Volume 46, Issue 12 [11/11/20] - The Bengal Newspaper

Inside this Issue

ISU’s Plans for the Spring 2021 Semester| Page 2

How to Combat Seasonal Depression| Page 5

A History of America’s First Pets | Page 7

The Bengal

isubengal.com 11 November 2020

Volume 46 Issue 12

The Independent Voice at Idaho State University Since 1910

Biden Beats Trump; Harris Makes History Jacob Gutridge Editor-in-Chief It was an excruciating wait. Biden was seemingly leading in Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Nevada, but the race was too close to call. It took until the Saturday after Election Tuesday before the New York Times, Associated Press and Fox News reached the same conclusion: Biden beat Trump.

It was Pennsylvania, and its 20 Electoral College votes, that clinched the victory for former Vice President Joe Biden against President Donald Trump. But by Monday morning, Biden was also leading in Arizona and Georgia, two states that would have catapulted Biden to the White House.

It is worth noting that Trump won Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin in 2016 against former Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Biden is on track to win all those states against Trump in 2020.

Assuming that Biden does win in Arizona and Georgia, Biden will receive an estimated 306 Electoral College votes, well over the 270 required to clinch the presidency. Biden has also secured the popular vote by a hefty margin.

While many have already congratulated President-elect Biden, including former Republican President George W. Bush, as of Monday morning Trump had not actually conceded the election. Trump and his supporters claim there was widespread voter fraud across the country, and that Biden was trying to “steal” the election.

Trump has not produced any concrete evidence supporting these claims, but his legal team said they will keep pursuing these allegations.

Republicans are split on whether to congratulate Biden or stand behind Trump.

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said on Sunday that he still believed the president had “a path to victory” and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell supported Trump’s refusal to concede saying that Trump was

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“100 percent within his rights” to challenge the outcome. Only a couple well known Republicans in Congress have congratulated Biden, including Senators Mitt Romney of Utah and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

Biden won the election alongside Senator Kamala Harris. Vice President-elect Harris has made history as the first woman, the first woman of color, the first woman of South Asian descent and the first daughter of immigrants to be elected vice president. When Harris stepped on stage in Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday to give her victory speech, she said, “[w]hile I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last.”

“Every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities,” said Harris. “And to the children of our country regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: dream with ambition, lead with conviction and see yourself in a way that others may not simply because they have never seen it before.

But know that we will applaud you every step of the way.”

Harris recognized the weight and historical importance of the night by wearing a white pantsuit—a nod to the suffragettes— with a white silk pussy-bow blouse—a nod to the uniform of the women entering the workforce in the 20th-century.

“I am thinking about the generations of women—Black women, Asian, White, Latina, Native American women, who throughout our nation’s history have paved the way for this moment tonight,” said Harris. “Women who fought and sacrificed so much for equality and liberty and justice for all, including the Black women who are so often overlooked, but so often prove

Continued on page 2

Cover Photo Courtesy of Los Angeles Times

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The Bengal at Idaho State University

11 November 2020 • Page 2

NEWS

Logan Ramsey | News Editor Contact: bgnews@isu.edu

ISU’s Plans for the Spring 2021 Semester

Photo Courtesy of Pew Research Center Andrea Diaz Reporter COVID-19 has brought on many changes to this semester at Idaho State University and next semester looks to be no different.

The semester is going to start on January 11, 2021, and end May 7, which follows regularly scheduled dates of previous semesters. However, the spring break will be moved to the end of April and after that, there will be one week of distance/based and online exams, much like this semester. The reason for this is to eliminate the influx of students coming back to campus after the spring break.

Students will also have the opportunity to select whether they want to do online, distance-based learning or in-person

classes. Face coverings will still be required and there will be classrooms provided to accommodate social distancing, much like this semester. “The university will continue to monitor the pandemic and its impact on our campus locations, including the number of cases within our community. If the situation requires, Idaho State is ready to make adjustments to operations to ensure health and safety are a top priority,” said Stuart Summers, Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications.

ISU plans to continue following the guidelines outlined in the Roaring Back procedure. The guidelines will continue with the green, yellow, orange and red phases. Each phase will dictate whether classes will be online or in-person. “Each

week, the University Health Committee and Idaho State leadership monitor data and evaluate our operational level. The University Health Committee will continue to do contact tracing, review health exceptions, and provide regular health guidance to campus,” said Summers.

Another concern facing the university and the students is that COVID-19 cases will rise after the Christmas break due to students leaving and going to their respective homes all around the country and even out of the country, in some cases.

These students have the possibility of exposing others to the virus and getting exposed by family members, friends, etc.

Then they will come back to the university and possibly expose other students. “We ask that all students who have received a positive COVID-19 test, are experiencing any symptoms or had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 fill out our COVID-19 Self-Reporting form.

This allows the University to appropriately contact trace, provide assistance for those

who need it, and monitor the virus situation in our ISU community. Filling out this form helps us control the spread of COVID-19 on campus,” Summers said. The form can be found at https://isu.co1.qualtrics.com/ jfe/form/SV_3VImh50bX4hjwWN. If students take the proper precautions to keep everyone safe, then there is little concern about COVID-19 spreading.

Students have to work together to help each other get through this trying time safely and with as little cases as possible.

There are many sources that students, staff and the community can refer to for more COVID-19 information. The ISU website https://www.isu.edu/roaringback/ is a source for ISU’s cases and their guidelines for helping stop the spread of COVID-19.

“First and foremost, the University will continue to provide a high-quality education for our students. That is at the core of our mission, and all decisions are made with our students in mind,” said Summers.

Biden Beats Trump, Continued From Page 1 they are the backbone of our democracy.”

Visitors to the grave of Susan B. Anthony in Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, New York, marked the occasion by covering the suffragette’s tombstone in “I Voted” stickers.

Harris alluded to what her role as vice president will be in the Biden White House, stating she wanted to be a vice president to Biden as he was to former President Barack Obama, but it is unclear if she will be charged with pursuing any specific policy agenda while in office.

Biden and Harris have promised that they would be ready to immediately start addressing four main priorities in the hours following their inauguration on Jan. 20: COVID-19, economic recovery, racial equity and climate change.

According to the website outlining Biden’s transition plan, “President-elect Biden believes that the federal government must act swiftly and aggressively to help protect and support our families, small businesses, first responders and caregivers essential to help us face this challenge [COVID-19], those who are most vulnerable to health and economic impacts, and our broader communities—not to blame others or bail out corporations.”

While Biden won the popular vote across the United States, voters in Idaho strongly supported Trump. Winning 63.1% of all the votes in Idaho, Trump easily carried all four of Idaho’s Electoral College votes—Biden won the other 33.1%. Trump won 58.7% of the votes in

Bannock County—Biden won the other 33.1%. Biden only won three counties in Idaho: Blaine, Latah and Teton County.

Idaho re-elected Republican Senator Jim Risch, who beat Democratic candidate Paulette Jordan by over 250,000 votes. Republican Congressman Russ Fulcher won Idaho’s First Congressional District and Republican Congressman Mike Simpson won Idaho’s Second Congressional District.

Bannock County voters were also asked whether they supported studying the possible merger between Pocatello and Chubbuck: 46.6% voted “Yes” and 53.4% voted “No”.

As President-elect Biden starts his transition to the White House, the United States is still deeply divided. During his victory speech in Wilmington, Biden conveyed a message of unity, built on his campaign to “restore the soul of this nation.” Biden says he will be a president to “all Americans” stating, “I represent all of you whether you voted for me or against me.”

“I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but to unify; who doesn’t see red states or blue states, only sees the United States,” said Biden. “[I will] work with all my heart with the confidence of the whole people, to win the confidence of all you. And for that is what American—I believe—is about. It is about people and that’s what our administration will be all about.”

Page 3 • 11 November 2020

The Bengal at Idaho State University

Logan Ramsey | News Editor Contact: bgnews@isu.edu

Post-Election COVID-19 Update

NEWS

Photo Courtesy of FastWeb Dylon Harrison Managing Editor Cases of COVID-19 continue to climb around the world and across the country. In the United States, cases officially reached 10 million as of Monday, Nov. 9.

This milestone comes after the US saw multiple consecutive days of more than 100,000 new cases reported daily following the election on Nov. 3.

This past Monday, Pfizer, a drug-making company, announced that early data of their COVID-19 vaccine has shown the vaccine to be more than 90% effective, with no serious safety concerns being found in their test subjects.

It is expected that Pfizer will request emergency authorization for their vaccine by the end of November. If approved, they plan to be able to supply the vaccine to up to 20 million people by the end of this year.

Pfizer’s vaccine is one of 11 potential vaccines in late-stage trials around the world and one of four in the United States.

In addition to the promise of a vaccine being available soon, President-elect Joe Biden has announced the members of his transitionary COVID-19 task force. This team will include some of the country’s leading medical experts, as well as Rick Bright.

Bright was fired by the Trump Administration after alleging that the administration had early warnings about the severity of COVID-19 and chose not to act.

The President-Elect also made a statement urging all Americans to either begin or continue to wear masks in public as the battle against COVID-19 continues. He also emphasized that mask-wearing is a medical issue, not a political one.

It doesn’t matter who you voted for; where you stood before election day,” Biden said. “It doesn’t matter your party, your point of view. We could save tens of thousands of lives if everyone would just wear a mask for the next few months.”

The President-elect has released his full seven-step plan to battle COVID-19 on his and the Vice President-elect’s transition website. The complete plan can be found at buildbackbetter.com/priorities/covid-19.

Locally, the state of Idaho had reported that there are currently 684 active cases, as of Sunday, Nov. 8. Idaho State University had 49 active cases as of their most recent update.

Both the state and the university’s recently reported numbers show a downward trend in the total number of cases.

This is in contrast to the rising number of cases around the country.

As of now, it is still unclear if we will see

a local spike in cases following parties and other events that occurred on the weekend of Halloween and during the recent election.

Currently, it appears that ISU will be able to continue under the same operation standards currently in place for the rest of the semester, allowing classes to finish in the distance-learning-in-person hybrid format before breaking Thanksgiving break. The university is also still expected

to continue in the same way when classes resume for the spring semester.

ISU has also made the decision to cancel the fall semester graduation, in order to comply with the state’s return to Phase 3 of the reopening plan and keep the Bengal Community safe.

For more information about COVID-19 at Idaho State University, visit isu.edu/ roaringback.

Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons

The Bengal at Idaho State University

11 November 2020 • Page 4

NEWS

Logan Ramsey | News Editor Contact: bgnews@isu.edu

Getting to Know Dora Goles

Brandon Oram | Photo Editor Featured: Dora Goles Idaho State Athletics Submitted Content Idaho State women’s basketball Dora Goles has come to Pocatello from her hometown of Split, Croatia to make a name for herself off and on the court.

Goles grew up in a family with two older brothers.

“One is 32 and one is 28 I believe,” Goles said. “I’m really close to both of them.

When I was younger I was kind of bugging them all the time but now that we’re older we have a really good relationship.”

The siblings spent their time enjoying some friendly competition.

“I used to play with my oldest brother and my dad but my middle brother did not show any interest in basketball,” Goles said. “We play board games and that’s when it gets competitive. Video games and board games are where the family really gets riled up.”

Goles took the competitive nature she learned playing board games and applied it to sports.

“I used to swim for four years and I hated it,” said Goles. “Since I can remember I was begging my parents to let me play basketball but they were like ‘no you’re too little, you’re too short.’ And I just didn’t stop.”

Her persistence and passion would pay off sooner than later.

“One day I was shooting at a basket outside my house and some ladies on the women’s basketball team in Croatia, they asked me why I wasn’t playing basketball and I told them my parents won’t let me.

So they talked to my dad and he finally bought me shoes and a jersey and finally let me play. So I finally quit swimming and that was the best day of my life.”

Once she picked up basketball, she couldn’t stop.

“I was outside most of the time shooting, Goles said. “My dad would watch me. We lived on the sixth floor of an apartment so he would watch me off of the balcony and record me and he was impressed with how I handled the boys and my parents were really proud of me. When they saw how persistent it was I think it was impossible for them to say no when it came to playing basketball.”

Goles’ father, in fact, has come around to be her greatest supporter.

“I’m really close with my mom and my dad is like my biggest basketball fan,” said Goles. “He watches all of the games even if it’s at like five in the morning over there.

He will cut his own highlights and put together his own highlight video for me.

He’s just a very big fan of mine.”

Her father also used to play when he

was younger.

“He used to play basketball and soccer when he was younger,” Goles said. “But then he got in the military and there was the war back home in Croatia so he had to stop everything he was doing to protect his country.”

Her mom, on the other hand, didn’t play any sports.

“My mom is not an athlete,” Goles laughed. “She likes to say I get my basketball talent from her but that’s not true. Basketball is too stressful for her so she likes to watch after she knows I didn’t get injured and we won because after my three surgeries she’s been really anxious during my games.”

Goles got her inspiration to play from her father’s friendly games.

“I think watching my dad play basketball with his friends,” Goles said. “Whenever he would go play basketball I would be on another hoop shooting with a tennis ball because the basketball was too heavy for me so I used to shoot with a tennis ball and then I started upgrading to a heavier and heavier ball but I think watching my dad play made me want to play.”

Goles joined her first team at 10 years old.

“When I was 10, after a week in practice, I was in the starting lineup for our club team. And that club team has different age categories so like the juniors, the cadets, and then the senior team which plays professionally in the Crotian Premier League. When I was 12 that was the first time I was benched for that team but it was still an honor to play in the first professional division league in Croatia so I learned a lot of experience from the older players and being on the team with women that were 30 years old and they taught me a lot. When I was 14 I started starting for that team and I was a starter until I was 18.”

Despite all of her experience, Goles recalls playing with the boys as one of the most influential aspects of her development.

“Playing with boys was one of the most, I think, things that helped me develop the most,” Goles said. “I played with boys 1v1 and they tried to kick me off the court because I was a girl and I wasn’t allowed to play. I would be on the sidelines dribbling the tennis ball or basketball, trying to improve on my ball handling skills. One day I started shooting and eventually they let me play and they used to mock each other when a girl would beat them so I was pretty proud of that.”

Goles is thankful for the time she played on her club team and how it has helped her today.

“There were some coaches, especially on the national team,” Goles said. “I started

playing on the national team when I was 13 I believe until I was 18. So there were a lot of coaches who helped me get to the point where I am in life right now. When we were in the European championship in Portugal that’s where I got noticed by colleges and stuffed which helped me get to this point.”

For Goles, basketball is more than just a sport.

“It’s honestly everything,” said Goles. “It’s offered me my friends, my relationships, school. It offered me everything in life that I have. I don’t know where I would be without it. I’m so grateful for basketball, it’s literally my everything. I love basketball.”

Basketball has even allowed Goles to accomplish her dreams of playing in America.

“Ever since I was 12 that was my dream,’ Goles said. “My classmates would laugh at me like ‘yeah, America. That’s not going to happen.’ But it was something I really wanted to work towards. My parents knew that financially we could never do it so a full scholarship was the only way to get there.”

Ask and you shall receive. A Division II out of Georgia offered Goles a full ride.

“I somehow got recruited by a Division II school but then I tore my ACL so we had to cut that short and they told me to recover back home and that they would give me a scholarship the following year but they kind of changed their mind about me because they weren’t sure how I was going to play after my injury.”

However, that wouldn’t be the end of her story.

“Then I got recruited by a junior college in Wyoming then Coach Sobo saw me play there and he offered me a scholarship. It’s been great. I honestly wouldn’t change anything. I love my team, I love my coaches, I love the community here. I couldn’t have even imagined it would be this good.”

Goles knew that moving to a new country by herself would be a struggle. But it was a price she was willing to pay.

“I think the biggest thing was proving to myself after numerous injuries and trying to show what I can do and fighting myself mentally and trying to get through the injuries,” Goles said. “And missing my family and spending holidays by myself and I think that was one of the hardest parts. Like my first Christmas in America: no Christmas tree, no mom, no meals so it was just hard.”

However, Goles has found happiness here in Pocatello and prepared to take on her dream.

“I watched a lot of TV trying to get my english better. And I was working hard in the gym; I worked out twice a day and the weight room, too, so three practices a day

trying to get to the point where I am now.

The best part about coming is meeting new people and traveling. We’ve been to Cancun and Hawaii. Coach Sobo literally takes us everywhere. I’ve liked learning the language even more and making friendships.”

Learning english paid off in the classroom. Goles earned her degree in psychology and is now working towards her masters in athletic administration.

“Now that I’m a graduate student it’s a little bit easier because all of my classes are at night from six to nine so I get the whole day to myself so I can prepare for practice,” Goles said. “It’s easier now that I have my degree in psychology and that’s behind me because that was a little bit harder doing the labs and going to class in the morning then weights, then practice, and then I would be tired at eight and go to sleep at nine so now it’s easier.”

After college, Goles plans to take her degree and work towards her career.

“I think I want to do something in sports marketing,” Goles explained “I’m still exploring what I want to do with my life but I think I want to stay in the United States and try and find a job here and see where that takes me.”

Her inspiration for her career comes from her own research.

“I noticed how men’s sports are the ones that get most of the attention and I want to be the person that brings more attention to women’s sports and non-revenue sports,” said Goles. “I did my research for my research and writing classes throughout my schooling and I realized how much harder it is for women to get equality in these career paths that involve leadership and athletics. So I want to be one of those people that can hopefully make a difference.”

In her free time, Goles enjoys spending time with her dog, Laura, among various activities.

“I like to hang out with my dog,” Goles said. “I like to watch TV and play video games and hang out with my friends and teammates. I think since I got a dog literally every activity involves her.”

Since her freshman year, Goles has seen a positive change in herself.

“I’ve grown a lot” said Goles. “Mostly mentally. I’m very more mature, even cooking wise and cleaning wise I’m a lot better than I was as a freshman. As a player I think I’ve improved a lot on my shooting and decision making and I think everything that you get with the experience. I think I’m a way better leader than I was. I’m able to motivate other people than just myself now on the court and I think that’s what I’m proud of the most.”

Page 5 • 11 November 2020

The Bengal at Idaho State University

LIFE

Kaitlyn Hart | Life Editor Contact: bglife@isu.edu

How to Combat Seasonal Depression

Photo Courtesy of Pet Central Chloe Reid Reporter With the days getting shorter, nights getting longer and weather dropping to all-time lows, seasonal depression (SAD), or seasonal affective disorder, is a common emotional downfall during the fall and winter seasons. SAD is creeping up on many students and faculty during this dark and cold time of year. affecting productivity, happiness, and motivation.

“I definitely think it’s hard to stay productive right now because it’s harder to go outside and be active outside, which can make it harder to stay motivated by being cooped up indoors all the time,” said freshman student Hali Wagstaff. Despite the increase in gloomy moods, there are many effective ways to reduce stress and negative emotions during the upcoming winter season.

Therapy Sessions A common and effective way to fight increasing negative emotions, therapy sessions are easily accessible to any students as well as faculty experiencing sadness or anxiety. Counseling sessions on-campus are available for appointments by contacting (208) 282-2130 for appointments.

Vitamins C/D Other than its known side effects, Vitamin C is also good for lowering anxiety levels as well as heightening overall mood.

Vitamin C is very common in most fruits, as well as several supplement options, making it easily accessible for a quick happiness booster during this time of year. Despite sunshine being less readily available during the winter months, take advantage of the days where the sun is out and soak up Vitamin D. Vitamin D is helpful in reducing depression as well as improving energy levels, despite the weather being cooler.

Sun Lamps Sun lamps are an easy way to bring brightness into your home despite the cloudy days outside. According to the Mayo Clinic page on light therapy, an average recommendation for SAD is to use a 10,000 lux light box about 16-24 inches away from your face, for about 20 to 30 minutes per session. If 20-30 minutes isn’t helping your symptoms, boosting the time to 60 minutes might be more beneficial for you.

Meditation A simple yet powerful practice for the mind, meditation is something anyone can do within the comforts of their own home.

Focus meditations on things that make you happy, or brighter times of the year.

Also, trying to create positive mantras (a phrase or sound meant to aid in meditation) to continue promoting throughout meditation events can be an additional way of helping.

Social Events For many, cold weather can be somewhat intimidating due to being stuck inside most of the time. Many people experiencing seasonal depression can feel discouraged about going out at all, however, getting out there and spending time with people you care about can significantly reduce symptoms. Even things as small as visiting a friend’s house and baking cookies to going on a quick day trip to a new town, getting out and being social is an always accessible yet functional way to reduce SAD. Caring for Plants While a pet may be too much work for many, plants are a cheap yet wonderful way to distract your mind during sad times. Even if they’re not as active as a pet, plants still give you a way to care for

something without breaking the budget.

Owning a few houseplants in your space has also shown to reduce stress levels, as well as boosting your overall mood and improving productivity.

Nature Despite the temperatures dropping, and going outside seeming like the last thing anyone would want to do during this time of year, nature can still be just as beneficial to boosting happiness. Bundle up and take a hike or a quick walk through a local nature trail. Studies have shown that even spending a small amount of time in nature can boost your mood. Even if a forest or major nature trail isn’t in the vicinity, even taking quick strolls through your neighborhood can help in giving the positive benefits of seeing nature.

Candles/Incense/Essential oils Scents such as peppermint, cinnamon, rosemary, pine and citrus scents such as lemon or orange have been proven to enhance your mood as well as carrying clarifying and calming properties that can increase happiness and reduce anxiety and stress. Having candles, incense or essential oil diffusers in your home is a quick way to disperse happy scents into the air.

Epsom Salts/Baths Hot baths as well as Epsom salts are a wonderful way to relax while temperatures outside are decreasing. Similar to candles and incense, bathing in Epsom salts is also a good way to get uplifting scents into your everyday regimen. Taking hot baths has been shown to improve sleep, reduce pain and decrease stress.

Thought Radio More and more radio listeners in eastern Idaho are learning that KISU Public Radio is THE source for news and entertainment.

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The Bengal at Idaho State University

11 November 2020 • Page 6

LIFE

Kaitlyn Hart | Life Editor Contact: bglife@isu.edu

My Ultimate Tips For Having the Best Wisdom Tooth Extraction Experience Kaitlyn Hart Life Editor As this article is being written I am currently laying in bed with an ice pack strapped to my face, debating whether or not to have my fifth bowl of ice cream today. If you’ve had your wisdom teeth out, you know exactly how I’m feeling right now.

If not, and you’re reading this article while you’re between the ages of 18 and 21, you’re probably pretty close to having to experience this yourself! Lucky you!

To be honest, the actual surgery wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. My whole life, getting my wisdom teeth out was one of my biggest fears. Being put under anesthesia while multiple people were cranking teeth out of my jaw resulted in many nightmares for 13-year old, brace-face Kaitlyn. So when it came time for 21-year-old Kaitlyn to finally face her fears and get all four wisdom teeth taken out last Friday, I tried my hardest to make the experience as easy and seamless as possible, and I think that I succeeded. So without further ado, here are what I believe to be some of the best decisions sI made throughout my experience with getting these giant barbarian teeth pulled out of my jaw. Damn you, evolution.

I used local anesthesia.

This was a very controversial take among the people in my life. Personally, I am terrified of IV’s, and the thought of being put to sleep in a doctor’s office is just a little too close to death for me. I know it makes no sense, I have tattoos and have never had a problem with getting them, but for some reason, when the needle passes the last layer of skin I immediately want to scream, throw up, cry, basically all of the above. Everyone and I mean everyone, that I told about this decision told me that it was going to be a mistake and that I would regret not being put to sleep for this, and I am happy to report that they were wrong!

I am the first to admit that I am a bit of a control-freak, and being able to see and listen to what the doctors were doing during the procedure really set my mind at ease.

I was also very lucky that my wisdom teeth grew in more or less straight up and down, so it was a simple procedure that only took 25-minutes, so I didn’t really see the point in being asleep for such a short procedure.

I opted to use nitrous oxide.

Just because I didn’t want to be put to sleep doesn’t mean that I wasn’t down to have a little fun during the procedure. I’m

Photo Courtesy of PixaBay

not a masochist. In the words of the dental assistant as she placed the nitrous oxide breathing apparatus over my face, “This will just make you feel a bit, woooo!!” It did.

It really did. Since I wasn’t completely put under, I wasn’t exactly loopy but I can tell you that for about an hour after surgery, everything was absolutely hilarious. I laughed with the nurses when I couldn’t get my beanie back on, I laughed when explaining to my dad how the surgery went, and I laughed when I discovered that I couldn’t tell the difference between my chin and my bottom lip. I’m also an extreme light-weight when it comes to medication, so I was a bit surprised to hear my doctor ask mid-surgery if I would like him to crank up the nitrous a bit. In retrospect, I must’ve looked really panicked, and I probably should’ve told him that’s just how I naturally look. But instead, I decided to just take the win. Yes, doc. Yes, I would like more laughing gas.

I brought headphones.

This is something I never even thought to do until my original wisdom tooth consultation a few weeks before the procedure.

My oral surgeon was going over the options for sedation and I was asking about what people usually choose. “Normally people choose general anesthesia so they don’t have to be awake during the procedure, and so they don’t have to hear any drill noises,” he said. “But when people go under local anesthesia, usually just suggest to them that they bring some headphones and listen to their favorite music.” This advice was crucial to my positive experience during the surgery. The feeling of listening to Beyonce’s “Apeshit” while high on nitrous oxide, having giant teeth broken into little pieces and yanked out of your jaw is a once in a lifetime experience. But here’s a tip, if you’re prone to singing along or humming to your favorite songs like me, try really hard not to listen to music that encourages this behavior. Dentists don’t like it when you spit out blood on them or yourself while trying to keep up with Jay-Z.

I have a fantastic support system.

It is so important to make sure that you have people around you during the recovery process to make sure that you’re as comfortable and healthy as possible. I have the most amazing family in the world and would be in so much more pain, both emotionally and physically, if I didn’t have them to help keep me on track with all of the medications and recovery tasks required after my wisdom teeth extraction.

On the second night of my recovery, I was supposed to wake up at 1 a.m to take another dose of the prescribed pain medication, but as luck would have it, my alarm didn’t go off. I woke up around 4 in the morning in the worst jaw pain I have ever had in my life. I was pale, sweating, and feeling as if I was about to throw up from the pain alone.

My amazing and wonderfully comforting mother stayed up the rest of the night/ morning with me, getting me ice packs as we watched “Schitt’s Creek” together and waited for the pain medications to kick in.

Meanwhile, my absolutely incredible father has been racing around the house since the second we got home from the oral surgeon, looking for everything from the best pillows in the house to the best cups to drink out of.

He has been running back and forth to Walgreen’s anytime he gets the slightest inkling that I might need something. I am so incredibly lucky to have the most incredible support system through not only this tiny little wisdom tooth chapter of this year but throughout my entire life. Not to mention, my mom makes the best sweet potato casserole which is the ultimate wisdom tooth recovery meal delicacy.

Unfortunately, most of us will have to get these teeth yanked out at some point or another, but hopefully, these tips will help you out at least a little bit. At the end of the day, I will never need to get my wisdom teeth out again, and in about a month I can get back to my regular diet of Cafe Rio salads and Cheez-Its. Overall, my best advice is to find a show you’ve never seen, buy your favorite ice cream, and spend this somewhat rare downtime with your loved ones.

Page 7 • 11 November 2020

The Bengal at Idaho State University

Kaitlyn Hart | Life Editor Contact: bglife@isu.edu

A History of America’s First Pets Jacob Gutridge Editor-in-Chief Meet Champ and Major Biden, the Bidens’ German Shepards. When President-elect Joe Biden moves into the White House on Jan. 20, he will be bringing along America’s future First Pets.

Biden welcomed Champ into his home on Christmas Day in 2008. First Lady-elect Jill Biden bought Champ as a gift for Biden when he was elected to be Vice President.

It was Biden’s grandchildren that chose the name Champ, a name that was inspired by Biden’s father who had told him growing up, “Get up, champ,” when faced with challenges.

When Champ was purchased from a Pennsylvania breeder the Bidens received some backlash for not rescuing a dog. However, in 2018 the Bidens adopted Major from the Delaware Humane Society, meaning Major will make history as the first rescue dog to live in the White House.

Biden will not be the first president to bring pets to the White House. Having presidential pets has actually been a longstanding tradition dating all the way back to George Washington.

Washington had several American Foxhounds and black and tan Coonhounds; as well as a Greyhound named Cornwallis after the British General. In addition to his many canines and horses, Washington kept an Andalusian donkey gifted to him by King Charles III of Spain. George and Martha Washington were also known to have a parrot named Snipe.

Because Washington never lived in the White House, President John Adams was the first president to actually have dogs at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue; their names were Juno, Mark and Satan. Thomas Jefferson had several dogs and horses similar to Washington, but while in the White House Jefferson kept several hummingbirds, and at one point was gifted two grizzly bear cubs. Jefferson donated the cubs to a museum in Philadelphia.

Washington and Jefferson were not the only presidents to receive unusual pets as gifts. According to a widely circulated, but

most-likely apocryphal myth, John Quincy Adams would scare his guests with a pet alligator gifted to him by Marquis de Layaette—yes, that Lafayette. Martin Van Buren was given a pair of tiger cubs by the Sultan of Oman, and despite wanting to keep them, Congress forced Van Buren to donate the tigers to a zoo. Calvin Coolidge was given a raccoon named Rebecca as a gift on Thanksgiving. First Lady Grace Coolidge was particularly smitten with Rebecca, letting the raccoon roam the halls of the White House and the White House Rose Garden.

John F. Kennedy had several pets during his presidency, but perhaps most interesting, was his dog Pushinka. Pushinka was a gift to Kennedy from the Soviet Union Premier Nikita Krushchev—and she was the puppy of the Soviet space dog Streika, who returned safely to earth with Sputnik 5.

Cold War romance sparked between Pushinka and Kennedy’s Welsh Terrier named Charlie. Pushinka and Charlie had four puppies together which Kennedy facetiously called Pupniks.

More recently Barack Obama had two Portuguese Water Dogs named Bo and Sonny. George W. Bush had an English Springer Spaniel named Spot “Spotty” Fletcher, two Scottish Terriers named Barney and Miss Beazley—nicknamed Beazley Weazley—a cat named India “Willie” and a longhorn cow named Ofelia, which lived at the Prairie Chapel Ranch owned by Bush. Bill Clinton only had two presidential pets: his family’s cat named Socks and his Chocolate Labrador Retriever named Buddy.

Donald Trump did not have any pets while in the White House, meaning Trump was the only president besides James K. Polk to break tradition. However, Vice President Mike Pence did have a rabbit named Marlon Bundo, which starred in a series of children’s books and has a modest Instagram following.

Champ and Major Biden have grown popular on social media leading up to Election Day. In response, Biden expressed strong interest to return to the longstanding presidential pet tradition, in just one of many ways Biden hopes to deviate from the Trump White House during his presidency.

Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons Featured: First Lady Grace Coolidge with her pet raccoon Rebecca

LIFE

Photo Courtesy of the Delaware Humane Society Featured: President-elect Joe Biden with his German Shepard Major Biden

The Bengal at Idaho State University

11 November 2020 • Page 8

OPINION

Dylon Harrison | Managing Editor Contact: bgeditor@isu.edu

A Time for Vigilance Logan Ramsey News Editor There has been a lot of talk about how this election was a turning point for our country. While this is something that gets said in every election, this hasn’t been a regular year. 2020 has been a year that historians will discuss and debate long after we’re all in the ground.

The consequences of our past actions are catching up to us, and how we choose to respond over this decade could define the rest of this century.

The pandemic exposed just how deep the division goes between the right and the left, even on matters of public health.

It showed just how easy it is for our supply chains, built on efficiency, to crumble with scarcity.

For people like me who weren’t aware of the problem, the largest political movement in our country’s history woke us up to America’s deep systematic racial inequality. The system has been like this for too long and the protests inspired the previously unaware to call for justice.

The southern coast has been pummelled by record levels of hurricanes and the west coast has been scorched in wildfires.

We’ve known about the changing climate long enough to do something, and yet our government has failed to pass significant legislation to combat the problem.

Americans had a monumental choice this year. Either elect a president who acknowledges how much work there is to be done and has a history of reaching across the political aisle or one who denies these problems and paints anyone opposed to him as the enemy of the people.

No matter where you stand on Biden versus Trump, it’s the responsibility of every American to respect the election process. If Trump had managed to win the electoral college, we would have to respect his election as well, just as we did in 2016.

I’ll never forget the moment when I found out Donald Trump would be the 45th president. I stayed up until the early morning watching election coverage. I kept watching until someone at Clinton’s election party came on stage and told the crowd to head home, and that they wouldn’t know anything concrete until morning.

I was scrolling through Facebook before I went to bed, and suddenly I started seeing Facebook posts calling Trump the new president. From somewhere in my neighborhood, I heard a firework go off in celebration.

As I processed the news, I was terrified of what would happen to our home over the next four years. It turns out that those fears were entirely justified.

Considering that Trump has not won re-election, we don’t have to find out what he would have done with a second term. I don’t have a crystal ball, but I don’t think it would have been good. In a different world, we could have been facing a completely different four years.

Trump went all-in on sowing division and a fear of change in the American public, and constantly spoke to the importance of law and order. Towards the end of the campaign, the Thin Blue Line Flag, created to show support for law enforcement, started replacing the traditional American flag as the backdrop at some of his rallies.

His campaign became less about freedom and more about law and order.

I won’t speculate specifically about the

numerous terrible things that could have taken place, but the evolution of the tone of Trump’s campaign speaks volumes.

Historically speaking, bad things happen when a country swaps out its national identity for regressive ideals based on safety and security, and a hatred for who you view as the enemy.

After watching Biden win this fateful election, I’ve been renewed with a sense of hope that I haven’t felt in four years, even though I know the work is far from over.

Trump may have lost the election, but incumbents on both sides of the aisle won.

The consequences we’re facing in 2020 aren’t going to magically disappear now that Trump is leaving office. The American people talk a big game about how

they don’t trust the government, but when given the choice, they’ll choose the same incumbents who make the government untrustworthy. We can’t expect to see progress over the next four years unless new, forward-thinking candidates are voted into the legislature.

When Barack Obama was elected president, the nation became complacent. This can’t happen again, or else the Biden administration won’t be able to push for the progress that we so desperately need.

Now is not the time for complacency. It’s not the time for business as usual. It’s time for vigilance as we demand a great change from our government.

Photo Courtesy of Getty Images

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