Feb. 24, 2021

THE TIMES-DELPHIC The weekly student newspaper of Drake University Vol. 140 | No. 12 | Feb. 24, 2021

FEATURES

SPORTS

COMMENTARY

Meet Indira Sheumaker, the Des Moines activist running for Des Moines City Council in Ward 1.

Drake is selling lottery tickets for the chance to attend the men’s basketball games.

Read more on page 4

Read more on page 5

Car accidents can remind us how fragile life is, other times they reminds you just how expensive cars are. For one writer his wreck did both.

Read more on page 8

Student senate votes against BSC budget cuts timesdelphic.com

DRAKE UNIVERSITY STUDENT SENATE voted 0-18 to reject the proposal to cut the Board of Student Communications budget by $22,000. PHOTO COURTESY OF DRAKE UNIVERSITY STUDENT SENATE Trish Richards Copy Editor patricia.richards@drake.edu

A proposal, which sought to decrease the Board of Student Communications budget by nearly 20 percent annually, failed on Thursday, Feb. 18 after it was unanimously voted down by Drake University Student Senate. The proposal was created by Vice President of Student Organizations Ian Klein, Student Body Treasurer Jacob Salazar and Student Body President Adam Koch.

According to the proposal, which was shared with the Board of Student Communications on Monday, Feb. 15, the current BSC budget is funded by a Media Fee currently set at $37.75 per student. This rate was implemented in 2019 and is set to be reevaluated in 2023, resulting in a total budget of $126,073 for the BSC this academic year.

The proposal then explained that the media fee is lumped into an annual Student Activities Fee that was incorrectly identified as $91. The Student Activities Fee is currently $178 annually, or $89 per semester. The proposal recommended cutting $7 from each student Media Fee, redistributing roughly $22,000 from the BSC budget to other Registered Student Organizations.

While initially disappointed to hear about the proposed cuts, senior Emilyn Crabbe, Editorin-Chief of the Drake Political Review, was hopeful that the changes might serve a greater

purpose.

“I thought, that’s a lot of money that we get, and I don’t know what it takes to run the entire university’s budget, so I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt,” Crabbe said. “But as I read on there was a lot in the proposal that felt half-baked.”

Crabbe grew more frustrated with the proposal after noticing inaccuracies in the data.

“I think it’s just appalling that this massive budget cut, nearly a 20 percent reduction in the BSC’s budget, is getting proposed on the basis of such inaccurate and incomplete information,” Crabbe said.

“This proposal demonstrates a lack of thoroughness that is really disappointing.”

“I hope that if you remember one thing from this week, it’s how many people showed up to support you and to tell you that the work that you’re doing matters.”

Crabbe said “the most jarring and confusing part” of the proposal was the implication that student employees working less than five hours per week should not be paid.

“They justify this argument by saying that there are students who will put five hours of work a week into other student organizations without getting paid, which to me feels very

dismissive of the professional development opportunities afforded to students working for one of the university’s student publications,” Crabbe said.

Crabbe was not alone in her concerns. SJMC Senator and BSC Co-Chair Carson Reichardt emphasized the impact a few hours of paid work can have on a college student.

“As a former student employee working for one of the publications, I can’t justify removing student pay, especially when they’re creating materials that are actively utilized by the university,” Reichardt said.

When asked for comment prior to the senate meeting, Student Body Treasurer Jacob Salazar sent a statement co-authored by Koch and Klein that further explained the motivations behind the proposal.

“There are 6 Drake publications that are student organizations, and together they are a part of the Board of Student Communications...

Unlike the other 130+ student organizations at Drake, these 6 student organizations automatically get a proportion of the Student Activity Fee,” the statement said. “These 6 student organizations do not go through the same rigorous annual process of requesting a budget as all other student organizations do…[and] have not had their budget cut in years.”

Associate Professor of Journalism and BSC Co-Chair Jeff Inman said that the BSC budget review system was designed this way for a reason.

“The BSC was intentionally organized as the only joint student/faculty committee on campus so that neither Student Senate nor Faculty Senate could have any undue influence on the student media that diligently covers both,” Inman said. “I appreciate Student Senate’s wish to oversee the six publications budgets, but to give them that control would allow them to defund a publication whose coverage they don’t agree with, and Drake University has had a long history of fair and accurate coverage of student government on campus. Any attempt to attack or defund that coverage is a disservice to all students on campus, who rely on student media for entertainment, information, and advocacy in holding student and faculty government, as well as the university administration, to account.”

Inman also explained that the BSC budget has been reduced by $21,000 since 2015, which directly contradicts the statement’s assertion that the organizations funded by the BSC “have not had their budget cut in years.”

“I would like to apologize to all the students that would have been affected by this motion if it would have passed and say that I will use my last few months in this position and on the BSC to support their voices.”

The senate meeting was widely attended, with more than 100 attendees present on the Zoom call. Students and alumni tuned in to make their voices heard on the issue. After over two hours of questions and discussion, the proposal failed in the senate.

“I think as student journalists, we should let this relight our fire and remind us why we are doing this in the first place,” Crabbe said. “To give students a voice, to give them a space to develop professionally, to encourage them to hold

their institutions to account, to inform the student body, and so much more.”

Drake Mag Editor-In-Chief Cheyann Neades shared similar sentiments.

“I’ve always known that student journalists are so dedicated, and this was a good reminder of that...” Neades said.

“The events of last week show that we support each other and the work we do and that we’ll stop at nothing to continue this important work.”

In order for the proposal to have taken effect, it would have to be approved by two out of the three governing bodies on campus–Student Senate, Faculty Senate, and the Board of Student Communications.

Following the senate meeting, the BSC also unanimously voted down the proposal.

In the days after the meeting, Salazar expressed his regret at how he handled the motion and thanked the BSC for their generosity and understanding.

“During the meeting there was a time when I had the realization that this motion proposed was completely against everything I ran my election platform on and that simply I was wrong to move forward with it,” Salazar said.

“I would like to apologize to all the students that would have been affected by this motion if it would have passed and say that I will use my last few months in this position and on the BSC to support their voices. I want to thank the BSC for allowing me to stay on the board and to learn and grow from the experience, even after offering my resignation, and hope they hold me accountable in my promise to support and grow from this.”

Reichardt also took the time to commend student journalists on their hard work and dedication to student media.

“I hope that if you remember one thing from this week, it’s how many people showed up to support you and to tell you that the work that you’re doing matters,” Reichardt said.

News Editor Emma Brustkern contributed to this reporting. The original article was published on Feb. 18 on timesdelphic.com.

Drake announces room and board fee increases for 2021-2022 Victoria Soliz Contributing Writer victoria.soliz@drake.edu

Drake University students received an email from President Marty Martin on Feb. 4, informing them that the room and board fees for the 2021-2022 school year will be raised by 1.2 percent.

Some students met this news with criticism.

“I don’t understand why they need to raise prices,” said firstyear student Cierra Krauss. “We already give them $50,000 a year, why do they need more?”

Associate Dean of Students Jerry Parker says increases like this are normal given the economic circumstances.

“Just as we see costs rise within our own households, so too does that occur within colleges and universities,” Parker said.

Parker, as well as the rest of

the university, has recognized how this can come as a shock to some students. However, Parker points out that increases are normal.

“This is one of the lowest room and board increases in the last 20 years at Drake.”

Krauss said this just isn’t enough.

“If I can’t leave campus next year, I’ll probably have to drop out,” Krauss said. “I can’t afford it, and I had to take out a private loan for this year and I won’t do that again, the interest rates are terrible.”

Students are expected to live on campus for at least two years before being able to live offcampus.

For students like Krauss, Parker said Drake is willing to work with them to figure out the best way to handle this.

This week, one such way was a stimulus check given to students in financial need provided by

the university.

The amount depends on how much financial need the student demonstrates. Krauss said she still has yet to receive hers.

“This is one of the lowest room and board increases in the last 20 years at Drake.”

“Our office of Student Financial Planning works with students to build their financial aid packages to account for room and board,” Parker said. “When we learn of specific student hardships, the university will work directly with the student to discuss potential financial aid options which can be a variation of scholarships, loans, and/or emergency assistance.”

Parker said he recognized

how hard price increases can be for students, especially with the current pandemic going on.

“As an administration, we are very aware of how the pandemic has caused many students and their families various financial hardships,” Parker said.

Parker also pointed out that while room and board

will be increasing, tuition will remain the same for students throughout their four years at Drake University.

“It is a testament to the University’s extreme diligence and commitment to fiscal responsibility that allows us to keep these costs near to where they were for our students this year,” Parker said.

COST OF ROOM for 2021-2022 is $3,080 for a double, triple or quad room, $38 more than it was for the 2020-2021 school year.

DRAKE UNIVERSITY 2021-2022 SUMMARY OF TUITION PAGE

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NEWS

News

Feb. 24, 2021 | Page 2

public safety investigates stolen catalytic converters Andrew Kennard Staff Writer andrew.kennard@drake.edu

At first, Madelynn Aeilts thought the cold might be the problem.

It was the first week of the new semester at Drake University, and she was about to take her broken laptop into a repair shop. She repeatedly turned her car on and off, but the engine continued to make a noise that she described as “completely wrong” and similar to the sound of a lawn mower.

Two days later, Aeilts took her car to an auto repair shop and was told that her car’s catalytic converter had been stolen.

“Basically, someone went underneath my car and sawed it right off,” said Aeilts, who is a pre-pharmacy student at Drake.

Scott Law, the Drake University Executive Director of Public Safety, sent a campus-wide email on the morning of Feb. 4 that informed recipients of “several reports” of catalytic converter thefts in the previous 24 hours. Law later said that Public Safety has received five reports of stolen converters recently.

“During my time here, I think we’ve had like, you know one report here, one report there, but this is the

first time we’ve had any type of number of thefts all at one time,” Law said.

Law said that it only takes about three or four minutes maximum for someone to steal a catalytic converter.

“It looks like they’re seeing a car, seeing that no one’s there for a little while, and taking advantage of the ability to get in and out quickly,” Law said of the thieves.

Law said that the cost of a catalytic converter can range from $500 to $1000, and he said that catalytic converter theft is a citywide, statewide and nationwide problem.

He named two reasons why thieves have targeted catalytic converters.

“One is, they have a number of precious metals inside of them that helps to clean the exhaust as it goes through the car, as it’s released, so the precious metals have a high value,” Law said. “So that’s one reason. Sometimes they’re also stolen, however, for, to be sold to chop shops or other shops for cars that have damaged catalytic converters for replacement.”

Law said that in response to the recent thefts, Public Safety has redeployed Des Moines Police Department officers who work for them in the evenings to increase the police presence in residential parking lots. He called it an attempt to be “omnipresent,” and he also said that the

number of cameras in these parking lots has been increased.

Drake pharmacy student Sarah Hennessey said that she has noticed the increased presence.

“Since it’s happened, I would say I see maybe one Public Safety vehicle roaming around campus, and then one or two parked in the parking lots, which is nice,” Hennessey said.

According to Law, the thefts that were reported to Public Safety occurred in Drake parking lots where students are allowed to leave their cars overnight.

Not all of the thefts took place on campus. Hennessey said that several catalytic converters, including her own, were stolen from cars at properties owned by her landlord on the same night in late January. Hennessey lives in an apartment building on 34th Street, and she said that the other properties are on or near 34th Street.

“We do regularly patrol 34th Street, but obviously we don’t get down 34th Street as much as we get through our own parking lots,” Law said.

Kaili Miller, a junior at Drake, had her catalytic converter stolen early in the fall semester. She lives at the Alpha Phi sorority house on 34th Street.

“They know my car. They know I probably got the parts

DRAKE PARKING LOTS and surrounding areas have recently been targeted by individuals looking to steal catalytic converters. PHOTO BY ALLYN BENKOWICH | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

replaced. They, you know, are smart enough to do it again,” Miller said of the theft.

To lower the risk of having your catalytic converter stolen, Law recommends parking in well-lit areas, checking on your car at irregular intervals and seeking the advice of your insurance company and mechanic.

Law urged students not to physically intervene if they see somethings suspicious, but rather to call Public Safety immediately.

Law stressed the importance of the Drake community providing assistance to Public Safety by reporting suspicious activity in parking lots.

“You could be preventing either yourself or someone you know from being the victim of this type of crime,” Law said. “I like to say all the time, there’s about 23, 24 [pairs of] eyes in the Public Safety Department, but with the help of our faculty, students, and staff, we have over 5000 [pairs of] eyes on campus.”

Students can report concerns to Public Safety by calling 515-271-3860 or by sending an email to scott.law@drake.edu.

The emergency number for Public Safety is 811 when the caller is on campus and 515-271-2222 when the caller is off campus.

February brings severe winter weather, negative temperatures

THE GRAPH ABOVE compares the highest temperature and lowest temperature recorded in the month of February from the past five years. Lows below zero are not unusual, but this has been the coldest February of the last five years, with a low of -17 degrees. GRAPHICS BY MEGAN NEWMAN | STAFF WRITER Megan Newman Staff Writer megan.newman@drake.edu

February 2021 has been a cold and brutal month for many across the Midwest, with temperatures frequently below zero.

While low temperatures themselves are not abnormal for February, temperatures are on average slightly higher, and last for a less extended period of time.

The graph above compares the highest temperature and the lowest temperature recorded in the month of February from the last five years. The graph shows while lows below zero are not unusual, this February has been the coldest of the last five years and that the temperatures have not gotten as high as usual throughout the month.

February 2021 has the highest number of days with a low below zero according to the graph above.

The data shows the average from years prior is anywhere between zero to three days. 2021 shatters that with 11 days, over a third of the entire month, spent with

a low below zero. The 11 days spent under zero took place over a 12 day span.

Temperatures this low are caused by fluctuations in the jet stream, bringing cold air south.

“What we’ve seen is that the jet stream has dipped a lot further south, and that has allowed cold air from the arctic regions of Canada to move down into the central part of the United States,” Craig Colig, a senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said.

Colig also noted the winter started off slightly above average in temperature.

This winter, each month has gotten colder but neither December or January quite compare to February. The average temperature for December was 29 degrees.

The average temperature for January was 26 degrees.

The average temperature for February as of February 18, is only six degrees.

The extreme winter weather seen in Iowa over February 2021 is a direct result of climate change.

“One of the major impacts of warming caused by greenhouse gases is that

it warms the poles faster than it warms the tropics (because greenhouse gases keep heat from leaving),” David Courard-Hauri, chair of Environmental Science and Sustainability at Drake, said. “That means that the temperature difference between us and the air to our north is less than usual, which weakens the jet stream and allows it to meander a lot more than it used to.

However, even with climate change, it’s really cold in the arctic winter, so as that jet stream meanders, it will often bring that really cold air down with it, while at the same time bringing warm air up into the arctic somewhere else.”

February’s weather was almost record breaking.

The coldest recorded day of February 2021 so far is February 16 with a recorded low of -17 and a recorded high of 6.

The data above shows those temperatures in contrast to the record high and low of February 16. The record high was 66 degrees on February 16, 1981. The record low was -19 degrees on February 16, 1958, only 2 degrees away from the low in 2021.

“We have received an inordinate amount of snow this year… we get help from many departments in facilities with snow, however, now that students are back, the custodial team is focused on sanitizing for covid so we are trying to keep up in that regard,” said Patrick Williams, ground supervisor for Drake facilities.

With temperatures below zero, the term ‘polar vortex’ is often thrown around in the United States. Colig explained that the polar vortex is something that is always in the amosphere.

“It’s usually up around the North Pole but sometimes it will move away from the North Pole,” Colig said. “And what we saw with this movement towards the south across Canada, and as that polar vortex moved down through Canada, it also forces the jetstream to move further south across the North American continent.”

This results in arctic temperatures in places where they do not typically occur.

Brett Lovelady, the Drake facilities HVAC foreman, offered some advice to Drake students to deal with the

frigid temperatures.

“I think students could prepare best by dressing according to the weather and wearing proper coats and footwear when going outside even if it’s just to run to another building that’s close,” Lovelady said. “A coat, hat, gloves, and snow boots are a must for the brutal conditions Iowa winters can bring.”

He offered some advice specific to on campus residents.

“And as far as dorms go, keeping windows closed and blinds where available to keep an extra barrier between the glass and living space,” Lovelady said. “The rooms with window air conditioners, I’ve seen students place a towel over the unit to help insulate it from the abnormally low temps like we saw last week. If a student notices any gaps around their AC units or feel a draft, they should contact their RA and have a work order submitted for one of our team members to address the issue.”

All data used in this story can be found at https://www. weather.gov/dmx/cliplotnew

FEATURES

Features

Feb. 24, 2021 | Page 3

Basketball for a cause Annual Pink Out game adapts to COVID precautions Cassandra Schoene Staff Writer cassandra.schoene@drake.edu

Drake Women’s Basketball took home a special win in the Feb. 12 “Pink Out” game against Southern Illinois University.

“A win always feels great, but when the focus is on something way bigger than basketball it makes that win even more special,” senior basketball player Mya Mertz said. “Pink games are my favorite games because the atmosphere of the Knapp Center is so cool. Everybody is there for a bigger reason and seeing that many people come together to honor and show love to these fighters is amazing.”

The “Pink Out” game honors breast cancer survivors, those who are currently battling breast cancer and those who have passed away from breast cancer.

“I’m sure everyone probably knows someone who has been affected by breast cancer,” senior cheerleader Megan Vorhies said. “For me personally, the Pink Out game is especially important because my mom battled breast cancer a few years ago, so my mom is a breast cancer survivor.”

Many of the players feel the significance of the game on the court while they play.

“The importance of the game does impact how we play because we want to be a source of genuine joy for 40 minutes,” Mertz said.

“We want these inspirational people to feel honored and loved through what we do on the court.”

The “Pink Out” game allows both teams and their fans to put aside the competition for a moment and

support something important together in “more of a unified community atmosphere,” according to Vorhies.

“I think cheering at Pink Out makes me feel even more proud to represent the Bulldogs,” Vorhies said.

The fans loved the atmosphere as well. For some fans, like first-year student Axel Gallegos, this game was even more special since it was his first time at a game.

“For me personally, the Pink Out game is especially important because my mom battled breast cancer a few years ago, so my mom is a breast cancer survivor.”

“It was my first time being on campus, thus the first time I was able to see the game in person,” Gallegos said. “I went with friends and it was a positive experience overall and I loved seeing the Drake community come together to support this cause.”

Because of the COVID restrictions, the “Pink Out” game wasn’t like the years before. There were less fans in the stands and instead of a guest speaker, there was a video presentation.

“I thought that the breast cancer awareness presentation was very important and special for showing that the basketball team and the Drake community supports those who have battled or are battling breast cancer,” Vorhies said. “I am glad that they were still able to recognize those who have

FORMING a breast cancer awareness ribbon with their pompoms, Drake cheerleaders prepare for the Pink Out game Feb. 12 . PHOTO BY HOLLY SCHROEDER

battled breast cancer even though they were not able to walk out onto the court.”

That said, some also felt like the video presentation wasn’t as powerful as the inperson presentations of years past.

“I think that it was a little bit less emotional with the

video than it normally is with people walking onto the court because a lot of us usually cry when the survivors walked out onto the court,” Vorhies said.

Either way, the Pink Out game is still very special to the Drake community.

“It gives us an opportunity to shed light on such an

important cause,” Mertz said. “We feel so blessed to honor those who fought and continue to fight. Being able to provide a source of joy for men and women going through tough times is incredibly special and definitely not something we take lightly.”

Drake alum shares career, life after graduation Charleigh Reinardy Staff Writer charleigh.reinardy@drake.edu

AN INTEREST in marketing and the Des Moines community led Drake alum Giada Morresi to take a position at DART after graduation. PHOTO COURTESY OF GIADA MORRESI

Drake University class of 2020 graduate Giada Morresi chose to attend Drake to pursue the multiple political opportunities offered on campus and in the Des Moines area.

Morresi, who majored in both strategic political communication and international relations, grew up in Des Plaines, Illinois and was ready for a change when she moved to Iowa in search of a lively and diverse political culture.

“Drake attracts candidates and news groups each election cycle and there’s many ways to get involved,” Morresi said.

During her time at Drake, Morresi held seven different internships, including a Mobility & Marketing Intern for DART, an Administrative Intern for the Drake University Office of the President and a Visitor Experience Intern for the Chicago Department of

Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

“I found these internships online through different websites and resources,” Morresi said. “I didn’t receive any sort of training or guidance from [The College of Arts & Sciences], so I had to seek out these opportunities for myself.”

“Advocate for change in effective and constructive ways. It’s easy to complain and become frustrated.

It’s harder to do something about it. Channel your energy into making a difference.”

Morresi served on both the Student Senate and the Student Activities Board.

“My favorite memory was the work I did on the Student Activities Board and the Student Senate,” Morresi said. “I was involved

in numerous projects and events and was able to see many initiatives through to completion.”

These experiences helped Morresi develop the leadership skills necessary to take charge and get things done.

“Advocate for change in effective and constructive ways,” Morresi said. “It’s easy to complain and become frustrated. It’s harder to do something about it. Channel your energy into making a difference.”

Thanks to all the hard work Morresi put in during her time at Drake, she landed a job as the Marketing and Communications Coordinator position at DART. “This position is a combination of my interests: Des Moines, urban planning, equity-focused work, marketing and events,” Morresi said.

In her free time, Morresi also works for a local nonprofit organization where she handles marketing.

FEATURES

Features

Feb. 24, 2021 | Page 4

A conversation with Indira Sheumaker Activist-turned-candidate talks about historic run for city council Reyna Auyon-Escobar Contributing Writer reyna.auyon-escobar@drake.edu

After announcing her run for the Des Moines city council on Feb. 9, Indira Sheumaker launched her campaign Feb. 12, with the endorsement of Iowa House Representative Ras Smith and activist Joe Henry, President of the oldest and biggest Hispanic civil rights organization, League of United Latin American Citizens. Indira Sheumaker discussed with what motivated her to run for Ward One city council seat, the main issues she’s running on and her activism work in the community.

Reyna Auyon-Escobar: Why have you decided to run for city council?

Indira Sheumaker: Well, I’m from Des Moines, born and raised. I’ve lived in the same house in the Merle neighborhood since I was one year old. I started organizing around city council meetings and racial justice, with the Des Moines BLM (Black Liberation Movement). I started organizing this summer. When we were out protesting, we had a lot of older community leaders, coming in and telling us essentially to not protest, knowing we were protesting but to go and be at the table, and go through the official channels, pushing us towards City Council meetings. So I attended my first City Council meeting June 8, that was the first time they were considering the racial profiling ban. I attended on June 22 as well, when [the City Council] passed their version of the racial profiling ban.

I was also at the protest downtown where people got kettled, beaten, and pepper sprayed, the same day that [the City Council] passed the racial profiling ban. I wasn’t downtown but I was there for the first half of that and then got separated. So I pretty much, I’ve seen since the beginning, how they aren’t really interested in making any substantial changes. I’ve seen how they aren’t interested in the democratic processes, in hearing from the people and so pretty early on, I was talking to my sister, and were saying that ward 1 is up for re-election, that’s where we live and saying that I should run. I immediately wanted to find a way to build infrastructure for people to be able to reach their City Council people and be able to have input that they should have in the democratic processes in this city. Through some research I found the process of people’s council, essentially. So with that, it solidified my decision to run, that I wanted to run on building people’s councils. Essentially building dual power for the people of Des Moines, to be able to organize and come together and go to their city council person, who would then have to do essentially what the people say.

You would have the majority or half of the ward community who is engaged, coming in saying this is what we want.

You can’t sit there and say you speak for the people of ward 1, if you’re ignoring them. So overall with that, I decided to run, the decision was made in December and we’ve been organizing since then and launched this month.

Q: You’re running for a seat on the Des Moines city council, if you were to win, you would be the second BIPOC to ever hold a seat on the council. You have said the council does not reflect the people they serve, what would a woman such as yourself, mean for the future of Des Moines?

A: There definitely hasn’t been enough. Our current city council, we have a group of seven people, who are older, whiter, and richer than the majority of Des Moines, specifically in Ward One. We’ve got I think the most diversity in the city, in Ward One. I know definitely in my high school, I went to Hoover High School, it’s the most diverse high school in the state.

That’s what I grew up in and right now

INDIRA SHEUMAKER would be only the second BIPOC to serve on the Des Moines City Council. PHOTO COURTESY OF INDIRA FOR CITY COUNCIL TWITTER

we have a council person, who lives in Beaverdale, who’s retired and I think, 70 years old, a white man, who lives comfortably in Beaverdale and it’s just not reflective of the rest of the ward. We have a diverse population of refugees and immigrant populations, we’ve got a lot of Black and Hispanic population, South Asian population, a much younger population and it’s just not reflected. I think that it can be seen as a symbolic thing I suppose, but I think it’s not as symbolic as it is, just the fact that our current council is out of touch with the people they claim to represent. In getting one bit of representation on the council is not going to solve everything but creating a system where people can speak for themselves, where people can make decisions that affect them, is going to be a lot more powerful than just hoping and trying to get a representative city council because the system is not set up to listen to the people.

Q: You’re also not the first person of color to run or the first person to run due to the council’s actions or inactions. Do you think this time around things are different? That you’ll succeed in your run?

A: Yeah, I do. I think that it’s a very different game because a lot more people are paying attention. I think in general, across the country, a lot more people are paying attention to their city councils and mayors, because of the nature of the demands from the protests. These fall onto city councils and so people have come to realize that “oh that’s a thing.” That it’s actually a lot closer and I think I had the same experience. I didn’t realize how accessible my city council was, I didn’t think about the fact that these are people who just live down the street from me. They live in my city, they’re not like these high profile, hard to reach types of people and I think it’s a place where regular people can have a handle on what’s going on and they try to resist that as much as they can. Unfortunately, it’s just a lot more accessible when you can find their phone number and call them. They don’t always answer, people know where they live, people are their neighbors, so I think a lot of people are coming into that realization. I think that, with the issues that people are concerned with right now, the issues coming into the public sphere, thanks to the protests, and the organizing of black activists across the country, this is something that they care about a lot more. So on top of that, just the general change of the public opinion about things, we also plan to take a strategy that’s non traditional. Literally just reaching out to underrepresented communities because pretty much the only people who decide the Ward One City Council race, are in Beaverdale. We are a much bigger ward than that and we are a much more diverse ward and there’s a lot of people who are just ignored.

Who are kept out of these spaces, these spaces have been inaccessible for them so we want to reach out to those spaces and that’s why I think it’s going to be different. I think it’s going to be different because we are actively reaching out to underrepresented areas and trying to get new voters, people who don’t have a voice.

Q: In your campaign announcement released last Tuesday, you touched on

four main issues that you’re running on. Can you describe what your plan to defund the police would look like?

A: Defunding the police, I think is largely misunderstood as being the same as getting rid of public safety which it is not. The police don’t keep us safe, that’s just a fact, they’re actually not required to. What we want to do essentially is to take away funding from the police, take away services that we don’t need and to build up communities to be able to handle everyday problems themselves. The police aren’t solving these problems, they’re often more frequently making social problems worse, so we’re criminalizing homelessness or houselessness. You’re not creating a space where somebody can better their lives, you’re not creating a space where somebody can have the resources they need to achieve things in their lives or to be a member of their society.

In fact you’re removing them from their communities and society and putting them into the criminal justice system, where you’re creating further criminalization down the line. It’s just the fact that we don’t have a system in place, a public system in place, that improves any kind of outcomes. What we want to do is take money from the police and start funding things like housing, mental health, and food insecurity, essentially everything that people need to survive, to succeed, to be safe and comfortable, we want to be funding those things and taking away the harmful institutions that we have like the police.

Q: In your last point, you stated that you feel the city of Des Moines is not using the funds appropriately, and that they’re only listening to people that have money. You just touched on, that you want to redistribute that money into housing for the homelessness, and food deserts in the city. How would you go about implementing such policies? Would you need to have more representatives run for you to be able to get such policies done on City Council?

A: That’s the situation that we’re running into right now. We have an election that is for three out of seven seats and even if we all three seats, of people who are wanting to do initiatives like these, we would still have a blockade in City Council. The way that I see it is, it really depends on the other members of City Council.

I think that we have some people on there, who aren’t interested in listening to the people but if you were to get some pressure in that room, they may be persuaded to go for some more initiatives that are helpful to people.

Especially if you got a strong public narrative and public push, it would look very bad if you didn’t support something like housing people, or if you didn’t support something like feeding people. It depends on the members of the City Council if they want to be a blockade or if they want to participate because I can’t anticipate them essentially deciding that they don’t want to work with me because of the activism I’ve been doing over the last seven to eight months. I think that would look a lot worse for them than it would for me, I think that if they’re blocking initiatives that help Des Moines, it’s not going to go over very well so I can see a lot of these initiatives going through if they are

willing to take that perspective and prioritize the voice of the people of Des Moines. If we can get those voices a little bit louder.

Q: So you are expecting pushback from City Council and police members on your policies, if you do get elected?

A: We’ve already gotten pushback from them just through the work that we’ve been doing and organizing.

We’ve been advocating for these causes already and I’m walking into a space that I’ve been working in already. We’ve been advocating for these causes and trying to get them to even make a statement about the police violence that happened this summer. We’ve been trying to get them to make a statement about the evictions of homeless camps that they’ve been doing consistently and they constantly push it under the rug.

I think that they’re very resistant to wanting to address these issues but I think if we get into the space, if we have someone on the City Council who is advocating for these things and not easily able to shutdown, these conversations have to start happening.

I think just by the fact that these conversations are going to happen in a space that they can’t avoid, will change a lot of the narrative around that and how they think they’re allowed to behave. I expect push back on things like defunding the police but I also have a lot of faith in our community that has been organizing around this for months, even organizations like CCCI who have been organizing around this for years so I already think we have progress that’s in place and that we definitely have opportunities to continue on that momentum.

Q: On your activism work, on July 1, 2020, you were arrested during the state capitol protest. According to the Des Moines register you were wanted by the Des Moines Police for criminal mischief, for a different protest that occurred at a Hy-Vee in south Des Moines on June 20, 2020. During the state capitol protest, you supposedly jumped on the officer attempting to arrest Matthew Bruce, and that you put the officer in a “rear choke hold” and squeezed his throat. Do you expect to receive backlash from voters who like your other running points but see these actions as contradictory to the police in their violence?

A: This is something I have to be careful in talking about because it’s an ongoing thing. I can’t really talk much about it. The charges are public, they have decided what to charge me with and I think there are certain people who didn’t like what was going on with the protests this summer. People are allowed to have their own opinions. I think there are people who feel strongly about how things should be done and who receive certain narratives. I think there are other people who can kind of see the institutions in place and how they operate and will feel differently.

I expect everyone to have their own opinion and there’s not much I can talk about at this time until it’s all settled but everyone is going to have their own opinion on how they want to receive that information.

The City Council general elections will be held Nov. 2, 2021.

SPORTS

Sports

Feb. 24, 2021 | Page 5

Buying tickets for chance to catch a game Knapp Center sells lotto tickets for basketball viewings

Emily Godsey Sports Editor emily.godsey@drake.edu

Due to an abundance of COVID-19 caution, Drake University began selling lottery tickets for men’s basketball games at the Knapp Center at the beginning of the semester, leading to growing concerns based on the impact on the atmosphere and health surrounding the recordbreaking team.

The men’s basketball team is regarded as one of the strongest in the Missouri Valley Conference, and the 2020-2021 season has proven to be no different– they started their season with an 18-game win streak.

In the interest of keeping players and fans safe, the Knapp Center has not been as crowded as usual, leading to questions about whether the lack of an enthusiastic and physically present audience has hindered the team’s ability to play.

Despite limited seating, fans are showing their support

for the team in several ways, from participating in the seating lottery system to cheerleaders masking up and cheering during games.

While the process of purchasing tickets and attending basketball games has changed drastically, firstyear Alyssa Overlin was able to enjoy a game via lottery tickets.

“The crowd isn’t easily engaged, so our cheers sometimes fall flat.”

“One of my friends on campus heard about a raffle that Drake was doing for basketball tickets, so we figured we would try to win,” Overlin said. “We ended up getting them, which was super exciting! We didn’t expect anything to come out of it, but we were really happy to be able to go to a game.”

As a first year student in

SOCIALLY DISTANCED CHEERLEADERS SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE BULLDOGS AT THE KNAPP CENTER. Men’s Basketball faced Evansville on Feb. 21, beating them 85-71 in front of fans sat in pod seats. PHOTO COURTESY OF DRAKE ATHLETICS

the pandemic era, Overlin has missed many events that are emphasized and highlighted by upper class students and college graduates. She said being able to attend a game provided her with “a sense of normalcy”.

“Even though the

THE DRAKE BASKETBALL TEAM plays several games a week during the month of February.

GRAPHIC BY EMILY GODSEY

circumstances are quite different compared to a normal year, it is still really important to have fun and show some school spirit,” Overlin said.

If anyone knows about school spirit, it is sophomore cheerleader Emma Brisbois.

Brisbois has been cheerleading since she was little, and since becoming a Bulldog she has had the opportunity to cheer for men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball. Brisbois said she has noticed a definite change in the atmosphere at basketball games.

“It’s definitely quieter! The atmosphere is a little stale because of the lack of people,” she said. “The crowd isn’t easily engaged, so our cheers sometimes fall flat.”

Though this issue has been ongoing for the cheer team, she said that the most important thing is that “the university is taking COVID-19 precautions seriously,” rather than allowing things to go completely back to normal.

While Overlin and Brisbois may have been on different sides of the Knapp Center during games, they seem to be on the same side when it comes to keeping the Drake University community safe and healthy.

“I felt very safe while attending the game,” Overlin said, recounting her experience. “Everyone was social-distancing and wearing masks, which was reassuring to see.”

On the other side of the court, Brisbois is feeling less reassured.

“With students being at games and eating in their pods, taking off their masks or not wearing them properly, it’s hard for me to feel completely safe,” Brisbos said. “A part of me wishes they would limit the audience more.”

Despite the circumstances, the Drake men’s basketball team has soared to historic heights this season. For more information, visit gobulldogs. com.

SPORTS

Sports

Feb. 24, 2021 | Page 6

Serving up the action Women’s tennis begins new season Darinka Stepan Contributing Writer darinka.stepan@drake.edu

Drake women’s tennis arrived on campus Jan. 15 to start training for their season.

This past weekend women’s tennis competed in another home match against South Dakota. Prior to this match Drake women’s tennis record was 0-1 and South Dakota’s was 1-1.

The Bulldogs had a quick start to the match after winning all three doubles matches. Seniors Liza Petushkova and Maria Tatarnikova played doubles one and won 6-4.

“I am super happy about the way that the team played this weekend,” Petushkova said. “It was a great feeling to be able to clinch the doubles point.”

At doubles, senior Megan Webb and junior Kelsey Neville got the job done with a score of 6-3.

First-year Ines Stephani and her partner took the court for the first time at doubles three and got a win under their belt with a 6-4 win.

The Bulldogs went into singles with a 1-0 lead.

Stephani was the first singles match to get a point for the Bulldogs after winning

her match 6-4, 6-0 at fourth singles. Junior Daria Walczak, second singles, won her match to bring home a point for the Bulldogs. At third singles Walczak won her match 6-3, 6-2.

“It was great to be able to compete for the first time and be able to play both doubles and singles,” Stephani said.

“I loved the team atmosphere throughout the whole match.

Being able to win both of my matches on Saturday as well as winning as a team was amazing.”

Stephani was not the only one excited for a chance to compete again.

“I really enjoyed the chance to be able to play again, since our season last semester got cut short due to COVID,” Walczak said. “It was also great to be able to get a win at home.”

Women’s tennis is not allowed spectators during their home matches. There is a live stream available for fans to watch, but Neville feels that it just isn’t the same.

“I really enjoyed competing again this weekend and winning, although the atmosphere was a little different,” Neville said. “I enjoyed having fans there before, because there was a different kind of energy during the matches. Not

WOMEN’S TENNIS EXCITED TO GET BACK ON THE COURT FOR THE START OF THE SEASON. While having to adjust to COVID-19 regulations, the lady Bulldogs were able to beat South Dakota University at home. The team’s season being cut short last season, they are more than ready to start competing again. PHOTO COURTESY OF DRAKE ATHLETICS

having fans now is something different that we have to get used to. I understand that Drake is trying to keep us safe while competing, so we have the opportunity to have a season. Can’t wait for the

chance when we are able to have fans again!”

Not having fans was not the only adjustment that women’s tennis had for their matches now because of COVID-19. Once they are

done competing, players are no longer allowed to stay on the courts to cheer on their teammates–they have to go to the bleachers above the courts.

Women’s Tennis faces off against Colorado State University

THE BULLDOGS HAD THE HOME COURT ADVANTAGE AGAINST CSU THIS PAST WEEKEND. Drake was able to best Colorado State in a full singles and doubles match. This was the first match of the season that allowed spectators. (Photo taken before COVID-19). PHOTO COURTESY OF DRAKE ATHLETICS Darinka Stepan Contributing Writer darinka.stepan@drake.edu

After competing against both Kansas State and Wichita State, Drake women’s tennis got to work preparing for this past weekend’s home game against Colorado State University.

Coming into this match, Drake had a record of 1-3 while Colorado states was 1-0. Maria Tatarnikova and Liza Petushkova played 1st doubles and won their set 6-2. Darinka Stepan and Ines Stephani won their doubles

set 6-2 at third doubles.

“Being able to clinch my first doubles point with Darinka was really fun,” Stephani said. “I’m glad we could get the job done and get the point for the team.”

Kelsey Neville and Megan Webb lost their doubles set 6-2. After being up 1-0, the Bulldogs captured another point by senior Petushkova at 1st singles. Petushkova won her match 6-2, 6-3.

“I thought this was a great team match for everyone, the energy was great, and everyone was competing really hard,” Petushkova said.

First-year Stephani won

her match 6-2, 6-4 at singles four.

“I love being able to compete at home,” Stephani said. “It’s a great feeling to get a win here. I think the team did a great job this weekend, I’m looking forward to many more duels against other schools.”

Senior Tatarnikova clinched the match 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 at number three singles.

“I think everyone played great this match,” Tatarnikova said. “I was super happy with being able to clinch my first match of the season. I can’t wait for more opportunities throughout the

rest of our season.”

Junior Neville won her match 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 at five singles.

“It was really fun to get out and compete once again and be back at home for this match,” Neville said.

“Another perk was being able to have the men’s tennis team there supporting us in person. I think the support and energy that they brought really helped the team get another win this weekend.”

Junior Daria Walczak got the job done at two singles with a tough three setter 3-6, 6-3, 10-3.

“I really enjoyed being

able to get back on the court and compete again,” Walczak said. “It was a great feeling that we were able to win 7-0 at home.”

This was the first women’s tennis match to allow spectators–specifically, the men’s tennis team–since the pandemic began. Now 2-3, women’s tennis has two more home matches next weekend.

Their first match is Friday, Feb. 26 against Omaha and Sunday, Feb. 28 against Grand Canyon.

For match line up and score updates, follow @ drakewtennis on Instagram.

COMMENTARY

Commentary

Feb. 24, 2021 | Page 7

Welcome to class: Savings 101

FINANCIAL MATTERS are an important aspect of adult life; one step to take toward successfully managing money is researching how to save funds.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MATHIEU STERN ON UNSPLASH

Emily Hanna Business Manager emily.hanna@drake.edu

Hello and welcome to Savings 101! Whether this is your first time educating yourself on how to start saving or your ninth, we are glad you are here. Making an initiative to start saving money is a responsible and important step in your financial journey.

There are sometimes times in which it might be confusing whether or not you should be saving. One of them is the scary dark word, debt.

Every situation is different.

If you have a low-interest rate and do not have money in your savings, have a 401k, it is recommended to start saving.

It is important to have savings in case of an emergency.

Bankrate recommends

having 3-6 months’ worth of expenses in an emergency fund. When balancing savings and debt, the ideal is a mix of both saving money and paying off debt.

If you are new to the world of money and savings, you might be looking at the best bank to keep your money.

The first decision to make is where to keep your money.

Credit unions are nonprofit organizations that reinvest in their customers through lower rates or fees. Bigger banks, also known as Brick-andMortar, have more resources such as multiple ATM’s, drivethrus, and online banking availability. Online banks have competitive yields and minimal fees though do not have physical locations.

If you choose to use a bigger bank, Bankrate compiles

the best bonuses through different banks. These signup bonuses can change and might have some fine print associated with it. Read the information, but also benefit from the rewards!

When you start saving, there are a few tips to help your savings account stay vibrant and accruing. Budget your money. It is easy to swipe a card or hand over a $20, though many can slip through our fingers easily. Have an emergency fund.

As mentioned earlier, you never know when something may happen. Having a rainy day fund is helpful to make sure you do not drain your savings when something goes bad. Continue to add to your savings. Section part of your paycheck to go straight to savings.

Big Time Ranked

SAVING MONEY can be a benefit of learning to properly manage finances. PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL LONGMIRE ON UNSPLASH

The top ten Big Time Rush songs Taryn Ripple Managing Editor taryn.ripple@drake.edu

If you’re a late ’90s-early 2000s baby, you probably watched your fair share of Nickelodeon shows as a preteen and teenager. One of my personal favorite Nick shows was the instant classic Big Time Rush. If you’ve never attended a middle school dance that blasted “Windows Down” multiple times throughout the night, then I don’t even know what to say to you.

Anyway, as of late my roommates and I have taken to rewatching this exemplar serial during quarantine, and it has reminded me of how many absolute bangers this group released in its heyday.

It was an extremely difficult process, but here are my top ten BTR songs, ranked.

10. Any Kind of Guy Listen, this isn’t a bad song. It’s just definitely not BTR’s strongest. The only memorable part in my mind is the chorus, and even that isn’t catchy enough for me to tap my toes to. Come on, guys.

9. City is Ours “City is Ours” has strong

lyrics and an uplifting message, but it’s not the absolute best song to blast in the car and it’s certainly nothing to write home about.

Bonus points for being a song that’s not about romantically pursuing someone, though.

8. Boyfriend Another song that’s good, but not great. This one ranks above “Any Kind of Guy” in the romance department since it actually has catchy lyrics throughout, not just the refrain. Although sometimes I confuse this one with Justin Bieber’s popular ballad of the same name, which just makes me all kinds of perplexed.

7. Famous I feel like “Famous” deserves a shoutout since it’s the first song the group sang in the pilot episode, if I recall correctly. And it’s a great song to kick off the series since it lyrically outlines everything BTR as a group stands for!

We love musically expositing our goals.

6. Windows Down I’ll level with you here, the only reason this song isn’t lower on the list is pure sentiment and nostalgia. I have very strong memories associated with hearing

“Windows Down” blasted at a school dance in 2013 and absolutely tearing up the floor with my friends. Simpler times, simpler times.

5. Big Night I completely forgot about this song until I rewatched the series, and I am completely ashamed of myself for it. Absolute gem of a composition. No thoughts, head empty, just vibes and “Big Night” by BTR. 4. Big Time Rush As the titular theme song of the show, of course this song deserves a decent spot in the ranking. It’s not quite strong enough to make it into my top three, but that legendary opening line of “Ah ah ahah oh…..” instills a joy in me that I can’t quite describe.

3. Halfway There Oh boy. This song makes me all kinds of emotional. It’s hopeful, it’s inspirational, it’s got a groove that you can’t help but tap your feet to; it’s, in a word, delightful.

2. Worldwide For the music video and choreography alone, “Worldwide” has well earned its spot in the top three.

Plus, every word of the song

BIG TIME RUSH ran on Nickelodeon from 2009-2013 for a four-season stint. PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON

is absolute Lyrical Genius.

Excuse me, I’m gonna go listen to it right now.

1. Til I Forget About You What. A. Banger. And a breakup ballad for the ages to boot! From the opening lines to the very end, this

song has me sentimental for a relationship that never actually existed and I don’t trust you if you can’t scream every word of it. It certainly deserves the number one spot on this list and in my heart.

Commentary

COMMENTARY

Feb. 24, 2021 | Page 8

Mom-suburban versus Nissan

Car accident sends one writer on ride of shame Colin Frier Staff Writer colin.frier@drake.edu

Over winter break, I was in a car accident. Not to worry, though— everyone made it out alive, save for my car, which got about as busted up as a prop car in a Michael Bay movie. I want to make it clear from the outset that this article is anything but a pity party. After all, as The Fortunes once said, “You’ve got your troubles, I’ve got mine.”

Thing is, we humans don’t really know how we’re going to react to these kinds of things until it hits us square in the face like a gong mallet, a feeling akin to being completely in the dark prior to a Great Clips haircut. Tragedy is a peculiar subject, because in reality, your life is a coin flip away from total devastation, an Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassination away from downright catastrophe.

How about that for a haunting thought to accompany your breakfast.

Still, the more I’ve thought about it, being handed this news puts my dusty duel into perspective— that is, my incessant complaints about my dorm room being snowed in with dust.

When I collided with the mom-suburban, I sat there for a moment in utter shock, immobile, as if I had just seen my high school chemistry teacher in Walmart.

The authorities could’ve frozen me in carbonite in that stance and there’s no doubt I would’ve been the most-trafficked exhibit in the Smithsonian next month:

“Here lies Colin Frier, world class moron.”

From there, I glumly veered over to the adjacent gas station and got out of the bashed-in car, surveying the damage.

“Forget cars— I need something like the War Rig in Mad Max: Fury Road. Anything that isn’t built like a straw house.”

It was bad— Hulk-smash bad. It looked as if I had just sent Marsellus Wallace from Pulp Fiction flying over my hood. My precious automobile was leaking mysterious oil that looked strikingly similar to Rudy Guliani’s hair dye. It was a ghastly sight, and to my left, the recipient of my sheer ineptitude, a nurse, certainly seemed to agree.

The woman phoned the police, and soon thereafter, my mind began a-whirling.

See, I had never, in my nineteen years of life, ever had a confrontation with the police. Nevertheless, my initial thought was, “Thank God I don’t have weed in the trunk.” Why that was the first thing to cross my mind, I haven’t a clue.

While we were waiting for the cop to show up, I paced back and forth outside like a defense attorney on a serial killer case, knowing full well that my chances at getting out of this bind scot-free were minimal at best. I must admit I felt like a maniacal

criminal, concocting an alibi and assembling a lineup of fallmen.

I had a celestial audience, however: getting into this wreck was most likely divine punishment for stealing that gumdrop off the family gingerbread house on Christmas Eve. Wherever I turned, dead ends. I was in a hall of mirrors. In my mind, I had already been sentenced to Alcatraz.

Then again, I did my best to reassure myself. As The Animals once said, “Don’t let me be misunderstood:” I’m not even remotely fast while driving, nor am I reckless.

In a road race, onehundred-thirty-seven-yearold Mitch McConnell would cross the finish line before me. Still, whichever angle I took on this incident, I found myself time and time again donning the dunce cone. Being in a car wreck is anything but a Medal of Honor; it’s more like a Razzie Award. And with my car’s hood smashed in, it looked as if the lady I ran into got the apple in the deal, while I got the cyanide: her car received no more than a gentle grazing, like the brush of Bob Ross; leastways, that’s how it appeared.

After a half hour give or take, the cop pulled up, my dad arrived, and all the while I was trying to convince myself that the damage was “just a flesh wound,” in the words of Monty Python.

Though as it turned out, it was anything but.

Getting a look at the total estimate made me wish for Calvin’s fifty-cent insurance in Calvin and Hobbes, because seriously, it was so hefty a price that the Geico gecko showed up to my house

WRECKED NISSAN sits lamenting its life and Colin’s driving record as it becomes just another number on this writers ever-growing car count. PHOTO BY COLIN FRIER | STAFF WRITER

the next day and began to curse me out in Spanish.

What’s worse, I’ve blown through two cars in a span of two years: one to an accident, one to an irreparable malfunction. At this point, I’m starting to think I’d be better off going the cart-andhorse route.

Forget cars— I need something like the War Rig in Mad Max: Fury Road.

Anything that isn’t built like a straw house.

And, shopping for a new car is entirely out of the question. Been there, done that. Going car shopping is like voir dire in hell, forced to choose between Beezlebub or Belial.

Finally, in the denouement of this whole debacle, my dad and I drove the Nissan War Veteran to an auto repair shop

following the cop’s sentencing of life imprisonment.

My car was billowing smoke the entire forty minutes, unwilling to go faster than ten miles an hour, so we both flicked on the hazards just to give the rubberneckers surrounding us a heads up. The scene looked like a funeral procession.

Forget that. It was a funeral procession.

I must say, I was hoping to come out of this experience completely transformed like Bob Dylan after his infamous motorcycle incident or Paul McCartney after his supposed car crash, but alas, I’m the same old Colin Frier.

In the end, though, at least we can be thankful I wasn’t driving a Prius.

To All the Boys: Always and Forever

Movie brings jams, tears and existential dread Rachel James Editor-in-Chief rachel.james@drake.edu @kindisgroovy

Over the weekend, I got a free moment in the neverending screen staring that are classes to stare at a different screen.

So I sat on my floor, painted my nails and got ready to gain unrealistic expectations for love.

I must confess that rom coms are my bread and

butter: Overdone tropes? Sign me up. Drama that could be resolved with simple communication? Sure, I’ll watch.

As the third (and probably final) movie in the series, “To All the Boys: Always and Forever,” takes place during Lara Jean and Peter’s senior year of high school.

The pair are struggling with something we see a lot in coming of age movies: where are they going to go to college

and will they stay together.

Peter is going to Stanford (for once I would love to see a teen movie where they go to trade school or just a state college please I am begging) but Lara is unsure and New York City is calling her name.

While I am not going to spoil anything, naturally this decision causes tensions.

As someone who hasn’t been in high school for a while (am I getting old... you can tell me), I didn’t expect to relate to the movie as much as

THE TIMES-DELPHIC The student newspaper for Drake University since 1884 RACHEL JAMES, Editor-in-Chief rachel.james@drake.edu JEFF INMAN, Faculty Advisor jeffrey.inman@drake.edu

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EMILY GODSEY, Sports Editor emily.godsey@drake.edu NALA GAUVIN, Commentary Editor nala.gauvin@drake.edu EMILY HANNA, Business Manager emily.hanna@drake.edu

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I did.

But I’m currently deciding where to attend law school and the inner debate of the characters was something I felt acutely. The heavy feeling that your life is about to change and the struggle to catch up with it is something I don’t think we ever stop relating to in our younger years no matter our path.

Furthermore, this film is more mature than the first two, touching on the topics of strained parental

relationships and finding love later in life after loss.

The quote, “I guess that’s what happens when you grow up. Everything gets all mixed up together,” signifies that feeling of aging and reconciling feelings of loss and gains as life continues on. (Yes I cried, no we do not discuss).

Lastly, the soundtrack is fantastic and if you don’t want to watch, I am begging you to at least go listen.

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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Letters must include the author’s name and phone number. Unsigned letters will not be published. Deadlines for guest submissions are noon Sunday for the Wednesday edition. The Times-Delphic reserves the right to edit letters and submissions for space and in the interest of taste. Letters and submissions reflect only the opinions of the authors and should be limited to 250 words.

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