10/18 Issue

News: Off-campus areas provide less security Page 5

Opinion: Climate catastrophe is looming without drastic action Page 10

Sports: Men’s soccer picks up new winning streak Page 11

Life: Billy Joel exceeds expectations in concert Page 16

Old Gold&Black

WAKE FOREST’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1916 VOL. 104, NO. 7

T H U R S DAY, O C TO B E R 18 , 2 018 “Cover s the campus like the magnolias”

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Wake Forest upgrades Wait Chapel lights Wait Chapel will remain dark until the lights are replaced with an LED BY MAGGIE POWELL Contributing Writer powemr15@wfu.edu

risk management plan.” The post also cited an “unauthorized party with a keg” and DKE’s “lack of compliance” with their suspended status as other reasons for its closing. DKE had been placed on deferred suspension last year because of an initial violation of the Code of Conduct, prompting the university and the fraternity to make an agreement. The blog post’s final paragraph noted that “the two anonymous reports of sexual assault alleged to have occurred at the fraternity’s house at 1101 Polo Road on Sept. 14 were not considered in the administrative hearing and did not factor into the decision to suspend the chapter’s recognition.” For the appeal process to begin, the blog post explains that the fraternity must contest the decision within 10 days of the decision to the Student Life Committee.

Have you noticed how Wait Chapel has been mysteriously enveloped in darkness lately? The lack of light isn’t because Facilities and Campus Services is trying to get you spooked in time for Halloween. Wake Forest is currently replacing the lights that shine on the Wait Chapel bell tower with LED lights. Due to this replacement, Wait Chapel has been unlit for the past two weeks and will be unlit for the next week. The new LED lights are going to replace the old metal halide light system that has been in place since 1981. According to Brad Gwyn of Facilities and Campus Services, this change is because of both environmental and safety concerns. The new LED lights will use approximately 60 percent less energy than the old lights, reducing both money spent and environmental impact. Additionally, the light colors can be changed with the press of a button, making the color-changing process less dangerous than in the past, when a maintenance technician had to climb to three different roof areas to place a colored film over each light. With the new lights, Facilities and Campus Services will be able to easily schedule lighting and dim lights at will. Furthermore, the new LED lights are half the physical size of the old lights. While the new lights will be set at the same brightness level as the old lights, they might look slightly brighter because of the difference in light from metal halide to LED. This change is in keeping with a recent campus trend of replacing lights with LEDs. According to the Office of Sustainability’s website, in 2017, the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial (LJVM) Coliseum basketball court switched to an LED lighting system which cut energy use by over 90 percent.

See DKE, Page 6

See Lights, Page 4

Photo Courtesy of Walker Rise’s public Facebook page

One of Delta Kappa Epsilon’s traditions is the burning of their Greek letters. This event is unrelated to the recent news that the university will no longer recognize their chapter.

Fraternity to be closed down Wake Forest decided to no longer recognize Delta Kappa Epsilon, with an appeal pending BY OLIVIA FIELD Life Editor fielor17@wfu.edu Following an administrative hearing that took place on Oct. 10, the Psi Delta chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) was closed by the university on Oct. 15 for multiple violations of the Student Code of Conduct. Although the fraternity is now officially not recognized on campus, former DKE President Walker Rise said that the chapter intends to request an official appeal of the decision. The hearing took place in one session and reviewed the findings of the investigation that began on Sept. 2, directly after DKE was reported for hosting an unapproved social event at their off-

campus house and was placed on interim suspension. “Organization administrative hearings are always held with an advisory panel, composed of one faculty member, one staff member, and one student. The panel serves in an advisory capacity to a member of the Dean of Students’ staff, who presides over the hearing,” said Associate Dean of Students Matthew Clifford. Clifford also explained that administrative hearings are private, making only the decision and sanctions available to the public. The select individuals allowed in the hearing include: “the organization’s representative(s), hearing panelists, hearing officers, witnesses and assigned members of the Board of Investigators and Advisors,” according to Clifford. As stated in a blog post by the Office of Student Engagement, the chapter was closed due to a “failure to follow a mutually-agreed-upon social events

OGB

“ must be present while volunteering "Pro Humanitate" This column represents the views of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board.

Under the "basics" section of Wake Forest's "about" page, the motto is clearly listed as "Pro Humanitate," or "For Humanity." This idea, although simply stated, encompasses an important force behind many of the traditions we hold dear on campus. Hit the Bricks, Campus Kitchen, Wake n' Shake and Project Pumpkin are only a few of the many activities that are founded in the idea of "Pro Humanitate," as well as which come to define a student's experience at the university. However, our motto is often viewed as a way to hang out with friends or add a volunteering experience to one's resumé, and the more meaningful ele-

At its root, Project Pumpkin both enjoy themselves and be aware of is directly invested in the mis- the element of service when participatsions of our university's motto ing in philanthropy. With Project Pumpkin being comof Pro Humanitate..." ments of philanthropic events can often be forgotten or undermined. As Project Pumpkin's 30th festival is approaching on Oct. 24, the staff of the Old Gold & Black wants to remind students to be cognizant of the benefits that the event brings to both our campus and the Winston-Salem community. Similarly, it is important that students keep the motto of "Pro Humanitate" in mind whenever they are volunteering. Along similar lines, students should

Old Gold&Black

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WAKE FOREST UNIVERSIT Y SINCE 1916 JULIA HAINES

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF hainjm15@wfu.edu

BECKY SWIG PRINT MANAGING EDITOR swigrr15@wfu.edu

>> NEWS Lillian Johnson, johnlg16@wfu.edu Ren Schmitt, schmwm16@wfu.edu

>> SPORTS Will May, mayws16@wfu.edu

>> OPINION Ethan Bahar, bahaea15@wfu.edu David Ajamy, ajamdg15@wfu.edu

>> LIFE Olivia Field, fielor17@wfu.edu Emily Beauchamp, beauea17@wfu.edu

>> SCI & TECH Kiley Price, prickj15@wfu.edu Jonathan Trattner, tratjd17@wfu.edu

>> DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR Lizzie Snyder, snydem15@wfu.edu

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BROOKS HALLOCK BUSINESS MANAGER

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>> POLICIES

The Old Gold & Black is published Thursdays during the school year, except during examinations, summer and holiday periods, by Triangle Printing of Durham. © 2014 WFU Media Board. All rights reserved. The views expressed in all editorials and advertisements contained within this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the OGB. As part of our commitment to reporting news fairly and accurately, we will not remove any previously published content. If an error in either our online or print content is brought to our attention, we will revise the originally published article with an appended correction. In order to facilitate thoughtful and appropriate debate, profane, vulgar, or inflammatory comments on our website are not allowed and will be deleted. For more information on our commenting policy, please see our website. We reserve the right to reject advertisements deemed inappropriate. Our full policy, and how to advertise with the OGB, can be found on our website.

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The OGB welcomes submissions in the form of story tips, columns and letters to the editor. Letters to the editor should be fewer than 500 words, and columns should be around 500 words. Send yours via e-mail to hainjm15wfu.edu the Monday before publication. We reserve the right to edit all letters for length and clarity. No anonymous letters will be printed.

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prised of candy, games and a haunted house, it can be easy to get caught up in the fun. The same can be said for events like Wake n' Shake and Hit the Bricks. However, students need to place as much value on the fact that the event is a space for kids from all neighborhoods of Winston-Salem to have an enjoyable Halloween experience. Striking a balance between these two ideas is key to understanding the idea of "Pro Humanitate." At its root, Project Pumpkin is directly invested in the missions of our uni-

versity's motto. It is an event in which individuals from all different walks of life are able to come together for a universally beneficial service event. Whether it is your first year participating or you are a veteran escort, take the time to truly reflect on the ways that "Pro Humanitate" is a foundational element of Project Pumpkin and its goals. While walking around the quad with a group of kids or working the haunted house in Davis, reflect on the impacts that these simple tasks have on yourself and the greater community. Wake Forest has always placed value on its philanthropic traditions. Thus, it is imperative that us students continue to both reflect and act on the meaningful motto of "Pro Humanitate."

News | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, October 18, 2018 | Page 3

Deacon Profile: Rachel Schwam

BY LIAT KLOPOUH Contributing Writer klopla18@wfu.edu

I think it would be very beneficial (and hopefully I can make this work) if one of the Foreign Service Officers that I worked with in the past could Skype in with us from wherever they are just to get their perspectives and experiences. It would also be cool if we could get one of them who's at an embassy currently to talk to us, so I'm working on that as well. In general, I think it’s important to let people know that this kind of work is not some very distant thing; it’s going on everywhere today. Even in terms of working there are so many different options, so many bureaus, so many offices and there's really something for everyone.

Many have had moments passing judgment on policies from afar, but when it comes to Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs, those policies can have grave consequences. Senior Rachel Schwam has spent the past few years interning and volunteering for the U.S. Department of State working to resolve these sorts of issues. After a very competitive application process, the Department of State officially named Schwam as Foreign Affairs Campus Coordinator. She currently serves as a liaison between Wake Forest and the U.S. Department of State to better inform the academic community about U.S. foreign policy priorities.

What did you do at Wake Forest that led you to pursue Foreign Affairs?

How did you become interested in this kind of work? I actually did an internship at the Department of State in D.C. during the summer of 2017. I was in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs and within that bureau, I was in the Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. I was inspired to do this because of a very fascinating Foreign Service Officer called a “Diplomatin-Residence,” who I’ve been working with and who does a large component of my job. She’s given a region of the country and is in charge of outreach at different universities in that region specifically. I actually have not met her in person yet, but she’ll be coming to do an info session here and I’m very excited to meet her for the first time and be with her to answer people’s questions and give my personal experiences. What aspect of your job is most interesting to you currently? These Foreign Service Officers switch posts every two to three years, and one thing I found interesting working in this department is realizing that yes, people do move around a lot, whether it’s in D.C., in a different office or across the country, but the biggest thing is that no matter where they are, they are incredibly dedicated to something bigger than themselves. That is, they want to push out the message that the U.S. wants to promote mutual understanding abroad. Even more inspiring is that they’re going to keep pursuing their job no matter what their own political beliefs are within the changing political climate. Some of them have been there for almost 30 years; that's a lot of presidential administrations to go through! But they still keep going and doing what they know how to do best, which is being a diplomat. What are some of the things you did as an intern?

Liat Klopouh/Old Gold & Black

One example of my work was communicating with embassies about trying to figure out how we could promote awareness of the Zika virus because in the Western Hemisphere, namely in the Caribbean and Central and South America, it was becoming a big issue and it still is. So, one thing that we were trying to do was work across bureaus and with these embassies and try to figure out what kind of programming we could do that would prove effective. Some places had less bandwidth than others, so they wanted to print flyers and hang them up. Other places wanted to have camps or conventions for journalists to make sure that they were knowledgeable when reporting about the Zika virus so that when people were reading it, they would be educated. There’s also this amazing program called 100,000 Strong in the Americas that is run by someone in the office I worked in during summer 2017. It’s an educational exchange between the U.S. and countries in the Americas. People have to apply for grants to be able to do this and so that requires universities in different countries to collaborate and come up with these proposals. I was asked to be a part of this, so I got to read through grant proposals and evaluate them, and then I was able to be part

of the final selection process and voice my opinions just like everyone else was. I thought that that was incredibly interesting. Being a part of it, I felt like I was genuinely respected, and my opinions were valued. That was a great experience. When did you start feeling prepared to take on a job such as Campus Coordinator? I actually ended up taking on the Zika virus project myself after someone in the office had to go to her next post. Because of the turnover, I got nervous at first thinking, “What is this going to mean for me? Who's going to tell me what I need to do? Who's going to tell me how to do it?” But after about a month I started showing them that I wanted to be working and I wanted to take initiative. So when it came time for my supervisors to start going to their next posts, I felt comfortable taking the lead on some of those projects and being able to say that I could handle it and I knew what I was doing. That was definitely a highlight of the internship. What is something that you would like to implement at Wake Forest while working as the Campus Coordinator?

When I chose my major, I was pretty set on double majoring in Spanish and politics. I've just found that the language has come easily to me over the years. And it's beautiful. It's opened a lot of doors for me too, especially when I traveled to Spain and Costa Rica during and after high school. Eventually, after a conversation with my politics professor, I concluded that I would major in Spanish and minor in politics. Before interning at the Department of State, I hadn’t really thought about public service, but after working there and having the experience of studying in Chile last fall, I saw how public diplomacy creates personal connections across cultures and is extremely powerful. It’s definitely something down the line that I might consider. How would you connect your experience studying abroad to the work you do? I would say that from going to do an internship at the Department of State into studying abroad, it was almost like I got to put my knowledge to work in a way. I got to do public diplomacy on an individual level. When my host parents would say or do certain things that I wasn't used to, I would just have to I took a step back to realize, you know, this is their way of life and I am in their home. Just being able to put a human face to each other’s countries and each other’s culture was very eye opening. I think that if you have the chance to live abroad, study abroad, work abroad in any capacity, you can certainly educate yourself and prevent yourself from being ignorant and passing judgment without having full knowledge. When you're working across cultures this is one of the most important lessons. Working in diplomacy and foreign affairs with the Department of State not only do you represent your country, but you get to become a more global and educated citizen and I think we need more people like that.

Page 4 |Thursday, October 18, 2018

Old Gold & Black | News

Lights: LEDs are more environmentally friendly

Continued from Page 1

Like the lights on Wait Chapel, the LJVM lights are also advantageous in their ability to change color and create other visual effects easily. For example, the brightness setting of the lights can be easily adjusted. Additionally, according to an Office of Sustainability article by Suzy Mullins, with recent installments of LED lights in buildings on the Reynolda campus, there are around 1,000 LED light fixtures around the Wake Forest main campus. This switch to LEDs is part of a larger trend; Wait Chapel is not

the only monument that uses LED lights. According to the National Park Service, the Statue of Liberty and Mount Rushmore both changed their lights to LED in 2015. LED lights are known for their energy efficiency and long lifespan in comparison to other types of lights. The use of LED lights has been steadily increasing over the past years for both economic and environment reasons. Now, in addition to reducing energy usage, Wait Chapel will shine in the glow of its new lights, with more possibilities for visuals due to new color and dimming functions.

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest University

Being energy efficient with a long lifespan, the new LED lights are better for the environment and make more economic sense.

Office advises first-generation students Magnolia Scholar Office helps students navigate the college experience at Wake Forest BY NATALIE ALMS Staff Writer almsnj16@wfu.edu Junior Harry Young is a double major in philosophy and accounting. He also happens to be a first-generation Magnolia Scholar. Although this is not obvious unless he is wearing his Magnolia Scholars T-shirt, it does affect his day-to-day life at Wake Forest. First-generation students make up about nine to 12 percent of a given class at Wake Forest. After arriving on campus, lowincome and first-generation students, two groups that often but do not necessarily always overlap, face unique challenges on campus. Being a first-generation student “just means that you lack one of the main resources, which is just having a family member or parents who have gone to college,” Young said. “So that then you can ask them certain things which may seem kind of trivial to other people.” “Wake Forest can’t step outside to fix lowincome, family background, race or gen-

der,” said Dr. Nate French, director of the Magnolia Scholars. “But we can try to make the playing field as level as we can once students get here. And that’s the goal.” The Magnolia Scholars and First in the Forest programs are the resources at Wake Forest that assist first-generation students specifically. As part of the American Talent Initiative, Wake Forest is raising funds to increase the number and share of students on financial aid and the number of low-income students. So far, the Wake Will Lead campaign has raised more than $26 million in student financial aid for the Magnolia Scholars specifically. Last week, an anonymous donor added an additional $10 million gift to that sum that will be used to reduce the debt of Magnolia Scholars. A big misconception about the Magnolia Scholars is that first-generation students are receiving help for academic deficiencies, according to Nate French, director of the Magnolia Scholars. Rather, the Magnolia Scholars and First in the Forest programs provide financial aid, resources, and programming to first-generation students to ensure that they make the most of their time at Wake Forest. “I think all of our students struggle with identity, belongingness, mattering and their

workload,” said Dr. Steve Gunkel, who was a first-generation college student and often attends Magnolia Scholars programming, in an email interview. “But I think non-first-gens are able to draw upon a social network that include parents, siblings, and peers that share the college experience and can relate to these dimensions of the college experience.” “It can be kind of hard to find your space,” Young said. “Like what you should be doing.” The Magnolia Scholars Office advises on topics such as the Greek system, financial aid and study abroad, according to French. “The worst thing is if you walk across the stage and you look back and then you realize we’re connected to the Reynolda House, then you realize how many students go abroad, and then you realize that there’s an OPCD, and that all those tickets to concerts, games and events were free and you didn’t go. Because you missed Wake Forest,” French said. “So that’s the biggest thing. You want students to experience Wake Forest.” There can also be a lack of comfort or a disconnect for some first-generation students if they come from different backgrounds than most of their peers. Differences in class and experience manifest in ways ranging from spring break plans, to cultural references in daily conversations, to finding a professor

that understands the specific challenges of being a first-generation student. One of the biggest hurdles for first-generation student and junior Gisselle Zamora was the culture shock in terms of being a first-generation and minority student. Even just looking around at the clothing that other students were able to afford was initially surprising, she said. “You’re not going to necessarily be in the same position as everyone else,” Young said. “There are things that just seem understood like it should be done. Like your parents should come and you should go out to dinner on Parent’s Weekend. Stuff like that, that might be things you might not do because it just hasn’t been intertwined in your family.” However, there is no one right way to experience college. “You’re not the only one that is going through this space where you have to translate and become more comfortable,” French said. Additionally, Wake Forest has taken steps to combat the challenges that some firstgeneration and low-income students face. “If you’re going to bring in low-income students, then you need to have controls in place to make sure that when they’re here they actually do well, that they can find a place and navigate the space,” Young said. “And I feel like Wake Forest is doing that.”

POLICE BEAT Miscellaneous • Uber driver informed gate house security about a fight in Lot N. One student had a bloody nose and it is unknown who else was involved in the fight. The report was filed on Oct. 6 at 2:30 a.m. • WSPD stopped an overcrowded vehicle on University Parkway and charged five students for underage consumption and the driver for overcrowded vehicle. The report was filed on Oct. 5 at 1:10 a.m. • Student was operating overloaded vehicle in Lot N. Officer observed six occupants leaving the vehicle, two from the cargo area. The report was filed on Oct. 5 at 2:04 a.m. • Students were found in wooded area behind Angelou in possession of marijuana. The report was filed on Oct. 2 at 9:34 p.m.

Larceny • Unknown subject(s) removed unsecured cellphone while victim was playing basketball. The report was filed on Oct. 2 at 9:57 p.m. • Unknown subject(s) entered the victim’s unlocked dorm room and removed his Xbox. The report was filed on Oct. 3 at 4:03 p.m. • Purse was found in Wingate. Owner picked purse up at Alumni Hall and advised that $80 cash was missing. The report was filed on Oct. 3 at 8:21 p.m. • Unknown subject removed license plate from vehicle in Lot G. The report was filed on Oct. 3 at 11:49 p.m. • Two unknown males removed a water hose from a backyard on Polo Road. The report was filed on Oct. 5 at 5:45 p.m. • Unknown subject(s) entered victim’s room and removed

AirPods from a book bag in Kitchin. The report was filed on Oct. 7 at 8:15 p.m. Underage Consumption/Drunkeness • Student arrested at Last Resort by Alcohol Law Enforcement for violations on Sept. 14. The report was filed on Oct. 1 at 10:00 a.m. • Underage offender had consumed alcohol and was located lying on the sidewalk along Wingate Road. The report was filed on Oct. 5 at 11:59 p.m. • Offender was found lying on bathroom floor in Palmer after becoming ill from alcohol. The report was filed on Oct. 6 at 12:37 a.m. • Offender became ill after consuming alcohol at an offcampus party. The report was filed on Oct. 6 at 12:38 a.m.

News | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, October 18, 2018 |Page 5

Safety level decreases off-campus BY MIA PARTRIDGE Contributing Writer partaj15@wfu.edu

When students live or go off-campus, they leave behind a secure sense of safety and are more at-risk to crimes Wake Forest offers students a unique sense of safety on campus, with ever-present University Police vehicles, blue lights and people around. But what happens when you live outside of those iron gates? Twenty-five percent of the student population lives offcampus, where crime involving students is proportionally higher than it is on campus, according to Bryan Blakley, Executive Officer of the Patrol Division. “Violent crimes — like robberies and assaults — are up in the city and Wake Forest is in the city,” Blakley said. “Students have to be cognizant of that.” In recent months, serious crime has seemed to dip, but upperclassmen can easily recall the period, from June to October in 2016, when there was a shooting, an armed robbery, two physical assaults and an abduction, all against students and four of which occurred off-campus. Additionally, the tragic shooting of a Winston-Salem State student on campus by an outside assailant in January of this year raised the sense of danger lurking outside of Wake Forest. Despite the heightened conversation surrounding crime, students, even those living off campus, don’t necessarily seem to feel the threat personally. “My parents didn’t want me to live off campus, because they got all the crime alerts last year,” said senior Alex Monetti. “I know it happens … but for me I don’t really think about it.” The trend appears to be that students are aware that Winston-Salem is not particularly safe, but still report feeling safe at Wake Forest — as if being a student excludes them from the “outside” narrative.

While there are no official public surveys, unscientific anecdotal data has been collected such that the perception of safety at Wake Forest received an average rating of an A-minus, according to studentsreview.com, which contrasts with the report from niche.com, which assigned the safety rating of a B-minus (based on crime statistics compared to other universities). “When we let our guard down, that’s when something can happen,” said Major Derri Stormer of University Police. Seniors Lindsay Hoyle and Grace Jannotta, who both live on Ewing Street, didn’t think they would come face-to-face with such dangers until they were stalked driving in the area surrounding campus this semester. On Oct. 1, Jannotta left campus in her car around 10 p.m. and headed to her boyfriend’s house. In the dark, she was unable to see the crisscrossing streets in the Lakewood neighborhood and made a wrong turn and pulled into a driveway to turn around. “I was kind of checked out and didn’t have my glasses on,” Jannotta said. “I’m just glad I made that wrong turn.” If she had not, she might not have realized that a car had been so close behind her she couldn’t even see its headlights. And she might not have seen the driver pull into the neighboring driveway, also turn around, and then follow her every move, even when she began driving in circles. Photo Courtesy of Winston-Salem Journal Hoyle had a similar experience in early September when Wake Forest’s closed campus provides safety she was followed outside her neighborhood to a friend’s for students that they do not have off-campus. house. The presumed stalker left when they saw her male friend waiting for her, but returned later the same night to ty-student neighborhoods, which ensures that the officers her house, driving past and even parking outside around 2 don’t get called away to other areas. a.m. It is Winston-Salem Police that respond to calls and have Hoyle called the police right away, as did Jannotta—who jurisdiction over all non-Wake-Forest-owned off-campus lost her stalker when she drove to the University Police De- properties, although University Police can be called to assist partment and got an escort home. Neither students nor the and receives reports on incidents. Because of this, the University Police wants students to police have a clue who the stalkers were or why they folbe more aware of the safety resources they provide, such as lowed Jannotta and Hoyle. After Hoyle’s incident, University Police has increased the on-time shuttle and the LiveSafe app, as well as their the officer presence in the Ewing neighborhood. This is the surroundings at all times. “Turn and look to see how many people are watching you third year that University Police has directly hired WinstonSalem police officers to patrol and saturate certain majori- [out in public] … you’d be amazed,” Stormer said.

Book club focuses on graphic novels Graphic Novel Book Club engages in highly intellectual discussions about graphic novels BY CAROLINE WALKER Contributing Writer walkct18@wfu.edu Venturing to the upper floors of ZSR Library during midterm season, one can encounter groups of students poring over textbooks and notes while preparing for upcoming exams. Amongst these students, one can also find a cluster of students and librarians chatting and enjoying a sense of camaraderie in a small, cozy room tucked in the right-hand corner of the Wilson Wing on the fourth floor. At 4 p.m. every other Friday, students exchange their textbooks for graphic novels and engage in lively discussion during the meeting of the Graphic Novel Book Club. Within this club, students and librarians are given a chance to discuss their passion for graphic novels and develop a close-knit community of members with similar interests. Reading a variety of graphic novels

from superhero stories like Black Hammer: Secret Origins by Jeff Lemire to memoirs like Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast, students are exposed to different literary elements and are encouraged to broaden their literary horizons. As freshman Benny Potter attested, “It’s important to know that comic books span farther than superheroes and villains.” Just like other genres of books, graphic novels cover a plethora of themes and topics that have literary merit and invite readers to engage in intellectual conversation. In fact, one might be surprised to hear discussions about a graphic novel that are similar to those one might have inside Tribble Hall during an English class. During the discussion about Black Hammer: Secret Origins on Friday, Oct.5, members analyzed themes like the gender roles of women in the novel, characterization like the protagonist Golden Gail’s development from angsty teen to superhero, and comparisons between this graphic novel and other works of literary merit. Developing not only a profound love for the genre of graphic novels, but also the analytical

skills for close readings of text, this club fuses two elements of Wake Forest culture: the small, close-knit community and the bookish, academic environment. Furthermore, Meghan Webb, the Instruction and Outreach Librarian, is in charge of a literary initiative to collect graphic novels for the library. Through the graphic novel book collection, she hopes to give students access to a wider range of reading materials, so they can easily access the sequel to a book chosen for last week’s Graphic Novel Book Club meeting or check out another graphic novel that piques their interest. Providing the opportunity to access the contemporary genre of graphic novels within the traditional institution of the university’s library diversifies the available selection of reading material for students and facilitates new and unique methods of literary discussion. Together, this initiative and the Graphic Novel Book Club foster academic progress within the realm of graphic novels. For instance, during a book club meeting, members discuss expanding the conventional analysis of diction to include the manifestation of a distinctive “voice” for a

character through an illustration of a character’s font in a graphic novel. Exemplifying this progressive mode of literary discussion, Black Hammer: Secret Origins character Talky-Walky has robotic-typed font that portrays his mechanical, automated nature. Through the application of progressive methods of literary analysis to the burgeoning genre of graphic novels, students can continue their academic development to include an alternative to traditional literature that still fits within the goals and context of a liberal arts education. Senior Hannah Goodwin attested to the value of the connection formed between librarians and students through this initiative and the Graphic Novel Book Club. “The best part is the wisdom and information that we get from the librarians, from interesting perspectives on the culture around [the graphic novel] to interesting pop culture in general,” she said. Within the unified circle of librarians and students, the exchange of ideas facilitates a communal learning environment that is beneficial to the social and academic development of the members of the Graphic Novel Book Club.

Old Gold & Black | News

Page 6 | Thursday, October 18, 2018

DKE: Fraternity chapter appealing its sanctions Continued from Page 1

The appeal itself has to fall within one of the following categories: there was an insufficient amount of evidence to support the decision, the sanction was inappropriate based on the allegations, new evidence has arisen and/or there was a procedural error that impacted the outcome. “All I will say on the matter right now is that the fraternity will be appealing the decision on the grounds that the sanctions are disproportionate to the infractions and that we have continued support from our alumni,” Rise said in an email to the Old Gold & Black. Once the fraternity officially appeals to the Student Life Committee, which is comprised of three students, three faculty members and three staff members, a final decision will be made on their status. If the chapter’s appeal does not change or reverse the original sanction, the chapter will officially lose its recognition from the university. According to Fraternity and Sorority Life Director Betsy Adams, the university is in discussion with the DKE Alumni House Corporation to discuss the fu-

ture of the fraternity’s off-campus location at 1101 Polo Road. If the appeal fails, the corporation will have complete discretion over the future of their property, in which DKE has been housed since the early 2000s. If the appeal is not processed, DKE will be able to apply for recognition again on May 31, 2022. According to Adams, the fraternity must be completely inactive before this date in order to be accepted back into the campus community. The four-year period would restart “if there is evidence of activity, recruiting, social functions” or other similar activities. “We have spent the last couple of years working with our chapter leadership to clarify university expectations in regards to supporting unrecognized fraternities and to support the creation of shared expectations in each of the governing councils,” Adams said. “The expectation is that our active chapters and their members would not support ongoing activity by a chapter which is no longer recognized by the university.” When DKE’s interim suspension was announced, AP News and The Charlotte Observer, among others, reported on the status of the fraternity. Since the

announcement of their closing, the Winston-Salem Journal and Fox Channel 8 have reported on the developments. Despite the news coverage of DKE outside of the university, Assistant Vice President of News and Communications Katie Neal said that the media attention is “consistent” with similar events. When Kappa Sigma and Sigma Nu were closed by the university in 2013 and 2014, respectively, both local and national news outlets reported on the Code of Conduct violations and following sanctions for the fraternities. Once the Student Life Committee officially hears the intended appeal from DKE, a final decision will be made on the status of the fraternity and the decision will either be reversed or the four year period of inactivity will begin. “The fact that the university made the decision to close the DKE chapter indicates our resolve to hold students accountable to our Code of Conduct. We are committed to working with all our chapters to make sure our fraternity and sorority community thrives and aligns with the values of Wake Forest and their national organizations,” Neal said.

Wake Forest avoids severe hurricane damage Though Florida suffered through severe destruction during Hurricane Michael, Winston-Salem saw mostly minor effects BY CAROLINE WALKER Contributing Writer walkct18@wfu.edu

As Wake Forest students and faculty anticipated the start to fall break on Thursday, Oct. 11, Floridians and southerners braced for the landfall of yet another storm, Hurricane Michael. Blazing through the Florida Panhandle Gulf Coast as a Category 4 storm with winds over 150 miles per hour, Hurricane Michael left mass destruction and a death toll of 17 in its wake. However, Hurricane Michael experienced a gradual lessening of wind speeds, degree and impact as it traveled northward through the Carolinas. Due to this, Wake Forest and surrounding areas only had minor effects. Watching or reading about weather and news reports regarding Hurricane Michael, the Wake Forest community monitored the storm’s progress and impact from the comforts of their home or residence hall. A Wake Alert sent on the afternoon of Thursday, Oct. 11 notified students and faculty of any adverse conditions on campus and reported the minor, yet tangible effects of Hurricane Michael’s passage through the Carolinas. These included electrical outages in the Porter Byrum Welcome Center and Sterling Hall, the downfall of a large tree obstructing Allen Easley Street, trees down near Reynolda Village and Graylyn Conference Center, water leaks in some of the residence halls and buildings and flash flooding on campus. As Wake Forest continued to assess the local damage inflicted by Hurricane Michael, administration classified the effects as minor and allowed campus to remain open and to operate under normal conditions during fall break. This differs in comparison to the closure of campus necessitated by Hurricane Florence a few weeks ago, as the conditions during Hurricane Michael did not impede the operations of Wake Forest.

In fact, while many students eagerly anticipated the release from school during Hurricane Florence, more pressing concerns for some students during Hurricane Michael emerged. “[There was] ankle-deep water outside the east entrance of Starbucks,” said freshman Amelia Schulte. This episode of flooding, while mostly classified as benign, created a notable obstacle in the walk to Starbucks. Many students concurred, expressing dislike for the sheer amount of rainfall that left them soaked by the time they arrived at their destination. In this way, while posing minimal physical obstacles or threats to the security of Wake Forest and Winston-Salem, Hurricane Michael definitely impacted the emotional atmosphere of campus during fall break.

“[The hurricane] definitely put a damper on the mood of fall break for those who stayed here,” said freshman Ansley Rae Page. This led some students to report that they resorted to movie marathons, some in Angelou’s high-tech media room, as well as reports that the gloomy weather provided that additional external influence needed to focus some students on the necessity of staying inside to study for their upcoming midterms. Any way the students chose to spend their time on campus during Hurricane Michael, they were able to weather the storm effectively. Likewise, the campus and the surrounding community emerged relatively unscathed from Hurricane Michael after temporarily experiencing minor issues.

Pedro Portal/Miami Herald/TNS

Mexico Beach, a small town on the Florida Panhandle, suffered the brunt of the hurricane’s wrath. According to an analysis in The New York Times, three-quarters of its buildings were damaged.

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The newly-renovated chemistry building offers more space and improved equipment BY ETHAN HARRISON Contributing Writer harrem18@wfu.edu It is an exciting time to be a chemist at Wake Forest. Salem Hall, home to the chemistry department, just underwent a 15-month transformation. The renovation covered the 55,000-square foot building and cost over $20 million. The labs are bigger, the furniture is more decorative, the equipment is more advanced and the infrastructure of the building is easier to navigate. Students and faculty alike would agree that Salem was in dire need of an upgrade. In fact, the chemistry department has been pushing for a redesign for the past couple of decades; however, due to the severity of the remodeling, the plans were continuously put on hold. “Science buildings require a lot of infrastructure that brings the cost of renovations significantly higher than other buildings on campus," said David Wren, Assistant Teaching Professor and Director of the Chemistry Center. "So other projects were always prioritized instead of Salem.” Another reason that it was challenging

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to renovate the building was because there was no other place to go. For a proper remodeling, there needed to be a temporary location that could safely house the hazardous chemicals and reactions. Fortunately, the up-and-coming Wake Downtown building has recently opened and offers a great space. “I think the catalyst was having swing space in the Downtown campus, where space for the engineering department was unused last year and allowed for all research labs to move for the 15 months of renovation,” Wren said. Now that the department has moved back home to Salem, many people are excited about the dramatic changes. The

whole building was revolutionized from top to bottom. “It is actually hard to recognize anything the resembles the old building,” Wren said. The massive developments only prove how desperate Salem was for a makeover. For example, the chemistry department has experienced a substantial increase in enrollment over the past 10 years, which congested the already limited amount of teaching and research areas. “The new labs were designed to hold 48 students, such that they were suitable for pre-lab lectures," Wren said.“This opened up our large lecture hall for additional lecture sections in the afternoons.” The renovated space simply did not have enough space for the day-to-day operations of the chemistry department. The new labs provide the proper space and tools. “Anyone who took a class in Salem 8 knew how bad this classroom was for both professors and students,” Wren said. Overall, the new and improved Salem offers an appropriate research area. Overall, the building is much safer and more secure. The lab spaces meet industry standards for square footage per student and have state-of-the-art chemical storage and ventilation. A major improvement to Salem was the Photo courtesy of Wake Forest News Wake Forest students utilize dedication to the Chemistry Center. The updated resources in Salem Hall Chemistry Center, which is now located

on the first floor and boasts large glass windows, is hard to miss. It is also a much more visible space and no longer hidden away in an upstairs classroom or in the basement. The Chemistry Center now has several whiteboards, study resources, molecular models and a touchscreen monitor that serves as an animated periodic table and helps students to run simulations. “The new technology in the room and plethora of boards let us tutor larger groups with ease and teach hard to visualize things using computer models on the new interactive board,” said Alex Gerhardstein, a senior chemistry tutor. These remarkable changes not only improved the aesthetic and convenience of Salem, but it also created a more welcoming environment for students to study and hang out in. “We are seeing more students studying in the Chemistry Center,” Wren said. “Before the renovation, there were almost no spaces where students could wait for their class, work on lab reports or assignments, or just chill out.” Students are genuinely impressed by the expensive renovation and are honored to be able to use such an innovative space. “The new building is much more organized and the laboratories are more advanced and slick,” said junior Hubert Fan. “Wake Forest students are very fortunate to study chemistry in a very advanced uni-

Vanderbiltprofessor presentsresearchoncampus Vanderbilt University professor Oestreich explained his research on T helper cells BY STEPHANIE BILODEAU Contributing Writer bilosm13@wfu.edu Molecular biologist Dr. Ken Oestreich presented his research on “Cooperative roles for STAT and Ikaros zinc finger transcription factors in the regulation of T helper cell differentiation” to over forty faculty members and students in Winston Hall on Oct. 8. Oestreich earned his Ph.D from Vanderbilt in 2006 and now holds appointments as an Assistant Professor at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, the Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. Oestreich’s research focuses on how transcription factors, which are proteins that control how DNA is read and expressed to make other proteins, contribute to cellular differentiation and immune system function. His talk focused on differentiation

in T helper cells, a specific type of white blood cell that is important to the immune system. Dr. Sarah McDonald, an Associate Professor of Biology at Wake Forest, hosted Oestreich during his visit to the department. "[Oestreich’s work] has laid the foundation for understanding that T cells can become one type of T cell and then become another type of T cell,” McDonald said. This challenges the traditional assumption that once these cells differentiate, or specialize, they cannot change type. Oestreich focused his presentation on two complexes of transcription factors that regulate gene expression, leading to either T helper 1 (Th1) cells or T follicular helper (Tfh) cells. Both cell types are important to the immune system but have different functions. Th1 cells play an important role in responses to pathogens like bacteria, while Tfh cells aid in the creation of antibodies. Research so far has shown that as the environment of the immune system changes with a developing immune response, it can lead to changes in T helper cell differentiation or even new populations with features of both cell types. A key step in the differentiation of T helper cells begins with Interleukin-2 (IL-

2), a signaling molecule in the immune system. High levels of IL-2 correspond with increases in STAT5, a protein which helps to activate expression of Blimp1, a gene that in turn contributes to Tfh differentiation. Low levels of IL-2 correspond instead to increases in a different transcription factor called STAT3, which helps activate BCL6, a gene important to the expression of Th1 cells. Eos and Aiolos are closely-related transcription factors from a family called the Ikaros zinc finger factors. Oestreich detailed the work his lab has done, linking transcription factors STAT5 and STAT3 to Eos and Aiolos, respectively. He presented evidence suggesting that the zinc finger factors each form a complex, physically interacting with their respective STAT factor to increase the STAT factor’s activation and induce Blimp1 or BCL6 expression. Oestreich and his team are still working to uncover the specific mechanisms behind these STAT and zinc finger factor transcription complexes, but their research so far helps us to better understand how T helper cells differentiate and how that differentiation could be altered through changes in gene expression.

“We think of cellular differentiation as a one-way ticket,” said Jessica Hall, a master's student who studies in McDonald's lab. “But Dr. Oestreich reminded us that gene expression patterns are always changing.” Understanding the mechanism behind T cell differentiation is especially important because, while helper T cells are vital for a healthy immune system, they can also play a role in serious autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes, lupus and multiple sclerosis. Oestreich explained that he hopes aid in the treatment of Tfh-related autoimmune conditions with his research.

Photo courtesy of research.vtc.vt.edu

Oestereich's work could aid treatment for autoimmune conditions

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“ trips aren’t always perfect Study abroad Study Abroad

Study abroad programs, while popular and important, are not flawless, but that is okay Carly Bolton

Guest Columnist boltcf16@wfu.edu “Studying abroad changed my life.” “Going abroad was the best decision I ever made.” These phrases are commonly heard when you hear students talk about their study aboard experiences and when they’re combined with colorfully edited Instagram posts, massive Facebook albums and VSCO pages of aesthetically pleasing cafes, it’s hard to imagine someone having anything less than the time of their life abroad. But the fact of the matter is, life studying abroad isn’t always as simple as weekend getaways and picturesque cobblestone streets. This isn’t to say that studying abroad isn’t an incredible privilege and opportunity; however, it does mean that it isn’t always the picture-perfect experience you may have imagined. Depending on program and location, students can experience a variety of struggles, from difficult commutes to unfriendly na-

However, just because studying abroad is a unique experience does not mean that it will be flawless.” tives to confusing transport. Basically, every difficulty that you might experience in your freshman year transition has an abroad counterpart that’s arguably even more difficult to face. For instance, instead of wandering the halls of Tribble, trying to find the B wing, you may be wandering the streets of Copenhagen, only to find that your bus is cancelled. For someone who hasn’t travelled outside of the U.S. before, these struggles can seem daunting. When you add in roommate issues and less-than-ideal housing, these obstacles can contribute to homesickness and feelings of isolation. But here’s the thing, having these issues and emotions doesn’t make you ungrateful or oblivious to your privilege. Spending four months away from home is a fantastic opportunity that many don’t have, but it’s also more than that: it’s a challenge. It’s one thing to go a semester at Wake Forest without regularly seeing your parents, but it’s a completely different feeling knowing that you physically can’t. It can also be stressful trying to balance “once-in-a-lifetime opportunities” and your bank account. If you find yourself in another

country, missing home, and struggling to “thrive” the way everyone around you seems to be doing, it’s critical not to get down on yourself and not to let your negative feelings outweigh your positive ones. Honestly, the best thing to do is to try to see your challenges as learning experiences and opportunities for growth. Look at your situation objectively. You may feel upset or isolated, but you are also in an incredibly unique position. When you’re struggling with public transportation and your bus is thirty minutes late, look out the window, take in the scenery and remind yourself that these moments that seem so difficult are truly trivial. Being late to class may be stressful, but it’s not the end of the world. When you return home in December, you don’t want your most remembered emotion from abroad to be anxiety. Speaking of anxiety, feelings of isolation may also contribute to your existing stress and fears about abroad. Other variables, such as weather and less sunlight can also lead to negative mood changes. It’s critical to keep up with your friends and reach out to the people, whether at home or travelling with you, that love you and can encourage you. It can seem difficult to build deep connections with people, especially if you aren’t travelling with a lot of students from your university or feel that everyone else already has strong friendships. When this happens, the only

thing you can do is put yourself out there; try to attend a study event, do homework with a classmate, or grab drinks or lunch at a café. If you live far away from your campus, it can be very tempting to go straight to class and straight back to your room, just out of convenience. Try not to keep yourself in a bubble though, because almost everyone that is studying abroad is in the same position and is open to building new friendships; they’re trying to make a temporary home in a foreign country just like you. Finally, if you’re truly struggling to feel satisfied and content with your abroad experience, reach out to your study program. It’s their job to help students be comfortable, become well-adjusted and find their place in a new country. As always, never be afraid to reach out to your friends, parents, or resources at Wake Forest if you need help. Being able to study abroad is a great opportunity. Wake Forest makes it very easy and accessible to students of varying majors and financial aid levels. However, just because studying abroad is a unique experience does not mean that it will be flawless. If you’re having a fantastic time and thriving, that’s awesome! But it’s just as valid to find yourself feeling scared or overwhelmed; the most important things are to continue learning from your experiences, growing personally, and trying to make the best of your challenges.

against a political system that championed and fought for the appointment of Brett Kavanaugh. In a document titled “Sexual Misconduct Abroad” found on the Wake Forest Study Abroad website, the abroad office advises ways to, “avoid situations that contribute to stranger rape.” Some of these include: “Pay attention to your surroundings and what’s going on around you, make sure that someone knows where you are at all times, lock your room, windows, and doors at all times, walk in well-lighted areas and with others at night, even when going a short distance, if you think you are being followed, walk or run to an area where there are other people.” On Duke’s Study Abroad site it specifically warns, “Do not respond to any catcalls that you receive. Just walk on.” These pieces of advice are no exaggeration. Running to avoid a man following and photographing a group of women walking home, crossing the street to get away from unwanted compliments, and taking backroads to class to avoid major streets, which oftentimes bring increased cat-calling, are all moments my friends or I have experienced in the past month and a half of studying abroad.

While Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment and the constant harassment abroad has us feeling hopeless, all hope is not truly lost. There is a midterm election on Nov. 6, and we are lucky and grateful to have organizations like votefromabroad.org that makes registering to vote and requesting an absentee ballot abroad easy. Pathways to Safety International gives specific support to survivors of sexual abuse, harassment, and assault abroad. RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network) saw a record 338 percent increase of hotline callers from the Thursday of Brett Kavanaugh’s hearing to the following Sunday. We are hopeful and grateful for programs like these which give survivors the support they need. As we finish up our time abroad, we will likely have to remain silent and continue to avoid and ignore instances of men making sexist and harassing comments. In the wake of the Kavanaugh hearings and the #metoo movement, we are encouraged by the women of America who are compelled to speak up like never before. While we are abroad, our mouths are still covered, but we are voting and we will be home soon.

“ is rampant and worldwide Sexism’s grasp Sexism

Students abroad still experience sexism, which is sometimes difficult to avoid in other cultures Meredith Happy Guest Columnist happmp16@wfu.edu

The first thing I look for when I enter a restaurant, cafe, store or bar is the Wi-Fi password. This is especially true when studying abroad, as I am this semester in Europe. A large group of friends and I were at a bar last week when we spotted the Wi-Fi password up above the bar written large enough to see on a big sign: SexyWoman69. My best friend looked at me and we rolled our eyes. I didn’t end up putting in the password, as if not using their router was enough of a protest of their inappropriate and sexist password.

While Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment and the constant harassment abroad has us feeling hopeless, all hope is not truly lost.” This month, Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S. Many Americans are in shock and are still angry at his appointment. In Europe, harassment from men, typically local men, toward American women is commonplace. Many abroad programs warn that cat-calling and small signs of harassment are reported regularly. This isn’t different from the U.S., where cat-calling happens every day. What can we do about it? Talking back, refusing the attention, or reacting in any way to cat-calling and obnoxious men can come with consequences. My friends and I have recognized the danger of reacting to men in a place we are uncomfortable in and in a culture that we do not fully understand. Feeling powerless against this harassment is frustrating and reflective of American women who feel hopeless

Thursday, October 18, 2018 | Page 9

Opinion | Old Gold & Black

Notes from Abroad

Visiting

“ Russia

Americans think they understand the intricacies of Russia, but geopolitics do not paint an accurate picture

Kyle Ferrer

Staff Columnist ferrka16@wfu.edu It seems banal to say that we do not truly know a place until we’ve experienced it. Yet with Russia, I had preconceived a vague and judgmental body of knowledge that was almost wholly without context. My biases and premonitions were borne out of a set of facts that were blunted and blanketed by totalitarian dogmatism. Russia’s reputation in America as a vision of abhorrence formed it as an object lacking any complexity. In America, we see Russia, simply, as a political (and, by extension, moral and cultural) inverse to ourselves, a place with nothing to offer, an epitomization of the cliché that “everyone needs something to hate.” After a week spent in St. Petersburg, Russia, although I cannot and

breaks down stereotypes

Putin ... was no longer a despot outof-a-void, but a conservative, orthodox leader trying to re-establish a sense of national pride." will never claim intimate knowledge and understanding, I can say that, in America, we almost categorically disregard notions of time and history, and the illuminating contexts they can provide. As we continue to simplify the Russian narrative into a present target of jingoism, we tend to ignore historical perspectives. The notion of how-we-got-to-where-we-are applies to American politics, it seems, but none else. Take Vladimir Putin, for example. After a week in St. Petersburg, surveying the Russian canon, and learning of history through the literary imagination of the country and the city, Putin morphed from a slippery, sui generis manipulator to an effect of historical upshot. He was no longer a despotout-of-a-void, but a conservative, orthodox leader trying to re-establish a sense of national pride after a failed and corrupted democratic experiment. That he goes about this through a controlling, anti-Western method is,

yes, morally reprehensible, but can also be seen (and is seen by some Russians) as a prideful pivot inward, a wedon’t-need-the-West independence movement in reaction to all the failed attempts at Western adoption. Putin’s reassertion of government industry, ripped from the clutches of corrupted, crony-capitalist oligarchs, takes on a shade of stabilization and reliable business. Historical uncertainty, violence, and civic abuse towards a innocent citizenry produced a president who demands stability. The Putin presidency is, in a sense, an attempt at healing a historically wounded nation. I am not condoning Putin’s meddling aggression in the West (it speaks volumes, I think, that I even feel the need to clarify that), but am advising a more informed discourse about our own relation to the East. As Russia’s relevancy in America reaches a fever pitch (perhaps culminating in the result of the Mueller probe), it would behoove us all to know a bit about the place, other than that we generically dislike it. From a place of knowledge, we can move more effectively forward. What made such an indelible imprint on me during my time in Russia was not so much that the Russian can-

on is a diverse, exceptional, and transcendent one (I already knew that, although to the extent that it was further elucidated only heightened my admiration), but actually that this canon helped clarify a jaded and pilloried perspective that exists in America. Russia’s political history is long and abusive, foisted onto Russians by both domestic leaders and foreign imposition. The Siege of Leningrad, which we saw through the accounts Svetlana Alexievich, accounts akin to those of Tim O’Brien in their trenchant truthtelling, and through an embodied experience of the national monument, became a real, sympathetic and stirring historical detail. Through all of this, the present became a shade more decipherable. Through this historical and literary decoding, my perspective gained scope, and hopefully my contributions to the discourse will be more informed, from both an intellectual and emotional standpoint. “… failure seldom broadens perspectives,” Joseph Brodsky said of Lenin’s various attempts at revolution. As Americans, we should venture to fail in our understanding of Russia, because at least then we’d be looking past the headline.

“ College students have an obligation to vote 2018 Election

As the midterms near, it is important to remember that each vote can make a difference

Kate Federer

Guest Columnist fedekm18@wfu.edu

The countdown to the midterm elections is getting frighteningly shorter, and for many on the Wake Forest campus, this is the first time they will cast their votes. Anxiety over registration and absentee ballots is in the air, but there is also a lack in feeling, too. After I’ve asked multiple classmates whether or not they’ve registered or know who they are going to choose for congressional and local positions, an alarming number of them responded, “What’s the point in voting if I know who’s going to win?” Every time I hear this argument, I am shocked. Isn’t the whole point of democracy that you don’t know who is going to win? This feeling lies in the idea that if you live in a traditionally red or blue state, voting as the political minority will not change the outcome with the electoral college.

Regardless of whether some- For many on this campus, this on the basis of the lack of political one is young, voting should not overwhelming feeling of helplessness efficacy. For many regions of the nation, the be excused on the basis of the comes from the sheer size of Generalack of political efficacy." tions X and the Baby Boomers before states and voting districts that are Growing up in New Jersey in a primarily Republican town, I would always hear the frustration of adults who felt like they had no voice in a state that votes Democrat every presidential election. Alternatively, my own peers would often identify as Democrats but shared that they would not vote because their towns and districts were traditionally Republican and it was “pointless.” I’m arguing that this thinking is actually counterproductive and preventing any opportunity to change the status quo of political influence in certain areas. Especially for the midterms and local races, a change in voting patterns can be crucial to altering the side of the political spectrum in power. Take the Alabama election in 2017 as an example. Because of the extreme Democratic voting turnout, Doug Jones was able to beat Roy Moore, the Republican, as a surprise victory in a red district. Had those people not been encouraged to vote, the outcome would have been very different.

us. Their thinking was heavily influenced by parents who believed strongly in the the power of New Deal Democrats of the ‘40s and ‘50s, which carried into the ‘60s and the ideology of the Reagan administration of the ‘80s. As children and teens, they had powerful political forces affecting their allegiances and voting habits, so why don’t we follow suit? It has been statistically proven that young people vote the least. It astounds me that our generation grew up on social media, often voicing our opinions in tweets and posts, but still don’t voice those opinions in the polling booths. We should be flipping this statistic upside down, especially since we have the information of the candidates and the election climate at our fingertips. We have the greatest opportunity to be informed, leaving no excuse to not fill in the gaps of the records of popular voting ages. Regardless of whether someone is young, voting should not be excused

permanently one color often came to be that way with the manipulation of voting practices, like gerrymandering. If this is frustrating to you, there is all the more reasoning to do research and discover which politicians are working to eliminate these unfair policies. With this, a vote matters even more than simply choosing someone for office that would allow the very process you are upset with to continue. As many are fighting to end gerrymandering or even the Electoral College in general, we should practice voting for a time when we feel our decisions actually matter in the making of our laws. We are lucky enough to be living in a nation in which we can choose who holds office, so purposefully not voting is like saying you do not want the right you were granted at birth or earned through citizenship. Our young nation established democracy purposefully to prevent the overpower of one rule. Letting the “blue” or “red” districts and states control whether or not you vote is letting that majority take control.

Page 10 | Thursday, October 18, 2018

Climate Change

Old Gold & Black | Opinion

“

Climate catastrophe will ensue if action is not taken We must act now against climate change if we plan to survive on this planet in the future

Amanda Wilcox Staff Columnist wilcaf16@wfu.edu

As a cautious, apolitical group of scientists, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change simply isn’t in the business of chastising politicians or promoting a particular agenda. So when the panel, under the aegis of the United Nations, tells us that our one and only planet is teetering on the precipice of a veritable climate genocide, we have permission to hit the panic button. Per its report, released last week, our world must utterly transform its economy and energy systems in the next decade or risk ecological disaster on a biblical scale. It’s clear that the time to wake up and pay attention was about 10 years ago. The report found that if carbon emissions continue at the current rate, the atmosphere will warm by as much as 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels by 2040. Previous research — including that used to formulate the tenets of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 — focused on estimating the damage if global surface temperature were to rise by two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) because that was the increase at which scientists agreed the most severe impacts of climate change would come into operation. The new research, however, indicates that many of those effects will occur even sooner, with just a 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature gain. No longer is two degrees of warming considered an “acceptable” upper limit for climate change. And even if the signatory countries of

Meanwhile, our elected “leaders” are imitations of Nero, fiddling while the city of Rome burns.” the Paris Climate Accords were abiding by the tenets of the agreement (which largely they aren’t), those measures still wouldn’t be enough. Avoiding the suffering that a plus-two degrees Celsius world would bring, the report says, requires such a thorough transformation of the world’s economy, agriculture and culture that “there is no documented historical precedent.” Perhaps the closest comparison is the mobilization of the citizenry during World War II — and that required a working norm of rationing and individual sacrifice that few Americans today remember or witnessed. Admittedly, we tend to trivialize the differences between one degree of warming and two, between three degrees and four. Recall that the report’s best-case scenario was an increase in global surface temperature of 1.5 degrees, and even that amount of warming would still cause storms, wildfires, floods, droughts and coral bleaching events of unprecedented severity. The planet, however, is coursing along a trajectory that will bring four degrees of warming by the end of the century — so even the devastating impacts of 1.5 degrees may be too optimistic. The U.K.-based think tank Carbon Brief: Clear on Climate recently aggregated more than 6,000 peer-reviewed studies on what two, three and four degrees of climate change would look like; the results are sobering and must be reckoned with. At two degrees, global gross domestic product per capita would drop by 13 percent and 400 million more people would suffer from water scarcity. In India, highly-populated cities would

become uninhabitably hot, and there would be 32 times as many extreme heat waves, each lasting five times as long and exposing, in total, 93 times more people. This is the best-case scenario. At three degrees, the average drought in Central America would last 19 months. In northern Africa, droughts would last five years. The areas burned each year by wildfires would double in the Mediterranean and increase six-fold in the U.S. The sea-level rise would swallow cities such as Osaka, Japan; Alexandria, Egypt; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Shanghai, China. At four degrees, global grain yields could fall by as much as 50 percent, producing food crises and possibly war. There would be eight million cases of dengue fever each year in Latin America alone. The melting Arctic ice sheet could release diseases and pathogens that it has locked up for decades or even centuries, from the 1918 Spanish flu to the bubonic plague. The global economy would be more than 30 percent smaller than it would be without climate change. So how do we save ourselves when we have so little time? According to the report, global carbon emissions would need to decline by at least 40 percent by

2030 and reach net zero by 2050. This will be no easy task; last year global carbon emissions hit an all-time high. Many people will see the kind of change we need as extreme and politically untenable — but they’ll have to get used to it. Rationing of gasoline is inevitable and should be put on the table as soon as possible. Regularly scheduled blackouts would also be a good idea. Perhaps a third political party devoted entirely to climate issues will need to coalesce. Given that recent research indicates that 100 companies are responsible for 71 percent of carbon emissions, corporations will need to be held accountable at an unprecedented level — including via massive carbon taxes. (More on this in a future column). And if we want to leave a livable world for our children — nay, if we can have children at all in good conscience — there can be no future for the coal or oil industries. Meanwhile, our elected “leaders” are imitations of Nero, fiddling while the city of Rome burns. “I’m the President of the United States. I’m not the President of the globe,” Trump thundered at a recent rally. But on what planet does he think this great country resides?

Word on the Quad

What did you do for fall break this year?

“Ah shite, I didn’t do anything.” Christian Green (‘19)

“I spent fall break chillin’ in the Miami heat with family.” Rita Venant (‘20)

“I stayed on campus and played soccer with friends.” Omir Fernandez (‘20)

“I went to the Pocono mountains for my birthday with friends.” Morgan Wallace (‘21)

SPORTS OLD GOLD & BLACK

T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 8

PAG E 11

Online at: www.wfuogb.com Twitter: @sports_ogb Editor: William May, mayws16@wfu.edu Asst. Editor: Samantha Wexler, wexlsn17@wfu.edu

Wake Forest men’s soccer begins a new winning streak The Deacs picked up slack last week, winning games at home and on the road BY MELINA JORIZZO Staff Writer jorimm15@wfu.edu The Wake Forest men’s soccer team’s 11game winning streak on the season came to an end at last against Syracuse. That being said, the Demon Deacons began a new winning streak immediately afterwards, winning three games in seven days against High Point, Boston College and South Carolina. The team now has a record of 14-1. After the Deacs made the trek to Syracuse, NY, the Orange scored two second-half goals on Oct. 5. This gave the Deacs a taste of what defeat feels like. The Syracuse team changed their style of play to take on Wake Forest by putting heavy pressure on the Deacs all over the field, primarily in the midfield, for all 90 minutes. “Syracuse did a good job disrupting the style of play that we are used to,” said Head Coach Bobby Muuss. “But I tell these guys all the time that it is a compliment when a team comes in and plays you differently than their last three or four opponents.” The Deacs refused to let this loss shatter their momentum. Coach Muuss congratulated the team for keeping their streak for as long as they did, and immediately began preparing them for their next games. To begin their new winning streak, Wake

Forest took on High Point University at home and came away with a 4-2 win to get them back on track. The match was tied 2-2 at half time and it was not until sophomore Machop Chol’s goal in the 64th minute that the Deacs really brought the fire, allowing them to immediately score another and maintain possession until the final whistle sounded. Three days after their High Point win, Wake Forest took on Boston College at home for another ACC matchup, and ended the game with a 2-1 win. The game started off in a dramatic and thrilling manner when Wake Forest’s sophomore Bruno Lapa and Boston College’s Joshua Forbes both received red cards in the 30th minute, forcing each team to play with 10 men for the remaining 60 minutes. Junior defender Michael DeShields stepped up after this moment and had a remarkable performance by not only scoring the first goal of the match off of a header before halftime, but by also blocking a goal late in the second half that would have tied the match. Overall, Boston College outshot Wake Forest 18-7 and had an 8-4 corner kick edge. Sophomore Andreu Cases Mundet made four saves for the Deacs, while Antonio Chavez Borrelli made one save for the Eagles. Wake Forest’s Alistair Johnston, a junior, scored the game-winning goal in the 75th minute off of a cross from freshman Aristotle Zarris that put the Deacs on top. “I thought in the first half we responded well after the ejections,” Muuss said. “It was unfortunate for the game, but it was a

physical game and I give Boston College a lot of credit. They imposed their will on our team tonight. We were against it more than we have been all year. The way that the guys persevered and responded with a goal we needed in the end was really great to see.” The Deacs then moved on to shut out South Carolina on the road to get their third

win in a row on Tuesday, Oct. 16. The final score of this Tuesday night game was 2-0. Wake Forest only has two regular season games left against the University of Virginia on the road on Oct. 20, and against Louisville at home on Oct. 26. The team is excited to continue this new winning streak, and take it with them into tournament play.

Photo Courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications

Junior Tater Rennhack scored the second goal of the game in the second half, the first of his career. Junior Alistair Johnston netted the game-winner.

WFU Volleyball comes back against Clemson The Deacs rallied through the final three sets to victory against Clemson last Sunday BY NICK LALLI Contributing Writer lalldp18@wfu.edu Coming off two losses against ACC opponents Notre Dame and Louisville, Wake Forest looked to right the ship against Georgia Tech 13-8 (2-6) on Friday and Clemson 1011 (1-7) on Sunday. Georgia Tech had lost six of its previous seven matches prior to its matchup against the Deacons. Wake Forest did the Jackets no favors in reversing their luck, taking a commanding 3-1 victory by a score of 25-21, 1125, 25-23, 25-13. Wake Forest posted a hitting percentage of 23.9 for the match and the Jackets sat at an even 20 percent. Junior outside hitter Caroline Rassenfoss led Wake Forest with 21 kills, while sophomore setter Madeline Holt finished with 54 assists and senior libero Hailey McFadden posted 10 digs. The Deacons recorded a season-high 14 aces as well.

The first set featured a point for point matchup until a 6-0 run by the Deacons gave Wake Forest the upper hand with a 21-18 lead. The Deacons took the 1-0 lead in the match finishing the first set winning four of the last six points. The Yellow Jackets rallied back to even the game at 1-1 as Georgia Tech held the Deacons to just four kills while Tech posted a match-high 14 kills in the frame. Wake Forest battled back in the third set to go back on top with a match-high 15 kills. With a 2-1 lead, the Deacons capped the match in commanding fashion, tallying 13 kills and just two miscues on 22 attempts for a 50 hitting percentage. Defensively, Wake held Tech to seven kills and a 4.9 hitting percentage. Next came the Clemson Tigers, who had come into Sunday’s match riding high after a 3-0 domination of Duke, which came after a rough seven-game losing streak against ACC opposition. Wake Forest came from two sets down to win a stunner of a match 20-25, 1525, 26-24, 25-21, 15-13. Wake finished with a hitting percentage of 24.8, with Clemson recording a 22.7 percentage. See Deacons, Page 14

Photo Courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications

Junior outside hitter Caroline Rassenfoss led at scoring with 21 kills, while sophomore setter Madeline Holt finished with 54 assists and senior Hailey McFadden posted 10 digs.

Old Gold & Black | Sports

Page 12 | Thursday, October 18, 2018

A look at Wake Forest Football after the Bye Week With a 3-3 record coming off a Bye Week, the Deacons have just reached the halfway point BY RAFAEL LIMA Staff Writer limara17@wfu.edu

Wake Forest entered this season with big aspirations, and rightfully so. After all, the team was coming from back-toback bowl wins and an offense in 2018 led by Belk Bowl MVP John Wolford that rewrote the school’s record book. Lots of people carried the belief that, despite losing Wolford and a lot of key pieces on defense, this team would be to able to get a bowl bid and perhaps even fight on the upper half of the ACC. Even though a bowl bid is still very much on the table, the Deacs are at the bottom of the Atlantic Division and exhibited quite frankly embarrassing performances on defense against Boston College, Notre Dame and Clemson. Thus far, the defense has allowed 36.8 points per game and against ACC opponents and Notre Dame, they have allowed a much worse mark of 53.3

points per contest. Against Notre Dame and Clemson we are talking about possible playoff teams, but this kind of defensive performance will not win you many games against any Power five time. Right now, the Deacs are ranked 122nd in total defense out of 129 FBS schools. It is worth nothing to be scoring 32.3 points per game if you are giving up almost five points on defense. “[On defense practices during Bye Week], we had to return to the fundamentals, pad level, getting off of blocks, wrapping up and how we tackle,” said Head Coach Dave Clawson during Tuesday’s press conference. “Some of it is schematic, but some of it, if you look at the Clemson game, some guys are just out of control. Guys were flailing around and not playing with good body control and not tackling with the technique that we coach.” The loss of key pieces like Jessie Bates III, Duke Ejiofor, and Jaboree Williams really hurt this defense and left them very thin at key positions like pass-rush, safety and linebacker. On top of that, some of their key defensive contributors

have been battling injuries over the first half of the season like safeties Luke Masterson and Chuck Wade and linebacker DJ Taylor. They have also been lacking a vocal leader on the field that can ensure that the communication is running smoothly and all the players are lining up correctly. On the bright side, there is still a lot of football left on the season and enough time for this defense to turn things around. It will be interesting to see how this defense will perform coming off a Bye Week against a struggling Florida State team. If they can clean up some of their alignments issues, the chance of a third consecutive bowl bid is very real. On offense, the Deacs are going through the natural ups and downs of having a true freshman at QB. Let's not forget we are only three or four months removed from when Sam Hartman was our third string QB and converted WR Kendall Hinton was the starter. A lot has changed since then, and Hartman has rightfully earned the starting spot for the remainder of the season. Some of his poor decision-making and bad

throwing habits can be attributed to the transition to the college level. I do like the poise and composure when facing adversity that he has displayed this season. Hartman has a lot of playmakers at his disposal with WRs Greg Dortch, Scotty Washington, Alex Bachman and Sage Surratt, it is only a matter of being able to consistently find ways to put the ball on their hands and let them go to work.

See Deacons, Page 15

Photo Courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications

Junior Dom Maggio punts the ball away during the game against Clemson.

NFL week six delivers more excitement

Some teams rose to the occasion and some teams fell as the standings started to take shape at this point in the season BY DANIEL PACHINO Senior Writer pachdb15@wfu.edu

Through six weeks, this NFL season is beginning to take its shape. It’s starting to become clear which teams are the teams to beat in each conference as well as which ones will be fighting for playoff and wild card positions all year long. So far, it seems the AFC North is set to be the league’s best and most competitive division with the Bengals, Ravens and Steelers all in prime position to be playoff contenders. Additionally, the Patriots and Chiefs seem to be the class of the AFC up to this point in the season, and their matchup this past weekend in Foxborough showed why (more on that later). As for the NFC, the 6-0 Rams appear to be the class of the NFC, and the league as a whole. At 4-1, the Saints are also looking like one of the NFC’s best thanks to their highpowered offense. An upcoming road matchup this week in Baltimore will be their first big test. The NFC North is shaping up to be the most contentious NFC division with three playoff contenders, albeit highly flawed ones, in the Vikings, Packers and Bears. On the flip side, the NFC East may wind up being one of the most competitive divisions in football, but only because none of the four teams are very good. With all that said, here’s a recap of everything that happened in week six. Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals Entering the game at 4-1, this was a bit of a “prove it” game for the Bengals with the division rival Steelers coming into town. On the other side, the Steelers knew stealing a game from the first place Bengals on the road would pay huge dividends in getting back into the division race.

This game was tightly contested throughout and it came down to the game’s final seconds. With 1:18 remaining, Joe Mixon capped off a great drive by the Bengals with a fouryard touchdown run to take a 21-20 lead. That, however, left too much time on the clock for Ben Roethlisberger and Pittsburgh. Big Ben and company marched right down the field and got into field goal range with a little under 20 seconds remaining in the game. They decided to run one last play and ran a quick slant to Antonio Brown that he took all the way into the end zone for the game winning touchdown with just 10 seconds remaining to give the Steelers a massive 28-21 road victory. After digging themselves into a big hole to start the season, the Steelers have won two in a row and are now just a half a game out of first place in the AFC North at 3-2-1. Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Dallas Cowboys

win by the Patriots that ended with a last-second gamewinning field goal by Stephen Gostkowski, there was a total of just one punt the entire game. The first half was all Patriots, as they stifled the vaunted Chiefs offense and forced two Patrick Mahomes interceptions to jump out to a 24-9 halftime lead. The second half, however, was a different story as Mahomes and company came out firing, scoring 17 points in the third. After the Patriots made a long field goal with just over three minutes remaining, the Chiefs scored on their first play of the drive on an amazing 75-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill where he outran the entire Pats defense. They scored too quickly though, and left Tom Brady with too much time to march down the field and kick a last second 28-yard field goal. This was the most exciting game of the year thus far, and a playoff rematch between these two wouldn’t surprise anyone.

In one of the most surprising results of last weekend, the Cowboys absolutely manhandled the Jaguars 40-7 in Dallas. After getting out to a 3-1 start, including a convincing 31-20 victory over New England, the Jags seemed poised to be one of the AFC’s top contenders yet again. Since then, they’ve been dominated the past two weeks by the Chiefs and Cowboys. Over the two weeks, Jacksonville has been outscored 70-21 and Blake Bortles has thrown five interceptions in that time period. In Dallas last Sunday, the Cowboys offense was firing on all cylinders. Ezekiel Elliott was dominant as usual, rushing for 106 yards and a touchdown. Dak Prescott also had his best game of the season throwing for an efficient 183 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 82 rushing yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. At a surprising 3-3, the Cowboys are right in the thick of things in the weak NFC East. Kansas City Chiefs vs. New England Patriots This Sunday Night Football game in Foxboro was the offensive showdown of the year up to this point. In a 43-40

Anthony Behar/Sipa USA/TNS

Tom Brady continued to reign supreme through a shoot out against Patrick Mahomes on Sunday night football.

Sports | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, October 18, 2018 | Page 13

Spotlight: Anne van Hoof BY SAMANTHA WEXLER Asst. Sports Editor wexlsn17@wfu.edu This season, sophomore Anne van Hoof has made a splash for the Wake Forest field hockey team. With 18 points and eight goals to her name this year, she is second on the team in goals and third overall for points. In their upset win over No. 9 Syracuse, van Hoof scored twice to lead the Deacs to a 4-1 win. Hailing from Schijndel, Netherlands, van Hoof played for the U16 and U18 Dutch national team as well as made it to the finals/ semifinals of the Dutch National Club Championships all eight of her seasons. An internationally trained player, van Hoof is helping the Deacs improve on the offensive side of the game this year. Samantha Wexler: The team obviously lost some great players after last season and had eight great players come in as well. Can you speak to what it took to develop this year’s team chemistry to continue the success of the program? Anne van Hoof: Every year team chemistry is a big focus point for us. No games are won by individuals, but by a complete team, which consists of players on the field and cheering on the sidelines. We work hard for each other, on and off the ball and will always find a way to help each other out. I never had so many sisters! The fact that we are such a tight team as a whole is very unique! SW: Can you speak on the preparation that goes on in a short week with multiple games? AVH: We celebrate our wins on Sunday, but as soon as we wake up on Monday morning it is a new week, with new opponents and new team focuses. We have Mondays off to give our bodies time to recover from a week of practice and games. We go into the training room for treatment and recovery. On Tuesday we have morning lift and practice. We practice hard on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Thursdays are a little lighter, since we play on Friday. On Saturday we focus our practice on Sunday games. SW: The team was working throughout the whole summer to prepare for the season. What were some of the most important things you did in the preseason to prepare? AVH: This summer I got injured, which made it not possible for me to do the running like all the other girls were doing at home. However, its true when people say that injuries make you more tough. When I saw everyone on the team working hard outside it made me want to come back even stronger. Luckily, I was able to play a couple

days into preseason. Coach Jen always says “every single kid in the country is going through what you’re going through, do not feel sorry for yourself.” I think that describes the toughness and hard work we did in preseason to get us as fit as we are right now. SW: What newcomers are particularly making a splash this year, and how are they contributing to all sides of the team? AVH: All girls that play for the Wake Forest field hockey team have something special, otherwise they would not have been recruited by coach Jen and Rich. Seeing some freshman starting, like Abby Carpenter and Laia Vancells, is amazing. Starting as a freshman is a great opportunity to learn and to grow. They set the standard high for the other freshmen, which makes them compete at the best of their ability as well. SW: The team hails from seven countries other than the United States and eight different states. What are some of the things that you do to team bond? AVH: The fact that this team has so much diversity in where all girls come from makes our bond even stronger. Each one of us can add something valuable to the team, on and off the field. It gives us the ability to learn something new and the opportunity to discover how girls with different cultures deal with problems and opportunities. This diversity makes us fun, never tired of each other and eager to learn something new about each other every single day. SW: There has been a very high standard of play under Coach Averill. What in particular does she bring to the program to continue this dominance?

close team with the players, but a close team with the coach as well. A strong team off the field means a strong team on the field.

Personal Profile

SW: Coach Averill built the Wake Forest program from the start, how does her wealth of experience at Wake help the team?

Hometown: Schijndel,

AVH: Like I said earlier, experience is the best way to learn. The fact that Coach Jen built this program from the start and that she worked with girls around our age for so long means that most of the things that happen on our team are not new to her. Of course, Coach Jen learns new things as well as we do, however the knowledge that she has can make sure that we figure out our difficulties sooner which can give us an answer sooner and get us moving towards our goals quicker. SW: Outside of the team, do you have any people who have influenced your experience here? AVH: Given the fact that I am foreign and English is not my native language, I had a hard time here at Wake Forest my first s e m e s t e r. H o w e v e r, professors are very understanding and helpful. Professors offering to help me outside of regular school hours with writing essays, even though I was asking the same questions over and over again, showed me the strength of Wake Forest as a university. Wake Forest really wants you to succeed in everything you chose to do, offering all the help that you need in order to do that. SW: What’s your favorite Wake Forest Field Hockey memory here so far?

AVH: Coach Jen pushes us to our limits, but mostly gives us the opportunity to grow and figure out what works best for us in order to play at the best AVH: My favorite of our ability. The personal Wake Forest Field Hockey bond that all girls have with Coach Jen memories are dining out on away trips, begives us the easy step to talk to her directly cause that is where you really get to meet if something’s wrong or to share something the girls you play with. Conversations are exciting with her. This makes us not only a about anything and everything. Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications

Netherlands Class: Sophomore Accolades: - Scored final goal of the season in the ACC Tournament Quarterfinals last year - Appeared in all 20 games and made 19 starts her first season at Wake - Played for the U16 and U18 Dutch national team 2014-16 - Has played in international tournaments in Czech Republic and Spain

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications

Deac Notes Women’s Soccer senior Nonie Frishette stands out with most saves in conference

Freshman forward Jaylen Hoard named to Erving Award Watch

Frishette, a senior from Hermosa Beach, CA, has played nonstop throughout the soccer season. To the women’s soccer team, she has contributed a total of 65 saves, four of which were made during Friday’s evening game against Louisville. This achievement tops a number of outstanding performances by Frishette, who finished last year’s season with one save and without allowing any goals during her four appearances.

Hoard, a freshman recruit from Carnon, France, is already making headlines before his first basketball season at Wake Forest. On Wednesday, the Naismith Basketball of Hame named Hoard to the watchlist for the Erving Award. Hoard now joins the ranks of twenty premier basketball players chosen for the process of selecting the nation’s best small forward, who will be announced in April after the culmination of a selection process.

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications

Page 14 | Thursday, October 18, 2018

Old Gold & Black | Sports

MLB: Examining October playoff matchups The Astros, the Red Sox, the Dodgers and the Brewers vy for a spot in the world series

BY REN SCHMITT News Editor schmwm16@wfu.edu

After a lackluster slate of division series that featured two sweeps and zero game fives, the NLCS and ALCS have reignited the excitement that should accompany October baseball. The four remaining clubs — the Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers — each entered the League Championship series with considerable momentum, as the four teams combined for a 12-2 record in the Division Series. A World Series rematch seemed to be a likely scenario at the outset of the LCS, as both the Astros and Dodgers entered their respective series as slight favorites, but the Red Sox and Brewers have appeared far less beatable than pre-series projections suggested. With both series still within reach for all four teams, the spotlight brightens, and each moment is magnified as the final push for World Series berth begins. For Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, the spotlight has shined a bit too brightly at times in the postseason, and his career 2.39 ERA in the regular season starkly contrasts his ERA in the postseason, which is over 4.00. In Game one of the NLCS, Kershaw reignited the narrative that he is incapable of pitching in the postseason after managing just 3.0 IP and allowing four earned runs.

In Game five, however, Kershaw him to the hospital. Though Sale has games — features largely lacking from looked more like himself. Though his been discharged from the hospital, Red the League Division Series. The Brewfastball continues to lose velocity and his Sox manager Alex Cora says that his ers will continue to ask their bullpen stuff lacks the bite it once had, Kershaw pitcher still feels weakness and fatigue to throw as many innings as possible to achieved ace-level results, providing 7.0 that could keep him off the field until neutralize the potent Dodgers’ lineup, and the Red Sox and Astros series will innings and allowing just one run en Game 6. route to a 5-2 Dodgers victory. He also Fortunately for fans, this playoff round feature more crooked numbers hung on recorded nine strikeouts—his highest to- has contained tension and competitive the board from both tremendous lineups. tal of the 2018 postseason. Now, the NLCS will return to Miller Park in Milwaukee, where the Brewers will play a win-or-go-home Game six— a possibility that seemed farfetched just a few days ago, when the Brewers held a 2-1 series lead. In the Red Sox v. Astros series, Red Sox starting pitcher David Price finally rose to the occasion as a postseason starter in Game 2, marking the first time that a team has won in the postseason after using Price as their starter. The 33-year-old Price had made 10 prior postseason starts across the last nine seasons, and his team had lost all 10. After splitting the first two games at Fenway Park with the Astros, Boston took control of the series in Game 3 on the back of an 8-2 victory. Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel and Red Sox starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi each allowed two runs in their Game 3 starts, setting up what appeared to be a close game. Then, Red Sox first baseman Steve Pearce hit a go-ahead home run in the sixth inning, and Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. broke the game open in the eighth with a grand slam. Chris Sale, Boston’s ace, will be a story (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/TNS) to follow as the series progresses, as he Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw’s performance decreased will likely miss his scheduled Game 5 start due to a stomach illness that sent this postseason, managing a 3.0 IP and allowing four earned runs.

Deacons: Volleyball team rallies to defeat Clemson Continued from Page 11

what made the difference for us later in the match. We were able to get Katie Moore up to block Brooke Bailey who really affected us in the first two sets. The other thing was our passers were able to settle down a little bit. The first two sets got away from them a little bit. They were passing efficiently so we were able to start involving Caitlyn Della and Olivia Saunders again in the later sets, which really opens up our entire offense.” The Deacons look to extend their streak of brilliant

ACC play with two matches this week, first against Duke in Reynolds Gym at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday before travelling to Blacksburg to take on Virginia Tech at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Coach Ferguson appears to enjoy such intense matches against worthy foes, explaining, “If you can’t get pumped up to play your rival, then you don’t have a pulse. You come to a school like Wake Forest to play these rivalry matches. We are all really excited for it.”

Rassenfoss paced the Deacons with 21 kills. Junior middle blocker Catilyn Della had 13 kills of her own and sophomore outside hitter Myca Mitchell finished not too far behind with 10. Della and sophomore middle blocker Olivia Saunders each led the team with 6 blocks. For the Tigers, sophomore outside hitter Brooke Bailey had 18 kills and freshman setter Gabby Easton had 44 assists. Clemson took a 2-0 lead by scores of 25-20 and 2515 before the Deacons made some key adjustments to turn the tides in the third set. Wake had 16 kills and played stellar defense to hold the Tigers to a 9.5 hitting percentage. Both sides rallied back and forth in the third set, until the Deacons won five of six points to take an 18-15 lead. Clemson fought to even the frame at 24-24, but two straight kills sealed the 26-24 win as the Deacons cut the deficit to one. The Deacons kept the momentum going with a match high of 20 kills and a 54.3 hitting percentage in the fourth set. Each side went on early 3-0 runs, but Wake Forest earned the momentum back taking an 11-7 lead. The Deacons remained in front for the remainder of the set until 25-21 to set the scene for a thrilling fifth set. The thrilling five-setter was capped by a 6-0 run by the Deacons in the middle of the frame to take a comfortable 10-6 lead. The Tigers clawed back to get within one, but senior middle blocker Katie Moore made her eighth kill of the game to seal the 3-2 comeback for the Deacons. Of the adjustments made to set the stage for the draPhoto Courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics Communications matic comeback, Head Coach Bill Ferguson said. “We The Deacons congratulate eachother following a successful set. Be there to support them as they face Duke in shifted the lineup which shifted our matchups. That’s Reynolds Gym at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. They will travel to Blacksburg on Friday to take on Virginia Tech at 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, October 18, 2018 |Page 15

Old Gold & Black | Sports

Deacons: Football looks to improve Continued from Page 12

Looking ahead to their next two matchups at Florida State and at Louisville, the Deacs will have their best chance to win on the road in the ACC this season. Both the Seminoles and the Cardinals have been underperforming in 2018 and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Wake Forest winning those two games. However, it is not a stretch either to see the Deacs losing both games. This only shows how chaotic the lower half of the ACC is this year. Against the Seminoles, the Deacs will have their first true test on the road this season, especially for Hartman. The freshman QB played really well on the road against Tulane during the season-opener, but playing in Tallahassee against a defense full of 4 and 5-star recruits is going to be a totally different animal. Wake Forest might also be without its best offensive players against the Noles as Greg Dortch rolled his left ankle during the Clemson game. Dortch was able to practice on a limited basis this week, but his availability for the Florida State will likely be a gametime decision. It’s needless to say how important Dortch is for the Deacs’ offense, especially this week facing a good Florida State defense on the road. “It starts with their defense. They are in the top half of the conference in every major category: scoring defense, total defense, and rushing defense,” Clawson

said. “Offensively, they are always very skilled. François is back for them and he is one of the rising stars in the conference. The running back combination of Akers and Patrick is probably as good of a 1-2 punch as any team in the conference.” The Seminoles do have a plethora of talented players across the board. However, their biggest weakness this season has been the poor play by their offensive line. Opposing teams have been able to penetrate and disrupt the Noles’ backfield for most of the season. In 2018, the Noles’ offensive line has allowed 18 sacks through six games second-worst mark in the ACC. If the Deacs are able to dominate the trenches against Florida State and disrupt François’ rhythm, I like their chances. “We haven’t played well on defense and going against their skill level, we are going to have to get lined up, keep things in front of us and do a great job tackling. Those are the things we didn’t do against Clemson,” Clawson said. “It is always challenging to go down to Tallahassee. We are looking forward to getting back out there and continuing the season. Hopefully, we can improve and find a way to get this one.” The Demon Deacons will face the Seminoles on Oct. 20 at Doak Campbell Stadium. The game is set to kickoff at 3:30 p.m. and will be aired on ESPN 2.

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications

Freshman quarterback Sam Hartman throws the ball during the Clemson game at BB&T Field. The Deacs return to face Florida State this week.

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LIFE

T H U R S D AY, O C T O B E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 8

PAG E 16

O n l i n e at : w w w. w f u o g b. co m e d i t o r s : Emily Beauchamp, beauea17@wfu.edu Olivia Field, fielor17@wfu.edu

OLD GOLD & BLACK

PIANO MAN AWES FANS WITH OLD FAVORITES In his first North Carolina stadium concert, beloved singer-songwriter Billy Joel dazzled a capacity crowd with classic hits such as “Piano Man” and “We Didn’t Start the Fire” on Oct. 13

BY JEANIE BALL Contributing Writer ballea17@wfu.edu

On Oct. 13, Billy Joel delivered a stunning performance of his iconic music for a stadium packed full of more than 30,000 devoted fans. BB&T Field was transformed from its usual Wake Forest football theme into a display of colorful lights and giant video screens showcasing Joel and his band, including the incredibly talented Mike Rivera on saxophone. Performing for his first stadium concert ever in North Carolina, the Piano Man thrilled his audience with a high-energy two-hour set that transported them back to the ‘70s and ‘80s. He kicked off his show with a bang, performing “Big Shot” to the delight of the crowd, and proving that his voice has clearly not fallen into disrepair with age. Leading into “My Life” with Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” and beginning crowd favorite “Vienna” with a rendition of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” he seemed intent on incorporating songs outside of his own music. Die-hard fans recognized a few of the more obscure songs on his set list, including “Zanzibar” from his 1978 album “52nd Street” and “Keeping the Faith” from his “An Innocent Man” album. Sophomore Catherine Heindel said, “It was so great to finally get to see one of the artists I’ve grown up listening to, live.” While performing “Sometimes A Fantasy,” Joel commented that producers had thought the song to be too risque for the radio when he released it, noting that ironically, “it certainly wouldn’t be considered too risque now.” Other fan favorites included

“Only the Good Die Young” and “New York State of Mind.” Throughout his concert, Joel appeared to be in a light-hearted mood, constantly cracking jokes about other performers in between songs. Referring to his “entertainer” throat spray that he used throughout the show, he joked, “Madonna uses this too. I don’t think it really works for her.” He also showed off his rotating baby grand piano, which he described to the audience’s amusement. “This is the extent of my special effects, but at least John doesn’t have it,” he said. “His piano just stays in one place.” He continued to make fun of “the other piano man,” as he called him after leading into “The Entertainer” with Elton John’s “Your Song.” After singing the lyric “ … don’t have much money,” he turned to look at the crowd in mock amazement. “You don’t have much money?” he said sarcastically, to which the crowd collectively laughed. In a more serious turn of events, he paid tribute to Aretha Franklin, for which backup vocalist Crystal Taliefero gave an outstanding performance of her iconic song “Respect.” Performing in company with Joel during the concert was a variety of remarkably talented musicians. Mike Delguidice, on backup vocals and guitar, originally performed in a tribute band called Big Shot, until Joel himself discovered how astonishingly similar his voice was to his own and hired Delguidice to sing alongside him in his band. Giving an awe-inspiring rendition of “Nessun Dorma” which led into “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” Delguidice show-

Photo courtesy of Billy Joel official website

Photo courtesy of Winston-Salem Journal

cased his incredible vocal range and fascinated the audience with how much he sounded like Joel. Carl Fischer, on trumpet, trombone and saxophone, also concluded “Zanzibar” with an extraordinary trumpet solo that captivated the audience. Although Joel is approaching his 70s, he still nailed each note as if he were still a young man performing in the ‘80s and kept up his string of one-liners and raunchy humor. He made multiple jokes about his age and appearance, playfully saying, “You guys are probably wondering… what happened to him?” and noting how he had recently turned 69 by lamenting, “I used to really like that number.” Throughout his entire performance, the energy of the crowd never faltered, despite the fact that most of the attendees were over the age of 40, with a few exceptions of college students. His more upbeat songs had nearly every fan in the stadium on their feet dancing and cheering and his slower songs like the classic “Piano Man” had them singing at the top of their lungs. According to sophomore Sarah DeHorn, the concert was “full of thriving parents, but their energy was contagious, and Billy Joel’s music is still timeless.” During his four-song encore, he got up and danced around with his microphone stand while singing “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” and vigorously played electric guitar during “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” much to the audience’s enjoyment. Overall, Joel gave an exceptional performance, as expected, and all the loyal fans who welcomed him were incredibly lucky to have experienced it.

Thursday, October 18, 2018 | Page 17

Life | Old Gold & Black

Movie Review| Venom

THE HOT Venom is visually entertaining LIST The new film kicks off Sony’s take on the Marvel Cinematic Universe BY WILL MAY Sports Editor mayws16@wfu.edu The supervillain Venom is a renowned staple of Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man franchise: a down-on-his-luck journalist named Eddie Brock accidentally merged with a symbiotic alien parasite, granting him superior strength and speed at the expense of his humanity. This film is the second rendition of the character, following his disappointing portrayal in 2007’s Spider-Man 3 by Topher Grace of That ‘70s Show fame. Venom is the product of a deal between Sony Pictures Releasing and Marvel Studios. In exchange for letting Sony use their character Venom, Marvel would produce SpiderMan: Homecoming for Sony under the condition that they let Marvel use the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sony expects to use Venom as a jumping-off point for a franchise, referring to the film in May 2017 as the first installment of “Sony’s Marvel Universe.” To say that a lot is hinging on this film would be an understatement. Visually, the film is a marvel. Its frequent action sequences are explosive and ludicrously over-the-top, yet never lose their edge. The CGI effects are even more impressive: the spectacularly menacing look sported by Venom himself will be enough to soften the

hearts of even the most hardened comic book film’s characters and their idiosyncratic diapurists. Unfortunately, the film’s positives logue makes every scene truly unique. Tom become more inconsistent beneath its glossy Hardy, sporting a ridiculously hokey American accent, performs the titular role in an surface. Perhaps the film’s most glaringly obvi- amusingly absurd fashion. My personal faous problem is the dialogue. The characters’ vorite moment was during Brock’s transforspeech is littered with clichéd witticisms that mation, a kinetic scene in which Hardy runs sound like every cheap action flick you’ve ever amok in a classy restaurant, falling on tables, seen molded into a grotesque amalgam of in- and ravenously stealing chicken from various plates. coherence. Despite the film’s obvious flaws, it is still In fact, one could say that the dialogue reads like it was written by one of the aliens in possible for one to find Venom very entertainthe film. Only one would be wrong, because ing. The film’s high performance at the box the aliens in the film are more well-versed in office reflects that. For better or for worse, modern slang and colloquialisms than your Venom could easily be the beginning of a very average grandmother. The film’s plot is over- successful franchise for Sony: they seem to whelmed with inconsistencies like these, and agree, as back in August, Hardy stated that swerves through various settings and plot he was signed on for two upcoming Venom threads with seemingly little rhyme or reason. movies. The film also suffers from tonal inconsistencies as well. A large part of Venom’s appeal as a character is his dark, savage image. The film honors that (I think he bit off at least two different characters’ heads by the films’ end), but punctuates it with cheap laughs. The creepy parasitic relationship between Brock and the symbiote is offset very awkwardly by the buddy-cop tone that the film pushes, making it an off-balance mess that is unsure of exactly what kind of movie it wants to be. Sony said that they initially planned for the film to have an R-rating until it was lowered to PG-13, and it really shows. That all being said, I found the film to be largely enjoyable. A lot of the jokes do land, Photo Courtesy of imdb.com and the running time is a merciful hour and fifty-two minutes, short by today’s superhero Venom’s dark, savage image film standards. The unabashed idiocy of the is inconsistent with his jokes.

Relationship Column | Friendship

Learn to accept long-distance in college

Top 10 things you missed when Youtube was down

On the evening of Oct. 16, YouTube was down for almost two hours. Here are all the videos you wanted to watch: By Elizabeth Maline

1.

NFL Week 6 Highlights Quavo’s Jewelry Collection

3.

Soap Cutting Makeup Tutorials

5.

Tasty videos

7.

Anything BuzzFeed

Matt Damon as Brett Kavanaugh

Jimmy Fallon Lip Sync Battles

9.

American Idol Audition Maroon 5 “Girls Like You” Music Video

DRINK OF THE WEEK

Moving away from home both tests and strengthens important friendships BY NEELY METZ Contributing Writer metzet17@wfu.edu Distance is the ultimate test of any relationship. This philosophy had never been more prevalent than in my senior year of high school. As college inched closer and closer for us soon-to-be graduates, much of the hallway gossip revolved around couples, who would either live “happily ever after” or go their separate ways once dedicating to a long-distance relationship. Coming to Wake Forest from San Francisco, I was more concerned with how my college move would affect a different aspect of my life: my friendships back at home. Not only was I the only person out of my friend group moving to the South for my education, but my best friend was attending college overseas — nearly 4,000 miles away from Winston-Salem. Though long-distance relationships are a recurring trope in popular culture, movies and television shows primarily depict how separation affects a character’s romance, often glossing over or completely avoiding the effect of distance on friendship. Thus, I was concerned as to how my big move to North Carolina would alter my long-standing friendships in California.

Becky Swig/Old Gold & Black

Many students come to Wake Forest from across the country or globe. It takes effort and care to keep up with friends from home. As students scatter about the globe to their respective universities, time and distance test long-standing relationships. It would be an understatement to say that the college transition is not always easy for students suddenly confronted by new surroundings, new responsibilities and new people on campus, and relationships are definitely not immune. Time differences, busy schedules, school obligations and the perpetual “newness” of college can easily override the best intentions to stay in touch through FaceTime, texts and social media. A coast-to-coast move was not an easy feat, especially when considering the seemingly endless miles between me and my closest friends. Throughout the school year, I found that while many of my East Coast classmates at Wake Forest could easily schedule visits with their high school friends, my

friends from home simply lived too far away to justify a trip. I often worried about losing the connection I shared with those friends, fearing that the time, distance and change would drive an irreparable wedge between us. Having begun my sophomore year, I understand that distance does not mean the end. It takes two to make a friendship last — especially true when hundreds or, in my case, thousands of miles apart. While talking through a screen does not replace face-to-face interaction, putting in the effort to update, support and reminisce will be reciprocated. Change in college is inevitable. While both myself and the people around me have changed dramatically since packing our bags and moving away to college, friendships built to last will survive the distance.

• • • • • •

4 fresh figs, quartered 6 plums, quartered 3/4 cup dried apricots 2 pears, quartered 1 bottle Pinot Noir 1 bottle sparkling apple cider

Combine all the fruit and wine into a pitcher and chill overnight. Before serving, incorporate sparkling apple cider so flavors blend. 21+

Courtesy of boulderlocavore.com

Page 18 | Thursday, October 18, 2018

Old Gold & Black | Life

Movie Review | A Star is Born

New movie raises questions of consent Lady Gaga makes her acting debut with her striking performance in the newest remake of A Star is Born BY MADISON ZEHMER Staff Writer zehmml16@wfu.edu

Hollywood has a love-hate relationship with remakes. Either they fail to live up to the original, like 2017’s The Mummy, or they surpass expectations. The most recent A Star is Born remake definitely falls into the latter category. Bradley Cooper lives up to the challenge as director, creating a film that is thrilling, moving and surprisingly profound. The musical performances are captivating and the cinematography is subtle but often beautiful, but I was most impressed with the acting. Because Lady Gaga is known for her flamboyance, her nuanced, raw performance as Ally is particularly striking. During the first half of the movie, I almost forgot that I was watching Lady Gaga, rather than an unknown actress. It’s early, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she receives a Best Actress nomination at the 2019 Academy Awards. Bradley Cooper is excellent as Jack as well, though he certainly Photo Courtesy of imdb.com doesn’t outshine Gaga. Their chemistry is palpable and Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga star in the newest believable, and their performances capture the audi- remake of the original 1937 film A Star is Born. ence’s attention and elevate the movie to a level of excellence. troubling. Jack ignores Ally’s requests and demands However, although I believe that A Star is Born is a many times during the movie, such as when he begins great film in many ways, it is not exempt from criticism. to play “Shallow” despite her initial refusal to perform For example, its treatment of consent is particularly it on stage with him. Similar occurrences happen peri-

odically throughout the movie, like when Jack orders his driver to stay outside of Ally’s house until she comes with him to his concert. It’s not necessarily wrong of the movie to show these interactions as long as there is acknowledgement of the violation of consent taking place. A Star is Born lacks this acknowledgement. Is this a reason to boycott the movie? I don’t necessarily think so. However, I do think that we need to have an open dialogue about the way in which this movie and others fail to challenge patriarchal norms and serve to reinforce dangerous ideas about consent. Additionally, one of my biggest qualms with the movie is that Cooper makes it all about who Ally is in relation to Jack rather than allowing Ally to become a fully three-dimensional character on her own merit. That’s the problem with all of the A Star is Born films: they treat their respective female character’s rise to fame as something that happens to a man. Despite Lady Gaga’s excellent performance, sometimes it feels like Ally is little more than a plot device designed to propel Jack along. I would have loved to see Ally’s development as a character in her own right rather than just how her development impacted Jack. Overall, I think A Star is Born is a very well-made movie with some problems with its content. My biggest takeaway is that Lady Gaga is a seriously talented and underappreciated actress, and I look forward to seeing her work in the future. I’ll be interested to see how this A Star is Born is compared to the others and whether or not it stands the test of time. If you’re looking for a captivating film that’s thought-provoking and fun but challenging in some ways, I’d definitely check out this year’s A Star is Born.

Concert Review | Winston-Salem Symphony

Diverse array of music to come this season Potential music director Vladimir Kulenovic brings a warm autumn sound to the Winston-Salem Symphony

BY ANDREW MURPHY Contributing Writer murpat16@wfu.edu

This year is a big year for the Winston-Salem Symphony. The Symphony, which is currently without a permanent music director, is bringing five acclaimed conductors from around the world to Winston-Salem to compete for the role: Vladimir Kulenovic, Timothy Myers, Robert Franz, George Jackson and Timothy Redmond. This makes for some exciting programming; this year’s season features a strikingly diverse array of music, from Mozart to Jennifer Higdon. The most exciting thing, however, about the 2018-19 Symphony season is that the Winston-Salem community will get to decide who becomes the new music director. Sunday and Tuesday’s concerts were Vladimir Kulenovic’s chance to prove himself worthy of the role of Winston-Salem Symphony Music Director. Mr. Kulenovic was joined by the excellent cellist Julian Schwarz. From his choice of music, we can tell that he is a musician of excellent taste. The program chosen consisted of Carl Maria von Weber’s Overture to “Der Freischütz,” Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto no. 1 and Brahms’ Symphony no. 3. Overall, the concert was excellent, with the Winston-Salem Symphony and Schwarz in great sound. The choice of music was very fitting for fall; the overture to “Der Freischütz” was truly spooky, the Shostakovich concerto alternatively harsh and ethereal and the Brahms an embodiment of Late-Romantic warmth and retrospection.

“Der Freischütz” is an unfairly overlooked piece. The Romantic gothic melodrama (or, more accurately, Singspiel) premiered in Berlin in 1821 and was an immediate international success. The opera was a huge influence on Weber’s successors, especially Wagner, and represents a high point of early Romanticism. Its music is powerfully written for the orchestra, making use of techniques typically associated with much later composers, such as Leitmotiv, or reminiscence themes — musical ideas that appear in association with characters or themes. The overture presents some of the opera’s big themes in a magically-scored package; Kulenovic led the Winston-Salem Symphony from the spooky Wolf ’s Glen music, through the love themes, to the triumphant conclusion, with confidence and attention to detail. The Shostakovich Cello Concerto formed the heart of the program. Schwarz brought a welcome, warm sound to the unabashedly neurotic piece. The shrieking, neurotic first movement was performed with restless energy from the soloist and ironic detachment from the orchestra. The beautiful, but terrifying second movement showcased Schwarz’s unique tone: the presentation of the main theme in harmonics, accompanied by the celesta, is one of classical music’s magical moments. An extended cadenza, performed effortlessly by the soloist, leads to the ironic finale, which quotes Stalin’s favorite song in increasingly absurd and subversive contexts. Anyone who wonders whether classical music can be politically relevant should read about Shostakovich’s struggles with censorship in the Soviet Union. Tuesday’s concert was unusual in featuring not one, but two very large works. Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto no. 1 is a massive work, but Kulenovic decided to follow it with a titan of the late-Romantic repertoire: Brahms’ Symphony no. 3 in F. The Symphony, while Brahms’ shortest, is a monumental testament

Illustration Courtesy of Earl F. Lam III

Five acclaimemd conductors were recruited from around the world to compete for musical director.

to his knowledge of classical forms and conventions, while also being innovative in its use of musical material. It is primarily autumnal in tone, favoring warm, dark colors over the force and clarity of, say, Brahms’ Symphony no. 1 or Beethoven’s Symphony no. 5. The Winston-Salem Symphony played the piece with warmth and familiarity. I conclude by saying that Kulenovic’s performance on Tuesday sets an exciting precedent for the rest of the season.

Life | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, October 18, 2018 | Page 19

A Simple Favor attempts to fit all genres, fits none Plot of new movie lacks defining tone, falls short in comedy, lacks minor character development and leaves audience apathetic

BY KYLE FERRER Staff Writer ferrka16@wfu.edu

About 15 minutes into A Simple Favor, my friend beside me leaned over and whispered “Hm. Interesting tone.” It was a query masquerading as a comment, basically meaning, “What is the tone?” As the film progressed through its 117-minute run time, we never got an answer; instead, we shied from A Simple Favor as it continually stunted its many tones and proceeded to draw incompletely on multiple genres, as if cobbled out of a tattered textbook. It felt like shifting terrain, embarrassing and awkward, as if the film itself was not sane, but a bit mad. I was never sure what to think about A Simple Favor, but my confusion did not stem from admiration, nor did it seem to portend an immature viewing. A Simple Favor never seemed like a film with intellectual heft, one that at first blush is difficult to digest but pleasurable to ponder. The film, in fact, is so easily digestible, and treats its subject with such nonchalance, it is as if we have gulped too much, while gulping nothing at all. We receive an “illusion of fullness” as Richard Brody said in The New Yorker. The plot centers on two friends, Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), a perky, stay-at-home mommy vlogger, and Emily (Blake Lively), a high-powered, no-nonsense PR director for a fashion company. The two meet at their boys’ school and are sort of shoved into each other’s company when their boys demand a play date. Soon, they become awkward if intimate friends, sharing strong martinis and secrets. Kendrick’s Stephanie is reserved and concerned, a sort of hyper-attentive, helicopter parent whose child could be plausibly

Photo courtesy of imdb.com

Photo courtesy of imdb.com

intolerable in the future; Emily is a workaholic whose neglect is apparent and whose unfettered language and drinking gives her the careerist’s affliction of progenitor’s disinterest. Lively injects Emily with an evenly dispensed dose of aplomb and aggression, but the problem with her character is that she is supposed to be funny, and she mostly is not. Kendrick brings a meth-inspired assiduity to Stephanie, and stands so straight that her morals seem unflinching (until they aren’t). Other players in the film include Emily’s husband, Sean (Henry Golding), a flailing novelist who hasn’t written a thing since his bestseller a decade ago, and Emily’s boss at the fashion line, Dennis (Rupert Friend), a dandyish mix between an insecure, Wildean man and Ed Hardy. Both Sean and Dennis are played somewhat farcically, but perhaps the biggest pitfall of the film (especially regarding Golding’s character) is that we don’t know if we are supposed to take anyone at all seriously. Emotion and legitimate moments therefore take on a shade of the incredible. The audience does not know how to go at these characters and their development, and is left in a maddening limbo, causing the film to flail in an uncomfortable and ultimately damnable space. Emily’s home, an expensive display of modern, austere taste, contains a nude painting of herself, ala a Hunter S. Thompson vision, with her pubis in the fore and her face looming high above. Stephanie sees this, and tries to hide her shock with feigned interest. Part of her wishes she was that cool; part of Emily admires Stephanie’s parenting. Francis Bacon’s aphorism that “no excellent beauty exists without some strangeness in proportion,” seems apt. They are opposites, attracted by each other’s oddity. Soon, Emily asks Stephanie “a simple favor:” that she pick up her son from school. Stephanie complies, Emily never returns home, and a convoluted trail of breadcrumbs falls to the floor. There is murder, a twin, gaslighting, and the like, cribbing plot from traditional noir films like Double Indemnity, humor from neonoirs like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and twists from some

vaguely De Palma-esque warehouse of them, mostly to no avail. To reveal much more plot is to spoil about twenty different turns the film takes, but the takeaway is not the marvelous plot development or empathetic characters, it is the wild swinging at the plate that the film is forced to take in stride. There is so much A Simple Favor seems to want to involve itself in, genrewise, that it ends up scooping from the shallows of all of them and collects in a puddle of inanity, a plottwist-for-plot-twist’s sake, “dark comedy” that isn’t very funny, or poignantly dark. This all said, there are some clever scenes. One occurs when Stephanie shows up at Emily’s workplace looking for her, and a receptionist impassively answers a deluge of phone calls, all with the same placid greeting and holding-tone, while staring Stephanie in the eyes. Another comes in a humorous homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey with an airborne wrench. But these are disjointed, far-and-few-between sequences that don’t merit an almost two-hour run time. I must admit, before I saw A Simple Favor, I read some criticism, which I don’t usually do when reviewing a film. The consensus seemed to be that it wore a mask of merit, yet upon inspection was vapid. Upon reading these claims, I was expecting a film like Oliver Stone’s U-Turn, where Sean Penn’s scuzzy, urbanite-sleazebag gets stranded in a small Texas town and is embroiled in murder, manipulation and Body Heat-esque perspiration. Stone’s MTV-surrealist style makes him a unique auteur who is always enjoyable to watch, and although UTurn doesn’t amount to what Stone accomplished in Natural Born Killers, one is not upset by viewing. It is a self-contained capsule of a film studded with talented actors (with Penn, is Nick Nolte, Jennifer Lopez, and Billy Bob Thornton) and genre-winks all wrapped in Stone’s directorial style. A Simple Favor has nothing unique other than its own indecision, and its style is purely aspirational. There is never a moment of fruition; there simply are too many moments, period. I do not despise A Simple Favor, I just stopped caring.

Page 20 | Thursday, October 18, 2018

Old Gold & Black | Life

Comparing coffee shops Camino, with a bustling atmopshere, and Twin City Hive, a more relaxed space, are both viable options for an off-campus coffee experience BY ANDY KILLEBREW Staff Writer killae17@wfu.edu

Are you looking for a change of scenery in study space? Do you want to go to a hip downtown outlet that boosts your aesthetic and only compromises some of your relative productivity compared to the library? If so, then I am here to give you the definitive guide to making an informed decision between Camino and Twin City Hive. Hopefully, with my carefully curated thoughts and opinions on the two coffee shops, you can decide where to post up on your next downtown outing. If you’re the type of person who is able to stand the hustle and bustle of the ZSR Starbucks combined with their attempts to play appealing and trendy music, then Camino might be your new spot. Located in a prime location on Fourth Street (right beside Mellow Mushroom and across from Aperture Cinema, if you need ideas for a better downtown excursion), Camino is a hotbed of activity for people looking to pop in for a quick beverage. Thus, if you are someone that is able to find solitude amongst crowds, then the heavy business of this shop could be ideal for your study habits. However, if you are someone who studies in your dorm room or appreciates a nice, secluded alcove in the library for peace and quiet, Camino would not be the kind of place that you would like. In terms of furniture and actual workspace, Camino has a very standard setup. The joint boasts wooden picnic tables, high-backed chairs perched at basic tables and several seats facing Fourth Street. This setup is highly favorable for people watching, which is always much more intriguing when removed from the homogeneity of Wake Forest’s campus. Camino is the sort of place that you can see circular, tortoise-shell eyeglasses and corduroy pants rather than the standard sandals, khaki shorts, and illustrated pocket tees. Thus, at Camino, you can type a page and a half of your religion paper and get a mild change of pace from the humdrum of Wake Forest. On the other hand, Twin City Hive is a little more off the beaten path. The shop is nestled into a complex (sharing a building with the singular Señor Bravo’s) in Brookstown, which

Olivia Field/Old Gold & Black

Emily Beauchamp/Old Gold & Black

is a little less than a mile outside of downtown Winston-Salem. The space is much more eclectic and divided than Camino and promotes more privacy than its counterpart. It even has a separate study room removed from the rest of the joint. Twin City Hive also boasts a greater variety of furniture, so if you want to nestle into a couch to read, then you are free to do so. Thus, I would definitely give an edge to Twin City Hive in this avenue for the sheer diversity of its seating. When I visited Twin City Hive, I felt a greater commonality with the fellow inhabitants of the venue. While this could feel obtrusive to some, I enjoyed the communal feel of the place. Their inventory also boasted coffee from Perfect Blend (located in beautiful Lexington, NC) and it was nice to see the shop pay homage to local retailers. I personally enjoyed the vibe of Twin City Hive much more; it felt much more intimate and cozy as compared with the corporate Camino. In terms of the actual coffee served at the two shops, I cannot claim to be qualified enough to comment on the merits of the beverages. One of my more cultured friends claimed to prefer the drinks at Camino, so take that as you will. However, if you are like me and don’t really have a preference as long as there is sufficient caffeine in the cup, then either one should suffice. Twin City Hive does offer more in terms of retail to buy and take home, but that is probably mostly beside the point on a campus that has traditional coffeemakers banned. While I do prefer Twin City Hive to Camino, the two offer very different atmospheres and vibes. If you like a social setting and are fine sacrificing productivity, then Camino might be a better match for your tastes. However, in my humble opinion, Twin City Hive is the better option of the two. If you want to have a casual hangout with some friends somewhere not at Wake Forest, then you can find it at Twin City Hive. In addition, the shop also offers more avenues for genuine productivity. Thus, Twin City Hive proves to me to be a much more versatile and well-rounded site. So, next time you decide to venture out into the greater Winston-Salem community, look no further than Twin City Hive.