TCC Collegian November 18, 2020

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Last day to drop classes for 2020 the fall semester is Nov 19

Wednesday, November 18, 2020 – Volume 33 • Issue 12 News

Entertainment

Opinion

Opinion

Editorial

JUGGLING LIFE Students balance working retail amid pandemic. PG. 2

17 SEASONS OF HEALTH Grey’s Anatomy returns with COVID-19 themed season. PG. 2

CHECK YOURSELF First hand experience with racism in America. PG. 3

MUSIC AND MASKED FEELINGS The hidden power music can have on a person. PG. 3

HEALTH AND GREED How pharmaceutical companies need to be regulated . PG. 3

DISTRICT

Teaching online comes with difficulties Months into the pandemic, professors are still struggling to adapt to their new online classes DEIRDRE BENAVIDES reporter

As TCC students acclimate to virtual classrooms amid a pandemic, instructors are doing the same.

“Working entirely from home has been the biggest shift,” TR geology adjunct instructor Sarah Garcia said. “I generally teach hybrid classes (lecture online and lab on campus), but now even the lab portion is online.”

The synchronous class video meetings that take the place of the on-campus weekend lab attendance was another shift, Garcia said.

“It is a challenge learning to talk through a computer instead of directly to students in a classroom,” she said. “It is easy to forget how much instructors, and people in general really, while talking or lecturing, rely on nonverbal cues from others until it is no longer available.”

Even for educators who previously taught online, routines have changed since the start of the pandemic.

“I usually spent extra hours at my office working and had the break of spending time with my students, which I enjoy. It keeps me

going,” South arts associate professor Kara English said. “I have the advantage of teaching online for more than 10 years, as well as face-to-face, and studying online delivery as part of my graduate studies. Now I am in front of my computer working seven days a week, often more than eight hours a day, some as much as 12 hours.”

For some instructors, however, the experience of teaching remotely remains only slightly altered.

“Since I am solely a Connect Campus instructor, all of my classes have always been online. I haven’t made any adjustments to my syllabus,” Connect foreign languages adjunct instructor Felicia Dillard said.

Before, students who took Dillard’s class all wanted an online format. Now that’s not always the case, she said.

“With COVID, I now have students who do not prefer online classes and would rather be taking in-person classes,” she said. “It’s been an interesting dynamic, and I’ve had a lot more students reach out for connection and extra help than pre-COVID – which has been great!”

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted some students' needs and instructors are re-

sponding.

“I have always had a lenient late work policy, but between students who are first-responders working double shifts, students who are ill, students who now have less access to technology (printers, reliable internet), I have made it a priority to allow more flexibility since COVID, and that is reflected in this semester’s late work policy,” Garcia said.

As the semester has moved on, instructors have stayed attuned to students’ changing lives.

“I have noticed that students have been more nervous and panicky with technology than before,” Dillard said. “I have also had more incidents of ill students or students facing hardships because of the pandemic, which has required more flexibility and grace on my part.”

Teaching technology through technology has its own unique obstacles.

“Even spending hours with some students on the phone and on the computer over and over is not enough,” English said.

English also said even with specialized technology such as Microsoft Teams, which allows her to see users' computer screens as they see them, the in-person component of

“It is easy to forget how much instructors, and people in general really, while talking or lecturing, rely on nonverbal cues from others until it is no longer available.”

Sarah Garcia

TR adjunct instructor

demonstrating technology is irreplaceable.

“When working at Tarrant County College, I’ve learned that the only thing that is constant is change,” English said. “Teaching, being a student and being an employee may never be the same. Although change is inevitable, this is change on steroids.”

Rido/Adobe Stock

Teachers face difficulties due to COVID-19, turning their teaching preferences upside down. Three months into the fall semester, things have not seemed to have changed.

NORTHEAST

Senate forum held to discuss wants, needs of campus organizations ALYSON OLIVER campus editor

The NE Student Government Association held its monthly Senate Forum Nov. 11. They invited students and club leaders to join on Blackboard Collaborate and ask questions, bring up concerns and discuss new projects.

Leaders involved in Phi Theta Kappa, the NE campus LGBTQ+ Pride Club and the NE campus Dance Club were present.

“We have held this Senate Meeting to help you guys achieve your goals, and discuss the tasks that we told you guys we would work on to help you and the members of your club,” SGA president Setu Patel said at the start of the meeting.

She also asked attendees to introduce themselves and invited leaders to discuss their

clubs’ needs and current projects.

The SGA represents the college’s student body, according to TCC’s website. SGA members strive “to achieve a healthy relationship between the students, faculty and administration” while making sure students’ needs are met.

According to Patel, SGA is currently working to help students when it comes to getting scholarships and accessing online tutoring.

They are also in the process of planning a game day for the clubs so that members can connect and participate together.

Yuaneli Garza, co-leader of the NE Dance Club, said her club is considering ways to give donations during the holiday season. Potentially, each member would choose an organization and donate a shoebox or a giving tree for a child via the organization’s dropoff location.

These donations could go to several organi-

zations such as Mission Arlington, Salvation Army or Safehaven of Tarrant County. Additionally, the dance club leaders are thinking of making blankets to give to homeless organizations.

The donations would double as a volunteer opportunity for any student who was willing to participate, club member or not. The Dance Club will record students’ volunteer hours so long as they receive a record the student participated, such as a photo of what was donated.

Additionally, Garza explained how the dance club is adjusting to the new virtual environment. They are now using Blackboard Collaborate and Zoom to host their meetings, and members are free to exchange phone numbers if they like. They are putting a focus on maintaining open communications during the COVID-19 pandemic.

NE LGBTQ+ Pride Club officer Thompson Kithcart also joined the discussion. He said his club is doing well in terms of their outreach.

Kithcart described the club’s difficulties moving to a virtual format, however. Meeting in person was ideal as it provided a safe space for discussion, and every virtual platform has drawbacks that have prevented them from meeting so far. For instance, the ability to customize display names is especially essential for transgender students, and some platforms not having that option creates a problem.

Patel, SGA member Adamia Davis and SGA adviser Victor Ballesteros offered suggestions and said that while these issues are not resolved yet, there are ongoing efforts to find solutions for them.

News

Page 2 • November 18, 2020

NORTHEAST

Students face challenges while working

Photo courtesy Pixfly/Adobe Stock

Students working retail have faced unique obstacles this year when trying to ensure that their assignments get turned in on time while also working a full-time job.

VANESSA MENDEZ reporter

Students working in retail during COVID-19 are facing new challenges as they work during a pandemic and take online classes.

For NE student Ashlyn Lafleur, being an essential retail worker during COVID-19 has been hectic.

Lafleur has had to help frustrated customers who are shopping for essential supplies while learning how to stay safe at work.

“It is definitely crazy to work dur-

ing COVID-19,” she said, “especially with items being ripped off shelves and having to deal with frustrated people not having toilet paper.”

Being a student worker was already difficult for Lafleur. The pandemic has made this even harder.

“Working in general while taking classes is hard,” she said, “Now with the pandemic going on, I’ve had to move things around and learn new things such as being more organized and staying safe while at work.”

NE student Brianna Holguin was so affected working in retail that she had to take some time off of work for her mental health.

“Working retail during a pandemic is ex-

NORTHEAST

Workshops inspire new generation of leadership JOSE ROMERO campus editor

NE Campus’ Leader Con conference, aimed at improving leadership skills, was held virtually Nov. 13.

Leadership was the overall topic of the event, but it wasn’t the only subject covered.

Workshops hosted by TCC professors and guest speakers dove into topics that varied from controlling emotions in arguments, interview etiquette and power networking.

“I want you to see this conference, not as just a leadership conference,” keynote speaker Marcedes Fuller said. “I want you to see this as the next best critical step in your journey.”

Fuller, a motivational speaker, life coach and author, shared anecdotes from his childhood, which he stitched into the topics of personal strength, acceptance and unity. He reflected on life events and the current situation many face due to the pandemic. He believes people should be accepting of others and themselves. When asked if there was one thing he wanted the audience to leave with, Fuller responded with “knowing that you have the power to be great and make an impact.”

The workshops followed right after the keynote speech. “Taming the Conflict Ani-

mals by Managing Disagreements through Perception Checking,” presented by NW Campus speech communication instructor Carol Hunsburger, had attendees do a short exercise with questions about how they would handle confrontation. The results would then be tallied to determine which animal corresponded with the given answers.

“Conflict is not a negative thing,” Hunsburger said. “What we want to understand, though, is how we manage that conflict.”

“Peaks and Valleys” discussed the highs and lows of life. Ana Contreras, South coordinator of student activities, went into detail about what defines peaks and valleys.

“These are moments where you appreciate what you have,” Contreras said when discussing peaks, “when you can really look back on all the work that you’ve done … all the struggles you’ve overcome. Valleys are moments when you long for what is missing.”

The other two workshops went over job interview skills and how to become a social justice student ambassador. “How To Get the Job You Want: 7 Tips Nobody Told You” was hosted by Jim Traister, a guest speaker from The Digital Navigator. The other was hosted by intercultural network coordinator Dantrayl Smith.

The recordings are available for free on the event website: https://sites.google.com/ my.tccd.edu/leader-con-fall-2020/home

tremely tough,” she said. “It was so bad at one point that I had to leave for about a month because I was getting bad anxiety.”

It got so bad that her job started affecting other aspects of her life.

“Working countless hours, especially at Target, has affected my social life and education,” she said.

Holguin is more of a hands-on learner and with the stress of work affecting her education, online classes were a hard transition for her.

“It is hard taking classes online,” she said.

“I’m more of a visual and in-person learner.

I took online classes solely because it was the only option I had.”

For NE student Austin Williams, working during this time has been extra tiring. The added precautions that COVID-19 brought with it proved to be difficult for him.

“The thing that was the most tough for me was having to deal with wearing facemasks for 7-8 hours a day along with coming home extra tired and having to get used to online classes,” he said.

Being students and retail workers has affected Lafleur, Holguin and Williams, but they are all grateful they could keep their jobs while others had lost theirs.

“I hope things get back to normal, but until then I am very grateful to have a job still especially during COVID,” Holguin said.

DISTRICT

Education majors finding issues with virtual classes ROBERT MORRISON reporter

Education majors at TCC say COVID-19 has brought many difficulties into the world of education, and teachers are worried about how they will adapt in the classroom.

“Most students need a strict schedule that keeps them motivated and keeps them on their toes rather than being at home and slacking off due to any distractions home can provide,” education student Daisy Osorio said.

With plans to pursue teaching, Osorio said virtual schooling will affect her chances of getting a student teacher position because it is important to gain real-life experience within the classroom.

“I do not think virtual classrooms are able to conduct the same amount of quality teaching for students as in-person classrooms mostly because of the lack of interaction between students and their teachers in a virtual classroom setting,” she said.

Although Osorio recognizes the current value of virtual schooling, she still stands by the in-person class is the most effective in the teaching community.

“In the state our country is in now, the

safest environment for teaching would be online. Is it the best? No. But it is the safest,” Osorio said.

Recent TCC alumni Megan Tran said teaching during a pandemic will affect teachers’ ability to create new ways to keep students engaged.

“Especially seeing how lessons are extremely limited to textbook read-a-longs and screen sharing videos,” Tran said.

Tran says virtual learning hinders some students who learn in different ways, referencing the outline of Howard Gardner’s 1983 Theory of Multiple Intelligences, which states there is not one type of intelligence and not one type of learning.

“Everyone has different learning styles,” Tran said. “By reducing traditional classes to virtual classes, it would do many children who do not learn optimally with auditory lessons a great disservice.”

Advocating for the benefits of a faceto-face learning environment, Tran does not think in-person classes are worth the risk they present. Other TCC professors share Tran's sentiment about keeping courses strictly online.

Even though Tran thinks of virtual classrooms as a lower-quality learning environment, she said nothing outweighs the importance of keeping our community safe.

Join the discussion at collegian.tccd.edu Facebook.com/ TCCtheCollegian

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Feature

The Collegian

November 18, 2020 • Page 3

Special contribution Johnathan Johnson

Law enforcement showcase their respect to Officer Alex Arango during funeral service with a salute. Arango contracted COVID-19 while responding to a call.

In the line of duty TCC student shares images of officer fallen due to COVID-19

An officer places his hands behind his back in respect.

Grand Prairie police wheel the casket of Alex Arango towards the front of the church.

An officer looks over the casket in a private burial of Alex Arango.

Family members hug after the ceremony.

Page 4 • November 18, 2020

Entertainment

MOVIE REVIEW

Atmospheric horror that kind of delivers

Photo courtesy of RLJE Films

“The Dark and the Wicked” captivates its audience with a dismal and nightmarish tale of two grieving siblings, isolated in the countryside while evil lurks all around them.

ALYSON OLIVER campus editor

There is nothing more terrible than being left alone.

Bryan Bertino’s “The Dark and the Wicked” relays this message with the help of its lonely farmland setting and its sparse cast of characters.

Siblings Louise and Michael, played by Marin Ireland and Michael Abbott Jr., are at

the forefront of the film. They travel to their parents’ farm to visit their dying father, even though their mother had told them beforehand not to come.

Once Louise and Michael arrive at the farm, there is an ominous sense something is very wrong below the surface level. And soon after their arrival, their mother dies, leaving the two of them alone to care for their father.

From there on, Louise and Michael undergo one horror after another over the

Louise and Michael read through their mother’s diary after her death in an effort to discover what happened in the days preceding their arrival.

course of a week. The incidents escalate in severity. Every day feels more despairing.

With its enigmatic and minimalistic storyline, “The Dark and the Wicked” is a cold, unsettling viewing experience, harboring a feeling of deep dread and building its atmosphere upon isolation. The film has several standout scenes that are truly frightening, and its jump scares don’t feel out of place or overused. There is a sense the narrative itself cares nothing for its characters or their wellbeing.

Religious themes are a large part of the film, and it employs them in a way that doesn’t feel too tired or overdone. None of the main characters believe in a higher power, which adds an interesting element to the story. Other characters’ belief in the supernatural is used to make the disturbing outcome of some scenes feel more potent.

The score composed by Tom Schraeder features soft piano and strings juxtaposed by growling drones and metallic caterwauls that complement the film’s tone. The visuals are a mix of dark, beautiful, grotesque or all three at once.

While “The Dark and the Wicked” is successful in these ways, it doesn’t do as well in other areas. It could use some more leeway to maximize its effect, for instance. At times

the movie feels disjointed – like a quick-paced conglomerate of frightening scenes and brief conversations rather than a developing story.

Many serious conversations feel rushed with little room for the audience to experience the impact of the words being spoken.

A few scares fall flat due to their reliance on well-worn cliches that have not been reworked or executed from a fresh perspective.

And the buildup to the end is gripping, but unfortunately, the very last scene is lackluster and unsatisfying. It gives the impression the film didn’t deliver to the full potential it certainly has.

However, that’s not to say it isn’t still worth a watch. “The Dark and the Wicked” harbors immersive, deep-seated gloom that captivates and clings after the credits roll. Its tone, visuals and soundtrack do a nice job of balancing out the elements it doesn’t excel at.

For those who enjoy atmospheric horror with a focus on family dynamics and religious themes, “The Dark and the Wicked” may be a good pick. It is currently showing in theaters and is available for rental or purchase on Amazon Video.

SERIES REVIEW

New season honors fallen health care professionals MADDY REMINGTON managing editor

Grey’s Anatomy is back and better than ever for it’s 17th season.

The writers decided to dedicate the season to the people battling the COVID-19 pandemic on the frontlines.

In doing so, they showcase some of the tough situations that are happening in hospitals across the world.

The show has a reputation for covering very current storylines. And in the first 10 minutes, we see a few examples of this with scenes centered around racism.

One of the scenes depicts a man coming to the hospital to receive treatment, but before being treated remarks that he doesn’t want a “Chinese doctor.”

In true Grey’s fashion, the nurse does exactly what the audience would have done and tells him off.

There is even a line included in another scene about how the pandemic disproportionately affects black individuals. This further shows how culturally sensitive the writers were in developing the script.

The two-part premiere highlights the tough situations these healthcare professionals have been through.

Grey’s doesn’t tiptoe around the coldhard truth with this pandemic and certainly does healthcare professionals justice.

The entire first episode shows how much the healthcare industry has had to evolve during these unprecedented times and how much work, physically and emotionally, the doctors and nurses have had to put in to counter the pandemic’s attacks.

It doesn’t stray away from the difficult conversations, especially those involving COVID-19 parties and deaths.

One of the storylines in the first episode involves a boy who attends a COVID-19 party and receives severe burns.

The season premiere showcases the trau-

matic time that doctors and nurses are going through and handles these storylines very effectively.

The various scenes that show how Meredith deals with the trauma of losing patient after patient resonates with viewers, as we can’t imagine how difficult it is to try everything to save a person’s life, only for them to die alone.

The cinematography adds very intriguing elements to the story with lots of interesting camera angles, especially in the opening and closing scenes.

The lighting is perfect as it seems to be dark and suitable for a hospital, which makes the scenes more accurate in depiction.

The score is on-point as always, with music that seems like it was written specifically for the scenes.

It adds to the cinematography, making the viewers feel like they are a part of the episode.

All in all, the two-part season 17 premiere brought out all the stops for fans to enjoy a level of escapism while recognizing the harsh reality of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grey’s Anatomy always brings storylines together to create a genuine show that is as accurate as possible, and this work shines through in this season.

Longtime Grey’s fans should bring out the tissue boxes for the last few scenes of the premiere.

It’s sure to make viewers nostalgic and emotional.

If you haven’t already seen the first 16 seasons, you can binge-watch on Netflix during your quarantine.

Then you can catch up on season 17 on Hulu or ABC on Thursdays at 8 p.m.

Although these were only the first two episodes, this season is sure to be a rollercoaster of emotions for new and old fans alike.

Photo courtesy of Disney

Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo, walks through the COVID-19 ICU in the Grey-Sloan hospital on her way to her next patient.

Miranda Bailey and Levi Schmitt update a patient’s family in the waiting area.

Opinion

The Collegian

Viewpoints

Music can draw out nuanced reactions

JOSE ROMERO campus editor

Music’s ability to resonate with an audience is an awe-inspiring power especially when it goes unnoticed.

Initially, this opinion column was about how music can impact emotions, but that was until I sat down and had a chat with Gerald Ringe, NE professor of music.

“The discussion really shouldn’t be ‘are we impacted by music?’ I think the research there is so far entrenched that we definitely are impacted by music,” Ringe said. “I think the interesting fact is that the vast majority of this society doesn’t know that they’re being impacted.”

In our daily lives, we hear different melodies that our brain picks up and reacts to, but we don’t dwell on it.

When we walk into stores, offices or restaurants, muzak is usually playing through the speakers, but it’s drowned

out mentally even though it’s causing an emotional response to our environment. If we’re watching television or listening to the radio, some chimes and jingles grab our attention without us even fully giving it the time of day yet they’ll continuously be recited or hummed.

“They [people] willingly kind of open themselves up to be impacted by it like a medicine,” Ringe said. “So it has the great potential of being used in a nefarious way.”

Some ways in which music can be used negatively is through advertisements. Ads usually have a catchy song or slogan that keeps a product fresh in your mind even if the product is harmful. If corporations want they can anger, sadden or excite consumers through the manipulative methodology used in marketing.

After this conversation, I reflected on this matter. I considered all of the catchphrases and songs from corporations that I continuously play in my head.

Music’s presence is unavoidable. It’s a challenge to go a single day without listening to it. It’s important to reflect on the impact that a conglomeration of notes can have on you and your psyche.

Fear tactics will not be tolerated anymore

MICHEAL FOSTER-SANDERS editor-in-chief

On Nov. 13, my daughter and I decided to grab a bite to eat at Whataburger in Saginaw, Texas.

As we turned into the restaurant to park at the mobile order spot, I noticed this big, gaudy Trump 2020 sign hanging from the back of a truck.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with people who support their political candidate respectfully, but this time the energy in the air just felt different.

While waiting for the mobile order to arrive, I turned to look at my daughter. She usually has a motor mouth, but now she had a look of concern on her face. “What’s wrong?” She said that she doesn’t feel safe because Trump supporters don’t like Black people. I explained that not all of his supporters have those types of views, and that there are black Trump supporters too. “So don’t work yourself

up about what you see on TikTok and television.”

Unfortunately, we were about to encounter one of those supporters she had concerns about. The owner of that flag walked out and looked into my car at my daughter and me with a smug, disgusting look on his face. Then when he got by his flag, he slapped it in a proud manner as if it was empowering.

The rage that went through me was on a biblical smite level, but I had to be cool because I couldn’t put my daughter in harm’s way.

So I did the only logical thing to do. I yelled, “Hey Siri, play F.D.T. by Y.G. and Nipsey Hustle” and let the car windows down, so he could hear it loud and clear. I glanced in my rearview mirror, and the look on his face was priceless. The look said, “Who the hell does this N-word think he is with this defiance while I try to make America great again?”

He got in the truck and drove off angry, and my daughter looked at me and smiled.

I refuse to let America go back to that space where being “great” was causing fear and terror. Flying a flag that says Trump made America great again is now the equivalent of the Confederate flag to me. It’s not heritage. It is a symbol of oppression.

November 18, 2020 • Page 5

Editorial

Corporate greed is a drag for health

Amber Davis/The Collegian

Pharmaceutical greed is costing Americans their lives, and we’re doing nothing to stop it.

A single vial of insulin costs about $5 to manufacture. However, the average price consumers pay for a vial is as high as $350. A type one diabetic uses anywhere from two to six vials per month meaning that a year’s supply of insulin costs $8,400 to $25,200.

Why is it so expensive for people to just survive?

Pharmaceutical companies believe that they can mark up the cost of life-saving medications to the highest dollar with no repercussions. And at this point, that’s true because there are no limitations and no laws against it.

But while pharmaceutical companies are profiting off of these life-saving drugs, Americans are suffering from life-threatening illnesses because they can’t afford the one thing that could take their pain away.

Medications are used to treat illnesses and keep people alive and healthy. Yet, these medications have become a financial burden that many have chosen to refuse treatment as to not burden their family.

In America, it has become fairly common for people to go bankrupt because of medical debt.

But why is this a standard that we have accepted?

Insulin prices have gotten so high that people are now rationing this life-saving drug, meaning that people are now risking their lives skipping doses to reduce the number of bottles they have to buy.

This causes their blood sugars to spike, which leads to a variety of health complications like kidney and nerve damage and even death.

Meanwhile, the CEO of Eli Lilly, one of the major insulin manufacturers, makes his steadily increasing salary of $21.3 million, year after year.

These corporations are blatantly raising the price of treatments at the expense of the Americans who depend on these medications to stay alive and healthy.

This is a systemic problem that we need to address. We need to put pressure on our elected officials to get their heads out of their asses and support bills like the Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act. In England, the government sets a maximum price for a drug and if companies don’t agree, they lose out on the entire market. This puts the drug manufacturers at a disadvantage, driving down the price of medicine.

If we could enact a system like the one England uses, that would make drug manufacturers depend on us, not the other way around.

We need to hold our elected officials accountable to ensure they are not in the pockets of big pharmaceutical companies. We need to put these pharmaceutical companies in the spotlight and show the world the corruption that is happening right under our noses.

In this critical period where many are unemployed with no health insurance, and health problems are at the center of conversations, there is no better time to raise awareness for these issues.

In 1923, the person who discovered insulin, Fredrick Banting, said that it was unethical for doctors to profit off of a drug that would save lives. But after almost 100 years, America is letting pharmaceutical companies do just that.

Letters to the Editor

The Collegian staff welcomes letters to the editor concerning articles that have run in the paper or on other subjects that may be of interest to the general public. All letters should be signed by the writer, who should include his or her Colleague ID or telephone number. The numbers will not be published. They are used for verification only.

Letters should be typed and not longer than 150 words. They will be edited for grammar, style and space and will run as space is available and at the discretion of the editor.

Letters should be e-mailed to: micheal.foster-sanders@my.tccd.edu

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Foster-Sanders

MANAGING EDITOR Maddy Remington

CAMPUS EDITORS Linda Puga Alyson Oliver Jose Romero

LAYOUT & DESIGN Abbas Ghor Amber Davis Kristal Blankinship

PHOTO EDITOR Azul Sordo

ILLUSTRATOR Amber Davis

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The Collegian is a weekly student publication serving the Tarrant County College District. Editorial statements and advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the TCC administration.

Letters to the paper should be 150 words or less, free from libel and poor taste and include the writer’s Colleague ID or telephone number (the numbers will not be published).

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Feature

Page 6 • November 18, 2020

Pizza for Thanksgiving Taking a bite out of COVID-19 this holiday season Family gatherings are out this holiday season, and if you attend one you’re gambling with your life and your families.

Detecting who has Covid-19 is like playing a game of “Guess Who.” Being big pizza fans at The Collegian, staff wanted to give you the best pizza places to grab a pie to munch on while spending time with family over video Jose Romero: Hands down, my favorite pizza spot is “Serious Pizza.” It gets super packed there but the wait is worth it. It’s closed right now but once it opens back up, I’d recommend grabbing a pie or two from there. It tastes just right! Most pizza tends to be pretty good but Serious Pizza takes the cake. Except for Cici’s. That’s just gross. For take out my pizza of choice is from Old School Pizza Tavern.

Maddy Remington: Serious Pizza is a pretty bomb pizza joint, but I’ve got to say you haven’t lived until you’ve tried Cici’s alfredo pizza. I absolutely would not recommend utilizing the buffet option, but a to-go box of alfredo is *chef’s kiss*.

Linda Puga: My favorite pizza place is the classic Domino’s Pizza. You can never go wrong with a slice of pizza from there. I don’t have a least favorite place, but I will agree with Maddy and say Cici’s alfredo pizza is top tier! That’s another favorite of mine, I would highly recommend it!

Alyson Oliver: I have to order Domino’s Pizza at least once every month. I like all of their options when it comes to combining different toppings and crusts. If I have the time to go and sit down in a restaurant, I like to visit Campisi’s. Their crispy crust, tomato sauce and toppings are pristine.

Amber Davis: My all time favorite pizza is from Stuft Pizza in San Jose, California. It’s magical, and the taproom always has a great selection of craft brews. If I win the lottery I am bringing a Stuft Pizza to Fort Worth. Jets is my favorite pizza in the area. I love the crunchy deep dish and that the toppings go all the way to the edge! I always love to grab a veggie Detroit style Sicilian and add extra EXTRA jalapenos.

Michael Foster-Sanders-You can never go wrong with Mama’s Pizza a staple in Tarrant county and Detroit style pizza from Jets.

The winners

Kristal Blankinship: My favorite pizza is from Tony’s Pizza and Pasta in Bedford. I like to order the Florentino pizza. It’s made with fresh garlic, spinach and sliced roma tomatoes. They make all pizzas to order.

Jet’s Domino’s Serious Pizza

Abbas Ghor: I like homemade cheese pizza.

I do it thin crust style. I will also take a Costco pizza.

There are a lot of great choices in the DFW area for pizza take out and delivery. Obviously, it will not compare to Grandma’s green bean casserole and stuffing. Maybe we can make our own turkey and dressing pizzas at home.

Regardless of what your style of pizza is do yourself a favor and stay safe this holiday season. Whatever your favorite, easy stay at home food of choice is, make it COVID-19 proof.

Runners-up Cici’s Tony’s Mama’s Campisi’s

Illustration by Amber Davis/The Collegian