comes down to building an audience and seeing what people find enjoyable in my music.”

Ever involved in the creation of his music and the vision of his persona,

Craig is always looking for ways to connect with people via his music.

“I want to make music my friends could enjoy and I want to play concerts where people connect,” Craig says. “A lot of what I’ve been trying to do in New York is build that audience and I don’t know ... find something that’s true to what I’m doing but still marketable to a bigger audience.”

Now that Craig is in the city, he’ll

continue playing gig after gig, just like he did in his early days. He’ll play around with his sound and experiment with a variety of art forms — hopefully, that’ll bring him closer to defining what his music is, what it means to him and what it signifies for the crowds that sing with him at every concert.

Email Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer at npedrerosetzer@nyunews.com.

Extremism Burns Slowly in the Mind of ‘Young Ahmed’

By ALEXANDRA BENTZIEN Contributing Writer Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne’s “Young Ahmed” is deceptively bright.

The first thing that comes to mind when reflecting on the film is the quality of the light. It barely features a hint of cool-colored light or blue-tinged shadows shot, mostly in the daytime, specifically during sun-filled afternoons. This would provide a pleasant warmth if it weren’t so jarring.

The lighting stands in harsh contrast

to the story of Ahmed (Idir Ben Addi), a Belgian teen who has been taken under the wing of his congregational leader, Imam Youssouf (Othmane Moumen), and fueled by an extremist interpretation of the Quran. Though his family disapproves of his intense, almost obsessive, religious worship, Ahmed adamantly supports the radical language passed to him by Youssouf. This leads him to plan his Arabic teacher Madame Ines’ (Myriem Akkhediou) murder and subsequently lands him in a correctional discipline program.

While the film is not a thriller, its subject matter paired with the performance of lead actor Ben Addi weave an unsettling sense of tension through each scene. The story feels particularly current due to the cinematography, featuring mostly handheld camerawork that evokes a documentary style with active and alert movement. Classic cinematic elements — steadily crescendoing score, ultra-stylistic lighting — used to dictate emotions or incite conclusions are unnecessary to spark subconscious occurrences of nail-biting. In fact, dra-

JAKE CAPRIOTTI | WSN

A student walks to school with a sinister plot against their teacher. The Dardenne brothers’ film “Young Ahmed” was the recipient of the Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival.

matic add-ons seem superfluous when Ben Addi’s stone-faced obstinacy and determination magnetize attention to wherever he stands on screen. His blank stare could easily be confused for a lack of expression, but his cold, hardened gaze forms the pulse at the core of the film, an inner world of dangerous disquiet commanding a sharp feeling of urgency.

Ben Addi’s portrayal of Ahmed is most striking due to the nonchalant, casual air with which he expresses his thoughts in a deadpan manner that verges on total emotionlessness. It’s clear that the radical ideology of Ahmed’s jihadist cousin and of his imam has deeply influenced his religious practice and how he manifests his belief outwardly towards his peers, his family and especially the women in his life.

He unflinchingly internalizes his imam’s ideas, especially the remark that his teacher Madame Ines is an apostate whose Arabic lessons featuring songs instead of strict readings of the Qur’an are blasphemous. Even Ahmed’s family is unexcused from intense scrutiny: in a dinner conversation-turned-argument early on, Ahmed yells that his sister (Cyra Lassman) is a slut and calls his mother (Claire Bodson) a drunk for drinking wine with her meal. His mother becomes distressed, saying Ahmed would never have started behaving this way if his father was around, to which Ahmed retorts that if his father were around, she would never have “given in.” It is precisely these responses that makes the “Young” in “Young Ahmed” appear ironic as Ahmed demonstrates

his capacity to inflict pain and sway the last word.

Ahmed seems to derive a certain satisfaction from the power he holds in reducing his mother and Madame Ines to tears. The shock, grief and disbelief he spurs is simultaneously disturbing and captivating, leaving the question: how could this happen? This followed by an even more serious and alarming concern for the permanency of his action.

One wonders whether Ahmed will ever get it as he clings to a plan of violence.

The events leading toward the film’s end stir a flourishing sentimentality as Ahmed’s toughness begins to unravel in a display of conflicting emotions that expose an underlying innocence accompanying his youth. But the ending itself feels too dramatic, an inyour-face moment of the perilous persistence of Ahmed’s extremism, which the film seems to warn against. A quick and abrasive conclusion contradicts the hope for an honest and profound change the film seemed to be working toward, obscuring the Dardenne brothers’ objective or at least more difficult to define.

In their latest film, the Dardenne brothers have a portrait of a radicalized Muslim youth that demands discussion to last beyond an 84-minute runtime.

The complexity of “Young Ahmed” reveals the fragile line between worship and fanaticism as experienced by a boy who is acutely vulnerable despite the guarded front he presents.

Email Alexandra Bentzien at arts@nyunews.com.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020

Washington Square News | Arts

7

Tina Chang Discusses Race, Motherhood and the Hybrid Nature of Poetry

By DANI HERRERA Staff Writer The Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House filled with anticipation as eager fans awaited Tina Chang’s entrance. In a continuation of the writing center’s “The New Salon” series, Chang, the current Poet Laureate of Brooklyn, joined the executive director of the Poetry Society of America Matt Brogan in conversation about her new book, “Hybrida,” is her third poetry collection.

“Hybrida” revolves around Chang’s son Roman and issues of race and identity. These topics are important to the poet because of her conservative upbringing and the difficulty associated with revealing her pregnancy to her family, as well as what it is like to have a biracial child.

“He is mixed-race black and because he is Black-American, I started to feel this sense of will I ever understand his identity without appropriating his identity?” Chang said. “I’m forced to see what they see, his skin is darker and his hair wavy, while I’m fair and with hair that won’t hold a curl.”

During the first few years of the writing process, Chang was hesitant about the book. She worried about how vulnerable she wanted to be, about the reader’s reactions and about her right to write about her son while giving him space to explore his own identity. According to Chang, her diverse family as well as the flexible nature of poetry motivated her to continue

writing “Hybrida.”

“Thinking about the hybrid nature of my family also could have pushed me toward thinking about the hybrid nature of poetic forms,” Chang said. “It gave me sitting ground to experiment, it gave me sitting ground to say I wasn’t the person that I actually was 10 years ago, I’m a completely new person and with that I’m not going to be afraid to experiment.”

Chang also took inspiration from different works of art, particularly pieces featured in the Brooklyn Museum.

One piece that drew her attention was Kehinde Wiley’s “Napoleon Leading the Army Over the Alps,” which is often compared to Jacques Louis David’s “Napoleon Crossing the Alps.” The main distinction between the paintings is that David’s Napoleon is painted so that it is almost larger than the horse, emphasizing this idea of white authority.

In Wiley’s painting, a Black man sits on the horse, which sends a message about the lack of acknowledgement of Black experience throughout history. Wiley’s painting comes up in a poem titled Four Portraits, where it is joined by other artworks that are important to Chang.

Tying together motherhood and equality, she wrote, “I shall be a mother whose bright milk runs with fever and anguished love, with a head in my hands if the head shall equal justice.”

Chang included other kinds of media into her book, like videos and pictures.

Some of these are included in the physical pages of the book, and they empha-

size just how much of this particular work is based on hybrids. “When I think about the future of poetry, I think about it as a sort of hybrid text,” Chang said.

As the night drew to a close, Chang turned to the audience, where she answered questions regarding her own

writing as well as advice for aspiring writers. She believes that writers should experiment with new forms and embrace the process of writing, even when it is a struggle.

“A part of being an artist is walking through, being unsure, being al-

most kind of scared that you don’t know what you’re going to write next, and that’s the most exciting place to be,” Chang said.

Email Dani Herrera at books@nyunews.com.

DANI HERRERA | WSN

Poet Tina Chang discusses her newest book with Matt Brogan, executive director of the Poetry Society of America, at the Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House. Chang’s collection of poems, titled “Hybrida,” grapples with issues of identity and acceptance.

Here’s Why Scripts Deserve as Big of Spotlight as Books

By SASHA COHEN Books & Theater Editor Who decided that books and poetry are mainstream? Seriously, I want to know who. Ever since we were young, teachers continuously shove these resources in our hands as if they are the only options. As a result, names like Jhumpa Lahiri, Langston Hughes and Charles Dickens often fill classroom discussions while autobiographies and novels line our bookshelves. Yet who

decided that prose or poetry should be the only conventional forms of reading?

While these options are fantastic, I feel as if we are neglecting the opportunity to indulge in a play. I do not mean attending a Broadway show or watching musical adaptation on the television, but reading the actual script. Even though the thought of reading a script may rekindle nightmares from our high school Shakespeare days, there is much more to the dramatic cannon than just that sonnet-loving playwright.

A play can open our eyes to a new form of storytelling. I would describe reading prose as two-dimensional due to its composition consisting of mostly narration with occasional dialogue. Scripts, on the other hand, are comprised of more frequent dialogue and stage directions which creates a three-dimensional experience. In plays, each direction vividly depicts the setting while movements and delivery are specified to control the intended delivery. The script also includes lighting and set designs, prop

descriptions and costumes that typically model the original production. Additionally, character development evolves through personal dialogue, revealing the character’s genuine objectives as opposed to a narrator sharing their opinion about others.

Many of us think that plays have to be overdramatic in order to be theatrical. In other words, characters have to sob their eyes out, profess their undying love for another or end their lives, thereby ending their eternal misery. However, this

SASHA COHEN | WSN

At Strand Bookstore, books of scripts line the shelves. Reading the script or screenplay of a production can give audience members a different perspective on the play than just viewing it in theaters.

association could not be further from the truth. Just like literature, scripts offer a wide variety of genres and perspectives.

From gut-wrenching dramas to satirical comedies like “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry or “The Government Inspector” by Nikolai Gogol, there is a show for even the most play-despising individual.

When screenplays or scripts are brought to life in a production, there are myriad distractions that could potentially pull focus from the writing: the acting, set or even the person sitting next to us who has a horrendous cough. Reading a play allows people to obtain a closer look at the actual writing. Sometimes, a few jokes are not delivered quite right in a production or dialogue’s subtle hints are hard to catch after the first read, but having a copy of a script grants us the chance to revisit sections and search for nuances.

A second read may even change personal opinions regarding favorite characters and their characterizations. Regardless of the motivation, reading a script allows someone to explore the dramatic world as much as they feel they need to maximize the experience.

Books, poetry and prose all offer specific benefits, but it is important to also keep dramatic literature in mind. The art form provides an opportunity to explore shows from the past and experience the story from the comfort of a home instead of a theater. So next time we are indecisive at a local bookstore, make sure to check out the shelves stuffed with plays.

There are many gems, aside from Shakespeare, that are waiting to be discovered.

Email Sasha Cohen at scohen@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News

8

OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020

OPINION

Edited by JUN SUNG

UNIVERSITY LIFE

NYU’s Facade of Financial Support

By EMILY DAI Deputy Opinion Editor When Joshua Jackson applied to NYU, he didn’t expect to get full exposure to its financial classism. Jackson, a senior at Brown University, wrote to request an application fee waiver for Tisch’s Art & Public Policy Masters program, which claims it enables its graduates to be “connected to the pulse of social justice.”

But Dan Sandford, Director of Graduate Admissions at Tisch who turned down Jackson’s request, set serious doubt on the supposed new emphasis universities put on a diverse student body of all backgrounds.

“Please do not take this the wrong way,” Sandford wrote, “but if $65 is a hardship

for you how will you be able to pay the tuition of $60,000?”

Sandford continued, explaining that “the department would have to absorb the loss” when an applicant is unable to pay the $65 fee. Fee waivers have become a nominal and symbolic method for higher education institutions to claim they are increasing their accessibility, but NYU refused to grant Jackson even this — the smallest of gestures.

NYU’s reluctance to help students in need of financial support is indicative of its continued culture of elitism among administrators and admissions officers.

NYU is among the nation’s wealthiest universities, touting a $4.3 billion endowment. Sitting on this considerable wealth, it has been able to extend loans for its faculty to buy vacation homes, award its president with one of the highest salaries in the nation and further extend its global and local takeover through building yet another study away site and a $6 billion expansion plan to gentrify another 980,000 square feet of Greenwich Village.

Despite this affluence, NYU has done little to help its low-income students. If NYU refuses to extend even minimal support to its non-wealthy applicants, how could it possibly extend real support to its students in need of financial assistance?

Simply put — it doesn’t.

On average, one year at NYU costs $76,612, but according to a study conducted by the College Board, the university only meets 65% of financial need on average.

Studies have shown that even small debts increase a student’s chase of dropping out — particularly for minority and low-income students. Yet, NYU’s Pell grant recipients — students from families that make less than $30,000 — owe a median debt of $23,250 after graduation.

This lack of affordability has caused some students to stop their education altogether. In 2014, Lucy Parks wrote a letter to former president John Sexton after being forced to drop out of NYU due to a lack of adequate financial aid. Parks noted in her letter that Sexton made “nearly $1.5 million

a year and as one of [his] students [she] often had to go hungry.” Parks continues, describing the poverty and desperation certain students face at such a wealthy school and noting how administrators and professors are given “kickbacks and swanky vacation home packages” while other students are forced to live in Bobst because they can’t afford housing.

Additionally, international students are not eligible for federal financial aid, federal student loans or institutional aid, meaning all of these students are paying full cost to come here. If anything, NYU — the advertised global university with the highest number of international students of any college in the U.S — should be even more incentivized to improve its financial aid in order to attract the brightest students from a more financially diverse pool of candidates.

NYU’s blase attitude to affordability and its student’s financial situations was demonstrated again in 2018 in response to student group NYU Divest, who carried

out a protest on the stairway of Kimmel.

NYU — which has sponsored exhibitions documenting how integral student activism is to shape its history and policies — contacted the protestors’ emergency contacts and threatened to revoke the students’ housing and financial aid if they continued protesting. University spokesperson, John Beckman, stated that “disrupting university operations is not the same thing as dissent.”

Protest is only valued at NYU when it’s palatable and easy to ignore. NYU will continue to utilize financial manipulation to suppress student voices, disproportionately affecting those who can’t afford to face administrative backlash.

By holding each student’s financial situation over their heads in order to intimidate them into backing down, NYU demonstrates how little they value students of lower socioeconomic backgrounds — if you receive money from NYU, you’re expected to sit down and shut up.

Email Emily Dai at edai@nyunews.com.

CULTURE

Stop Looking Down on Young Adult Fiction

By HELEN WAJDA Deputy Opinion Editor Last week, I experienced what I’ve come to expect as an inevitable occurrence when talking to fellow English majors: someone ranting about how no one seems to read good literature anymore and how trashy young adult fiction has become. As an English major, I value the analysis of thought-provoking literature, and I think that people can gain a lot from reading books that challenge them. But looking down on people for reading certain books and claiming that only older literature is worth reading more than something else

serves no purpose other than policing some of life’s greatest joys: reading and writing.

Young adult fiction has been criticized for years. The “Harry Potter” series has repeatedly come under fire for lacking quality prose and plot, and there are numerous blog posts devoted to complaining about how bad “The Hunger Games” books are.

Despite the large following these young adult novels have accrued, many have concluded that the plots of these books are formulaic and the dialogue cringeworthy.

Rick Riordan’s wildly popular young adult series, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” was recently criticized for potentially discouraging readers from reading classic literature by teaching them to enjoy casual, slang-ridden dialogue and predictable plots.

But series like “Harry Potter” and “Percy Jackson” are both action-packed and digestible — they provide readers with distraction and entertainment in an accessible format. One of the functions of reading is

a means of escape. It’s a way to pass time as well as an activity that allows us to delve into worlds beyond our own. With the amount of energy we exert in day-to-day life — whether it be via working, student life or simply dealing with the emotional turmoil that comes with being human — it makes sense for people to be drawn to books that allow them to escape reality without requiring significant brain power.

Moreover, in many of the studies done on the benefits of reading — increased social skills and awareness, stress reduction and improved memory and cognitive functioning — participants experienced these positive gains after reading everything from newspapers to classic literature.

Dr. David Lewis, neuropsychologist and co-author of one of the aforementioned studies, reported: “It really doesn’t matter what book you read, by losing yourself in a thoroughly engrossing book, you can escape from the worries and stresses of

the everyday world.”

What seems to be most important in reaping the cognitive and emotional benefits of reading is simply engaging with the material, not the material’s writing style.

I understand why the apparent lack of interest in older literature can be frustrating. Sometimes, I wish that more people in my life would give some of the literature that I’m passionate about a chance instead of immediately writing it off as boring and outdated. I also know that for me, reading challenging books that force me to pay attention to small details and to decipher unique writing styles brings me a sense of satisfaction and has been beneficial in many areas of my life.

But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t reread the “Harry Potter” series four times last summer, or that I don’t keep the “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” books on my bookshelf for the days I just want to read something fun. Being enthusiastic

about more sophisticated literature doesn’t mean that I can’t also read young adult fiction, or that I gain nothing from reading books that I simply find interesting. Young adult fiction and what is considered to be classic literature don’t have to be mutually exclusive — there is room for both to be read and discussed.

At its core, art is for everyone. Just because I have different preferences doesn’t mean that I have the right to dictate what others create and consume. That’s the beauty of it: I can choose to read what I want to in my free time, and ignore what I don’t like. Who knows? Maybe if we stopped devoting so much energy to criticizing young adult fiction, we would have more energy to spend reading the literature we’re afraid that everyone will forget about. Win-win.

Email Helen Wajda at hwajda@nyunews.com.

HEALTHCARE

Who Will Fight for Our Choice?

By SAM O’DONNELL Contributing Writer In the wake of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, the American public has turned its focus to reproductive legislation. During his speech, Trump introduced an allegedly healthy two-year-old child who was born prematurely at 21 weeks. Trump explained that, under current American legislation, this child could have been aborted up until the week of her birth. After drawing attention to the child, Trump then implied that later this year there would be a vote in the Senate to ban late term abortion.

While the tactic of using a child as anti-abortion propaganda is extremely manipulative, Trump has solidified his presidential stance on reproductive rights. This

comes just a week after he became the first sitting president to speak at the annual March for Life rally in Washington, D.C. Many think the battle for legal abortion was won after the monumental decision of Roe v. Wade, a Supreme Court case that used trimesters to dictate at what time during a pregnancy the state may impose regulations on a woman’s body. In the first trimester, states are prohibited from regulating abortion. In the second, states can impose regulations on abortion. In the third, states are allowed to regulate or completely prohibit abortion.

However, Roe v. Wade is just a court ruling, not a constitutional right — meaning it only implies that abortion is a legal right, but has never actually been cemented in an amendment. With a conservative Supreme Court, the future of Roe v. Wade and legalized abortion in the United States is unclear.

In this upcoming election, America needs a Democratic candidate who will treat reproductive healthcare as a central issue in their platform. Considering the current administration’s view on the topic, there needs to be a candidate who

makes these rights important. Sadly, this topic has only been briefly brought up in debates and town halls. This is possibly because candidates don’t think the issue is important enough to be emphasized. Or, perhaps, candidates are scared to belabor this point purely because of its controversial nature. Many of the frontrunners’ campaigns are unclear on their plan for reproductive healthcare and are vague on their stance on choice.

This includes former Vice President Joe Biden, who once voted to let states overturn Roe v. Wade. During his current presidential campaign, Biden’s opinions on abortion have rapidly changed, but his plan to protect reproductive rights is only auxiliary to his central platform. Even on the former Vice President’s official campaign website, there are no plans for constitutionally approved abortion in his presidency. The only time he even mentions the procedure is when he addresses access to abortion information in developing countries.

Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) have also been quiet on the issue of abortion in debates, but

each of their websites claim that they vow to protect Roe v. Wade and believe that we have the right to choose. While Buttigieg’s plan has universal medicare covering reproductive healthcare, he does not comment on whether he would fund Planned Parenthood, a national network of health clinics that offers abortion services.

Sanders, on the other hand, promises to fully fund Planned Parenthood and includes reproductive healthcare in his plan for universal medicare. While these men are extremely outspoken on their websites, it would reassure advocates for reproductive rights to hear them openly discuss their plans on the debate floor to prove their promises are not hollow.

As an advocate for reproductive rights herself, Elizabeth Warren echoes her feminist predecessors in saying she hopes to codify Roe v. Wade. While this plan is an important step for reproductive rights, I wish to see Warren’s feminist voice shine stronger through her central platform. Warren should stand up for those who want abortions, showing that a country without legalized abortion will constantly treat us as

unequal to our male counterparts.

Even though Roe v. Wade made abortion legal in every state, 43 still preserve the right to refuse a woman an abortion after any specified point in the pregnancy, unless it’s a case of life or death. For example, Arkansas bans abortion except in cases of life or health endangerment at 20 weeks. While abortion is an extremely controversial topic in the United States, this issue ultimately boils down to giving a woman the right to make a choice for herself. American lawmakers need to start trusting us to choose for ourselves, and the American people deserve a President who will not stop until every woman in America feels as if she can make her decision unhindered by lawmakers.

Reproductive rights are human rights, and every human deserves the right to choose the course of their life. Hopefully, a presidential candidate will recognize this issue and step up to be the voice that we all need to hear in the coming year.

Email Sam O’Donnell at opinion@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Opinion

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020

9

RACE

The Nuance of Blackness in Representation

By MAUREEN ZEUFACK Staff Writer Non-American Black actors playing American roles in films has long been a topic of contention. This highly controversial subject calls to question: what is the “Black experience?” Is there a universal one? And more importantly, who can tell Black stories?

Although in the United States, we’re all lumped into the category of African-American, not all Black people are the same. The Black diaspora is diverse with people from all backgrounds.

Some, however, feel as though if an actor is not American, they don’t have the understanding of what it means to be Black in America, and therefore should not portray them in film. But there are layers to this issue that are deeply rooted.

The critically-acclaimed 2019 film “Queen and Slim” stars actors Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya, both Black Brits. The film tells a very American story, exploring the topic of police brutality in the U.S. Although neither Kaluuya nor Turner-Smith are African-American, they were able to embody the essence of important, authentic characters. They were able to comprehend and latch onto the core of the story in “Queen and Slim” because they know what it’s like to be discriminated against, and — through living in the United States — know what it’s like to fear law enforcement in a Black body. Regardless of origin, there’s a certain universality to the Black experience regarding the shared understanding of how the effects of colonization and oppression continue to impact Black lives.

The film was well-executed and its protagonists’ non-Americanness was not a deficit to its storytelling.

This discussion is controversial because the issue deals with cultural, ethnic and social backgrounds in addition to race. While there are booming centers of film across the globe, the United States is especially a powerhouse in the film industry. Thus, many cinematic narratives are from an American perspective. There are talented actors from across the globe, and if someone is able to tell a story with honesty and respect, I see no issue. Let’s remember that it is an actor’s job to portray lives that aren’t their own.

There are several examples of this in film, such as Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong’o’s role in “12 Years A Slave.” Much of the controversy surrounding non-American blacks playing American roles — especially in films depicting slavery — is the belief that due to their heritage, foreign actors don’t have the same ties to slavery as

Submitting to

Black Americans do.

Some say non-American Blacks should not portray Black Americans because their origins mean they can’t fully comprehend the Black American experience. Because of this, they believe they take roles from Black American actors. Others suppose that allowing non-American Blacks to play American Blacks in cinema says that all Black people are the same.

But if this is the case, can’t the same be said for Black American actors and their portrayals of non-American Blacks in film? Aren’t Americans taking roles from them too? Will Smith’s portrayal of Nigerian doctor Bennet Omalu in “Concussion” (completely butchering the accent, God love him).

There’s also the idea that if the actors involved are all Black, they should be able to tell each other’s stories. It’s a more utopian sentiment, that regardless of origin, our race links us in a shared community of blackness, and that Black creatives from all backgrounds can be entrusted with the weighty responsibility and privilege of portraying each other.

A non-American Black actor may not have the same understanding of Black American life, but if someone is best-suited to play a role, regardless of ethnicity, why should they be limited?

As a first-generation Cameroonian-American, I don’t have the same direct relation to slavery that my Black American counterparts do. But as an American, that history is deeply personal to me. As a black person, there’s an innate understanding of the historical oppression and white supremacy that has impacted Black people of all geographic origins. Even as Black immigrants and their children experience discrimination in the present, the historical impact of centuries of racism and oppression on the African-American community should not be overlooked. We should acknowledge the cultural differences in actors and let them guide the process of developing on-screen stories. For instance, having non-American actors immerse themselves in historically Black communities if a role requires such.

Black is Black. The research and cultural sensitivity in the production of a film are essential and the awareness of differences in cultural and ethnic backgrounds across the diaspora regarding casting imperatively informs our place in the world and the sociopolitical knowledge we possess. Oftentimes, it comes down to who was the best person to tell the story, regardless of if they are from the West Indies or England. Above all, it is crucial that Black stories are being told and shared with global audiences. And if these stories are told with authenticity and integrity to the types of people portrayed — sans tokenism and caricatures of Black people — I say bring the movies on.

STAFF EDITORIAL

Incompetence and Disaster in the Democratic Party On Feb. 6, President Trump was acquitted of his impeachment charges by the United States Senate. This was after the House of Representatives impeached him over a whistleblower’s complaint, claiming he asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Biden, a candidate in the Democratic primary, and his son, Hunter Biden. The two articles brought against him were accusations of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

WSN’s Editorial Board wrote on this topic when Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) first launched the impeachment inquiry through the House.

We wrote on the possibility of manipulated elections and the hypocrisy of the United States, considering the government’s role in tampering with elections abroad and its history of domestic voter suppression.

The reality of impeachment is simple. While pushing for Trump’s removal, Pelosi and the Democratic Party have helped the president increase the defense budget by $21 billion and pass the environmentally catastrophic United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement, just to name two examples of consequential bipartisan legislation from the impeachment period. Both of these instances show the underlying ineffectiveness of Democratic opposition while showing that the party only projects an intent to impeach. In a way, this collaboration shows the party’s inability to unify in the most pressing political moments and decisions, and thus showing a serious incompetency in performing their most important role in government.

They also showcase a serious contradiction: how can one be fundamentally opposed to a president while promoting his most crucial policies?

An obvious, recent example was the meltdown of the Iowa Democratic caucuses. Results were significantly delayed because of an app purchased by the Iowa Democratic Party for vote recording, which failed. It was also found that former Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s campaign paid the creators of the

app, Shadow Inc., $42,500 for software services in late July 2019. The overarching umbrella corporation’s CEO, Tara McGowan, has further connections to Buttigieg — her husband works as the senior strategist for his campaign. The controversial financial dealings, at its best, shows the Iowa Democratic Party’s inability to administer an election.

At its worst, it shows the party turned a blind eye to corruption in its caucus.

The failed app was also reported to have been untested and full of errors prior to the caucus.

The final version was only sent to campaign officials 10 days before the start of the election. ProPublica reports that the technology was insecure and that “vote totals, passwords and other sensitive information could have been intercepted or even changed.” Additionally, the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Christopher Krebs said that the app had not been properly checked by the agency. It’s appalling how a private company was allowed to create an app that had such a significant impact on one of the most important elections for the Democratic candidacy without being vetted by the proper authorities.

Though what occurred in Iowa may seem suspicious and conspiratorial, what’s more likely and even more dangerous is that the party is seriously incompetent. This incompetence is a constant reoccurrence, as shown both in the Iowa caucuses and in the Democrats’ inability to confront Trump. This poses an important question: if the party can’t even conduct a successful election, how would it be possible to convict a sitting president?

These two events may seem like separate issues, but they both expose holes in the party on the state and national level. While criticism and action against President Trump is an obvious necessity, the flaws of the Democratic Party must be exposed as well. Clearly, in the midst of electoral chaos and the failure of removal of the president, the Democratic Party’s political strategy and administrative procedures aren’t working.

Email the Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com.

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Email Maureen Zeufack at opinion@nyunews.com.

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020

SPORTS

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Edited by ARVIND SRIRAM

Men’s Volleyball Bump, Set and Spike Its Way to an Undefeated Start

By KEVIN RYU Contributing Writer On Feb. 6, the men’s volleyball team triumphed in a four-set match against Hunter College, moving to a 6-0 record.

The Violets have benefited from strong performances across the roster, highlighted

by Tandon senior and co-captain Neil Ferraro, who received the Player of the Week honors from both the United Volleyball Conference (UVC) and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) on the week of Jan. 20. The undefeated record has also propelled the team to a fourth place ranking in the AVCA Division III Men’s Coaches Poll, up nine spots from the preseason. Head Coach Jose Pina credits the team’s continuity and experience.

“The bulk of the starters are made up of seniors, a couple of sophomores, but the rest are seniors,” Coach Pina said. “These are guys who have played together for four years.

[This] is a group of experienced players who are of high quality and have really dedicated themselves to making their final season hopefully a special season.”

For those seniors, the focus is not only on the team’s record, but also on cultivating team unity. The coaching staff has challenged them to embrace their roles as leaders of the team. “[From] the beginning of our freshman year, we have had individual talks with our coaches about how important our class is going to be to the program,” CAS senior and co-captain Evan Lindley said. “In previous years, we were allowing ourselves to get complacent and looking up to other people for leadership. I think, now, our class sees that it is our responsibility, so we have tried to step up as much as possible and foster the development of the younger guys.”

As a captain three years running, his perspective on leadership has matured.

“I have realized … [I should] try to accept people more as individuals...accept

The Return of the XFL Highlights the Lack of Support for Women’s Sports

By BELA KIRPALANI Editor-at-Large In case you missed it, the XFL kicked off its inaugural season this past weekend.

If you don’t know what I’m blabbering about, the XFL is a new professional football league that will last 10 weeks from February to April. Its goal is to bring the game into the modern era with new rules and innovations that make football faster and more entertaining for fans.

Except it’s not really a new league. World Wrestling Entertainment CEO and chairman Vince McMahon first launched the XFL in 2001, but due to its bad football, scantily clad cheerleaders and gimmicky WWE elements, ratings plummeted and the league folded in its first season.

That hasn’t seemed to affect the success of the league’s rebirth in 2020, however. In fact, the revamp of the XFL has been met with even more investment and coverage than before despite its propensity for repeated failure.

It’s hard enough for women to be given just one chance to do something new and chase their dreams. When they do, they are met with endless doubters, critics and haters. With the support for the XFL’s second go at the rodeo, it is clear that it is okay for men’s sports to fail, get back up and try again. After all, that’s the difference in the way we treat different genders in this society.

With the rebirth of the XFL, we are supposed to believe that people will tune in for minor league football, but won’t watch women’s professional sports. As a reminder, 1.12 billion people tuned into the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, WNBA viewership hit 413,000 early in the 2019 season and the 2019 NWSL Championship Game drew its highest numbers in three years with an average of 166,000 viewers.

People clearly tune in, but is the media listening?

Mainstream media coverage of the XFL has been overwhelmingly positive so far, despite the previous failure of the league in 2001. “This is Not Your Crazy Uncle’s XFL,” read one New York Times headline. Yet getting the Times to hire a beat reporter for the WNBA has yet to happen, despite a team now playing in the Barclays Center. The last time the New York Times wrote about professional women’s softball was in 2016.

When it comes to financial backing, the XFL has that in surplus. McMahon is on record pledging $500 million of his own money to the league’s success. His net worth is also valued at $2 billion, according to Forbes. The average XFL player currently makes $55,000 per year. According to the WNBA’s new CBA, the league will pay players an average of $130,000 per year. One year ago, that number was closer to $75,000.

The XFL has also secured broadcast partnerships with ABC, ESPN, FOX and Fox Sports, ensuring that every game of its 10-week season is aired on national television. Meanwhile, the most-viewed WNBA event didn’t even crack the top-100 mostwatched sporting events of 2019. The National Women’s Hockey League only secured a media rights deal in its fourth season as a league — it signed a three-year exclusive live-streaming deal with Twitch ahead of the 2019-20 season.

I want to be clear here: I’m not advocating for the end of the XFL. I mean, I’m not exactly ecstatic about having more of a sport that celebrates players violently hitting each other without care for the consequences of the severe brain damage they incur. But sure, the league sounds cool. (If you are wondering what the X stands for, by the way, the answer is nothing at all.)

I am here to point out that while progress is being made in women’s sports, the priority of investors, general sports fans and the media has always lied in men’s sports.

The XFL is just the latest example of this.

The Sports Girl is a weekly column that features a girl’s take on sports. Yes, a girl. Yes, on sports.

SOPHIA DI IORIO | WSN

Email Bela Kirpalani at bkirpalani@nyunews.com.

the fact each one of us are going to be different and … establish a sense of mutual respect,” Lindley said.

While the team’s seniors headline the roster, their well-rounded roster has also proved beneficial, providing competition in practice and stepping up in games when needed. “[We have] older guys coming in with a vengeance...and a great freshman class,” Ferraro said. “It’s a good combination altogether.”

To start the season, the Violets went on a three-game road trip to California to compete in the CLU Invitational. With victories against Fontbonne University (3-0), California Lutheran University (3-0) and University of California, Santa Cruz (3-2), the Violets took care of business on the court. Off the court, the trip served as a memorable team bonding experience.

“We had a couple team events,” Stern sophomore James Haag said. “[For example,] we went to the Beach Club in Santa Monica and really just had a great time

hanging together.”

As the team looks ahead, they recognize there will be tougher challenges, most notably the two-game run against Springfield College and Stevens Institute of Technology, two teams ranked ahead of them by the AVCA. Lindley has learned from his experience in previous seasons to remain even-keeled despite the team’s excellent start.

Speaking before their sixth win, Lindley said, “It’s exciting to talk about [being fourth] in the nation and [being] ... 5-0, but allowing those things to get caught up in our heads has done nothing but hurt us in previous years. So we are trying to think more about getting better every single practice … and every single game.”

While the team maintains focus on the upcoming games, they also recognize the potential this season holds.

“With Neil, Evan and the other seniors, we want to win them the national championship this year,” Haag said.

The team will look to extend their undefeated record at their home court on Feb. 12 against the Sage Colleges.

Email Kevin Ryu at sports@nyunews.com.

JULIA MOSES | WSN

The NYU Men Volleyball team is off to a good start. They have stayed undefeated this new season.

Men’s Basketball Ends Seven-Game Losing Streak

By ARVIND SRIRAM Sports Editor Men’s Volleyball Men’s volleyball stayed undefeated with victories against Baruch College and Hunter College. On Tuesday, Feb. 4, the Violets swept Baruch College, winning 25-16, 25-20 and 25-19. The Violets never trailed until the third set, when Bearcats led 1-0. NYU never looked back, going on a 5-0 run, and ultimately completing the sweep with a 25-19 victory. Leaders of the match included CAS seniors Evan Lindley with eight kills, Matin Bikdeli with 29 assists and Connor Keowen with six digs.

On Thursday, Feb. 6, the Violets defeated Hunter College 3-1. The team won their first set, staying consistently ahead in its 25-20 victory. The Hawks led the majority of the second set until the Violets forced a 19-19 tie. Hunter College then scored the next three points, and pulled away with a 25-22 victory. NYU bounced back in the third set, winning 25-17.

The fourth set was back and forth until Hunter College led 17-15. The Violets then went on a 5-0 run, never giving up the lead. NYU ultimately won the set 25-22. Team leaders included Tandon senior Neil Ferraro with 15 kills, Stern sophomore Ryan Whealen with 44 assists and Keowen with 16 digs.

The Violets play The Sage Colleges on Feb. 12 and Nazareth College on Feb. 14.

Women’s Basketball The Violets remain a contender for the top seed in the UAA conference, with a 2-0 record this week. On Friday, Feb. 7, the Violets defeated Carnegie Mellon University 6960. The game was close going into the fourth quarter, with NYU holding a two point lead.

Rory Meyers junior Katie Foos hit two key three-pointers in the fourth quarter, allowing the Violets to win by a comfortable margin.

Steinhardt first-year Jenny Walker led NYU with 18 points and 11 rebounds and CAS senior Annie Barrett led NYU with four assists.

On Sunday, Feb. 9, the women’s basketball team defeated Case Western Reserve University 64-55. Trailing by one early in the fourth quarter, Foos drained a three-pointer with 8:33 left in the game, giving NYU the lead for the rest of the game. Team leaders included Steinhardt junior Janean Cuffee with 20 points and four assists and Steinhardt sophomore Meghan McLaughlin with nine rebounds.

The Violets compete against Emory University on Feb. 14.

Men’s Basketball Men’s basketball went 1-1 this week, ending their seven-game losing streak. On Friday, Feb. 7, the Violets traveled to Pittsburgh and earned their first UAA conference victory in a close game against Carnegie Mellon, winning 80-79. With 2:38 remaining in the game, NYU and Carnegie Mellon were tied at 75. Neither team scored again until the 1:40 mark, when CAS sophomore Nick Macarchuk hit a clutch three-pointer, putting the Violets ahead by three. Carnegie Mellon missed the potential game-winning three-pointer with three seconds left and the Violets held on to the victory.

Team leaders for the Violets were CAS junior Bobby Hawkinson with 19 points and 12 rebounds and SPS senior Jimmy Martinelli and SPS junior Jaden Narwal with two assists each.

On Sunday, Feb. 9, the Violets fell to Case Western Reserve University 90-60. NYU struggled on offense, shooting 34.8% from the field and 26.7% from the three-point line.

Stern sophomore Cade Hoppe led NYU with 17 points, Hawkinson led NYU with 12 rebounds and Narwal and Macarchuk led NYU with three assists each.

The Violets face Emory University on Feb. 14.

Women’s Fencing On Saturday, Feb. 8, the Violets went 5-0 in the FDU Invitational, blowing out Wagner College (20-7) and Long Island University Brooklyn (24-3), shutting out the City College of New York (27-0) and Hunter College (27-0) and narrowly defeating Stevens (14-13).

Stern first-year Ria Jobalia was the standout as she went 14-1 in epee.

The Violets return to action on Feb. 12 at the Columbia University Invitational.

Men’s Wrestling On Saturday Feb. 8, the men’s wrestling team competed at the US Coast Guard Academy, blowing out Bridgewater State (40-12), Worcester Polytechnic Institute (33-9) and losing a close battle against the United States Coast Guard Academy (19-18). For Stern senior Sean Lyons, his victory against WPI was a special one — it was his 100th career victory.

The Violets return to action on Feb. 15 for the UAA Championship.

Swimming and Diving The men and women’s swim and dive team hosted the NYU Invitational on Friday, Feb. 7 and Saturday, Feb. 8, where there was no team scoring.

On day one, many of the NYU swimmers placed first in their competition. For the men’s team, Tandon first-year Aaron Hsieh won the 100-yard breastroke in 59.26 seconds and SPS first-year Jack Mullen won the 200-yard backstroke in 1:55.22. For the women’s team, Stern sophomore Nikita Kouznetsova won the 200yard backstroke in 2:04.95 and Steinhardt firstyear Camille Valvur won the 100-yard freestyle in 54.76 seconds. The women’s diving team also swept the one-meter board, where CAS senior Carmen White, CAS first-year Katherine Nardone and CAS junior Ashlyn Winship finished in first, second and third place.

On day two, NYU continued its dominance. For the men’s team, Tandon sophomore Nick Tran won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:40.55. The men’s diving team swept the one-meter board as Rory Meyers sophomore Cole Vertin, Steinhardt senior Nick Lemieux and Liberal Studies first-year Jack Callaghan finished in first, second and third place. For the women’s team, Stern sophomore Emilie Parks won the 100-yard backstroke in 58.78 seconds. The women’s diving team swept in similar fashion in the three-meter board, as White, Winship and Nardone placed in the top three.

The Violets return to action on Feb. 12 for the UAA Championships.

Track and Field The men and women’s track and field team competed at the University of Albany Invitational on Friday, Feb. 7, where there was no team scoring at this meet.

The women’s team had many great performers. CAS first-year Isre’al Conerly shined with a 13th-place finish in the 400-meter and 200-meter run, Steinhardt first-year Siena Moran and Tandon graduate student Rebecca MacLeod finished in 13th and 15th place in the 1,000-meter run and CAS senior Evelyn Nkanga finished in 11th place in the triple jump.

On the men’s team, CAS senior Carter Beardsley excelled with an eighth place in the weight throw, followed by SPS senior Julian Montilus, who finished in 23rd place in the 60-meter hurdles and CAS junior Dillan Spector, who finished in 42nd place in the distance run.

The Violets’ next meet is the Valentine Invitational, hosted by Boston University, on Feb. 14.

Email Arvind Sriram at asriram@nyunews.com.

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020

UNDERTHEARCH@NYUNEWS.COM

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UNDER THE ARCH

Edited by GURU RAMANATHAN

CELIA TEWEY | WSN

As I walked up the staircase, my shoes echoed brightly in the space.

Exploring the Empty Met CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

CELIA TEWEY | WSN

Seeing the Met empty like this is a magical and grounding experience: you are literally surrounded by some of the greatest art and objects we’ve ever collected as a species. The Greek Hall exhibits some of the most incredible human anatomy sculptures to ever be made.

My tour began in the Great Hall, first traveling up the interior staircase entering into the enclosed American sculpture garden and seeing the Neoclassical facade of the Branch Bank of the United States, which was originally located on Wall Street.

Next, into the Greek and Roman art hall. The department exhibits 6th century sculptures of Greek and pre-Roman art. The sculptures are all of humans, immensely detailed right down to the wrinkles on each finger. This was something I had never stopped to look at before this trip.

Then, I went onto the Sackler Wing hall to see Egyptian Art, specifically the Temple of Dendur.

The temple stands tall and alone

inside the large gala space in the Met and was given as a gift in 1967.

The rest of my time on my tour was spent viewing the paintings, specifically in the European Paintings section, where I got to see work by Van Gogh, Géricault, Monet and Degas.

The tour allowed me to navigate the museum and see these famous pieces and photograph them in their entirety at whatever angles I pleased. Because of this, I was free to roam the halls and felt the urge to take a lot of wide-angle photos of the space. I had visited the Met before, but only in these conditions did I realize how large the actual interior of the museum is. It was a wonder and an almost eerie feeling to be alone amongst so much history. I was free to walk

at my own pace. This meant a lot to me. I don’t like to be rushed in museums, and I really felt like the museum was mine for that short amount of time that morning. It was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. This was something that would never happen on a normal day at the Met. Within 20 minutes of the Met’s public opening at 10 a.m., crowds flooded the entrance hall, the gift shop, the bathrooms and the coat check. The contrast is jarring. It is mesmerizing to stand alone in a place that so many people flock to every day, whether they are New York residents, commuters or tourists.

Email Celia Tewey at ctewey@nyunews.com.

Ever since its establishment in 1870, the Museum has acquired an immense collection of American Art. This enclosed sculpture court was added in 1980.

CELIA TEWEY | WSN

Shadows Loom as sunlight pours into the Hall of Ancient Greece.

CELIA TEWEY | WSN

Far in the back of the European wing was “Evening: Landscape with an Aqueduct” painted in 1818 with oil on canvas by Théodore Géricault. The Met collection represents more than 5,000 years of art from across the globe with almost 13,000 pieces.

CELIA TEWEY | WSN

CELIA TEWEY | WSN

In the center of the gallery are large-scale marble sculptures made during the Roman period. These were originally made with bronze in Greece during the fourth amd fifth centuries, but were lost or melted down over time.

CELIA TEWEY | WSN

Dating back to the time of Augustus Caesar, circa 15 BCE, the Temple of Dendur was a gift from Egypt to the United States in 1967. The temple was built in 15 BCE.

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