September 29, 2021

THE TIMES-DELPHIC The weekly student newspaper of Drake University Vol. 141 | No. 5 | Sept. 29, 2021 FEATURES

SPORTS

COMMENTARY

TikTok star “Sister Cindy” attracted a large crowd during a visit to Drake with a controversial message that targeted the LGBTQ+ community.

A close match against Valparaiso ended with a loss for the Drake Bulldogs over Parents Weekend, with a final score of 21-24.

All hands are on deck to help one writer answer one of culture’s essential questions: What on earth is ‘real music?’ Who gets to decide?

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Federal judge overturns Iowa mask mandate ban offer at-home options,” Fowler said. “But even if parents did take advantage of that, that is obviously not an equal educational opportunity as being in the classroom and being with our students.”

Federal judge sides with ACLU

THE WEST DES MOINES COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, home to Indian Hills Junior High, is one of the latest to reinstate a mask mandate following the temporary restraining order from federal judge Robert Pratt’s ruling on Sept. 13. PHOTO BY GRACE ALTENHOFEN | MANAGING EDITOR Grace Altenhofen Managing Editor grace.altenhofen@drake.edu

An Iowa law banning mask mandates in schools was blocked by a temporary restraining order from a federal judge on Monday, Sept. 13.

House File 847, signed into law by Governor Kim Reynolds on May 20, said in part that the superintendent or leader of a school or district, “shall not adopt, enforce, or implement a policy that requires its employees, students or members of the public to wear a facial covering for any purpose while on the school district’s or accredited nonpublic school’s property.”

The law was met with controversy, as some argued that this negatively affected students with disabilities who may be immunocompromised and more likely to get COVID-19 in a mask-free school.

“The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act require that students with disabilities have equal access to education,” said Veronica Lorson Fowler, communications director for the ACLU of Iowa. “And so obviously, if a school is forbidden from issuing a mask mandate, that is not giving equal access to education, because it’s putting parents in a position of choosing between their students health and in some cases their lives, and their education.”

The ACLU steps in The effectiveness of masks has been proven time and time again. According to research published by the National Institute of Health, “N95 masks, medical masks and homemade masks can block 99.98%, 97.14% and 95.15% of virus in aerosols.”

This argument was the basis of a lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Iowa and Arc of Iowa, a disability advocate group, claiming violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act and Rehabilitation Act. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 says, “No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States...shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance...”

The mask mandate ban, according to the lawsuit plaintiffs, directly violated this by creating a more dangerous school environment for students with disabilities, which could limit access to equal educational opportunities for those students.

“Some districts don’t even

U.S. District Court Judge Robert Pratt agreed that the mask mandate ban violated parts of the ADA and Rehabilitation Act. “If the drastic increase in the number of pediatric COVID-19 cases since the start of the school year in Iowa is any indication of what is to come, such an extreme remedy is necessary to ensure that the children involved in this case are not irreparably harmed,” Pratt wrote in his decision.

Governor Kim Reynolds’ office issued a statement after the court’s decision promising to fight it.

“Today, a federal judge unilaterally overturned a state law, ignored the decision by our elected legislature and took away parents’ ability to decide what’s best for their child,” the statement read. “We will appeal and exercise every legal option we have to uphold state law and defend the rights and liberties afforded to any American citizen protected by our constitution.”

When contacted for an interview, the governor’s office declined to elaborate and instead referred back to their original statement above.

However, Fowler said that the ACLU is prepared to return to court if the governor’s office chooses to appeal the decision.

“That’s their call to make,” Fowler said. “But we are very

committed to this.”

Despite pushback from Reynolds, the judge recently extended the temporary restraining order by two weeks.

An Oct. 11 date has been set for a ruling on a preliminary injunction.

Parents divided Following the original decision regarding the temporary restraining order, several Iowa school districts reinstated their mask mandates, including the Des Moines Public School District and West Des Moines Community Schools.

“I think it’s ridiculous that we even have to have this argument. People have to wear pants for hygiene reasons and nobody complains about that,” said Melanie Kies, a resident raising three grandchildren in the Des Moines Public School District. “I can’t believe there needs to be discussion or debate about such a simple principle of public health in what is supposed to be one of the most advanced, civilized societies in the world.”

However, not all parents and guardians with children in public schools agree that mask mandates are the best course of action, and some have taken to Board of Education meetings to express their disagreement.

“Don’t force that on us,” said West Des Moines Community School District parent Tasha Schwingendorf during public remarks at the Sept. 13 Board of Education meeting. “Don’t make this a communist area, that we are told what we can do, when we can do and how we can do it. Please let there still be some freedom in this country.”

drake, broadlawns announce plans for campus community clinic Grace Altenhofen Managing Editor grace.altenhofen@drake.edu Andrew Kennard News Editor andrew.kennard@drake.edu

Drake University and Broadlawns Medical Center announced plans to construct a 12,000-square-foot medical center in a joint press conference held on Sept. 20.

Drake said the University will lease a vacant lot on the corner of 29th Street and University Avenue to Broadlawns for the new Broadlawns Community Clinic, which will serve Drake students, employees and the general public.

The property will see construction beginning in May of 2022, with the clinic projected to be completed in August of 2023.

“Through this partnership with Broadlawns and this particular building, Drake students will receive, as they already do, medical and mental health services from providers and licensed therapists who are experts in young adult healthcare,” Drake President Marty Martin said during the press conference. “Working with Broadlawns has enabled us to have more counseling capacity than we’ve ever

realized on our own, and we are particularly thankful for that.”

The new clinic will provide primary care, urgent care, mental health services and a rotation of specialty services, according to a press release from Drake and Broadlawns.

These services will include vaccinations, wellness checks, and treatment of acute injuries and illnesses that are not emergencies, the press release said.

Drake Chief of Staff Nate Reagen said that “in general, [the clinic is] modeled after the [Broadlawns] East University Clinic.”

These new services build on the mental and physical health services provided at Drake’s American Republic Student Health Center, which include basic physical exams and allergy injections. The current student health center will be repurposed for another use, according to the press release.

In a Sept. 20 email message to the Drake community, Martin said that Broadlawns will be funding the construction and operations of the clinic. He also said that the new clinic will “further strengthen” Drake’s relationship with Broadlawns as an academic partner for handson learning of athletic training, pharmacy, health sciences and occupational therapy.

“Broadlawns Medical Center is one of our experiential

education partners and we look forward to future opportunities for our faculty and students to be involved in the new clinic,” said Renae Chesnut, the dean of Drake’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

Martin said that Drake faculty members and their dependents will be able to save “significant” money on health care expenses if they chose Broadlawns services. Reagen said that these incentives will begin on Jan. 1, 2022.

“Employees and their dependents on our health [plan] will experience lower co-pays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums for Broadlawns’ services,” Martin said in the email.

In addition to serving the Drake community, the partnership between Drake and Broadlawns intends to assist the surrounding neighborhoods as well. The clinic will be surrounded by walkable spaces and three DART bus stops, giving community members easy access to the building.

“The Broadlawns community clinic at Drake University will, in addition to serving our campus, provide much-needed medical services to a part of our city that lacks essential healthcare,” Martin said. “Whether a community member is walking to this facility or taking a bus or car, the clinic will be accessible.”

Broadlawns Board of

THE BROADLAWNS COMMUNITY CLINIC will be built on what is now a vacant lot on the corner of 29th Street and University Avenue. PHOTO BY GRACE ALTENHOFEN | MANAGING EDITOR

Trustees member Dave Miglin said that the location will help mitigate a longstanding problem with the lack of healthcare access in the Drake neighborhood. According to Miglin, opening this community clinic aligns with Broadlawns’ mission to help bring affordable healthcare to those who might not otherwise have access to it.

“The Drake neighborhood was identified as a medically underserved community within Polk County,” Miglin said. “This location will most assuredly provide ease of access to community members as they commute to and from school.

We very much look forward to bettering our community through this partnership and

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look forward to addressing the healthcare needs of Drake’s residents, students and staff.”

Miglin said that the partnership between a private university and public healthcare clinic sends a message about the importance of caring for one’s community.

“We are enabling access to affordable healthcare for those whose needs might otherwise go unmet,” Miglin said.

“Through this collaborative effort, Broadlawns and Drake are demonstrating the capacity to work together to best meet the needs of the community.

It’s an illustration of visionary leadership coming together to make a meaningful difference.”

02 | Features

Features

Sept. 29, 2021

TikTok star ‘Sister Cindy’ speaks at Drake campus Mackenzie Swenson Contributing Writer mackenzie.swenson@drake.edu

On Wednesday, Sept. 22, a crowd congregated around Cindy Smock, their jeers and laughs punctuating her passionate anecdotes. They were all curious about what this rising social media star, known to them as “Sister Cindy,” had to say about the “hoes” of the world.

Smock visited Drake’s campus — one stop on a four-week tour that includes campuses across America — and preached a message against premarital sex and the LGBTQ community, including many warnings about sexual activity.

“There are a lot of diseased penises out there,” Smock said during her presentation.

This platform has drawn wide criticism. However, with the help of a TikTok account that has garnered over 300,000 followers, it has brought fame to the 63-year-old preacher.

Before becoming a preacher and later a social media figure, Smock was a journalism student at the University of Florida. In her presentations at college campuses, Smock tells of her past as a “sinful” college student who, before discovering her faith, engaged in a variety

of what she calls “naughty” behavior, including alcohol consumption, drug use and sex. She then offers her life as a converted, born-again Christian as a model for those to whom she preaches.

“Right there, in that parking lot, I was born again,” Smock said. “I became a Ho No Mo.” Smock’s catchphrase “Ho No Mo” and related sayings such as “Stop the war on anuses” are featured on items in the preacher’s merchandise store.

Smock’s promotion of the store during her presentations has been a topic of controversy, with some claiming that Smock is financially rather than religiously motivated. Others speculate that the attention and popularity she receives also play a role.

“I think she’s doing it for attention,” Drake student Logan Myurs said. “She talks about how much of a hoe she was but now she’s turned into a bornagain version. I don’t know — it seems a little fishy.”

Other students also have concerns about her following.

“A following is always a dangerous slippery slope that can cause people to make compromises and do things just for the sake of the show instead of doing it because it’s true or right,” Dakota Jackson, the leader of the SALT Company at

Drake University, said.

Regardless of how genuine Smocks’ passion is, she has certainly drawn a broad crowd.

Some are attracted by curiosity, others by comedic interest, and still others by a genuine interest in her message. Some laugh at her stories and assertions, but others believe them to be hurtful.

“I would never use my religion in a way that excludes or disrespects other individuals, especially when they have no control over who they are,” said Reyna Ailene Gutierrez, Chair of Events for the Rainbow Union at Drake. “I wish that they used the Bible in a more positive manner and not in a negative one. I think it helps with the stereotyping of Christians being homophobic, racist and not good people when not all Christians are like that.”

As a leader in the Christian faith, Jackson also finds Smock’s portrayal of Christian values troubling. He felt that her delivery was ineffective, as well as potentially damaging to Christianity’s reputation.

“That is the picture that a lot of people get of Christians — someone standing on a sidewalk yelling at you that you’re gonna go to hell, and what she’s doing is focusing so much on the judgment and the condemnation side of things,”

Drake celebrates Park(ing) Day

Cassandra Schoene Features Editor cassie.schoene@drake.edu

Drake University held its first Park(ing) Day event on Friday, Sept. 17, taking part in the international event that seeks to raise awareness about how cities are built in relation to environmental sustainability.

“I assigned Park(ing) Day to my sustainable transportation class to provide an opportunity for them to start the semester with a hands-on learning experience where they can reflect on transportation issues, not just as issues of getting people from A to B, but also about how we make decisions about how we use our spaces,” said Assistant Professor of Environmental Science and Sustainability Dian Nostikasari, PhD. “Park(ing) day is an example of a tactical urbanism strategy where communities occupy certain spaces and reimagine the ways they can use them.”

According to myparkingday. org, Park(ing) Day started in 2005 and is a “global, public, participatory art project launched by Rebar… people across the world temporarily repurpose street parking spaces and convert them to tiny parks and places for art, play, and activism.”

Nostikasari and Sustainability Coordinator Sophia Siegel collaborated together and met every few weeks to make this event happen.

“Professor Dian Nostikasari approached me about doing this event with her and it aligned with the sustainability mission of the university,” Siegel said.

“It was a perfect opportunity to work with students and faculty on a project. We thought it would be a great way to engage with a variety of students.”

Nostikasar’s sustainable transportation class, the Drake Environmental Action League and Professor Amahia Mallea’s urban environmental history class all contributed in setting up the event along with community organizations.

“This was a good way for students to engage with different community partners like the Bike Collective, DART and other organizations,” Siegel said.

Nostikasari said she hopes the event will spark a conversation on sustainability.

“I am hoping to jumpstart the conversation about how we use our spaces around campus and the resources available for us to use more sustainable transportation modes and other sustainability efforts,” Nostikasari said.

Drake students helped run this event to promote sustainability.

“Some of the best ideas come from students, and being able to provide resources and support to try those ideas out is really exciting and, in my mind, one of the best ways to learn.”

“Students highlighted our access to public transit with DART, shared mobility with BCycle and Drake’s bike library as well as other ongoing sustainability initiatives at Drake,” Nostikasari said.

Siegel said it was exciting to see students outside of the classroom and interacting with people around them on real life issues.

“My favorite part of the event was being able to work with students and faculty on organizing the event,” Siegel said. “Some of the best ideas come from students, and being able to provide resources and support to try those ideas out is really exciting and, in my mind, one of the best ways to learn.”

Siegel said she would like

“I think this event had an effect on Drake by promoting ideas about sustainability in an urban setting and how we can learn more about serious environmental issues.”

to continue seeing students getting involved like this on campus.

“Students have way more

influence than I think they realize that they do in terms of what initiatives are prioritized on campus,” Siegel said.

Sophomore Fiona Maloney went to the event on Friday with her friends.

“I went to the event because I heard about it through DEAL, and it sounded really interesting,” Maloney said. “I was excited when I heard about the food truck and it sounded like it was going to be a lot of fun. I went with one of my roommates and we both had a great time.”

Maloney said she thinks the event did have an impact on Drake.

“I think this event had an effect on Drake by promoting ideas about sustainability in an urban setting and how we can learn more about serious environmental issues,” Maloney said.

Maloney said going to the Park(ing) Day event was a learning experience that she enjoyed.

“I learned about more vegan and vegetarian options from the food truck, as well as understanding tactical urbanism and how utilizing space in an urban setting can bring about environmental change,” Maloney said. “I thought the food was so good!

I was not expecting it to be so good and it was much different than most vegan/vegetarian options I’ve had, and it was delicious.”

It is unclear if this will become an annual event, but Siegel said it was a learning experience.

“I don’t wish anything went differently because this was the first year of the event and we learned a lot that we wouldn’t have learned otherwise,” said Siegel.

Siegel has already started thinking of ideas for next year, if it becomes an annual event.

“For next year, I think it will be easier to facilitate the planning process with students because now we have a sense of what was the easy part of planning the event and what was more challenging,” Siegel said. “It would be great to work with more local organizations in the future and to transform the parking spaces beyond what we were able to do this year.”

IN ADDITION to touring college campuses, Cindy Smock also sells personalized videos to fans through Cameo, a celebrity video-sharing platform. She sells merchandise on her website as well. PHOTO BY BRADY LOVIG | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Jackson said. “I think what’s so much better and so much more right and so much more biblical is to help people understand the love of Jesus that he has for

them.”

Luke Clausen contributed to reporting.

outstanding first years:

malynn pavey

Bryson Rea Staff Writer bryson.rea@drake.edu

Malynn Pavey is best known around campus as a deeply caring and strongwilled student. Throughout the first four weeks of the 2021 fall semester, Pavey has pushed herself to positively contribute to Drake’s oncampus community. This push has allowed her to contribute to several student organizations and make an extremely successful early adjustment to college life.

Pavey is currently doublemajoring in environmental science and journalism. Pavey said she admits that her academic achievements and struggles up to this point in the semester can provide a tough learning curve.

“Over the past few weeks, I have come to realize that I have a tendency to procrastinate on larger assignments.” Pavey said. “My brain shuts down and I refuse to comprehend the assignment at all.”

Despite her early struggles, Pavey found new ways to utilize her creativity in a way that made tough assignments a bit less impossible.

“I have now found that if I break down the assignment into smaller sections, it doesn’t seem as large or daunting of a task,” Pavey said.

Outside of her academics, Pavey has found new ways to become an impactful part of Drake’s constantly growing community. Pavey has done this by joining the Bulldog Tails student organization, a group that fundraises and advocates for their partner group IOWA

Service Dogs.

IOWA Service Dogs is a nonprofit organization that trains service dogs for first responders and veterans.

Additionally, Pavey contributes to the student workforce in the Bell Center as a lifeguard on the weekends.

Students around campus have noticed Pavey’s qualities as well, and some students speak highly of her ability to connect with others through compassion and a goal of community-building.

“Malynn is an amazing person who deeply cares for others,” Sophia Presser said.

“She is strong-willed and hardworking, making her a great person to work with and be around.”

Pavey has advice for other first-years, as well.

“It is okay to take a step back for a minute,” Pavey said. “You don’t have to work all the time and continue to be frustrated with the assignment you may be struggling with. It’s better to take small steps rather than go headfirst into everything all the time. Take a deep breath, realize that you can do this, and split up the assignment into more tangible sections. You’ve got this.”

The “Outstanding FirstYears” column presents a profile of one first-year student each week, summarizing their successes up to this point in their college experience. The young students featured on this column have displayed exceeding academic performance and on-campus involvement, along with contributing to the campus community in a positive way.

BEYOND DRAKE’S academics and student organizations, Pavey is a fan of sports, theater, and art. She said enjoys painting and drawing in her free time. PHOTO COURTESY OF MALYNN PAVEY

03 | Sports

Sept. 29, 2021

Sports

Football team falls in last minute loss against Valparaiso

THE FOOTBALL TEAM lost to Valparaiso, 24-21, last Saturday, Sept. 25 in their first conference play game of the season. PHOTO BY ABBY FICHTER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Bryson Rea Staff Writer bryson.rea@drake.edu

The Drake football team came into this past Saturday’s game seemingly ready to win against Valparaiso following two rough outings on the road.

While the Bulldogs’ season up to this past Saturday was less than ideal, the first game of true conference play, counting towards final standings in the Pioneer Football League, provided a chance to right the ship against a team that Drake has often defeated in the past.

Things looked promising right out of the gate with the Bulldogs’ defense reeling in an interception off Valparaiso’s first pass attempt of the day.

Unfortunately, things got continuously worse from that point on.

The Bulldogs fought hard, staying in the game and even securing a four-point lead with just minutes left in the fourth quarter. Even with this lead and momentum on their side,

the defense failed to prevent Valparaiso’s redshirt junior backup quarterback Ben Nimz from completing a touchdown pass to take a three-point lead with just 1:04 left in the game.

Nimz was subbed after starting junior quarterback Teryn Berry’s third interception of the game.

Despite sophomore quarterback Luke Bailey marching the offense 50 yards from Drake’s 25 to Valparaiso’s 25 in the final minute of the game, Drake junior kicker Nathan De Bruin failed to connect on a game-tying field goal.

Following the heartbreaking loss, Bulldog fans began to wonder who was at fault. Blame quickly settled on both head coach Todd Stepsis and the Bulldogs’ starting center.

The blame on Stepsis primarily came from the team’s clock management on the final drive of the game.

Stepsis elected to either spike the football or play with a nohuddle offense on the final drive

rather than use all three of their timeouts, which led to roughly 32 seconds lost in exchange for a single five-yard completion and a deep incompletion. Drake University finished the game with a timeout still available.

“Moving on, we just have to focus on controlling what we can control...That game is behind us, we need to learn from it and shift our focus onto our next opponent. I believe we can win out the rest of the season and continue our hopes for a top spot in the conference.”

Tim Frantz, a devoted firstyear fan of the Bulldogs, reacted to the game.

“Though they didn’t get the

result they wanted, it was an intense matchup that showed Drake can seriously compete with other schools,” said Frantz The blame on the Bulldogs’ starting center came from numerous botched snaps, including a low snap on the final field goal attempt that may have played a part in the unsuccessful kick.

One positive of the game was quarterback Luke Bailey’s bounce-back performance following a rough loss to North Dakota in which Bailey threw two interceptions. This performance allowed Bailey to finish the game with 283 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions through the air.

Following the game, Bailey explained the botched snaps.

“Going into the game, our starting center had to snap with his left [non-dominant] hand due to a wrist injury,” Bailey said. “I thought he played great; it is just difficult to be perfect when only using your nondominant hand.”

Despite the loss, there is no

question about the resilience the Bulldogs displayed over Parents & Family Weekend, staying close to Valparaiso up until the final whistle. Going forward, this loss will undoubtedly play a key part in building up Drake’s focus.

“Moving on, we just have to focus on controlling what we can control,” Bailey said. “That game is behind us, we need to learn from it and shift our focus onto our next opponent.

I believe we can win out the rest of the season and continue our hopes for a top spot in the conference.”

While Luke Bailey holds a strong confidence in this team’s ability to compete for a top spot in the Pioneer Football League, fans remain skeptical. When a team forces five turnovers, leads with just over a minute left in the game and ultimately loses, it fair to be doubtful of the future.

These next few weeks will show whether or not this Bulldogs team can stand up to adversity and compete for a title.

griffin dyka offers a new club for drake students

SOPHOMORE GRIFFIN DYKA is raising money in order to pay for uniforms, ice time and other expenses necessary for hockey.

JD Snover Contributing Writer jd.snover@drake.edu

When sophomore Griffin Dyka, president of the Drake Hockey Club, transferred to Drake from Creighton University, he was looking forward to one thing: continuing to play hockey. When he realized there wasn’t a team on campus, he saw it as an opportunity to start a club team.

“Drake makes it pretty easy to get a club team started,” Dyka said. “I just love hockey and I wanted to keep playing.”

Starting a club sport comes

with challenges. Dyka said the biggest challenge for a sport like hockey is the money, and that’s why he started a GoFundMe page for the team.

“We’re going to get a pretty good amount from the student senate, but it’s still an expensive sport,” Dyka said. “We have to pay for game uniforms, practice uniforms, the head coach, ice times, travel expenses and more.”

The money is not all that is important to the new club.

Sean Sommerness, a member of the executive council for the Drake Hockey Club, said that it could have a great impact on the Drake community.

“Any students here that are fans of hockey can have a team to cheer for,” Sommerness said. “It can also help spread the game through Des Moines and get more kids involved in hockey.”

In addition to getting more kids involved, Dyka said he is hoping to get more students involved, too.

“Right now we have about 20-23 guys,” Dyka said. “We’re always looking for more Usually, 20 is about the number on a team, but we aren’t going to make any cuts this year because we are new. If I go up to someone right now and go ‘Hey, do you know about the hockey

PHOTO BY LIA REICHMANN | SPORTS EDITOR

team?’ they will probably say no.”

“Any students here that are fans of hockey can have a team to cheer for... It can also help spread the game through Des Moines and get more kids involved in hockey.”

As of the publication of this story, the club is still unofficial

and pending approval from the Drake Student Senate, but Dyka said he is confident that it will get approved because of the backing it already has.

“Anne Kremer is the Dean of Admissions, and she’s the one signing off on it, so it’s not a normal faculty member,” Dyka said. “She said there are a lot of admissions benefits so that helps our case a lot.”

Dyka said that because the club is new they won’t be playing a lot of games this year, so he hopes new students who may not know the sport as well will take the opportunity to get to know it.

04 | Commentary

Commentary

Sept. 29, 2021

Horoscope: the prophetic crystal ball for fall Capricorn: Earth signs who are used to feeling responsible it is your time to let others be responsible. Let yourself participate in some tomfoolery… hijinks if you will.

Pull a harmless prank, catch a comedy show, do something that allows you to laugh like kids who are trying to share their trick or treating jokes.

Treat yourself to some tricks and allow yourself to not take everything so seriously Aquarius: Air signs who enjoy freedom and fun. Be entranced by the spooky, look into old lore, hunt a ghost, come up with your own legend. Have some fun and create your own fall time tradition and convince others it is a thing. Have fun and dive deep into the possibilities.

Or reinvent a favorite tradition of yours. Accepting change and allowing it to be positive can offer a sense of serenity this month.

Pisces: Water signs who lean fantastically have the opportunity to spot hidden treasure all around them. Head to the Valley Junction theatrical shop or go antiquing with friends. Try to find the best, craziest, spookiest, funniest, obscurist item in each store and challenge your friends to do the same. Looking for the unexpected in the mundane will make the next few weeks amazing for you.

Aries: For a fire sign who can become bored easily it is important to choose activities that you find engaging.

Your thrill for the dare and willingness to try new things makes going to a Haunted House or watching a horror flick the perfect way for you to kick off the fall festivities. Try things that scare and challenge you these next few weeks.

Taurus: A homebody who loves everything cozy and comfortable makes autumn a magical time for these earth

Grace Hilscher Contributing Writer grace.hilscher@drake.edu

What iconic fall activity should you use to kick off the start of autumn based on your zodiac sign?

The newfound crisp in the air seems to whisper autumn is starting. A season of evolution, leaving the negative behind and embracing comfort if worth celebrating. While waiting for the leaves to change and getting your Halloween costumes ready there are still many ways to usher in the new season.

Libra: For these friendly air signs with amazing aesthetics, the best thing to do is kick off fall with a photoshoot. Gather some friends and dress up in your best fall fashion and get some good shots for your social media, maybe even the dating apps. It is the perfect time to open yourself up to new connections. Use it as an excuse to do the TikTok ghost trend if you have been wanting to.

Scorpio: These badass water signs need a break from being cool and serious. Invite some friends over and make a good old-fashioned pillow/ blanket fort then watch your friend’s favorite fall movies.

Whether it is taking a trip down memory lane with Monstober on Disney or Practical Magic it will be a great way to unwind.

You can even end the night by telling ghost stories. Allow yourself to indulge in nostalgia this week and let others make decisions to take some stuff off your plate.

Sagittarius: Fire signs who enjoy being challenged should use this time to go on more adventures. Try an escape room, make some smores and play Clue with friends. Embrace the mystery and allow friends to help you through the journey.

This month offers clarity if you allow yourself to see it.

I WANT TO KNOW, says Cate Winslet... among others wishing to find certainty in their future.

Fortunately, Professor Marvel from “The Wizard of Oz” and one student space seer can provide those services; your sign might warn you against stealing the whole bowl of “take one” from that house with the lights off come Halloween. PHOTO BY INSPIRED IMAGES COURTESY OF PIXABAY

signs. In the next few weeks embrace coziness and take time for quiet contemplation. Start the season off with some baking or enjoying a warm cup of apple cider or tea while cuddled up in your favorite blanket. Allow yourself to rest and recharge.

Gemini: For charismatic air signs, this is a perfect time to spend time building relationships using the changing weather as a backdrop. Invite friends to go apple picking and have a picnic while it is not too cold. Embrace nature, take the opportunity to study outside or relax in a hammock. Allow nature to nourish you.

Cancer: Empathetic air signs who enjoy being

comfortable and relaxing.

Having a chill weekend with friends is the best thing. Have a bonfire or tailgate for a football game. Gather with those who you feel close to and enjoy watching a game. Even if sports are not your thing, wear your comfiest sweatshirt, enjoy some popcorn, and chat with friends.

You may enjoy it more than you thought possible.

Leo: Creative fire signs that seem to exude warmth are thriving, even if it may not feel like it. Making decorations for Fall will be a perfect outlet.

Pick up a pumpkin to carve or paint. For those on a budget go to a park and make a day out of collecting pine cones. These can

be used as decorations alone or paint and other materials can spruce them up. Look into making bird feeders to share with the wildlife. Take notice of your surroundings this next week and how you feel.

Virgo: For the earth signs who like to be on the move and enjoy tinkering with things. It is time to explore your own plans for the spooky season. Have a brainstorming session on what Halloween costume you would like to rock whether by yourself or with friends. Take time and have fun with it. Get a head start on crafting some new elements. Do not over-analyze your creativity. Try new things and go with the flow this week.

“Real” music: a snobbish chimera?

Chris Veninga Contributing Writer chris.veninga@drake.edu

“I only listen to real music.”

I’m sure we’ve all met someone who has said this phrase at least once when talking about their music tastes compared to yours. In fact, I’ve been this person in the past when talking to others about my music tastes.

But is there such a thing as “real music”?

Well… it’s complicated. But the short answer is no.

Like many forms of entertainment, music is a subjective experience where “what sounds good” will depend on the person. Some people think screamo music sounds good. Some people think rap sounds good. Some people think instrumental music sounds good. For every genre there is, someone enjoys it.

A common complaint I hear

nowadays is “All [insert music genre] sounds the same!” I’ve said that about modern rap music, overusing the same trap beats again and again. I’ve heard that said about punk rock, my personal favorite, where musicians will use the same three or four chords and generic drum beats. I’ve heard people say the same about jazz, metal and choir music too. And yet, if people like any of these genres of music, they will defend to the death that their music is “real” or at the very least, good.

To elaborate further, here are two important ideas that have helped me grapple with the idea of “real music.”

“I don’t think there’s such a thing as real music, but there is such a thing as creative music.”

- a musician friend of mine “When you listen to a song, do you pay more attention to the music or the lyrics?” - my brother.

Now, I could get bogged

THE TIMES-DELPHIC The student newspaper for Drake University since 1884 EMMA BRUSTKERN Editor-in-Chief emma.brustkern@drake.edu JEFF INMAN, Faculty Advisor jeffrey.inman@drake.edu

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down into the entire philosophy of “What is creativity?” but that would take up the entire newspaper. As mentioned, a common criticism (whether right or wrong) posed against any genre of music is, “All [insert music genre] sounds the same!”

The idea of sameness implies that something is unoriginal or does not stand out in any way.

If you take a song like Bohemian Rhapsody, arguably one of the most creative and popular songs of all time, the instruments, mood and attitude is constantly shifting. This constant changing and being a “different” kind of song has helped Bohemian Rhapsody stand out for decades. Freddie Mercury, the lone writer of the song, is revered as a legend for penciling this Queen anthem and dozens of hits like it. Some people probably think another song like Bohemian Rhapsody will never be written again; the lyrics combined with the

amazing sound can never be replicated these days.

And that leads me into the next idea; do you pay more attention to the music or the lyrics?

There are thousands of people out there who would say a song saved their lives.

Whether that be the emotional instrumental part of the song, the lyrics, or both is for them to elaborate on. Many people who even remotely listen to music have at least one song or a particular song lyric that means a lot to them. There are so many songs across all genres of music that resonate with so many people; whether that be the music and lyrics of Tupac Shakur, Leonard Cohen, Coldplay, Shawn Mendes, Green Day or legitimately any other artist.

There are plenty of songs out there where I’ll say “I love the song, but the lyrics are terrible” or vice-versa. And there are

people who will vehemently disagree with me on that regarding a particular song.

Which is why I say there’s no such thing as real music.

At the end of the day, music is a subjective experience where listeners get something out of the song. Whether it be a deep, emotional tune, a funny song, or a song to jam out to, music has the power to move us in one way or another. Music I love, people hate. Music I hate, people love. And that’s okay.

Though there will always be debates over which genre or song is better, the important thing is, someone can enjoy what they are listening to in one way or another. Who cares if it’s repetitive or not creative enough? Of course, everybody gets snobby about their music taste in one way or another… but why trash something someone genuinely enjoys? And at the end of the day, that’s my subjective opinion.

The Times-Delphic is a student newspaper published weekly during the regular academic year and is produced by undergraduate students at Drake University. The opinions of staff editorials reflect the institutional opinion of the newspaper based on current staff opinions and the newspaper’s traditions. These opinions do not necessarily reflect those of individual employees of the paper, Drake University or members of the student body. All other opinions appearing throughout the paper are those of the author or artist named within the column or cartoon. The newsroom and business office of The Times-Delphic are located in Meredith Hall, Room 124. The Times-Delphic is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The editor-in-chief sits on the Board of Student Communications.

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