February 9, 2019

The Times-Delphic Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019

Volume 138, No. 16

www.timesdelphic.com

New semester: people are still ‘Drake Busy’ Bailey Coronis Contributing Writer bailey.coronis@drake.edu

KIM BATES, LEADER OF THE ASL MOVEMENT, teaches John Richard and Lenin Cardwell some basic ASL signs.. There has been a push for more ASL inclusion at Drake with a movevment Bates started. PHOTO BY KIM BATES | PHOTO EDITOR

Students push for ASL inclusion

Petition urges for ASL minor and more representation Celia Brocker Staff Writer celia.brocker@drake.edu

There are several different language minors at Drake University; the Department of World Language & Culture offers Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish as options to minor in.

However, there is one language absent from the program that many Drake students want.

The Deaf Culture Representation at Drake University club is sending around a petition to include American Sign Language (ASL) as a minor.

The initial goal of the group was to get more ASL classes offered at Drake. There are currently three courses available: American Sign Language, American Sign Language II and Deaf Culture, all of which are in high demand. For many Drake students, this is not enough.

“We have so many languages

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already that I feel like we should just add this on to it,” one of the leaders of the campaign, Kim Bates said. “What’s the point in having two classes regarding the language if you can’t go all the way and use it in your everyday life?”

According to the World Health Organization, in 2015 360 million people - 5 percent of the world’s population - reported having disabling hearing loss.

In the U.S., ASL is the sixth most used language. With so many people who rely on sign language to communicate, many argue that ASL would be a viable language to study.

“Drake is not a deaf culture -friendly campus,” Bates said, “We’re very accepting, yeah, but there are certain accommodations our campus can do to make it easier for deaf people, and to bring in more deaf culture to get more classes.”

Marc Pinheiro-Cadd, the director of the World Languages and Cultures Department at Drake, said it would be a fantastic idea

since a lot of people are interested in ASL and Drake has a wellqualified instructor.

“It’s really not offered anywhere else in the metro area,” PinheiroCadd said. “Since a lot of people from the community come to take it, it really generates revenue for Drake.”

By being able to speak it...you’re opening yourself up to another culture.

The movement started in December, but took a break over the winter holidays. Now that everyone is back on campus, the group is picking up again.

The petition has around 400 signatures at the moment, and Bates feels confident they will be able to get the approval they need.

“We have a teacher who is willing to teach and students who are willing to learn,” Bates said. “The administration has to listen to us because there is such a high demand.”

Future goals for the Deaf Culture Representation club include becoming more involved with the deaf community in Des Moines outside of classes and to raise awareness about the deaf community.

“I’m a firm believer that in order for our world to be more educated, peaceful and positive all cultures should be in touch,” Bates said. “[ASL] is just a really beautiful language, and by being able to speak it or at least understanding the culture, you’re opening yourself up to another culture.”

To follow the movement and sign the petition, there is a Facebook page, Deaf Culture Representation at Drake University and on Instagram, @ drakedeafculture.

Drake University is not only home to just under five thousand students; it is also a hub for hundreds of student-led activities, clubs and sports. When you put together classes and all of these activities, you get a recipe for a busy schedule.

Claire Franksen is a senior at Drake who feels that she encapsulates the phrase “Drake busy” that is well-known around the campus. Her commitment to her studies and her involvement in Alpha Phi, Fermata the Blue and her job at Drake International fill up her intense schedule.

“I think being ‘Drake busy’ is when you push yourself to the limit and find out where your boundaries are,” Franksen said.

With the spring semester just beginning, Franksen is excited to take a step back and try to enjoy her final days at Drake. Last fall, she worked two jobs and in hopes to calm her hectic schedule, she will only be working one of these jobs this semester.

“Last semester I was waking up at 5:30 a.m. four days a week.

Then, I would go to rehearsal until 11:00 p.m. some nights and then have to do it all again the next day,” Franksen said.

While Franksen is a senior who has been ‘Drake busy’ throughout her college career, first-years are also experiencing this phenomenon, even though they have only been at Drake for a semester.

Morgan Erwin is a first-year student who is working towards receiving a degree in directing.

She came into college with a clear mindset on how she would avoid the known phenomenon of being ‘Drake busy’.

“I knew I liked to overload myself in high school, so I came in wanting to add to my schedule instead of starting with a fuller plate than I could handle,” Erwin said.

However, as the weeks went on, Erwin found herself committing to more than she had originally planned. She is involved in a sorority and has also worked to CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 >>

A call for big ideas: Drake invests in change Max Brown Staff Writer max.brown@drake.edu @maxbrown

Drake University is introducing the Big Ideas Initiative this semester, encouraging students to become more involved with facilitating change at the school. The initiative, under the supervision of President Martin and Provost Mattison, will be executed by the University Advancement Department.

John Smith, vice-president of the UA Department, describes the initiative as “a positive process encouraging collaboration, further deepening campus engagement with Advancement, and identifying multiple, compelling and powerful big ideas.”

Smith stated that it is his hope that by defining and organizing ideas, donors will “be inspired to invest in current and future generations of students.”

Students can submit a big idea via the initiative’s website,

which can be found in the most recent edition of OnCampus which can be accessed on news.drake. edu. In order to submit an idea, students must have a faculty or staff sponsor, called a “champion.”

Big Ideas calls on faculty, staff and students to collaborate on ideas that take all Bulldog experiences into consideration.

According to the Big Idea website, “Each submission is required to name a project champion, the primary individual responsible for administration and supervision of the project. The champion must be a current Drake employee. Students and volunteers cannot be champions. A faculty or staff member must serve as the project champion and submit the proposal on their behalf.”

The submission period for Big Idea proposals will remain open until Feb. 15. As students are preparing their proposals, they are encouraged by the Big Idea Initiative to consider why Drake is in a unique position to house the project, how it will provide meaningful change for Drake and

what commitments, in terms of time and funding, will be required.

The proposals can be related to any aspect of Drake life.

“Big Ideas calls on faculty, staff and students to collaborate on ideas that take all Bulldog experiences CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 >>

02 | News

Feb. 6, 2019

News ‘Drake Busy’ mentality takes toll on students >> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

gain technical theatre credits while being the first-year representative for the Drake Theatre People.

In order to ease her stress and to take time to relax, Erwin has resorted to making lists, which is her favorite method of organization.

“I love my to-do lists, like a

Opportunities are constantly presenting themselves in different ways, and you can take them up when it’s the best time for you.

lot. I have separate notebooks in which I can write down whatever is going on in my head,” Erwin said.

“If I can see it on paper and check things off, it’s just a better method for me.”

Erwin is among several firstyears who are about to embark on their second semester at Drake University. Franksen, as a senior, thinks these students should take a step back and slow things down for a little bit.

MIRABAI MOSELEY studies at Cowles Library. Students feel the pressure to remain busy: ‘Drake Busy.

“These younger students should realize that you can say

no to opportunities and do what is best for you,” Franksen said.

PHOTO BY IVY BECKENHOLDT | MANAGING EDITOR

“Opportunities are constantly presenting themselves in different

ways and you can take them up when it’s the best time for you.”

Big Ideas initiative encourages students idea for change >> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

into consideration. Providing yet another opportunity to be a key voice in progressing our institution.

I hope students bring about change that will continue to rank Drake as one of the tops intuitions in the nation” said Jose Garcia-Fuerte, student body president and student representative on the big ideas steering committee.

After the submission window has closed, the steering committee will review proposals, selecting some for review by the Board of Trustees in April.

In May, White Papers (indepth papers about a topic) will be developed for the top ideas and finalists will be announced in July.

The steering committee is composed of academic deans, members of the president’s office, faculty, board members and the all-staff council. Garcia-Fuerte is

the only student on the committee, providing insight into what the student body would like to see come out of the initiative.

“While maintaining presence in administrative roles, I am able to provide the experiential perspective of how institutional changes influence and impact the student experience – that is why it is important that students are critical and honest with their feedback,” Garcia-Fuerte said. “Institutional leadership takes these comments into serious consideration when making decisions.”

Garcia-Fuerte said he sees the Big Ideas Initiative as part of a long pattern of students taking steps to produce change at Drake.

He cites student influence in the construction of Collier-Scripps Hall and the Science Connector Building as recent examples.

“From classroom concepts to availability of resources, students

had the opportunity to make the buildings the way they wanted,” Garcia-Fuerte said. “Additionally, students had expressed great activism in shifting towards environmentally-conscious and sustainable decisions – both of the aforementioned buildings are now LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and Green Globe certified.”

Smith similarly notes that the recent renovation of Cowles library had heavy student involvement.

“Drake has a strong history of inspiration and direction from student voices shaping the campus community,” Smith said. “Certainly through campus leadership roles, students have a meaningful presence in key University decisions.

Most recently students provided strong and positive direction with the first floor renovation of Cowles Library and the design of The Ray

We have institutional leadership that cares about their students and their experience on our campus and students’ intelligence is needed in creating the university we want.

Promenade.”

Both Smith and Garcia-Fuerte said the Initiative has the potential to generate a great amount of positive change at Drake.

“Big Ideas provides the campus the opportunity to imagine where Drake can be in the coming years by building off our greatest strengths and inspiring our alumni and friends to joyfully invest in the promise of this remarkable University,” Smith said.

Garcia stresses that Drake’s leadership cares about and wants to hear from students. He encourages all students to keep pushing for change.

“Continue to bring forth ideas and changes you want to bring about on campus,” Garcia said.

“We have institutional leadership that cares about their students and their experience on our campus and students’ intelligence is needed in creating the university we want.”

Feb. 6, 2019

03 | Features

Features

Bridge your differences over a cup of coffee New initiative encourages students to have uncomfortable conversations Phong Ly Features Editor phong.ly@drake.edu @originalphong

This past semester has witnessed the tension between members of Drake University and the Drake community as a result of the hate notes that were written on campus, along with the robberies that happened around the Drake neighborhood. Different people take different stands on the issue, which generated a lot of heated debates across campus. As an attempt to help Drake students communicate across differences, Drake Student Inclusion, Involvement and Leadership rolled out a program called Caffeine Conversations to encourage students to talk to someone whom they might disagree with politically or socially.

Tony Tyler, the director of student engagement, equity & inclusion, said the CNN Town Hall with Kamala Harris last Monday was the perfect opportunity since Drake students were so engaged with the event.

“We thought if we could center it around an event, it would be an easier discussion than a ‘what do we disagree about?’ ” Tyler said.

The initiative was given some structure, but Tyler said that at the same time it is not their intention to police those discussions. Students can discuss anything they have on their minds.

With the decreasing discussion surrounding the #paintitblack movement, some people asked whether this program came a little too late. Tyler said he attempts to focus on the impact he can make now and moving forward.

“Rather, I say what’s the good that we can do right now,” Tyler said. “This is one way to get students to discuss across differences around political, racial issues and social issues going on in our times.”

Tyler said people might not feel comfortable talking about controversial issues if we address them too directly.

“If we can build skill sets in our student population to say that ‘yeah I do disagree with you on this, let’s talk about it,’ then it becomes more natural, and that’s what we are trying to get at,” Tyler said.

Tyler decided not to go too big with this round of the initiative, since this was their first session.

Tyler said if feedback is positive from this first round of Caffeine Conversations.

They would probably do another round of discussion for the State of the Union as well.

“As things happen in our world and on our campus that we will look for other opportunities to create conversation between students,” Tyler said.

Tyler said he understands that it is easy for some people to take the approach of ‘let sleeping dogs lie’.

However, “ I think that [approach] is exactly the reason we got to where we are,” Tyler said.

Growing up, like many, he was told at the dinner table to never bring up politics or religion.

According to Tyler, while doing so could avoid any unnecessary conflict, it can fail in building the skill sets needed to have difficult conversations about issues that are rooted and centered in life.

“I genuinely care about the people around me, and I care about them so much that I want to address our differences and figure out how we get along well with each other,” Tyler said. “I think we can see the effect it has on campus and the nation when we don’t want to talk about it, we get angry about it and then we just want to fight.”

A number of students participated in the first round of the program. Sophomore Nathan Trees, also president of Drake Political Action Committee, used this opportunity to address difference in political views to some of his friends.

CAFFEINE CONVERSATIONS was an event made to encourage students to converse with another student they might disagree with socially or politically. The first round started last Monday and ended last Saturday. PHOTO BY KIM BATES | PHOTO EDITOR

“A majority of my friends at Drake have opposing political views, so I tend to talk to them about current issues frequently,” Trees said.

Trees said he believes the program is needed not only at Drake, but also on any other

college campus.

“I don’t believe that any incident caused this program to be created,” Trees said. “We have continued to push for more programming at Drake that centered around positive discourse.”

Trees advised people to engage

in these talks across differences.

“I believe that it is our civic duty to strive for safe spaces where anyone is comfortable to express their views, and participating in this event is a great way to get started,” Trees said.

Rising-juniors look for a place to call home Phong Ly Features Editor phong.ly@drake.edu @originalphong

College is likely the first time most students will be away from their families. Getting a place to stay is likely many students first thing to do. With so many options, both on campus and off campus, the journey to finding a place can be overwhelming.

Here at Drake, students are required to stay on campus if they have only been out of high school for less than two years. With this, students don’t have to deal with housing their first two years at Drake. But after their sophomore year, Drake students start to look for options to live off-campus, and

many look to save on the cost.

Many students decide to live in West Village. Sophomore Marisa Owens said she started thinking about the option her first year at Drake.

“I have a lot of upperclassmen friends who live in West Village, so I was over there a lot,” Owens said.

Owens has three other roommates, and they are looking at some other options, both of them not owned by Drake. Their two options include one apartment at Forest Avenue Village and a townhouse in between West Village and Greek Street.

“My roommates found it on Facebook and they toured it over J-term when I wasn’t here,” Owens said. “It’s definitely cheaper than West Village.”

At the moment, Owens and her roommates have not decided on a housing option yet.

“My roommates are waiting until I tour the places, and I haven’t had time to do that yet,” Owens said.

“I think we are leaning towards the townhouse more because we are thinking about getting a cat.”

Most apartments around the Drake area make you pay a deposit fee for a pet. For Forest Avenue Village, that fee is $250.

Owens said she is a little worried about the process, as one of her roommates is studying abroad next semester.

“I’m worried because we are still figuring out a place that she could sublease it to someone when she was gone,” Owens said.

Some students are looking for

a different route to their housing junior year. Sophomore Ken Nguyen is considering becoming a residence assistant.

“I am currently going through the RA process to see if I’m eligible to become an RA,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen said he is currently still making housing decisions, as his fraternity brothers in Alpha Tau Omega need more members to live in one of their satellite houses.

“I haven’t given much thought to it yet,” Nguyen said. “Right now, I’m thinking if the RA position does not work out, I’ll come and live in the house.”

Nguyen said he is excited for his junior year, as he thinks every year is a “new adventure.”

He recommended students who might still be looking for an off-

campus housing option to talk to upperclassmen who live in different housing or to talk to RAs. Students who are also looking for housing can also explore Drake Real Estate. They offer apartments and houses that are owned by Drake University for rent to full-time students enrolled at the university.

Drake Real Estate’s properties are located adjacent to the campus perimeter and are within shortwalking distance to campus. Their office is located in Old Main, room 101. Students could also contact Kara Wilcoxon (kara.wilcoxon@ drake.edu​) from Drake Real Estate for more information.

04 | Features

Feb. 6, 2019

Features

Celebrating New Year in February

Many Drake students from the Asian community observe Lunar New Year “I love eating fried rice, banh bot loc and I absolutely love che thai,” Dinh said. “I will never be tired of che thai.”

Banh Bot Loc is a clear looking tapioca dumpling that is usually filled with pork belly or shrimp. Che Thai is a Vietnamese fruit cocktail, usually contain

CHINESE NEW YEAR, or Lunar New Year, this year falls on Feb. 5. Many Asian communities, including Chinese and Vietnamese communities, observe this festivity. PHOTO COURTESY OF ANGELA DINH Phong Ly Features Editor phong.ly@drake.edu @originalphong

Lunar New Year (also known as Chinese New Year) is right around the corner. People around the world are getting in gear to celebrate. Here at Drake, the Asian communities is also getting ready to celebrate it in their own way.

Sophomore Angela Dinh said her family often goes to their local church and celebrates with friends and family.

“A group of people from the Vietnamese church usually sets it up,” Dinh said. “My mom would always make a bunch of Banh Chung to give to people, so I help her with that process as well.”

Banh Chung, is a traditional, square-shaped Vietnamese sticky rice cake made out of sticky rice, mung beans and pork belly wrapped in banana leaf.

Dinh said her absolute favorite thing to do come Lunar New Year is to watch lion dancing.

“Ever since I was little, I loved lion dancing because of how cheerful it looks,” Dinh said.

“It’s really mesmerizing and an exhilarating experience for me.”

Lion dance is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture and other Asian countries, which performers mimic a lion’s movements in a lion costume to bring good luck and fortune.

This festive new year celebration usually comes with a lot of food. Traditionally, there are the two main dishes: Banh Chung, which symbolizes the earth and Banh Day, which symbolizes the sky. Dinh said she isn’t a big fan of Banh Chung, but said she would prefers a lot of other dishes.

New Year for me is a chance to improve myself because it’s like a whole blank book and I can choose how it will be written and see how my story changes. longan, along with other tropical fruits, different kinds of jelly and sometimes tapioca balls.

Another big part of this new year celebration is the handing out of red envelopes, which contain money. This is called “lucky money,” - “Li Xi” in Vietnamese and “Hong Bao” in Chinese, as the elder members of the family hand it out to their children as a token of good fortune.

“Almost every Vietnamese person does lucky money in Davenport, Iowa,” Dinh said.

“Before I came back for the spring semester, I visited my two

godmothers to wish them a happy new year, and they gave me so much lucky money.”

This year, Dinh is going back home to celebrate her mom’s birthday and Tet early this year with her family. The Vietnamese community often calls Lunar New Year “Tet”.

“I am also celebrating it next week after Tet with my friend back at Drake,” Dinh said. “She is bringing me to the Buddhist temple since they have a party there as well.”

Junior Michelle Nguyen and her family usually gather together and make Banh Chung before New Year’s Eve. “Additionally, we also go to Vietnamese temple and help them decorate for Tet with the apricot blossom and peach blossom flowers,” Nguyen said. Nguyen said her favorite activities during the holiday celebration include singing the traditional new year songs on the first day of new year and receiving lucky money from the elderly. According to Nguyen, Tet is all about family.

“It is the time where family members gather together and tell each other what we accomplished from the previous year and what will be our goals in the next year,” Nguyen said.

This year, Nguyen said she hopes she can maintain a good GPA and wishes for her parents to have better health than last year.

Tet usually mean different things to different people. Angela Dinh sees it as a chance for a new start.

“New Year for me is a chance to improve myself,” Dinh said.

“It’s like a whole blank book, and I can choose how it will be written and see how my story changes.”

Students rate iconic coffee shops in Des Moines Ashley DeLarm Staff Writer ashley.delarm@drake.edu @Ashley.Delarm

Whether from the Des Moines area or experiencing life as a Midwesterner for the first time, Drake students are often on the lookout for the best study places around town, and coffee shops have become a popular destination.

It’s likely that at any given time in cafes around town, students can be found with their laptops out and caffeine coursing through their veins. The popularity of coffee shop climates as study spaces has been rapidly growing in recent years for the college-age population, and Drake students are no exception to

Sometimes I need a little bit of background noise to help me focus. this stereotype. , Each popular destination around town from Mars Café to Caribou Coffee and even just the Olmsted coffee shop has their fans, and now that Bulldogs have at least one semester under their belts, they’re beginning to figure out where their studying is the most successful.

Sam Moon, a first-year who grew up just 20 minutes from the Drake campus, has had plenty of time to explore Des Moines’ options and determine her favorite.

“My favorite is probably Smokey Row,” Moon said. “I like the atmosphere. I’ve grown up here and since high school I’ve

been going there to study and just hangout.”

Megan Kom, another first-year from Saint Paul, Minnesota, set out to explore the Des Moines area as soon as she got here.

Going to a different local shop each week and taking note of her favorite part of each experience, Kom realized that where she studied made a difference on how she retained the information.

“My favorite is DSM Brew,” Kom said. “It was actually a really cool atmosphere. It was a downtown Des Moines kind of thing, so we sat down and played cards and it was a really fun, modern and light kind of place.

They had really good flavors and a variety of options. I’d say other than it being a bit pricey, I liked it a lot.”

Smokey Row and DSM Brew are both less than a 10-minute drive from campus and are frequented

by Drake students. Although they are two of the most popular coffee shops in the area, the list goes on of where Drake students can be found getting their work done.

For many students, a busy atmosphere is the best place for them to bring their assignments.

Kom explained why she is so productive when she studies in coffee shops.

“They’re a different type of quiet from the library or from most of the buildings on campus,” Kom said. “Sometimes, depending on what homework I’m doing, I need a bit of background noise to help me focus, and the bright and sunny lighting is a really nice atmosphere.”

Many students feel similarly, which can explain the popularity of even the library and Olmsted coffee shops. Students have expressed that sometimes it’s nice to get off campus, and overall makes studying and homework a less stressful experience.

COFFEE IS A NECESSITY for a lot of college students. Despite having coffee shops on campus, many students said sometimes it’s nice to get off campus. PHOTO BY ASHLEY DELARM | STAFF WRITER.

Feb. 6, 2019

05 | Sports

Sports

Patriots win in lowest scoring Super Bowl of all-time Kalle Sorbo Staff Writer kalle.sorbo@drake.edu @KalleSorbo

Fourteen Points.

Two Touchdowns. That’s all it would have taken for the Rams to win the Super Bowl this year. The secondhighest scoring offense from the 2018 regular season was held to just three points.

Instead of seeing the young upand-comers win their first ring, we saw something incredibly familiar.

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick won their sixth ring as the greatest quarterback-coach duo in NFL history.

What we saw last night was a defensive masterpiece. It was viewed by most as an incredibly boring game, and I’m not here to argue otherwise. But the defense was absolutely stout last night. It wasn’t the game anyone thought it would be, or the one anyone wanted, however, might have been the game we should have expected.

There is an argument to be made that last night was a showdown of the two greatest defensive minds in modern NFL history: Bill Belichick and Wade Phillips. Both teams’ defenses functioned exactly how we should have expected them to. The Patriots took away the Rams best weapons and dared them to beat them some other way.

They didn’t.

On the Rams side of the ball, it was a Wade Phillips classic. Bend but don’t break. The Rams held the Patriots to 13 points. The team averaged 30.3 points per game in the postseason. The Rams defense was phenomenal. Holding a team to 14 points should be more than enough to win a game. It would have been one of the defensive performances for the ages if the Patriots hadn’t done even better.

There are a couple of questions that will never go away from this Super Bowl. I’m going to try to answer them the best I can.

Was the defense that good or the offense just that bad?

This is going to be the hardest question to answer about this game. Sunday night made no sense from one perspective. There was no precedent for this. The Rams scored an average of 32.9 points this season. That was the second highest mark, just behind the high flying Chiefs led by MVP Patrick Mahomes.

The Patriots scored well this year, averaging 27.3 points-pergame. The Patriots and Rams scored 51 and 60 touchdowns respectively.

A Super Bowl where only one touchdown was scored collectively seemed unthinkable. So what happened? The secondaries played out of their minds. They were on lockdown from the beginning of the game which didn’t allow either quarterback to ever get into a rhythm. The combined QBR for the game was 19.9, the lowest since the statistic has been recorded. It beat the previous record of 20.0 set in 2015 by Peyton Manning and Cam Newton. What makes me believe the game was more of a strong defensive performance than a weak offensive performance is how far that is from what we have come to expect from Tom Brady and Jared Goff.

Jared Goff struggled at moments, especially later in the season, but he had a QBR of 65.9 on the season. The only game where it was even close to that was the infamous Bears game where Goff had a QBR of 12.1.

The games are outliers but show what stout secondaries do to Jared Goff’s play.

Tom Brady had a QBR of 25.8 for the game. I saw people comparing this game to Manning’s last Super Bowl in Denver. What is different is Manning was statistically horrible that whole season getting benched after posting a QBR of 0 in the first half

of a game that year. The Super Bowl this year was a statistical outlier for Brady, who had a QBR of 70.5 this year. There might be some signs of aging, but yesterday was an example of Brady succeeding just enough to be able to win the game despite an incredible performance by the Rams defense. All they needed was one game winning drive, and Brady delivered when he needed to.

Yes the offense was bad, but the numbers show that the defenses really were that good. If you are a fan of defensive-led teams, last night should give you a lot of hope, especially after this season.

Defense is definitely not dead especially in the playoffs. The only issue is teams have to be able to score enough points to get there first.

What is going on with Todd Gurley?

Todd Gurley reset the running back market this year when he signed a four-year $57.5 million contract. He looked to be in the MVP race once again in the early season and then something happened. Gurley missed the last two weeks of the season, and then was a non factor against the Saints and the Patriots.

CJ Anderson was a great late season addition, but make no mistake Gurley was the workhorse of this offense all year. So, why in the hell did he only get 10 carries in the Super Bowl. 10 Carries! In the Super Bowl? It just doesn’t add up.

They have the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, and they didn’t even give him enough carries to try and get into a rhythm.

Sean McVay, once again, insisted that Todd Gurley is healthy in his post game press conference.

He blamed himself for Gurley’s issues stating that he simply got out-coached and didn’t give anybody a chance to get in rhythm for the game.

NEW ENGLAND QUARTERBACK Tom Brady in 2017. With Brady’s 2019 Super Bowl win, he becomes the winningest player in NFL history. Brady’s win over the Rams was his sixth. PHOTO BY JEFFREY BEALL | PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

I don’t buy it. The Rams have been a run-first-offense since Gurley joined the team. They have seen tremendous success with that formula over the past two years.

So why did the team only rush 18 times total in the biggest game of Sean McVay’s career? The writing is on the wall. I have concluded that for some reason Sean McVay doesn’t trust Gurley right now. I don’t know if he’s not fully healthy, or if he simply isn’t the same player due to a lingering injury we don’t know about.

This is a question we may never get the answer to. All we can hope is that Gurley is healthy and back to being himself by the start of next season, because the league is better with a healthy Gurley, and acompetitive team in Los Angeles.

What was wrong with the Super Bowl commercials?

I kid but not really. I wasn’t that impressed with any of the entertainment this year, including the game. I love the Bud Light Game of Thrones Commercial, The Washington Post, and the clever Michael Buble Bubly commercial. Other than that I was rather unimpressed. The halftime show was just bad. It needed more Spongebob and less of literally everything else, especially Adam Levine who has become a parody of himself. Regardless of all of this, the NFL is still the greatest form of entertainment we have in America today, and I’m already counting down the days until next season.

Women’s Basketball loses first game in two seasons; adds win at SIU JD Pelegrino Sports Editor john.pelegrino@drake.edu @jddontdrop Hannah Cohen Staff Writer hannah.cohen@drake.edu @seamammals

At this past weekend’s homestand, the Drake Bulldogs entered Friday’s game riding on a seven-game winning streak but fell to Missouri State (11-7, 7-0 MVC) in an intense game of basket exchanges. The Bulldogs have not lost a conference game since the 2016-2017 season, and this took them down to second place in the MVC for the first time in 47 games.

The Bulldogs took the lead early and never let up off the gas in the first half of the game. With the guidance of junior guard Becca Hittner who put up 10 of the Bulldogs 19 first quarter points remained throughout the entire game, she finished the game with 36 points and eight rebounds.

“From the game standpoint, there are plenty of things that we need to clean up,” head coach Jennie Barancyzk said. “I think that is what we really try to focus on. Not necessarily who we’re playing, but how we play.”

The first points from the sixtime MVP player of the week Sara Rhine didn’t come until the five minute-mark remaining in the second quarter. Rhine caught a pass from Hittner and laid it up off the glass for two points.

The Bulldogs held the lead throughout the entire first half until just under the two-minute mark when Missouri’s Brice Calip made a quick jumper to give the Bears the 30-29 lead. The very

next possession, Hittner made her fifth field goal of the half to reclaim the Bulldogs lead 31-30. At end of the first half, the Bulldogs found themselves dead even with the Bears 33-33.

Through one half of play, the two undefeated teams posing perfect conference records, were playing completely different games. On one hand, the Missouri State Bears were spreading the ball out among all of their players and finding efficiency from their bench.

Eight Bears put points on the board, although not a single player had more than nine points.

I think that is what we really try to focus on. Not necessarily who we’re playing, but how we play.

The Bulldogs appeared to be running the offense through Hittner. The guard accounted for 15 of Drake’s 33 first half points, three times as many as Drake’s next highest scorer (Maddy Dean, five points). This ended up being her career high night with a total of 32 points and got her a MVC Player of the Week title.

“It’s never fun to lose,” Hittner said. “I think our team really bounced back in practice and [Sunday] in our game. We just had another level of energy and intensity and it was a really good game to play. I thought we really got some good plugs offensively.”

Within the first two minutes of the fourth quarter, the Bears campaigned a 9-0 run. They were within one point of the Bulldogs.

Turnover after turnover put the Bears back in the game. Three minutes into the final quarter Danielle Gitzen for the Bears landed a jumper to take Missouri State’s first lead of the game 66-65.

They held the lead until the very end of the game going point for point with the Bulldogs. With two minutes left in regulation, the Bulldogs trailed by seven. At the two-minute mark Drake’s Sammie Bachrodt knocked down a threepointer to bring the Bulldogs back within four. Rhine caught a crucial rebound that led to a Hittner free throw on the other end. The Bulldogs were down 74-77 with a minute to go.

Drake had to foul to stop the clock and give themselves an opportunity on offense, but was unable to convert in the final minute. The Bulldogs were in an uncomfortable position they haven’t been in since the 2016-2017 season. The Missouri State Bears upset the Bulldogs 85-79. With Friday’s loss, the Bulldogs fall to 15-5 and 7-1 in conference. They finished the weekend homestand facing Southern Illinois with a 9467 win, getting the Bulldogs back on track.

“Our environment was amazing, and I think today was so fun and so different,” Baranczyk said. “There was a great energy in the stands.”

The game started with the Salukis getting a field goal, but the Bulldogs took over shortly after that and maintained a lead for the rest of the game. Their lead in the first half remained marginal as the Salukis stayed within ten points of Drake’s 46.

“Southern Illinois is a very

DRAKE GUARD Sammie Bachrodt takes the ball up the court. The Bulldogs are 16-5 this season and 8-1 in conference. PHOTO BY HANNAH COHEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

good basketball team,” Baranczyk said. “However, today we played our game.”

Hittner backed the Bulldogs yet again getting 20 of Drake’s points in just the first half including a drained three. Rhine and Sammie Bachrodt, guard, provided support on both ends to keep the lead.

“We got back to us,” Bachrodt said. “We played our offense, our game. It was so fun we were connecting on the floor, big smiles, everyone was cheering on the bench it felt really easy and really fun.”

In the second half the Bulldogs started out strong with a three from Hittner proceeding each team trading baskets through the third until the last five minutes when Drake got a solid 22 point lead with the help of Rhine’s 1.000 free throw percentage making all 10 shots this quarter.

“Right now, how we play, I think Becca Hittner and Sara Rhine are playing at a really nice level and they’re playing at a really great

level,” Baranczyk said. “They are both very talented basketball players and I could go on and on about each one of them. Today what we did a better job of was playing in our style and our system.”

Drake takes on Valparaiso Friday, Feb. 8 in Indiana and then travels to Loyola in Chicago looking for two more wins for their record Sunday Feb. 10. Baranczyk said that the team chemistry is present right now and will be necessary for the rest of the season.

“The way Sam set the tone offensively and defensively makes us better,” Baranczyk said. “Maddy Dean came in and she had great looks today, I thought Brenni Rose did the same thing. She continues to create so many things on offense for us and Maddie Monahan’s steadiness was really great. Hustle plays from Hannah Fuller. Again, I could go on and on. But when I look down at the stat sheet and we have the balance that we have today, that’s what makes us so unique and so special.”

06 | Sports

Feb. 6, 2019

Sports Drake athletics introduces head football coach Todd Stepsis Drake Lohse Staff Writer drake.lohse@drake.edu

Todd Stepsis could not be more pumped to begin his journey as Drake Football’s new head coach.

His introductory press conference Thursday afternoon was highcaliber in both fire and brimstone.

“I’m all over this job,” the 27th head coach in Drake’s football history said. “I’m all over this program, and everyone else should be too. Spend a week with these guys and you’ll be ready to jump right in.”

No one could accuse him of being low on energy. Coach Stepsis shot to the surface of a deep pool of interesting candidates.

I’m all over this program, and everyone else should be too. Spend a week with these guys and you’ll be ready to jump right in.

Following Rick Fox’s resignation in December, intrigued coaches, from local high schools to Division I FBS programs sent in their applications. However, Stepsis had an advantage over other applicants, last summer, he hiked 11 miles in seven hours across the Great Wall of China. Every inch of that journey was right alongside Drake Athletic Director Brian Hardin. Stepsis’ fierce sense of energy jumped out at Hardin plenty of times along that grueling trek.

Stepsis has also been the defensive coordinator for the Drake Bulldogs for the last five seasons.

“He has such an ability to take control of a situation,” Hardin said. “The presence he has, and his ability to go anywhere and do anything with an extraordinary sense of confidence and energy is remarkable. Guys run through walls for Coach Stepsis.”

Stepsis is no stranger to Drake football. He spent the last five seasons as the Bulldogs defensive coordinator. That continuity might just be what Drake football needs to keep its momentum going. Under former head coach Rick Fox, the Bulldogs went 33-22 and finished fourth or higher in PFL standings each year. The floor in the Knapp Center Thursday was still vibrating with the buzz of December’s near upset over Iowa State.

The transition from Fox to Stepsis seems smooth and natural.

His familiarity with the program

has given him a direction in terms of what needs to change—and what needs to remain consistent.

Stepsis outlined his plan of attack Thursday.

“Going forward we’re going to make sure we keep community service and academics top priorities,” Stepsis said. “That’s always been a staple during my time here and I don’t want it to change going forward. As far as what does need to change—our attitude needs to change. I have no doubt that our guys want to win, think we could win, but as far as believing we will win? I want to see that attitude more consistently going forward.”

Stepsis’ background is saturated with football. He grew up in Ohio the son of a coach and helped his dad at practices by pumping footballs and filling water bottles.

Prior to his five seasons at Drake, Stepsis spent six seasons coaching at Saginaw Valley. During his five seasons as defensive coordinator, his intensity at practice and in the locker room was the spark of a defense nicknamed the “Defensive Demons of Des Moines”. Those “Demons” were consistently ranked in the top ten in nearly every major defensive category.

Thursday afternoon, members of the press got a taste of that intensity during Stepsis’ 45-minute statement. At times, the press conference felt more like a team meeting, with Stepsis lowering his

DRAKE FOOTBALL head coach Todd Stepsis had his introductory press conference on Thursday, Jan. 31. Stepsis becomes the 27th head coach in Drake history after five seasons as its defensive coordinator. PHOTO COURTESY OF DRAKE ATHLETICS

eyes and challenging the audience.

“I believe in Drake Football,” Stepsis said. “Do you?”

Coach Stepsis ended Thursday’s press conference with one last

question. “Does anyone wanna see a cartwheel?” And with that, Drake football cart-wheeled into a new era. They kick off the 2019 season Aug. 31 in North Dakota.

Drake Men’s Basketball freezes up in Polar Vortex Classic

NICK MCGLYNN TIPS OFF against Illinois State University at the Polar Vortex Classic on Wednesday, Jan. 30. Drake hosted MVC rival ISU despite the freezing cold temperatures that canceled school at Drake. The Bulldogs fell to the Redbirds 55-69 and are now in sole possession of third place in conference. PHOTO BY HANNAH COHEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Drake Lohse Staff Writer drake.lohse@drake.edu

Wednesday night’s Polar Vortex Classic had fitting temperatures of minus 7 degrees, but felt like minus 20. Drake entered the Knapp Center shivering, but with all the momentum. Expecting the deadly temperatures to ice the Bulldog’s hot streak felt like expecting to put out a house fire by throwing ice cubes at it.

For the bulk of the first half, Drake looked like the team they have been for their four game winning streak. The Bulldogs were steaming. They jumped out to an early 12-4 lead, led by another standout performance by senior forward Nick McGlynn and Tremell Murphy, who’ve helped fill the void of Nick Norton’s leadership.

But with an unexpected surge, Illinois State tied the game at 19 with 7:13 left in the first half.

Before the half ended, Redbird senior Phil Fayne would sink a gimme-layup and give Illinois State their first lead of the night.

Halftime breaks are typically when hot teams cool down. Illinois

I thought we came out with great energy, with an unbelievable crowd, and the student section was tremendous.

State didn’t appear to be aware of the norm. They came out of the locker room firing and opened the second half on a 13-3 run. Only five minutes into the first half, the Redbirds held a 14-point edge over Drake. They never loosened their grip.

A normally powerful Drake offense was stymied by a staunch Red Bird defense, a defense that consistently switched looks and maintained control. The Bulldogs’ 55 point total is the second lowest on their 2018-2019 season thus far.

“I thought we came out with great energy, with an unbelievable crowd, and the student section was tremendous,” Drake head coach Darian DeVries said. “They did a good job mixing it up, and we were a little stagnant. Everything was on the front of the rim, and it was one of those nights where we couldn’t get anything going and had no flow.”

The Inaugural Polar Vortex Classic would end in favor of Illinois State—a 55-69 loss to the Red Birds.

“Any loss hurts. This loss is no different,” sophomore guard Noah Thomas said. “We’ve been dealt bad hands before this season. We know the key is to just stay up and stay positive.”

Despite the tough loss to Illinois State at home, Drake came back three days later to defeat Indiana State on the road 68-62. The game was close throughout as the Sycamores outscored the Bulldogs 34-31 in the first half.

The second half was drastically different as the Bulldogs made up for the first half deficit, taking the game 68-62. McGlynn finished with a double-double in his 30 minutes played, scoring 12 points and grabbing 13 boards. Huge contributions came from Brady Ellingson and Noah Thomas who

scored 16 and 12 respectively.

This Saturday, the Bulldogs will host conference rival UNI (1013, 5-5 conference) at the Knapp Center. The game will begin at 5 p.m.

How the rest of the MVC is doing: Team

Conf.

Ovr.

1. Illinois St.

7-3

14-9

2. Loyola

7-3

14-9

3. Drake

6-4

17-6

4. Southern Ill. 5-5

12-11

5. Valparaiso

5-5

12-11

6. Missouri St. 5-5

11-12

7. UNI

5-5

10-13

8. Evansville

4-6

10-13

9. Indiana St.

3-7

11-11

10. Bradley

3-7

11-12

Feb. 6, 2019

07 | Commentary

Commentary

Oscar nominations favor social inclusivity over cinematic quality

Charlie Pingel Staff Writer charlie.pingel@drake.edu @charliepingel

In the realm of American film, 2018 was one of the most important years in a decade, full of breakout directors, stars and production companies that set the industry ablaze with fresh and exciting new molds for the art form. The Academy Awards have always seemed to be a reflection of that boundary-pushing past years have encompassed and have long been a way to honor the lesser known projects that pushed the social and artistic boundaries of film form.

These are films that, without the recognition given by the show nicknamed the Oscars, would never reach a wider and vastly accepting audience. As an awards show, it functions to give voice to the unheard artistic winners of the industry from the previous year. It is also supposed to honor the best films of that year. And if there’s one thing the Academy robbed the film community of in 2018, it was just that.

This issue, this failure to recognize the true best films and filmmakers, becomes prevalent in this year’s Best Picture nominations, announced on Jan. 23, which sought to honor eight films: Roma, The Favourite, Vice, Blackkklansmen, Green Book, Black Panther, Bohemian Rhapsody and A Star is Born.

Most of these should come as no surprise. At least four out of the eight nominated truly deserve to be there. One nomination in particular has those in the film community fearful of the future.

For all its boasted inclusivity and newly forward thinking business model, the film industry in 2018 deserves to be lauded.

Black Panther was a film that blasted through the racial barriers of Hollywood and brought to light a movement that has been excluded for far too long. Yet, all exterior social statement aside, was Black Panther really one of the best movies of 2018? Those in control of the awards show would say so.

However, considering this movie from an objective, filmmaking standpoint, it left a lot to be desired.

In terms of overall narrative arc and characterization, it failed to capture the rather brilliant source material it pulled from. Black Panther means so much for the future of big Hollywood, but its direction, wasted villain, subpar special effects and lack of a truly original structure really bogged it down to what was, otherwise, a mediocre movie.

By pushing the filmmaking awards spotlight on a movie that objectively does not deserve to be in it, the Academy is taking a step in a harmful direction. Socially and politically this is a huge move, but for those making cherished art within an industry that, before now, awarded them for their creativity, originality, and mastery, this could hurt them in the foreseeable future.

Consider Barry Jenkins’ masterpiece, If Beale Street Could Talk. It was one of the best romances of the decade and arguably the best film of 2018, but it received almost no nominations, Best Picture included. The Ozuesque camera work and the tender, powerful capturing of James Baldwin’s sweltering, symphonic prose by both director and cast, worked together to create an experience not previously seen in an adapted work of cinema. Not only did it encapsulate some of the most sound filmmaking of the century so far, it was also one of the most inclusive and heartfelt detailing of a community longsilenced in film. Yet, it was left in the dust in favor of a large, mediocre blockbuster of a similar inclusive nature that simply made more money and reached a wider audience.

The moment viewership and profit drive the Academy’s motivation to nominate, quality films like that of the former award-winning Jenkins begin to get lost. Such directors and such filmmaking efforts lose money and thus the opportunity to create. This year, the Oscars closed down an avenue for important filmmakers and important projects to receive a wider audience in favor of social acceptance. The Academy is leaving its artistic roots in the dust, and pushing into an age where cinema is no longer solely about art and true mastery, but the most widely seen social statement of the year.

What’s the truth behind it all?

A look at internet famous conspiracy theories

Lexi Mueller Commentrary Editor lexi.mueller@drake.edu @leximueller6

How to describe a conspiracy theory? It seems almost impossible given the increasingly wide variety of them flung around the internet or passed along in the media. MerriamWebster Dictionary describes them as “a theory that explains an event or set of circumstances as the result of a secret plot by usually powerful conspirators.” In the current culture, conspiracy theories have become the new “hip” thing.

Particular famous ones, such as the “fake” moon landing and the Avril Lavigne clone theory, have been rising on Twitter and receiving large amounts of attention.

Conspiracy theories are no longer underground conversations, to be shared at secret meetings and away from government eye. They’ve become Internet famous, with dozens of podcasts that dissect them and history channel segments that bring them to life. Young adults have had a lot of fun hearing about the craziest ones, deciding if they could be true or if they’re just a fun fantasy to entertain the internet.

I’ve read my fair share of conspiracy theories and can’t help but find them to be insanely entertaining. Though some seem to be utterly unrealistic, there are also some that stand out with dramatic evidence to convince you otherwise. I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite conspiracy theories, with some rather convincing and others a little on the crazy side.

Avril Lavigne Clone Theory This theory states that Avril Lavigne, a Canadian songwriter that you probably listened to during middle school, had previously died and been replaced with a doppleganger. This theory is well thought out, starting as a twitter

chain and evolving into a highly extensive internet trend. Twitter users have done their research, finding noticeable differences in the faces of “new” Avril and “old” Avril. Most notably, their noses and teeth have changed completely.

We also see a complete change in fashion and style as the songwriter progresses through her career, leading people to believe that it may be a different person. There is a lot of interesting evidence to back this theory up but it is, in reality, a theory. Avril Lavigne, whether old or new, has come out and said that it’s not true and there have been incorrect instances of the internet believing in celebrity deaths before. I’ll leave it to you all to decide what you believe.

Fake Moon Landing

This is one of the most popular conspiracy theories out there.

It’s gone in different directions over the years but the main claim of the theory is that some or all elements of the Apollo program and the associated Moon landings were hoaxes staged by NASA. The leaders of this conspiracy have said that there was no way the technology was possible at the time and that the photos of the event have been faked. This theory has become one of the most popular, with Fox opinion polls showing that 20 percent of Americans believe that landing to be fake.

There has been many rebuttals to this, such as high-definition photos of the moon that show astronaut tracks and American flags left up by previous missions.

empty. It also asks why they’re all in rather close proximity to each other, which can be confirmed on a map. The owner of this company is currently the subject of a massive criminal investigation for financial fraud in South Africa. This is the main bit of evidence to support the theory, with supporters arguing that the large amounts of fraud happening in South Africa is being covered up by Mattress Firm here in the states. This conspiracy has had an effect on the business, with Mattress Firm CEO announcing the closing of stores in “close proximity with each other” after this conspiracy went viral. This theory has yet to provide any conclusive facts to back it up, but it does leave consumers wondering what may be hiding behind their local Mattress Firm shop.

Lea Michele is Illiterate

This is another pop culture story that has attracted lots of media attention. This theory was made popular after a Facebook live video that dove deep into Lea Michele’s life to try to prove her inability to read. As a childhood Broadway star, Michele was raised on the stage, starting at the age of 8 in Les Miserables. This theory states that

the director of Glee and long time friend, Ryan Murphy, fed Michele all her lines on the show. It also talks about Jonathan Groff, her best friend, who allegedly writes her tweets for her and then allows her to add her favorite emojis to make it more authentic. Michele has tried to debunk this rumor, through tweeting out statements that she can read but some still have doubts. Though rather far fetched, this conspiracy is extremely entertaining and worth the read.

JFK is trapped on the moon

This is one of the crazier ones, but has long grabbed my interest with its large amount of internet popularity. It started out by stating that JFK wanted to go to the moon but never could because of his role as President.

They say he conveniently “dies” so that he could go to the moon and has been trapped their ever since.

Trapped? A little crazy, but it was mainly used as an internet joke with t-shirts being sold for a profit.

Then it got a bit more intense.

People dug deeper and formalized their theory, stating that JFK has been sedated after the attempted assassination and put into a state of cryogenic suspension which

was, of course, necessary to allow JFK’s body to tolerate the drastic stress of being captured within the moon. Apparently he’s in this state for six years as scientists work to develop the technology to send him to the moon and keep him there. Obviously, this is a little out there but I’ve always had a fun time following along with the development of this wild theory.

Shakespeare’s Real Identity Was Shakespeare really who we thought he was? This theory questions the real identity of William Shakespeare and supports the idea that he may have been a completely different person or possibly even multiple authors.

S/he wrote under the name of Shakespeare to hide their actually identity, for reasons unknown.

This theory compares the multiple different genres that they wrote, showing that much of the language does not fit in with previous work.

They also bring up the evidence of his will, which was very brief and mentioned none of his work, published or unpublished. There is also valuable evidence against this, which makes it impossible to determine what the true story is.

Mattress Firm Undercover Scheme This theory accuses Mattress Firm, a common store that I’m sure you have all seen everywhere, of being an undercover giant money laundering scheme. It questions why there are so many Mattress Firms, with a rather small demand for mattresses, and why they always seem to be completely

AVRIL LAVIGNE before and after the clone theory. Many on the internet see the differences in Lavigne’s appearance over the years as signs of a clone taking over her career. PHOTO RETRIEVED FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

08 | Commentary

Feb. 6, 2019

Commentary Thoughts on Kamala Harris at Drake Natalie Larimer Staff Writer natalie.larimer@drake.edu @nat_larimer

Did you hear that Kamala Harris came to Drake for a Town Hall meeting? Did you know that it was nationally televised on CNN? In case you were unaware of those two highly publicized facts that have dominated the social media scene for the past few days, then let me fill you in. On Jan. 28, the first day of the spring semester, Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) who is now a presidential candidate for the Democrats, visited our own Sheslow auditorium to do a Town Hall, or a Q&A, with Iowan residents and voters. I was lucky enough to be one of the few Drake students to get a ticket, and as a steadfast Democrat, I decided to give you guys my take on Harris’ event.

First off, I think that Harris is trying really hard to get a ton of early press because she announced fairly early and, with the WarnerMedia Group, the company that owns CNN, being her number one campaign donor for her congressional elections, it is really no wonder that she is doing events such as these literally one day after she announced her candidacy. However, regardless of how much early press she gets, it is not likely that this momentum will

carry her through the primaries.

I liked Harris. I really did. She said some good things about gun control and protecting DACA recipients, but I do not think she has good enough ideas to make her stand out from other Democratic candidates on any basis other than identity politics. Right now, the Democratic nominee, whoever it may be, will most likely have pretty standard Democratic policies that do not vary much from their opposition in the primaries, but they will have the demographics that we prefer. Whether that be a black woman like Kamala Harris or your standard white man like Sherrod Brown, they will not have much difference on their policies, especially after the primaries.

Regardless of Harris’ chances in the primary, I think her Town Hall was pretty impressive. Like I said, I really enjoyed what she had to say about gun control. She pointed out, like I wish more people would, that it is not mutually exclusive to support the second amendment and also want more strict gun control. Harris called for universal background checks and a ban on assault weapons. She even backs up these ideas with her voting record, so good on Harris.

She was asked a question by a DACA recipient about what she would do to protect those impacted

by DACA. Harris responded that DACA, and those who are protected by it, is not to be used as

a bargaining chip, and that DACA kids and their parents should be allowed to stay in the U.S. and not be under threat of deportation at the drop of a hat. She then called Trump’s border wall a “medieval vanity exercise” that will be as ineffective as it is expensive.

One thing that I found very odd to hear a presidential candidate say was that she wanted Medicare

for all, and part of that would be to eliminate private insurance. I support this, but not many people will, especially big companies in the insurance and pharmaceutical industries. This is a pretty risky thing to say so early in a campaign, or at all, to be honest, but I think that it provides her with some legitimacy as an individual candidate as opposed to just

another churned out Democrat.

Overall, I think she was fine. As far as I am concerned, I think she has some worthwhile things to say . But in the end, it is not going to get her the party nomination. If she somehow does get nominated, I will campaign my heart out for her because she is far better than the alternative.

KAMALA HARRIS excitedly shakes the hands of her supporters and several Drake students after her town hall event in Sheslow Auditorium. PHOTO BY LORIEN MACENULTY | EDITOR IN CHIEF

How to keep out the cold

Savannah Kluesner Staff Writer savannah.kluesner@drake.edu @savannahkluesner

Even though January is over, the cold temperatures are not, and they do not appear to be leaving any time soon. Even with the temperature dropping, there are lots of ways to keep your spirits up!

Here’s a list of five ways to beat the winter chill:

Wearing Cozy Scarves and Sweaters

This might seem like a nobrainer, but finding the right scarf and sweater combination to keep warm this time of year can be tricky. Avoid clingy sweaters– looser fits allow the body’s natural warmth to work more effectively.

If you become hot easily indoors, a sweater jacket might be more appealing, but make sure the material is thick. Acrylic, wool and polyester materials are perfect for trapping heat and are generally soft and comfortable. In terms of scarves, thicker materials are essential for warmth.

Purchasing Mittens: Although mittens can be inconvenient for finger movement, they trap the heat better than

gloves do and allow the fingers to radiate the body’s natural heat off of one another. Some gloves and mittens are more effective than others: acrylic mittens with polyester lining are my personal choice, but any thick material will do. Although one-hundred percent polyester gloves, without outer lining, can be comfortable, they often do not warm up hands as effectively as heavier wools and acrylics. However, whatever the choice, glove or mitten, acrylic or polyester, it is important to have something on your hands.

The extremities of the body– namely, fingers and toes–are most susceptible to the cold and can also influence your perception of hot and cold. Having warm feet and hands is the first step in having a warm walk to class!

There’s no need to transform your dorm or apartment into an underground bunker, but having extra food on hand can be useful for a cold night spent inside. Instead of going out to eat or trudging to the dining hall, keep some packaged foods for times when you wouldn’t be going outside anyway. Foods and drinks that can be especially helpful during a cold blast are those that warm up the entire body, such as soup and hot chocolate. Be sure that you have all of your preparing

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The student newspaper for Drake University since 1884 LÓRIEN MACENULTY, Editor-in-Chief lorien.macenulty@drake.edu JILL VAN WYKE, Faculty Advisor jill.vanwyke@drake.edu RACHEL JAMES, News Editor rachel.james@drake.edu PHONG LY, Features Editor phong.ly@drake.edu JD PELEGRINO, Sports Editor john.pelegrino@drake.edu LEXI MUELLER, Opinions Editor lexi.mueller@drake.edu JESSICA VINAJA, Copy Editor jessica.vinaja@drake.edu HALLIE O’NEILL, Copy Editor hallie.oneill@drake.edu

DRAKE STUDENTS have become used to the cold by now as they walk across campus in the below freezing weather of the midwest. PHOTO BY IVY BECKENHOLDT | MANAGING EDITOR

Stock Up on Food:

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and cooking materials beforehand and enjoy a night in instead of a night out.

Enjoying Warm Drinks: There’s nothing better at warming you up than a steaming cup of hot chocolate, apple cider, coffee or hot tea. The Olmsted coffee shop is great for that, or think about investing in a Keurig if you plan on spending a while in the frozen Midwest.

Purchase Flannel Sheets: Silk is famous for being a sought-after sheet material, but flannel sheets are warm and comfortable in the winter. Unlike other typical sheet materials, flannel sheets are not cool to the touch after disuse and warm up very quickly. If your dorm or apartment tends to run cold, this is a must for a comfortable night of sleep. If you cannot find flannel

sheets, an extra polyester blanket or two will do the trick.

Cozy Up with a Wintry Book: Although best when combined with canceled classes, reading a snowbound novel while bundled up and drinking a cup of coffee or tea can be the best remedy for a chilly day. Sometimes reading about a warm place is almost as good as being there.

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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