FNLVol 56 Iss 5 (2) by The Captain's Log

The Captain’s Log

THE VOICE OF CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

@CNUCAPTAINSLOG

VOLUME 56, ISSUE 5

exercise at CNU on

Active shooter roleplay intended to prepare and train first responders

BREANNA DORRIAN

BREANNA.DORRIAN.23@CNU.EDU

Christopher Newport University’s Office of Emergency Management held a Critical Incident Full Scale training exercise on Wednesday, September 25 from roughly 8AM through 1PM. The test was used to evaluate and train the procedures of CNU

and local and state first responders in the scenery of a critical threat, more specifically an active threat by an assailant. The exercise included both CNU and the City of Newport News, including the Newport News Police Department, Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, Virginia State Police, Riverside Health System and oth-

ers per description by the Office of Orientation and Student Involvement (OSI) at CNU in an email to CNU personnel.

“It is essential for testing and evaluating our emergency procedures and ensuring that CNU Police and local and state first responders work together effectively,” CNU Alert stated in an email to CNU members the morning of the exercise.

The exercise involved McMur-

ran Hall and other surrounding areas such as Potomac River Hall, Hoinkes Plaza Bell Tower and parking lots K, L (Potomac River Hall), and M (Alumni House). These areas were restricted and off limits for the duration of the exercise. CNU students were made aware to expect heavy police, fire and EMS presence. Students were also told to expect to hear blanks fired, student roleplayers in realistic injury simulating makeup and first responders tending to roleplayers. This also included sirens and announcements across campus with the message “exercise” to further the procedural tests.

The exercise sought out the help of 50 volunteers of faculty, staff and students to roleplay and act as victims. Roleplayers were asked to act out injuries, barricading themselves in rooms, exiting the building and other realistic scenarios, also per description of the OSI email to CNU personnel on August 29.

One student roleplayer was freshman Wendy Torres Salas who acted as an injured victim. She was instructed to lay on the floor of McMurran Hall pretending to be unresponsive. Before the exercise began, Torres Salas said she and other volunteers were given a presentation and debrief on what would happen. She was also moulaged and applied with makeup to simulate a severe injury in order to make the scenario more realistic for the first responders.

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CNU’s National Honor Fraternity

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Chicken and Waffles

What students are excited about for Fall

Local news station filming Critical Incident Full Scale training

Wednesday, September 25, photo taken by Anthony Berry

CNU Critical Incident Full Scale training exercise:

Active Shooter roleplay intended to prepare and train first responders

Story continued from cover

BREANNA DORRIAN

BREANNA.DORRIAN.23@CNU.EDU

Torres Salas felt the overall exercise was both beneficial and a success. She did state that while the scenario may not have been as accurate since it wasn’t a legitimate situation, it helps serve as preparation if a real shooting were to take place.

“Worst case scenario it does happen, then I would rather have done the exercise and help first responders be prepared then not have done it,” she said.

Some students raised concerns about the impact the scenario had on those involved and those who witnessed the exercise in passing. During the exercise, restricted areas resulted in certain campus functions to be canceled. Many classes that take place in McMurran Hall were either canceled or made virtual for the duration of the exercise. Others also raised concerns about the emotional and mental impact the scenario may have had.

Torres Salas stated that she was personally impacted by having her classes moved online or canceled but it did not affect her on

an emotional level. She did say, however, that she had received comments from a few of her friends relaying that they were impacted on an emotional level.

However, Torres Salas’ main focus during the exercise were the real life victims who have experienced this level of violence.

Students and staff were also instructed via email to contact the Office of Counseling Services (OCS) if they were impacted by anything they saw or experienced during the duration of the exercise.

The outside of McMurran Hall taped off with an “exercise inprogress” sign during the Critical Incident Full Scale training exercise at CNU on Wednesday, September 25. Photo by Bre Dorrian/TheCaptain’sLog

Category 4 hurricane devastates the East coast

Hurricane Helene kills at least 50

BREANNA DORRIAN

BREANNA.DORRIAN.23@CNU.EDU

CNN reported that the category 4 hurricane Helene has devastated parts of the east coast with mass flooding and at least 59 “storm-related” deaths across South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and Virginia. South Carolina has been reported to have one of the highest

death tolls, at roughly 20. Governor of Virginia Glenn Youngkin stated last Friday that at least one person has died in a building collapse related to the storm. Parts of North Carolina received roughly two feet of rain, numerous power outages, extreme winds and “more than 200 people have been

International Affairs Update:

Conflict escalates in the Middle East and conflict between Taiwan and China

BREANNA DORRIAN

BREANNA.DORRIAN.23@CNU.EDU

Conflicts in the Middle East continue to escalate. ABC News reported on September 28 that an Israeli airstrike “killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut.” NPR reported on September 29 that many US leaders have deemed the killing as an “appropriate action,” including President Biden who called it “a measure of justice for his many victims.”

As of October 1, Reuters reported that Israeli airstrikes killed

at least 37 people in Gaza. AP News reported that Iran launched approximately 180 missiles into Israel. AP News reported, “Hezbollah has vowed to keep firing rockets into Israel until there is a cease-fire in Gaza with Hamas.”

Military strategists have raised concerns about the potential threat of China invading Taiwan. CNN reported on October 1 that Chinese leader Xi Jinping vowed to “reunify” “with Taiwan

on the eve of Communist China’s 75th birthday.” Simultaneously, Reuters has reported that Taiwan is bracing for impact from imminent Typhoon Krathon. CNN Reported that the typhoon is “equivalent to a Category 4 Atlantic hurricane.” Although it is expected to weaken, it was anticipated to have made landfall in Taiwan on either Wednesday, October 2 or Thursday, October 3.

rescued from floodwaters.” CNN also reported that in Florida “at least 1,900 people remained at about 80 shelters after evacuation orders were lifted.” Strong winds and heavy rainfall are still likely to be expected, however hurricane Helene has transitioned into a “posttropical cyclone.”

Purple sky over the Great Lawn at CNU after heavy rainfall and tornado watch Friday, September 27. Photo by Bre Dorrian/ TheCaptain’sLog

New Policy Enforcement in the Trieshmann Fitness Pavilion

Intentions regarding sudden policy enforcement

HOLLY HAYDON HOLLY.HAYDON.23@CNU.EDU

Starting at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year the Trieshmann Fitness Pavilion began to enforce policies they previously had not been. These changes include the reinforcement of a dress code, ‘No ID No Entry’ and student staff no longer being able to spot other patrons.

The rules for the dress code can be found posted around the inside of the gym. The dress code includes no open-toed shoes, no cut-off tank tops or cropped shirts and it states students must be wearing a shirt at all times when in the gym.

However, according to Building Manager Peter Kay, “these policies have always existed, and therefore will be enforced.”

It is unclear as to why the policies have not previously been enforced, but the flyers regarding the dress code are a new addition to the gym.

As for the ‘No ID No Entry’ policy, students have mentioned that in the past as long as they were able to bring up CNU live for the student staff worker at the front desk they were allowed entry.

Since these policies have started there have been a lot of questions regarding their purpose and reasons for being implemented. Sophomore Leila Denino said that she thought it was weird for a dress code to be implemented at a public university. She stated “we are all adults, so we should be able to”

decide “what we wear to the gym.”

Another source who wishes to stay anonymous, said that she was confused why a dress code was needed in the first place.

On top of questions about these new policies, students across campus have had strong opinions about these policies, especially the ones regarding the dress code. Junior Alie Aponte claimed she used to love wearing “tank tops when running or doing back day.” However, for Aponte all of the tank tops she had purchased are no longer acceptable per gym standards.

Much like Denino, she believes that CNU should be “encouraging people to wear whatever they want” instead of enforcing a dress code. Aponte strongly believes that dress codes are created because “men can’t control themselves.” She stated that “sadly no matter what we (as women) wear” we get “sexualized” so it is hard to “comprehend the change since the problem is not the clothes.”

Though within the dress code it states that men are also not allowed to wear cut off or midriff showing tops. The dress code is intended for everyone to abide by. It is not intended to favor one gender or another.

One thing that is unclear regarding the dress code is the lack of restriction for women or men on how short athletic shorts can be.

Kay informed the Captains Log in an email that the intended purpose of these policies regarding clothing “considers hygiene, health and

left unclear

safety” of all patrons. He did not elaborate on the subject regarding how this specific policy contributed to the health and safety of all patrons.

However, within the email, Kay did state that student staff is unable to act as a spotter for patrons due to not having formal training to assist during a spot.

Kay stated that failure to comply with dress code policies would result in patrons being “asked to return in proper attire” and that further failure to comply with any policies “will result in no access” to the gym.

Although the policies have supposedly always been in place, questions have been raised as to why these policies are being enforced in full effect this year in comparison to previous years. All policies are enforced by professional and student staff at the Freeman.

One student on the CNU YikYak said that she saw a member of professional staff walking around in a sports bra, which is in clear violation of the dress code. Kay stated that no one is an exception to these policies, but chose not to comment on questions regarding professional staff violating gym policy. Kay failed to elaborate on many of the intentions of these policies and how it affects patrons of the Fitness Pavilion

Countdown to November: Updates recapping the 2024 Presidential Election and Debate

BREANNA.DORRIAN.23@CNU.EDU

As of September 28, ABC’s Project FiveThirtyEight (538) reported that democratic party nominee and vice president Kamala Harris leads in the polls by a 2.8 lead at 48.6%. 538 also reported that former president and republican party nominee Donald Trump sits at 45.7% in the national polls. Fox 5 Atlanta reported Harris and Trump are aiming to win undecided voters across states such as Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Nevada.

AP News reported on September 27 that Harris made her first appearance in the U.S.Mexico border last Friday since her nomination as the Democratic Presidential candidate. In an Instagram post on September 29, Harris wrote, “as president, I will secure our border, disrupt the flow of fentanyl coming into the United States, and work to fix our broken system of immigration.” AP News also reported

that former president Trump met with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in New York in an effort to put an end to the ongoing RussiaUkraine war.

Fox 5 Atlanta has also reported that the HarrisWalz campaign has made efforts to “reach more young Black voters ahead of election day” by kicking off the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Homecoming Tour.

CNN reported that the republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance openly disapproved of President Zelenskyy’s visit to a Pennsylvania ammunition plant instead of showing more thanks to the United States for providing foreign aid. CNN reported that these remarks followed an interview Zelenskyy had with The New Yorker where he called Vance “too radical.”

The Vice Presidential debate was held Tuesday, October 1 in New York. If you missed the debate, the Captain’s Log will recap its key moments in

the next issue of the newspaper on October 10. For more information on how to register to vote and other registration deadlines, visit the official website of the Virginia Department of Elections, or scan the QR code below.

Chicago White Sox set losing record

TREY GREENWELL

TRAJAN.GREENWELL.21@CNU.EDU

An unbreakable record becomes breakable

On the final Friday of the MLB season, the Chicago White Sox set the single-season losing record with a 4-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

With the White Sox sitting at 120 losses, the team needed a sweep over the Tigers to avoid being etched into baseball’s history books. However, the loss on Friday made an unbreakable record breakable.

The loss was the team’s 121st of the season, breaking the record previously held by the New York Mets in 1962, who had one fewer. The White Sox started the season 1-9 and never recovered as they went on a 21-game losing skid and two 14-game streaks during the season.

The White Sox have gotten worse quickly. Three years ago, the team had won the American League Central. While they had been eliminated in the American League Division Series, it was sup-

posed to be the beginning of a new era on Chicago’s South Side. However, the team began to regress as they finished 81-81 the next season before losing 101 games in 2023.

After the slow start the team ex-

perienced this season, they traded starting pitcher Erik Fedde, closer Michael Kopech, and outfielder Tommy Pham. Despite the beginnings of a youth movement, things kept getting worse as they continued to find ways to lose.

On the final day of the season, White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf issued a statement that was shared on the team’s X which described the season as completely unacceptable and stressed that the team will fix their underlying issues for future campaigns. Reinsdorf went on to publicly show his faith in general manager Chris Gertz and the work Gertz has put into the team’s managerial search. The statement went on to highlight the bright future the White Sox have, something that not many fans will believe in given their steep decline over the past three years.

While Reinsdorf’s letter was meant to indicate optimism for the future of the White Sox, the fanbase will need to see this for themselves during the offseason as the team enters a long winter. After all, actions speak louder than words and the season’s actions of the White Sox have been painful to watch.

Athletics bid farewell to Oakland

TREY GREENWELL

TRAJAN.GREENWELL.21@CNU.EDU

An emotional ending

After four World Series Championships, six American League pennants, and 17 division titles, the Athletics have officially left Oakland. The 6-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Sunday was the team’s final game as the Oakland Athletics. The season ended with disappointment, reflection, and an eye for the future. However, for some fans, this marked

the end of a part of their identity. This was evident when the team played their final home game at the Oakland Coliseum on Thursday. With a sellout crowd of 46,889 cheering the Athletics on, they defeated the Texas Rangers 3-2. With an emotional speech from manager Mark Kotsy and an Athletics flag planted behind home plate by third baseman Max Schuemann, it capped off a memorable era of a city that embraced everything about the Athletics.

Several fans, players, and employees shared their stories about a team that has been a huge part of their lives for decades. While the Athletics departure had been announced for some time, many did not want to come to terms with it. When the final out was made, that reality became imminent as the baseball world began to realize what the city of Oakland meant to the Athletics community. Despite the modernity Las Vegas has to offer, it will have a hard time capturing the pulse of the Athletics community.

Before the team’s final series in Oakland, owner John Fisher released a statement that offered his condolences to the people of Oakland. He also apologized for not being able to keep the team in Oakland by emphasizing that it was their goal and they failed to make it a reality.

The Athletics had been working on building a new stadium in Howard Terminal for several years. However, the COVID-19 pandemic, along with many other external factors led to a failure to finalize the stadium plan. This led to the Athletics decision to acquire a new stadium in Las Vegas which ended any possibility of the team staying in Oakland. Next season, the Athletics will be playing at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento. This will be the team’s temporary home until their new stadium in Las Vegas is finished. While the new ballpark should be built by the beginning of the 2028 season, the team has the option to play a fourth season in Sacramento if the stadium in Las Vegas is not ready.

Guaranteed Rate Field hosting a baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and New York Mets. Guaranteed Rate Field White Sox vs NY Mets by Zakarie Faibis is licensed under the CC By-SA 4.0 International Deed.

The Oakland Coliseum during a game in August 2021. Oakland Coliseum 2021 by Chris6d is licensed under the CC By-SA 4.0 International Deed.

Knicks acquire Karl-Anthony Towns

A huge trade

The New York Knicks made a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves in which they acquired Karl-Anthony Towns.

The Knicks sent Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a 2025 top13 protected first-round pick from the Detroit Pistons to the Timberwolves. The acquisition of Towns gives the Knicks size while the Timberwolves are adding depth and shooting to their roster.

The trade shocked Towns as he had never requested a trade away from the team. However, the move was likely based on financial reasons as the team is paying hefty sums for both guard Anthony Edwards and center Rudy Gobert. Adding Towns to the mix hinders the team’s ability to add to their roster during the season.

The trade fixes a huge hole in the Knicks ros-

ter. Towns’ presence gives them both more size and shooting, something the team lacked during last year’s postseason. WIth center Mitchell Robinson expected to miss the start of the season with an ankle injury, the need for a center was glaring. His ability to space the floor paired with point guard Jalen Brunson’s playmaking abilities makes Towns a seamless fit into the Knicks offense. This move should give the

Knicks a good chance at contending for the Eastern Conference this season.

For the Timberwolves, this trade deepens the roster. Adding DiVincenzo gives the team a solid, rotational piece that can make up for guard Kyle Anderson’s production last season. Julius Randle raises question marks relating to his production in the playoffs as well as his fit next to Gobert. While the Timberwolves have proven that they are

one of the better teams in the Western Conference, swapping Towns for Randle appears to be a downgrade unless Randle can improve his shooting numbers. Last season, Randle shot 31 percent from three last season in contrast to Towns, who shot 41 percent from deep. This trade felt odd from the Timberwolves as they had just made the Western Conference Finals last season and looked close to winning an NBA Championship in the near future. Most teams do not trade a core piece after doing so but the salary constraints were too great for the Timberwolves to run it back.

This trade could prove to be a win for both teams as the Knicks added size while the Timberwolves added depth. Given how both teams exceeded expectations last season, it will be interesting to see how they perform with higher expectations.

“The acquisition of Towns gives the Knicks size while the Timberwolves are adding depth and shooting to their roster.”

Here’s What You Missed!

1) Alabama has taken the number 1 spot in the AP Top 25 following a 41-34 victory against Georgia.

2) NBA Hall of Fame center Dikembe Mutombo has died of brain cancer at the age of 58.

3) NBA point guard Derrick Rose has announced his retirement after a 16-year career.

4) France forward Antoine Griezmann has retired from international duty at the age of 33.

Coming soon in CNU Sports:

*Games listed are happening at CNU

October 5th:

*Women’s Field Hockey CNU v. Centre College

Location: Newport News, VA

Time: 12:00 PM

Women’s Soccer

CNU v. Swarthmore College

Location: Swarthmore, PA

Time: 12:00 PM

Men’s Football

CNU v. Salisbury University

Location: Salisbury, MD Time: 6:00 PM

October 9th:

*Men’s Soccer

CNU v. Washington and Lee

Location: Newport News, VA

Time: 5:00 PM

*Women’s Soccer CNU v. Southern Virginia University

Location: Newport News, VA

Time: 7:00 PM

To look at events off campus and for future weeks, visit cnusports.com

Karl-Anthony Towns before the 2022 NBA All-Star Game. Karl-Anthony Towns by Erik Drost is licensed under the CC By-SA 2.0 Deed.

SNAPSHOT

CNU Equestrian Team

All photos taken by Hannah Bohling

Purple Skies

All photos taken by Bre Dorrian

CNU Equestrian team at their home meet

Alexis Onstott competing in the Limit Over Fences division at CNU’s first home show of the IHSA season

Image of the DSU surrounded by purple sky after the tornado watch

Image of the lights reflecting in the puddles left from the rain after the tornado watch

Anna: A Theatrical Monologue

ALYSSA TILLMAN

ALYSSA.TILLMAN.22@CNU.EDU

How Cora Barr brings Anna Hyatt Huntington to life

Are you a fan of art or theater? Anna: A Theatrical Monologue has been showing for the past couple of weeks and The Captain’s Log had the chance to interview senior Cora Barr about her experience playing American sculptor, Anna Hyatt Huntington.

Barr shared that the idea of creating Anna: A Theatrical Monologue was inspired by the exhibition at the Torggler Center, which features the work of 20th century sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington and has information on her life and family history. Professor Gillman of the CNU Theatre department, who Barr has worked with in the past, read about Huntington’s story and “felt as if it should be told through performance.” Professor Gillman and Executive Director of the Torggler, Holly Koons, worked to commission Kathleen Cahill, a Pulitzer Prize nominated playwright to write a theatrical piece about Anna Hyatt Huntington. Barr said that “the goal was to create a museum piece that could be performed within the exhibition. I was approached by Professor Gillman to act as “Anna” in the piece, and this project is over a year in the making.”

Barr worked in association with Professor Gillman through the 2024 Summer Scholars Program to conduct their research for this production. Barr shared, “Our main focus was to learn about the type of theatre I was going to participate in, which was a combination of museum and immersive theatre.” They aimed to gain a better understanding of the history, psychology, and benefits of these forms of theatre. Barr said that “it was helpful to learn how both actors and audiences tend to react to theatre in non-traditional settings because this helped my preparation as an actor.”

Barr also spent this time researching who Huntington was in order to effectively play her. When asked what the most interesting thing she learned about Huntington was, Barr said “her dedication to herself and her passions: animals and artistry.” She went on to say. “In my

opinion, Anna was a fearless woman and pioneer for women artists, and I admire her confidence in herself while still having so much humility for all that she accomplished.” Barr explained that learning about who Anna was inspired her to have the sureness in herself to take on a project like this. “I have never worked on a project this size and consisting of so much hard work and dedication, but I feel like Anna’s story gave me the confidence to go for it.”

I was approached by Professor Gillman to act as “Anna” in the piece, and this project is over a year in the making.”

There’s so much to learn about Huntington through this production. Barr shared that she hopes people enjoy learning about Huntington’s contribution to art, specifically song women artists. “She is unfortunately under-appreciated during this time, but I hope that this performance helps encourage community members to learn more about her, her work, and her family.” Barr also shared her hope that women who watch the performance are encouraged to follow their passions after hearing Anna’s story.

Members of the Newport News community have loved coming to see Anna. Barr described the support as

“positive” and “overwhelming”, leading to more fall dates being added to the show. “I have absolutely loved getting the chance to speak with audience members after performances”, she goes on, “and it has been an honor to hear that the performance has touched them in some way.” Barr also loves when returning audience members who enjoyed the show so much bring their friends with them to see it again.

This performance has been a unique experience for Barr because it is, what she describes as “a non-traditional performance setting and a moving piece.” Barr explained that it was challenging to navigate how she could use movement and her voice to keep audiences engaged and encourage participation throughout the piece. “I have never played a historical figure in any acting piece, so I had to figure out how to balance portraying who Anna was as a person but also adding some of my own qualities to the character.”

When asked why people should go see Anna, Barr said that

“I have never worked on a project this size and consisting of so much hard work and dedication, but I feel like Anna’s story gave me the confidence to go for it.”

witnessing this piece is a unique experience that people do not see often in museum settings. In addition, Huntington and her family were significant to the history of the Newport News area. “Many of Anna’s sculptures are located in Newport News, including the lion sculptures at the James River.”

So grab your friends and go see Anna’s final performance on Oct. 5th at 11 a.m. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the city we go to school in, as well as the artists who inspired so many others in our community.

Senior Cora Barr as Anna Hyatt Huntington. Photo from the Torggler

Live from New York: SNL returns for 50th season

Hosted by Jean Smart with musical guest Jelly Roll

ALYSSA TILLMAN ALYSSA.TILLMAN.22@CNU.EDU

“Saturday Night Live” is back in full swing! The show is officially a halfcentury old, joining a category of TV old-timers that includes “60 Minutes,” “Let’s Make a Deal” and “The Young and the Restless.” The season 50 premiere aired last Saturday and was hosted by Jean Smart, with musical guest Jelly Roll.

The season 50 premiere kicked off with a star-studded cold open that put a focus on the upcoming presidential election, satirizing the rallies held by candidates Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. Maya Rudolph, reprising her role as Harris, joked that her campaign was not unlike Sabrina Carpenter’s summer hit “Espresso”, saying “the lyrics are vague but the vibes slap.” Rudolph was joined on stage during the sketch by Jim Gaffigan as Harris’ running mate Tim Walz, Andy Samberg as Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff and Dana Carvey as President Joe Biden. In the other half of the sketch, James Austin Johnson reprised his role as Trump, who in the bit was speaking at a rally of his own, with the crowd behind him slowly thinning out as he entered his third hour of speaking. Cast member Bowen Yang then appeared, playing Sen. JD Vance.

2024 marks a decade of Colin Jost and Michael Che in their role as coanchors of “Weekend Update”. The first “Weekend Update” of Season 50

welcomed two first-time guests to the desk. Thailand’s internetbeloved baby hippo Moo Deng played by Bowen Yang and newlyindicted New York City mayor Eric Adams played by Devon Walker. Yang drew a parallel between what he portrayed as the animal’s overexposure and pop star Chappell Roan’s recent withdrawal from the spotlight, following an excess of attention on her political views as well as what she’s described as harassment and stalking from fans. There were many standout sketches, such as “Spirit Halloween”, a commercial highlighting Spirit Halloween’s tendency to take over empty storefronts in low-income communities. Devon Walker played Michael Strahan hosting a parody of “$100,000 Pyramid”, with Kenan Thompson as Mark Robinson. In an “I Love Lucy” sketch, Smart plays a dramatic actress who nearly starred in “I Love Lucy”, hilariously showing how the 1950s sitcom would’ve faltered without Lucille Ball’s comedic touch. In the “Talk Talk” sketch, Yang’s Charli XCX hosts a bizarre, hilarious boiler room show featuring topical humor and Sarah Sherman as Troye Sivan. Musical guest Jelly Roll performed “Liar” and “Winning Streak” from his upcoming 10th studio album, Beautifully Broken. He was introduced by Smart and her Hacks co-star Hannah Einbinder.

Kamala Harris’ “brat summer”

How the Harris campaign was influenced by pop culture

MICHALAH BECK MICHALAH.BECK.22@CNU.EDU

Following President Joe Biden’s announcement of dropping out of the presidential race and his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris, “kamala IS brat” was tweeted by British pop singersongwriter Charli xcx on July 21, 2024. Many people on social media quickly backed Harris, referring to her as Charli xcx’s new summer term, “brat”. “Brat” is a term used to describe a woman who is powerful and strong-willed, and the singer referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as “brat” signified a new turn in the Harris campaign.

Concern spread through the media about why we would refer to our vice president as a brat, but the media quickly learned Vice President Kamala Harris was not referred to as a brat, but referred to as the “brat”.

Not long after President Biden announced his stepping down from the Democratic ticket, Vice President Harris announced her candidacy for president. Her campaign rapidly took to social media, calling themselves “Kamala HQ”. Right after Charli xcx’s tweet “kamala IS brat”, Kamala HQ, on the social media platform X, changed their cover photo to the same lime green and “brat” font with “KAMALA HQ” in black letters. Kamala HQ hasn’t just based their campaign around Brat Summer, but rather whatever is trending in social media at that time.

Political campaigns are very aware of their marketing strategies and who they’re marketing towards. Specifically, the Kamala Harris campaign has taken humorous TikTok trends and memes and turned them into political gain. Most of Gen-Z is able to vote as of the 2024 presidential election, being the perfect target for the Harris campaign to narrow in on.

Kamala HQ has used songs by Chappell Roan such as “Femininomenon” in TikTok videos, and most notably, edits of Vice President Harris and her “coconut tree” quote. A video of VP Harris saying, “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree”, going on to explain that we exist in the context of all in which we lived before and what came before us. This clip went viral on

“Brat is a term used to describe a woman who is andpowerful willed”strong-

social media after TikTok edits were made. The comment seems random in comparison to the context of the video, where she shared a story of her mother’s expression of the importance of working hard towards a mission and goals, but social media ran with it, especially after the announcement of her candidacy.

Kamala HQ has managed to turn Brat Summer into “Kamala Summer” and continues to turn social media trends into their benefit for political campaign marketing.

Jean Smart in SNL promo poster. Photo by Mary Ellen Matthews from @nbcsnl on Instagram

Portrait of Vice President Kamala Harris. Photo from Wikimedia Commons

LIFESTYLE

Skincare Secrets:

Five things you must add to your skincare rountine

BREANNA DORRIAN BREANNA.DORRIAN.23@CNU.EDU

Having a skincare routine is one of the most important things to create when trying to keep your skin happy and healthy. In today’s world where there are thousands of skincare products being released on the daily, it can sometimes be difficult to determine what you should be adding on your skin. Here is a list of important products that you should be adding to your skincare routine

Toner

Skin picking is a terrible habit of mine. I used to get bright red acne scars on my chin that I could never seem to alleviate. However, since using a facial toner my skin tone has evened out and my acne scars have virtually disappeared. Toner is also a great product for helping tight up your pores to limit blackheads and future breakouts. My personal favorite comes from Mario Badescu’s line Witch Hazel and Rosewater Facial Toner, but find the one that works best for you!

Sunscreen

It’s a little hard to imagine adding sunscreen up there with your list of facial products, chances are it’s not something you apply regularly. Sunscreen is a great way at reducing fine lines, protecting your skin from heat rays and overall helps keep your complexion even. Even on the days where it’s cloudy, sunscreen is still a great tool for protecting your skin in the long run. At least once a day in the morning will do the trick.

Eye Creams

Long hours of school and work leave my eyes looking sunken in with dark circles. However, since I’ve started using Mario Badescu’s Hyaluronic Eye Cream my eyes have looked less tired. The Mario Badescu line also carries a Ceramide Eye Gel which has helped alleviate overall puffiness in my eyes, especially on early mornings before class.

Body Scrubs

For the longest time I refused to buy a body scrub, because it didn’t seem essential. While that’s still true, I definitely do not regret getting roped into buying it. It works as a great second exfoliant for what your loofa missed. It is definitely a must use in my products.

Gua Sha

Owning a Gua Sha felt so silly to me the first time I considered buying one. A flat rock is supposed to help give me a DIY face lift? Yeah right. Well, I stood corrected. My Gua Sha has helped reduce inflammation in my face, relieved tension and has even helped improve blood circulation. My face tends to be pretty puffy when I wake up, but the Gua Sha has helped reduce my puffiness and detoxify my face in a matter of minutes.

Of course this list is not finite and of course not everything is one size fits all. Find the products that work best for you so you can treat your skin the way it deserves. You should also be sure to read all labels of products to ensure nothing you’re putting on your skin is harmful or something you know you’re allergic to.

The bond of brotherhood:

CNU’s national honor fraternity: Phi Sigma Pi

BREANNA DORRIAN

BREANNA.DORRIAN.23@CNU.EDU

Phi Sigma Pi, PSP, is a gender and major inclusive honor fraternity at Christopher Newport University with the intent of giving back to the community through social service in both an academic and professional setting. The PSP chapter at CNU, Eta Pi, was founded in 2018 and has continued to grow since. PSP has also recently received an Outstanding Chapter award from their National Office for their campus activities and accomplishments.

President and Initiate Advisor, senior Natalie Cuba joined in the spring of 2022 as a freshman. During her time with PSP, Cuba has served as Alumni Relations Committee Chair, Vice President and Brother at Large, as well as her current roles.

PSP’s Tripod pillars reflect important elements of the CNU community; scholarship, Leadership and fellowship. “These are all things that someone should get out of the CNU experience,” Cuba said. “PSP works to ensure that those who want to get involved have a safe foundation to do so.”

Although she was hesitant to join Greek life, Cuba was eventually drawn in after receiving an email from one of the previous Recruitment Chairs with the

opportunity to join. “I was drawn to being a part of a group of leaders and people who cared about their academics,” she said. When offered a bid from PSP, Cuba didn’t hesitate to join.

Recruitment Chair and senior Soren French expressed similar sentiments to Cuba. “PSP is a great place to find people of all kinds who are committed to academics but also enjoy brotherhood and service projects,” French said. “Our brothers are some of the kindest, most supportive people I’ve ever met and will go out of their way to make you feel included and comfortable.”

PSP is continually looking to grow and recruit new members. Joining PSP includes making connections both personally and professionally. “PSP has opened so many doors for me. It’s something that I talk about in every job interview,” Cuba said. “I’ve become friends with people of all different backgrounds and majors who I likely would not have found without PSP.”

Students interested in joining can email them at phisigmapi@ cnu.edu or visit their Instagram @ cnupsp to access their link to their website, Compass page and application.

Phi Sigma Pi brothers, courtesy of Natalie Cuba / TheCaptainsLog

Studying with success

Important study tips to follow when studying for exams

One of the biggest struggles that many college students face is effectively studying for exams, quizzes, and tests. We have all been there where we were giving an exam that had so much content in it that it was hard to study it all. That’s why having the perfect studying routine is important, because it builds healthier habits for studying and helps you effectively memorize the content that is needed for the exam.

Don’t just read it, write it

Countless studies have shown that reading your notes passively isn’t doing all for your recollection as you think it is. Writing out your notes, even repeatedly, helps you engage muscle memory to be able to recall information better later on. Invest in a good dry erase marker and write out your definitions or diagrams or concepts over and over again. Is it a bit mind numbing? Yes. Is it helpful? Still yes.

Create practice problems

If your professor doesn’t give you a study guide to go off of, it can be hard to gauge how they might ask you certain questions. I’ve found that what helps me is taking my class notes from the lectures and reworking them from statements into questions. That can feel tedious, but the more you interact with the material, the easier it will become.

Engage with the material

Write it, read it, practice it. Do not just highlight everything in your textbook. Do not just write out word for word what your textbook says. That’s helpful for knowing the principles, but you should try to engage with the material. Highlight, but then annotate or write out your own understandings of the concept. If you’re confused, write down your questions and bring them to your professors office hours.

Utilize study resources

Quizlet and other study set tools are great ways to help study. Quizlet has lots of options for matching definitions and quizzing yourself on

your own notes. Study resources also can include your classmates and peers. Get together and talk about the material to collaborate your studying. If you’re really stuck, the tutoring center and center of student success offers a plethora of resources to help you get the most out of your studying. Visit office hours! Office hours are also a study resource. It can seem daunting at first to approach your professor out of class coming to them for help, but I promise you’ll feel better afterwards. Your professors want you to succeed, don’t be afraid to ask them for help.

Take breaks

Exhausting yourself over your notes will not cement it into your brain, shocking I know. You need to take breaks, relax your mind and take care of yourself. This includes getting a good amount of sleep and eating full meals. Let’s say somehow you do stay up studying everything there is to know for your exam. If you don’t take care of yourself, you’ll be too drained to perform your best during the actual exam.

Claire’s Corner

Your go-to advice column for college

CLAIRE HALL CLAIRE.HALL.22@CNU.EDU

How do I stay healthy during midterm week when things

get busy?

Any college student can agree that exam weeks are some of the busiest weeks of our college career, as they navigate us towards a path of stress, uncertainty, and frustration. Many of us struggle to keep up with the workload as well as also taking care of ourselves and this is the unfortunate reality of being in college. However, when you get into the routine of taking care of yourself, you feel like you can accomplish just about anything. This is why I came up with a few tips below listed that will help you navigate through midterm week while staying healthy!

Stay hydrated and eat

One of the biggest things that I would forget to do during this stressful week would be to stay hydrated and eat. Sometimes we forget to do these basic things in the midst of chaos. However, this is something that you don’t want to be forgetting to do. When you are drinking water and eating food, you are fueling your body for all the stressful tasks that you have to complete during that week. When you don’t do these things, you will start to notice that you are low on energy and that you don’t have the brainpower or motivation to either study, do homework, or even take exams. I cannot stress the importance of remembering to drink water and eat food!

Take breaks in between studying

Do not, and I repeat, do not, study for several consecutive hours. While this may seem beneficial to some, doing this will result in severe burnout, which decreases productivity levels. Instead, value the time that you have by taking breaks every hour or so. This could be something as little as taking a walk around campus or watching

your favorite Netflix show. Your brain doesn’t have the ability to constantly be running 24/7, so give yourself some time to decompress before you get back to studying!

Go to bed at a decent hour

I am notorious for not going to bed until 2am and while this may seem like the norm for most college students, it’s not necessarily the best thing to do when exam week is coming up. When your body has not slept for at least 7-9 hours, you start to feel mentally exhausted, which means that your brain isn’t properly fueled to remember certain content. Your memory will start to feel fuzzy and you won’t remember as much as you wanted to for the exam. You will also feel very tired, which isn’t the best feeling to have during midterms. Sleeping for 7-9 hours helps aid memory and keeps you focused on passing all of your exams!

I hope these tips are helpful when taking your midterms! Just remember trying to tackle a very busy week at hand. One of the most important things I want to stress is to make sure to take care of yourself while studying for midterms! As always, stay safe and good luck on those exams Captains!

Photo courtesy of Claire Hall / TheCaptainsLog

BREANNA DORRIAN

BREANNA.DORRIAN.23@CNU.EDU

Photo courtesy of Holly Haydon /TheCaptainsLog

“The Captain’s Log is free to write anything it pleases and CNU fully respects the Freedom of the press.”— CNU Chancellor Paul Trible

Growth of CNU effects parking spaces

“An incredible inconvenience to students and faculty alike.”

The new Warwick staff parking lot sign, taken by Savannah Dunn/ TheCaptain’sLog sistent theme that betrays one of Christopher Newport University’s biggest issues: parking.

Our beautiful university has grown significantly during my time here. I arrived just as the Torggler Fine Arts center was finished. I watched from the window in my Rappahannock dorm room as Shenandoah Hall, an office building on the corner of Hiden and Warwick, was built. Now, we’re all watching in anticipation as Luter II (or, the ‘Integrated Science Center, Phase III’) is finished in the heart of our campus. Unfortunately, all three of these expansions have a con-

The construction projects on campus have had a slow but noticeable impact on the parking situation at CNU. The Torggler Fine Arts center was built where there used to be a parking lot. As a result, the library parking lot is now split into a visitor lot and a faculty lot.

The construction on Luter II has dramatically reduced the parking available outside of Luter, which is why the student lot outside Warwick Hall now has a dedicated faculty section (Despite the fact that faculty are already allowed to park in main campus areas!) The only

construction project that increased parking was Shenandoah Hall, which created a large, faculty-only parking lot on the other side of Rappahannock.

These parking changes have been an incredible inconvenience to students and faculty alike. Because of the splitting of the library parking lot, Library and Freeman center staff are often forced to park in Ferguson center spots. Warwick, James River and Rappahannock residents have all been ticketed for parking in the new faculty parking lot outside Warwick because there are not enough parking spots in other lots. Despite the Rappahannock parking garage being almost always full, the faculty parking lot is almost always at least half empty.

I have always felt like student parking has been a secondary issue when it comes to the zoning of CNU’s parking lots. Every home football game we host an excellent tailgate, but we do so on a lot almost exclusively used by freshman and sophomore students. They are required to move their cars or be towed, and they are offered no alternative locations for parking. If they are unable to move their cars, they are towed at their own expense. CNU’s student to faculty ratio is 13 to 1, but the parking does not reflect this at all. There are only five lots available for students with a main campus parking

pass, and they are all also faculty lots. There are only three lots that are available for commuter students, and all of them are also faculty parking. There are 17 lots of various sizes that are exclusively faculty parking, and there is only one lot that is exclusively for visitors.

It is no secret that CNU has had an unfortunate history regarding land use. Our university was built on land seized using eminent domain and has expanded by pressuring the surrounding homeowners to sell. These days we hesitate to expand the borders of the university (and rightly so), which means that any improvements have to be made on the land already owned by the university. This naturally leads to parking lots being developed into academic buildings, which in turn leads to a lack of parking. The development of new buildings is exciting, don’t get me wrong. I love the Torggler and I can’t wait to see Luter II finished. The issue is the recklessness with which they are developed in regards to parking and the detrimental effects it has on students. If we intend to continue the growth that this university prides itself on so much, we should do so with caution and with all members of the CNU community in mind.

Chicken and Waffles?

A new era in the dining hall

HOLLY HAYDON

HOLLY.HAYDON.23@CNU.EDU

It would be naive to think that no one has strong opinions about some of the food items served within the dining halls. I myself have some very hot takes about some of the food and options they serve. However, over the last couple of weeks I have had no complaints because since when did commons start serving chicken and waffles themed items?? If this was a thing last year how did I not know about it? I must have been living under a rock. Whether new or not, over the last couple of weeks we have had chicken and waffles, waffle battered fries and just the other night chicken and waffle sandwiches. I would like to be very clear I am in no way shape or form writing a smear piece because I am in love with this theme.

My hope is that this is a cold take rather than a hot take and most people would agree with where I’m standing here. Now, I can’t speak to how good the waffle battered fries are because I myself have never had them. However, when they had the chicken and waffle bar I have never tasted anything more delicious. I have no idea what kind of syrup they had to drizzle over the top but it was phenomenal. Just to add for the record, I do

“

What are you most excited about for the Fall season?

“I love jumping in piles of leaves!” -Claire Hall, Junior

“Fall aesthetics and weather!” - Lindsay Deyton, Junior

“Marching Band seasson!” - Abby Russell, Sophomore

realize that the chicken used for the chicken and waffles is the chicken tenders they serve on tender tuesdays. Though if I am remembering correctly, I have never seen commons so busy in my life than on tender Tuesdays. So if you love the tenders on Tuesdays, I recommend getting some chicken tenders on top of waffles with a dab of syrup on top. There is no better way to end the day than breakfast for dinner.

“If you love the tenders on Tuesdays, I recommend getting some chicken tenders on top of waffles with a dab of syrup on top.”

“SWEATERS!” - Bre Dorrian, Sophomore

“The horror movie marathons I’ll inevitably go on.”

- Markham Puhlick, Junior

“Pumkin

spice and cold brews.” - Holly Haydon, Sophomore

“Thanksgiving/My birthday.” - Andrew Hoge

Chicken and waffle plate, from Unsplash

Student poetry and short story submissions

Email clog@cnu.edu to be featured in the paper

By Tori A.B

September flowers have bloomed since April

This reality seems a fable

Leaves changed colors in July

At this point I just ask “Why”

Who’s to say November’s weather

Would make Mother Nature remember December’s frost won’t include sleet

Because our seasons have turned meek I don’t remember a time of snow

So who’s to say our kids would know

Sudoku

Fill the puzzle so that every row across, every column down and every 9 by 9 box contains the numbers 1 to 9

THE CAPTAIN’S LOG is the official student newspaper of Christopher Newport University. It is a public forum, which is published on Thursdays throughout the academic year.

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