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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2015 | NYUNEWS.COM
Vendors not complying to cigarette law change By CHRISTINE WANG Deputy News Editor
Despite New York City raising its legal age to purchase cigarettes to 21 last year, NYU researchers have found that retailer compliance with the laws has decreased drastically when compared to previous compliance rates with the old laws. To collect their data, researchers bought 421 packs of Marlboro Gold cigarettes at 92 subway and bus stops before the law took effect and returned to purchase more afterwards. When the data was analyzed, the results showed that, in terms of both checking IDs and complying with the price regulation, retailer compliance after the law took effect. Also, sales prices declined by 18 cents, potentially to compensate for the retailers’ losses. “Prior to the change in the law, 29 percent of retailers sampled were non-compliant,” the study reads. “Following the change, a full 38 percent of retailers sampled did not ask for ID when selling cigarettes to young people. Researchers also examined new minimum price laws for cigarettes and found a similar pattern.”
Researchers suggest a variety of reasons for why the laws have been ineffective, such as the potential lack of awareness among retailers about the changes. They also pointed out that enforcement for this law is spread across five cities and state agencies, so perhaps the diverse protocols and lack of resources contribute to the law violations. CAS junior Emma Thomas pointed out the study may not be a perfect representation of a trend among all retailers, since the 92 retailers were all subway and bus stops. The study also mentions this, noting that independent stores complied at a much lower rate in comparison to chain stores. “It seems to me that this study targets the group of tobacco vendors that would be most negatively affected by the law,” Thomas said. “Since the bulk of their profits come from their tobacco sales, it doesn’t surprise me at all that this study shows higher levels of noncompliance within this group.” Thomas supports New York City’s efforts to protect the public’s health, but feels that this law is an added hassle for purchasers under 21 and does not make
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Even though laws changed, people under the age of 21 have still been able to find stores which allow them to purchase cigarettes. enough of impact to be an effective preventative measure. “Theoretically, I’m for the new law, since I recognize how much damage smoking does to individual people and to the general public’s health,” Thomas said. “But, all this new law means is that most smokers who are under 21 are going to leave the city to buy tobacco or will use a fake ID, so it just makes it slightly more diffi-
cult for people to acquire tobacco rather than keeping them from buying it altogether.” Some students are upset such a rule was put in place at all. CAS sophomore Gabriel Valderrama feels that the law’s ineffectiveness should not come as a surprise. “I am personally annoyed by the new buying age because I think the government has no right to regulate the vices that a
population voluntarily chooses to participate in,” Valderrama said. “And I think the policy makers would have expected the lack of efficacy because they should’ve known that the incentive of quick money is stronger than the threat of getting fined for selling tobacco for minors.” Email Christine Wang at cwang@nyunews.com.
GCASL spotlights Syrian refugees By LEXI FAUNCE Deputy News Editor
This coming week students and staff at the Global Center for Spiritual Life will feature individual stories of refugees as part of Syrian Refugee Awareness Week at NYU. Multiple student groups have participated in the planning of the week including the Multifaith Advisory Council and Oxfam at NYU. The campaign was created after an initial information session featuring speakers Sarab Al-Jikali, cofounder of the National Alliance for Syria, and Shehab Chowdhury, Community Engagement Fellow from Unicef: Children First. Gallatin senior and member of the Multifaith Advisory Council Madeline Dolgin said the awareness week grew out of a shared sense of frustration among peers at the Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life. She said also came from a desire to take action to provide aid to refugees. “We feel that the NYU community has a large voice to leverage in support of refugees,” Dolgin said. “Our goals are to raise awareness about the crisis, gather funds and supplies for refugees in the United States — many of whom are in New Jersey — and pressure elected officials to open up the borders to fleeing refugees.” All week, students will be in the Kimmel Center for University Life
lobby to collect monetary donations and give out pamphlets with information on the crisis. In addition, students will be collecting donation items such as kitchen items, appliances, electronics, books, exercise equipment and clothing. There will be computers set up with template emails so community members can forward letters to Congress requesting action from the nation’s leaders. On Tuesday, Dec. 1, guest speaker Mohammed Suleman Sheikh from Islamic Relief will share more about the crisis and brainstorm additional ways the NYU community can help. Steinhardt freshman Shehzil Shah said she initially did not know what she could do to help the cause aside from giving money. “When I heard that there was a group of students coming together trying to help refugees, I joined immediately,” Shah said. “I was finally able to not feel useless about the situation. Even if what our team is doing will not solve the crisis, we are still trying to do all that we can do to help the refugees.” GLS senior Madison McCormick became involved with NYU’s Syrian Refugee Awareness Week through her street art initiative where she channeled her frustration to spread visual awareness about the crisis. McCormick’s designed stickers to be sold all week for $1 and proceeds will go directly towards United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
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Senior Madison McCormick is currently working on a sticker series titled “#crumblingborders.” “The design shows a hand ripping through a map with the cracks disrupting the continents, just as refugees disrupt previously established borders,” McCormick said. McCormick said she hopes this initiative will grow into a global awareness project and has created an Instagram account under “Tag and Seek” to provide important information about the Refugee Crisis in photo captions as well as links for sources for people to take action. “I think it also touches upon a larger notion in that we are all constantly moving and having to uproot ourselves, whether it be from city to city, state to state or country to country,” McCormick said. “I think almost everyone could relate to that, especially in New York.” Email Lexi Faunce at lfaunce@nyunews.com.
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NYU takes more steps for diversity By ALEX BAZELEY News Editor
NYU continues to take steps to increase the inclusion of students of color on campus, with an email sent out over Thanksgiving break announcing more initiatives to widen the talks of diversity on campus. The email, sent by Provost David McLaughlin to the NYU community, announced a series of new plans on the part of the university, including a hotline for students of color facing intolerance on campus and the creation of the position of Director of Global Diversity. These plans following an announcement on Nov. 18 from NYU President John Sexton in which he outlined the university’s plan of action following a diversity forum that had been hosted the day before. Sexton’s email said the university would increase staffing and funding for the Center for Multicultural Education and Programs and begin to a develop a
more serious diversity training program — something McLaughlin doubled down on. “NYU needs effective diversity training for all faculty, staff and students,” McLaughlin’s email read. “We’re requesting that the new ad hoc Committee of the University Senate — created to address issues of diversity and inclusion — work with us quickly to determine how best to accomplish this training.” The unveiling of these new inclusion initiatives have come in the wake of incidents at campuses across the country, like the University of Missouri and Ithaca College, in which students have accused administrators of inadequate responses to racial conflicts. The Black and Brown Coalition, one of the groups at the forefront of the student push for a more inclusive campus, said in a statement that conversation has been ongoing between students and NYU administrators and will continue. “There had been conversa-
CRIME LOG Nov. 19 to 23 By LEXI FAUNCE Deputy News Editor The NYU Department of Public Safety received three reports of larceny, one report of controlled substance, one report of simple assault, two reports of harassment and one report of criminal mischief between Nov. 19 and Nov. 23.
Larceny On Nov. 19 at 10:30 a.m., a student reported she left her laptop charging in an office suite in Rogers Hall on Nov. 18 and discovered it missing when she returned on Nov. 19. A police report was filed. On Nov. 23 at 4:52 p.m., a student reported she left her wallet in her room at Mercer Street Residence Hall on Nov. 19 at 1:30 p.m. and discovered $200 missing from it when she returned on Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. Police notification was declined. On Nov. 23 at 9 p.m., a student reported he left his wallet in his room at Coral Towers Residence Hall on Nov. 19 at 5 p.m. and discovered his driver’s license and insurance cards missing when he returned on Nov. 20 at 10:30 a.m. Police notification was declined.
Controlled Substance On Nov. 23 at 10:50 p.m., Public Safety responded to a report of an alleged controlled substance in Founders Residence Hall. A small amount of marijuana was
recovered and the case was closed.
Simple Assault On Nov. 20 at 1:15 p.m., a student reported that at 11:15 a.m. he was punched in the face while walking north on West Third Street for refusing to give money to an unknown male. Police notification was declined.
Harassment On Nov. 20 at 4:30 p.m., a student reported that at 4:30 p.m. she was grabbed by the shoulder by an unknown male selling CDs while walking on the east side of Broadway at Astor Place. Police notification was declined. On Nov. 21 at 3:45 p.m., an NYU Dunkin’ Donuts employee reported an unknown male threatened her after she asked him to refrain from soliciting money from patrons. A Dunkin’ Donuts manager was also shoved by the same male after he intervened. The male eventually left the store and continued to bang on the store windows and shout obscenities. Police notification was declined.
Criminal Mischief On Nov. 22 at 2:45 a.m., an NYU student intentionally kicked the lobby door of Third Avenue North Residence Hall, causing the glass to shatter. Email Lexi Faunce at lfaunce@nyunews.com.
tions had prior to the Diversity Forum that are still ongoing and we plan to continue as was mentioned by our representative, the first student to speak at the event,” the statement reads. “The administration is fully supportive and listening to us, and indeed some deans have gone above and beyond our expectations with their support of our suffering community.” NYU’s response to diversity criticism has received mixed reviews from students, with some feeling like the university is simply reacting to the climate at campuses across the country as opposed to taking legitimate action. Gallatin senior Madeline Dolgin, who is Jewish, attended the forum to see her friends from the Muslim community speak — a relationship which is part of the reason she’s so invested in these issues. She said she believes the university can never be doing enough to ensure greater inclusiveness of
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The university seems to be taking the issue of diversity more seriously, but some students still think this action is not enough. students of color. “I think that creating more spaces for these types of experiences particularly around faith and race at this time and making them mandatory is necessary for creating a more inclusive community, but also in upholding the standards of this university,” Dolgin said.
The Black and Brown Coalition has been encouraging students to add to a list of demands for the university, which once finalized will be presented to the administration on Dec. 1. Email Alex Bazeley at abazeley@nyunews.com.
WSU creator refutes hoax claim By JUSTINE MORRIS Deputy News Editor The Union of White NYU Students, formerly known as the White Student Union, continues to claim it is run by NYU students and is not the product of an Internet hoax. Earlier this week, the site’s moderator posted a picture of what he claimed to be his NYU ID against a backdrop of the NYU home webpage shortly after the same picture was given to the website Gawker. Because of the timing, some at the website have questioned whether or not the ID belongs to the moderator. The moderator of the page, however, insists there really is a Union of White NYU Students. He also said he appreciates the threats the page has received. “I am glad I got such a negative reaction,” the moderator said. “I want other white students to see how they will be hounded and harassed and denounced by everyone in authority simply for saying that they do not hate themselves for being white.” Other news sites have reported the union is likely a hoax because it was created roughly the same time as a number of other White Student Union pages at other schools. Additionally, all of the pages were created shortly after a thread on 8chan, an anonymous forum website, suggested users create White Student Union pages. The moderator said the idea for the Facebook page came from current events — demonstrations by
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Controversy continues about whether the Union of White NYU Students Facebook page is run by an NYU student. Black Lives Matter and the migrant crisis in Europe. “We aim to reclaim the word and identity of whiteness,” the moderator said. “In America particularly, white is who we are. Whiteness is our identity because of the historical experience of white people of being from many different European ethnicities.” They also insisted that claims by people of color that white people inherently have increased privileges and power due to race are false. “We are told that we are privileged, that we have all the power and that activism on our own behalf is invalid because of this,” the moderator said. “We reject these claims.” The page also said the group worried about the silencing of white voices. The Black and Brown Coalition, which is leading the charge on campus to create a more diverse, inclusive place, disagrees with the Union. “Our goal is not to silence white voices,” the coalition said in a statement. “Our classrooms, research labs and residence halls are dominated by white voices. How can white voices be silenced if, overwhelmingly, the voice of this university remains largely white?”
According to the coalition, over a third of the Class of 2018 identifies as white, while 71 percent of NYU professors are white. The coalition added that the Union of White Students does not contribute to the race conversation on campus, and called for a stronger denouncement of it. “When it comes to the [Union of White Students], we prefer to address it as it truly is — a reactionary and malicious specter, specifically engineered to disrupt progress and equitable change at NYU,” the coalition said. “We call on all members of the NYU community to speak up and speak out against the White Students Union.” Other NYU students disagree with the Union and what it purports to want. CAS sophomore Richard Lagu, said he does not understand the group’s goals and thinks it should be taken down immediately. “Whiteness does not even exist,” Lagu said. “It is a tool, a social construct, that has only benefited those under its umbrella at the expense of every other ethnic group in the United States.” Email Justine Morris at jmorris@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2015 | NYUNEWS.COM
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Amazon show weak, but has high points By AKASH SHETYE Contributing Writer
Amazon released the first season of “The Man in the High Castle” on Nov. 20. Based on the Philip K. Dick novel, “The Man in the High Castle” imagines what life in the 1960s would have been like if the Axis Powers had won World War II, thus making it Amazon’s most ambitious and longform original series to date. The program comfortably lands in the same tier as Amazon’s best shows, “Transparent” and “Catastrophe.” It utilizes its unique premise for solid entertainment, and though it hits a few rough spots due to sloppy plotting, it still satisfies by sharply tackling big ideas, most of which concern art’s relationship to power and humanity. The show makes artwork the most valuable measure of power. While many small storylines comprise the first season, they ultimately form two major narrative threads. The first involves a Cold War-like struggle between Japan and Germany’s leaders, with the United States serving as the conflict’s battleground — think Germany after World War II. The second storyline centers on a trio of characters, Juliana Crain (Alex Davalos),
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Amazon’s new series, “The Man in the High Castle,” offers a unique perspective on what life would be like if the Nazis won World War II. Frank Frink (Rupert Evans) and Joe Blake (Luke Kleintank), who through chance events end up working for subversive groups trying to weaken or topple the Axis Powers. At times, “The Man in the High Castle” struggles to organically develop these storylines. The plot often spins its wheels, especially halfway through the season when the character’s motivations and actions aren’t always clear aligned. Even though the show’s storytelling isn’t smooth, it manages to be tense, even gripping. Additionally, the cast is sublime; the actors bring humanity to their characters, allowing viewers to empathize with them even when the plot is weak. However, what’s most compelling about the constant fighting between the Germans, Japanese and subversive groups isn’t the tension produced, but the ob-
jects they fight over. These three groups don’t chase after weapons, nuclear bombs or confidential reports, but after artistic works. The three groups believe that films, books, paintings, music, costumes and other artworks are the best weapons in a power struggle because they can subtly influence the ideological values of the masses. By having its main characters obsess over artistic works, the show serves as an astute examination of how art can serve power or undermine it and how it can oppress people’s minds or free them. But the show never reduces art as a weapon; the program is sensitive to art’s relationship with humanity, how it can allow them to bond, grieve, hope and even risk their lives for others. Email Akash Shetye at arts@nyunews.com.
Pollock exhibit not just splatter By TONY SCHWAB Staff Writer
Very often, Jackson Pollock’s work as an artist is reduced to his drip paintings. A new retrospective of his work at the Museum of Modern Art shows that the style of splatter painting was the culmination of an eclectic but consistently great career. Many will be surprised by the relatively normal look of Pollock’s early work. Here, Pollock shows his debt to many trends of early 20th century art. “Circle,” a small green and red painting with some animal figures, is clearly influenced by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. “The Flame” is an intense, but somewhat abstracted depiction of fire that resembles Picasso’s paintings of birds. The best of this period are two landscape, which show the wide open space of Pollock’s Wyoming childhood, but incorporate blue, gold and red to create a very creepy skyline. The next section of the exhibition includes Pollock’s work from 1944 to 1947. This is
thought of as a transitional period in his career, because Pollock was moving away from his early representational work toward the pure abstraction of his final period. Several paintings are as impressive as any of Pollock’s later works. “Full Fathom Five” gives a sense of Pollock’s experimentation with his materials. There are layers upon layers of thick aqua paint, so much so that the work is three dimensional. Also visible are materials that Pollock pressed into the painting to give it depth, including cigarette butts and a key. Another standout in this room is “Shimmering Substance,” a tribute that Pollock made to his house in the Hamptons. It is made up of semi-circular strokes of bright, cheerful white, yellow and blue. Pollock succeeds in conveying a place and a mood completely, without painting physical forms. Only after seeing all that came before them do we see Pollock’s most acclaimed works, the giant drip paintings. Viewed alone,
these paintings often strike people as arbitrary and craft-less. Some have even accused Pollock of cynically creating art that he knew was bad. However, experiencing the paintings in person removes such doubts. These works take Pollock’s work to its natural end. Pollock, over the course of his career, moved from the depiction of things to work that aims for pure feeling. It is very easy to lose track of time staring at the drip paintings. They feel like endless mazes. MoMA deserves praise for the exhibit’s construction. With only three rooms, it enables the viewer to appreciate each painting without feeling overwhelmed. The plaques are very well done. They provide straightforward background information that is always relevant to the work included. “Jackson Pollock: A Collection Survey, 1934–1954” is on display through March 13, 2016. Admission is free with NYU ID. Email Tony Schwab at entertainment@nyunews.com.
Starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, Todd Haynes’ new film, “Carol,” explores a lesbian relationship in 1952 New York City.
‘Carol’ depicts striking lesbian relationship By SHERRILYN LING Contributing Writer
“Carol” is a unique film due to its portraying a lesbian relationship in the early 1950s, but director Todd Haynes knew from the start that he didn’t want to let this factor override the entire film. “The one thing I really wasn’t interested in doing was a ‘see how far we’ve come’ or ‘how much better things are today’ movie,” he said. Haynes screened his new film “Carol” last week at Lincoln Center in conjunction with a Q&A, in which he discussed his filmmaking process and the film’s many influences. “Carol” is a love story in its purest form—simple and quiet, yet immensely moving. Based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1952 novel “The Price of Salt,” the movie follows the romance between Therese Bellivet (Rooney Mara), a young salesgirl and aspiring photographer and Carol Aird (Cate Blanchette), a mother and housewife in the midst of a divorce. With phenomenal performances by Blanchett and Mara, this film masters the art of storytelling through facial expressions and gestures rather than straight-out discourse. “All those silences and the lack of dialogue show how much trust is given to the viewers and to invite interpretation,” Haynes said. “If there was any more it would be indicating too much, telling too much. If there was any less, it would be vacant or uninteresting.” While Mara is extraordinary in her role as Therese, who ultimately serves as the narrator, Blanchett steals the show with her magnificent underplaying and ability to display a mysteriously attractive magnetism with just the snap of her fingers. “The amazing thing about
this performance is that Cate is aware of her proximity to the viewer so acutely and basically has to depict the image of Carol through the eyes of Therese,” Haynes said. “She is playing the object of desire throughout the film and she knew how to hold back and conduct that trance.” This film marks the fourth team-up between Haynes and cinematographer Edward Lachman. The overall look of the film consists of colors that are both vibrant and softened, which was inspired by the “beautifully muted, sort of soiled color palette” of 1950’s still photography. Additionally, there is a lot of filming through windows or other clear surfaces. Haynes explained that he and Lachman took advantage of “filtering” various shots in the movie, an idea that was inspired by the work of 1950s photographer Saul Leiter who frequently took photographs through windows, drooping awnings, precipitation or dusty glass. “Filtering creates barriers between us and the objects that we’re looking at, and just reveals the predicament of looking,” Haynes said. “When there’s something in the way, you want to get around it and you’re aware that you are looking. When there’s nothing in the way, you don’t even have to think about looking as a predicament.” The movie also shows off stunning costume designs by Sandy Powell, a brilliant score composed by Carter Burwell and a soundtrack that is just pure magic. All of this adds up to create the heartrending masterpiece that is “Carol,” which moves full circle to tell a visually stunning, strikingly poignant story of a ruptured and suppressed romance. “Carol” is currently playing in select theaters. Email Sherrilyn Ling at film@nyunews.com.
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Q&A with ‘Modern Romance’ co-author By NISHAD MORE Contributing Writer
Eric Klinenberg, a sociology professor and director of the Institute of Public Knowledge at NYU, cowrote the book Modern Romance with NYU alumnus Aziz Ansari. WSN talked with Klinenberg about his experiences working with Ansari and how he found the comedy in sociology.
WSN: What was it like working with Aziz Ansari, someone from such a different background than yourself? Eric Klinenberg: Well, I think we both learned a lot from each other, and one of the things we discovered very quickly is that sociology and comedy have a lot in common. Both fields involve looking very closely at the funny ways people behave and trying to develop some insight that will resonate with people’s experiences even if they don’t have words
for it. Comedians and sociologists both want you to see the world differently than you did before you heard what they had to say. Comedians have to produce an original insight and also make you laugh, sociologists have to produce an original insight and make you want to think a little bit more. But we were both surprised at how much we had in common. Of course, working with a comedian is very different to working with other social scientists, and for me it was refreshing to have so much laughter in my daily life.
WSN: Do you think that his contributions made the writing of the book very different from how you would have written any other book? EK: Absolutely. No sociology book that I know starts with the words “Oh shit.” None have sections on how to Beyoncify your ex by photoshopping photos of Beyoncé over
your ex’s face on your social media. Yeah, the book was written differently, but it’s really a blend of social science and comedy, and I think you can see both of our voices in it.
WSN: How do you think the work that you did with the book or what you learned from it would be applicable to anything you might work on in the future or here at NYU? EK: Well, I joked about sociology being entertaining before, but the truth is when you’re lecturing or teaching, you’re looking for ways to get the students engaged, and you know I’ve been doing a lot of public speaking for a long time, but I really learned the value of laughter and humor from working closely with Aziz. If you’re enjoying yourself and finding a way to present material that makes people laugh, you’re also opening up possibilities for conversation that you can’t get if you’re too serious. There’s noth-
WSN: Do you have any good anecdotes from the process of writing this book? EK: I discovered that Aziz is a workaholic. He is brilliant, but his success isn’t just about his brilliance, it’s also that he works harder than anybody else. We traveled around the world together for the book; we would spend a day doing interviews, conducting focus groups, taking long breaks so that he could find the most delicious food in whatever city we were in, and then come home at 9 or 10 at night and he would say, ‘Hey Eric, do you mind if we just spend a couple more hours writing because there’s all this stuff I wanna do.’ He really never stops. So it was nice to see the incredible work ethic he had.
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Eric Klinenberg, Professor of Sociology at NYU, pictured with his recently published book, “Modern Romance.
And also, he really wanted to learn sociology — we had a division of labor where I was in charge of the research and the social science and he was in charge of the comedy, but he really wanted to learn sociology and he had this passion and curiosity about how the world works that you see in the best students. And that was great.
20th century poets shine on stage
Hollywood history in pictures at MoMI
By ZACH MARTIN Film Editor
By CARTER GLACE Staff Writer
Hollywood is at a bit of a crossroads. With the transition to digital film, the previously-used celluloid is more of a curiosity than vital tool. The era of Hollywood stars has also seemed to meet an end, as actors are no longer bigger than the roles they play. The Museum of the Moving Image creates contemporary art from the icons and images of the past. This dichotomy creates an eclectic, strange and surreal mixing of film history. The gallery features 11 different sections, each providing radically different experiences. “Still Lives” serves as the introduction to the exhibit, with a beautiful collection of photos showing actors’ past and present in one photo. The results are shockingly seamless and beautiful. Terribly beautiful, the chilling photos of abandoned movie sets in “Still Lives” reveal what happens when nature consumes everything in its path. The section that has received the most attention is “Dial M for Murder,” a small area dedicated to Hitchcock. Fascinating works, such as diagrams from “Psycho,” are featured. His works have also inspired some impressive new cre-
ing worse than someone trying to be funny but isn’t, so you have to know whether or not you have it. Nobody wants to be in a class with a professor who thinks he’s really funny.
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Walkers: Hollywood Afterlives in Art and Artifact is the latest exhibit at the Museum of the Moving Image in Brooklyn. ations, such as a series of clips made up of single second cuts of Hitchcock’s films. It’s both jarring and oddly fluid. What may be the highlight of the entire exhibit maybe be the augmented “Rear Window” piece, which places the environment of the film in a camera, which can be moved around to get different views of the classic set. There is also a lovely combination of preserved artifacts and artistic creations from “Revenant Riders,” a collection of bits and pieces from the works of John Ford. With an extensive collection of images of the director — such as the exhibition of Ford’s moving eye patch — there are also other great displays for any eager museum visitors, such as scripts from “The Searchers” and a nameplate from Ford. And another wonderful work of artistic license is “The Heart of Darkness” section. While
the majority of the works inside are an impressive collection of pieces from the set of “Apocalypse Now,” there is an impressive attempt to create theoretical posters from the long forgotten attempt by Orson Wells to adapt “Heart of Darkness” into a film. The myths and images of Hollywood’s past never really die, but rather create an endless supply of undead figures and creations that keep their subjects alive. New artists can make something fresh and transcendent while still preserving the iconic images they alter. No matter how digital Hollywood becomes, there is always something tangible and undying to hold on to. “Walkers: Hollywood Afterlives in Art and Artifact” is open at the Museum of the Moving Image until April 2016. Email Carter Glace at entertainment@nyunews.com.
Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell, two of the most important poets of the 20th century, had a close and respectful friendship; they were each other’s fiercest critics and most passionate supporters. Their consistent correspondence is rife for dramatic interpretation and Sarah Ruhl brings their words to the stage in her play “Dear Elizabeth.” With dialogue comprised entirely of the letters the two poets sent back and forth to each other over their lifetimes, the play tells an intimate and lyrical story of two people who struggled with internal anxieties and fears but maintained a quietly strong relationship over the course of 30 years. The current production at the Women’s Project Theater has a minimally designed set, with two desks at the center surrounded by suitcases and randomly strewn props that are only occasionally referenced in passing in the letters. Bishop and Lowell take turns reading aloud the letters they are writing to each other, sometimes simply seated at their desks and sometimes moving around and interacting with each other. Ruhl has carefully selected the letters for the play from hundreds they wrote to each other. The plot is not a driving force in the narrative. Instead, the emotions of the scene and the intensity of their correspondence naturally rises and falls. The poems she has included are some of the writers’ most famous ones, but they take on a new meaning in their context here. By learning about the poets lives’
and their communication with one another, the poems become more powerful. While two people reading letters on a stage could seem to grow quite boring after a while, there are thankfully interesting uses of props and movement that provide breaks in the dialogue. The Stage Manager, the only other character in the play, tells the audience dates and key events that are not spoken of directly in the letters. The instances throughout the play when the two poets meet in person are done with subtle beauty, as the two look at each other as longtime friends would, not with giddy excitement but with comfort. This production of “Dear Elizabeth” has a rotating cast of actors playing the roles of Bishop and Lowell. The cast in this showing featured J. Smith Cameron as Bishop and John Douglas Thompson as Lowell. The two had magnificent chemistry and Thompson brought an air of melancholy that perfectly suited the role. “Dear Elizabeth” is a fascinating look at the struggles of artists to express themselves despite their internal demons and external tribulations. Above all else though, the play works as a study of longtime friendship, how it can intensify and recede. Bishop and Lowell had a strong, formidable friendship, one that helped them produce their greatest work. “Dear Elizabeth” is playing at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre, 2162 Broadway until Dec. 5. Email Zach Martin at zmartin@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2015 | NYUNEWS.COM
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Poetry slammin’ places in the city By TIFFANIE HWANG Staff Writer
As the city grows colder and the days seem shorter, staying in appears be a more enticing option than braving the harsh outdoors. When the cavernous walls of your apartment and the Netflix reruns become monotonous, a night of spoken word, live music and good food, all while staying warm, makes for a worthy venture. Here are some of the best places in the city if you’re looking for a night of slam poetry to an evening of live music. For those looking to indulge in a real literary night:
NYU Bookstore 726 Broadway Beginning in December, the NYU bookstore will start hosting poetry readings featuring highly esteemed authors who also teach their practice at NYU.
An open mic night will be open to all NYU students. You can even sign up to perform poetry, prose, music or comedy.
Nuyorican Poets Cafe 236 E Third St. Widely known as the place where innovative poetry, music, comedy and theatre come out from hiding, Nuyorican Poets Cafe is also the location of where the first poetry slam in New York City was held. This cafe holds monthly events such as Wednesday Night Slam & Open Mic, Nuyo Friday Night Poetry Slam and the Open Room held every Friday night, and latin jazz nights. The cover is usually $10 with your student ID, but make sure to get there at least 45 minutes early because space is limited. Every event is lively competition where the winner of that night gets to advance to compete in the next, and the audience members can participate as judges.
5 ways to beat stress during finals By ABIGAIL WEINBERG Staff Writer
Among the chaos of finals and the holidays, it’s easy to find yourself stressed out and on edge. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to take a break from the grind. Here are some free and easy ways to relieve your stress on campus and around the city.
Attend a Stressbuster event The Stressbusters are student volunteers that provide free fiveminute backrubs during two weekly events, Take a Break Tuesday and Wind Down Wednesday. You can find them on the seventh floor of Kimmel Center for University Life from 6 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays or on the third floor of the Health Promotion Office from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.
Visit the Grey Art Gallery Engaging with art is a quick and easy form of relaxation made all the more convenient for NYU students. Located in the Silver Center, the Grey Art Gallery hosts the permanent NYU Art Collection and an ever-changing array of temporary exhibitions. Currently, the Japanese photography collection “For a New World to Come” is on display.
KGB Bar 85 E Fourth St.
Save your Sunday evenings for fiction readings and your Monday nights for poetry at the KGB Bar. This bar is known for being home to literary excellence where you have the chance to listen to and even meet with talented and passionate writers. The bar hosts literary events every night of the month, which includes NYU Emerging Writers Reading series where students from NYU’s Creative Writing graduate program and guest writers showcase their talent. The drinks are cheap, admission is free and readings are by some of the best writers in New York. What’s not to love? If you’re looking to kickback with a more relaxed evening of poetry:
The Bowery Poetry Club 308 Bowery For a more relaxed atmosphere with an open mic that calls forth novice to veteran poets, the Bowery Po-
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The McNally Jackson Books is one of the many bookstores hosting open mic nights this winter. etry Club hosts a more eclectic string of monthly events that include but are not limited to featured readings, music video release parties, poetry and fiction writing workshops and live music performances. The cover is usually free or $10 at most and always guarantees an interesting and fun time in the NoHo area.
McNally Jackson Books 52 Prince St. This bookstore offers a place
of escape from a chaotic evening in Soho featuring events of readings, international literature book club meetings and discussions with filmmakers, playwrights, essayists and novelists. There is also a cafe inside that allows you to kickback and relax with a coffee and pastry before you listen to a reading. Email Tiffanie Hwang at features@nyunews.com.
STAFF PHOTO BY DANIKA LAM
Stressbusters volunteer Catherine Kim offers free back rubs at Take a Break Tuesday in the Kimmel Center for University Life. Exercise by the water Physical activity, aside from helping you stay in shape, can also relieve stress by releasing endorphins. For a beautiful view of the water surrounding Manhattan, take a jog or walk along the East River Park or the Hudson River Park. Both parks feature basketball and tennis courts, as well as a running track field at the East River Park.
Have a laugh Although the physical benefits of laughter have been proven, it doesn’t take a scientist to know that laughing helps you unwind. NYU is home to sketch comedy groups Hammerkatz and Free Beer, and the city itself has countless comedy clubs for when you just need a relaxing night out. Grab a few friends and share a laugh while supporting comedy on campus.
Utilize your academic resources If your grades are the cause
of all that excess stress, there are plenty of opportunities to receive tutoring from trained individuals on campus. The University Learning Center offers academic skills workshops and walk-in tutoring sessions in dozens of subject areas. If you’re struggling with an essay, you can make an appointment with the Writing Center. As stressful as school can be, it’s important to remember that your mental health comes first, and that there are resources at your disposal. While a certain amount of stress can be helpful and motivating, it should never be utterly overwhelming. If you’re still feeling stressed after trying out these tips, don’t hesitate to contact the Wellness Exchange at 212.443.9999 or check out their Relaxation Oasis, which helps students learn and practice non-sectarian meditation to promote well-being and academic success. Email Abigail Weinberg at features@nyunews.com.
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FEATURES
EDITED BY NINA JANG FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM
Get yo’ holiday drank on
By KENDALL LEVISON Dining Editor
STAFF PHOTO BY ASHLEY ARNOLD
Washington Square Diner is located at 150 West Fourth Street. It is conveniently around the corner from NYU’s Hayden Hall and Washington Square Park.
Diners for when you just need food By ABIGAIL WEINBERG Staff Writer
Life in the city can be hectic and exhausting but diners, with their simple menus, cheap prices and retro aesthetics, can provide a sense of comfort like no other restaurant. The following greasy spoons, all open 24/7, will satisfy your late-night munchies while serving you a blast from the past.
Good Stuff Diner 109 W. 14th St. This quiet, unpretentious diner features a retro orange and green color scheme and a seemingly permanent row of regulars seated at the counter. The menu has some upscale options like steak and shrimp, as well as a huge list of salads, sandwiches and burgers. The portions are huge and the service is quick. Try anything from the classic soda fountain — it’s good stuff.
Hollywood Diner 574 Sixth Ave Hollywood Diner, just two blocks north of Good Stuff, features outdoor seating and walls plastered with images of black and white film stars. The celebrity-themed sandwiches are a big hit: the Howard Stern has grilled chicken, bacon and Swiss on pita bread with onion rings; the Robert DeNiro is made with pastrami, onions, hot peppers and Swiss, also on pita bread with onion rings. Try the Hollywood Burger with gooey cheddar cheese, sauteed mushrooms, onions and bacon, or choose from the extensive breakfast menu at any time of day.
Washington Square Diner 150 W. Fourth St. The bright yellow lights and win-
dow sills full of potted plants lend themselves to a lively atmosphere for this Greek-style diner. The food is typical diner fare and the service is quick and friendly. The glass cases stuffed with cakes and pastries would be particularly appealing after a long night studying at Bobst, which is just a few blocks away.
Daisey’s Diner 452 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn If you ever find yourself craving diner eats in Park Slope, check out Daisey’s — the neon storefront sign alone should be enough to entice any curious and hungry passerby to enter. The food is decent and the interior is filled with retro decorations, but this is the greatest spot on the list for people-watching. Although the neighborhood is now known for it’s bearded hipsters, at Daisey’s you’ll be eating with some of Park Slope’s original residents.
The Famous Cozy Soup ‘n’ Burger 739 Broadway Cozy’s has been around for more than 25 years, and the food is so good that it’s no wonder the diner has stood the test of time. The portions are enormous and the service is crazy fast. The specialties are, of course, soups and burgers, but the incredibly extensive menu offers dozens of types of omelettes and sandwiches. For a side, the curly fries are definitely the way to go. Though it’s a little pricey, this place calls itself famous for a reason. Email Abigail Weinberg at dining@nyunews.com.
During the holidays, you should be drinking something more festive than beer or jungle juice — assuming you’re of legal age of course. With just a little more time and effort, you can make drinks in your own dorm room that will make you wonder why you ever paid $7 for a rum and Coke. You don’t need fancy equipment to to whip up sophisticated cocktails. Although professional bartenders use metal shakers to mix drinks like Manhattans and Cosmos, a Mason jar works just as well. And despite what James Bond says, drinks made with clear liquors — like 007’s beloved vodka Martini — can just be stirred together with a spoon rather than shaken. Cocktail recipes are usually written in ounces, but there’s no need to buy new measuring equipment. Just know that one ounce is two tablespoons, and you’ll be all set. One of the best ways to start customizing your drink is with flavored syrups. Many drinks are sweetened with simple syrup, which is just a mixture of equal parts sugar and water, heated until the sugar dis-
solves. For the holidays, try adding spices like cinnamon sticks or cloves or fruit like cranberries. The longer the syrup sits, the better its flavor, so consider making it the night before you’ll be mixing your drinks. Just make sure to strain out the spices beforehand. If you’re having a crowd over for the holidays, you probably don’t want to stand around mixing everyone their own drink. Instead, consider making a pitcher cocktail. Start with a base like sparkling water or juice, then add liquor of your choice. Try white wine, orange liqueur and apple cider for a cold-weather take on sangria. You can also let people make their own drinks with a cocktail station. Just set out a few different flavored syrups, some booze, garnishes like citrus slices and a big bowl of ice. For those of you who aren’t 21 yet, never fear. The principles for making great cocktails also apply to making great nonalcoholic drinks. It’s best not to just take the liquor out of a classic drink recipe though. Instead, look for other ingredients, like spicy ginger beer or tart cranberry juice, to help balance out the sugar. The recipe
below was inspired by a drink served at Colicchio & Sons on 10th Avenue. It’s equally delicious with or without the optional alcohol.
Le Petite Poire Ingredients For syrup: 6 cinnamon sticks 1 cup raw or light brown sugar 1 cup water For drink: 1 1/2 ounces dark rum 1 ounce pear juice, chilled 1 ounce sparkling apple juice, chilled 1 slice lemon Instructions For the syrup: Combine the cinnamon sticks, sugar and water in a small pot. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Let cool, then strain out the cinnamon. For the drink: Combine the pear juice, rum and 1/2 ounce of the cinnamon syrup in the bottom of a glass and stir. Top with apple juice and lemon slice, then serve. Email Kendall Levison at klevison@nyunews.com.
How to not wear a scarf
By GRACE DIXON Contributing Writer
To the burbs and back, here are some prime examples to avoid when tying the knot on your winter scarf.
The Mom Loop Alternatively referred to as the Mom Noose, the scarf is folded in half to create a loop through which the other end of the scarf is pulled. This creates a noose around the victim’s neck, insulating the naked skin from bitter winter winds. Intended for maximum neck warmth and utility while requiring minimum skill level, this style is favored by moms over the age of 35 with two or more children. While utilitarian, this style raises several questions. What does one do with the ends of the scarf ? How warm does one’s neck need to be? Should one be careful about the strangulation dangers from pulling too tightly? Is there any kind of scarf that can make this style attractive?
The Grandma Shawl Often accompanied by pullovers of varying pastel shades as well as sensible shoes, the scarf is draped over the shoulders
and tied in front, over the chest. The scarf’s power of warmth travels through the cashmere sweater set to the wearer. Two significant variations include the East Coast grandmother’s drape, usually attempted with a silkier variety, and the Florida species whose natural habitat of frigid indoor malls demands a heavier material. This particular style holds no value outside of these parameters. In such situations the scarf becomes functionally impractical, allowing for limited upward range of motion in the arms. Any movement above the shoulders results in the scarf being unsettled, requiring readjustment.
As a Non-Scarf Clothing Item Why wear a scarf as a scarf when you can wear it as a belt, a shirt or a trendy vest? As with any other Pinterest tutorial, however, this one should be taken with a grain of salt. Yes, it’s impressive you can tie a scarf into a lightweight vest, and yes, everyone can still tell that it’s a scarf. Not intended for the faint of heart, this style presents a steep challenge for novices, leaving them to question the benefits of learning such an art. Lacking in utility as well as aesthetic
appeal, audiences come to the conclusion that the style’s sole benefit lies in the bragging rights awarded to the select few who master such a skill.
As a Hijab While recent pop culture has sought to hypersexualize the hijab by disassociating the religious accessory from its original connotations, doing so dismisses centuries of religious significance. While celebrity figures such as Khloe Kardashian and Lady Gaga have donned head coverings on red carpets on Instagram as stylish or sexualized accessories, doing so disregards its original implications. The hijab holds deep religious significance, symbolizing the relationship between a woman and her creator. The head covering is intended to de-emphasize a woman’s outward appearance in order to compel others to focus on her true personality. With the clear exception of practicing Muslim women, wearing a hijab to feel “exotic” or “foreign” is unacceptable. In short, there are countless ways to drape a blanket scarf for warmth in winter months, many of which do not require cultural appropriation. Email Grace Dixon
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2015 | NYUNEWS.COM
Letter From The Editor “So what are we?” It’s the question that defines our generation’s attitude toward love and relationships. We ask it of ourselves, our significant others, our hookup buddies: What are we doing? What is this thing that is happening? How do we label it? Each of these pieces, both in the issue and on our Under the Arch blog, tries to tackle this question from a different personal perspective. Though some might argue that love is an eternal concept, each generation grapples with it in a different way. The importance of the personal narrative, to both the writer and the reader, is that it allows us to discuss romantic love in all of its different stages and forms, whether it’s hookup culture or long-term relationships. I want this issue to provide a space where, as a community, we can begin to showcase and share our experiences as a way to understand the way relationships work — or don’t — instead of trying to dissect every situation and define every detail. - Grace Halio
Photo by Phoebe Walsh Photo by
When we don't talk about love
BY THOMAS DEVLIN MANAGING EDITOR
ristian Forte Staff photo by Ch
At the end of the third date, there was a sense of expectation. I stood there, awkwardly using my umbrella as a kind of cane and not quite sure what to say in this situation. In a brilliant showing by my sympathetic nervous system, I decided to say, “I’m bad with physical contact,” and run away. I learned a lot about myself that day. Up to that point, my aversion to human contact was what I would call a lovable quirk. People could just roll their eyes when I avoided hugging and, being Irish, it wasn’t like there were a lot of kiss-on-the-cheek hellos in the family. For the majority of my life, I assumed that if I were in a romantic context I would get over it and it would be fine. But that wasn’t what happened, and that made things far more complex. To clarify, it is not as though I am against physical contact in theory — in fact it’s the opposite. I compare it to skydiving: it’s very easy to say, “Yeah, I would totally do that,” but things change when you’re actually at the door of the airplane. Trying to figure out what is blocking me from contact has required a decent amount of self-psychoanalysis. This is a strange concept: needing to sit down and stir through theories about why you are able or unable to do something. And in darker moments, it has led to the idea that perhaps I’m fundamentally broken and will never be able to truly connect with another person. However, the root cause of this loneliness falls somewhere else. One thing I’ve determined is that I have a set of relationship schemas. These are a set of rules that define how a relationship should work. You meet, you get coffee, you go on a date and on and on until death. One of these steps is, of course, first kiss. Attempting this is where I discovered that maybe my schemas are wrong. If I had to blame anything for forming
these arbitrary rules, it would be sitcoms — which I watched a lot of.These created the illusion for me that there is a correct way for a relationship to work. Unfortunately, people don’t always fit perfectly into a “Seinfeld” plot. They do not operate through schema, and each relationship is different because not everyone can be classified as a Jerry, Kramer, George or Elaine. This is not to say that I was consciously mapping out relationships. But when the same narrative gets told enough times, it becomes embedded into the mind. The world is inundated with voices that tell us what love is like, and it is only possible to hear the loudest voices in this conversation. The loudest are not always the best. The only way to fight this is to recognize the random rules we have accumulated and develop a more complex idea of what love can be. People need to talk to one another and look within themselves to find out what they want, not what they’re supposed to want.We cannot learn about love using someone else’s definition. Figuring out relationships without schema is hard. It’s much easier to just follow a script than to have to tell the person you’re with that you’re not comfortable kissing them yet. But the discussion is worth it. This would be a good place to talk about how I have found someone who has helped me through my idiosyncrasies. Unfortunately, I can’t because that hasn’t happened, and I generally don’t talk about this aloud. All the more reason to start. Lastly, a case for why we need to talk about love in the first place. It can seem like it is a frivolous topic, but love impacts all of us deeply. If we want to connect with others, we cannot try to fit them into the vision of how we see the world. And at the very least, talking to others about love is a great starting point to loving others.
NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2015 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
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Interview with the editor ofModern Love
BY GRACE HALIO DEPUTY FEATURES EDITOR
Dan Jones is the editor of Modern Love, a weekly New York Times column that features personal narratives from people grappling with the concept of love. WSN chatted with Jones about the evolution of modern love, how we understand it and what it means to college students. WSN: What do you think the role of the Modern Love column is? Dan Jones: I think we learn through storytelling, and because these are all real stories that are very emotional, there’s always a problem and a conflict in them. I think that people identify with that, and they appreciate hearing how someone has come through something and what they’ve learned from it. WSN: Do you think that there’s a way to define modern love, and if there is, has that changed over time?
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Dan Jones: I think one change that’s happened is that we have more ways that we can try to not show our vulnerabilities. Technology is just a tool, it’s not bad or good by itself. If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t want to show your cards or doesn’t want to show your feelings, I think it can sort of help people avoid confronting their feelings. But there are two sides to it. People have these very deep, electronic-only relationships where they feel like they can confess anything online as long as they’re behind that screen. WSN: Do you think that college students have a more naive viewpoint about love? Dan Jones: I would never generalize to that degree. We’ve had three college contests now over seven years, and what I find interesting and kind of refreshing is that college students seem to have these highly romantic notions about how their lives
Artist Ajit Johnson gained plenty of attention last April for his art campaign called “#ThisGeneration.” Ironically, his critiques of technologyobsessed millennials went viral on social media platforms like Tumblr. Perhaps the hashtag helped. Criticisms of millennials — my generation usually don’t bother me, but one image among the score of minimalist posters struck me. A figure sits on his bed, staring into his laptop’s screen. Johnson labels this exchange as a date, but it’s obvious that he doesn’t regard it as such. “You look so cute today baby,” the figure reads. “Cyber smoooch.” I’ve found myself in the same position countless times over the last two years. Evan and I have been together since high school, and while the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is only an hour away on the LIRR, the school’s regimented style and mandatory internships in the maritime industry
WSN: How has the column impacted your life? Dan Jones: I’ve been married for decades. I think the first impulse for so many people is to be judgemental. I see that in response to columns, stories, where people are confessing being confused, or not being able to figure out their love lives. It’s complicated.To try to simplify it into a set of rules or some sort of judgement is naive. I really appreciate the complexities of relationships and what people go through, and I feel very empathetic toward people going through those difficulties. WSN: I think that it’s really difficult to define what modern love is, especially at a college age. Would you agree that the function of the column is to broaden people’s perspectives about love? Dan Jones:A lot of readers like to read about their own lives and their own situations, but I really like to read more about people’s lives who are not like mine, and I’m really curious about these strange situations that people find themselves in, and the hard choices they face. So I feel like the extent of the column represents broad experience due to that curiosity of mind, of really wanting to hear it all.
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Love can go the distance
should play out, but they’re also really deeply cynical. They think it’s never going to happen that way. So those two things are kind of hard to reconcile. How you can have really romantic ideals but also never believe that’s going to happen on some level? And I’m not sure why that’s spread so wide, but in so many of these essays, people talk so much of the coarseness of the hookup culture, and all of that. In some of these essays, people are desperate for real emotional connections. So I don’t think that’s naivete really, I think there’s some sort of split between what we want and what we feel like we can get.
BY ANNE CRUZ COPY CHIEF
have tested us, just like any other long-distance relationship. Since first-year students at his school have limited access to their cell phones, our primary form of communication is Skype. When he’s on his mandatory internships on a maritime vessel, I only hear from him when his ship docks in U.S. ports or when he uses an ancient relic of a computer in the ship’s engine control room. For almost two years, our relationship has existed primarily online. but that doesn’t make it any less significant. Technology allowed us to support one another in ways that are otherwise impossible when your loved one is hopelessly far away. In high school, Evan and I would spend almost every waking minute together. We would go to swim practice together, meet during passing periods, spend lunch together with our friends and get tacos after school. Then, in the course of a week, we went from seeing each
other face-to-face for hours each day to nothing. On Tuesday, we graduated; on Saturday, he boarded a plane to New York for basic training. It was hardest in the beginning. During those first few weeks, all he had was a five-minute phone call each Sunday — and that was for his parents. Evan wrote as often as he could, but I was abroad for a month and didn’t get them until I got home. At one point, I just broke down. I remember sobbing while sitting on an airport terminal floor, calling his cell phone just to hear his voicemail message. Fortunately, he borrowed a friend’s phone and called me. I was so happy to finally hear from him, yet so broken from not being able to hear or see my best friend. He asked me why I was crying, and I couldn’t find a way to give him an honest answer. After we started using Skype, it got better. We still experienced hardships, from petty ones where the
NYU wifi would crap out, to the more serious ones where we’d rather slam our laptops shut than talk things out. Yet, it was better than not having the option to speak at all. Usually, we’re on Skype for hours on end — sometimes we just do our homework in silence, occasionally interjecting to share a funny video or bitch about our assignments. It’s a new normal. My perceived preoccupation with my phone or laptop doesn’t make me a mindless millennial in a new age of modern love. It makes me human, with human desires to connect with the person I love, even if he might be on a ship in Pakistan or at school in Kings Point, Long Island. Technology isn’t the enemy of intimacy, it’s just a new way of facilitating it. Maybe my dates on Skype aren’t the same as getting tacos after school. But despite the distance, the love that keeps us going is still the same.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2015 | NYUNEWS.COM
What comes after Falling
think so. In my head, I still wanted him to come back, just like they do in the movies, and take it all back. I was waiting to see him standing outside my house begging me to get back together. It was more of a matter of pride for me than an emotional need. But he never showed up and so my wish never came true. Will he ever know I wanted that? Probably not. Why? Because I did not want to seem weak. He might never know that he hurt me, but in the end I’m glad he did. I had to be hurt to realize I needed to heal myself. It forced me to see that change was necessary. I did not want to be the little girl anymore who was afraid to feel any strong emotions and who could not speak up for what she wanted. I wanted to be more than that. And eventually I thought to myself: You simply cannot get up if you don’t fall in the first place. It took a long time for me to come to that conclusion. It took many more wrong people, more mistakes along the way to see that I could not and did not want to keep going on that way. Now, almost three years later, I think I am slowly coming to terms with who I really am, trying not to judge myself so hard, letting down my guard, letting other people in and staying away from those who hold me back. I want to see myself grow, like a young person of my age should. One step at a time. Slowly, but surely. At my own pace.
Anna Bert Original photo by a Bojanini tin len Va by d Edite
Staff photo by Christian Forte
Growing up I was shy and very uptight. In many ways I think I still am and I can’t name a specific reason for that. I grew up in a family of divorced parents, but even though I saw my family fall apart I still somehow held onto a very perfect model of what falling in love should be like and how relationships should be. Then I got my first slap in the face. For the first time, little me had to deal with her supposedly perfect world falling to her feet. All it took was a regular Thursday afternoon, me, and a car with him in it. I was not greeted with a hug or kiss like the other days, and then I immediately knew. “Sorry. I can’t do this anymore,” he said with a cold look on his face. I still remember feeling numb and being in shock. I uttered maybe two or three angry words. I couldn’t even look him in the eyes. I opened the door, walked out and never looked back. I went through all the stages of grief: I was mad, then sad, later angry blaming the other person for having the audacity to think he could break my heart. “Who does he think he is?” I remember thinking to myself. I never even let myself cry, as if crying would be a sign of weakness. I kept it all inside trying to be strong, to show others but mostly myself that nothing and no one could ever bring me down no matter how hard they tried. But was I really as cold and untouched as I seemed to be? I don’t
BY MARITA VLACHOU MANAGING EDITOR
the kisslist My first kiss was a mess. It had all the hallmarks of a first kiss — the near miss, the awkward angle, the realization of how strange it is to put your mouth on another person’s mouth and then it was over. My second first kiss happened a couple of days into my freshman year of college. The third was in the stairwell of my freshman dorm. The fourth is blurry. Five and six happened the same night, and that’s when I decided to make a list. It was Halloween. I threw on some fake eyelashes and a witch hat and went out into the world with 20 of my closest friends. We found a Halloween party in Midtown and decided for some strange reason that this was how we wanted to spend our night. We split like a search party in the crowd — the ritual our generation has become known for. Get drunk, flirt, hook up, never speak again. Number five was dressed as Caesar. He looked like an offbrand Justin Timberlake and said he was a “DJ.” He kissed me and friend-requested himself on my phone. Eventually I got bored and walked away. Number six happened on my walk to the pizza place that same night when a young-looking Brit stopped me and said, “Excuse me, my name’s Nick, will you be my girlfriend?” I was completely caught off guard. “No…?” I said and assumed that was the end of our conversation. But it wasn’t. “Well I’ll go away if you give me a kiss,” and in a move that still surprises me today, I kissed him. The next day, as I woke up with the world spinning and a pounding headache, I pieced together my night. To me, one drunken make out in a night was fine, but two seemed a little excessive. I don’t know what exactly I thought was
BY VALENTINA BOJANINI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
going to happen because of it, but I felt like I had broken some cardinal rule: Thou shalt not make out with two people in one night. I needed to confess my sins so I reached for my phone and opened a new note: “Halloween: Caesar, British Nick.” Writing it down gave me back the control I’d lost in my drunken haze. I decided to own the moment and embrace it. And then I went all the way back to the beginning and wrote down every other first kiss. It seemed wrong to give two random people so much importance on a note by themselves. Since that night, it has become a running list. For a while I tried to turn my list into something more meaningful. I divided the names into categories: important, not that important, irrelevant. Later, I tried to give details — who they were, how I met them, what happened later. But it was too much. It didn’t quite matter who they were or what they mean to me now, they just all had something in common. A fleeting moment of connection, and a kiss. Some of them were definitely mistakes, only two I wish I could take back, but a few are people who have changed the way I see love. The latter group is why I haven’t deleted my list. Seeing their names is like the tether that connects me to them. They hit me with a shock to my nervous system reminding me of how raw and open I was with them and how I haven’t been quite the same since. As a self-proclaimed commitmentphobe, I constantly find myself trying to fight against the vulnerability of attachment. It scares me. But in some small way, acknowledging the moments I shared with these people helps me face my fears. It gives me back the power to feel when the pull of denial is so strong.
NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2015 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
How do you tell a boy you like him?
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BY KAVISH HARJAI SENIOR EDITOR
Staff photo by Christian Forte
One time in elementary school, at the ripe age of 7 or 8, my girlfriend said she liked someone else. I didn’t really care about her, though, because I had a crush on the boy she wanted to leave me for. I never told him I liked him because, in my 7 or 8 years, I hadn’t learned how to tell a boy I liked him. The only control I had in my life was whether I actually napped or not during nap time. Any other situation, such as forbidden gay love, fell right through my fingers. The first time I worked up the courage to tell a boy my feelings for him was old school:Yahoo! Mail. We were in 8th grade. He was one of my closest friends and straight. One night we went to see the new “Twilight” movie, but it was just as friends. All I could think about while writing the email professing what felt like love was his red cheeks when he came to get me for the movie. Email, as it turned out, wasn’t a successful conduit for the feelings of a hormonal gay 13-year-old who liked a straight boy. Writing the email gave a false sense of confidence — I could write everything I wanted to say and look it over a million times. Hitting send, however, was like getting hit with a brick. After I sent those few words into cyberspace, I couldn’t stop them. The email was sent, but to no avail because straight boys, especially those in 8th grade, generally do not go for their gay best friend. So I recoiled back into my head and refrained from ever sharing the dreaded emotions that compelled me to write that first email again. Maybe the best way to explain my feelings wasn’t from behind a computer screen. It was okay, I told myself — I’m learning. The next time I told a boy I liked him was in high school. He was a curly, long-haired hockey player who smoked too much weed. My life in this moment seemed to be taken straight out of the
screenplay for a “Degrassi” episode. We had dates during lunch period and saw “Wreck-It Ralph” together. We texted each other about our reciprocated feelings. But a week later, we stopped seeing each other. The digital revolution had failed me. If not through email or text messaging, maybe feelings were better expressed in person, I thought. I wanted to tell a guy I lived with freshman year of college that I liked him a lot, like a lot a lot. After I drunkenly initiated a lackluster kiss, someone opened the door to the suite and we immediately jumped back from each other. There was no magical spark or fire that started. We just live our lives now as if it never happened. Four Loko is no one’s friend. Since then, there have been some successes and failures, but mostly failures. Most recently, I shared my feelings in a more intimate setting: on my bed after a “Parks and Recreation” mini-marathon. It was the first of two occasions that ended with me wanting to be in a relationship and him wanting to be noncommittal friends with benefits. Now I can’t help but feel defeated. I first thought having control over a keyboard or a home-field advantage would give me control of the real-life situation. Then I realized the constant search for control, a product of my ambitious personality, could be the main culprit — the biggest cockblock — in my unfulfilling love life. And so I offer this advice. If your romantic life consists of relationships defined by awkward drunk kisses or flat-out rejections, try to stand back from the situation and let yourself be vulnerable — give up control. I’m not sure if it’s going to work but, next time I tell a boy I like him, I’m going to give it a try.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2015 | NYUNEWS.COM
OPINION
EDITED BY TOMMY COLLISON OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
RELATIONSHIPS
Staying single can be a matter of economic practicality By CHRISTINA COLEBURN Senior Editor Millennials are projected to overtake the Baby Boomers as the nation’s largest generation by the end of this year. Political leanings, social views and, notably, attitudes on love and marriage all distinguish this younger generation from its more antiquated counterparts. Study after study shows that fewer millennials are married or in serious relationships, but this trend does not necessarily stem from a rejection of commitment as some Baby Boomers believe. When gauging interest in marriage among 18- to 34-yearolds, 56 percent said they were “never married and want to get
married.” For many, the decision to stay single longer is a matter of practicality. With the economic opportunity and income advancement that bachelor’s degrees can bring, many millennials have chosen to go to college to boost employment prospects with higher education. After undergraduate schooling, some even choose to enter graduate programs to further their education. For those who have taken out student loans, it can take years to pay off the debt, all while finding gainful employment. It is extremely difficult to handle these economic constraints on one’s own. Taking on the financial pressures of a romantic partner alongside one’s personal
financial burden could be even more stressful. Given the current economic climate, it is wise for millennials to recognize the importance of becoming financialy stable before settling down. Rushing a committed relationship or marriage before one has the capacity to sustain it could prove to be devastating. When polled, millennials seem to be earnestly considering
the prerequisites of marriage. An August 2015 survey found that nearly 80 percent of 18- to 29-yearolds say it is important to have some savings and pay off debt before getting married, while about 60 percent say it is important to finish college. These numbers should be encouraging to parents of millennials. Every year that millenials put off marriage is another year contributing to their future earning potential, while any marriage built on rocky financial grounds is much more prone to end in tragedy. Sensible priorities help make for responsible adults who can navigate a marriage with maturity when the time comes to choose a life partner. While millennials are postpon-
ing long-term commitment, the reason for this delay is not necessarily predicated on dismissiveness of marriage. As the nature of the economy and the expectations of U.S. culture have shifted, so have the conditions in which millennials can consider settling down. This does not mean that millennials will never walk down the aisle, just that the prerequisites have changed. While some Baby Boomers may be eagerly awaiting the day that their daughter or son finally says “I Do,” these parents will need to come to terms that their grown children may not yet be ready to get married. Email Christina Coleburn at ccoleburn@nyunews.com.
TECHNOLOGY
Love in the time of the Facebook ‘seen’ By MANDY FREEBAIRN Staff Writer When my boyfriend’s grandmother found out her husband had been put in a Venezuelan prison for protesting a dictatorial regime, she took the fivehour bus ride to visit him. She wasn’t allowed inside to see him, but still she returned every week for a year to deliver baked goods, hoping they would reach him inside. By contrast, I have spent an inordinate amount of time today wondering about a girl’s comment on my boyfriend’s Instagram photo. With grand gestures and grand sacrifices replaced with the convenience of social media, long-distance love has
changed — particularly in regards to trust. With the knowledge that a reply is just a few taps away, we’ve become expectant and impatient with each other. And with the “seen” notification, we’ve become mistrusting with each other as well. The digital age has certainly made long-distance relationships easier. Skype dates and Snapchat, though nonexistent 10 years ago, have become as much staples of long-distance romance as the love letters and promise rings of the past. And although missing your significant other is inevitable, it’s hard to feel truly lonely when he or she is just an iMessage away. But while technology makes it easier to communicate
with those we love, it also invites us to invade their privacy at our leisure. No matter how much you may trust your significant other, it’s hard to resist checking up on them when it’s so glaringly easy to do so. We’ve all heard the horror stories from the Ashley Madison leak, where men were exposed soliciting affairs and marriages fell apart as a result. Just last week, a
friend of mine found one of our high school classmates on Tinder, something that I doubt his long-distance girlfriend is aware of. Stories like these make us hyper-vigilant in our own relationships. We find ourselves looking through friend lists, Facebook stalking, analyzing Instagram comments — all searching for reasons to feel betrayed. What it amounts to is unnecessary anxiety about our significant others which wouldn’t even exist without social media. I’m not saying that all hope is lost, nor am I suggesting that we all burn our iPhones in effigy. But relationships, especially long-distance relationships, are hard enough; there’s
no need to further complicate them by worrying about text messages. The beauty of the digital age and the beauty of relationships are one and the same: they allow us to share our lives with another. But to preserve our sanity, we must be able balance the privacy of a relationship with the publicity of technology. In the age of read receipts, it’s all too easy to make something out of nothing The only way to remedy that is through honest communication and trust. The next time you find yourself worrying about an ambiguous emoji, do the oldfashioned thing and ask. Email Mandy Freebairn at opinion@nyunews.com.
MATRIMONY
Modern families need a push for paternity leave By SHIVA DARSHAN Staff Writer The question “Can women have it all?” comes up more frequently in public discussion. Women are gaining equal footing with men in the workplace, yet the onus is still on them for childcare and housework. Balancing responsibilities at work and home is a herculean task. Yet the question seems to forget men. It assumes that even as women enter the workforce, they are still responsible for the majority of housework. This idea just reinforces gender roles that expect women to be homemakers and men breadwinners. Men should be able to take up more of the role of homemak-
ers, but men who attempt to do so face massive stigma. In the workplace, men who try to take bigger role in childcare have to deal with judgments from the colleagues and bosses. Many companies do not even offer paternity leave, so whatever leave fathers may take is a mishmash of sick days and vacation days. Even with companies that offer paternity leave, men face a corporate culture that severely discourages taking time off for family. Men who asked for family leave were perceived as more feminine and were more likely to suffer negative career consequences. Corporate attitudes towards parental leave also reinforce traditional gender roles. Fathers make on average
6 percent more than their childless male colleagues, and mothers make on average 4 percent less than their childless female colleagues. Researchers credit this to the expectation that the fathers would work harder to provide for the family while mothers would take more time off to take care of the families. For example, when fathers ask for family leave, they suffer even
greater wage losses than mothers who ask for family leave. These outdated expectations result in fathers not utilizing the leave they are offered, often taking less than a week of paternity leave. Yet when men take long paternity leaves, they are more likely to take an equitable share of household duties and child care. They are also much more involved with their children throughout their life and longer paternity leave correlates with better outcomes for children. The University of Oslo has shown early fatherly involvement leads to high performance in secondary school, particularly among girls. Furthermore, girls whose fathers were more involved
with housework and childcare are more ambitious in their careers and less afraid of going into male dominated industries. And women whose husbands take long paternity leaves have a reduced risk of postpartum depression and higher career earnings. Greater involvement in the family by fathers lead to better outcomes for everyone involved. It challenges gender norms and passes on important lessons about equality to children. True gender equality is unattainable until the stigma against men taking on traditionally feminine roles stops. Email Shiva Darshan at opinion@nyunews.com.
NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2015 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
OPINION
EDITED BY TOMMY COLLISON OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
DIVERSITY
STAFF EDITORIAL
Canadian parliament a diversity model to follow By EMILY FONG Staff Writer With the victory of the Liberal Party earlier this year, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made a point of building an executive cabinet that “looks like Canada.” Trudeau’s efforts have created the most diverse cabinet in Canadian history with several members of color, younger officials aged 35 to 50 and a mix of political veterans and newcomers. Trudeau also followed through on a campaign promise to ensure that half of the cabinet would be made up of women. When asked about why he felt these choices were pertinent, Trudeau answered simply, “Because it’s 2015.” At first glance, Canada’s progress seems impressively out of reach by United States standards. However, this cynical way of thinking is unnecessary, because Canada has shown that it is important to include representation in government. Moreover, Canada has shown that achieving a diverse government is not a difficult task at all. In the United States, significant representation in politics is almost like a pipe dream for many minor-
ity groups. Congress, for instance, is often seen as the ultimate bastion of the wealthy, white, male elite. In recent years, Congress has made progress as voters have elected more minority members to its ranks. Unfortunately, the sad reality is that the standards for diversity are disturbingly low. Women make up 20 percent of representatives in the current Congress. In the House, 20.2 percent of representatives were people of color, while they made up only 6 percent of the Senate. Representation in all public channels, whether it is in movies or on the news, is crucial in multicultural nations like the United States or Canada. This concept is especially important in politics, since the political system has the biggest influence on the everyday living conditions of minority groups. In some cases,
the inclusion of different minority groups and their perspectives in the legislative process can change the style of the procedure drastically. For example, studies have shown that female legislators more often support progressive policies regarding the environment, the economy and the social safety net. Both conservative and liberal women introduce more legislation on education, civil rights and labor than their male counterparts. With the upcoming U.S. general election, Americans have a responsibility to turn out on Nov. 3 and elect the diverse government so many of us seem to want. Without voters applying pressure to change, the upper levels of government will stubbornly remain the modern version of the Old Boys Club. Trudeau told reporters “Canadians from all across this country sent a message that it is time for real change.” Perhaps it is time for Americans to look to their northern neighbors and follow the excellent example they have set. Email Emily Fong at opinion@nyunews.com.
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
TPP limits creative expression By ABRAHAM GROSS Staff Writer The recent release of the longsecret Trans-Pacific Partnership — a trade agreement with 12 signatory countries, including the United States — has prompted controversy. The agreement has been criticized for its pro-corporate leanings, and the full text reveals just how far the signatories have catered to big business interests. In particular, the extension of copyright in the TPP threatens creative expression across the Pacific and sets a dangerous precedent for the future. In Article 18.63, the TPP guarantees copyright protection for the life of an author and an additional 70 years after the author’s death. Signatory countries that have copyright protection until 50 years after the death of the author will all be bound by this new limit once the agreement is ratified. The fact that this protection has often been dubbed “the Mickey Mouse clause” explains why it is so appealing to corporations. It guarantees that creations are protected from unauthorized reproduction and reuse. But this provision also limits the
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creative expression of citizens in TPP countries, because it lacks a provision that people in the United States are privileged to have: Fair Use. The Copyright Act of 1976 grants U.S. citizens the right to reproduce copyrighted work for criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship and research. This Fair Use clause allows individuals, under certain parameters, to reproduce copyrighted work for creative purposes without permission or a royalty payment. This reproduction can take the form of satire or political commentary, both subversive forms of entertainment that depend on the protection of free expression. Though the TPP recommends in Article 18.66 that all parties “endeavour to achieve an appropriate balance” and give “due consideration” to simi-
lar uses as those under Fair Use, “due consideration” is a pathetic excuse for a lack of a mandated system. The copyright extension in the TPP should have been accompanied by a version of Fair Use, and by not guaranteeing protection for criticism and comment, this trade agreement is a de facto extension of a legal prison sentence for creative expression. Not only is Fair Use necessary for unfettered artistic expression, but it also helps immortalize intellectual properties in the cultural consciousness, elevating mass media to art. It is hard to imagine “Star Wars” would have been nearly as influential if it were not parodied, reinterpreted and reimagined, maintaining relevance and sales value through continual rebirth. Works that do not tolerate change and rejuvenation risk going stale. Even if a TPP without Fair Use is in the interest of creators and companies alike, society as a whole suffers when creations are segregated from the rest of popular culture. Email Abraham Gross at opinion@nyunews.com.
Education, job listing ruins Tinder
If there is one thing that is emblematic of modern love, it’s Tinder. Above all else, the design of the app is liberating. It parades a line of faces, each attached to a name and a brief self-description, and users simply need to swipe right if they’re attractive, left if they’re not. The formula combines the convenience of portable dating with the impulsiveness of acrossthe-room glances, creating a dating experience free of the pretensions and tiptoes of traditional dating. As co-founder Sean Rad put it, Tinder “removes all the social barriers, all the psychological barriers with meeting someone.” If you like their face and their bio isn’t terribly off-putting, you can get in contact — there’s nothing else to it. Tinder’s newly released update, which pulled education and job information from Facebook and placed it on every user’s profile, challenges the bold promise of carefree dating. After all, people have selected potential partners by job and educational attainment for a long time. And when partners select by income brackets, they create income-stratified households that contribute to inequality and immobility. Free love, which can unite households of different socioeconomic strata, can contribute significantly to improving economic equality, especially as more and more Tinder relationships end in marriage. By including information about employment and education, Tinder is narrowing relationship prospects the same way that people have always done. Whether consciously or unconsciously, people judge each other by their earning prospects, particularly on traditional dating sites where that information is front and center. But there was a reason Tinder caught on like a storm amidst a sea of traditional dating sites. Tinder offered something that no other site did: unique simplicity, a service that appealed to a different kind of relationship experience. In a world full of sites with profiles that read like job applications, Tinder empowered a different kind of user through a streamlined, intuitive platform, encouraging them to show rather than tell and to speak to each other rather than rush to judgment by glancing at bullet-points. When forging a relationship, a self-description is no substitute for real conversation, and Tinder made it so anyone could have that conversation, regardless of economic barriers. By stripping away all the baggage of traditional dating, Tinder had the potential to renew the belief in love indivisible by class and to become an integral part of a more egalitarian future. But instead, it joins the ranks of sites where users with less social and economic capital suffer, where users pore over virtual resumes before even beginning a conversation. By imposing this new standard for all users, the creators behind Tinder have removed a part of the freedom that initially made their app so unique.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2015 | NYUNEWS.COM
SPORTS
EDITED BY BOBBY WAGNER SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM
Women’s basketball eats over break By MICHAEL THOMPSON Deputy Sports Editor
VIA GONYUATHLETICS.COM
Senior Patrick Burns scored a career best and game-hightying 22 points in Sunday’s game versus MCLA.
Men’s basketball routs MCLA with fast breaks By BRANDON HERRERA Staff Writer
During Thanksgiving Break, the NYU men’s basketball team took care of business, handily winning their game and improving their record to 4-0 on the season. On Sunday, NYU continued their early hot streak after blowing out the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 97-67 to remain undefeated. The Violets’ went on a dominating 21-6 run to start the game and never looked back. NYU dominated MCLA in every aspect during the win, but excelled under the tin and in transition. The Violets outscored the Trailblazers 72-32 in the paint and 20-2 in fast break points. The team stretched their lead to as much as 35 points during the game. Senior forward Patrick Burns finished the game with a careerhigh 22 points on 8-13 shooting from the field. He also recorded eight rebounds. Three of his field goals were intimidating dunks and the first two of those forced an early timeout by MCLA.
Gontikas tied his career-high of 22 points in just 15 minutes of game time. He also grabbed six rebounds, had two assists and a steal. NYU finished with an impressive 28 assists as a team, with nine different Violets serving up at least one. Ralby led all players with seven. Ralby also pulled down a game-best nine boards. When asked about how the team has gotten off to such a great start, Burns reflected on the team’s ability to adapt. “Coming in, we had a huge change to adapt to with the change in coaching staff,” Burns said. “We were able to overcome some of the challenges this brings through our senior leadership and great work ethic, which helped maintain our principles that brought us success last year.” The Violets will return to the court on Wednesday, Dec. 2, when they face-off against John Jay College. The game will be at Coles with a scheduled tip-off at 7 p.m. Email Brandon Herrera at sports@nyunews.com.
NYUNEWS.COM
The beginning of the holiday season couldn’t stop the NYU women’s basketball team in its march to the NCAA Tournament. The Violets soundly defeated Baruch College 72-54 on Wednesday and showed no signs of a turkey-induced hangover on Saturday against Johns Hopkins University, holding a comfortable lead the entire way en route to a 49-38 victory. On Wednesday, the Violets traveled to ARC Arena to play Baruch College. The game was close during the first quarter, which saw eight lead changes in a tightly contested ten minutes. In the second quarter, junior forward Lindsey Oldshue gave the Violets a 21-19 advantage. Refusing to relinquish their lead, the Violets stayed steady on offense and outscored Baruch 24-14 in the second quarter. They extended their lead further in the second half and held Baruch to just six points in the fourth quarter. The Violets’ run was powered by senior forward Megan Dawe’s dominance in the first half. Finishing with her first double-double of the season, Dawe scored all of her 18 points in the first half, with 12 in the second quarter. She also
dominated on the boards, grabbing ten rebounds. With Dawe quiet in the second half, the Violets looked to other players to fill the offensive void. Junior forward Kaitlyn Read and senior captain Maya Wasowicz scored ten points apiece, while junior guard Amy Harioka and senior captain Riley Wurtz scored a combined 13 points in the second half. Returning from Thanksgiving break, the Violets traveled to Maryland to play Johns Hopkins University. The Violets raced out to a 10-0 lead and never looked back. Led by Dawe’s 12, the Violets were much more balanced offensively, with six players scoring at least six points. Read, usually the Violets’ go-to scoring option, dished out a seasonhigh six assists. Dawe and Read controlled the boards again with a combined 16 points. Their effort was even more balanced than their previous game, as their attention to detail on both ends led to an even stronger defensive performance than the first game of the week. “Our focus was on improving our defense, and it definitely was better in the second game,” Wasowicz said. “Our offense came to us because of our defense.” Now ranked fifth in the country, the Violets are determined to stay
VIA GONYUATHLETICS.COM
Senior Riley Wurtz finished with eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks in Saturday’s game versus Johns Hopkins.
on track as the season continues. “We’re taking things one game at a time and focusing on getting better each day in practice,” Wasowicz said. The Violets will be back on the road on Dec. 1 against SUNY New Paltz, and with just three more games scheduled in the calendar year, the Violets hope to storm into 2016 on a wave of momentum for the NYU Holiday Classic on Jan 2. Email Michael Thompson at mthompson@nyunews.com.
Athletics for the hell of it
By BOBBY WAGNER Sports Editor
There are two recognizable athletic categories that most NYU students fit into. There are the athletes who devote significant shares of their lives to their sports. They eat, sleep and breathe their sport during the season. Then, there are the students who wouldn’t know LeBron James if he ran into them on Broadway. Sandwiched between these two categories, however, are the students who are interested in sports but aren’t Violet athletes. CAS senior Nina Singh is one of NYU’s low-profile athletes. On Nov. 14, in barely 30-degree temperature, Singh competed in the New York Road Runners Ultramarathon — a 60k race through Central Park that takes runners anywhere from four to 12 hours. Singh was one of just 300 runners to finish, but by her own admission, she is far from a varsity athlete at NYU. To her, running is a personal endeavor. “Running is very zen for me,” Singh said. “The sense of accomplishment I feel when I finish a race or a training run — there’s nothing better than that in the world.” However, Singh said it hasn’t always been easy. After only competing for a semester in high
school, she had to learn a lot of the training habits and form required on her own. Singh said despite the intense work it requires, this obscene amount of running is worth it. “60 kilometers is seven and a half hours of getting to discover yourself,” Singh said. “You get to see parts of yourself that you really can’t see in any other situation.” Some unheralded athletes at NYU are former high school athletes who didn’t want to commit to collegiate athletics, but weren’t ready to abandon the love for their sport altogether. CAS junior Kevin Zhao played basketball and tennis for the better part of his life, but when he came to New York City he couldn’t find any space to play tennis. Zhao decided to recreationally pursue his love for basketball and now plays pickup at least once a week. “I started playing basketball at Coles and Palladium when I first got to NYU,” Zhao said. “For me, it was fun not only because I liked playing basketball and it was competitive, to me it was also a social thing.” Zhao turned his recreational athletics into his NYU niche community, and because of this something that is not typically valued at the university held significant weight in his life. “I kept showing up and seeing
the same people, began talking and making friends and we were linked through our passion of basketball,” Zhao said. “Through just showing up the gym, I met some of my best friends.” He shares his story with a number of people waiting around to play pickup in the university’s gyms. Zhao also participated in the fall intramural basketball league with some of the friends he met playing pickup. For NYU students who love sports, intramurals provide a specific community where they are certain to find others who are interested in the same things as them. Much the same as any club, intramurals and pickup games are where NYU students meet some of their longest-lasting friends. Intramural sports gave Tisch 2015 graduate Kahlil Maskati a platform to strengthen the friendships that he still has post graduation. “Playing basketball not only introduced me to a new circle of friends I wouldn’t have found in my dorm or major, but it has helped me stay in touch with those friends post-grad,” Maskati said. “We met up a few times over summer to play basketball and NBA2k, and we would reminisce about those good intramural basketball times.” Email Bobby Wagner at sports@nyunews.com.
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