


I see anti-trans legislation as the first step that in the future could be like genocide. ” “
-Wyatt Smith, pg.11
I see anti-trans legislation as the first step that in the future could be like genocide. ” “
-Wyatt Smith, pg.11
It can be very easy to forget we are human for the sake of excellence, but we must value our mental health in order to get things done ... efficiently.
According to a study done at the University of Washington, “nearly 4 out of 5 college students report that emotional distress impacts their academic performance.”
“Stress plays a huge role for college students wanting to juggle everything all at once, and the speed of the semester can pick up quickly,” Jaisy Girija Kumar said.
Kumar has been a mental health specialist and therapist at the CAPS center here at UNO since April 2017.
Also, for some students this will be their first semester and they will have to navigate this new reality we live in. It’s good to find a balance between social life, personal life, work life and school life.
Kumar suggests we learn about stress management and how to prioritize our responsibilities.
“It is important to get to know oneself and what fits well for you,” Kumar said. “Find what gives you joy and how you like to spend your free time.”
Time management is also important — our mental health can deteriorate if we put things off. Kumar says to not wait till the last minute to get help.
“Have a safety plan to maintain wellness,” Kumar said.
UNO has amazing resources so students can sustain their focus on their studies. Kumar encourages students to take that step and reach out for assistance. Kumar notes the Maverick Food Pantry as a great place to alleviate food and meal insecurity, as that can be a source of stress.
Remember that we are all on our paths, so each of our mental health journeys will look different
College can be rigorous, so it can be hard to find efficient ways to maintain mental wellbeing. I am one who practices meditation and tries to do it once a day. I either listen to the Headspace podcast to reflect or practice my breathing for five to ten minutes. If that sounds unfunctional, just start small.
“When you wake up in the morning, take the first couple of minutes to meditate on how you want your day to proceed and meditate on that,” says Kumar. “Come up with a positive affirmation that resonates with you and meditate on that positive phrase.”
Meditation is beneficial to staying in tune with the present moment. Mindfulness is another way to stay in tune. Kumar says to explore how to be in any given moment by engaging your five basic senses: touch, sight, smell, sound, hearing and taste.
“Mindfulness helps us to stay in that moment and to be in that moment,” says Kumar. “If you practice mindfulness daily, it becomes a way of life and it helps the stress levels to stay low.”
Remember that we are all on our paths, so each of our mental health journeys will look
different. There is not a one size fits all strategy to mental health. Don’t get frustrated if your way to cope with mental instability is different from another person. I too have been caught up on that, and it can distract me from the goal of mental wellbeing.
We also come from different perspectives — some of us might be coming from spaces that didn’t value mental well-being, so this may all be new to learn.
“We are all different, and that difference is our learning curve,” says Kumar. “It’s what enriches us and helps us to learn.”
Kumar wants those to first acknowledge that mental health is not a taboo.
“Be your best advocate, as your mental wellbeing is important to you,” Kumar says. “Keep in mind that your perspective is changing, that doesn’t mean your culture’s perspective has to change.”
Kumar apprises that it can be tough to navigate mental wellbeing because you may not get the
The spring semester is almost over and here comes summer! If you’re not really sure what you want to do yet and you’ve been wanting to plan a time to hang out with your friends, here’s a couple events to start your summer off right!
Junkstock (April 28-May 7)
Junkstock is a repurposed festival featuring live music, food trucks, a kids zone, and dozens of “junk” vendors from around the U.S. If you love vintage clothing and antique items this is the perfect spot for you, with over 20 vendors its guaranteed you’ll find a spot perfect for you.
Hot Shops Spring Open House - Preview Night (April 28)
Go and admire three floors of art at Omaha’s largest artist collective! Meet Hot Shops current resident artists from their processes, demonstrations and the opportunity to purchase their work. The artwork represented ranges from drawings, paintings, photography, sculptures, pottery, glass art, weaving, quilts, jewelry, architectural pieces and more. It is a free event with a recommended $5 donation at the door.
Jitterbugs’ Night Out (Fridays)
Interested in learning how to jitterbug? The Omaha Jitterbugs are calling all aspiring dancers with no partner required! Have some fun and enjoy a weekly dance lesson filled with swinging tunes. There are hands-on dance instructions and live music to get you in the mood!
Sip Nebraska (May 6)
Always wanted to try wineries, breweries and distilleries from across the state? Sip Nebraska offers event goers the opportunity to try unlimited tastings of wine, craft beer, hard cider and spirits. Enjoy live music, shop curated artisan vendors, take a tasty tour through food truck alley, play lawn games, and enjoy the atmosphere at Mahoney State Park. Prices range from $75 Early Access Tasting, $65 Tasting, $15 Designated Driver.
Cinco de Mayo Fiesta at Midtown Crossing (May 6)
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Midtown Crossing and enjoy Mexican-inspired cocktails, beverages and food at Stories Coffee Company; Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza + Taproom; Sofra Kitchen; Ray’s Wings, PIzza and Drinks; Proof Whiskey Bar & Craft Cocktails; Pa Mas Taqueria & Grill. Try to visit as many of these places as you can and cast your vote for the best in midtown!
Bellevue Berry & Pumpkin Ranch
6-7) & (May 13-14)
Try something new this summer and travel back in time to when royalty ruled and knights wore shining armor! There will be equestrian jousting, unique performance stages, over 100 costumed characters and many one-of-a-kind artisans at this majestic festival. Plus two different themed weekends -- first Viking Magic, next Celtic Romance. Prices are $14 adults and $8 children
One of my favorite events growing up is Omaha’s largest and most diverse festival, featuring live music and entertainment, carnival rides, games, a parade, food, shopping, a pageant and Qué Chulo (How Cute) Dog Contest. This is the perfect place to grab a group of friends and create memories.
Well here’s some of the events happening in the beginning of summer! Hopefully you’ll go to some of them and experience what Nebraska has to offer this summer!
Meeting Leia Baez was a motivational journey, as listening to the experience of a person whose life has had ups and downs but ultimately reached a path of success captivated me. Currently a communications director for Douglas County, Baez has the primary responsibility to serve as the Media Relations Director and PR contact for the entire county, and has been excelling at the job for over six years. Prior to that, she was a hard-working journalist at the Omaha World-Herald.
Juggling homework assignments while in college, Baez was also working part time with the newspaper, taking sports scores over the phone in the sports department on Friday nights. Then, she made her way up to become a reporter and editor. She cites experiences like these as helping
her get to know the newspaper industry a little bit more.
Her love of writing started even before this, while she was in high school.
“I kind of found my way to newspapers and journalism because I wanted to — I actually tried out to write for the yearbook,” Baez said.
“I really wanted to be on the yearbook staff and we had to write an essay about why we wanted to be on the yearbook staff, and I didn’t make it. I was so bummed, and I remember seeing the list, you know, all the names of my friends were on the yearbook staff, and I wasn’t on there. And I was, like, super upset. But it turns out the journalism teacher actually wanted me to be on the newspaper staff. Because she loved my writing.”
Baez says one teacher, Mrs. Beckstead, was instrumental in helping her fall in love with journalism by redirecting her career path.
As she began working at the Bellevue West newspaper in her school, she immediately fell in love with journalism.
“And then I knew, like, I’m going to do this, I want to be a journalist and I want to interview cool people and I wanted to tell stories because I loved writing and storytelling, and so I was like, this is perfect,” Baez said.
When Baez got to college, she started writing for her college newspaper — The Gateway — during her freshman year in 2001. For five years, she worked at The Gateway, absolutely loving it and all the experiences she was able to gain from working there.
“I learned so much from there, you know,” Baez said. ‘I mean, that’s when you really learn what it’s like to be a journalist, cause you’re actually thrown into real life experiences, you know,
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De-Stress Fest is on its way to help students find fun and relaxing activities to help manage stress during prep and finals weeks. It’s a challenging time, but here are some events to take your mind off finals week.
Coloring Station (May 8)
Grab some colors and color a different selection of coloring sheets every day at Criss Library Main Floor!
Graduating Mavericks Join the Office of Multicultural Affairs to celebrate your achievement by decorating your cap for FREE. MCA provides the needed materials to decorate, such as glitter, markers, ribbons, and more. Please feel free to bring any additional items you may want to include on
your cap.
Visit the big white wall in the library to take or leave an encouragement sticky note. We can make it through finals together!
Breakfast on the Go! (9 to 11 a.m.)
Need some breakfast before class? Grab a breakfast sandwich, fruit and beverage on your way to class! (Breakfast sandwiches contain egg or egg and meat; fruit will be available too).
Maverick Food Pantry Table (9 to 11 a.m.)
Stop by the Maverick Food Pantry’s table to get some snacks and to talk about what is stressing you out.
Start Your Seeds (12 to 3 p.m.)
De-Stress by getting your hands dirty and some
pollinators in the process. Join us in the library garden to plant a small seed starting pot of pollinator seeds or take a kit with you!
Tiny Art Studio at the Library (2 to 5 p.m.)
Every afternoon, come to the library and create tiny art! Flex your creative muscles or find a new hobby on the main floor. Different art projects will be available all week.
Free Coffee at Stedman’s Café (May 9)
Need some coffee to fuel your Prep Week? Stop by Stedman’s Café for a free drink courtesy of Student Involvement.
Goats in the Library (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
Cuddle cute baby goats in the library and feel your stress melt away. Join us on the North side of the first floor of the library, for a chill session – with goats! The first 50 attendees to swipe their MavCard will receive a small keepsake
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support that you need, but you need to advocate for yourself at the end of the day.
UNO is privileged to have CAPS, Counseling and Psychological Services, where therapy and mental health care is free of charge. If you need to talk, eliminate unwanted stress from heavy lifting emotions or just need a space to vent, there are different specialists at CAPS that will fit your specific needs.
The longer you wait to seek help, the more detrimental it may become for your well-being. Kumar says you need your brain, mind and body to function properly in order to accomplish the many things you have to do.
from the Creative Production Lab.
Fabletics Pilates Class (1 to 2 p.m.)
Register and attend this Pilates offering and receive coupons, samples, and a chance at a free Fabletics outfit.
The Modern Waffle on Scott Campus (May 10)
Come get a free waffle courtesy of Student Involvement! First come first served for up to 200 students!
EXPLORE the World (11 to 2 p.m.)
Join Exploratory Studies to Explore the world! We will have food trucks and sweet treats representing different cultures for all to enjoy. Stop by the event for free food, therapy dogs, coloring, and free swag!
Gaming in the Library (4 to 6 p.m.)
Gamers, assemble! Play retro video games on the arcades or board games with your friends. We’ll have tons of table space for you to
BAEZ
pg.
and you get to learn the trade and interview cool people and write stories on deadline. And we’re working late to make sure that we’re meeting our publishing deadlines, you know, and it’s just a really cool community of people.”
Baez shared with me the impact The Gateway had on her and how it helped her with future endeavors in college.
“The Gateway was so instrumental in shaping me as a writer and as a communications person,” Baez said. “It was just things you can’t learn in the classroom, right? And that’s some of those real life experiences you get from The Gateway, and I feel really lucky because I got an internship every summer in college. So like I had, all these great experiences. But you know why? Because I had that foundation at The Gateway.”
While reminiscing about her start in journalism, Baez mentioned how the newspaper industries are changing and how we as journalists can move forward.
“It makes me really sad to see the newspaper industry changing so much and kind of shrinking,” Baez said. “I’m really hopeful about the skills that we learn as journalists and everything that we’re learning as communicators. You can transfer over to so many different careers and those skills can be used and so in so many different ways, right. So there’s opportunities out there for us regardless of, you know, if the newspaper is changing so much.”
de-stress with dozens of games at the library.
Breakfast for Dinner (May 11)
Fuel your studies with the most important meal of the day! Have breakfast for dinner in the library with coffee, donuts, and more! Gluten free and vegan options will be available!
In 2022 when Chris Crutchfield took the head coaching job for the Mavericks he faced a challenge right off the bat, flipping the roster and bringing in new players after seven decided to move on. Now in his second offseason Crutchfield does not face a roster overhaul but rather a roster retool.
From the 2022-2023 roster three players, Kennedy Brown, Akol Arop and Kyle Luedtke chose to move on from the team and find a new home in the transfer portal. That trio combined for eight starts, 11.2 points per game, and 6.3 rebounds per game. Luedtke, who had spent the previous five seasons at Omaha, is the only player to have announced his destination, and he is heading to Southwest Minnesota State.
With three players moving on this creates new opportunities for players who are already on the roster and those that are coming in. One player from the roster who could make an impact next season is Jamal Ambrose, a 6-10 forward who missed the entire 2022-2023 season with an injury. The Minnesota native averaged 15.8 points per game on 68.4% shooting from the field along with eight rebounds per game in his final year of high school. The Mavericks only added one player from the transfer portal, a number that wanes that in comparison to the four that were added a year prior. Nick Davis, 6-9 forward, will be the lone transfer coming in and he is making the jump from Southern Nazarene, a division II program in Oklahoma. Davis made 77 career starts in four seasons and was named the GAC Defensive Player of the Year, having recorded 41 blocks in 32 games.
In addition to Davis the Mavericks will be bringing in three players from the high school ranks and a pair of them were high school teammates. Grant Stubblefield had been a long-time Omaha commit having committed to the Mavericks in September however he was joined by his teammate Landon Braun who committed in April. Stubblefield was the 6A Player of the Year in Kansas for both his junior and senior seasons.
“Grant is a strong explosive guard that can really get downhill to the basket,” said Crutchfield. “He has great vision and underrated savvy for the game. He is a dual sport athlete with great toughness.”
The final player who will be joining the Mavericks for the 2023-2024 season is a 6-7 forward in Marcel Bryant. The Texas native was named the 6A MVP, 6A First Team, and the Austin Area Player of the Year.
“Marcel is a big and strong athletic forward with a versatile skill package,” said Crutchfield. “He should be a plug and play player because of his size and strength. Marcel will help strengthen our frontline.”
After a brutal non-conference schedule the Mavericks were sitting at 6-8 and had five games that were either canceled or rescheduled due to weather. Omaha’s woes have continued into conference play and sit at 4-8 at the halfway point.
“It’s been a cold spring and sometimes you have to find a way to win,” said Omaha head coach Evan Porter. “We need to be more consistent and play more consistent. Finding a way to win when end of April and May come around that’s what you want more than anything.”
The Mavericks started conference play with a tough weekend against North Dakota State. Omaha started the series with a 10-2 loss in the Friday game where the bullpen gave up seven runs. The two teams returned to Tal Anderson Field for a double-header on Saturday and the two teams split the pair of games giving NDSU
Omaha then returned home to take on Northern Colorado and the Mavericks swept the series to stay in the hunt in the conference. Oral Roberts, who has sat atop the Summit League in recent years, was the next team to come to town and they looked every part of the number one team in the conference. The Golden Eagles swept Omaha and scored 29 runs across the three games against the Mavericks.
Next up for Omaha was their first road trip in conference play and they traveled to Brookings, South Dakota to play South Dakota State. The Mavericks faced the same fate against the Jackrabbits as they did against the Golden Eagles as they were swept on the road. Omaha did not lead a game in the series until the third and final game but blew the lead and dropped all three games.
While the Mavericks have struggled in the Summit League, they have enjoyed success in midweek games against in-state competition, Creighton,
and Nebraska. Omaha have made two trips to Lincoln and have beaten the Huskers on both occasions, with a 10-6 win in March, and a 6-5 win on April 11th in extra innings. Omaha is also 1-0 against Creighton this season as they held on to beat the Bluejays 4-1 at home.
One reason behind the Mavericks’ woes this season has been injuries piling up. So far this season key players Mike Boeve, Harrison Kreiling, Haiden Hunt, Devin Hurdle, Rans Sanders, and Caleb Riedel have all missed time due to injury. Unfortunately, for Omaha the team’s ace, Riedel, is more than likely done for the season.
“Riedel is probably out for a while, likely the year,” said Porter. “It’s good having Haiden back, and Hurdle back. Both of those guys were taking off and having really good atbats and then they were out for two or three weeks.”
In the current landscape of college athletics with the transfer portal and NIL a team’s roster could be overhauled at any moment. For the Mavericks they had four players graduate, two players moved on in the portal and three key players decided to return for a fifth season.
The trio of skaters that will be playing a fifth season for Omaha are Kirby Proctor, last year’s leading scorer, Jack Randl, and team captain, Nolan Sullivan. Proctor and Sullivan are both key to the Mavericks’ penalty kill, as Proctor finished fourth on the team in blocked shots and Sullivan won 58% of his faceoffs. Randl led the team in points with 34 and goals with 18.
While Omaha will be returning three key players, they also lost a pair of skaters to the transfer
portal. Cameron Berg transferred back to his home state of North Dakota to play for UND, the Islanders draft pick had 24 points and 10 goals this past season. The other player that transferred is defenseman Davis Pennington, the blue liner moved on to reigning national champion, Quinnipiac.
The Mavericks were also active in the transfer portal as they added four players from the portal. Omaha picked up a commitment from a pair of Big Ten players in forward Jesse Lansdell, a Notre Dame transfer who had 15 points, and former Ohio State defenseman, Dominic Vidoli. In addition to the two Big Ten players Omaha also added a defenseman from the University of Massachusetts, in Golden Knights draft pick Noah Ellis, and a goalie from Long Island State, Seth Eisle, who posted a .913 save percentage.
In the 2023-2024 season Omaha will be tasked with replacing four players who graduated in Jonny Tychonick, Tyler Weiss, Jake Kucharski,
and Jake Pivonka. Tychonick was a threeyear starter for the Mavericks, finished third in points on the team with 26 and contributed eight goals in his final season in Omaha. Weiss is another player that will be difficult for the Mavericks to find a replacement for as he finished second in points with 27 and led the team in assists with 21. Weiss finished his career in the top 10 for career points for the Mavericks with 116 and third in career assists with 88.
Kucharski and Pivonka were only in Omaha for one season, but the pair were crucial in the team’s run to finish third in the NCHC. Kucharski came to the Mavericks from AIC, and made 18 starts in net for Omaha, posting a record of 8-9-1, and a .904 save percentage. Pivonka was tied for fourth on the team in goals with 10 and finished with 18 points overall.
their city series with Creighton, earning a hard fought 2-1 victory at home and dropping the other 5-3 at CU’s campus complex. The squad amassed an impressive 11-2 neutral game site record heading into conference play.
Sensational senior Kamryn Meyer (10-7) has helped hold the team’s season together with repeated season- and career-high pitching performances. Meyer has 698 career strikeouts, tying Cheris Kuster’s all-time strikeout record as of April 23rd. Anna Chapman, Abby Flanagan, Sydney Nuismer, and Meyer, have combined to lead the Summit League with a composite 2.09 ERA and fewest BBs (77).
The only conference series loss Omaha has faced this spring was to Summit League leaders South Dakota State. The foes dueled for 27.1 total innings over two days, which saw UNO drop all three games by a single run.
This year’s Softball team has shown its grit through extra-inning wars, breaking team records, and refusing to go down without a fight. The Mavs are in a perfect position to ride their momentum into the conference tournament next month.
Kamryn Meyer tied the school record for most career strikeouts with 698. 14 and 10-4 in conference play.
Mitchell Cutcher SPORTS EDITOROmaha Softball is on track for its secondstraight winning season. The program endured four consecutive losing seasons from 2017-2021, with a 12-12 shortened season record in 2020.
The Mavericks nearly punched their ticket to the 2022 NCAA Tournament last May but lost the decisive Summit League Tournament Championship game 5-0 to 1-seed South Dakota State. This feat and a 32-24 final record marked Omaha’s best finish since 2014. Fast forward to now and UNO continues to make a name for themselves on the college softball landscape in 2023 with the team sitting at 24-
The Mavs began the season 5-0, sweeping the competition at the UNI Dome Tournament in February. Omaha then traveled to early-season tournaments in both Arkansas and Mississippi that saw a victory over Iowa and one-run losses to Top 25-ranked Texas and Mississippi State squads. UNO was scheduled to face #1 Oklahoma to end the Bulldog Invitational in Starkville. The weekend finale would be canceled due to travel considerations.
Omaha’s battle for in-state supremacy fell flat in a mid-March double-header against Nebraska at Connie Claussen Field. The Huskers outscored the Mavs 13-4 between the two games and Omaha was run-ruled in the second game. UNO earned a 1-1 split of
Omaha will play its final home series of 2023 hosting Western Illinois this weekend, before heading up to Fargo for their last three Summit League games against North Dakota State.
Students organized a walkout in support of trans rights from UNO to Memorial Park.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Sara Meadows smeadows@unomaha.edu
MANAGING EDITOR
The Gateway is published by the University of Nebraska at Omaha Student Publications Committee on Fridays during the fall and spring semesters. Advertising inquiries should be directed to the Advertising Manager. Other inquiries and complaints should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief. Copies of the Student Publications Committee inquiry and complaint policy are available at the Gateway’s main office, located on the second floor of the Kayser Hall.
The Gateway is funded as follows: 30 percent advertising revenue, 70 percent student fees as allocated by student government.
Copyright 2023. All rights reserved. No material here may be reproduced without the permission of the Editor-in-Chief.
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“Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace.” said Jonathan Lockwood Huie.
My grudge and I go way back. The first time I recognized the massive shadow looming over me was when a teacher told me I wasn’t “nice.” It was during a meeting with my parents and the principal of my gossip-ridden, small-town school. The teacher was the advisor for the National Honor Society — the society I wasn’t inducted into. My parents wanted to know why. I was a straight-A student with a 4.0 GPA; I was in all of the athletics and involved in almost every extracurricular; I organized fundraisers and volunteered plenty. It was a shock when we discovered I was blocked from being inducted because this advisor felt I wasn’t “nice enough” to some of my peers. I sobbed hot tears into my pillow and decided she would never be forgiven.
Do you know how exhausting it is never to forgive someone? It takes so much energy; my grudge, like a vacuum, sucked the joy out of me until I was just the shell of my past self. My parents recognized it and sent me to therapy. All the therapist did was give me inspirational quotes and remind me that it was just a blip in the timeline of my life. That was almost four years ago and I still vividly remember it. I never got any closure because my parents scooped me up and transferred me to another school. I won’t say I transferred solely based on the experience; however, it was the catalyst for the move. The main reason I moved to a different school was to take AP classes that weren’t previously available to me. I began to withdraw from everyone around me, and by the time the school year came to an end, I wasn’t friends with people I had known since kindergarten. Time and distance helped, and the wounds began to heal. By the time college started, I felt that the puppet strings that attached me to my grudge had finally been cut loose.
I played collegiate volleyball my first two years, and it felt like a dream. I moved to the big city and became friends with my teammates. I left that town in the past, along with my old self. The first year was good. We were in the middle of the pandemic, but I was best friends with my roommates and my classes were easy. Our season was canceled, but we didn’t care. We still spent all of our time together as a team. So what if our coaches were hard asses? We could conquer anything as long as we were together!
Then my world came crashing down again. I got caught bar-hopping while underage by my coach, and was threatened with the idea that
I could be kicked off the team. All those feelings from high school came rushing back. I was suddenly alone and felt like I had lost all control. I felt betrayed and embarrassed, but most of all, so alone. My friends couldn’t help me with this. It wasn’t fair that we had all been out together and I was the only one who got caught. Suddenly, my grudge was back on my shoulders and I was unforgiving. I was so mad, I considered quitting. They couldn’t kick me off the team if I beat them to the punch and left on my own.
Luckily, that meeting with my coaches was at the beginning of summer. I had two months to crawl home and lick my wounds. I did my best to have fun with friends, but that meeting and my grudge loomed over me like a dark cloud.
Nine months later, I got pulled into the office again and was accused
of telling anyone and everyone that I was planning on quitting. I’d been blindsided again; I didn’t fight it.
Instead, I explained calmly that I had considered it after our previous meeting. I didn’t go around telling strangers, “Hey, I’m going to quit volleyball just because!” But I did talk to my parents about it. I explained that I didn’t feel that way anymore and was enjoying my time on the team. This was returned with the threat of pulling my scholarship and kicking me to the curb.
“Why should we pay for your schooling if you don’t even want to be here?” His voice was sharper than necessary as I was already choking back hot tears. That was the final straw; I was done being pushed around and decided to quit.
I had a meeting with a Title IX coordinator, but because the head coach’s threats were essentially empty, there was nothing they could do about it.
There isn’t an HR office at any school where student-athletes feel they’ve been wrongfully attacked, which is an entirely different problem for collegiate athletics.
This story doesn’t have a happy ending; I quit eight months ago and still have so much anger. But I started seeing a therapist who has helped me heal.
I got a dog — something I’ve wanted to do since I moved out of my parents’ home. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I lost relationships because of my decision to quit volleyball.
It’s still hard when I see people I knew from what felt like a lifetime ago around campus. My grudge still makes occasional appearances when I feel too weak to rise above the experiences I’ve been through.
It might take a few more months or years, but I want to forgive these people — not because they deserve it, but because I deserve peace.
College is often a stage in one’s life to perform some personal rebranding. A new crowd means a brand-new way for a person to establish themself amongst their peers. Nowadays, however, many people opt for loungewear, causing individuals to blend in with the masses. A well-dressed person leaves a positive impression, distinguishing themself above others. If, as students, our ultimate goal is to gain employment, why aren’t we dressing like it? This transition from classy, everyday attire to the cozy culture we’re in now has caused us to lose a sense of self-worth and individual branding.
Here is an important caveat to keep in mind as I reprimand the fashion choices of our generation: it is completely acceptable to dress casual at home. Even further, I am a hypocrite. I still wear yoga pants when I go out. Yes, I am gradually weening off them but it’s still hard. If you see me on campus wearing yoga pants, please
don’t crucify me. We’re all a work in progress.
People are always being scrutinized for the way they look and, consequently, dress. It started in grade school when we chose our friends and still has an impact on the way we view people in our society. If presidents dressed in PJ’s, they would have a hard time commanding the respect of the people they govern. We are constantly presented with images of celebrities who dress casually and comfortably in public settings. Adam Sandler, for example, has grown in popularity for his pairing of oversized t-shirts with basketball shorts, chunky socks, and sneakers. Adam Sandler’s comedy films have dominated a generation, let’s hope it’s not the same for his leisurely style. On the other hand, some women on Instagram are devoted to dressing vintage such as @magdalena_regina, @ vintagemaedchen_victoria and @jasminechiswell to name a few. One influencer, Anastasia Gerrans, provides a modern take on outfit inspiration for the average female college student that is both
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The Lost Art of Classy Fashion: How Casual Culture is Diminishing
Gaby
CONTRIBUTORPHOTO COURTESY PEXELS
refreshing and classy.
Putting time and effort into the way you look gives you a sense of confidence that can become contagious. Tracy Thomas, an emotional scientist, psychologist and interventionist, calls putting effort into our appearance ― even if it’s just the tiniest bit ― “one of the most important things people can do for their emotional, mental and psychological health.” (Akutekha). When I lazily throw on a pair of yoga pants and a sweatshirt in the morning and dart off to work, I find myself feeling sluggish and unmotivated. However, for me, a fresh face of makeup, curled hair and a trendy outfit can turn even the darkest of days into a bright, shiny new one.
Not only does dressing for success show respect for oneself, but towards others as well. It demonstrates that you are taking the occasion seriously. A potential employer may judge a candidate’s appearance and determine work ethic, reliability, and professionalism, among other attributes. Similarly, if a professor is going to write a compelling recommendation to an employer on your behalf and all they know you by is your appearance, which you don’t take seriously, you may not receive a very convincing review. To achieve success, we must dress for it. Not all of us can afford to be Adam Sandler.
Fellow students, we need to be prepared for what our professional career is going to demand of us. Healthcare workers, you can stop rubbing your scrubs in our faces now. Is this dubbed “cozy culture” really preparing us for the real world? The onset of the pandemic brought the office to our home but as the world slowly creeps back to normalcy, pajama pants are not going to cut it.
It takes the same amount of time to put on a pair of jeans as it does leggings or sweatpants. This argument isn’t about convenience. Rather, a widespread epidemic of apathy among our generation. For students on a budget, professionalizing your wardrobe doesn’t have to break the bank. Thrifting is a great example of this. Visit your local Goodwill, Plato’s Closet or Forever Yesterday Exchange for great finds and cheap buys! An alternate option, if you’re not into thrifting, is retail shops such as Old Navy, Marshalls, and T.J. Maxx which always have great deals! Moreover, jeans and a classy, feminine button-down dress shirt are comparable to, and possibly more reasonably priced than leggings and a sweatshirt. Plus, it’s a great everyday outfit! The best purchases are often those staple wardrobe pieces you’ll get a lot of use out of. If you want to feel more confident in what you wear and create a personal brand to help you achieve your goals, it’s time to leave the loungewear back in 2020 where it belongs.
Schmitt’s workspace in the Weber painting studio, and the signs were theirs. Schmitt (who uses they/ them pronouns) created the project, named “Don’t Look Up,” as a combination of a public art piece and a social experiment.
Amid a recent wave of transphobic sentiment and legislation, including LB 574, which would ban gender affirming care for Nebraskans under 19 years of age (including puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and gender-affirming surgeries) and recently advanced in the Nebraska Legislature, Schmitt said they felt the need to do something to fight back:
“I made the sign and put it up, and then the need for people to actually see it and hear it became more important to me. That’s why I feel like I kept adding so much, because in a way the sign is… a cry for help because at this point in time, we have people who are dying.”
Schmitt’s message was drawn from a 2022 JAMA Network study of 104 trans and nonbinary youth that found gender affirming care (including puberty blockers and certain hormones) was associated with 73% lower odds of suicidality, as well as a PubMed study that found 82% of trans individuals have considered suicide and 40% have attempted it.
James Knowles CULTURE EDITORA wrinkled piece of paper, with the words “PLEASE LOOK UP!!!!!” printed large in all-caps across its surface, was taped to a garbage bin outside the Weber Fine Arts Building. A comment in parentheses specified the nearest window — the word “window” was repeated again in large, uneven handwriting.
There were more signs nearby. Some were copies, with arrows drawn by the same frantic hand as the first pointing to a window
in the concrete overhang above. Others featured singular large arrows pointing in the same direction, “please” written inside each.
Behind the glass of the window was the message someone found so important:
“DON’T KILL KIDS”
“82% of trans youth consider suicide”
“Gender affirming care lowers their death rate by 70%”
The window was situated in Alyssa
Schmitt first created the sign after being inspired by the walkout organized by students of Central High School on “March 31,” the Transgender Day of Visibility. Alongside a few friends with their own signs, Schmitt protested at the intersection of Dodge and 72nd streets. Days later, they decided to put the sign to another use:
“So seeing the sign kind of got me thinking… I have a huge window in my studio space. Why am I not using it to say something?”
After putting the sign in the window, they needed to ensure that it would be seen. They initially decided to use reverse psychology, and put up signs reading “don’t look up.” A few days later, they switched the CONTINUE STORY ON PAGE 17
signs to the straightforward and desperate “please look up.”
From when they installed the first signs, Schmitt had spent hours observing passersby and their reactions to the display.
“I kind of started also keeping track of people that would look at the sign… but not take the time to read it,” Schmitt says, “sometimes people will fully stop and read it and think about it — and it was pretty few people that did that.”
By Schmitt’s observation, less than half of pedestrians even looked up, and only half of that number seemed to read the sign. They also noticed that the “don’t look up” signs seemed to be more effective.
In the final phase of the piece, Schmitt replaced all the outdoor signs with the data they collected, as well as direct challenges to the observer:
“492 anti-trans bills have been introduced THIS year
Will the stats be the same if the govt. [sic] comes
to eradicate us?
Our blood is on the bystander’s hands”
As an artistic statement, Schmitt used the project to capture a specific moment in time. Its interactive and evolving nature made it something of a performance to them, and displayed Schmitt’s compulsivity as an artist.
“The haphazard chaoticness of the hangings and the writings is meant to reflect how it feels to know all this stuff and be hearing all this stuff, and watching it get worse and worse and worse, but you still have people that it goes right over their heads because they don’t have to think about it,” Schmitt says.
Schmitt has personal connections to the issue. Firstly, they’re part of the queer community.
“I don’t consider myself to be trans, but gender is something that I’ve questioned,” Schmitt says.
Ultimately, they find it unimportant.
“People should be able to just be who they are and not have to be defined by their gender”
Perhaps more importantly for Schmitt, though, one of their closest friends is trans.
“Seeing someone first-hand go through all of the joys and horrors of being a trans person in this world just inspires me and makes me want to protect more people like him because I care about him,” Schmitt says.
While such a personal connection has been a motivating factor for Schmitt, they think that apathy from those without any such connection to the issue is one of the most dangerous things of all — ultimately, that apathy is what they hoped to fight with their public piece.
“It’s not the people that are hateful that necessarily allow for these things to go down, it’s the people that don’t believe it’ll ever get that bad,” Schmitt says, “And it’s the people that it doesn’t matter to them, it doesn’t affect them, they don’t have to care. It’s the people that, you know… just walk on by.”
The “video game movie” has been something of a loaded genre ever since the inception of the very first iteration, ironically the much-maligned Mario Bros. Movie from 1993. Many questions arise from going from a medium that allows user control to one that removes that control entirely. To this day, I’m still not sure that Hollywood has that formula figured out. Even up until very recently, it only seems that the recent Sonic the Hedgehog films are really the only ones that have that figured out. I think that’s more to credit Sonic as a character than to the quality of his given film. Nevertheless, as we’ve seen in recent box office history, if you make the movie, they will come.
Upstart brothers Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are going through the motions
of starting up a new plumbing business in Brooklyn (and Queens). While trying to fix a leak in the water main that has washed up into the street, the brothers find a particular pipe that leads them to a world once unseen to the rest of the “real” world. In this world, the malevolent turtle Bowser (Jack Black) has taken a Super Star to hold the Mushroom Kingdom hostage, threatening to use its power to leverage himself into a marriage with the ruler of the kingdom, Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy). To prevent this invasion of the Kingdom, Peach and Mario, flanked by Toad (Keegan MichaelKey), go to the Jungle Kingdom to acquire the assistance of the Kongs, led by Cranky Kong (Fred Armisen) and Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen).
The pure visuals of this film are very easily the best part of this picture. Unfortunately, I don’t think the themes and performances really match the prestige brought up by these visuals. The pacing is hyper-quick, and the
performances seem to be a little phoned in (outside of an all-timer by Jack Black), and it isn’t really a film that has anything substantial to say. Now, the argument for this film goes something along the lines of it being a movie for the fans, or that it’s for kids, and I will admit that I don’t really fall under those banners. I will say, however, that just because a movie is made for kids it doesn’t give it a right to be “not good” (see Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio and Rango, for instance), and that even if I were a fan of Nintendo, I would rather a thoughtful movie before one that is pure fan service. Because, in my mind, fan service for fan service’s sake a movie does not make.
Personally, and unfortunately, this doesn’t really do it for me. All that, with the talk of making more Nintendo property pictures, I may be in for a very long decade at the cinema. It’s hard to criticize a movie like this and not sound like a hater, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.
One thing I can’t bother to sugar coat is the fact that college life is a busy life. After a couple adjustments and potential meetups, I finally had the pleasure of talking to Shemar Toussaint. Toussaint, who also goes by Mar and uses he/they pronouns, was a cast member of UNO Theatre’s production of “Into the Woods.”
In the acclaimed musical, Toussaint played the character of The Mysterious Man, who is the Baker’s father.
“The Mysterious Man was such a character,” Toussaint said.Toussaint said he didn’t have an ideal character they wanted to audition for.
“I met a lot of great, talented people during the audition process,” Toussaint said.
They knew getting a callback was imminent, but didn’t know which part they were going to play. Eventually, Toussaint was casted as the Mysterious Man.
“Everything worked out in the end, the universe had my back,” Toussaint said. “The Mysterious Man was a very demanding character; a lot of time was put into it, and I loved every single minute of it”
Eddie: How are you right now? You must be tired from the show run you just had.
Ma r : I’m just tired, my body is doing this thing where it wants to get sick, but it’s not letting me get sick, maybe because I got some things to do so I gotta keep going. I’m really excited for this break, a time to just unwind and just focus on
work. Nonetheless, “Into the Woods” was such a fun journey. I feel like a lot of time was needed there but the love and the people I did the show with made the whole experience feel worthwhile. The whole thing went so fast, though.
Eddie: So, the production was sold out, I couldn’t even get in, so embarrassing for me. What is it like knowing that each date you did the show, the audience was at full capacity?
Mar : It was really scary. Coming from high school, we literally had to bribe people to get them to the theater seats. Now I am at a place where the production had such a big community outreach where we are selling out every single show. That was exciting. We made sure each show was top tier, it needed to be the show of the show! We made sure the show was worth the money. I was speechless when I heard the news that the play sold out for the entire run.
Eddie: The whole ordeal is just astonishing! Many congrats. What was the preparation like for your specific character? Did you rewatch the movie looking for inspiration? I’m curious to know your specific process.
Mar : It’s crazy that in the movie, the Mysterious Man didn’t have a big existence, he was just known as the baker’s father. So, as I was trying to find the core of the Mysterious Man, I watched online videos of the “Into the Woods” Broadway productions. Also, this may be weird, but I also observed older people and how they moved and that’s something that really inspired my own movement. Like watching my grandma around the house; preparing for the character was not as hard as I
thought it was going to be.
Eddie: You know in relation to character study, you hear all these stories of actors trying the practice of method acting. It’s a very controversial technique. Would you ever resort to method acting, or do you find it easier to switch on and off?
Mar : That’s a good question. I feel like with method acting obviously I am so young, I’m 21 now, I got casted at 20. I can’t just feel like an old man because I
don’t know what that’s like personally. I do have knee pain, but you know — having that balance to turn your character on and off is very healthy for actors, because we get so into our heads where we feel like if we are not doing it right, we are not giving enough, and I feel like that is 100% incorrect. If what you are giving is all that you are allowed to give to a character on a given day, that’s just enough.
Eddie: What was the behind-thescenes experience like? I just know y’all had a blast.
Mar : Yeah, it was so much fun, I really found some good friends from doing the show. During rehearsal though there were a lot of moments when we didn’t have time to see each other until we were running the show in full. But during the one-on-one sessions I made connections with the people around me. I cherish the TikToks we created, and the funny little jokes we would make, and singing in the green room. Every single time I left that environment, I always had a smile on my face.
Eddie: Do you see yourself more as an on-stage actor, to on-screen actor — or do you see yourself as both?
Mar : Both. After college I want to start to go into film acting so I could get that experience. But on the side, I still would love to do stage acting, because that’s my core, that’s my home, and I can’t erase that.
Eddie: What kind of parts do you see yourself playing?
Mar : It’s a definite wide dynamic pool for me. I would love to be in an indie coming of age film. We need to bring back films like “Clueless” and “Legally Blonde” for the new generation. I want to have a catchphrase that people will remember 20 years from now. The sky’s the limit!
Eddie: The world is your oyster.
Mar : Exactly!
Eddie: You know, with representation and acting, there are always boxes artists are put into. How are you going to break the mold and take on the roles you want to play?
Mar : For me, it’s being 100% myself. Going in and proving to others that I have what it takes. I don’t care how or when, but I am going to be that actor that breaks this stigma with the acting world because it is ridiculous. I’m already proving to people what I can do by being production like into the woods, I just want to keep going to show other African Americans that you can do whatever you set your mind to and to be able to see themselves in me. Till I have fully completed that mission I will never be done with acting.
Eddie: That’s wonderful! Did you choose acting or did acting choose you?
Mar : It kind of goes both ways. When I was younger, I would always repeat what the actors on TV would say, and my mom would always say I should be an actor. I was always hesitant because I was afraid. I would not take things seriously. As I got older, people would say I am always entertaining, and there was this one time at my job where this lady asked me my name, and I said, “My name is Sheymar Toussaint.” She was like, “you have a star name, do you want to be an actor? You have a name that is not forgettable” I was like, ok then, wow!
Eddie: What power does having the ability to perform give you?
Mar : This may sound weird, but I get power from the people. When I am in front of the audience and I perform, I get love. It validates that for me.
It’s like, I put all this hard work into this process, and it paid off and it’s valid. It’s a weird in-between, because you can’t perform without that good energy from my environment and that’s what I love about it.
Mar has such an infectiously positive outlook on life and is on a mission to go where they want to go. Be on the lookout for Mar anywhere a screen, stage or theater is available — they are going places.