The Captain’s Log
THE VOICE OF CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
@CNUCAPTAINSLOG
VOLUME 56, ISSUE 22
Talent”
A stellar performance from the students of CNU
BROOKE MARTIN
BROOKE.MARTIN.21@CNU.EDU
On Sunday, March 23, Christopher Newport University’s premier hip-hop dance club, Hypnotic Control (HC), hosted its annual talent show “Unleash the Talent.” In the Gaines Theatre of the Freeman Center, families, friends, CNU staff and students gathered to cheer on their fellow gifted peers as they performed.
This was the ninth year that the event has been hosted by the student-led hip-hop organization for the CNU community to enjoy. The show is an opportunity for the troupe’s dancers to showcase their selfchoreographed pieces from the Spring semester, as well as a supportive environment for local students to debut their skills.
Hypnotic Control danced twice, serv-
ing as the opening and closing exhibition number of the talent show. They started the night off with a bang in their 2000s hip-hop inspired number featuring songs from iconic rappers such as Kanye West and Missy Elliot. For their final act, representative of the talent show’s 2025 theme “Out Of This World,” the HC dancers performed an outer space themed production.
(Story continued in A & E, page 8)
SGA Candidates
Charges against Sudki dropped
Effectivness of goaltender interference
BYU advances into Sweet 16
NBC buys summer games
Around campus Unleash the Talent performances
Hunger Games hits stands
“Snow White” flops
Trader Joe’s necessities
CAB and CSE’s
Sustainability Pagent
Claires Corner
Race car drivers are athletes
Downfall of Ice Spice
America’s mental health crisis
Hypnotic Control posing on stage after performing, photo courtesy of Emily Jacobs
ELLORA HOUCHINS
ELLORA.HOUCHINS.24@CNU.EDU
Russian drone attack against Ukraine
According to local officials and emergency services, Russian drones were launched overnight Sunday across Ukraine, reported by AP News on March 23. The attacks, which killed at least seven, happened before the ceasefire negotiation in Saudi Arabia. Ukraine and Russia were expected to discuss a pause in long-range attacks that targeted energy facilities and civilian infrastructure. AP News also reported that the Ukrainian delegation is expected to meet with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia. Ukraine is planning to send a technical team to discuss the details of the partial ceasefire. In a statement on social media, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said attacks like those in Kyiv were a daily occurrence. Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed it shot down 59 Ukrainian drones overnight on Sunday as well.
Iceland Minister for children quits
Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir, 58, resigned from her position as Iceland’s Children’s Minister after national broadcaster RUV revealed she had a child when she was 23 and the father was 16. RUV said the relationship began after they met at a church youth group. According to AP News, Iceland’s age of sexual consent is 15, however, it is a crime for an adult to have sex with a teenager they teach, employ or mentor. Thórsdóttir confirmed the relationship after saying she was not the leader of the church group, just a member. RUV reported that the father was granted only occasional visits, but he paid child support for 18 years. AP News stated on March 23 that Thórsdóttir officially stepped down at a State Council meeting. Despite leaving the government, she remains a lawmaker for a party in the Social Democratic Alliance. Thórsdóttir served as the Children’s Minister for four months before she resigned.
Hamas leader killed by Israel strike
A hospital in Gaza was attacked early this week by an Israeli air strike, which killed a senior leader of Hamas, BBC reported on Monday, March 24. Ismail Barhoum was Hamas’ finance chief and was hit in Nasser Hospital, located in Khan Younis. Hamas claimed Barhoum was being treated in Nasser for wounds due to an air strike four days earlier. However, Israel Defense Forces believe that claim to be false. IDF Spokesman Lt Col Nadav Shoshani believed Barhoum was in the hospital to commit acts of terrorism and had been inside for weeks, he told officials. Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using hospitals as hiding places for weapons and command centres. BBC wrote that Hamas will continue to deny it. Since the ceasefire ended, Israel resumed its military campaign. Israeli officials blamed Hamas for rejecting a US proposal that would extend the truce. In turn, Hamas accused Israel of abandoning the original deal back in January.
All felony charges against former CNU student have been dropped
Case finalizes disposition to Nolle Prosequi after last preliminary hearing
BRE DORRIAN BREANNA.DORRIAN.23@CNU.EDU
NEWPORT NEWS, VA - All charges against former Christopher Newport University (CNU) student, Chase Sudki, have been dropped as of Thursday March 20, 2025.
Sudki was arrested Oct. 28, 2024, eight days after the date of the alleged offense, Oct. 20, 2024.
According to the General District Court Online Case Information System provided by the state of Virginia, last accessed on March 25, the charges against the former
sophomore include rape by force/threat, sodomy of a helpless victim/force, strangulation and drug possession.
However, Sudki was later released on recognizance following his initial arrest. The final disposition in the case information stated “Nolle Prosequi,” meaning a formal notice of abandonment by a plaintiff or prosecutor of all or part of a suit or action.
The initial arraignment hearing in the case was held on Oct. 29, 2024, the bond
hearing was on Oct. 20, 2024, the preliminary hearing was held on Jan. 14, 2025, and the finalized preliminary hearing was held on March 20, 2025. Again, all case information is within the Commonwealth of Virginia and accessed by the General District Court Online Case Information System provided by the state of Virginia. The Captain’s Log would like to remind its readers to respect the privacy of all parties involved.
Image design of a ship steering wheel, designed by Gemini 2.0 Flash AI.
Image of a gavel, photo from Unsplash.
CNU Student Government Association holds 2025 election
Meet the candidates on the ballot
Emily McKenna
Running for: President
Current position: Executive Vice President Year: Junior
Goals: Increasing student voice, enhancing student life, building a stronger future and improving SGA culture
Eden McMillan
Running for: Executive Vice President
Current position: Chief of Staff
Year: Junior
Goals: Improve member retention, focus on professional development
Lizzie Childress
Running for: Executive Vice President
Current position: Community Outreach Chair
Year: Junior
Goals: Weekly email briefing, check-ins with delegates
Carter Workman
Running for: Vice President of Finance
Current position: Appropriations Committee Member Year: Freshman Experience: Grants
Elliot Bruce
Running for: Vice President of Finance
Current position: Appropriations Committee Member Year: Sophomore
Experience: Founder of Transfer Link, small grants chair, transfer student representative
Jalil Ahmed-Litz
Running for: Vice President of Finance
Current position: Appropriations Committee Member Year: Sophomore
Experience: Current conference chair, shadowed current Vice President of Finance
Annetta Sheriff
Running for: Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Current position: Marketing Committee Member
Year: Junior
Goals: Connect students with opportunities and information, multichannel marketing strategy, creating engaging content and collaboration with student leaders
Michael Golden
Running for: Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Current position: Marketing Committee Member
Year: Junior
Goals: Strategic initiatives, physical marketing and new promotional items
Paiton Jones
Running for: Vice President of Membership Development
Current position: Student Affairs Member Year: Junior Goals: Strengthen membership bond and effective recruitment
Shelby Atkins
Running for: Vice President of Membership Development
Current position: Membership Department Member
Year: Sophomore Goals: Maintain good membership environment
HONOR COUNCIL
Jimmy Hunt
Running for: Honor Council President
Current position: Honor Council Vice President
Year: Sophomore Experience: Spread awareness about SHC and work with OSI to expand hazing awareness
Anne Schaad
Running for: Honor Council Vice President
Current position: PR and Communications Chair
Year: Sophomore Experience: Increase visibility and more recruitment
Christopher Newport Hall and sky at Christopher Newport University (CNU) this spring, photo taken by Emily D’Alba.
The effectiveness of goaltender interference
TREY GREENWELL TRAJAN.GREENWELL.21@CNU.EDU
A topic of discussion
While National Hockey League (NHL) teams are currently battling for playoff spots, general managers around the league are meeting to discuss the state of the NHL.
The main topic of discussion among executives was goaltender interference. Most notably, how the league is officiating it. During the NHL’s general manager (GM) meetings, 31 of 32 team executives were shown 54 goals that were challenged for goalie interference this season. Out of all 54 instances, league executives determined that the officials made the correct ruling on 52 of the 54 challenges. This was done to ensure that general managers could check the league’s work, validating
the difficult decisions made during a game.
The next step the league will make is to share these clips and explanations with coaching staffs as they are the ones responsible for challenges. Most notably, the video coaches as they are responsible for challenges made by a head coach. During a game, challenges are made between 30 and 45 seconds after a goal is scored.
As for general managers, they will be responsible for explaining the review process in greater detail as well as what the league looks for in a challenge made for goaltender interference. This will lead to a more effective review process followed by the NHL once a challenge is made.
All video reviews are deter-
mined by the NHL’s situation room in Toronto. When reviewing a decision, the main points of discussion include deliberate versus incidental contact, if a goalie has the chance to reset and if an offensive player is disrupting play. As the regular season reaches its climax, examining all aspects of replay review will be crucial in determining what steps may need to be taken in the offseason. Currently, not much will need to be done as most executives around the league believe officiating decisions are clear and consistent.
BYU advances to Sweet Sixteen
TREY GREENWELL TRAJAN.GREENWELL.21@CNU.EDU
An improbable run
when they defeated Wofford and Gonzaga before losing to Florida 89-73 in overtime. Since then, the Cougars had been unable to advance past the first round of the tournament,
with their only tournament win occurring in the 2012 First Four against Iona. However, this year was different for them. With former head coach Mark Pope leaving for Kentucky, many expected BYU to take a step back. However, firstyear coach Kevin Young has been able to develop players well and has seen immediate results as the team won 26 games during the regular season. With the Cougars 80-71 first round victory over Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Young became the first coach in BYU basketball history to win a tournament game in his first season.
Following the program’s first round victory, they faced the Wisconsin Badgers in the second round. Many expected the Badgers wellbalanced team to overwhelm the Cougars as they ranked 13th in offensive efficiency
and 24th in defensive efficiency. Meanwhile, BYU ranked ninth in offensive efficiency and 69th in defensive efficiency.
While the Cougars started the game fast, the Badgers came roaring back.
An ejection from Cougars guard Dawson Baker sparked a 13-5 Wisconsin run that gave them a way back into the game. With 13 seconds remaining, the Badgers had the ball with a chance to force overtime.
However, a defensive stop from Cougars forward Mawot Mag allowed them to hold on and advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2011.
In the Sweet Sixteen, the Cougars will face the Alabama Crimson Tide on Mar. 27. The Crimson Tide have been dominant in both rounds of the tournament, defeating Robert Morris and Saint Mary’s to reach
this point. It will be an interesting test for the Cougars as they look to continue to defy the odds.
“With 13 seconds remaining... defensive stop from Cougars forward Mawot Mag allowed them to hold on and advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2011.”
Photo of the 2016 NHL All-Star Game played at Bridgestone Arena, the home of the Nashville Predators. 2016 NHL All-Star Game by Brandon Zeman is licensed under the CC By AttributionShareAlike 2.0 Generic Deed.
The Brigham Young University Cougars (BYU) have reached the Sweet Sixteen for only the third time in program history.
Their last appearance in that round was in 2011,
BYU Cougars forward Egor Demin during a practice scrimmage. Egor Demin - BYU Blue vs White by Ken Lund is licensed under the CC By AttributionShareAlike 2.0 Generic Deed.
NBCUniversal buys summer games
An Olympics-sized advantage in streaming
WILLIAM BURK
WILLIAM.BURK.24@CNU.EDU
NBCUniversal and its parent company Comcast have signed a $3 billion deal with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to cover every Summer Olympics game up to 2036.
This deal will give NBC the rights to broadcast events over the air, while their streaming service Peacock will be able to livestream the games. In addition to the Summer Olympics, NBC also announced that they have acquired the rights to the Winter Olympics up until 2034, which are also expected to broadcast on NBC and stream on Peacock.
NBC has had a long and fruitful relationship with the IOC; they have broadcast every summer Olympics for the United States since 1988 and every Winter Olympics since 2002. Given the history the two share, it is incredibly likely that this relationship will continue past 2036. It is a great deal that benefits both companies—Peacock and NBC see a massive boost in viewership while the IOC enjoys an accessible way for Americans to watch their programming. Just last year, the Summer Olympics averaged around 30 million viewers and made
more than $1.25 billion in advertisements. It is clear that both parties still have a lot to gain from continuing this multigenerational partnership.
Last year’s Olympics were particularly helped by Peacock’s introduction of the Gold Zone, a special program that switched focus at a rapid pace to capture only the most exciting points of a match—imagine switching to a National Football League (NFL) game at the final touchdown, then to a National Basketball Association
(NBA) game at the final basket. The Gold Zone managed to keep audiences engaged while demonstrating what makes these games so exciting. The Gold Zone was an idea that had never been introduced in the Olympics before, and has since been highly anticipated for the Olympics games moving forward.
Peacock and NBC have demonstrated that they know how to handle the Olympics, and now fans can look forward to a few more years between the two companies.
Angeles Clippers guard James Harden has passed Hall of Fame center Moses Malone for 11th on the NBA all-time scoring list.
4) Three-time Stanley Cup champion Patrick Maroon will be retiring from the NHL at the end
Coming soon in CNU Sports:
*Games listed are happening at CNU
March 27st:
*Women’s Softball CNU v. Bridgewater College
Location: Newport News, VA
Time: 4:00 and 6:30 PM March 29th:
*Women’s Lacrosse
CNU v. Denison University
Location: Newport News, VA Time: 11:00 AM
*Men’s Tennis CNU v. University of Mary Washington
Location: Newport News, VA Time: 1:00 PM
*Men’s Lacrosse CNU v. Montclair State University
Location: Newport News, VA Time: 2:00 PM
To look at events off campus and for future weeks, visit cnusports.com
Photo of Olympic Park in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, a venue that hosted several competitions during the 2016 Summer Olympics. Parque Olímpico Rio 2016 by Cavalo Marinho is licensed under the public domain.
SNAPSHOT
Around Campus
Cherry Blossoms blooming in front of the Bell Tower, taken by Amanda Eacho
Water droplets on a flower outside of Forbes, taken by Amanda Eacho/TheCaptainsLog
View of CNU Campus at sunset from Warwick River Hall, taken by Kylie Ramming Cherry Blossoms blooming on a sunny day, taken by Amanda Eacho/TheCaptainsLog
“Unleash the
Talent”
wows again:
Story continued from cover
BROOKE MARTIN
BROOKE.MARTIN.21@CNU.EDU
They included crowd favorite songs from Kendrick Lamar and SZA, such as “All the Stars” from Black Panther and “Luther,” which you may have heard for the first time at the SuperBowl a month ago. They donned silver reflective sweatpants, similar to an astronaut spacesuit, with cool starry glasses. All of the dances were choreographed by students elected on the choreography team and performed by dancers of all grade levels and any prior dance experience.
The talents for this year’s line up mainly consisted of solo or group acts of dancing, singing and playing instruments. Junior Claire Vivian played a beautiful rendition of soft jazz singer Laufey’s “Serendipity” on her piano, which coincidentally was her first time performing a piece in front of a crowd. She garnered lots of applause due to her smooth singing voice and flawless playing on the keys. Freshman Ryan Larson is a folk singer-songwriter who premiered a self-written piece on the guitar. His
raw talent as a musician stunned the audience, as he sounded reminiscent of bands like “Bright
“At first it was intimidating for us to perform in front of an audience where the majority don’t know us since we are freshman. Hearing the support of the crowd really took the nerves away!”
Eyes” of the American indie genre. KPC, the Korean Pop Choreography Club on campus, is a returning talent from the prior years of Unleash and a tough competitor, as their energy always gets the audience rowdy. They returned to perform at Unleash 2025, earning the crown as “The Judge’s Choice” award for their entertaining facial expressions, sharp movements and coordinated costumes. This is another win under KPC’s belt, as they served as the previous winners of 2023’s Unleash the Talent show.
Freshmen Ziana Medina, Jewel Yarney and Kate Cohee took home the title of “Crowd Favorite” for their unique mashup of Christian worship songs. The trio sang gracefully from their soul, causing some members of the audience to sing along to the well-known hymns. The three met in a fellow campus organization, Reformed University Fellowship, and gathered together on the stage to share their love for God and singing.
Medina reflected on her performance, sharing that “At first it was intimidating for us to perform in front of an audience where the majority don’t know us since we are freshman. Hearing the support of the crowd really took the nerves away!”
For an hour on Sunday, the crowd got transported into another world of stellar talent and transcendent support for their fellow Captains. The beloved Dana Dudley from Regattas and Cynthia Huynh of the Office of Student Involvement served as the expert judges on the panel who crowned the winners of the talent show.
Hypnotic Control seniors from L to R: Rachel Krause, Eleni Molina, Brooke Martin and Emily Jacobs, photo courtesy of Emily Jacobs
Hunger Games prequel “Sunrise on the Reaping” hits bookshelves
ALYSSA TILLMAN
ALYSSA.TILLMAN.22@CNU.EDU
Suzanne Collins’ “Sunrise on the Reaping” hit bookshelves on Mar. 18, but the movie adaptation of the Hunger Games prequel is already in the works. 2020’s “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” takes place 64 years before the main trilogy and focuses on President Snow as a young man. The new book “Sunrise on the Reaping” takes place closer in time to the original “Hunger Games” trilogy, leaving room for plenty of familiar characters to appear — including one legacy character from the first trilogy who gets a particularly heartbreaking past, making their eventual fight against the Capitol even more powerful.
“The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” earned an impressive $337.4 million at the global box office. The original trilogy was adapted into four films starring Jennifer Lawrence, which were highly successful and
catapulted her to worldwide fame. Altogether, the “Hunger Games” film series is the 20th highestgrossing franchise of all time, making $3.3 billion for Lionsgate.
The new book begins with the reaping of the Fiftieth Hunger Games. It’s set 24 years before the original “Hunger Games” novel and 40 years after “Songbirds and Snakes.” Collins has drawn upon Greek mythology and the Roman gladiator games for her earlier books. For “Sunrise on the Reaping,” her muses included the Scottish Enlightenment philosopher David Hume.
Haymitch Abernathy, Katniss and Peeta’s mentor from the first trilogy, narrates the events of Sunrise on the Reaping, which starts when he’s 16 years old. Collins also gives other players more fleshed-out backstories, adding new insight about their characters.
A 16-year-old Haymitch was chosen to compete in the 50th Hunger Games, or what is known as the Second Quarter Quell. Unlike the regular Hunger Games, which saw a boy and girl from each district chosen to compete, his year the number of candidates doubled, meaning two boys and two girls from each district compete.
Variety reports producer Nina Jacobson, who also produced the original four films as well as 2023 prequel “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”, said casting for Haymitch Abernathy can finally get underway now that Collins’ book is out.
“Sunrise on the Reaping” is due in theaters in Nov. 2026, and fans are already making casting suggestions. Popular suggestions include the “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” star Walker Scobell, Rudy Pankow from “Outer Banks” and Noah LaLonde from “My Life With the Walter Boys”.
“Snow Whites’” sleepy opening weekend
Disney fans disappointed with the live-action remake
ALYSSA TILLMAN
ALYSSA.TILLMAN.22@CNU.EDU
“Snow White” opened in theaters this past weekend with an underwhelming $43 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. With a budget above $250 million, “Snow White” had set out with higher ambitions, but failed to impress fans of the 1930’s film. Critics were also largely not impressed with the live-action remake, with reviews coming in just 43% “fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. “Snow White” opened worse than “Dumbo” (a $46 million opening in 2019) and well shy of “Cinderella” territory ($67.9 million in 2015).
The promotion for the release was plagued by controversies over the film’s handling of the dwarfs, who are rendered in CGI, rather than being played by actors who are little people. In 2022, actor Peter Dinklage criticized the remake plans as “backward.” Disney hastily responded in a statement to Good Morning America, saying that it would consult with members of the dwarfism community to take “a different approach with these seven
characters” and “to avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film.” Disney ultimately opted to drop “and the Seven Dwarfs” from the original’s title, and animate the dwarfs.
There was also much backlash online over comments by the film’s star, Rachel Zegler, who expressed distaste for the original film. The West Side Story actor seemed to further provoke conservative fans by arguing the plot needed to be updated as, in the original 1937 film, Prince Charming “literally stalks her”. The PR headaches prompted Disney to pull back on its premiere.
From the start of the 2025 movie, it’s established that Snow White’s destiny is to be a leader who’s fearless, fair, brave, and true. “Someday My Prince Will Come” is replaced by a more empowering “I wish” song for Snow White, called “Waiting On A Wish.”
Efforts to modernize “Snow White,” did not sit well with fans. Some right-wing commentators targeted “Snow White” and Zegler’s
color is cast in an originally white role.
The single bright spot of the film is said to be Zegler’s performance and her singing, but villain Gal Gadot has not received the same praise.
“This is a sentiment that can be expected when any person of color is casted in an originally white role.”
Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen, gives two singing performances in the film, first with “All Is Fair”, and then in the film’s reprise. However, viewers have been left criticising her abilities and what they claim to be an unconvincing performance as the villain character.
The flat opening at the domestic box office for Snow White is no doubt concerning for Disney, considering the film’s immense production budget before prints and advertising costs.
The disappointment-filled weekend added to a rough 2025 so far for Hollywood. The box office is down 6.9% from last year, according to data firm Comscore, and 38.6% from 2019.
Sunrise on the Reaping cover, image from @thehungergames on Instagram.
LIFESTYLE
The healing power of nature
Six remedies you can try at home
CLAIRE
HALL
CLAIRE.HALL.22@CNU.EDU
With the winter season coming to a close, the cold and flu will soon be replaced with terrible allergies. Not to mention, with finals right around the corner; headaches, migraines and stress will be present. Definitely not a fun time for anyone involved. However, to help combat this issue, I have listed some natural remedies that you can try at home to soothe your symptoms. The Captain’s Log, however, wants to note that these remedies should not replace prescription medication. Go to the doctor if you are showing concerning symptoms.
Honey
Honey has a lot of amazing properties that make it perfect for a variety of symptoms. First, honey provides relief for sore throat symptoms and can help alleviate a cough. Eating a spoon of honey can also help improve digestion by reducing bloating, gas and constipation. If you aren’t an avid honey eater, try mixing it with a hot tea of your choice.
Ginger
Do the thoughts of final exam week give you stress? Does it make your stomach very upset? Not to worry, ginger is your best friend. The properties in ginger help soothe an upset stomach, whether that’s nausea or indigestion. Now, ginger can be potent to eat by itself, so I recommend drinking ginger ale, which does the same thing.
Garlic
Despite its unpleasant smell and taste, garlic has a lot more benefits than you might think. First, garlic is very good at reducing high blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels in your body. Garlic also lowers cholesterol, protecting the heart from disease. It can also boost the immune system, which can prevent a lot of illnesses. So the next time you are out
shopping, make sure you pick up some cloves of garlic.
Lemon Water
Dining hall food messing your stomach up? Switch that around by making your very own lemon water. Lemon water has many amazing digestive benefits which can help your stomach digest harsher meals. When preparing this water, you can either slice lemons to put in there or just get some traditional lemon juice.
Oatmeal
With allergies comes very dry and irritated skin. To combat this issue, try using an oatmeal mask. All you need to do is put oatmeal powder in a bowl with water and stir. This mixture will help soothe skin. You can either do this in the shower or put in on the affected areas and leave it on for 15 minutes. Your skin will be feeling back to normal before you know it.
Peppermint
Peppermint is your best friend if you frequently suffer from headaches. Peppermint oil or tea has antiinflammatory properties that can help soothe a headache. Its cooling sensation, primarily due to the menthol, helps relax muscles and stimulates blood flow which contradicts the inflammation. Give this a try the next time you have a debilitating headache.
I hope these natural remedies can help whatever illness comes your way. With college being very busy around this time of year, make sure you are taking care of yourself. That being said, if you are suffering from very serious symptoms, visit the Christopher Newport University Clinic to get checked out.
Ingredients
2 bags hibiscus-based tea (preferably TAZO Passion)
2 fresh strawberries, sliced
1 cup white grape juice
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1 Tbsp. simple syrup
Ice Directions
Step 1
In a kettle or small pot, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil. Pour into a heatproof container, add tea bags, and steep 10 minutes. Discard bags. Refrigerate tea until room temperature, about 15 minutes.
Step 2
In a cocktail shaker, combine tea, strawberries, grape juice, milk, and simple syrup. Fill shaker with ice, cover, and vigorously shake until outside of shaker is very frosty, about 30 seconds. Pour into a cup and serve.
Top five spring makeup products
Get that pre-summer glow
With the warmer weather right around the corner, it’s time to upgrade your makeup to suit the beauty of spring. These are my top five favorite beauty products that I enjoy using when the sun comes out more often.
Drunk Elephant Bronzing Drops
One of my favorite products to use for glowy skin is the Drunk Elephant’s Bronzing Drops. These drops are perfect to mix with any moisturizer and they give your face this glowy, tan and even complexion. On days where I am strolling at the park or tanning at the beach, I love using these drops to replace concealer and foundation. The Drunk Elephant drops are pricey, but there are so many amazing dupes that are a lot cheaper, such as the L’Oreal True Match Glotion.
E.L.F Skin Whoa Glow Tinted Sunscreen
I am absolutely in love with e.l.f products, but my favorite one has to be their tinted sunscreen. Not only is this a sunscreen, but it also doubles as a primer and provides light coverage. They have a couple different shades available and even offer this product as a travel size. As a girl with super oily skin, this sunscreen did not make my face look shiny and
protected my face from getting burned. If you want to layer other products on top of this sunscreen, there will be no separation, which is even better in my book.
Maybelline Sky High Waterproof Mascara
I have nothing awful to say about this mascara. First, it really helps with length and volume, especially if you don’t have very full lashes like me. I love how their mascara comes in a variety of colors including brown and some shades of black. They also have a special waterproof version which really does stay on your face when you hit water. If you are heading to the beach or pool, make sure to grab one of these.
E.L.F Stay All Day Setting Spray
Let’s face it, sweat is our biggest enemy when we are wearing makeup. It completely separates our makeup and makes our faces very oily. However, this setting spray from e.l.f was such a life saver. It helped my makeup stay on my face all day, even on days where I am outside sweating to death. I would definitely keep one of these in your beach bag, you’ll thank me later.
Benefit Benetint
Want a blush that will stay on all day? You should try Benefit’s Benetint. This tint for your cheeks and lips will stay on all day and not budge. I will say, this product took a while getting used to, mainly because you have to blend it out quickly before it dries on your cheeks, or else it will look streaky. Once you get used to that, you’ll come to love this blush. It gives you this nice sun kissed look and will stay on no matter if you are jumping in the ocean or pool.
I hope you give these products a chance and test them out for yourselves! With the warmer weather up ahead, refreshing your makeup to suit the warmth and humidity of the season will give you the glowiest complexion of all time, just in time for summer!
Claire’s Corner
Your go-to advice column for college
CLAIRE HALL CLAIRE.HALL.22@CNU.EDU
How do I go about handling rejection?
Rejection is a part of everyday life. When people think about the word ‘rejection,’ they usually think of a sad love story. Someone works up the courage to ask another person out, and then gets rejected. However, rejection becomes more common when you start to grow up. You can be fresh out of college and get rejected by the many jobs that you apply to. You can apply for a certain insurance and get rejected. If you are in high school about to go to college, you will find yourself getting rejected by certain colleges. So, if rejection is very common in our lives, how do we go about handling it? Down below I’ve listed some tips that can help you conquer rejection and get your feet back on the ground.
Don’t take it personally
First things first, do not take rejection personally. Trust me, it’s just as hard for the other individual involved who had to reject you. These types of things can be difficult to recover from, but the best thing you can do is pick yourself back up and try again. Do not give up because you feel you aren’t good enough. The most important thing to remember is that every time you get rejected, your perseverance will continue to increase. Continue to apply for jobs. Continue to look for insurance claims. Continue to find love and work the courage to ask them out. The keyword here is to
simply continue.
Work on what you can change
Don’t focus on what you did wrong. Focus on what you can change. Ask yourself, what things could I have done differently? Maybe you were too direct during that job interview and needed to dial it back a bit. Maybe you were too pushy when asking someone out and they got very overwhelmed. Taking a different approach to things is probably just the thing that you need to do. Remember, life is a series of trials that you have to experiment with.
Stay positive
Do not walk around with a grey cloud over your head. Being negative will not help you overcome rejection. It’s okay to be upset and process the frustration, but make sure you are also coming out on the other side. Whatever happened was meant to be and you are exactly where you need to be. Make the best of it and walk out of it optimistic. You will eventually find that job, or that significant other. It just takes time.
I hope these tips help with handling rejection. Remember that rejection is a part of life and you will experience it one way or another. Staying positive can really help you during those tough times.
CLAIRE HALL CLAIRE.HALL.22@CNU.EDU
Dasies, taken by Claire Hall/ TheCaptainsLog
OPINIONS
12
“The Captain’s Log is free to write anything it pleases and CNU fully respects the Freedom of the press.”— CNU Chancellor Paul Trible
Pedal to the metal: Why race car rivers are undeniably athletes
Racecar driver racing around the track, photo from unsplash
Picture this: Heart racing, muscles straining, mind racing, sweat dripping off the brow, fighting not just your own body but the bodies of others to achieve one goal: Victory. If that’s not a picture of an athlete, then what is?
Despite the surplus of evidence to suggest they are, tons of people will still argue that professional race car drivers aren’t real athletes. These people have never driven a race car.
People don’t realize that race
“The highest recorded speed on the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans is 251 MPH....The neural impulses that are helping you read this very sentence are moving at about 268 miles per hour.”
cars aren’t like the cars you and I use for the daily commute. It’s not uncommon for them to lack power steering and power assisted brakes. Turning the steering wheel of a car that weighs over 4,000 pounds at top speed takes a lot of force, and stopping takes even more. The brake pedals on race cars are tuned to provide maximum feedback to the driver, which also means they’re extremely hard to push. It can take up to 330 pounds of force to depress the brake pedal on an F1 car.
Think back to the last time you went go-karting. Remember how awkward it was to move around with that bulky helmet on your head? Now imagine that it was four times heavier and the go-kart went 160 miles an hour. That’s basically what some race car drivers are dealing with.
G-forces are the #1 enemy of the racing driver’s body. During some Formula One races, drivers sustain up to four G’s for several seconds at a time. That kind of lateral force can cause blood to pool on one side of the body, forcing muscles to rely on anaerobic respiration for oxygen. If driver’s don’t train to accommodate for that, they risk muscle fatigue, vision impairment, and even re-
duced neural processing power. On the topic of blood, let’s talk about heart rate. On average, an F1 driver’s heart rate is around 170 BPM during race conditions. For reference, basketball players will see a heart rate around 180 BPM during the most intense parts of a game, usually no more than ten minutes at a time. An F1 race however, typically lasts an hour and a half.
High temperatures are a reality in every discipline of motorsports. Despite being held at night, cockpit conditions at the Singapore Grand Prix can reach 140 degrees with 65% humidity. That would be unbearable in a t-shirt and shorts, let alone a fire resistant race suit, plus the clothes or bodysuit a driver chooses to wear underneath. In 2023, Mercedes F1 driver George Russell lost 8.8 pounds over the course of the race. That’s a lot for any driver, even in Singapore, but it’s even more when you consider that the car’s are equipped with drinking bottles. Russell was drinking throughout and still managed to lose that much weight.
There is perhaps no human factor more important in racing than reaction time. F1 cars typically average around 160 miles per hour over a lap of any given circuit on the calendar. It takes about 120 milliseconds for our brains to react to visual stimuli, which means that if a driver crests a hill at 160 miles an hour and sees another car stopped on the track 25 feet ahead of them, the cars will collide literally before the driver has even realized what’s going on.
And 160 is just an average, it’s not uncommon for F1 and WEC cars to reach speeds far exceeding that. The highest recorded speed on the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans is 251 MPH.
Let me say that again, 251 miles per hour. If you blink at that speed, you’ll travel 37 feet with your eyes closed. In one second, you’ll cover one and a
quarter football fields.
Still not quite understanding how fast that is? Consider this: the neural impulses that are helping you read this very sentence are moving at about 268 miles per hour.
As extreme as they are, those physical requirements barely hold a light to the serious motivation it takes to go racing.
So yes, racing drivers competing at the professional level are unquestionably athletes. If you’ve read this far and you still won’t believe me, well I’m afraid you can’t be helped. Not until you’ve actually been through what professional drivers go through. Not until you’ve retired from your cushy job as an armchair quarterback and actually driven a race car.
“On average, an F1 driver’s heart rate is around 170 BPM during race conditions... basketball players will see a heart rate around 180 BPM during the most intense parts of a game...”
Rap princess in exile:
The downfall of Ice Spice
NICOLE NWAZURUOKEH NICOLE.NWAZURUOKEH.24@CNU.EDU
I’ve never been a major fan of Ice Spice to begin with. I won’t pretend that her songs aren’t catchy and fun, but frankly, I don’t see the hype. I don’t pride myself in disliking a celebrity, so I really did try to like her as much as other people did. It still never clicked. Even then, I wanted her to succeed. I really did. That aside, this article is not from the point of view of a fan, but rather of a person who had a feeling that it was going to end up like this.
Ice Spice’s fame came from TikTok. While TikTok is a great way for budding artists to reach new audiences, the fame that comes from it is oftentimes unstable. When someone blows up so quickly, there’s a lot of difficulty that comes with navigating it. There are some that are able to transcend their TikTok fame, and there are some that aren’t, with their relevance snuffed out as quickly as it started. Ice Spice falls into a middle ground. She was able to capitalize off of her growing popularity and make good connections, but at the end of the day, not enough work was put into actually cultivating a career that was built to last.
I think the most obvious thing to analyze is her music. Her songs are perfect for TikTok trends and edits. Don’t get me wrong, I liked seeing what people did with her music, but when her songs stood alone, they didn’t hold up all that well. She doesn’t need to have deep or meaningful lyrics to be good. There’s a handful of rap songs that I really enjoy that are just party anthems and nothing more, and a good chunk of them come from female rappers. Ice Spice’s problem is that her wordplay is mediocre (how many times can you mention excrement in your songs?) and most of her songs blend together. It’s good to have a niche, but I shouldn’t struggle to figure out which song I’m listening to.
I listened to her newest album, “Y2K,” in order to better prepare for this article. If I’m being honest, I felt absolutely nothing while listening to it. It just felt like a rehashed version of her previous songs. There was nothing new that made me feel like Ice Spice has more going for her than the memes she got popular from. There wasn’t an attempt to give the
fans something a little different to break up the monotony. A missed opportunity. Ice Spice didn’t have to suddenly switch genres, but man, “Y2K” could have been so much more. The only thing I truly enjoyed were the beats.
Her stage presence is also bland, so concert-goers aren’t really in for much when she’s on the stage. I’ll give her credit and say that she does make an effort to actually rap her lyrics instead of lip syncing, but I don’t see her as a great entertainer. I also don’t think Ice Spice and her management are focusing on developing her as an artist, which is incredibly concerning for her future career. Also, please tell me I’m not the only one who remembers when Ice Spice went after the appearance of a woman who criticized her stage presence on X (formerly Twitter). The criticism was mildly sassy at worst, but mostly constructive. She made a good point by saying that Ice Spice should work with someone that could help her improve. It’s never fun to get criticized, but the way Ice Spice handled that interaction made me question how much she actually wants to improve her craft.
I feel that Ice Spice should have taken more time to find her identity as an artist. I’m not an expert in pop culture, but I know that rap and hip-hop can be diverse genres, and there’s so much one can do with it, even when you focus on specific subgenres like drill music. Ice Spice isn’t using the genre to its full potential. Rather, it felt like she was trying to chase a viral hit. I mean, I didn’t even buy into her Y2K aesthetic. In my opinion, it felt like less of a genuine expression of her interests and more of an attempt to capitalize off the growing popularity of Y2K fashion. This is not supposed to act as a personal attack against Ice Spice’s character. I don’t view her as someone who is maliciously lying to her audience. I just think it’s the product of a lack of effort to discover herself and what she can bring to the table.
I wish Ice Spice the best, and I would love to see genuine improvement from her in the future. However, unless she changes things up, I don’t imagine that the self-proclaimed Princess of Rap will retain her royal title for much longer.
Silent struggles:
The american mental health crisis
MAX TAYLOR MAXWELL.TAYLOR.24@CNU.EDU
2023 marked one of the darkest years for mental health on college campuses around the US, source reported. One has to ask why the mental health crisis is on the rise and what we should do about it.
Nearly everyone I spoke to revealed they had struggled with mental health in some way or another sometime in their life, but didn’t do anything about changing their way of life. In a recent phone interview with Hudson Toll, a student at the University of Montana, started his battle with mental health issues as an athlete as well as his first year at college. “I think I didn’t handle it well. I kinda just basked in the depression in my dorm room alone,” he said.
Toll knew that going outside and socializing would have been beneficial towards his overall mental state, but he didn’t. Far too many people had the same or similar responses, such as Cole George. George said that he struggled with depression and anxiety throughout his first year of college in Ohio. He also realized he was facing problems, but didn’t reach out for help or talk to anyone about what he was going through.
Alex Fogle, a senior in high school in Charlottesville, Virginia, said that he too struggled with mental health and anxiety but unlike the other responses, his was different. “I never really thought about what I needed to do to help myself,” he said. Some made jokes out of the fact that this would be a question I would ask them. The range of answers was about where I expected; everyone had struggled with some form of mental health issue. The concerning part was they didn’t know there were resources available to them.
Knowing that students have resources to go to is one of the most important steps in helping yourself. Lula Moore, an academic success coach at CNU, oversees countless athletes every day about their academics and mental well-being.
She said that having a university such as CNU creates an easy outlet to get help for students and athletes alike, which is a huge advantage because it takes the stigma out of it all and makes asking for help easy and normal for everyone.
The stigma people have created around going to counseling or asking for help has taken a toll on current college students, especially athletes. Mackenzie Tate, a senior on the Christopher Newport Women’s Track and Field team, said that she never really thought of going to counseling when it came to mental health and sports, since she grew up with the mindset of working through tough times.
“Many counselors do not know how to advise athletes, because it’s such a unique mindset and it’s easier to cater to the majority of the population, which is those who are not involved in sports and deal with more day-to-day problems,” she explained.
When asked if she would ever consider going to counseling, her response was, “I honestly don’t think so. My time as a student-athlete is coming to an end and I feel that I know myself best and what works for me.”
Whether or not you are a student-athlete or a student, everyone struggles with mental health and asking for help at some point in life. We need to understand that we are human, and we will always make mistakes and have problems we go through. However, the first step is always asking for help and understanding that there are resources available on this campus and online. The mental health crisis won’t be solved overnight, but everyone coming together to help each other is a huge step forward.
Student poetry and short story submissions
Email clog@cnu.edu to be featured in the paper
“Sensory Grief:”
By: Tori A.B
My heart pounds like a drum
Thump thump
Thump thump
At the very thought of you
Drip drip
Drip drip
Here come the tears
Sniff sniff
Sniff sniff
The tissues come out now
Gasp gasp
Gasp gasp I have to calm down
Laugh laugh
Laugh laugh
Can only think of you
“Upstairs Neighbor Activities”
Sudoku
Fill the puzzle so that every row across, every column down and every 9 by 9 box contains the numbers 1 to 9
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“Living the College Life”
Cleaning cloth 4 Sour green citrus 8 Campus celebrity often found at Regattas
12 Google Maps guess, for short 13 Cuts back 15 Corrosive fluid 16 Parking area 17 "Spill the beans!"
19 Melt metal together
20 Quick meal favored by many college students
23 Log house 24 "The Lion King" antagonist
25 Noah's boat
28 Caustic chemical found in old-timey soaps
29 Late night trip for one of 40 fancy milkshake flavors
32 Cut, like a lawn 33 American revolutionary author of "Common Sense" 34 Checkout scanner target 38 Place (between)
Distanced
Tolkien's evil creatures
42 Occasion for dressing up and officially declaring one's major
U.K. imperial award
48 Language suffix 49 Differ 50 Regulates Steam?
52 Early morning class sign ups
55 Famous singers of Africa?
58 Attack
59 Citation letters
60 Freestyle, in a pool
61 Short and to the point
62 Big initials in pipes
63 Furthermore
64 Throw forcefully, in modern slang
65 Filming location
1 Archaeologist's aim
2 Like music without a key
3 "Great" literary character 4 Forrest Gump's C.O. 5 Pants presser 6 Catcher's gear 7 Transcendentalis t author Ralph Waldo _______ 8 First light 9 Get a 100 on 10 Zero, zip, nada 11 Put two and two together 14 "Cut me some _____" 18 LOL alternative 21 Bow or neck 22 Explodes, as a volcano 25 Opera highlights 26 Smallest of the litter 27 "Hahaha, that's a real ____-slapper!" 29 Massachusetts Cape 30 Have debts
31 Greek T
32 Means, ______, opportunity
34 First, second, third, or home
35 Genus of the honeybee
36 Wrath
37 Class identifier for sign ups
38 Reslife official serving as a mentor to others in their hall
39 Like someone giving the cold shoulder
41 Story where it takes one guy 10 years to travel the 435 miles from Troy to Ithaca
43 Mythological serpent
44 Grain for grinding 45 Breakfast meal?
46 Lighter-than-air vehicles, of which there are only about 25 left in the world
47 Transform like a Pokémon 50 Hotel car parking service 51 Make official
52 Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony
53 Zero button on a scale 54 Fall counterpart 55 Airport precheck group
56 Symbol of Athena
57 "___ the season!"