The Reporter: Issue III

THE

EPORTER ISSUE III

34 Jacob Johnson: The Future of Florida

38 Taylor Swift Goes into Indie

Territory with “Folklore” and “Evermore”

THE PLASTIC PANDEMIC

16

VOL. CXXVIII

As we dive into a new semester—which, if I may say, is flying by—our staff is hard at work once again as we strive to put out new, exciting, and insightful content for you, dear readers. It’s hard to believe that we’re already knee deep in midterm season, but we’re so glad to be able to bring you this newest issue as some hopeful form of distraction from the seemingly endless craziness that we live in.

Working with this team is always both exhilarating and gratifying, and I’m so excited to be doing so as the new Executive Editor of The Reporter. New things can be scary, and I’d be lying if I told you that taking on this position hasn’t had me wondering how I can best continue to live up to the amazing things we’ve accomplished so far. But I’m beyond excited to be

taking this journey with a team full of such dedicated individuals, and with you, our readers, in hopes of continuing to deliver to you the content that you always so patiently hope and wait for.

In this issue we embarked on a journey to explore various things that continue to affect us, whether that be now in the immediate moment that we live in, or in the near or distant future. While we continue to explore the many facets of these times of change and new realities, each time we hope to do so with increasing insight and dedication. So sit back, take a break from the never-ending studying that we’re all definitely not procrastinating on, and enjoy Issue 3 of The Reporter.

It’s a good one.

LETTERS follow us instagramon @hat ternetwor

k

Executive Editor, Calista headrick

It’d be incredibly platitudinous for me to say that plastic is bad, climate change is a huge problem, and Ted Cruz leaving Texas to go to Cancún was a great idea. Yet throughout this past year — due to COVID-19 and also just existing within a general idiocracy — we’ve seen an increase in plastic usage, climate change effects, and silly politicians doing silly things with their silly money. Our cover story details the first of this laundry list of not-sounique-to-our-generation-but-becoming-very-pressing issues: plastic usage on campus, which has only increased since the start of the pandemic. This edition also covers Jacob Johnson (‘22): a student running for the House of Representatives, a review of Taylor Swift’s pandemic projects: “Folklore” and “Evermore,” and a piece about the women’s basketball team. Get off Zoom and stay with us for a while to stay up-to-date with what’s been happening in and around campus.

Editor-In-Chief, Ruby Rosenthal 2

issue 3

BACK STAGE

S

exploring the larger implications of the times we live in. We also took the time to delve into various aspects of campus life— and this time with more ease than ever.

From writers, to designers, to photographers, it’s amazing how much we’ve grown to accomplish through the new ways in which we now approach our process. Seeing each step, from first draft to last and everything in between, has made me both excited and proud to see the final product, which we’ve been so excited to share with you.

Cover Model: Kaitlyn Boyle Photos by Jillian Semmel

Executive Editor, Calista headrick

As we continue to work from behind computer screens and Zoom meetings, I reminisce now more than ever on the days that we collaborated in person. The times of sitting together upstairs in the CUB feel like a distant memory. As we approach the one-year anniversary of the day the world fell to pieces, I miss our team and the energy that we so greatly thrive off, just that much more.

Despite the circumstances, our new reality of putting this magazine virtually together has started to feel like second nature. From our weekly meetings to our photoshoots, the immense amount of time and dedication that our team has put into this issue has allowed us to continue

the reporter

3

EDITORS EDITOR

Ruby Rosenthal

Calista Headrick

editor-in-chief

executive editor

Jillian Semmel

Isabel Solorzano

Natalie Bergeron

Rene Campbell

Vivianne Skavlem

Ihsaan Fanusie

Julia Gray

Bella Steiret

photo editor

arts & culture editor

social media director

4

issue 3

creative director

news editor

web designer

multimedia editor

sports editor

Arnaldo Chow web director

the

r e t r repo

hatternetwork.com

mar. 2021

rs and instantly ge n fi ur yo ap sn d ul co u If yo ld you do? ou w t ha w , er tt be ld or w make the

staff

Let people act out of kindness without expecting anything in return.

Stop climate change.

Make all scientific literature and art archives publicly accessible.

Ruby Rosenthal, Editor-in-Chief Calista Headrick, Executive Editor Isabel Solorzano, Creative Director Vivianne Skavlem, News Editor Rene Campbell, Arts & Culture Editor Ihsaan Fanusie, Sports Editor Jillian Semmel, Photo Editor Natalie Bergeron, Multimedia Editor Arnaldo Chow, Webmaster Julia Gray, Social Media Director Alejandra Correa, Multimedia Staff Taylor Williams, Social Media Staff Zoe Boykin, Designer Cassandra Bradley, Designer Madison Gray, Designer Bella Steiert, Designer & Web Designer Maxx Smith, News Writer Chase Berger, News Writer - Web Brett Zimmerman, News Writer - Web Bijou Aliza, Arts & Culture Writer Emily Derrenbacker, Arts & Culture Writer Jay Stearman, Arts & Culture Writer Allie Wilson, Arts & Culture Writer Erica Lucio, Arts & Culture Writer - Web Alessandra Rubello, Arts & Culture Writer - Web Bryce Hoynoski, Sports Writer Luke McClatchy, Sports Writer

Solve homelessness, free healthcare for all, more affordable higher education, fix the crooked immigration process in America and reunite families.

Fix the selfish ways society governs itself.

contributors Jenny Fang, Writer

JOINING US

When it comes to joining The

Reporter, we’re not picky.

Whether you’re interested in writing an article, designing a page, taking photos or creating some graphics for us, we want to hear what you have to say. The Reporter is an extracurricular, volunteer operation made for students, by students, and we aim to cover the full spectrum of student life here at Stetson. If you’re interested in getting involved or have any questions, comments or concerns, email our editor-in-chief, Ruby Rosenthal, at rrosenthal@stetson.edu or apply on Engage.

CORRECTIONS

As an official media outlet for students on campus, we push ourselves to be constantly improving our standards and correcting our mistakes. We care about accuracy and providing you with the most accurate information we can give. If there are mistakes, let us know by emailing us at hatternetwork@gmail.com.

ABOUT US

The Reporter is the oldest collegiate

publication in the state of Florida.

The magazine is produced six times per year, three a semester. Florida Sun Printing prints 300 copies per issue on 8.5 x 11inch, 80#Gloss Text. Most body text is 11 point Adobe Garamond Pro with 13 point leading set with a combination of regular, italic, and bold.

All pages were designed using Adobe Creative Suite CC software InDesign with photographs and artwork handled in Photoshop and Illustrator. For additional information, please visit hatternetwork.com. Questions and comments can be mailed to 421 N Woodland Blvd., Unit 8416 DeLand, Florida 32723 or emailed to hatternetwork@gmail.com. We plan to forge a media group that meets our own high standards of excellence and integrity through expression in print and online. Ultimately, student media at Stetson University will be a representation of just that: the students. And because we are serving our peers, we will be honest in the stories we tell. Because if we don’t tell them, who will?

the reporter

5

Con 6

issue 3

s t n e nt 08 16 28 32 38 42 46 50 54

The 2020 Election in Hindsight The Plastic Pandemic

A Measure of the School of Music

Stetson Hatters Basketball: A Look at the Women Behind the Team Jacob Johnson: The Future of Florida Taylor Swift Goes into Indie Territory with “Folklore” and “Evermore” Ampersand Unpacked Caffeine Crazy

the reporter

7

THE 2020 ELECTIONt

D

in hindsigh

Breaking down the three biggest winners and losers in the 2020 election.

Story by Jay Stearman Layout & Graphics by Isabel Solorzano & Cassandra Bradely

8

issue 3

D

DRUGS W hile most of the nation’s attention gravitated towards the battle of Donald Trump vs. Joe Biden at the top of the ballot, on the state level, several members of the union passed important amendments or propositions to legalize forms of drug use.

Oregon decriminalized drug possession for personal use (including heroin and cocaine) and passed Measure 109 which legalized therapeutic use of psychedelic mushrooms.

This move will fund rehabilitation efforts and move away from criminal punishment for drug addiction. New Jersey, South Dakota, Montana, and Arizona each legalized recreational cannabis use, while Mississippi legalized medical marijuana in a limited capacity. Arizona and New Jersey voters chose to expunge marijuana possession convictions, therefore restoring voting rights to tens of thousands of people. Additionally, South Dakota became the first state to simultaneously approve medical and recreational marijuana use. A decade ago, no states had legal access to marijuana. Now, cannabis is legal for more than a third of the U.S. population.

Florida legalized cannabis for medicinal use in 2016, however unlike most other states where medical marijuana is legal, possession of the substance without a medical card has not been decriminalized in any way. Ballot initiatives in 2018 and 2020 to legalize the drug recreationally for adults failed to pass through the legislative process, despite polls showing that two thirds of Floridians approve of recreational use for adults over 21.

DRUGS the reporter

9

LGBTQ+

COMMUNITY

T

he 2020 election broke barriers through the “rainbow ceiling” in our state and federal governments.

New York sent two openly gay, black men, Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones respectively, to Congress from the state’s 15th and 17th districts, while Delware elected Sarah McBride to their state Senate, with her becoming the nation’s highestranking transgender elected official. Several other members of the LGBTQ+ community were elected to smaller state and local positions, with Oklahoma’s Mauree Turner standing out as the country’s first openly transgender state senator.

In Florida, the presence of more LGBTQ+ lawmakers is a growing one. Since Joe Saunders and David Richardson became the first two openly gay members of the state legislature in 2012, Shevrin Jones—a teacher from Broward County—has served two terms in the Florida House and was elected to the state Senate in this past election, making him the first openly gay black person to serve in the Florida Legislature. Florida also has a track record of electing gay and lesbian mayors, dating back to 1983 when Richard Heyman became mayor of Key West. Since then, gay and lesbian mayors have been elected in Gainesville, Fort Lauderdale, Key West (again), and Tampa—the last three of which were elected in the past four years.

10 issue 3

STACEY ABRAMS

C

atching nearly everyone by surprise, the state of Georgia turned blue for the first time in nearly 30 years. Praise must be given to Stacey Abrams, who gained national acclaim for her narrow loss in the campaign for Georgia governor in 2018, as she mobilized thousands of disenfranchised voters ahead of the 2020 election. Her teams worked tirelessly at the grassroots level in and around Atlanta to register traditionally underrepresented people and fight back against voter suppression when the Supreme Court repealed a key measure in the famous 1965 Voting Rights Act. It is estimated that the organizations she helped create and operate have registered more than 500,000 people, rejuvenating the democratic process for women, people of color, and young adults who have been overlooked by the mainstream political machines. Abrams has tapped into the growing and increasingly progressive populations in Georgia’s urban and suburban areas and has turned these forces into political action. Abrams is certainly a major reason why Georgia has flipped blue, but her work should serve as a reminder of the untapped potential of unregistered voters and the power of grassroots democratic organizations everywhere.

The Daytona-News Journal reported that in 2020, Volusia County Republicans registered 14,437 more voters than Democrats did. In a county with more than a quarter of active voters not affiliated with any party, we should not underestimate the power of smaller numbers of highly motivated people, as they can have serious impacts on our government’s representation. Overlooked voters are the fuel for causing upsets in the political sphere, as the work of Stacey Abrams and Georgia’s cool-colored designation on the electoral map shows.

the reporter

11

DONALD TRUMP D

espite claiming victory during a press conference and on Twitter during election week, former President Donald Trump lost the popular vote by more than 7 million votes. He and his team repeatedly challenged the legitimacy of the election, however, recounts provided no fuel for their cause and judicial complaints were dismissed by the dozens. There simply was no evidence of foul play or widespread voter fraud, yet Trump still refused to concede the election until he was essentially forced to after his supporters successfully stormed the Capitol Building just as the election results were being certified by Congress.

Donald Trump became the first one-term president since George Bush Sr., the first to be impeached twice, and did not attend the inauguration of his opponent, Presidentelect Joe Biden.

Despite vociferous Trump trains rolling through DeLand’s main street in the weeks leading up to the election, Volusia’s Republican turnout was marked at 56.5%, making it the fifth tightest contest in all Florida counties which voted red. Also, even though Donald Trump received all of Florida’s electoral votes, three of Florida’s 15 largest counties flipped from Republican to Democrat in 2020.

12 issue 3

THE

A

DEMOCRATIC PARTY

lthough Democrats won the White House and control in both houses of Congress, they failed to seriously capitalize on the series of scandals and policy reversals from the past administration. The party could not effectively turn the perceived outrage and dissatisfaction into meaningful change. Now, Democrats stand hotly divided over issues like medicare for all, coronavirus stimulus money, and how to address climate change.

All the while, intra-party tensions between oldestablishment, moderates, and progressives have only grown stronger as the party spars over how much they intend to push the envelope now that they enjoy control over the legislative and executive branches.

Some of the party’s major republican adversaries like Mitch McConell, Lindsay Graham, Jim Jordan, and Susan Collins all won re-election, while the young republican blood in the House of Representatives is working to keep the conservative movement and legacy of former President Trump alive.

so-close-yet-so-far nature of Florida’s Democratic party is the fact that in the narrow 2018 election for governor, neither candidate managed to earn 50% of the vote even though there was no major third party challenger. However, two years later, Florida elected Donald Trump over Joe Biden of a margin of nearly 3.5%. If Democrats want to extract the most out of their voters and gain majorities in state houses, they will need to localize their platform within the state’s areas of concern. Energizing voters should not stem from disliking the other side, but rallying behind social and economic causes they believe in. Additionally, the Democratic Party of Florida should look to meet newer voters where they are at, specifically, in the online sphere, in order to bring together younger, more progressive voters, with the older, traditionally more moderate democratic voters.

Somewhat curiously, Florida is a democratmajority state and has been for at least the past 50 years according to archival data from the Department of State, yet Republicans have held control of the Florida House, Senate, and Governorship since Jeb Bush was elected in 2000. Another illustration of the

the reporter

13

ELECTORAL INSTITUTIONS

T

he unprecedented nature of this election served not to unite the public in trusting our electoral system, but instead further sowed distrust in our electoral system and further divided an already politically polarizing population. This year’s election was fraught with baseless claims of voter fraud and illegal ballots from the outset as our election workers and officials realized just how many ballots would be cast early and by mail. The pandemic election provided an almost excruciating level of drama and tension as the votes from swing states were counted out over several days.

Angry mobs pressured election offices and demanded votes be counted or not counted depending on which candidate was leading, and death threats were lobbed

14 issue 3

at poll workers, supervisors of election, and state secretaries. This unfounded, yet widespread outrage stemming from the White House prompted officials and news outlets from across the political spectrum to condemn this undermining of our country’s most venerated institution.

Even after the winner was decided, some Trump supporters, as well as right-wing extremists, held on to claims of deep-level conspiracy and cover-ups and were stirred into violent action as they laid siege to the Capitol building on Jan. 6. Four rioters and a police officer died, and dozens were hospitalized in what has to be one of our nation’s darkest chapters.

The 2020 election provided ample conversation and hot debate as Americans realized how incompatible the realities painted by the two main parties have become.

Our nation’s people have begun failing to see eye-toeye on some otherwise objective facts, and have let emotions and ideology distract us from our civil duty to work together and tolerate our differences. Poll responses illustrate the growing distrust of mainstream media, of neighbors who do not share our political alignment, and of our long-standing electoral norms and processes. However, behind the bitter trend of polarization, another story is unfolding. Our democratic system is showing signs of a growing inclusion of people in important government positions who would have been excluded from politics just a few decades ago. People like Stacey Abrams are working overtime to make political engagement cool again and to remind those of their rights and obligations should we choose to keep our republic from slipping away.

the reporter

15

16 issue 3

the

PLASTIC

Pandemic The images are everywhere: fish strangled by plastic soda holders, plastic straws sticking out of turtles’ noses, and plastic mixed with seaweed. So why do people just accept it? Everyone knows the extensive damage that the use of plastic has on the environment, and it has only gotten worse with the rise of COVID-19. It feels inevitable. But does it have to be?

Story by Emily Derrenbacker Layout by Isabel Solorzano Photos by Jillian Semmel

the reporter

17

H

umans used to reuse as much as they could. One individual produced very little trash, and people would mend and fix as much as they could to make one item last as long as possible. Unfortunately, these practices changed with the introduction of plastic.

this practice is now known as planned obsolescence.

Planned obsolescence refers to products that are designed to degrade quickly, but last just long enough so that people keep buying them, and the concept exists in multiple industries, including everything from technology to textbooks.

Plastic was invented in 1907 and became widely used by the military in World War II for things like airplane windshields and parachutes, according to The Guardian. When the war ended, chemical companies turned to the general public for consumers. But they didn’t immediately see the kind of plastic waste we have today. Plastic’s unique properties made it incredibly popular: it has the potential to be used in products that last decades. But as it was used in things like construction and everyday items with increasing frequency, this is when real problems started to arise.

Electronic devices are a perfect example: they work perfectly for about two years until they suddenly begin to malfunction, and new software updates are incompatible with older models. This model proves to be problematic because many of these products contain plastic parts that end up in landfills and won’t degrade for millions of years, with the waste building up in a seemingly never-ending cycle.

Unfortunately, when companies started producing plastic that was cheaper to make and more affordable, people’s main use for it became single-use items that last only for a single day. Plastic wasn’t a material that could be easily repaired at home, and slowly, people started to realize that throwing things away was “easier” than trying to fix them. As a result, throwaway consumer culture was born.

In 1960, the average American generated almost three pounds of garbage per day; this number increased to approximately five pounds by 2018, according to the EPA. Additionally, the world produces approximately 448 million tons of plastic a year—a number that is expected to double by 2050, according to National Geographic. Additionally, as National Geographic points out, “Single-use plastics account for 40% of the plastic produced every year.”

So, what has changed that there is so much more trash now than ever before?

Making lower quality products so that customers have to keep coming back to buy more became an integral part of many companies’ business models, and

Plastic has permeated every area of human life— literally. According to Environmental Health News, “people are exposed to chemicals from plastic multiple

18 issue 3

the reporter

19

times per day through the air, dust, water, food and use of consumer products.” For most people, it’s physically impossible to go without touching something made out of plastic every few minutes. People have failed to see how they are completely surrounded by plastic all day, every day.

It’s easy to see and react to a plastic water bottle floating in the river; one can simply pick it up and toss it in the recycling bin. However, microplastics are the hidden, unseen killer. Microplastics form when plastic breaks down from exposure to environmental factors like the sun’s radiation and oceans waves into small pieces (less than five millimeters in length). National Geographic explains the problem with microplastics: “They do not readily break down into harmless molecules. Plastics can take hundreds or thousands of years to decompose— and in the meantime, wreak havoc on the environment.”

Microplastics have even been found in drinking water systems (standard water treatment facilities cannot remove all traces of microplastics) and in the marine animals that people eat.

Victoria Crawford (‘22), co-president of Stetson’s environmental club, shared her perspective on the negative impact plastic has on the environment and what can be done in the future. Crawford drew attention to the beach cleanups the environmental clubs hosts.

“When we do our beach cleanups, I literally could look at one piece of, let’s say, a three foot by like three foot piece of sand, and if you look hard enough, you will find microplastic critters, small broken down pieces of plastic, everywhere. Or if you put a filter through the water, you will find microplastics, and people don’t really realize how big of a problem it really is,” said Crawford. In an attempt to combat this problem, the environmental club has repurposed the microplastics they have picked up from the beach and used them in art projects.

Plastic usage has only gotten worse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many restaurants, even Stetson’s dining hall, have resorted to single-use plastics for plates, utensils, and take-out containers in an effort to be more sanitary. Starting in March of last year, the Commons replaced the reusable ceramic plates for ones that are disposed of at the end of a meal. All the utensils and their packaging is plastic, and the cups are plastic too. This was understandable, however, given the current situation. Taking precautions to be as sanitary as

20 issue 3

possible is the right choice during a global pandemic. But we see that plastic usage isn’t just contained to the Commons either: think of all of the plastic containers that hold fruit and sandwiches and all of the plastic cups in the Hat Rack.

While many of these items are recyclable or compostable, nothing is reused.

Candra Reid, Senior Director of Dining Services, provided insight as to why these changes were made in the Commons and if reducing plastic usage was a consideration.

“Our main goal just went to the safety and the health of the community. So ultimately, the decision to use plastic was pretty much a no brainer for us. It wasn’t about you know, saving—I don’t want to say it wasn’t about saving the environment. But our main focus wasn’t on sustainability.

Our main focus was on the health of everybody making sure that we’re doing everything that we could to limit exposure.

So that was ultimately the goal as far as it’s moving to plastic, and that was what it continued to be,” said Reid, explaining the thought process behind these decisions at the beginning of the pandemic.

PLASTIC USAGE HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. MANY RESTAURANTS, EVEN STETSON’S DINING HALL, HAVE RESORTED TO SINGLE-USE PLASTICS IN AN EFFORT TO BE MORE SANITARY. Only recently following the move from tier 1 to tier 2, did the Commons return to using washable plates.

As for how these changes would be implemented in tier 2, “In our plan...there was always the chance of us being able to do a hybrid, of being able to utilize some of our plates and things that we have on campus, as well as continuing the use of disposables in whatever capacity was needed. So ultimately, whenever we moved into tier 2 for the university as a whole, that was whenever we were able to decide, okay, we can now limit our usage; because of course, we know sustainability is a huge factor for the Stetson community.

Basically, that was the idea behind it,” said Reid.

Essentially, the decision came down to safety. “Once we felt that the university was in a good place and felt that it was safe enough for us to go into tier 2, we made that decision to utilize our plates. Of course, we’re still using the cups and utensils, because those are the things that for the most part come in contact with each person on a consistent

basis. So we still thought it was still necessary that we use the disposables for those things, but we were able to slowly incorporate back in our plates.”

Reid also made sure to bring up the compostable items that are used in the Hat Rack and the Coffee Shop: “We’re using compostable straws in the Hat Rack, as well as the Coffee Shop. The container that the food is actually held in at BYOB— the burrito bowl— and the cups that are actually being utilized in the Hat Rack, in the Coffee Shop are completely compostable. We’ve made sure to incorporate those pieces throughout campus, keeping up with our sustainability initiatives.”

The effort to be more sustainable on campus is still ongoing though. “There are some places or some pieces that we haven’t been able to do as much as we would like to. I know it’s been mentioned about the plastic from Jack & Olive. But whenever we outsource into a company, a lot of times we have to utilize the product that they’re actually giving us, and that’s the product they provide: so like the sandwiches in the plastic container, things like that. We’ve mentioned to them that it’s something we want to happen, but it hasn’t happened yet. But that’s one of the downsides to us outsourcing and getting things in from other places,” Reid explained.

Reid also mentioned some ways Dining Services reduces waste in the Commons: “We do have our food pulper that is in use. So we utilize that in the Commons; we put our food products in it so that it goes through the process, and it breaks down our [plastic] bag usage from, like, 12 to one. So we’re not sending as much trash to the land fields that we used to without having our food pulper—that’s one thing that we’ve done. The plates that we do utilize in the Commons are actually made out of bamboo. So that’s another piece of the sustainability that we like to bring and try to make sure that we’re doing the best that we can to bring those different efforts into play.”

Crawford also shared her perspective as a student, copresident of the environmental club, and member of the Environmental Working Group on what she called “a plastic issue even on campus.”

“If you go to the coffee shop, it’s all single-use plastics. We arranged a meeting with Dining Services to try to fix that issue. And it’s very, very difficult. We tried, but we were not very successful because the Coffee Shop is run by a company called Jack & Olive who supplies all the food and everything, and it’s already prepackaged. It’s a decent sized company. So

the reporter

21

ONE WOULD THINK THE SOLUTION TO PLASTIC USAGE WOULD BE JUST TO RECYCLE IT, RIGHT? THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT LARGE COMPANIES THAT PRODUCE PLASTIC WANT PEOPLE TO THINK. ON THE CONTRARY, NOT AS MUCH OF OUR WASTE IS RECYCLED AS WE WOULD LIKE TO THINK. 22 issue 3

we held an event where we all petitioned and wrote emails to the company asking if they could reduce their single-use plastic usage. A lot of their stuff is wrapped in plastic that doesn’t even need to be wrapped in plastic, plastic and then more plastic and more plastic around it. But we didn’t hear back. So it’s hard with the big companies, and Stetson has a contract with them,” she said.

Crawford also offered insight on how Stetson could reduce its plastic use in areas other than dining: “I’ve also considered maybe the bookstore could easily just do reusable bags that said ‘Stetson University’ and it could be like a promotional item for them as well. People would advertise the university when they go shopping or whatever instead of using plastic bags when they give you whatever you get there. And that’s such a simple switch.”

More information on sustainability efforts on campus by students was provided by Josh Finkelstein (‘22), president of Stetson’s Student Government Association: “SGA recognizes the importance of sustainability on campus and the effect our actions have on our environment. In the past, SGA partnered with the Environmental Fellows to establish a Revolving Green Fund which provides funding for environmentally friendly projects positively impacting campus. Currently, SGA is in talks with the Environmental Fellows to establish a Revolving Green Fund Committee to establish cross organizational dialogue to streamline solving and improving sustainability projects,” said Finkelstein.

Reid, Crawford, and Finkelstein’s responses show that sustainability has been a topic of discussion at Stetson University and that there are people who are pushing for more to be done. Even though more can in fact be done on campus to reduce the amount of plastic waste, this does not dismiss how the use of ceramic plates and composable items does certainly help. But Stetson University is only a microcosm of the entire world, and the world needs real solutions to the mounting problem of plastic waste.

One would think the solution to plastic usage would be just to recycle it, right? That’s exactly what large companies that produce plastic want people to think. On the contrary, not as much of our waste is recycled as we might expect.

The nation’s largest oil and gas companies that produce plastic knew for years that the majority of it would never be recycled, “Yet the industry spent millions telling people to recycle, because, as one former top industry insider told NPR, selling recycling sold plastic, even if it wasn’t true,” according to

NPR. They believed that consumers would be less concerned about the negative environmental impacts of plastic if they thought it would all be recycled.

Starting in the 1990s, TV ads emphasizing how “great” plastic was because it could be recycled were pushed more and more. The encouragement to recycle appeared to come from environmentalists, but in reality, according to NPR, “the ads were paid for by the plastics industry, made up of companies like Exxon, Chevron, Dow, DuPont and their lobbying and trade organizations in Washington.” Ads like this ran for years, despite the people who created them knowing that recycling plastic was costly and that it would likely never happen on a large scale. By promoting the recycling trend, large companies that produced more waste than anyone else successfully validated the production of single-use plastics.

Recycling is a lot more complicated than most of us think.

Most people are happy to roll their recycling bin to the curb once a week and then forget about it. In actuality, “Singlestream recycling, where all recyclables are placed into the same bin, has made recycling easier for consumers, but results in about one-quarter of the material being contaminated,” The Earth Institute at Columbia University explains.

ACCORDING TO THE EPA, OF THE 292.3 MILLION TONS OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE GENERATED BY AMERICANS IN 2017, ONLY 69 MILLION TONS WERE RECYCLED, AND ONLY 8% OF PLASTICS WERE RECYCLED. Most people do recycle with the right intention. The problem is that so much needs to go right for something to be recycled, and absolutely nothing can go wrong. For example, if a container has any remaining remnants of food, it’s contaminated, and contamination can prevent large batches of material from being recycled—not just the one item.

According to the EPA, of the 292.3 million tons of municipal solid waste generated by Americans in 2017, only 69 million tons were recycled, and only 8% of plastics were recycled.

Another problem is that many items that people assume can

the reporter

23

be recycled, actually can’t be: plastic straws can’t, plastic bags need to be dropped off at certain locations, and eating utensils can only be recycled in some cities. To make matters worse, there are also multiple types of plastic, and only some of them can be recycled. So, as we can see, the process of recycling is so complex that it is affected by a myriad of factors.

There’s a political element to the recycling problem as well. The United States has never actually recycled within its borders, contrary to what most would probably think. Recycling facilities collect and transport everything, but they have someone else do the actual recycling.

China has long been the United States’ go-to country to do our recycling. For years, the United States exported millions of tons of plastic for China to recycle. What actually happened is that 30% of these exports ended up contaminated by non-recyclable material, and a lot of it ended up polluting China’s oceans during transport, as reported by The Earth Institute at Columbia University.

As a result, in 2018 China banned the import of any plastics that were not up to their new, higher standards. The United States was forced to turn elsewhere: Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand. But these countries then also instituted bans on imported plastic waste because of the contaminated water and crop death it caused. The United States still ships plastic waste abroad to various African countries whose environmental standards are lower in comparison and offer a cheaper source of labor, but the dwindling number of countries who are willing to take U.S. waste is making the recycling industry less lucrative.

The lack of a market for used plastics has caused problems all over the United States in cities that used to sell recyclables but now have to pay to get rid of them. Municipalities have even had to charge residents more to recycle or end recycling programs all-together.

Aside from the physical waste that litters every area of the Earth, plastic production has other unintended consequences. The creation of plastic requires oil, gas, and coal, and Yale University states that “12.5 to 13.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent are emitted per year while extracting and transporting natural gas to create feedstocks for plastics in the United States.”

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that traps heat, raising the Earth’s average temperature and causing climate change. Even more carbon dioxide is emitted during the refining process. The World Energy Council reported that “if plastics production and incineration increase as expected, greenhouse gas emissions will increase to 49 million metric tons by 2030 and 91 million metric tons by 2050.” Every part of the life cycle of plastic, from its development to its incineration, has a negative impact on the environment. Increasing carbon dioxide emissions is the opposite direction of what is needed in the effort to mitigate climate change.

There are so many alternatives to plastic, but one possible solution to its overuse is just to use it in a different way. Plastic can be a long-lasting material, so treating it as a reusable material would reduce waste. People already do this with reusable water bottles, and it can be done with other things too.

The New York Times lists alternatives to plastic, including fiber-based containers for food, seaweed extract for single-serving condiment packets, and mushroom tissue for packaging foam.

All of these options have the potential to replace plastic or reduce its use, but most people are likely to use whatever is cheapest and easiest, and that remains to be single-use plastics.

Unfortunately, widespread use of alternatives is unlikely without government intervention.

Some local and state governments have recognized the risk plastic use poses to the environment: eight states have banned plastic bags, and many individual cities have instituted their own bans

24 issue 3

the reporter

25

26 issue 3

according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

But this is still a small portion of the United States, and these bans have only come voluntarily. Despite efforts at the local level, comprehensive federal legislation does not exist yet in the United States. The Regulatory Review points out that, “Voluntary steps to address plastic pollution can be positive but are not enforceable. Only regulation can create a level playing field that applies the same standards to all businesses.”

This effort has become more complex with the pandemic.

The European Union banned some single-use plastics, but the United Kingdom delayed its ban on plastic straws; California and Massachusetts had banned single-use plastic bags, but according to The Nicholas Institute at Duke University, this was suspended. Understandably, countries are prioritizing efforts to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 to keep their citizens healthy, but this comes at an unfortunate cost.

Not only are regulations being rolled back, but plastic usage is increasing in more areas than just dining. Personal protection equipment, or “PPE,” is something that it seemed like everywhere had a shortage of at the beginning of the pandemic.

The single-use masks and gowns are largely made from nonrecyclable plastic and are not worn for more than a few hours.

Because they can’t be recycled, this further adds to the plastic waste that has already surged.

products. The European Union expects that the new policy will help prevent future costs in environmental damage.

The continuous encroachment of plastic into every area of life on Earth is a problem that will likely take humans decades to solve. But choosing not to try to solve it isn’t an answer.

The Regulatory Review reports that over 700 species have been impacted by plastic debris in the ocean. Plastic waste is everywhere, and plastic’s indestructible qualities as a material are exactly the reason why it has the potential to do so much damage.

Much of the responsibility falls on those who produce plastic, and those who have the power to regulate those who produce it. But taking individual actions like avoiding single-use plastics and using alternative materials to reduce waste is still a step that matters. By doing so, it encourages others to do the same. As students, we can even advocate for a more sustainable future at Stetson and implement sustainable practices into our own lives.

THE CONTINUOUS ENCROACHMENT OF PLASTIC INTO EVERY AREA OF LIFE ON EARTH IS A PROBLEM THAT WILL LIKELY TAKE HUMANS DECADES TO SOLVE. BUT CHOOSING NOT TO TRY TO SOLVE IT ISN’T AN ANSWER.

A holistic approach to plastic pollution at the national level could be to employ a number of strategies to tackle the issue, including source control to reduce consumer use of single-use plastic items, improvement of recycling and waste management infrastructure, and research and development. It would also provide a national framework to reduce single-use plastic waste.

Europe is currently ahead of the United States in creating legislation to reduce plastic use. This past year, the European Union announced an agreement to ban single-use plastics most often found on beaches, like plates, utensils, and straws, while reducing single-use items like food containers, cups, and bottles, according to The Regulatory Review. The plan will include efforts to raise awareness and provide incentives to manufacturers to develop lower-polluting versions of their

Victoria Crawford suggested ways that individuals can easily reduce the amount of plastic they use on a daily basis: “I’ve noticed a lot of people don’t recycle in their personal apartments. So I think recycling could definitely be more incorporated into people’s daily lives. But recycling should be a last resort—it should be reduce, reuse, recycle. So for people that like little switches, obviously, I’d say start with a reusable water bottle. That’s always like an easy thing. There are tons of zero waste alternatives: bags at the grocery store —they also sell these bags for your produce so you’re not using plastic— and bamboo toothbrushes. Instead of buying makeup wipes, you can use reusable cotton round pads that you just put in the wash. There’s so many little switches that you can make that actually have a huge impact.”

When asked why so many people seem to accept plastic pollution instead of taking action, Crawford said, “It’s like the Tragedy of the Commons. Where it’s like, oh, I don’t have to do this, because it’s not my personal beach. But it’s our Earth.

It’s everyone’s personal responsibility to take care of it.”

the reporter

27

a measure of THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC

Story By Allie Wilson Photos by Jillian Semmel and courtesy of Elené Okruashvili Layout by Ruby Rosenthal

Wake up at 9 a.m., first class starts at 9:45 on Zoom; quick lunch at 12; repertoire lesson from 12:30 to 1 in Presser Hall; concert choir rehearsal from 1:30 to 2:45 in the LBC parking lot; studio from 3:15 to 4:15 in Lee Chapel; another hour or so of practicing; finally, dinner around 6:30 p.m. and two more hours of homework. Sounds exhausting, right? If you were a vocal major in the School of Music, this could be an average Thursday for you.

This schedule is just a typical day in the life of vocalist Roxana Triana (‘23), but it still reflects the basis of most music majors here at Stetson.

Their itineraries commonly consist of around nine to 10 classes a semester (amounting to around 20 credit hours in total), varying from online to in-person, or a hybrid of both. These courseloads have been consistent since before the era of COVID-19. Non-music majors, in comparison, usually have around 16 credit hours made out of four or five classes typically.

“One of the main reasons why we have so many classes and not

28 issue 3

Music student Isabel Barbato (’23) practices in Presser Hall.

a lot of credits is because a lot of them are worth zero credits,” says Triana.

seems to bring out every possible complication has not been an easy adjustment.

Adjusting to college life puts a strain on any student, but learning about the strict regime that music students navigate every semester made my schedule as an English major seem like a cakewalk. But for those students who put their soul into their work, day in and day out, it’s part of their everyday life. Just as athletes hurdle the obstacles of academics and training, musicians compose their way through the barriers of academics and practicing.

For the music department, these changes have affected students in a myriad of ways. Most music courses are based on in-person coaching and collaboration; the move to online learning has cut off a good amount of face-toface learning that is key to the experience of the program. The new setup of classes has forced their schedules to be more spread out than before, meaning their days are longer because of new gaps between classes. While these gaps would seem to allow more time to relax and ease the mind, they tend to become 15-minute or so breaks where students decide what they can get done before their next class, in hopes of lessening the workload of what they may or may not have time to do later.

“How we make music through experiential learning is truly in a human form… we miss how it was delivered, and we missed being together, learning about music and making music, in contrast to everybody isolated alone.”

- Timothy Peter, D.MA Dean of the School of Music Given the circumstances, this year has seen an incredible amount of change for everyone on campus.

Adapting to online classes with the nation undergoing political mayhem and a pandemic that

“A lot of things just take out more time and much more energy than it would have been when it was already so timeconsuming to be a music major,” Elené Okruashvili (‘22), a pianist, explains.

When days begin early and end late, week after week, it gets exhausting for music majors— with or without a global pandemic to also worry about. Even so, some students take the rigorous schedules with stride. Instead of feeling stressed, they miss the social connection now more than ever.

the music school’s “new normal” Students sanitize practice rooms after every use SoundJack is used to lower latency for online coaching and collaborating Nearly every piece and performance a student does is now recorded

Social distancing and masks remain a top priority in all in person coaching, practices, and classes. Music students continue to persist in the art, no matter the obstacles.

the reporter

29

Music student Zaria Graves (’22) practices in Presser Hall.

“We’ve kind of lost that sense of community that I was so accustomed to,” says Victor Zayas (‘23), a tuba player.

With more strict guidelines to follow when in person and less face-to-face time to practice in general, the music department as a whole seems to be feeling the lack of interaction that previously they thrived so much on.

Because, you know, we don’t perform— people perform the piece for us. So, it’s a challenge of finding people to play for us and an added challenge of getting an audience.”

However, this isolation hasn’t stopped artists from finding safe ways to share their creativity. With fewer audiences in person, more people are moving online The Dean of the School of Music, to share their work. Nathan West (‘22) Timothy Peter, D.MA, commented comments, “[this allows for us to find] on how this secluded style of teaching ways to connect with people that you has affected the process of making probably wouldn’t be able to in person.” music. “How we make music through Performing without audiences also helps experiential learning is truly in a human those musicians who have minor to severe form… we miss how it was delivered, and stage fright and allows them more time to we missed being together, learning about get to know the materials and their fellow music and making music, in contrast to classmates. everybody isolated alone,” he said.

It is also always important to keep One aspect that has furthered the mental health as a priority, especially feeling of isolation has been the lack of when you’re juggling a dozen classes. an audience. Alex Ortiz Velez (‘24), a For Velez, self-care comes in the form of music composition major, explained, spare time. “Every time I wake up in the “we are always already struggling to get morning, I have an hour to read or listen an audience with or without COVID. to some music. I also play vinyl because,

30 issue 3

you know, as musicians, we often forget to listen to music for fun.” Others deal with added stress by making it known.

Zaria Graves (‘22), a violist, takes the route of asking for help when she’s overwhelmed. Her advice is that the best tool is “communication with the teachers when you’re getting stressed and because most of the time they want to help you.”

Amid all the change that 2020 has brought, professors and students alike have had to scramble their way through a wave of new technology. In the world of music, the challenge of latency—the delay of audio during calls such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams meetings— has been an obstacle that professors and students have had to overcome. For musicians, this means that practicing together online is virtually impossible.

To tackle this new obstacle, Assistant Professor of Music Chadley Ballantyne, D.MA, has been spearheading the use of SoundJack, an online tool that significantly lowers latency for coaching

and collaboration.

It is new techniques like this that have become a cornerstone of this semester; the past few months have served as a testing ground for the entire campus to adapt to. Some of these strategies have proved to be useful enough to continue using in future semesters when COVID-19 isn’t as prevalent as it is right now.

Okruashvili mentioned how sanitizing workspaces and practice rooms is a tool that she believes we should have been using beforehand. “I personally appreciate how we all have to sanitize the practice rooms after every use by ourselves,” she said. In hindsight, it does seem like the kind of thing we could have been doing before we were forced to.

Beyond better sanitation habits, recording performances have become part of the new normal this year, whereas beforehand, the only performances that

were recorded were the end of the year concerts and recitals. Now, with inperson performances being more rare, nearly every piece and performance is recorded. While it took some getting used to, most students admit that the newfound strategy has its upsides.

“I myself ended up with a couple of great recordings that I immediately added to my portfolio that I probably would have just performed live and would not get such a good quality recording of those performances,” Okruashvili commented.

Endurance has been a common quality on campus this year. Isabel Barbato (‘23), a choir student, offers a few words of advice for fellow students, both in the music department or

otherwise: “Know that you’re not alone in the stress and worry.” This year has made the strenuous lives of every college student all the more difficult, but if nothing else, we know we’re not the only ones going through it.

The School of Music has persevered along with the rest of the campus, and they’ve created new and unique methods to overcome the difficulties that COVID-19 has brought on.

Dr. Ballantyne was adamant with his comments attributing the success of the department to the students and their willingness to overcome any obstacle: “[The students] have been remarkable in their resilience,” he stated.

Though it’s harder to find an audience, and classes take more time and effort to plan, the students of our music department are still working as hard as ever for their art. In the meantime, check out their YouTube page, Stetson School of Music.

the reporter

31

STETSON HATTERS BASKETBALL: he Women With the women’s basketball team’s season winding down, we take a look at the team profile and some notable moments from the 2020-2021 campaign.

32 issue 3

T Behind the Team Story By Ihsaan Fanusie Photos courtesy of Stetson Athletics Layout by Isabel Solorzano

“

We’re obviously really proud of everything we’ve overcome, since COVID’s been so crazy. We’ve just come far, with everything that’s gone down, and I’m just proud of everybody.”

-Tonysha Curry (‘22)

TEAM PROFILE: As the Hatters jogged out onto the court to a pre-game round of applause, there were all smiles on the faces of the team and coaches.

It was a team that looked comfortable, disciplined, and above all, glad to be out there.

On Dec. 10, 2020, Stetson’s women’s basketball team played their first game of the season against Edward Waters College at home in DeLand. The Hatters won decisively— 48-98— and sent a message to themselves, the greater Stetson community, and the league at large: they were confident, resilient, and wellprepared.

The pandemic has had a lasting effect on every aspect of life, including sports. These times require perseverance and hard work to overcome the obstacles that come with a sports season during the COVID-19 era. Stetson’s women’s basketball team is no different; after undergoing isolation and canceling the first three games of the season, they’ve weathered the storm of difficulties in 2020 and emerged unified and prepared for competition in 2021.

That being said, let’s take a look at the ladies that make up Stetson’s premier women’s basketball program:

the reporter

33

TEAM-BUILDING MOMENTS:

Team chemistry is made in a variety of different ways; some instances can be more unexpected than others.

“I have a lot of classes with Yazz,” Kiya said. “So we’re working on homework and stuff and quizzes together.”

ON THE COURT:

One particular change that the team underwent occurred during the voyage from team practice to conditioning training. Curry reminisced about the effect that the change in protocols due to the virus had on the team, and how it ended up building valuable memories.

Despite the various obstacles associated with the pandemic, the Hatters have shown resilience and determination in maintaining a competitive season. Starting the season off 2-1 with two blowout victories and the singular loss coming to a ranked opponent (USF), the Hatters looked exceptional.

“I remember we were in conditioning and this year was something different,” Curry said. “So this is something I’ll always remember.”

The initial momentum would wear off, however, as they dropped many of their next several games, including a 5-game losing skid. Through the first 15 games, Stetson achieved a record of 5-10.

Typically after practice, the team would drive from the court over to the strength and conditioning facility. Due to COVID-19 protocols, the team had to run outside instead, as appropriate social distancing is not possible in the facility.

“It was something I’ll never forget,” Curry said, “Running from practice, across campus, some of us still in our practice shoes. We were already exhausted and then we were running in the hot sun... but we made the most of it.”

Off the court, the team was able to bond by forming study groups and helping each other academically. Beyond the study groups and support systems designed for student athletes, the young women also collaborated on assignments and studied together.

34 issue 3

Looking to improve upon a 12-18 record in the 2019 to 2020 season, the Hatters have seen some improvements from last year as well as some new standout performers. Yazz Wazeerud-Din, a junior who transferred this year to Stetson from South Georgia Technical College, has had an enormous impact on the team. Through 15 games, WazeerudDin leads the team in scoring and steals with over 15 points per game and more than 35 total steals.

Kiya Turner, a transfer student from Middle Tennessee State, has also made a splash in her first year as a Hatter. Turner currently is averaging just under eight points a game and ranks third on the team in rebounds per game with just under five.

Top Row, L to R: Assistant Coach Jama Sharp, Director of Operations Josh Wathen, Assistant Athletic Trainer Emily Eunice, Selena Philoxy, Megan Vincent, Shania Edgecomb, Day’Neshia Banks, Assistant Coach Barbara Farris, Assistant Coach Shanasa Sanders, Head Coach Lynn Bria. Bottom Row, L to R: Yazz Wazeerud-Din, Tonysha Curry, Maria Visone, Shamari Tyson, Tippy Robertson, Jamiya Turner, Alyssa Derrick, Maddie Novak (not pictured Kiya Turner).

the reporter

35

36 issue 3

Other notable performers include Tonysha Curry—who proved to be a commanding force in the paint while leading the team in rebounds—and Jamiya Turner, who leads the team in assists through the month of February.

NOTABLE MOMENTS:

Perhaps the most memorable moment of the year came in a thrilling Jan. 3 overtime game against University of North Florida.

With the score tied at 76 in the final seconds of overtime, Turner passed to Wazeerud-Din on the Hatter’s final possession. With all zeros on the clock, Wazeerud-Din hit a buzzer beater layup to give Stetson its third win of the season.

“It’s extremely rare to hit a buzzer beater in overtime,” noted Assistant Director of Athletic Communications Jamie Bataille. “For me that has been the top moment of the year.”

Wazeerud-Din was also awarded ASUN Player and Newcomer of the Week on Feb. 15 for her efforts later in the season.

On Feb. 14, Stetson scored 45 second-half points to nearly erase a 19-point deficit against North Alabama, but came up just short in the end.

The Hatters lost by a final score of 65-70. Even when they haven’t come out on top, the Hatters have put up valiant efforts worthy of recognition.

CAN’T BE STOPPED: If the Hatters’ 2020 to 2021 season could be summed up in a word, it would be resilience.

The team battled obstacle after obstacle and still produced several spectacular performances during the course of the season.

Tonysha Curry (2) during a home game. Head Coach Lynn Bria high fives the team. Kiya Turner (14) takes then ball down the court.

“We’re obviously really proud of everything we’ve overcome, since COVID’s been so crazy,” Curry said. “We’ve just come far, with everything that’s gone down, and I’m just proud of everybody.”

the reporter

37

the future of florida

Jacob Johnson (‘22), a junior at Stetson, is running for the Florida House of Representatives, District 26. We sat down with Johnson to learn more about what inspired him to embark on the journey as both a student and a politician, and what he hopes for the future of Florida.

Take a sigh of relief. The election cycle is over. No more annoying ads, signs cluttering the side of the road, and people knocking on your door handing you flyers. For now, kick back, relax, and enjoy the silence. Jacob Johnson (‘22) however, is currently preparing for the next election cycle.

You might recall Jacob Johnson as the guy sitting at a table asking if you’ve registered to vote in the past year. If you haven’t, let me introduce you to candidate Jacob Johnson. No, Johnson can’t cuddle up with a blanket and popcorn and watch the latest binge worthy drama; he’s busy on phone calls with election administrators and campaign volunteers planning his bid to run for the Florida House of Representatives, District 26. A student running for the Florida House of Representatives isn’t something one hears about too often, and for that reason we wanted to introduce the Hatter community to Jacob Johnson as a student, a politician, and to offer an insight into his political agenda.

One might ponder why a college junior would consider entering into politics. For Johnson, it’s quite an easy answer: “We really need a candidate that is going to represent the interests of our district.” said Johnson. He recalled that his decision to run came while serving as a member of the Student Government Association. The catalyst came as he debated the issue of passing a formal resolution praising Congresswoman Fetterhoff’s

38 issue 3

Story by Maxx Smith Layout by Isabel Solorzano Photos Courtesy of Jacob Johnson

involvement in the Stetson-involved “Save EASE campaign.”

Fetterhoff, a 39-year-old former National Guardsman and DeLand resident, is the current representative in District 26 who is serving her second term. “I decided to look up her voting record. Despite this one thing [the EASE campaign], she does not represent the interests of our district,” said Johnson. It was then that he figured, “if they’re not going to be it, I might as well attempt to represent the people.”

Before life as a candidate, Johnson was an activist and organizer. Working for NextGen America, a nonpartisan political organization dedicated to increasing voter registration amongst American youth, Johnson developed great insight in political organizing—a skill he hopes to carry into his political career. He sees the youth electorate, Floridians aged between 18 and 27, as a pathway to victory in the 26th district, as well as the key to making things better for Floridians. “If they [the youth] exercise that voice, things can get better for them, as well,” said Johnson.

A big question for any college student attempting to pursue a career while in college is the obvious, how do you anticipate juggling running for office and doing homework? “I certainly expect it to be a massive undertaking,” Johnson said, “but, I have worked political fellowships here on campus before...I think I am prepared to do both.”

the reporter

39

“

WE REALLY NEED A CANDIDATE THAT IS GOING TO REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF OUR DISTRICT.” - Jacob Johnson (‘22)

40 issue 3

Johnson, currently 20 years old, will meet the requirement set forth by the Florida constitution by the election date in 2022, as he turns 21 in July. You must be a resident in the district in which you are planning on running in, and Jacob is currently living in DeLand as a Stetson student, and will continue to do so during the campaign. In case you were wondering, the election registration process is incredibly easy. “It was pretty much me going to the library to print out a couple of forms and mailing them in to Tallahassee.” Realistically, operating campaigns are complex, but they’re not rocket science. Campaigns take people, money, time, and a ton of energy. Johnson, however, seemed unabated by the lack of all four of the prior mentioned requirements and seemed to like his odds. So, if you’re considering running, why not head to DuPont-Ball library and print out some forms like Jacob did?

A quick search for “26th district Florida” on Google will result in the federal congressional district, which resides in the Everglades and the Florida Keys. This is not to be confused with the Florida House of Representatives District 26 which runs from as west as Hontoon Island State Park to as west as downtown Daytona beach. Part of what makes him so passionate about the area is his love for everything that the district entails.

Johnson recollected that the environment, and especially the views of Volusia, are his favorite part: “I love our schools and downtowns. Once you cross that bridge into Daytona Beach it’s such a pretty drive.”

Given Johnson’s role as both a student and a hopeful future member of the House of Representatives, the current political culture at Stetson is something he has given thought to. “You’re always gonna find a difference of opinions. With COVID going on, there hasn’t been much interaction in general.” The campus, nearly void of face-to-face interaction due to COVID-19 mitigation, has put a halt in political dialogue within the community. To address this, Johnson praised the work of College Democrats and Young Americans for Freedom for encouraging political dialogue and pointed out the efforts of Kevin Winchell, Associate Director of Community Engagement: “That [political culture] is something Kevin and Stetson Votes is working on... certainly I think there can be more. That is something I would love the opportunity to do.”

Johnson is a self-labeled progressive. For him, he feels that “You have to take the interests of working class people,

marginalized communities, and the general large structural problems that we see with our country and take those into account.”

Johnson’s key policy cornerstones are climate change, police reform, income inequality, and education reform. He is in favor of a Green New Deal that is adjusted to the needs of Florida, and he praises Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s national push in this regard. Johnson advocates for municipal and state level police reform to include more mental health and addiction counselors and believes strongly in the role of education in combating poverty. Additionally, the unemployment system in Florida, which he believes is “massively broken,” is a top priority should he be elected in 2022.

As a college student himself, Johnson feels as if he has a unique perspective on the issues plaguing college students.

He is an advocate for “grant programs to individual students that would allow them to go to universities and increase university funding.” He also believes the state should “offer free kindergarten all the way through the university level offering free state schools” and that “private schools shouldn’t be neglected or pushed down in order for state schools to succeed.”

When asked how Johnson plans to propose to pay for these initiatives, as his counterpart most surely will ask, he responded quickly and calmly. “There’s money in the budget to support our citizens and to support our workers. It would require a mix of increasing revenue and cutting some of the spending in areas that we are spending too much.” It was also here that Johnson mentioned the legalization of recreational marijuana as a potential revenue stream for the state.

In terms of the logistics of running a campaign, Johnson is relying on volunteers and canvassing efforts to knock on doors to get his name out into the public. Mentioning the massive discrepancy in funding between himself and Elizabeth Fetterhoff, he stressed the importance of grassroots engagement.

All in all, Johnson is a young, passionate, and progressive politician looking to improve the lives of his fellow Floridians.

Although the challenges in his path to candidacy may be monumental, it appears that Jacob Johnson is determined to tackle not only those, but his homework assignments as well. If you are interested in learning more about Jacob Johnson and his campaign, head over to https://www.electjacobjohnson.com/

the reporter

41

TAYLOR SWIFT GOES INTO INDIE TERRITORY WITH

FOLKLORE AND EVERMORE

Taylor Swift has taken the world by storm once again with her latest album releases, “Folklore” and “Evermore.”

Story, Layout & Graphics by Bella Steiert

42 issue 3

O

n July 23, 2020, Taylor Swift broke the internet with a post announcing that she had recorded a new 16 track album called “Folklore” and that it was dropping that night. Fast forward to Dec. 10, 2020 where she surprised us again with another full album, this which she called the “folklore’s sister record.”

The release of these two albums followed her seventh studio album, “Lover,” which came out in the summer of 2019, so this was a pleasant surprise to “Swifties” worldwide after just over a year without a new album. In a tweet she posted to announce the release of “Evermore,” Swift said, “I’ve never done this before. In the past, I’ve always treated albums as one-off eras and moved on planning the next one after an album was released. There was something different with folklore. In making it, I felt less like I was departing and more like I was returning.”

In these two albums, we see a side of Swift that we never saw in her previous records. Instead of mainly drawing inspiration from genres like pop, these albums feature a heavy indie/indie-folk sound. She recorded these records with help of her friend Jack Antonoff, a former member of the band Fun, and current frontman of the band Bleachers, who has worked with Taylor since her 2014 release, “1989.”

She also enlisted help from singer-songwriter Justin Veron, lead singer and founder of the band Bon Iver, and Aaron Dessner, guitarist of The National. Another credited writer on the records is William Bowery, which Swift confirmed in her Disney + special “Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions,” is her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn.

In these records, Swift focuses on a very unique and distinct storytelling style in which each song tells a story, usually of a fictional character which Swift has created.

“Folklore” kicks off with “The 1” which focuses on the nostalgic myths and remembrances of lost lovers. The chorus, “But we were something, don’t you think so? / Roaring twenties, tossing pennies in the pool /And if my wishes came true / It would’ve been you” and uses the imagery of the Roaring Twenties and the tradition of throwing a coin in a fountain and making a wish. The relationship ended, but she looks back on this relationship with this ex-lover in a somber but nostalgic tone.

A track that is a perfect example of Swift’s characterbased lyrical storytelling is track 14 of “Folklore”: “Betty.”

The song is written from the perspective of a character named James, who, although in a relationship with Betty, pursued a summer love that was doomed from the start.

The track kicks off with nostalgic country sounding guitar

notes and a harmonic tune—very reminiscent of albums like “Fearless” (which Swift is releasing a re-recorded version of in April). In the song, James is unable to own up to his mistakes after cheating on Betty. The lines “If I told you it was just a summer thing? / I’m only seventeen, I don’t know anything / But I know I miss you” shows James trying to defend his actions because he is young, but he still loves and misses Betty.

The love triangle appears again in the tracks “August” and “Cardigan.” In “Cardigan”—the lead single and third track of “Folklore”—Swift reveals what happened in the first installment of the love triangle tale. References to youth and young love continue throughout the song with the lyric “When they are young they assume you know nothing,” which is used in various verses.

The track uses great visual imagery in the lyrics by referencing different pieces of clothing and tying it to the feelings of being young and in love. She talks about love and clothing continuously: “But I knew you / Dancin’ in your Levi’s / Drunk under a streetlight” and the song even begins with the lyrics “Vintage tee, brand new phone / High heels on cobblestones.” In the refrain Swift sings “And when I felt like I was an old cardigan / Under someone’s bed / You put me on and said I was your favorite,” where she describes feeling unwanted, yet he shows her his love. The song’s dreamy, incessant piano tune is complemented by a soothing drum sound that creates the blissful and calming vibe of the track, proving to be one of the most memorable songs of the album.

One of the standout moments on the album is “August,” which continues the ill-fated summer love between Betty and James. The song sounds like a summer bliss with the guitars and instrument backing provided by Antonoff, and Swift’s calming, hypnotizing vocals make you feel as though you are the main character in a coming of age film. One of the best moments of the track is in the bridge where she sings, “Back when we were still changin’ for the better / Wanting was enough / For me, it was enough / To live for the hope of it all / Cancel plans just in case you’d call / And say, ‘Meet me behind the mall.’” This line perfectly encapsulates the giddy feeling of sneaking away to be with your lover—a blissful yet exhilarating image that speaks to Swift’s ability to use her lyrics as a clever and beautiful storytelling device.

Lastly, one of “Folklore’s” most emotionally powerful and moving ballads is “Exile” featuring Bon Iver. In “Exile” we hear Swift channel her new indie folk sound.

the reporter

43

5

ESSENTIAL FOLKLORE/EVERMORE 1. cardigan SONGS 2. exile

44 issue 3

3. betty 4. willow 5. gold rush

The song starts with somber piano notes and Veron’s deep, moody vocals. Swift comes in on the second verse, singing in a deeper range than she usually does.

The chorus features one of my favorite lyrics of hers: “I think I’ve seen this film before / And I didn’t like the ending.” The song is about two ex-lovers seeing each other after they’ve broken up, and if Swift is excellent at one thing, it is writing about pain in a way that is so relatable.

Now onto “Folklore’s” little sister album, “Evermore.” The record kicks off with the sweet and light “Willow,” which features wispy guitars and illustrates the magical feeling of being in love as she sings in the chorus, “I’m begging for you to take my hand / Wreck my plans, that’s my man.” In a YouTube comment section for the premiere of the music video, Swift described “Willow” as something “about intrigue, desire, and the complexity that goes into wanting someone. I think it sounds like casting a spell to make somebody fall in love with you.”

Swift channels a more edgy side in the track 4, “‘Tis the damn season.” The song tells the story of going back to your hometown for the holidays and reconnecting with a former lover as she sings “We could call it even / You could call me ‘babe’ for the weekend / ‘Tis the damn season, write this down.” The electric guitars and the more mature lyrical content show us just how much Swift has grown as a musician and is taking ownership of her new sound.

Speaking of dark and mature, she gets into gruesome territory with “No Body, No Crime.” In the track featuring HAIM, an American pop rock band, Swift shows her darkest side yet as she tells the story of the character Este whose husband has been engaging in acts of infidelity. Este ends up calling her husband out on cheating on her, and he responds by killing her. Later in the song Swift alludes to the husband’s eventual murder by the song’s omniscient narrator as she erases all evidence of his body and the crime

scene as she concludes the song singing “I wasn’t lettin’ up until the day he died.” Not only is the song great because of the dark tone and guest appearance by the HAIM sisters, but it also has a country twang to the instrumentals which feels reminiscent of Swift’s roots.

One of the most emotional and heart-wrenching songs that Swift has made to date comes in the form of “Marjorie,” a tribute to her grandmother, an opera singer who passed away in 2003. Swift even used her grandmother’s vocals in the background of the track, alluding to her grandmother visiting her in her dreams.

In the chorus she sings “What died didn’t stay dead / What didn’t stay dead / You’re alive, you’re alive in my head” and the track proves to be a touching tribute to her late grandmother. The low somber piano chords, guitar strums, and synth noises in the backing track blend with Swift’s soft vocals, and towards the end of the song she samples her grandmother singing, hitting just the right emotional note for the listeners.

The sister albums “Folklore” and “Evermore” are some of the most mature and brilliant albums that Swift has created to date. Through experimenting in the indie-folk field, having many tracks call back to her country roots, and featuring some excellent guest artists, these albums will be remembered as iconic moments in both Taylor Swift’s history, and the history of the music industry overall.

RATING 9/10 the reporter

45

& & Story by Vivianne Skavlem Layout by Zoe Boykin

ampersand

One of the best parts of Stetson is just how small the community is. As I scrolled through Twitter one day, imagine my delight upon realizing that the two haunting polaroids in Touchstone 2020 were taken by a mutual of mine on Twitter. “Ampersand” was the perfect excuse for me to finally get to know Nikita Shinn (‘19) beyond the occasional exchange limited by 240 characters.

Nikita graduated in Fall 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in psychology and is currently enrolled in Stetson’s counseling program with the hopes of getting a play therapy certificate to incorporate a creative outlet in future counseling clients.

Apart from her major in psychology, Shinn also minored in creative writing during her undergraduate career at Stetson, with a special interest in poetry classes. It was Terri Witek, Ph.D., professor of English and the Sullivan Chair

46 issue 3

in Creative Writing, who Shinn felt inspired by to continue writing. “I took the intro to poetry class. I was like, okay, I think I like it. And then I took the advanced class, and I was like, okay I really like it,” she said with a laugh.

In fact, it was a poetry assignment that led to Shinn’s discovery of her love for Polaroid photography. “It was actually Terri who inspired me because one of [the assignments] was like, go out of your zone. And I had the Polaroid camera, and then I started thinking about using photography as that, you know, way of doing it.”

Then we talked shop, and no, I don’t mean photoshop.

Take a polaroid camera, for instance. This technological dinosaur hailing from the 1970s still had some tricks to make photo magic. I was woefully unaware of how much one could do without photoshop or editing apps. “So there's a setting on a Polaroid... you take the picture and

“S A N C T U A R Y” by Nikita Shinn (’19)

then you turn off the camera without taking your hand off the button... You turn it back on and take the photo again. I forget what it's called.

I think it's like double XP or something.” This is the tech trick Shinn used in her two Polaroids that found their way into Touchstone 2020.

Returning to the two eyecatching Polaroids—“S A N C T U A R Y” and “1 in 4,”— Shinn mentioned how she only submitted those two pieces, with both earning their place in Touchstone 2020: “I think they were both just ones that I really liked. And I think they were like my favorites. And the ones ... I'm most proud of, too.” As to the meaning behind the pieces, “the main one is finding a sanctuary after living a life a chaos,” as well as “1 in 4 children that are victims of human trafficking.”

“

Shinn also described her differing methods when approaching poetry versus Polaroid photography: “I think the thought process with poetry and photography is completely different. Like, I sit down, and when I write, I'll just think of words. And I'll just keep thinking until something happens.”

the main one is finding a sanctuary after living a life a chaos,”

-Nikita Shinn (‘19)

the reporter

47

“Poetry, it comes to me, and I can't force it.

I'll pass a place or something. I'll be like, you know, I think that would be a good photo. But … the image just doesn't come to me. It'll be weeks before I take another photo... I think with photography, it's more kind of mysterious, I would say, like, you don't know what you're looking at. That's kind of the point. I want it to be like, oh, that looks cool. But I also don't know what it is, like, what's happening in this photo here. Then with poetry, it's more dark and personal … For some reason, there's always a metaphor with plants. I don't know why, but there always is one.”

The symbiosis of her psychology major and creative writing minor took root in her own writing: “I felt like when it came to writing about things, I think having that psychology to be able to understand what I was feeling helped too. I feel like having that psychology helps me understand more about what I'm going through… Because when you do art, even if you never have known art therapy and stuff, you are expressing something that you might not have realized was hurting you. It's kind of that unconscious process. Like when I write, I didn't even realize that I felt that way, or how much hurt I was actually in until it's written.” It is this unconscious regeneration from creativity that Shinn wants to bring to her clients in therapy.

Shinn’s parting advice regarding self expression was to, “ just be patient, and let the thoughts come... And I feel like once you get the creativity bug, you can do it, but you just have to wait. And maybe ponder on what you like and what you don't like and things that inspire you. But you need to be patient and just let it come.”

For a while, Shinn didn’t realize she had a passion for art, and hadn’t really thought about how her art specifically would impact people, “When I write, I do it for me,” she tells me. But her Polaroids, those are for “[expressing] a feeling that I can’t sometimes put into words.”

48 issue 3

“1 in 4” by Nikita Shinn (’19)

the reporter

49

50 issue 3

UNPACKED

with

Sara Gerken Story by Calista Headrick Layout by Bella Steiret & Isabel Solorzano

In a time where we may feel less connected than ever, Stetson’s Resident Assistants have become a key part of keeping the community connected. Sara Gerken (‘21), Lead RA of the apartments area, unpacks the essentials of her bag when she goes on duty.

1. THE DUTY PHONE “Every RA when they’re on duty, we have a duty phone. And so when somebody calls us in our area, we’re easily able to call and respond to the situation if anyone needs help. It’s also really good if we’re dealing with a situation and we need extra help. So that’s why it’s always on whenever we’re on duty at the highest level of ringing, usually a very obnoxious sound so that we know. It’s kind of a little alarming, like, oh, goosebumps, because you just don’t know what to expect.”

2. FLASHLIGHT “I always carry a flashlight, especially in the apartments area. We walk around and the way our area works is usually during the weekdays we walk alone. So definitely having a flashlight when it’s like going through hallways, externally that may be a little bit darker.”

3. THE DUTY BAG “We also have the duty bag, and that’s the bag that has all of our supplies so that we can put it together. Especially with COVID, we have gloves, we have extra masks if we need to. If we need to, we have an extra phone charger to charge the phone, and then also extra little slips. If we were to encounter a situation and if we have to document somebody, they know what to expect next. So we hand those out to those residents.”

4. NAME TAG “We alway wear our name tags so that we know who’s on duty. And especially when going throughout the halls, we know the residents can have a better indication like who’s on duty, as well as wearing the duty shirt to have on.”

the reporter

51

52 issue 3

5. GERM-X AND EMERGENCY MASKS “Then, of course, I have Germ-X and emergency masks in case of anything.”

6. THE BEEP BOP “We also have a cute little thing in every area called the Beep Bop. That’s what we call it. So Public Safety uses it too, and the purpose of it is we have to check in at different key points around the area and it makes a little beep bop sound so that Public Safety and Campus Life on Call knows that we’re good, we’ve completed our rounds. It’s an accountability thing but mostly a safety thing. And so it’s like when we scan different points we know in case, goodness forbid, something happened, they knew what our last location was. So it’s definitely really helpful for that, especially in the apartments community.”

7. RAIN JACKET “Especially like when walking around in Florida late at night it’s just nice, to just have a raincoat on, because sometimes it just randomly rains. Plus it’s just humid so it’s nice to have it on in case anything were to happen.”

8. DUTY SHIRT “It’s our labeled duty shirt that we always have to wear when we’re on duty, just like the name tag so residents easily know if it’s an RA as we’re walking through the halls or walking through external apartments so that they’re like, ‘okay, they’re doing their rounds and they’re making sure we’re safe.’ So especially if we’re knocking on doors, they know it’s us and not just somebody random.”

7.

4.

2.

3.

6.

1.

5. the reporter

53

CAFFEINE CRAZY

Story & Layout by Ruby Rosenthal Photos by Natalie Bergeron

Want to scratch your caffeine itch in Downtown DeLand? Natalie and I have tried it all, narrowed it down, and got you covered. Follow the coffee beans and take a tour with us around town, and if your heart’s not beating frenetically afterward, you’ve done something wrong.

1

trilogy coffee

s it a sweater vest day?” is something that Joey Tribbiani of “Friends” might say mockingly to Chandler Bing to gently jest at his classic weekday garb. Yet, “Is it a sweater vest day?” is exactly the question that was posed to Natalie and I at Trilogy one bustling Wednesday morning by the shop’s owner, proving that we are either A., addicted to coffee, B., addicted to going to Trilogy, or C., all of the above.

I

the sweater vest In this case, the Sweater Vest isn’t a fluffy, no-armed V-neck to throw over a shirt in an attempt at fashion, but a type of coffee — a cappuccino with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and probably a dash of pixie dust, it’s so good. It’s just the right amount of sweet — unless you’re a Dunkin’ Donuts regular—then it may not be sweet at all. The baristas at Trilogy

54 issue 3

are foam masters, so the Sweater Vest not only tastes good, but it also looks beautiful — and when you pull off the lid, a rose-looking design awaits you.

the cold brew We’re also a fan of Trilogy’s cold brew; As Natalie puts it, it’s not

so bitter that it “hurts your taste buds,” like Starbucks’ version is prone to, but it’s nutty and caffeinated to just the right amount where you don’t feel overwhelmed.

Trilogy also appears to make a conscious decision about the amount of ice they use: even once it melts, your drink isn’t 50% water.

2 chicas cuban cafe

he best thing about Chicas’ coffee is that after you drink it, you feel like anything is possible.

Is that because of their espresso’s high caffeine level?

Probably.

T

the café con leche

We also ordered the café con leche — one shot of espresso with more milk and sugar — which, in the Cuban coffee world, is the polar opposite of the plain espresso. This the espresso was like drinking a very We are avid cortadito sweet, very frothy dessert; it consumers — a shot of arrives in a cup so large that espresso with a bit of milk we joked that soup would and some sugar — but we be a better use for it. When decided to try the plain it comes to the coffee itself, espresso to sample the Cuban you can’t taste the espresso restaurant’s coffee at a base as much as you can taste level. And what ensued was a the sugar and the milk that feeling of pure intensity — so surrounds it, but if you’re a much so that we stirred in fan of a softer coffee with less some sugar to save our taste of a kick, you’ll definitely be buds from the shock of coffee fond of the café con leche. we’d just sipped. If you’re a black coffee drinker, their plain espresso may be just the java jolt you desire.

the reporter

55

3

boston coffeehouse

here is nothing like going into Boston Coffeehouse on a chilly morning and asking for “one small, hot Nutty Irish Lady.”

T

the nutty irish lady What’s even better is that the servers know that what you desire is not a teeny Caucasian stripper, but a warm, latte-esque drink, complete with Irish cream, hot pink sprinkles, and a cherry on top. Any of their drinks can be ordered iced, hot, or frozen, and the Nutty Irish Lady is my favorite when ordering the frozen variety of their fancy coffees. But don’t let their names scare you off. A Yankee Doodle and a Boston Caramocha are as flavorful and tasty as a Starbucks frap, but better, if I do say so myself. If you go to Boston’s, opt for one of these.

56 issue 3

the iced coffee Just like at Chicas, we got a baseline drink: in Boston’s case, this is the iced coffee, which neither of us enjoyed — we felt it tasted like coffee with the volume turned down. It lacked the punch and the nuttiness that Trilogy’s cold brew had, and the jolt that the espresso at Chicas had. Simply put, we expected pizzazz — an explosion of flavors like we found in the Nutty Irish Lady -- but were let down by its blandness. But we promise, we both tested negative for COVID-19.

4 rriving a little past 11 a.m., Natalie and I were definitely some of the first people at Pho Co. This local Vietnamese restaurant is known for — what do y’know — their pho (pronounced f-uh), a soup noodle dish in a bowl filled to the rim with vegetables and noodles, as well as meat, seafood, or tofu. Yet it was only recently that we’ve gone beyond ordering the eponymous menu item and looked south to discover the tea list. If you’re fervently anti-coffee — a reality that Natalie and I cannot fully grasp, but will accept — or love tea and are hoping to expand your palette a bit, Pho Co is the place for you.

A

the boba I’ve had mixed experiences with boba, but Pho Co’s is — dare I say — perfect.

At Pho Co, I’ve tried the passionfruit and the strawberry flavors of their boba tea, but the lychee — which is a naturally sweet fruit with a little

tang — is my favorite. The boba itself pairs perfectly with the tea; it’s made of tapioca, and is chewier than the melt-in-your-mouth kind that you’d try at a fro-yo place. What I like the most about the drink as a whole is how “Goldilocks” it feels in regards to its sweetness — I don’t feel overwhelmed by its sugar, but I’m glad it’s there, because any less and it’d be too bitter.

pho company noodle house

the thai tea Natalie’s favorite is the Thai tea, a milkbased drink that I feel tastes like the cereal Raisin Bran rolled into a drink, but she thinks it is a flavor experience unique to the tea itself. If you order it, don’t freak out when you see your drink is bright orange — it tastes nothing like citrus. It has the right amount of milk, and similar to the boba, is just as sweet as you want it to be.

the reporter

57

WHAT

are you listening to?

Stream Stetson’s best (and only) radio station live on hatternetwork.com Or download Radio.Co to tune in

58 issue 3

the reporter

59

@hatternetwork

60 issue 3