News: LGBTQ+ Center spearheads data streamline Page 5
Opinion: Student pens letter to Senator Joe Manchin Page 8
Sports: Wake Forest dominates UVA 37-17 Page 10
Life: Peanuts: Two sides of the story Page 16
Old Gold&Black
WAKE FOREST’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1916 VOL. 108, NO. 7
T H U R S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 3 0 , 2 0 21 “Cover s the campus like the magnolias”
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Int'l students adjust to being on campus Many students returned to campus after a year of learning from their home countries BY MINGXUAN ZHU Contributing Writer zhum18@wfu.edu Jessica Cao, a junior from Shaanxi, China, arrived at the airport four hours before the flight's departure time in Shanghai, only to see a long line in front of her. Ninety percent of the line consisted of international students with huge, overstuffed suitcases trying to go to their college campuses. She waited two hours before it was her turn to check in. After 20 hours with almost no food and nothing to drink, she arrived in the United States. It was a typical coming-back-to-campus trip for an international student. “It was so hard,” Cao said. “But it’s worth it.” As Wake Forest decided to start the Fall 2021 semester on Aug. 23, “with the assumption that improving public health conditions will enable a full offering of in-person classes on the Reynolda Campus,” many international students who had been remote studying in their home countries for almost a whole academic year were expected to come back to the United States and take classes on campus. Katie Fox/ Old Gold & Black
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion hosted its first campus dialogues event surrounding the guidelines that administration is using to consider the naming and renaming of buildings like the religion building.
Campus dialogues event centers naming guidelines Panelists discussed and took questions on guidelines formed by the Advisory Committee on Naming BY AINE PIERRE News Editor pierav20@wfu.edu On Wednesday afternoon, Dean of the Divinity School Dr. Jonathan Lee Walton joined Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Dr. José Villalba to discuss guiding principles on naming and renaming buildings on campus. For Walton, who chaired the Advisory Committee on Naming, and for Villalba, who served on it, the controversy surrounding the name of the building that houses the Religion Department and Wait Chapel was fresh in mind. However, the two kept the conversation — the first in a new series called campus
dialogues — mostly focused on more general principles. Villalba also detailed possible next steps for renaming, which include a potential renaming of buildings with names that neither honor nor disparage the contributions of an individual or group. The vice president cited Magnolia, Dogwood and South Residence Halls as examples of buildings that could be renamed. “The names can stay,” Villalba said. “Or it could be an opportunity to have names that are a bit more representative.” Per Walton, the committee adopted five guiding principles to consider the names of buildings on campus: academic freedom; diversity and inclusion; historical analysis and thorough analysis; distinguishing between remembering and honoring; and transparency and tradition. “I think the principles are there to hold us to account,” Walton said. “There are always ex-
See Int'l Students, Page 5
Mask enforcement relies on students Inconsistent mask enforcement results in students having to selfregulate, with varying success BY HENRY PARKHURST Contributing Writer parkhd18@wfu.edu
tenuating circumstances and forces that impel us and animate us and inspire us to cut corners as an institution. We have to be honest about that.” Walton continued: “When we discuss as a committee about renaming a building to honor something or thinking about who else we might honor, if someone shows up with a $10 million check, a lot of that process gets cut through real quick. What something like guiding principles do is hold us accountable to the process.” A good portion of the question and answer period that followed the discussion centered around definitions of diversity and the dangers of casting too wide or too narrow a net. “We understand that diversity and inclusion is always a sliding and expanding scale,” Walton said. “What may be top of mind and pressing now may be different in 10 years.”
Students are sighing in relief. For the first time in over a year, the Pit looks normal. Groups of students squeeze through the double doors laughing about last weekend. Classmates sit in the corner booths, eyebrows raised in disbelief over their upcoming assignments. Friends bring back armfuls of cups to a fourperson table where nine are sitting. Best of all, no one is telling them not to. After semesters of being told to ‘mask-up’ and stay six feet apart, particularly indoors, students smile at each other walking by and are surrounded by their friends again. However, Wake Forest University health policy still mandates that masks be worn inside in accordance with Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines and is relying on students to self-enforce this policy.
See Naming, Page 4
See Masks, Page 6
Old Gold & Black
“ is key to mental health Resilience This column represents the views of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board.
Per usual, there are a barrage of important topics our Editorial Board could cover in this week’s editorial piece. (Though, 300 words can hardly do justice to a topic such as climate change, federal debt, campus safety, sexual health and whatever else we tackle.) We want to focus this week’s column on something that takes extreme priority in our lives here at the Old Gold & Black: resilience. Yes, resilience. College is a stressful time for students, especially around this time of the semester. And it is incredibly easy to get swept up in activities and the narrative of working until you are burnt out. But breeding pessimism through overworking yourself is like
We understand easy, especially as est students, to are "too capable" help."
how it is Wake Forthink you to ask for
impaling yourself with a doubleedged sword. But instead of a normal sword it's, like, a boomerang sword. Double ow. Consider both of those kidneys accounted for. That is where resilience comes in. Resilience is defined as “the process of finding healthy ways to adapt and cope with adversity and distress.” It is the most overlooked — and yet, the most important — aspect of mental health recovery and self-care.
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We understand how it is easy, especially as Wake Forest students, to think you are “too capable” to ask for help. Spoiler number one: you aren’t. Spoiler number two: you wouldn’t have to ask for help in times of deep distress if you learned to practice resilience and asked for help before things got bad in the first place. That’s right, this Editorial Board is dishing out tough love right now. Eat up. Out of the research and practice we have done surrounding mental health and resilience, we have discovered that increasing self-awareness, mindfulness, physically and emotionally “letting go” and leaning into positive emotions are the
best ways to strengthen one’s resilience. But recovery and resilience look different for everyone. Some members on our board struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and other anxiety disorders. For them, resilience means leaning into their fears and doing things that make them uncomfortable, even though it feels like the end of the world. For those on our board who struggle with depression, resilience may mean setting more short-term, realistic goals and exercising more consistently. Whatever resilience means for you, we applaud you in your efforts to and encourage you to keep moving forward at your own pace.
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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WAKE FOREST UNIVERSIT Y SINCE 1916 ALEXANDRA KARLINCHAK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF karlae18@wfu.edu
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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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News | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, September 30, 2021 | Page 3
Deacon Profile: Sakina Barthe-Sukhera or just by knowing me and talking to me — start getting excited about the space as well. In general, I think there are some key aspects I try to bring up consistently, like how we as humans are not separate from our environment, so we should start regarding our environment not as something that's against us, but something that we can coexist with. Having a tangible, interactive space that students can go to understand balance, mindfulness and connections is so important. It’s also important to not just think about sustainability as a concept that needs to be “done.” Let’s also be kind to ourselves and take care of our mental and physical wellbeing. I think learning to be sustainable towards yourself and towards the environment is one of the key ways you can take care of yourself and learn about things that are meaningful to you.
BY MADDIE SAYRE Contributing Writer sayrmm20@wfu.edu
Sakina Barthe-Sukhera is a senior at Wake Forest majoring in Environmental Science and minoring in both Religious Studies and Arabic. Her passion for ecology — as well as her involvement in Campus Garden for two years — inspired her to bring Wake Forest's Tohi Garden to life. This summer, she worked with the Office of Sustainability to turn the garden into an outdoor classroom in the hopes of sharing this immersive space with students and other members of the Wake Forest community. Her knowledge of indigenous cultures, as well her interest in ecological preservation led her to reach out to the Office of Sustainability and further promote the Tohi Garden. Why did you become involved in creating a classroom space in Tohi Garden? I worked at the Campus Garden for the past two years and I’m a senior now so I was looking for something slightly different. I was really interested in learning more about ecology and indigenous perspectives and had known that this was a project that the Office of Sustainability had worked on in the past. I was going to be here at Wake Forest anyways because I was doing an internship over the summer, so at the same time, I said, “Hey, I'm here, do you need any help with the garden? And also, what is this Tohi Garden?” I got really lucky being able to stay here and know that the Office of Sustainability had these resources that I could work with and learn from. I just kind of put my nose out there and asked. What is the purpose of the Tohi Garden? The purpose of the garden was to reintroduce native plants that were culturally important to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The Tohi Garden is a space that reminds us that all of this land used to belong to indigenous people. The plants that we would consider endemic and native can be used and in fact are still used by people who know and see their value. What is the significance of the name “Tohi”? The name "Tohi" was given a few years back; "Tohi" essentially means “unstressed." One of the goals of the garden is to create a well-balanced environment that is able to have a wide variety of
How do you hope to grow the garden and involve more members of the Wake Forest community?
Photo courtesy of Sakina Barthe-Sukhera
plants, not just one invasive plant. Increased diversity of plants supports better health within the system in general. Each plant can do different things, just like how we can do different things as humans. We have different understandings of the world, and so it's an acknowledgment of the fact that everything needs to work together and that we can't just have one way of doing things. How is the Tohi Garden considered native and what types of plants are grown there? The Tohi Garden is located in a forested area and includes native plants that can be grown and harvested naturally. It’s a different type of maintenance, but it's still considered a garden. Native plants are just plants that are endemic and have grown here for centuries, probably thousands of years. What we've seen over time, given the rise of cities and human development, is that we’ve started landscaping and put-
ting in plants that we want and that are beautiful. What that means is that native plants that are here aren't necessarily given as much priority. We’re trying to reintroduce those plants, especially because they already have an adaptation to the environment. These plants are used to this environment so they can grow — we don't have to add anything, we don't have to care for them in any specific way, we just let them do their thing. What we have specifically are a lot of different trees — hickory trees, which make a lot of pecans, maples, oak trees — and blackberry and strawberry plants. What does the Tohi Garden and sustainable agriculture mean to you and to students? One of the perks of being on a somewhat small campus is that word can spread really easily between interested parties. I hope, because I'm passionate about it, that students — whether it's from classes,
We have started reaching out to professors and department chairs, and have let them know that this space exists and that they should feel free to contact me and use it. I encourage this by giving a tour of the space and sharing some of the information I have trying to connect the space to what those departments or classes are covering. My main goal this semester is to fit in as many different classes as I can into this space and have people learn from it and teach in a different way than they would in a typical lecture-style class. How do you hope to further pursue your passion for the environment and sustainability? The idea of ecological preservation really resonates with me. The idea that there are environments and ecosystems that are really under stress — due to either humans or to climate — and understanding how everything fits together is really intriguing. My perspective is that of a student doing environmental science at Wake Forest, so I have this idea of looking at different components and trying to piece them together. I am interested in doing ecological reservation in the future and learning if there is anything we as humans can do, or [if we should] just let nature rebalance itself. How do we view our environment and why does this impact the actions that we take? Editor's Note: This interview was edited for brevity and clarity.
POLICE BEAT Underage Consumption/Alcohol/Drug Incidents • An underage student consumed alcohol in Babcock. The student was transported to Baptist Hospital by the Forsyth County EMS. The report was filed at 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 23. • An underage student consumed alcohol in Dogwood leading to minor head injuries beacuse of a seizure-induced fall. The student was later transported to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center for treatment. The report was filed at 12:42 a.m. on Sept. 25. • An underage student consumed alcohol and marijuana in Collins. The intoxicated student advised the RA on duty and was later transported to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center for treatment. The report was filed at 3:59 a.m. on Sept. 26.
Miscellaneous • A student was listening to music inside her Deacon Place apartment, which violated the City of W-S Noise Ordinance. The report was filed at 10:17 p.m. on Sept. 23. • WSPD responded to a noise complaint at the DKE house. No other violations were observed and WSPD issued a verbal warning. The report was filed at 11:20 p.m. on Sept. 24. •WSPD responded to a 911 call and observed a large party with loud music being held at Sigma Chi. The srudent advised they would keep the music volume down. No citations were issued. The report was filed at 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 25. • Complaint of students urinating on 911 callers yard and littering during a party. The report was filed at 11:13 a.m. on Sept. 25.
Page 4 | Thursday, September 23, 2021
Old Gold & Black| News
Naming: Panelists discuss core principles Continued from Page 1
Walton also noted that the controversy from last spring only reinforced his faith in the guiding principles. “There was a recognition of both the sentiment of the community — which is absolutely important to take into consideration and the guiding principles that may have animated that decision,” Walton said. “For example, it was a commitment to honoring the enslaved and institutionalizing accountability, that’s the difference between honoring and remembering.” Walton continued: “One can say ‘Well, that choice was a choice we don’t like,’ and that’s totally in the community’s power. Yet, we still need to be able to go back to the principles to say ‘what can we do to make sure we don’t just wipe away a name like Washington Manly Wingate and then in the process, wipe away what was so problematic about Washington Manly Wingate, lest it happen again.” It’s possible that a survey may be going out soon to students about spaces on campus, including the names of certain buildings, according to Villalba. The event was a learning experience for members of Sociology Professor Dr. Rebecca Gill’s topics class on diversity and difference in organizations, who made up the bulk of the attendees.
“Because it is a communication course, we talk about naming and language and conversation and the value of connection,” Gill said. “So, I thought it would be great to have them come and participate in the conversation here.” She continued: “Although I know there are a good number of students who are keyed into issues like nam-
ing on campus, not all students are.” I wanted to give my students an opportunity to understand that these things we talk about in class are happening locally, so locally that it’s on our campus.” Christian Turner, a junior who is enrolled in Gill’s class, found the experience enlightening and heartening.
“I learned a lot about the processes for deciding how things are named at this school,” Turner said. “It made me feel better about how those decisions are made.” The Office of Diversity and Inclusion will hold its next campus dialogues event in October. The topic for that dialogue is yet to be determined.
Katie Fox/ Old Gold & Black
The panelists touched on the renaming controversy over the Divinity and Religious Studies Building, formerly named after a former Wake Forest president who participated in the slave trade.
Wente attends first leadership conference All-female production of “Men On Boats” premieres in Scales Fine Arts Center BY HANNAH ABERNETHY Staff Writer aberhe18@wfu.edu
This past weekend, Wake Forest President Dr. Susan Wente participated in her first President’s Leadership Conference (PLC). Heading into the weekend, Wente’s goal was simple: to learn. “My primary goal was to participate actively in this important campus tradition for our student leaders,” Wente said. “I wanted to understand how the PLC supports leadership development and facilitates collaborations, as well as how I, as president, can actively contribute to those goals. In addition, I enjoyed tremendously the time I got to spend in conversation with Wake Forest students and campus leaders.” Wente was impressed with the Wake Forest Student Government, which organized the event. “Overall, the weekend was extremely well organized, and the
deep thought and care student government leaders put into making the weekend successful were quite evident,” Wente said. Sje continued: “Through the Call to Conversation, I was able to get to know several students and staff colleagues and hear their perspectives on Wake Forest and broader life experiences.” Based on her interactions over the course of the event, Wente has gained a greater appreciation for Wake Forest’s community of students, faculty and staff. “Being part of the weekend certainly reinforced my ideas about how committed this community is to ensuring all Wake Foresters are able to engage in discovery and thrive here,” she said. “To do that, we have to work together to uphold our values and recognize our responsibility to one another in cultivating the kind of community we hope to be. That work will take all of us, and I left [the PLC] feeling as though student leaders were really committed to that sense of shared purpose and responsibility.” After the success of this year’s conference, Wente is excited to
continue working with student leaders throughout her tenure. “As a new member of this community, I really appreciated the
opportunity to participate and engage deeply with student leaders, and look forward to doing so again next year,” said Wente.
Courtesy of Wake Forest Student Government
University President Dr. Susan Wente speaks with Student Body President Ally Swartzberg and Senator Pilar Agudelo.
News | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, September 23, 2021 | Page 5
Int’l students: Returning after COVID-19 Continued from Page 1
Wake Forest decided to start the Fall 2021 semester on Aug. 23, “with the assumption that improving public health conditions will enable a full offering of in-person classes on the Reynolda Campus.” This meant that many international students who had been studying online in their home countries for almost an entire academic year were expected to return to the United States and take classes on campus. Per Axios, the Bureau of Consular Affairs for the U.S. Department of State announced in April that international students from countries that had travel bans due to COVID-19 would be allowed to enter the United States under the National Interest Exception, so long as they had proper visas, negative COVID-19 tests within three days of travel, and academic programs beginning on Aug. 1 or later. When Wake Forest finalized the decision to return to a full slate of in-person offerings, most international students were happy and excited about coming back on campus. Some, however, harbored more ambivalent feelings. “On one hand, I’m very excited to go back to campus, and I really miss school life,” Steven Chen, a senior who spent his whole junior year in China, said. “On the other hand, I’m very concerned about COVID-19, because there are going to be a lot of people and interactions.” Marina Velasco, a sophomore from Lima, Peru, echoed this sentiment. “I was happy, but I was worried because I know that some people don’t really care much about COVID-19 anymore,” she said. “I do take it seriously, and I don’t want to get infected because of other
people thinking everything is back to normal, we can do whatever we want.” At the administrative level, International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) has been working hard the whole summer trying to answer the inquiries regarding health care, online enrollment, other options for students unable to return to campus and directing students to other departments when the questions were out of their field. “We are happy that so many international students were able to enter the U.S.” ISSS said, “and we are looking forward to meeting and helping this population enjoy their time at Wake Forest.” Aside from concerns about physical safety and health, leaving home again after a year has produced some homesickness and needs to readjust to independence. For example, Elena Yang, a senior from Buenos Aires, Argentina, said her biggest concern regarding coming back was that she had to do laundry and other chores by herself again. “I kind of have to do everything on my own. I have to take care of myself,” she said. Before Yang left home, she asked her mother how to be independent. Many international students chose to go back to their home countries in the spring of 2020 and take online courses for a whole academic year during the pandemic, which meant living with their parent’s as a college student. “The pandemic caused a huge disruption for everyone,” Wake Forest Psychology Professor Christy Buchanan said. From a student’s view, “you go home after being at college where you live independently, and then you have to go back to live under your parents roof and now you’re a child again. That can be awkward,” Buchanan said.
However, after spending a year at home, when it is time to leave for college, the feeling of “happy but lost” hit both parents and children. “People are going through again what is normal to go through once,” she said. Some students who chose to stay in their home countries just took a gap year. Carol Chen, a junior from Jiangsu, China, is taking a gap year because the “Go Local” program in Shanghai, China is canceled due to COVID-19. Chen is now looking for internship opportunities in China. Chen came to terms with the cancellation of the program fairly quickly, how-
ever, and she is looking forward to what is to come this year. ”If you stop for like a semester or two, it can really help you think about what you want to do in the future,” Chen said. “Having some hands-on experience, I can know why I’m learning all those knowledge from college instead of just memorizing it.” Given the circumstances, it is all about making choices, and there is no definitively right answer. “Life is full of transitions that we have to get used to, and the pandemic created more of those,” Professor Buchanan said.
Aine Pierre/ Old Gold & Black
Wake Forest’s Center for Global Programs and Studies has been working with students navigating the transition back to the U.S.
LGBTQ+ Center spearheads data streamline Transgender students and faculty have long fought to have the correct name appear in systems BY CHASE BAGNALL-KOGER Staff Writer bagncm21@wfu.edu Since 2014, LGBTQ+ Center Director Dr. A.J. Mazaris has spearheaded a slow but steady renovation of Wake Forest’s network of data systems that will better reflect transgender students’ chosen names and pronouns in different sectors of campus life. Students’ legal names must be displayed on some legal documents, such as I-9 employment or voting registration forms, but there are many times when it is not necessary to use a student’s legal name instead of their chosen one. In fact, doing so can be damaging. There are many reasons that students may want to be called a name that differs from their legal name — for instance, it may be more comfortable for some students to use a childhood nickname or an “American name” while on campus. Using correct names is critical to the wellbeing of transgender students and faculty. “The use of that name is important because it destigmatizes their experience
and gender, decreases dysphoria and is one of the key factors in creating inclusive practice and environment for trans students, faculty and staff,” Mazaris said. The initiative, known as the Data Standards Working Group, seeks to create a uniform data standard on chosen names and gender markers at Wake Forest that would dictate when legal names must be used and ensure that, in all other circumstances, documents reflect community members’ chosen name and pronouns. Though the Wake Information Network previously had a field for students to provide their “preferred name,” this information was not communicated effectively to different offices around campus – students who input a different chosen name were still identified by their legal, or “dead” names by staff who did not have access to their “preferred name.” “When I swipe in at the cafeteria or in fitness classes and the staff calls out my dead name, it’s uncomfortable and possibly dangerous,” a student who wishes to remain anonymous said. The initiative first popped up on Wake Forest’s radar when the 2014 President’s Commission on LGBTQ Affairs, which evaluated campus policy, equity and climate, recommended a “deeper dive” into the naming systems.
After North Carolina’s House Bill 2, also known as the “Bathroom Bill,” elevated the fight for trasngender rights to the national stage, the Obama administration issued a Title IX guidance that outlined how educational institutions are responsible for protecting transgender students’ privacy and wellbeing, including in data systems. Though this guidance was rescinded in 2017 by the Trump administration, Wake Forest continued with the initiative. In 2019, a “series of concerns from employees” revealed issues with the current systems that reduced workplace privacy and comfort. In response, Vice President Penny Rue and Chief Human Resources Officer Carmen Canales chartered the Wake Forest Task Force on Names, Gender Markers, and Data Systems to further investigate the issue and evaluate potential solutions, which in turn spurred the creation of the Data Standards Working Group with Mazaris and David Eaton from the WFU Information Systems department as co-chairs. In conjunction with Information Systems, the Registrar’s Office, Human Resources, the School of Law and several other partners, the Data Standards Working Group is responsible for creating the data standard for naming systems at Wake Forest – ensuring it becomes
legally approved – and serving as the “communications champion” for the new system across campus. The project’s large number of collaborators reflects the nuance of the issue, though certain aspects of the initiative are still up for debate. DeaconOne cards seem to be an obvious place where students preferred names should be displayed, but since Wake Forest submitted a request to the state of North Carolina to allow DeaconOne cards to be used as a valid form of identification in elections, this may not be possible (voter IDs must display a person’s legal name to verify identity). “There are lots of different moving parts, some of which there are other implications for. For some of them, though, they are that way because no one has ever thought to change them,” Mazaris said. Despite ongoing challenges, the privacy and consistency of the Wake Forest data systems have come a long way. Since Mazaris joined the staff in 2011, the Wake Information Network has been updated to allow students and staff to input their preferred name, gender identity and pronouns. As the Data Standards Working Group continues to cut through the red tape surrounding Wake’s IS networks, students can expect more changes to come.
Old Gold & Black | News
Page 6 | Thursday, September 30, 2021
Masks: Self-enforcement policy falls short Continued from Page 1 “When you go in and out of your classes in hallways and through lobbies, please help us by gently and cheerfully reminding your fellow students to wear masks indoors so that we can keep everyone healthy and safe,” Special Assistant to the Vice President Marybeth Wallace said in an email to President’s Aides. As opposed to relying on the maskpolicy enforcers who roamed the campus last semester and the real threat of suspensions and conduct hearings for not abiding by policies, Wake Forest is shifting its approach, having students monitor both themselves and their peers with regards to following guidelines. Students’ willingness to enforce this policy in exchange for giving up their rediscovered freedoms appears to be in short supply, though. “When you walk in the Pit there are signs to wear masks and to not move the chairs,” freshman Riley Brennan said. “No one cares though because no one actually enforces it.” Brennan also said that mask policies around eating, in general, are a gray area, leaving students feeling comfortable to do as they please in the Pit. The policy of the dining service providers is just as lax as that of the Wake Forest Administration.
“You’re supposed to wear one,” firstyear Pit employee Quintoria Rucker said as she scanned in a group of students, some masked, others not. “But we can’t tell you to, there’s nothing we can do about it.” While masks are available in the Pit, most students choose not to wear one, Rucker said. The effectiveness of the self-enforcement directive is hard to discern. Since Aug. 1, there have been a total of 115 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases on campus amongst students, faculty and staff, according to Wake Forest’s COVID-19 Dashboard. Even amidst increasing cases on campus, administrators remain optimistic. “I met with Dean Michele Gillespie last week and the school seems to think that the move to self-enforcement has been effective,” senior Ashwin Singh said. “It’s clear that the administration wants very little to do with enforcing mask policy itself, though.” Since COVID-19 restrictions have been relaxed both at Wake Forest and around the country, there have been challenges in balancing the enforcement of the guidelines that do remain and the desire to return to normalcy. “I need your help,” Dean Gillespie wrote in an email to President’s Aides. “The college needs your help. There is nothing as powerful for changing social behavior as peer pressure.”
Dean Gillespie’s message is resting on a waning impetus for social change though, and the lack of consistent enforcement has left students wondering why the policy remains in place in dining areas at all. “We’re 97 percent vaccinated,” senior Eliot Leadem said, citing an email sent by President Susan Wente at the beginning of the semester regarding student vaccination rates. “I understand why the mask policy exists in classrooms, where you can’t choose who you’re around. But everywhere else I can make my own judgments.”
The hundreds of maskless students in the Pit during peak hours indicate that Leadem is not the only student who feels this way. Self-enforcement may be a viable solution for now, but student apathy for the directive leaves questions as to whether the policy is productive or necessary. While there have not been mentions of any potential changes to Wake Forest’s operating status, the CDC warns that threat of breakthrough infections in vaccinated populations still looms.
Vanessa Christabel/ Old Gold & Black
This school year, students must take their own precaution when it comes to wearing masks due to lack of enforcement.
Hit the Bricks returns to the upper quad After last year’s multi-day “run on your own” event, HTB will return to normalcy on Sept. 30
person Hit the Bricks and celebrate with the campus community.” The event will kick off on Thursday with an opening ceremony where Wake Forest President Susan Wente and others will speak. The running will begin at 11 a.m. and last until 7 p.m., with various speeches, performances and specialty laps occurring throughout the day. New additions to this year’s main event include Spikeball and cornhole tournaments, which will represent another way for participants to gain laps for their team. The day will conclude with a closing cere-
mony at Wait Chapel, where representatives from the chaplain’s office will speak. Student speakers will also share their experiences with cancer. Finally, the winners will be announced. While organizers were ecstatic to be returning to a normal, in-person event this year, some positive elements of virtual Hit the Bricks remained. The “Warm-Up Week” that was introduced last year returned by popular demand. A variety of activities preceded Thursday’s main event as a part of “Warm-Up Week,” including the “Find the Brick” scavenger hunt, triv-
ia at Shorty’s and the banner-making competition. Additionally, Hit the Bricks is partnering with the Office of Alumni Engagement to offer a virtual version of Hit the Bricks. This will allow alumni BY CHRISTA DUTTON and their families to track their mileStaff Writer age and raise money, too. duttcd20@wfu.edu “With Wake Forest being a small school, we can have everyone rally Running in circles can save lives. around this event and fill the Quad A beloved, long-standing philanon Sept. 30,” junior Director Louis thropic Forest tradition, Hit the Bricks Morrell said. “And with our alumni will gather the Wake Forest commuand families joining the virtual divinity together on Sept. 30 to save lives sion of Hit the Bricks, the event this by running laps around Hearn Plaza year really spans the entire Wake Forto raise money for cancer research. est community.” First held in 2003, Hit the Bricks is Last year, Hit the Bricks raised an annual fundraiser for the Brian Pic$130,115 — a record amount. Event colo Cancer Research Fund. Students organizers are hoping to top that this and faculty create teams and compete year and raise as much money as posto see who can run the most laps and sible for cancer research. Organizers raise the most money through donaare also hoping to remind students tions. Because of the gathering limitaof the excitement of being a part of tions in place last year, Hit the Bricks something larger than themselves. was forced to go virtual. Participants By gathering together physically on ran on their own and tracked their Hearn Plaza, and by all uniting unmiles on a distance tracking app. This der the same goal of fighting against year, Hit the Bricks is making an incancer, organizers are confident that person comeback to give upperclassthis year’s Hit the Bricks will reignite men back the tradition they love and that feeling of community. to introduce it to the underclassmen “To be back in full force a year who have yet to experience a normal later is an amazing and exciting opversion of the event. portunity to get people reinvested in “Half the undergraduates have yet not only the Brian Piccolo Cancer to run Hit the Bricks in-person,” seResearch Fund, but also invested in Jacobi Gilbert/ Old Gold & Black being a part of the bigger Wake Fornior Riley Herriman, one of the event directors, said. “We have a unique The tradition returns to in-person operations, which organiz- est community once again,” Morrell opportunity to both introduce the in ers hope will raise more money than last year’s virtual event. said.
OPINION
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“ Met Gala flourishes as celebration of ignorance Fashion & Entertainment
Celebrities assemble to make meaningless conversation about meaningful topics Adam Coil
Asst. Life Editor coilat21@wfu.edu
The Met Gala is a pretty big deal. In 2020, the event raised over $15 million for the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Each year, people across the world tune in to see what the world’s most revolutionary designers are creating. More than anything, the event is an opportunity to make a statement. This year’s theme, “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” was intended to highlight up-and-coming American artists and make a case for American relevancy in the fashion industry as a whole. Following this theme, the event was hosted by Timothée Chalamet, Naomi Osaka, Amanda Gorman and Billie Eilish — some of the most impressive young icons that America has to offer.
The most frustrating aspect of the situation is the fact that ... they actually made the movement easier to dismiss.” Although the Met Gala is essentially a fashion show, much of the attention regarding the show is directed toward the messages the celebrities are trying to convey rather than the designers or the costumes they put together. Many of these messages are political, and this year’s Gala did not shy away from that tradition. Representative Carolyn Maloney wore an elaborate, colorful gown that read “Equal Rights For Women”, Cara Delevigne, a model and actress, wore a vest with “PEG THE PATRIARCHY” written in red ink and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wore a white dress with the message “Tax the Rich” emblazoned in bright red across the back. As always, the outfits shown off on the red carpet were both praised and criticized, but this year, the frustration was undoubtedly much more serious and concentrated. It is simply too difficult to ignore the inherently performative nature of some of the political statements made. At an event where attendance sets you back $35,000, is it even possible for calls for economic reform to come across as genuine?
Representative Ocasio-Cortez — who does not come from privilege, and who worked as a bartender up until her election to New York’s 14th congressional district seat in 2019 is serious about tackling economic inequality in the U.S., making her choice of attire all the more surprising. In an interview regarding her attention-grabbing dress, AOC defended her outfit, saying, “Oftentimes, this conversation is happening [only] with working and middle-class people. I think it’s time we bring all classes into the conversation of having a fairer country.” But what conversations are actually taking place? Unfortunately, the majority of attention is being directed towards AOC, not her message. Even if people were talking about taxing the rich, AOC did not bring any new or relevant information to the discussion. Taxing the rich is a proposition supported by Americans on both sides of the political aisle, and awareness of the issue has never been the barring factor for reform. The most frustrating aspect of the situation is the fact that, not only did progressives fail to make any meaningful statements or inspire any change, they actually made the movement easier to dismiss entirely. For onlookers who know nothing about AOC’s efforts to combat climate change, improve public education and raise money for the underprivileged
in her community, it cannot possibly be expected to see her as anything other than hypocritical and performative after last Monday. This kind of behavior is what makes it so easy for some conservatives to criticize Bernie Sanders for owning multiple homes while simultaneously ignoring the greed of their own political leaders. In a country where the top one percent own more than fifteen times the wealth of the bottom 50%, it is no secret that more needs to be done to level the playing field. Yet, the gap continues to widen. This is partially due to a lack of focus and concurrence among leaders on the left, as ideologies continue to fracture within the Democratic Party. Progress will always come too slow, so long as a clear, coherent vision has not been established. The story of the Met Gala can be summarized by the juxtaposition between what occurred in and outside of the event. While Black Lives Matter protestors were being arrested on the streets surrounding the museum for exercising their First Amendment rights, some of the nation’s most elite — who trumpet their political affiliation as standing with the poor and marginalized — enjoyed the fruits of their success with blithe. Ultimately, all that people will remember is a few choice outfits — the voices of the oppressed continue to be drowned out by those meant to uphold them.
ous in his time, Pelosi acted far outside her scope of authority to make the call she did. Out of Pelosi’s fear sprouted a dangerous precedent for a Speaker of the House to try to intervene in military affairs. This is dangerous because a military cannot work correctly if there is a breakdown in the chain of command. Moreover, this gives precedent for political actors in the future to attempt to make similar claims towards military authority without having legal, constitutional authority. There are two methods through which the American people can remove a president that they feel is dangerous. The first is the process of impeachment and the second is the invocation of the 25th Amendment. These are the methods through which a president that can no longer uphold the oath of office can be stripped of their power. Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that the Speaker of the House is able to unilaterally call for the president, the Commanderin-Chief of the military, to be relieved of their military authority. We are a country of checks and balances for a reason, and if we are willing to abandon these safeguards out of fear of tyranny, then we will certainly drift toward tyranny in the future. If a president’s military authority can be questioned or relieved by an opposing political actor, then how can the power of the president ever be guaranteed? Of chief importance, how can we
be certain that the directives of the president are actually being adhered to? Hypothetically, let’s imagine a similar situation unfolding in the future. It is possible that in the midterm elections in 2022, Democrats will lose the majority in the House of Representatives. In that case, Pelosi would be relegated from her position and Republican Kevin McCarthy would likely be elevated to the position of Speaker of the House. Now, seeing as Pelosi set this precedent of calling for the removal of presidential powers, what is stopping McCarthy from calling for Biden’s powers to be reduced? Pelosi did what she did out of fear of Trump, so what stops McCarthy from doing the same? We’re only months into Biden’s presidency and we’ve already seen Republicans call him senile, and some have even thrown around the idea of impeachment. Clearly, Republicans are not afraid of trying to reduce the power of a president that they see as unfit for office. I agreed with Pelosi that Trump did present a danger to the American people in his final days. But, her fear does not give her the authority to undermine the presidency or proclaim unconstitutional authority. Pelosi’s actions may have empowered future politicians to make similar unjustified claims in an attempt to weaken rivals, and doing so harms the fundamental checks and balances system of the United States government.
“ Pelosi set dangerous precedent in secret meetings American Politics
The actions of the Speaker of the House could prove to be harmful in coming years Robbie Santos
Contributing Columnist santrp20@wfu.edu
It’s not a stretch to say the final weeks of the Trump administration some eight months ago were a chaotic mess of conspiracy theories and a petty display of uncooperativeness. However, much of the real danger and fear of those final weeks was contained to secretive conference rooms in the Pentagon and the Capitol building. It was during that time-the same time during which then-President Trump refused to interact with the incoming Biden administration-that secret meetings were being held between General Mark Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other high ranking officials. Simultaneously phone calls were being fielded from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. During these private phone calls, as well as in public, Nancy Pelosi urged General Milley to ensure that President Trump continuously
The Speaker of the House urged the top military leader of the country to defy orders from the Commander in Chief.” would not be able to authorize the use of the United States’ nuclear weapons. The Speaker of the House urged the top military leader of the country to defy orders from the Commanderin-Chief. This is where things get seriously murky. Pelosi is free to have any fears or worries over the state of the president, but she is in no position to attempt to persuade a military leader. She is the leader of the House of Representatives — she has no constitutional jurisdiction over any military decisions or procedures whatsoever. So, while I may agree that it was smart to try to hedge the power of what many considered to be a loose cannon in President Trump, this phone call set a dangerous precedent for the relationship between the Speaker of the House and the U.S. military leadership. The president has the constitutional power to command the US armed forces. While Congress has the power to declare war, the president ultimately decides when and where to deploy the military. The Speaker of the House is guaranteed no such power in the Constitution, and as much as I may agree that Trump was danger-
Thursday, September 30, 2021 | Page 8
Opinion | Old Gold & Black
“ points to trailblazing predecessor New crime �ilm Entertainment
"The Many Saints of Newark" was inspired by the groundbreaking success of "The Sopranos"
Conor Metzger
Staff Columnist metzcr19@wfu.edu
This week, the hotly anticipated new crime film, “The Many Saints of Newark", hit theaters after having been delayed for over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The movie is finally getting its chance to hit the silver screen, which means more than you may realize. You see, “The Many Saints of Newark” is more than your standard crime drama. It is a prequel film to the critically acclaimed and incredibly impactful television series, “The Sopranos.” Gracing the small screens in the early 2000s, “The Sopranos” told the story of New Jersey crime boss Tony Soprano, played by the late James Gandolfini. The show ended up radically changing television by expanding the medium to look more like what viewers saw in theaters, with better-developed cin-
This idea that you could focus on such a complex character ... without losing audience engagement was revolutionary..." ematography, directing, writing and characters, all of which revolutionized the programming view today. TV up until “The Sopranos" was pretty one dimensional in how it approached many topics, as there was no guarantee an audience would tune in every week to watch a network's one show. This left executives forced to cram their story into individual episodes, with only the occasional seasonlong narrative. This left no room for anything complex, so a casual viewer would become lost if they missed an episode. “The Sopranos”, however, was not on regular cable. Instead, the show premiered on HBO, which realized that, due to its subscription-based service, audiences would be more inclined to watch every episode of a series, and even if they did miss one, they could easily go back and watch it. If this sounds familiar, this is exactly what inspired Netflix and the other streaming giants of today. This change in medium allowed networks to spend more time developing
storylines and characters. They could flesh them out more because they knew the audience would watch it all unfold. This is also how we came to get the character of Tony Soprano, who was a definite anti-hero. He was a father, a son, a crime boss, a murderer and a person who struggled with mental illness. That networks will create such a complex character with such an intricate and internal issue without losing audience engagement was revolutionary. We were allowed to watch how a character like Tony Soprano approached the world and how he justified all his actions, whether he was ordering a hit on someone, cheating on his wife or stealing from a friend. A lot of the time, the audience was even treated to a nuanced therapy session or to a flashback from Tony’s past to show us how this figure came to be and how he rationalized his devious deeds. This is what makes a compelling antihero who the audience finds themselves rooting for even when they have very few redeeming qualities. A striking example of this is in the series' fifth episode, “College", where we watch Tony Soprano murder an informant whom he happened to run into while visiting colleges with his daughter. This was a cold-blooded act and did not serve the
crime organization in any way. Instead, it was a personal decision made while Tony was spending time with his daughter. This episode, in fact, worried the HBO executives. They felt the audience would turn on Tony for doing such a thing. However, series creator and writer David Chase stood by his decision and was rewarded when the audiences and critics praised the episode, noting their expectations that Tony might do something like this and therefore, in watching the episode, their suspicions were indeed confirmed. Rooting for a mob boss was not new, though, given the love and admiration for films such as “The Godfather” and “Casino”. Now, however, people were watching a powerful character act out in a truly human fashion in the comfort of their living room. It felt like they were watching a masterpiece of film on their TV every week. Therefore, I say that without “The Sopranos”, you don’t get Walter White or Dexter. You don’t get the shows audiences clamor for today like "The Crown" or "Stranger Things", After all, these programs based their stories on the concept that an audience is invested in every episode. I am excited to see how Chase takes this beloved material and transforms it into a movie, and I have no doubt that it will be just as compelling and amazing as the show.
“ letter to Senator Joe Manchin Student pens Sincerely, Schaffer
Junior responds to Senator Manchin's recent op-eds and stance against reconciliation bill
Jacob Schaffer
Staff Columnist schajj19@wfu.edu Dear Senator Manchin, You befuddle me. You anger me. You, at times, are the greatest example of what I despise most about the Senate. However, at the same time, I respect you. I am grateful that you are where you are. Many people point to the Georgia runoffs as the reason Democrats have control of the Senate, but I point to you. It is because of my very messy view of you, and the distinct position of power that you hold, that I decided to write you a letter outlining how I believe you should use your power in negotiating the reconciliation bill. As you know, the recent election of Joe Biden was overwhelming. His victory over Donald Trump was a landmark occasion, with a Democrat winning Georgia for the first time since 1992, and Biden garnering the most votes for any presiden-
Senator, this is about more than just you and your bottom line. This is about the future of the planet and the future of American leadership ... " tial candidate in American history. His mandate was clear: the American people, overwhelmingly, wanted more progressive action on the main issues that plague the country. Issues such as the climate crisis, rising inequality and the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this popular mandate, you have made it your goal to reign back the Biden administration, often publicly. You go on Sunday news programs, claiming to be this great defender of the Senate and the moderate who will calm down the progressives. You write op-eds in the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post, distancing yourself from other Senate Democrats and further sowing divisions. The stances you are taking, and the public manner in which you voice them, are costing the country. This fact is made all too clear with the current negotiations over the reconciliation bill. In your recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, you claim that the overall price of the bill is simply too high and that so much government spending is fiscally irresponsible because it “will create a disastrous future for the next generation of Americans.” I could not disagree more.
What will cause a disastrous future for my generation is a failure to act, Senator. Do not use the premise of the “next generation” as an excuse to cut this bill, our last chance at making any sort of dent in the climate crisis. Further, I hope you are aware that the $3.5 trillion is set to be spent over the course of 10 years. It is not as if the money will be injected into the country the next day. I was very distressed to read that one of the policies outlined in the reconciliation bill that you “have concerns about,” involves the provisions relating to the climate crisis. This did not surprise me, however once I learned where your concern stemmed from: you are a direct beneficiary of the fossil fuel industry. According to the New York Times, West Virginia is second in coal production and seventh in natural gas production in the country. In the current election cycle, you received more campaign donations from the oil, coal and gas industries than any other senator. You also directly profit from these industries, as you own what is valued at between $1 million and $5 million worth of stock in Enersystems Inc., a coal brokerage firm that you founded in 1988. It is no wonder, then, that you are concerned. Biden’s proposed climate initiatives are tough on the fossil fuel industry. For example, the Clean Electricity Performance Program, a part of the reconcilia-
tion bill, would pay utilities to increase the amount of power they produce from zeroemissions sources and fine those that don’t. It's a logical step in fighting the climate crisis, as it incentivizes those who try to do right by the planet, and punishes those who do not. And yet, this is one of the proposals that you most wish to change, lowering the percentage of clean energy that companies are required to produce every year. I cannot stress enough how important it is that you do not change these provisions. The climate crisis is here, and it will only get worse. The occurrence and magnitude of wildfires, hurricanes, and other weatherrelated disasters is projected to further increase in coming years. All of these disasters will cost federal and state governments billions of dollars, dollars that have and will continue to dwarf the costs that fossil fuel emitters and the federal government will have to pay under the provisions outlined by the reconciliation bill. Senator, this is about more than just you and your bottom line. This is about the future of the planet and the future of American leadership around the world. The science on the climate crisis is overwhelming, and so is the public’s desire to act on it. Please don’t be the reason we fail. Be the reason we succeed. Sincerely, Jacob Schaffer
Thursday, September 30, 2021 | Page 9
Opinion | Old Gold & Black
Online learning “forces onerous responsibilities on students Academics
Benefits of digital learning platforms do not justify their detriment to work-life balance Katie Fox
Photography Editor foxkg19@wfu.edu
The nickname “Work Forest” — intended to be a testament to the impressive rigor of Wake Forest academics — has gone too far. Our return to in-person classes has been an exhausting six weeks, and burnout doesn’t even begin to describe the emotion felt by students and faculty alike. The boundaries between academics and personal life are almost completely blurred, primarily thanks to the virtual nature of learning platforms like Canvas and Google Classroom. Cornell University senior Jeremy Scheck posted a TikTok (@scheck) on Sept. 19 articulating his qualms with how these websites impose on student lives and “extend the school day indefinitely” to an invasive degree. The comments section was filled with the testimonies of frustrated students, such as those highlighting the double-standard of assignments being due at 11:59 p.m. to professors who list appropriate email hours ending at 5 p.m. on weekdays and
I’m not proposing we abolish Can- Before the rise of online learning vas, but I think we need to think sites, especially pre-pandemic, stucritically about the effect it has dents typically turned in assignments on our Wake Forest community.” by hand at the beginning of each class period. For midterms and finals, this still might have meant staying up all reserving the weekend for their personal night writing essays and sliding printed lives. They enjoy the privilege of setting drafts under a professor’s office door their workday hours, and deadlines af- in the middle of the night, but profester 5 p.m., for example, send students sors would never come in at midnight the message that they’re expected to to distinguish between those who made work beyond those reasonable hours. it by 11:59 p.m. and those who would When assignments are due at mid- be deducted a letter grade for tardiness. night, most students begin, complete Submitting assignments in person for and submit their work just before it’s weekend deadlines would have been due. Just last Sunday I had a discussion outright disrespectful of professors’ perboard post that I finished at around sonal time, so why doesn’t this intrusion 10:30 p.m., leaving myself time to translate to the virtual world? respond to two classmates before the Another one of Scheck’s commenters deadline. claimed, “We’re being groomed into I was only the fourth student to post tiny capitalists with no boundaries,” on Canvas, and the rest of my class- and I completely agree. We often view mates’ responses trickled in between undergrad as four (ish) short years to 10:30 p.m. and midnight. The beauty tough out the stress of degree comof virtual submission is that professors pletion, intense socio-emotional decan see exactly what time students are velopment and all the other aspects finishing their assignments, which also that accompany college life. But that means they know that the majority of mindset obscures the reality that we students will complete their work at enter the workforce with all of the the last minute. hard-to-break habits we formed in this Nighttime and weekend due dates environment. Academic goals immeconfine us to our study spaces outside diately transition to career goals and of normal working hours at the will of we have no opportunity to subvert professors who might not even look at our own expectations for work-life those Canvas gradebooks for days or balance, thus perpetuating the lack of weeks. boundaries and producing pre-burnt
out workers to join the ranks of our capitalist society. I don’t want to set students at odds with professors because the toll of these websites takes its effect on us all in one way or another. Props to those who protect their peace with explicit working hours and other boundaries, but I know some professors who schedulesend their replies to my 1 a.m. emails, meaning they also work late into the night and have just as much (if not more) trouble finding balance and reclaiming their personal time. Professors then join us as victims of the expectations of “Work Forest”, and this world of virtual submissions disappoints everyone involved. I’m not proposing we abolish Canvas, but I think we need to think critically about the effect it has on our Wake Forest community. No one is going to show up to Floatchella if our Wednesday evenings are committed to our courses because the class that meets once every Tuesday has reflections due the next day by midnight. Just because we can doesn’t mean we should, and we should not be conditioning students to devote every waking hour to refreshing emails on our phones and constantly thinking about work. Virtual learning platforms enable institutions to cross our work-life boundaries until they’re obsolete, and we deserve rest.
Lizard attack“ yields beneficial moral platitude Cap’s Cabana
The battle of a gecko and a lizard reveal the truth that blind trust is a faulty concept Cap McLiney
Staff Columnist mclicp19@wfu.edu
Over the weekend, I came home to a rough scene. It was time to feed crickets to my pet leopard gecko of 17 years. As he came crawling out of his synthetic rock cave, I noticed something was very wrong: his hind legs were barely working. My stomach dropped — this was the worse case scenario. The events leading up to this were entirely my own fault, and will likely haunt me for the rest of my days. I received my pet gecko from my parents when I was almost 4 years old. I was asked what I would like to call the animal and creatively decided to name him, “Lizard.” I suppose it was a lucky guess that Lizard was a male. As I got older, I figured out how to actually look under his tail to figure out his sex, and my original, four year old assumption held true. Since Lizard was a male, I later took the opportunity to find him a mate. He was about ten when someone gave me a
While a certain degree of blame does reside in the attendants, we must always be our own best advocates....” female leopard gecko for free. I took her home. She was orange and I named her Goldilocks. The pair lived in harmony for about seven years until, one day, Goldilocks lay dead. An egg had impacted her insides, resulting in her demise. I was devastated, and I know Lizard was too. They never had children, their nest was empty and Lizard, a widower. I gave Lizard a period of three or four years to grieve. Over the summer, that period ended. My friend Charlie and I began to discuss my solitary gecko. Was it time for him to move on? Did he not deserve a companion? We called every pet store in Kansas City in pursuit of a mature, adult female with whom Lizard might be able to cohabitate. Finally, we found one. Upon going to the store, I looked at a beautiful leopard gecko with skin similarly tinted orange like Goldilocks and a big, fat tail. I had three store attendants check the animal to ensure that it was a female. All three agreed that it was. I should have checked for myself … Charlie and I rushed home after purchasing the gecko which we named
Mango due to the ripe hue of “her” skin. We placed Mango in with Lizard and watched the two interact to ensure that no fighting ensued. After Charlie and I watched them sort of sniff each other for multiple hours and they appeared docile. So, assuming the project was a success, we went to the new “Fast and Furious” movie with a group of friends. It was during the film that I received the text. “Cap! S.O.S.! Lizard’s hurt!” I left the movie and called my little sister and brother who were the first responders to the situation. I had to sit down when I saw the photos they sent. My legs grew weak when I saw the image of Lizard’s tail bitten clean off with blood coming out from cuts on both his hind legs. Rushing home, I told my siblings to remove Mango from the terrarium and to monitor Lizard. This was a disaster. I washed out Lizard’s wounds and ensured his bleeding stopped. How did this happen? How had my longest companion outside of family been so seriously hurt? Going to the shoebox within which Mango had been sequestered, I lifted the animal and checked under her tail. There were two bulges that indicated
that Mango was a male, not a female as the store had indicated thrice over. I set MAN-go back down. I felt like the biggest idiot west of the Mississippi. Male leopard geckos fight like betta fish, and Mango, being bigger than Lizard, clearly won this battle. That was nearly two months ago, and I have been monitoring Lizard closely and have been in touch with a vet ever since. All had been going well until this weekend’s revelation regarding his legs — there must be an infection of some sort that is attacking those nerves which will have to be addressed urgently. If Lizard were to die, I would be a wreck and will never forgive myself. But, why tell this story? Well, it is a reminder for everyone of one thing: never put blind trust in anyone. If I had not taken the pet store employees’ word and just looked for myself, none of this would have happened. Lizard would still be walking like he should be, and he’d have a tail. While a certain degree of blame does reside with the attendants, we must always be our own best advocates and ensure that others’ work is up to our own standards if we are in a position to do so. I let my guard down for a moment, and Lizard is paying the price. Don’t let the same thing happen to you or those you love.
SPORTS
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Wake Forest dominates UVA 37-17 Sam Hartman threw for 270 yards and three touchdowns in the prove-it win BY ESSEX THAYER Sports Editor thayse20@wfu.edu In a game where everyone seemed to be against Wake Forest, the Demon Deacons traveled to Charlottesville, Va. and controlled the game for all four quarters, taking down the University of Virginia 37-17. This game was Wake Forest’s first away from home this season, and Head Coach Dave Clawson pointed out in his weekly press conference that the game, for a large portion of the team, would be their first in an away stadium filled with fans. Without a doubt, the Demon Deacons faced a different environment than they have been accustomed to this season. The students spanned two sections of Scott Stadium and filled their grass hill — similar to that of Truist Field. The band was especially loud between plays, and of course, when redshirt sophomore quarterback Sam Hartman was under center, the nearly 39,000 fans in the stands — the most Wake Forest had seen all season — were raucous. “We had a couple of times where the cadence was a little off,” Hartman said in regards to the noise. “There were times, especially in the red zone, that we had a false start or two ... it got a little loud in here.” Despite the noise that came from the Virginia fans, especially at the beginning of the game, the Wake Forest offense began the game by marching confidently down the field. Following three consecutive runs from redshirt junior running back Christian Beal-Smith, Hartman took to the air, finding redshirt sophomore A.T. Perry and redshirt junior Jaquarii Roberson. On the third pass of the drive, offensive coordinator Warren Ruggiero’s play call
sent three receivers crossing the middle of the field. The chaos over the middle allowed redshirt freshman receiver Taylor Morin to break free for a wide open, 39yard touchdown pass from Hartman. On defense, Wake Forest dug their heels in when they needed to the most. Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong — who threw for 554 yards and four touchdowns the previous week against North Carolina — carved through the Demon Deacons with his passing. Of the 67 yards gained on UVA's first drive, 44 came from Armstrong’s arm. The Virginia offense moved all the way to the Wake Forest 4-yard line, but from there, the defense stood tall, creating a brick wall on two Cavalier runs. On third and fourth downs, Armstrong took to the air, but the secondary broke up both passes, sending the Virginia offense to the sideline with no points. Despite being on the 5-yard line after the turnover on downs, the Demon Deacon offense did well to move down the field, utilizing a solid run-pass balance. The offense once again started their drive with three straight runs by Beal-Smith. These runs, along with the hurry up, opened the passing game for redshirt sophomore tight end Blake Whiteheart, who was left wide open and caught a 20yard completion over the middle. Following the completion, the offense stalled in Virginia territory, setting up kicker Nick Sciba for a 46-yard field goal. With the conversion, Sciba made NCAA history, eclipsing the list of kickers with the best make percentage ever with 90.1 percent. After the game, Sciba was appreciative of the honor. On their second drive of the game, the Virginia offense once again relied on the arm of Armstrong, who completed three consecutive passes to Billy Kemp for 25 yards. Once the Cavaliers reached Demon Deacon territory, Armstrong continued to dominate, completing three more passes and carrying the ball twice. On third-and-four, the Wake Forest defense made the big play, finally stand-
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics
Junior linebacker Ryan Smenda celebrating after a tackle in the backfield. Smenda had three tackles-for-loss and a forced fumble in the win.
ing Armstrong up at the line and forcing a field goal. The make from Justin Duenkel brought the Cavaliers back within seven. With freshman running back Justice Ellison in for the third Wake Forest drive, the Demon Deacon response was a quick one. On the first play, Ellison took advantage of the dominance of his offensive line to knife through the Virginia defense for a 66-yard run. At first, the run appeared to be a touchdown, but cornerback Anthony Johnson caught Ellison from behind at Virginia's 12-yard line. Following the big run, Wake Forest relied on rushing for the rest of the drive. Over the next six plays, Ellison and Hartman split rushes. On third down at the 1-yard line, Ellison finally cashed in, breaking through the line for another Wake Forest touchdown. After a Virginia drive that was halted by a holding call, Wake Forest took to the ground again with their third running back, Christian Turner, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Michigan. Over the course of 15 plays, Turner ran the ball eight times for 46 yards. Inside the Virginia red zone, Hartman’s two consecutive passes to Morin were broken up, forcing Wake Forest to settle for a field goal. With 90 seconds left on the clock, Virginia attempted to put together a drive to score before halftime. The effort was thwarted by two Wake Forest sacks from redshirt seniors Luke Masterson and Traveon Redd. At the half, the Demon Deacons led comfortably, 20-3. That lead did not remain comfortable for long. Down by 17, the Cavaliers came out of halftime looking to re-insert themselves in the game. Virginia Head Coach Bronco Mendenhall called Armstrong’s number, pass after pass. Following passes for 9 and 21 yards, Armstrong stepped back to pass yet again. This time, sensing a hole in the Wake Forest front seven, the quarterback took off, scampering down the field for a 31yard gain. From there, Armstrong went back to the air, finding a crossing Jelani Woods for a 21-yard touchdown to bring the Cavaliers within 10. The momentum in Scott Stadium noticeably shifted following the Virginia touchdown. Students and fans who looked ready to leave were now staying in their seats. The band played louder than before. In years past, this may have been where Wake Forest staggered and allowed their opponent to come roaring back. But not the 2021 Demon Deacons. Hartman and the offense pushed back. On second down of the ensuing drive, Hartman worked the delayed run-pass option to perfection, pulling the ball out of Beal-Smith’s arms at the last second and finding a streaking Roberson open over the middle for 44 yards. On fourth down, at the 13-yard line, Clawson made the gutsy call to respond fully to the Virginia touchdown and go for the first down. The call paid off as Beal-Smith churned through the line of scrimmage for the first down.
At the Virginia 12-yard line, Wake Forest finally ran a trick play. In the “Heavy Deac” formation, Beal-Smith lined up in the shotgun with Hartman at receiver. On the snap, Beal-Smith passed to a motioning Hartman, who found Whiteheart awaiting the ball wide open in the endzone. From the press box, the Wake Forest coaching staff could be heard cheering in the next box over, it was clear early in the play that Whiteheart would be wide open. Once again, Virginia relied on Armstrong’s arm to respond. The quarterback dropped back to pass on all but one play on the following Cavalier drive. On six passes, Armstrong covered 91 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown pass to Dontayvion Wicks. With the score, Virginia once again found themselves within striking distance, down 10 with 20 minutes of game time remaining. After the Virginia touchdown, the cannons went off inside the stadium, signaling that the Cavaliers were not done quite yet. With smoke creating an eerie haze over the field, Hartman iced the game on a drive which demonstrated the Deacons' balanced attack. Ellison and Turner led on the ground, rushing a combined six times for 22 yards. The big plays of the drive came off Hartman’s arm. Inside Wake Forest territory, the quarterback once again found Roberson open over the middle for a 31-yard completion. Then, in the Virginia red zone, on third-and-12, Hartman threw a calculated back-shoulder ball to Perry for a touchdown. With that, a sea of orange and blue emptied from Scott Stadium. The Virginia fans had called it a night. In the fourth quarter, Wake Forest tacked on another field goal, but the Cavalier offense could not muster another point. The Demon Deacon defense caused two turnovers in the quarter — a fumble forced by linebacker Ryan Smenda, and a desperation pass intercepted by senior defensive back Coby Davis. With only gold and black still in the stands and “Wake Forest” chants ringing loud, the game ended with a final defensive stop by the Demon Deacons. Wake Forest had come into Charlottesville as the underdogs, but would leave as a team to fear in the ACC. “Right now, we are a confident football team,” Clawson said after the game. “Good teams, they flip the page. So, we will float back to Winston-Salem tonight, because that's what you do after a road win. We will float back and we will enjoy it. We'll have big smiles on our face, [Saturday] we'll relax and watch TV, and then Sunday we're getting ready for the next challenge.” On Sunday, the Demon Deacons were named the No. 24 team in the country, the second best in the ACC. NC State was ranked at No. 23, while Clemson sits one behind Wake Forest at No. 25. Next Saturday, Wake Forest, looking to begin the season 5-0, will play the Louisville Cardinals at Truist Field.
Sports | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, September 30, 2021 | Page 11
Men’s soccer tallies win and draw on the week The Demon Deacons defeated George Mason 1-0 before tying NC State 1-1 on Sept. 24 BY CHARLES HORN Staff Writer horncs18@wfu.edu
Just seconds after a North Carolina State goal opened the scoring, Wake Forest men’s soccer silenced the crowd when sophomore Chase Oliver scored a vital equalizer to rescue a point on the road in a testy ACC clash. The contest was the second of a two-match away trip, with the Demon Deacons taking on the Patriots of George Mason and the Wolfpack of NC State. Looking to capitalize on the momentum from their upset win over Pittsburgh, the Deacs first traveled to George Mason, located just miles from the nation’s capital. Heavily favored in this non-conference clash and cheered on by a large contingent of alumni, Wake Forest dominated possession and opportunities, but with 18 minutes to go the Demon Deacons found themselves still in a scoreless deadlock. It was then that Jake Swallen took matters into his own hands, shedding his marker and charging towards the untilthen-impenetrable George Mason net. Now in space just outside the box, the junior midfielder ripped a right-footed shot that powered past the George Mason keeper.
Wake Forest recorded 18 shots (10 on goal,) in comparison to just one on-target effort from George Mason. Patriots keeper Jackson Lee was stellar, recording nine saves and keeping the outplayed George Mason in the match. In his post match notes, coach Bobby Muuss described the game as another step on a long road. “We need to build on this win, focus on better performances and get healthy,” Muuss said. Four days later, Wake Forest continued their ACC slate with a trip down Tobacco Road to NC State. The Wolfpack proved to be a much more salient test than Mason, with the match seeming more like a chess game than a soccer match. The Wolfpack were seemingly through on goal in the 66th minute, as Portuguese freshman forward Henrique Santos latched onto a loose ball at around the halfway line and found a pocket of space after dribbling around sophomore Garrison Tubbs. But junior Nico Benalcazar was too quick for the freshman, chasing him down and winning the ball back in resolute fashion. A freshman starter for the Deacons in 2019, Benalcazar has grown into a defensive powerhouse and excellent distributor, though his periodic absences due to injury have clearly hampered the cohesion of the team. Against George Mason, Benalcazar demonstrated his versatility by slotting into a defensive midfield position, where his stellar pass-
ing ability helped the Deacs rapidly advance up the pitch while his defensive acumen denied any significant counterattacking opportunities. Twenty-five minutes into the second half, Wake Forest failed to clear a looping NC State corner. The ball careened around the box before a vicious shortrange shot forced a fantastic reflex save by Trace Alphin. Unfortunately for the freshman goalkeeper, the rebound fell to the feet of Alex Hernandez who powered the ball home from close range. Despite conceding, the Deacs immediately responded, demonstrating their growing confidence following the upset win against Pitt and the scrappy victory over George Mason. Thirty seconds after kickoff, Omar Hernandez found himself with the ball near the NC State corner flag. The junior midfielder cut the ball back to Oliver. The sophomore coolly slotted home a first-time, left-footed shot into the bottom corner of the Wolfpack net, his third goal of the season. Oliver has grown into one of the primary attacking threats for a Wake Forest team in need of consistent goalscoring. Oliver has scored three goals in the last five matches after going scoreless last season. Playing with an ever-present swagger which is evident in his dynamic celebrations, Oliver has combined his flashy dribbling with clinical ability, providing at least a partial answer to Wake Forest’s offensive questions.
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics
Kyle Holcomb fending off an NC State opponent on Friday. Following Oliver’s equalizer, the two teams traded half-chances for the final quarter hour, then headed into overtime still deadlocked at one. Both teams probed each other’s defenses, struggling to generate true chances even as the match went into overtime. In the end, both teams seemed willing to take home a point in college soccer’s most competitive conference, leaving the Deacs with a win, a draw and a loss in ACC play. The Deacs host Clemson on Friday, Oct. 1. The Tigers entered the weekend ranked No. 2 in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll, but lost to Pitt on Saturday thanks to two second half goals from the Panthers.
Kickers reign supreme in NFL’s Week 3 Many games went down to the wire, providing fans exciting and nailbiting matchups BY CONOR ROBBINS Staff Writer robbcm19@wfu.edu Los Angeles def. Kansas City 30-24 Justin Herbert once again showcased why he’s the jewel of the 2020 draft class. He accounted for 281 yards through the air and four touchdowns in an impressive road victory. The sophomore signal caller outdueled Patrick Mahomes for the second time in his young career, and kept the momentum on his sideline in the face of a rowdy home crowd. His performance culminated with a game winning pass to Mike Williams out of the two minute drill. The Chiefs, meanwhile, are scrambling to reclaim their championship identity following a game where they turned the ball over four times en route to their second straight loss. Baltimore def. Detroit 19-17 Rookie head coach Jim Caldwell continued to inspire his upstart Lions to play up to superior competition — this time, it almost landed them their first win in six contests. After going down 13-0 early in the third quarter, Lions quarterback Jared Goff ignited a magical 17-3 run that exited Detroit fans. That was, until Lamar Jackson led his team down the field in the game’s final minute on a drive that finished with an NFL record 66 yard game-
winning kick from the golden boot of Justin Tucker. Arizona def. Jacksonville 31-19 A pedestrian game on paper ended up providing one of the most exciting highlights of the young season when Jaguars kick returner Jamal Agnew returned a 68-yard Matt Prater field goal attempt 109-yards in the dying seconds of the first half. Agnew’s heroics put the winless Jags up 13-7 at the intermission, tying an NFL record for longest kick return in the process. In typical fashion, Jacksonville promptly proceeded to get outscored 24-6 in the second half, as Kyler Murray’s MVP campaign continued to pick up steam. New Orleans def. New England 28-13 Rookie quarterback Mac Jones threw his first, second and third career interceptions, while opposing signal-caller Jameis Winston did just enough to muster a victory for the visiting Saints. After being restricted to an underneath passing scheme in the first two games, Jones tested his downfield capabilities on Sunday and was punished with his worst NFL performance to date. Cincinnati def. Pittsburgh 24-10 The bully became the victim on Sunday afternoon, as the Cincinnati Bengals nabbed their first road victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2015. Secondyear signal-caller Joe Burrow was an efficient 14/18 to go along with three touchdowns, including a pair to rookie and former college teammate Ja’Marr Chase. A rowdy Pittsburgh crowd did little to
help a one-dimensional offense that relied on their veteran to make a whopping 58 passes. Tennessee def. Indianapolis 25-16 In a sloppy performance from both sidelines, Derrick Henry was the difference maker, carrying the ball 28 times for 113 yards. The bruiser allowed his team to control time of possession in a game in which they never fell behind. Meanwhile, the Carson Wentz era in Indianapolis is off to a slow start as the North Dakota State product produced another uninspiring performance on the way to a third consecutive loss. Rams def. Tampa Bay 34-24 The Rams asserted their contender status with a statement victory over the defending Super Bowl champs in “America’s Game of the Week”. Matthew Stafford continued to reap the rewards of his new offense in Los Angeles, accounting for 343 yards and four touchdowns en route to his best game of the young season. Stafford, who has become accustomed to playing from behind during his Lions playing days, flipped the script on Sunday. He led from start to finish and spread the ball out all over the field. Brady, meanwhile, was his usual self, taking advantage of a game script that saw him throw the ball 55 times for 432 yards. Minnesota def. Seattle 30-17 The Vikings finally got on the right side of the win column, following another closely-contested matchup. Kirk Cousins produced one of his finer games in a Vi-
kings uniform, and did more than enough to make up for the absence of star running back Dalvin Cook, mustering 323 yards through the air to go along with three touchdowns. Backup Vikings halfback Alexander Mattison shouldered a heavy workload in relief duty with Cook out and ensured that an overmatched Seahawks defense was out of gas come crunch time. Las Vegas def. Miami 31-28 The Las Vegas resurgence continued on Sunday with an overtime victory over the beat-up Dolphins. Dolphins backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett got his team off to a blazing 14-0 start but couldn’t keep the magic going. On the other sideline, Raiders running back Peyton Barber stepped up big time in relief duty, while quarterback Derek Carr continued his winning ways with a 386-yard performance that culminated in a game winning Daniel Carlson field goal in the dying moments of overtime. Green Bay def. San Francisco 30-28 Aaron Rodgers got the last laugh on Sunday night in a back-and-forth contest between two NFC contenders. After letting an early 17-0 lead slip from his fingertips, Rodgers responded to a go-ahead Kyle Juszczyk touchdown catch with 36 seconds remaining, with one of his patented comeback drives. The future Hall of Famer unleashed hell on a beat up 49ers secondary all night, including a final drive where he linked up with Davante Adams for two huge passing plays before handing the reins to Mason Crosby for a gamewinning 51-yard field goal.
Page 12 | Thursday, September 30, 2021
Old Gold & Black | Sports
Deacon Spotlight: Cristian Escribano BY CHRISTINA DENOVIO Sports Editor denoca20@wfu.edu
A sophomore from Frisco, Texas, Cristian Escribano has established himself as a crucial piece of the Wake Forest men’s soccer team’s defense. Escribano made his first appearance on Sept. 25, 2020, in a 3-1 victory over Louisville. A week later, he made his first career start in a match against NC State. Throughout his freshman season, Escribano played in 14 games and saw 1,021 minutes of playing time. Rated as the No. 12 recruit from Texas, Escribano played for FC Dallas’ U-17 Academy as a sophomore, and then with the USL side North Texas FC his senior year. Though he is not able to play this fall due to a torn ACL, Escribano is taking the opportunity to learn from the sidelines and has stayed focused on his career back from injury. Christina DeNovio: How did you get into soccer? Cristian Escribano: I was born in Spain, and soccer is pretty big there. Also, my dad loves soccer, so he had me start playing at the age of two. I’ve been playing it ever since. It’s always been my favorite sport. I played some other sports in elementary school and middle school, but soccer has always just been my thing. It’s what I excelled at. I’d say it’s my passion. CD: Can you discuss your time with the FC Dallas’ U-17 Academy and then the USL side North Texas FC? CE: I had played with FC Dallas since I was about five, and I joined the academy when I was in seventh grade. The academy has some of the top players in the area. It was a good experience to play with those top players because it was such a competitive environment. The coaches were great as well. Some coaches I’ve had ended up coaching the first team at FC Dallas, so it was amazing to learn from them. I made a lot of good connections with players and coaches. And since we have those coaches there, we always had the opportunity to get pulled up, whether it was with North Texas or the USL team, or even the first FC Dallas team. The summer before I came here, I had the chance to practice and play with the USL team, North Texas FC, and that was a great experience, too. There were great guys to play with, good coaching too. It was a good level, and I learned a lot from it. Also, it was nice to play in the stadium — that was my first time playing in the FC Dallas stadium. CD: What made you choose Wake Forest? CE: I was deciding between Duke, SMU and Wake Forest as my top-three choices. I picked Wake Forest mainly because of my visit. I just really liked the guys — I felt like I connected well with them as well as with the coaches. They just seemed like they cared about their players a lot, and obviously that’s something you want as a player, for your coach to want the best for you. I would say another reason that I chose Wake over Duke or SMU was because of the playing style. Everyone plays soccer in their own way, but I feel like, here, we have a good identity. We move the ball and build out of the back instead of just kicking it and going long. We have crafty players that are technical and good on the ball. They’re true soccer players, not just big athletes. Wake Forest is a great place to be and to develop as a player. CD: You had a lot of playing time your freshman year and started seven times. What was it like to see so much playing time so early? CE: It was a great experience — it was amazing. I didn’t really expect to come in and play a whole lot freshman year. But, I came in with a strong work ethic and I
guess the coaches saw something. I was fortunate to be able to get on the field for my first game against Louisville — they have a great stadium, and lots of fans came out. It was during COVID-time, so it wasn’t as busy, but even so, that experience was great. I played in my first college soccer game, and then I was in the starting lineup the next week, which was so amazing. It was a crazy feeling and completely unexpected. I remember how great it was to be out there playing, and I was very fortunate to have been in the starting lineup so early on. CD: How do you prepare leading up to the game when you’re about to go on the field? CE: Well, we have a lot of practice and regeneration before games, especially because of our schedules, we’re playing about two games a week. I personally don’t have any pregame rituals. As a team we all listen to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” before the game in the locker room. That’s always fun, going in there after warming up on the field and then coming back to the locker room, knowing that song is about to come on. Everyone’s singing it and getting hyped for the game.
Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics
Sophomore Cristian Escribano played 90 or more minutes in five games last year.
CD: Did you have a favorite player growing up? CE: I used to play in the midfield, and my favorite player was always Andrés Iniesta. I just thought he was amazing, and that no one else was like him. I was so impressed by his vision and his touch along with his technique. I just thought he was the whole package as a player. For outside back, I’ve always loved Marcelo. Growing up in Madrid with my dad — a Real Madrid fan — I was always watching him play. He’s another amazing player, super technical, great game intelligence, high soccer IQ. Those were some really good role models growing up.
Also, being out from the game, obviously it’s hard to just watch, but I’m learning from the sidelines. At the end of the day, being out just shows you how much you care about the game, how much you miss it. CD: What is your favorite activity to do with your teammates apart from playing soccer? CE: Maybe just hanging out. Also, going to eat. We go to Cugino Forno sometimes together as a team, or just a big group of us. It’s always fun to get out and do something else — still as a team just away from the field — because we spend so much time playing and practicing.
CD: In the same vein of people who inspired you, is there anyone in your life who pushed you to pursue soccer at such a high level?
CD: How is playing here at Wake Forest different from the teams you played with in high school?
CE: Without a doubt I would say my dad, because he first got me into the sport. Every single day, he would take me out into the backyard and practice there with me. So, he’s always been pushing me to do my best and he’s put in so many hours encouraging me to play soccer — whether it was out there doing field work, extra practice or showing me how to take care of my body. I have to give him thanks because, not only has he taken me to practice a countless number of times, but he also put in so much work with me day-in and day-out from my elementary years all the way through high school. He definitely helped me to get to where I am now.
CE: I would say the Academy and the college team are somewhat similar in a way just because we play at a similar level for our respective ages. Both are super competitive. Playing in college, particularly at Wake, a lot of the players are extremely committed to the game and trying to make this a career, to make a life out of this. In college, there’s just that fire inside the players. Everyone’s so talented here at Wake, and everyone’s wanting to make it to the next level. It was similar in Dallas, but I would just say everyone on the team here is wanting to make it even more. It’s good as a player to be in that type of environment.
CD: Can you talk about why you’re not playing this season?
CD: Do you have aspirations of playing professionally?
CE: In the spring semester, during the Notre Dame game, I got tackled and tore my ACL, though I didn’t find out right away. When we looked back at the tape, I went down to the ground, and was in a lot of pain. Nico Benalcazar, who was right center back at the time, came over and just yanked me up off the ground, and I guess that kind of got my mind off of it pretty quick, so I ended up finishing out that game. Then I played the next weekend, I believe it was a match against Louisville. I also practiced during that week. Then, I found out the following Thursday that I had torn my ACL. Obviously, that was rough to hear, especially since I had not only finished the Notre Dame game, but then played the Louisville game. It was kind of hard to believe because I thought ‘I have a torn ACL and I’m able to play.’ That was rough to deal with, but it’s been a learning experience. I’ve learned a lot from it, like the importance of dedication and hard work.
CE: Yeah, it has always been my goal ever since I was a little kid. I remember every homework assignment in elementary school, when it asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I would always say “soccer player.” And I still have that same goal. Ideally, if I could, I would play in Europe, as soccer players that’s the goal for most of us. They have a great level over there. I’m out right now with my ACL, so I’m just taking it step by step. I’m just focused on getting back, and then I guess we’ll see how it goes from there. CD: What classes have you enjoyed so far? Do you know what your major will be? CE: Right now, I’m trying to get into the business school. If I get in, I’m planning on studying finance. Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and brevity.
Sports | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, September 30, 2021 | Page 13
College football recap: Week 4 of 14 Favorites such as Michigan State and Auburn win by slight margins BY ADAM BARROW Contributing Writer barrae21@wfu.edu
After a relatively calm slate of games last week, college football descended right back into chaos on Saturday. Despite only two matchups between ranked teams, many of the nation’s top squads either fell flat or narrowly avoided such a fate, making this one of the more entertaining weeks of football so far this season. In Saturday’s first ranked showdown, No. 12 Notre Dame took on No. 18 Wisconsin. The game started relatively slow, but after Chris Tyree returned a kickoff for a touchdown to give Notre Dame a 17-13 lead in the fourth quarter, the Irish never looked back. The Fighting Irish blew the game open from there, adding a touchdown drive, a field goal drive and two interceptions returned for touchdowns to give them a big 41-13 victory. The day’s second matchup between ranked teams created some excitement within the SEC, with No. 16 Arkansas upsetting No. 7 Texas A&M. The Aggies had not yet surrendered a passing touchdown all season, but gave up two in the first half to Arkansas QB K.J. Jefferson, including a 85-yard bomb. Arkansas went up 17-0 in the second quarter, and despite an injury to Jefferson early in the third, their defense held on to secure a 20-10 win against an A&M team they had not defeated since 2012. The day’s biggest upset came when NC State defeated Clemson 27-20 in double
overtime. Clemson’s offensive woes continued, with quarterback D.J. Uiagelelei completing only 12 of 26 passes for just 111 yards. NC State took full advantage, dominating possession and total yardage. The Wolfpack weren’t perfect either with 11 penalties for 105 yards and three missed field goals. But NC State was ultimately able to do just enough to get the win against Clemson after losing eight straight to the Tigers. This loss effectively eliminates Clemson from playoff contention and leaves the ACC wide open. No. 14 Iowa State fell to Baylor in dramatic fashion, coming back from a 12-point third quarter deficit before failing to convert on a two-point attempt late in the fourth that would have tied the game. The Cyclones outgained Baylor 479 yards to 282, but Baylor successfully jumped out to an early lead and used big plays in the special teams phase to hold on late. Treston Ebner returned a kick 98 yards for a touchdown and returned a punt 41 yards to set the Bears up for a field goal that solidified their win. No. 22 UNC was also upset by Georgia Tech, but unlike other ranked teams, they lost in a blowout. Quarterback Jeff Sims came off the bench for the Yellow Jackets in the second quarter and dominated, passing for 112 yards and a touchdown and running for 128 yards and 3 scores. UNC struggled on offense — particularly in the run game — after a dominant showing on that end against Virginia last week, which made this loss even more disappointing. Many top teams briefly succumbed to the chaos, but were able to avoid upsets. No. 4 Oklahoma used a 30-yard fieldgoal by kicker Gabe Brkic as time expired to beat West Virginia 16-13. Oklahoma’s
offensive struggles continued in what ended up being their third one score victory of the season. Quarterback Spencer Rattler — once thought to be a Heisman hopeful — was booed by his home crowd after an interception, but completed all 6 of his passes on the game’s final drive to set up the deciding field goal. No. 20 Michigan State needed big plays late from their defense and special teams to defeat Nebraska in overtime. After their offense completely stalled, failing to convert a first down in the entire second half, Jayden Reed returned a Nebraska punt 62 yards for a tying touchdown with under 4 minutes to play. In overtime, defensive back Chester Kimbrough’s interception set up a game winning field goal that gave MSU a 2320 win. No. 23 Auburn relied on a highly controversial call to come back from a 12 point halftime deficit against Georgia State. The Tigers, led by backup quar terback TJ Finley after the benching of
starter Bo Nix, took the lead on a drive during which a pass that originally appeared to be dropped was ruled as complete. That call was upheld upon review. Auburn’s lead grew to 10 on a pick six after Georgia State regained possession in the final minute, resulting in a final score of 34-24. Neither No. 3 Oregon nor No. 6 Penn State were in serious upset danger, but both would have liked to be a bit more dominant against weak opponents in winless Arizona and FCS Villanova, respectively. A few teams managed to take care of business and avoid the week’s mayhem. No. 1 Alabama took care of Southern Miss 63-14, and No. 2 Georgia obliterated SEC opponent Vanderbilt 62-0, scor- ing 35 points in the first quarter alone. Those two teams continue to look like the best in the nation. Additionally, No. 10 Ohio State handled Akron 59-7, and No. 17 Coastal Carolina blew out University of Massachusetts 53-3.
Photo courtesy of Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
Notre Dame defeated Wisconsin 41-13 on Saturday. Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz threw four interceptions and just one touchdown.
USA wins Ryder Cup in dominant fashion The Americans dominated the Europeans early and rode their lead to victory BY NICK HAYMAN Staff Writer haymnh19@wfu.edu
Over the weekend, the U.S. won the 2021 edition of the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in what is now being called the “Slaughter by the Water”. Of the 28 points up for grabs, the American team finished with the largest margin of victory in the 94-year history of the Ryder Cup, beating the European team 19-9. The U.S. teams’ success was headlined by Dustin Johnson (5-0-0), Collin Morikawa (3-0-1), Patrick Cantlay (3-0-1) and Xander Schauffelle (3-1-0). With 24 of the best golfers in the world competing against each other, and with the weight of their countries on their shoulders, there is quite a bit to unpack from this past weekend. On Friday, Sept. 24, the American and European teams descended upon Whistling Straits Golf Course in She-
boygan, Wis. Heading into Friday’s matches, headlines buzzed around the American and European teams, and the anticipation leading up to the first tee shots was immense. For the U.S., many golf fans questioned whether the American players had the chemistry to win together. The Ryder Cup is one of the few team events in golf, and many of the top American golfers are set in their own individual ways when on the course. Despite their immense talent (of the top 25 players in the World Golf Rankings, 12 are American, whereas five are European), the U.S. had performed poorly in recent Ryder Cups, losing seven out of the last nine matchups. On the other side, apart from world No. 1 Jon Rahm, the Europeans were severely outgunned by the Americans’ star power. On top of that, this Ryder Cup was an away contest for the Europeans, meaning they had to stay calm and collected amidst the screams of a sold-out crowd of rowdy American fans. The U.S. got off to a quick start during the Friday morning slate of foursomes, winning three of the four matches to go up 3-1.
The most impressive performances of the morning came from Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffelle, who opened their match by winning the first five holes, and eventually won 5-3 over Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter. The U.S. continued to pour it on in the afternoon fourball matches, with Dustin Johnson/Xander Schauffelle and Harris English/Tony Finau both winning their matches without even seeing the 18th hole. Jon Rahm/Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood/Viktor Hovland both scratched and clawed their way to ties in the other two matches of the afternoon, and the U.S. took a strong 6-2 lead going into the weekend. The American squad did not skip a beat when play resumed on Saturday morning. The home team won three of the four morning matches, with their only loss coming to the seemingly unbeatable Jon Rahm/Sergio Garcia pairing. Saturday afternoon featured some of the most exciting golf of the weekend, with Bryson Dechambeau/Scottie Scheffler winning their match 3-1 and thrilling spectators with their deadly
combination of distance and accuracy off the tee. The Dustin Johnson/Collin Morikawa pairing made quick work of Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy, and the sun set over Whistling Straits Golf Course as the U.S. held a 11-5 lead over the Europeans. Going into Sunday, the American team needed only 3.5 points to get to 14.5 and secure a victory. How- ever, recent FedEx Cup champion Pat- rick Cantlay had other plans, telling the media that he wanted “to get to 20 points and make a statement.” While they ended up falling one shy of the 20-point mark, the U.S. team put an exclamation point on their Ryder Cup victory by winning seven matches and tying two matches to win 19-9. In the hours following the conclusion of the Ryder Cup, the American players celebrated with champagne and cigars and met with the media to discuss the events of the day. The over- all mood was joyous and the players made it clear that they saw their recent victory at Whistling Straits as a step in the right direction toward their vision of “a new era of American golf.”
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Satire | Love Advice
Selinna's guide to landing your crush If you wish to finally garner the attention of your crush, you must follow these rules BY SELINNA TRAN Life Editor transn19@wfu.edu
Rule No. 1: Never ever compliment. I deeply apologize, I am getting ahead of myself — I am here to help you win the favor of your crush. With the coming change in season and all of the emotions that fall connotes — nothing is sweeter than being with the love of your life. That is why I am here. I may not be an expert in love and I may not know much — but I believe that you should heed my advice. As I said before, the first rule is to never compliment your crush. Do not ever let them know that you like them, are interested in them or that they have any redeeming qualities whatsoever. In fact, you should insult them. Make sure that they know that you do
not find them attractive or appealing (it's all about the chase). Once you have done that, they will be intrigued and enamored by your disdain for their entire existence and then you will be one step closer to obtaining the heart of your crush. Rule No. 2: Talk to their friends instead of them. Make them so incredibly jealous that they will end up begging you for attention. Make them believe that you have zero interest in them by flirting with all of their friends. Trust me, this works (the guys at Wake Forest would know). Rule No. 3: Do not be yourself. If you haven't landed your crush yet and you have been being your true and authentic self, then something must be off, right? Remedy this by being a cool person ... and cool people are not themselves. Try to channel someone that you believe would land the person of your dreams. A great example may be Guy Fieri, a beloved icon that holds the at-
tention of people who like food. Many to say you are making them want you people have expressed romantic attention even more. Eventually, you will reach a towards Fieri, (well deserved of course). point of being so incredibly irresistible that they will not be able to help themRule No. 4: If you do something nice selves. for them, make sure they know you exIf they are talking about something that pect something from them. Open the they care deeply about, just don't listen. door for them? They better provide you with a date in return. Be straightforward Rule No. 7: Stalk their social media in your intentions — this is a surefire way and learn really obscure facts about to gain their attention. their personal life. Make sure to bring I understand that there is a lot of infor- these up in conversation. Another helpful mation being thrown at you and can be tidbit is to like every single one of their incredibly intimidating or overwhelming, Instagram posts. This will show your but, if you truly want to land your crush dedication and attraction towards them. you must follow all of these crucial rules. That's it! Follow these seven rules and Rule No. 5: Do not make eye contact you will be able to be with the love of with them. They will know that you are your life. If, by absolute rare chance, interested in them because your eyes will these rules end up not working for you never meet. Do not ever look at them or — blame it on them. It cannot possibly in their direction. be your fault if you followed these rules. There must be something wrong with Rule No. 6: Do not listen and do not this person. You are a good person and pay attention. By showing that you are they just don't see that. not interested in anything that they have Good luck!
Life on the Street | Hippo Records
Life on the Street: Discovering Winston-Salem Hippo Records provides a range of records for the music enthusiast BY ADAM COIL Asst. Life Editor coilat21@wfu.edu
Life on the Street is a new weekly installment by, yours truly, the Life editors. We hope to explore WinstonSalem, finding and reviewing various locations just outside of campus, so that you can feel more informed the next time you venture off of school grounds. This week, I headed to Hippo Records Winston-Salem, located in Silas Creek Crossings. Formerly known as Earshot Music, the shop was purchased by the owner of Hippo Records in Greensboro, and reopened under its new name this March. Boasting 142 reviews that round out to 4.8 out of five stars, I went into the store with pretty high expectations. Because I grew up in a small town, record stores were a rarity and I had to buy all of my records online, making this outing my first visit to a physical record store. At first, I must admit I was somewhat jittery. Thoughts were racing through my mind: Am I doing something wrong? Is everyone looking at me? What will the guy at the desk think of my choices when I hand him
my records? Am I even cool enough to be here? Luckily enough, my anxious thoughts subsided fairly quickly. The store has a really nice atmosphere, and it was apparent to me that the owner wanted shopping in their store to be an experience in and of itself. From the decorations on the wall, to the floor layout to the steady stream of music that emitted from the vintage record player behind the front desk, everything worked together to form a space tailored to people who love vinyl and talking about music. I felt at home. Hippo Records contains a fairly large inventory of LPs, as well as a few shelves full of CDs. There is a great deal of diversity to be found in the store as well, with pop, hip-hop, rock, punk, metal, jazz and even movie soundtracks finding their own respective shelves throughout. Because many of the records are bought or traded from locals, the selection feels very personal and authentic. Rarely does one find repeats of the same album, making the process of sifting through countless records exciting and suspenseful — you never know what you’ll find next. Some of the records I stumbled upon outdated me by decades, while others had just been released in the past year. Some of the more prized pieces, typically older and more expensive — find
their way onto the walls of the store. Animal Collective’s 2005 project, “Feels”, was one such LP that caught my attention. Hippo Records sells their products at a wide range of prices. Typically, each vinyl costs somewhere between 20 to 25 dollars, but one could wind up spending closer to 100 dollars if they find a rare gem in the mix. Overall, everything seemed valued appropriately. If you’re looking for a spot that is packed with a lot of contemporary hits, you will probably have to head somewhere else. Aside from a small sample of new wave music, such as “KOD” by J. Cole, “Sour” by Olivia Rodrigo and “Nothing Happens” by Wallows, the store mainly focuses on vintage and classic LPs. Before heading out, I picked up “Yankee Foxtrot Hotel” by Wilco and “Meat is Murder” by The Smiths and chatted with one of the employees. I was expecting to find more alternative and indie works in the mix, but, for the most part, the store does a great job of diversifying its portfolio without overextending itself. I think Google reviewer Jeff Sing said it best in his five-star review: “Good layout, fair pricing, and as always Adam's great!” Please let us know where you would like to see the Life section go next and what kind of reviews you want to see.
Photo courtesy of Adam Coil
Hippo Records is a vintage record store tucked into Silas Creek Crossings.
Life | Old Gold & Black
Thursday, September 30, 2021 | Page 15
Campus Life |Fall on campus
Fall reminds us of pre-COVID life The change in seasons reflects the change in mood on campus as normalcy returns
the constant fear of getting COVID or being sent to the Best Western. Walking to class every morning is a luxury that I didn’t have until this semester. Instead of waking up five minutes before 9 a.m. Spanish, I actually have a reason to get out of BY KHUSHI ARYA bed and give structure to my day. As much Staff Writer as slow walkers annoy me, I love the chaos of aryak19@wfu.edu walking down the quad when it is crowded. Large groups of people are dressed in grey Fall in the Forest has always been beautiful, hoodies, someone is yelling on the phone, a but the fall of 2021 is especially enchanting. stressed STEM student is sprinting to their After almost two long years of lockdowns chemistry lab, the speaker kid is meandering and uncertainties, this fall marks a big step around and, of course, athletes on scooters in the direction of getting to the other side of are nearly running over lost freshmen Wake the pandemic. With nearly everyone being Forest feels alive again. I could tell you all about how the fall fully vaccinated, we are no longer plagued by breeze causes the delicate leaves of magnolias to sway, but I have always been more of a people-watcher than a nature-lover. There is something inherently motivating about seeing people out and about. The business school students in their crisp shirts and fancy shoes waltzing around the Pit are my favorites to observe. Sure, the lines at the Pit can be reminiscent of Disneyland, but at this time last year, I longed to eat at a table with Photo courtesy of Khushi Arya four people. The change in season provides a Last week, when I was at the men’s soccer a nostalgic feeling of campus life. game against Pittsburgh, it dawned on me
just how much joy crowds can bring. With Spry operating at full capacity, there were no more cardboard cutouts in the stands to make the team feel better about the empty stadium. The hill and the bleachers were filled with excited fans dressed in black and gold to cheer on the Deacs. The "Wake Forest" chants were interspersed with passionate guys in section four heckling the other team and little kids in soccer jerseys running down the bleachers. The cheers were as loud as ever when we won 3-1. The celebration was so much sweeter because everyone was together to witness it. At least for one night, the players, students, professors and locals put the crushing weight of the Delta variant aside to immerse themselves in some college soccer. We have come a long way from when the world came to a standstill in March 2020. I am aware that we are still battling this pandemic. Yet, I can’t help but cherish the comfort of the Wake Forest bubble. It truly does feel like Disneyland. Long lines and slow walkers aside, Mother so Dear is magical in the sense that it brought us all together. We had a shared experience of going through perhaps the loneliest time of our lives, now we will always have that in common.
Music|Fall Playlist
Experience the many sounds of fall Packed with folk and pop hits, you'll find everything in this perfect fall playlist BY MADDY ROTHFIELD Staff Writer rothmw20@wfu.edu The air is getting colder, Pumpkin Spice Lattes are being advertised and everyone is breaking out flannels. This can only mean one thing — fall is here. In the spirit of the magic that is an East Coast autumn, I have compiled a list of must-listen fall tunes. In my very humble opinion, this is the end-allbe-all of fall playlists, but I’ll let you decide that for yourself. Starting off strong, we have “Cherry Wine” from Hozier’s self-titled debut album. This song will bring you chills. The peaceful acoustic guitar and whispers of Hozier’s godsent voice are the perfect way to ease into fall. Second up to bat, we have “Bloom” by Paper Kites, another acoustic tune that feels
Scan the QR code to access the perfect fall playlist by Maddy Rothfield.
like falling leaves and Sunday mornings. The gorgeous songwriting in “Bloom” describes a lazy, golden day. The song goes, “In the morning when I wake/And the sun is coming through/Oh, you fill my lungs with sweetness/And you fill my head with you.” If that doesn’t feel like the first breath of fall I don’t know what does. Third, we have your choice of two Fleet Foxes songs. (Full disclosure, I could’ve easily made this entire playlist composed of Fleet Foxes songs, but, out of respect for variety, I’m only adding two.) First, we have “Blue Ridge Mountains”, a fitting song to play while you drive through the gorgeous foothills of the mountains in our very own backyard. The song describes the feeling of missing a brother and yearning to reconnect with the raw beauty of the wilderness. After this, it is only fitting to play their most popular song,“Mykonos”, If you've never heard it, I won't spoil it for you. Go listen right now. After spending some time in the indieacoustic-folk persuasion, we are switching gears to Kacey Musgraves’ more upbeat track, “Cherry Blossom”, which comes off of her new album, “Starstruck”. You might be saying, “Cherry blossoms bloom in spring, why is this on the fall playlist?” To that, I have no real answer, just take my word on this one. Next up, we continue exploring magical female singer/songwriter energy with the queen of heartbreak and moodiness, girl in red. And I’m not talking about her hit single “we fell in love in october”, although it is an incredible pick for a rainy day tune, I’m talking about “forget her” — the sleeper single that the world seemed to skip over. It’s perfectly forlorn and longing, keeping with the sleepy acoustic sound that feels perfectly autumn. Honorable mentions include “I wanna be your girlfriend” and “watch you sleep”. For our next track, we are featuring Daniel Nunnelee and his uplifting folk song, “Oak Trees”. To be entirely honest, I found this
artist on TikTok last week and was blown away by his raw songwriting talent and soulful voice. You can really feel the passion of a budding star in his songs, so go give him a listen. Someday, if he becomes famous, you can say you knew him way back when. I couldn’t make this playlist without adding some Soccer Mommy, particularly her song “Bloodstream”. For no reason at all, this produces the same images within me as hippie girls in 2007: flowy skirts, CDs and sitting at my sister’s lacrosse game as a kid. Feeling confused? Me too. Of course, Ms. Phoebe Bridgers is making an appearance on the playlist. “Scott Street”, which comes off of her 2017 album, “Stranger in the Alps”, gives us sadness, nostalgia and an overwhelming feeling of peace. Practically all her music feels this way, which is why she is the highlighted artist of this article. Check it out, cry a little and then go feel like the main character in your very own movie. You got this. I’m betting you weren’t expecting it, but Taylor Swift had to make it on here too. Her song, “August”, has been my end of summer anthem, and I do not say that lightly. She writes, “But I can see us lost in the memory/August slipped away into a moment in time/'Cause it was never mine” providing a glimpse into a life you could so easily slip into. She captures that feeling of summer’s end approaching along with the accompanying feelings of uncertain fear and anxious joy. And for the closing tune, we are ending on a note of hope. I could think of no better way to finish out this playlist than “Silver Lining” by Mt. Joy. It’s the type of song you would hear at the end of the credits of a film, cruising into a long stretch of the open road with nothing but open windows and the invincible feeling of youth. A la "Perks of Being a Wallflower", this song feels like the beginning of a new chapter. To check out the rest of the playlist on Spotify, check out @Madelinerox
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THE HOT LIST
TOP HAIRCUT AROUND THE OFFICE (SORRY ONLY ONE MADE THE LIST)
1. COOPER SULLIVAN
Page 16 | Thursday, September 30, 2021
Old Gold & Black | Life
PEANUTS, TWO SIDES OF THE STORY Emily’s Side: Sophie’s Side: BY SOPHIE GUYMON Staff Writer guymsm20 @wfu.edu
My peanut allergy experience is unusual in the sense that I was diagnosed at two very different points in my life — ages three and 14. One year after my initial diagnosis, I passed a food test at the allergist and was cleared to eat peanuts again. However, even during the 10year period where I was presumed nonallergic, I avoided peanuts at all costs. Something about the smell was so unappealing to me that I plugged my nose whenever I detected it, and I refused to eat any peanut-based foods. Several incidents made me question whether or not my allergy was really gone, but the nail in the coffin came during my freshman year of high school. My mom had prepared a salad for dinner which, unbeknownst to me, contained a spoonful of peanut butter in the dressing. I spent the rest of the night in severe pain and discomfort, struggling to breathe through a nose that was swollen beyond recognition. My parents considered taking me to the ER, but instead opted to administer my brother’s Epipen.
Ultimately, I was fine, but a visit to the allergist two months later confirmed the re-emergence of my allergy. This re-diagnosis was actually a relief — now that I knew peanuts were a true hazard to my health, I no longer had to feel guilty for refusing them. My friends and classmates would understand that when I didn’t want their various peanut butter concoctions, I wasn’t rejecting their kindness and hospitality, I was protecting myself. Unfortunately, this understanding is often accompanied with infantilization. People accept that I can’t eat peanuts, but not that I’m capable of avoiding them without their aid or coddling. I have never taken a trip without packing my Epipen or Benadryl, and I’m very aware of the foods that may contain trace amounts of peanuts. In over a year of college, I’ve had one minor allergy scare, which was resolved with only two pills and a long night of sleep. In theory, someone could poison me with peanuts, but because of my sensitivity to their smell and taste — as well as the arsenal of medication I carry with me — this would be no easy feat. My peanut allergy most likely isn’t going anywhere,
BY EMILY BEBENEK Staff Writer bebeek20 @wfu.edu
Peanuts. They’re everywhere. Rich in protein, fat and fiber, they seem like the perfect snack. I mean, they’re even in our candy! They’re inescapable. They’re delicious. So why is it that peanuts are one of the most common allergies? That’s just stupid. I mean, seriously, have you ever met someone with a peanut allergy? Some of them are chill about it, but the others … not so much. You sit down and casually open a bag of peanut M&Ms or something and they leap out of their seats, shouting, “NO!! How dare you? I’m ALLERGIC!! I will DIE! Keep those things away from me! Get out!” How crazy is it, in a world of snakes and spiders and alligators, to be afraid of peanuts? Here’s my theory: the Earth is overpopulated, right? Every year it just gets worse and worse. This peanut intolerance is simply natural selection in action. Those of us lucky enough to be able to enjoy Reese’s and PB&J sandwiches are the chosen ones. Everyone else ... my condolences. Not that
we haven’t tried to fight nature. I mean, the precautions taken to ensure the safety of those fragile few are extreme, to say the least. But still, there comes a point when what you have to sacrifice to survive makes you question what you’re surviving for. This is the point where all of you will turn on me. One of my favorite quick-fix meals is peanut butter and pickle. Take half of a pickle, cut out the seeds and fill the gap with peanut butter. It’s delicious, easy and nutritious. The warm gooey peanut butter enhances the flavor of the cold and crunchy pickle. It’s like ants on a log without the raisins. It’s delicious. Try it before you come for me. I feel for those who are marked for peanut culling. I truly do. But, as one of the higher beings granted the privilege to enjoy the world and everything it has to offer risk-free, I can’t dwell on it. Who am I to question the universe? Obviously you’ve done something wrong in your past life, and that’s on you. So, to my fellow chosen people, let’s enjoy! And to those cursed few good luck! May the odds be ever in your favor.
PEANUTS, HOW DO WE FEEL ABOUT THEM? Life exec surveys the Wake Forest community to garner the feelings our student body holds towards peanuts
“They’re cool. They are convenient, I never go out seeking them but if they are in front of me, they are good. I would absolutely despise every inch of my existence if I was allergic to peanuts.” - Cooper Sullivan
Before we continue, we wish to also maintain steady in our beliefs that peanut allergies are genuine and severe — oft not to be joked about. We hold respect for those who are allergic to peanuts or hold any allergies at all. These comments do not reflect the opinions of the OGB Executive Staff and we maintain the utmost respect towards anyone with any allergy! Stay safe out there.
“I **** with peanuts. I like peanut butter, Snickers, Reese’s. If I were allergic, I would microdose until I wasn’t.” - Essex Thayer “Peanuts? I don’t eat them when I am eating my trail mix. I eat absolutely everything else. When in butter form, however, I greatly enjoy peanut butter with some honey on top. You could elevate this with some chocolate too. The mini peanut butter cups from Trader Joe’s? I could eat eight boxes of them. However, something about the whole peanut just does not appeal to me. If I were allergic to peanuts, I feel that I would not be able to have a lot of candies and that would make me sad. But I would not miss the physical peanuts.” - Christina DeNovio
“I eat peanuts when they are not in peanut form. I would feel inferior if I was allergic to peanuts. I would be the weak link. To those who are allergic to peanuts — sitting at the “I like peanuts. They are not peanut-free table in elementary my least favorite nut but they are school was cool.” - Aaron Na- also not my favorite nut. I love taline cashews, pecans and walnuts. Hazelnuts are especially great.” “I don’t know, they are fine. I Will Zimmerman think it was said before, but I do not particularly care for peanuts “I like ‘em. A solid snack opbut I would not turn away from tion.” (We note here that Ben them. If I was allergic, I would Conroy sits and ponders the feel terrible. The freaking pea- question for quite a bit of time nut kids in my sixth-grade class when we asked how he would feel hindered any opportunity for if he was allergic to peanuts) “I joy. My heart goes out to those would feel dietarily handcuffed.” “I like peanuts. I would not who are allergic.” - Dev Chojar - Ben Conroy tell anyone if I was allergic to
peanuts. That’s just plain embarrassing. If I died from a peanut, I deserved it.” - Chase Bagnall-Koger “They’re pretty good. I don’t know what else to really say man, they are just pretty good. I would be really really sad if I was allergic to peanuts. I would not be able to eat Reese’s Peanut Butter cups.” - Josie Scratchard “I think that peanuts are God’s grace to this planet. Cracking them open at a baseball game is better than the game itself. Do not get me started about chocolate-covered M&M’s. If I were allergic to peanuts, I would like that because I would be the cool person with an EpiPen and I could use that as a weapon. They are so supple and it does not hurt to bite into them. I will baptize my child in peanut oil and name my first child peanut.” - Alexandra Karlinchak