Vol 56 Iss 15 (2) by The Captain's Log

The Captain’s Log

CAB presents: Tranquil Tides

A look into CNU’s 2025 Captain’s Ball

loved by many, including CAB Vice President of Operations, junior Lara Elkhalifa. “I thought that the decor and the theme was very cute,” she said. Not only were the decorations mesmerizing, but the food options this year were also delicious. There were many food options available at the ball, including shrimp, crab cakes, chicken tenders, caprese salad cups and a chocolate fountain with various fruits and desserts to dip in. “I enjoyed Captain’s Ball because [of] the food… I’m a big seafood person, so the shrimp was very great” senior Caleb Funnell said.

Overall, many people had such a fun time. The Captain’s Ball was a resounding success; a night filled with laughter, joy and cherished memories that will last forever. “Captain’s Ball was so much fun, it felt like what prom was supposed to be,” senior Jordan Vrchoticky said. CLAIRE HALL CLAIRE.HALL..22@CNU.EDU

The university’s grand ballroom shimmered with the glow of chandeliers, awaiting guests to arrive in their finest attire, eager to partake in the annual Captain’s Ball, a night of elegant revelry and cherished tradition.

Every year, The Campus Activities Board (CAB), an organization on campus

responsible for putting on events on campus, comes up with a theme for the ball. This year’s theme was tranquil tides; showcasing the beauty of the deep blue sea. The ballroom was decorated with statues of Triton and faux aquatic vases were placed on each table. The centerpiece of the entire ball was a beautiful chandelier of circular ornaments with faux gems inside, creating the effect of bubbles in the air. These decorations were

CNU students dancing at Captain’s Ball, taken by Amanda Eacho/TheCaptainsLog

CNU students drip various desserts in the chocolate fountain, taken by Amanda Eacho/TheCaptainsLog

International Affairs Update:

BRE DORRIAN

BREANNA.DORRIAN.23@CNU.EDU

Serbian Prime Minister announces “resignation

Tuesday, Jan. 28, the Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigned “amid a wave of anticorruption protests that have spread across the Balkan country,” Reuters reported. Following the collapse of a roof at a railway station in Novi Sad, many began displaying acts and sentiments opposing the government. The incident at the railway station resulted in the deaths of 15 people, which is stated to have been a leading cause in the push for Vucevic’s call to step down. Vucevic stated in a press conference that his resignation is intended to alleviate tensions. Novi Sad’s mayor is also reportedly resigning due to the tensions brought about by the railway incident.

Rebels in Congo obtain Goma

Violence in Congo persists as the Rwandanbacked March 23 Movement (M23), revolutionary army, rebels overtake Goma, a major city in Congo. “The M23 rebels are one of about 100 armed groups vying for a foothold in the conflict-battered North Kivu province,” AP News reported.

AP News also reported on Jan. 28 that “the protesters demanded that the international community condemn Rwanda over its role in the conflict.” Security measures in Congo have attempted to slow the attacks, however there are reportedly growing numbers of deaths, looting and increased violence.

New Chinese AI Software

Founded in 2023, the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company has recently caught traction. CNBC reported on Jan. 27 that the company is now limiting its registration due to recent cyber-attacks. The company is said to be rivaling many other prominent AI softwares, such as ChatGPT. According to NBC News, United States President Donald Trump stated that “the release of DeepSeek AI from a Chinese company should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser focused on competing.” Developed at a lower comparable cost, many U.S. companies have become wary of DeepSeek’s progression. The company is one of several other Chinese companies dominating the market, such as Lemon8 and RedNote. Both are owned by ByteDance, a Chinese internet technology company.

Tonight: 2025 State of the City

Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones set to give State of the City address

Tonight, Newport News city Mayor Phillip Jones will present the State of the City 2025 address here at Christopher Newport University’s Ferguson Center of the Arts at 5:30 PM. The address is intended to include remarks on the city’s history, achievements and intended plans in the future for the city.

Mayor Jones is the 27th mayor of Newport News, serving as the city’s youngest elected mayor to date. Since his time in office, the city has received the All-America City award for its improvements, community engagement and growth.

“Mayor Jones is committed to leveraging public-private partnerships to drive growth, enhancing City Hall’s efficiency and elevating the profile of Newport News on a national scale,” the Newport News City Government stated on its website.

Individual tickets for the address are being sold for $55, for more information please visit the Virginia Peninsula Chamber’s website.

BRE DORRIAN BREANNA.DORRIAN.23@CNU.EDU

Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones, photo from the Newport News Government website

Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, photo from WikiCommonsImages

DeepSeek AI, photo from Unsplash

M23 fighters in 2013, photo from WikiCommonsImages

Serbian Flag, photo from WikiCommonsImages

CNU Student Government builds roster

2024-2025 Executive Board Leadership team appoints representative roles in delegation

KATHERINE ZICKEL

KATHERINE.ZICKEL.22@CNU.EDU

“SGA wanted to bring back representatives in order to encompass different groups on campus...”

Last Spring, newly 2024-2025 Student Body President Mckenzie Hurley expressed to The Captain’s Log about the goal of adding student representatives to the Student Government Association (SGA) body, replicating many other institutions’ student government makeup.

At the Jan. 27, 2025 delegation meeting, the Vice President of Membership Development, Patrick Brantley 25’, was happy to share that the delegation is now operating at full capacity, with a total of 60 members.

In order to make this process continue at Christopher Newport University, the 20242025 executive board and leadership team is also creating a Representative Handbook for future delegations to reference when appointing representatives.

Hurley explained that the goal of SGA this year was to find ways to spread the organization

into campus life, in order to get feedback from the student body and support CNU students. Hurley added that SGA wanted to bring back representatives in order to encompass different groups on campus, such as transfer students, athletics and class years.

“It allows us to advocate on different parts of campus. So if we’re sitting on the advisory board for the College of Social Sciences, we can bring in what SGA is doing, but also bring in what they’re doing in student government [as well],” she said.

Student Government Association (SGA) delegation, photo courtesy of Mckenzie Hurley

Bears hire Ben Johnson

A marquee hire

“With this hire, the Bears can begin moving forward as the team looks to move atop

the NFC North. With eight picks in the 2025 NFL Draft and over $70 million in cap space,

there are plenty of resources the team has to improve their roster.”

TREY GREENWELL

The Chicago Bears have named Ben Johnson as the team’s next head coach.

Johnson had previously served as the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, a position he has held for the past three years. During his tenure, Johnson helped guide the Lions to their first division title since 1993 and first playoff victory since 1991.

This past season, Johnson oversaw a Lions offense that averaged 33.2 points per game, the best in the National Football League (NFL) and the highest in franchise history. The offense also recorded the most 40 point games without any turnovers (five) in league history.

However, the Lions offensive firepower did not lead them to playoff success as the team was defeated 45-31 by the Washington Commanders.

Following the loss, Johnson was available to be hired by any NFL team. Besides the Bears, he also interviewed with the New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Las Vegas Raiders for their head coach positions.

The Bears finished last season at 5-12, last in the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The

team fired Matt Eberflus after their Thanksgiving day loss to Johnson’s former team, the Detroit Lions. Following Eberflus dismissal, reports surfaced that the Bears were interested in several different candidates. The team announced that they would do a wide search which led to 17 candidates being interviewed.

During his time with the Bears, Johnson will be asked to build a solid team around quarterback Caleb Williams. Williams recorded solid rookie numbers, but faced constant pressure from opposing defensive lines as he was sacked a league-high 68 times. Finding a way to protect Williams will likely be Johnson’s top priority as he begins his tenure with the team.

With this hire, the Bears can begin moving forward as the team looks to move atop the NFC North. With eight picks in the 2025 NFL Draft and over $70 million in cap space, there are plenty of resources the team has to improve their roster.

Unrivaled league makes debut

TRAJAN.GREENWELL.21@CNU.EDU

Unrivaled has made its arrival to women’s basketball.

The league is a 3-on-3 pro basketball league that sees some of the top WNBA players compete against each other. With the league securing over $35 million from investors as well as a multiyear media rights deal with TNT Sports, Unrivaled will be around for the foreseeable future.

The first game was played on Jan. 17 in Miami, Florida. They are played with different rules than what Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players are used to such as an 18-second shot clock instead of 24. This rule change will allow for professional basketball to be played at a different setting and games to be played at a faster pace.

The league’s opener was a success with its 850-seat

A new

approach to basketball

arena selling out three game days in a row, and an average of 312,000 viewers tuning into Friday’s opening slate of games. This could hold for the next eight weeks as each team aims to play in the league’s championship game on Mar. 17.

Unrivaled has also helped with a large problem surrounding women’s sports: compensation. The league has the highest average salary for players of any professional women’s sports league which is at $220,000. In contrast, this is near the maximum base salary of the WNBA. While most players would travel overseas in their offseasons to help complement their WNBA contracts, Unrivaled gives them a chance to do this in their home country while also competing with fellow players. With the WNBA and its players currently nego-

tiating over a new collective bargaining agreement, Unrivaled presents ways for the WNBA to better accommodate their athletes.

With the recent surge in women’s basketball, Unrivaled has arrived at the most opportune time for viewers across the country to become more familiar with WNBA stars. Their impact on both women’s basketball and women’s sports will be felt for years to come as the league continues play over the next seven weeks.

Soldier Field during a game between the Chicago Bears and the San Francisco 49ers in the 2006 season. Soldier field 2006 by Joon Han is licensed under the CC BY-SA 3.0 Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Unported.

Game 1 of the 2024 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center on October 10, 2024 between the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx. 2024 WNBA Finals Game 1 NYL vs MIN by Kew Gardens 613 is licensed under the CC BY-SA 4.0 AttributionSharealike International Deed.

Baseball hall of fame class announced

The final step to immortality

The 2025 National Baseball Hall of Fame class is officially complete.

Each year, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) elects a select number of players to the Hall of Fame. In order to be elected into the Hall of Fame, a player must receive 75% of the votes cast and have played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for at least 10 seasons. Following a player’s retirement, they become eligible for Hall of Fame votes five years after their last season.

Ichiro Suzuki led the final voting results with an almost unanimous election, standing at 99.7 percent. Ichiro was the first Japanese-born position player in the MLB and did not debut until 27 years of age. However, he immediately made an impact in the league by winning both Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player (MVP) in his rookie season. Over his career,

“In order to be elected into the Hall of Fame, a player must receive 75% of the votes cast and have played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for at least 10 seasons.”

Ichiro recorded a batting average of .311, 3,089 hits, and 780 RBI. Other notable achievements include two American League (AL) batting titles, three Silver Slugger Awards, and the single season hits record.

The player with the

second highest voting results was pitcher CC Sabathia. Sabathia became the first pitcher to be named a firstballot Hall of Famer since Mariano Rivera and Roy Halladay in 2019. Some of his accomplishments include leading the MLB

in wins twice, a World Series championship, and one American League (AL) Cy Young Award. Sabathia was also known for his durability, accumulating 251 wins and 3,577 innings during his 18 year career.

The final player that was inducted into the Hall of Fame was Billy Wagner. This was a huge announcement as this season was Wagner’s final attempt at being inducted through the BBWA. Wagner’s journey to the big leagues is remarkable as he broke his right arm as a child and learned how to pitch with his other hand. He then played college baseball at Ferrum College before being drafted by the Houston Astros. In 16 seasons, Wagner compiled 422 saves with 1,196 strikeouts in 903 innings. He was named to seven All-Star teams and his 225 saves with the Astros are a franchise record.

Here’s What You Missed!

1) The Chicago Cubs have acquired relief pitcher Ryan Pressly from the Houston Astros.

2) The Carolina Hurricanes have acquired forwards Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall in a three-team trade with the Colorado Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks.

3) The Las Vegas Raiders have hired former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll.

4) The Dallas Cowboys have hired former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus as defensive coordinator.

Coming soon in CNU Sports:

*Games listed are happening at CNU

January 31st: Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Patriot Games and Combined Events

Location: Fairfax, VA

Time: 11:00 AM

February 1st:

*Men’s Basketball CNU v. UC Santa Cruz

Location: Newport News, VA Time: 4:00 PM

February 5th: Men’s Basketball

CNU v. Salisbury University

Location: Salisbury, MD Time: 7:00 PM

February 7th: Men’s and Women’s Track and Field

Camel City Invitational

Location: Winston-Salem, N.C.

Time: 11:00 AM

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

Ichiro Suzuki at bat for the Seattle Mariners during a game against the Oakland Athletics on Opening Day, April 12, 2010. Ichiro Suzuki 2010 by Dave Sizer is licensed under the CC By Attribution 2.0 Generic Deed.

SNAPSHOT More Snow Days

The Paul and Rosemary Trible Library lit up during the nightime snowfall, taken by Katelyn Buhler

Christopher Newport Hall lit up during the nighttime snowfall, taken by Katelyn Buhler

Christopher Newport Hall and the Great Lawn covered in snow at sunset, taken by Samuel Ellyson

Digital Media Manager, Lindsay Deyton, Lifestyle Editor, Claire Hall, Snapshot Editor, Amanda Eacho and Editor-in-Chief, Katherine Zickel pose for a group photo in the snow, courtesy of Claire Hall

CAB Presents: Captain’s Ball

Tranquil Tides

CNU Students pose for a photo on the dance floor

Group of CNU students dancing together on the dance floor

Group of CNU students pose for a group photo at their table

Group of CNU students pose for a group photo

Group of CNU students chatting while dipping strawberries in the chocolate fountain

CNU Students dancing together in a circle on the dance floor

All Photos taken by Amanda Eacho

2025 Oscar nominations unveiled

“Emilia Pérez” leads the pack

ALYSSA TILLMAN

ALYSSA.TILLMAN.22@CNU.EDU

The 2025 Oscar nominations have been announced! Rachel Sennott and Bowen Yang announced this year’s nominees live at 5:30 a.m. PT from the Film Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. The announcement of the 2025 Academy Awards nominees was originally set for Friday, Jan. 17, but was delayed twice amid the Los Angeles wildfires. The Hollywood Reporter reports that the Academy has donated $1 million to the Motion Picture & Television Fund’s wildfire relief efforts, including $250,000 that it would’ve spent on the Oscar nominees luncheon on Feb. 10, which has been canceled.

There were several notable snubs and surprises. Denzel Washington, once seen as a lock for his villainous performance in “Gladiator II,” was overlooked, as was Margaret Qualley, who earned raves for playing Demi Moore’s younger doppelgänger in “The Substance.” Edward Berger, who gave “Conclave” its propulsive energy, and Jon M. Chu, who designed “Wicked’s” electrifying musical sequences, were shut out of the best director race, while “A Real Pain” failed to capture a best picture nomination despite earning some of the year’s best reviews.

“Emilia Pérez,” a musical about a drug kingpin who undergoes gender affirming surgery, topped the 2025 Oscar nominations with 13 nods. It was followed closely behind by “The Brutalist,” a historical epic that examines the immigrant experience, and “Wicked,” the hit screen version of a long-running Broadway sensation, which both nabbed 10 nominations. “Conclave,” a thriller about the election of a new pope, and “A Complete Unknown,” a look at Bob Dylan’s early, freewheelin’ years, each had eight nominations. All five of those films are up for best picture, the ceremony’s top prize, alongside indies like “Anora,” “Nickel Boys,” and “I’m Still Here,” as well “The Substance” and “Dune: Part Two”. Timothée Chalamet was nominated for best actor for his chameleonic performance as Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown.” He will face off against “The Brutalist” star Adrien Brody, who became the youngest best

actor winner in history at 29 for 2003’s “The Pianist.” Other best actor nominees include Colman Domingo (“Sing Sing”), Ralph Fiennes (“Conclave”) and Sebastian Stan (“The Apprentice”). Stan’s recognition came after “The Apprentice,” a Donald Trump biopic in which he plays the real estate mogul, struggled to get distribution.

Moore captured a best actress nomination for “The Substance,” a subversive horror film that examines the movie industry’s sexism and ageism. Her fellow best actress contender, “Emilia Pérez” star Karla Sofía Gascón, made history as the first openly transgender actor nominated for an Oscar. Mikey Madison (“Anora”), Fernanda Torres (“I’m Still Here”) and Cynthia Erivo (“Wicked”) rounded out the list of best actress nominees.

Zoe Saldaña, best known for headlining blockbusters like “Avatar,” got to show her singing-and-dancing side as an idealistic lawyer in “Emilia Pérez.” She was rewarded with a best supporting actress nomination. Her competition includes Ariana Grande (“Wicked”), Felicity Jones (“The Brutalist”), Monica Barbaro (“A Complete Unknown”) and Isabella Rossellini (“Conclave”).

Kieran Culkin was nominated for best supporting actor for his work as a young man whose wisecracks mask his emotional turmoil in “A Real Pain.” He is widely considered to be the frontrunner after earning several critics prizes and a Golden Globe. Culkin will vie for the prize against Edward Norton (“A Complete Unknown”), Yura Borisov (“Anora”), Jeremy Strong (“The Apprentice”) and Guy Pearce (“The Brutalist”).

The 97th Academy Awards, hosted by Conan O’Brien, will air live coastto-coast on Sunday, March 2, from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, starting at 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET, continuing with the earlier start time the show debuted last year, on ABC and Hulu. See the full list of nominations at oscars.org.

Timothée Chalamet channels Bob Dylan on SNL

ALYSSA TILLMAN ALYSSA.TILLMAN.22@CNU.EDU

Timothée Chalamet returned for his third time hosting this past Saturday, as well as being the musical guest of the night. Earlier this week, Chalamet received his second Best Actor nomination at the Oscars, this time for playing Bob Dylan. Adam Sandler pops in to introduce Chalamet for his first performance. Chalamet performed “Outlaw Blues”, originally released on Dylan’s fifth studio album, “Bringing It All Back Home”. He also performed the gospel-tinged “Three Angels” off “New Morning”.

Lin-Manuel Miranda crashes the cold open as Alexander Hamilton in a sketch surrounding the founding fathers deciding what to include in the Declaration of Independence. James Austin Johnson’s Donald Trump freezes time like Zack Morris, monologuing and mocking Miranda for wanting so badly to win an EGOT.

In Chalamet’s monologue, he laments about the number of times he’s lost awards and been unable to give a speech at one of these award shows. So, he asks for a chance to read something he’s prepared for years to give… sitting in the audience, he waits for his name to be announced, but Kenan Thompson beats him.

In the first sketch, a bungee class of women and Michael Longfellow are instructed by a long-haired Chalamet. They fly and do silly moves like the “Jimmy Carter.” Collectively, they burn less than five calories. Everyone is bouncing around and eating Cinnabun.

The next sketch features a clinic where all the appointments for men aged 20 to 45 are structured like a chill podcast where the patient is a guest who reveals his medical history in the course of a podcast chat. Patients reveal how their stools are doing and how many sexual partners they’ve had and get their blood pressure taken, but it feels like they’re just hanging out with their podcasthosting bros.

At the Bungalow Cafe, trainees are wrapping up when it is revealed that chalkboard quips are required. Coffee puns, that kind of thing. Benny

chalkboard quips are required. Coffee puns, that kind of thing. Benny (Chalamet) loves comedy, and busts out a Chris Rock-style joke about Homer Simpson. Chalamet’s delivery here is hilarious.

An advertisement for Oedipal Arrangements promises a new, sexy Valentine’s/Mother’s Day gift for incestual moms and their offspring. The twisted conceit is made even darker by a quick peek inside one son’s disturbed mind, wherein he imagines drowning his father in a toilet bowl.

The next sketch sees a beleaguered public-school teacher share a new AI program that turns lessons into podcasts. This attempt to reach her students backfires when the artificially created hosts (Chalamet and Bowen Yang) fumble facts, language and basic humanity (they have six fingers, for example). The teacher shuts the program off right as it begins to gain sentience.

On Weekend Update, Michael Che invites concerned businesswoman Giselle (Ego Nwodim) to discuss the dangers faced by both Black women and small business owners now that Trump is in office. Later, Colin Jost brings on Andrew Dismukes to do a standup routine with his new puppet dad.

The 90th birthday party for a beloved grandmother takes a shocking turn when the old woman suffers a heart attack and keels over. Luckily, one of the grandchildren’s new boyfriend is a doctor who arrives just in time to fart in the old woman’s face and revive her, much to the shock and confusion of the rest of the family.

The show ends with an animated short about angels designing existence, only to be interrupted by their demanding, overly sensitive boss God, who constantly berates their bad ideas (kangaroos) while pitching his own (volcanos, giant sun-swallowing frogs). The animation has a noticeable John K (Ren & Stimpy) quality to it.

Five shows every college student should watch

Series that capture the college experience

ALYSSA TILLMAN

ALYSSA.TILLMAN.22@CNU.EDU

If you’re anything like me, you need a show to binge in your free time to get you through the semester. College life is a rollercoaster of experiences, and TV shows have a way of capturing its chaos, comedy and challenges like no other. Whether it’s navigating friendships, tackling the pressure of academics, or dealing with personal growth, these shows paint a hilarious and sometimes heartfelt picture of what it’s like to be young and figuring it all out.

1. “Community”

This is a sitcom that follows a diverse group of students at Greendale Community College, each with their own quirks and baggage, as they navigate their way through life and the absurdities of college. The show centers around Jeff Winger, a disbarred lawyer who enrolls in a Spanish class to get a degree and eventually forms a study group. As the series unfolds, the group of misfits—including characters like Britta, Troy, Abed, Shirley, and Annie— develop deep friendships and get into all kinds of wacky, often meta, adventures.

2. “The Sex Lives of College Girls” This comedy-drama series follows four freshmen—Leighton, Kimberly, Bela,

and Willow—at the fictional Essex College. The show explores their personal and sexual lives as they navigate the ups and downs of college, friendships, and relationships. Each character brings a unique perspective: Leighton is wealthy and navigating her sexuality, Kimberly is an ambitious small-town girl, Bela is a confident aspiring comedian, and Willow is shy and figuring out her identity. The series combines humor with moments of self-discovery and tackles themes like sexual agency, identity, and growing up, all while showing the close-knit bond that develops between the girls.

3. “Greek”

“Greek” follows the lives of students at the fictional Cyprus-Rhodes University, focusing on the Greek life system—fraternities and sororities. The show centers on Rusty Cartwright, a socially awkward and nerdy freshman who decides to rush a fraternity in hopes of becoming more socially integrated. Along the way, he navigates his relationships with his older sister, Casey, who’s an active sorority member, and his interactions with various members of both Greek houses, including the more carefree frat guys and the competitive sorority girls.

4. “Grown-ish”

“Grown-ish” is a coming-of-age sitcom and a spin-off of “Black-ish” that follows Zoey Johnson, the eldest child of the Johnson family, as she navigates her college years at Cal U. The show explores Zoey’s transition from high school to adulthood as she faces challenges in her academic, social, and romantic life. Along the way, she builds new friendships and deals with issues like identity, independence, relationships, and the pressures of adulthood.

5. “Fresh Meat”

This British comedy-drama follows a group of university students living together in a shared house. The series focuses on the misadventures of the socially awkward and often naïve student, Josie, as she navigates the challenges of university life. Along with her eccentric housemates—each with their own quirks and eccentricities—she faces everything from academic pressures to social drama, love, and conflict.

TSLOCG promo poster. Image from @thesexlivesofcollegegirls on Instagram

LIFESTYLE

Small changes, big impact

Turning your dorm into a sanctuary

CLAIRE HALL

CLAIRE.HALL.22@CNU.EDU

After living at Christopher Newport University for about three years now, I have learned so much in terms of making my dorm feel more like a home. Sometimes you just have to go out of your way to find your own style and bring items that make your dorm feel like a cozy bungalow. Here are my top five tips on how to make your dorm feel more like a home.

1. Plants, plants, plants!

Whether at home or at CNU, I can’t keep any plants alive. Despite bragging to people about my green thumb, I am one of the worst individuals to have looking over plants. Despite this, I’ve always loved the home-y feeling that plants give off when in your dorm. They can go with just about any room theme and they make the atmosphere more fresh. For people who want to start off with plants, I highly recommend getting plants that can easily accommodate the musty atmosphere of a dorm and aren’t easy to kill, such as cacti.

2. String Lights

I will be the first to admit that string lights are an absolute pain in the butt to hang. They come in the box already incredibly tangled and cause extreme frustration, but the vibe is just unmatched. I love the cozy feel that string lights give off when it’s dark outside. If you can get past untangling them, they make the perfect decor.

3. Rugs!

For the love of god, if you live in the Potomac buildings or any other building on campus with hard flooring, please buy a rug. I’ve discussed this before and I will say it again, hard floors are NOT cozy. It makes me feel like I’m in prison or that I moved my bed into the kitchen. A rug will cozy up the space and it makes it feel more like home. I would also get a rug that doesn’t hold on to a lot of dirt and is easy to vacuum. Target has many amazing and affordable rugs for just about any themed room.

4. Faux Flowers

If you are convinced that you cannot keep ANY plant alive, then I would recommend getting some faux flowers. That way, you don’t have to worry about keeping them alive or constantly going out of your way to replace them. Micheals has good deals on flowers and you can make a whole bouquet for as low as 15 dollars. These add so much to a space and come in a variety of colors and styles.

5. Wall Decor

Sometimes dorms can feel like a total prison, especially if the walls are not decorated. I highly recommend going out and getting some decorations to fill up your space. This can be anything from posters to faux vines. Even just the littlest bit of decor can go a long way. Even better, you won’t have to worry about buying more decorations next year because you’ll already have some.

Pro tip: Thrift your decor!

When I realized I was going to move into the upperclassmen dorms, I knew that I had much more space for decor since I wasn’t going to be living in the same room as someone else. This is when I learned that thrifting your decor is actually genius. When I went to Goodwill in my hometown, I was looking for knick knacks to decorate my drawer and table tops with. I then stumbled upon this strawberry vase, which I took home immediately. When searching the internet, I found out that the vase was actually from Urban Outfitters and was selling online for triple what I was paying for it. So, I highly recommend thrifting your decor, as you never know what you’ll find at an affordable price!

I hope this list helps you find ways to make your living space more comfortable. Living in a dorm is not easy at times and decorating it to match your taste and style will help you settle in.

“The coffee shop effect”

Staff writer reviews Busy Nothings

KATE MICHEALSON KATE.MICHEALSON.23@CNU.EDU

There’s a certain phenomenon I’ll call “the coffee shop effect,” in which even the seemingly mundane can feel somewhat cinematic. Something about sitting in a cozy coffee shop while channeling my inner Rory Gilmore creates a perfect distraction from the grey winter and the steadily growing pile of coursework waiting in Canvas. If you’re looking for a coffee shop that mirrors your favorite Pinterest board and truly brings the main character energy, try Busy Nothings, located less than 10 minutes from campus in Port Warwick. This Jane Austen-themed coffee shop established in 2022 features various teas, pastries, sandwiches and themed winter drinks, such as the “Snow Bird Latte” and “Apple Chai-der.” Each hot coffee is not only delicious but also comes with impressive latte art that you won’t be able to resist adding to your Instagram story.

Busy Nothings features a variety of modern and classic art and plays instrumental tracks of popular music that creates a relaxing atmosphere for studying or catching up with a friend. The shop also features a section of candles, shirts

and other fun trinkets, as well as a stand where you can pay it forward and leave a coffee for someone else in the community. Busy Nothings is open MondaySaturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., making it a perfect excursion in between classes or a serene Saturday study spot. If you’re looking for a place to work through the busy nothings of life, Busy Nothings is the venue for you!

Busy Nothings Sign, photo taken by Kate Michealson/TheCaptainsLog. Aesthetic Coffee, photo taken by Kate Michealson/TheCaptainsLog.

The positive side of screens:

Using technology for creativity and learning

CLAIRE HALL

CLAIRE.HALL22@CNU.EDU

Sometimes technology is perceived as terrible and addictive to the minds of kids and teenagers. I think it just depends on the way that you use it. When used correctly, technology can be very beneficial. Here’s a list of activities that you can do on your devices to turn brain rot into productivity.

Learn graphic design on Canva

Graphic design is one of those things that I wanted to learn coming to Christopher Newport University but couldn’t because I wasn’t able to get into any classes. Canva is one of the BEST apps to use if you want to learn more about graphic design. I like that the majority of their resources are free and you can create the CUTEST things. It takes a bit to get used to, as there are so many different things you can do, but it’s so worth it if you want to dabble in designing.

Draw on Procreate

One of my favorite ways to escape this stressful world is to draw. When I got my iPad, I was so excited to use Procreate to draw. This is one of the best drawing apps ever. I will say, it does cost $12.99 to buy on the iPad and $5.99 on the iPhone, but it is such a great way to lower stress levels. You don’t even need to be an amazing artist to use it. Its easy-touse features allow you to make patterns and draw simple things with ease.

Play wordle unlimited

Wordle took the internet by storm when it became viral in 2021 and is still being played by many individuals today. There’s actually an app that you download on your devices to play unlimited Wordle on the go. I find that playing Wordle is relaxing for the brain and strengthens your vocabulary and thinking skills. Plus because it’s unlimited, you can play more than once a day.

Learn different exercises on YouTube

Project, photo taken by Claire Hall/TheCaptainsLog.

When I don’t feel like going to the gym, I enjoy doing different exercises in my room. I’m not much of an avid gym-goer, so sometimes I’m not exactly sure what exercises to do. That’s where YouTube comes in. YouTube is one of the best places to find new exercises that cater to you. Whether you want to gain core strength or work on your flexibility, there are tutorials for everyone and everything.

Listen to calming music on various platforms

I think listening to relaxing music before bed is a great way to unwind from the day and help you drift off to sleep. There’s also so many platforms you can use to listen to music on, including YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music. Personally, I find that YouTube has the best selection of Lofi music which is great to fall asleep too and even better, it’s free.

I hope this list helps you in using technology in a more positive and beneficial way. As I mentioned before, we shouldn’t hate technology because of how addictive it has become, but instead showcase beneficial ways to use technology in this ever changing world.

Claire’s Corner

Your go-to advice column for college

CLAIRE HALL CLAIRE.HALL.22@CNU.EDU

How do I respectfully insert myself into a friend group?

There is such an incredible feeling that you get when you hit it off with a person you’ve never met before. However, one thing that we don’t take into consideration after meeting someone new is being introduced to their friend group. My friend group formed during my freshman year of college, after two of my friends and I met in a leadership class. After that, more and more individuals were introduced to the friend group. My friend group would always let people in with open arms as we were excited to have more people to hang out with. However, I can imagine why this scenario could be difficult for some individuals, as you really don’t know if the people in the friend group will necessarily like you. That can be stressful. Below, I’ve listed a couple tips to help you respectfully insert yourself in a friend group.

1. Take time to get to know the individuals

When you join a friend group with people that you don’t necessarily know, make sure you take the time to get to know each person. Each person in the group might be vastly different from one another and it’s important to gauge who they are as a person. This also gives individuals the impression that you care about them and want to get to know them. First impressions in this scenario are incredibly important!

2. You can talk, but make sure to listen

When having a conversation with an individual, you should be making sure to tune in to what they have to say. Sometimes this can be difficult, and I am guilty of doing more talking than listening, but this is nonetheless very important. Having a conversation requires the 50/50 rule. Each person gets to talk, but also has to listen an equal amount. Just remember that while someone

does want to get to know you, they also want to share aspects of their lifestyle as well.

3. Share your expectations and set boundaries

It is ALWAYS okay to share expectations and set boundaries with new individuals that you meet, especially if there is information that you want them to know ahead of time. Some examples of expectations that you could set would be mutual respect, open communication, honesty, etc. Sharing these expectations can be helpful because it helps an individual gauge what values are most important to you so they can follow through with them. Setting boundaries is also a good idea to do when meeting someone new, such as being upfront about your personal space, what topics you are comfortable discussing, emotional needs and being respectful of your time commitment.

4. Respect! Respect!Respect!

Lastly, one important thing to note when joining a friend group is to be respectful. Don’t join the group and become a homewrecker by gossiping about the other individuals or spreading false information to the friend group. When a friend group is letting you in with open arms, you need to treat each person with respect. If there’s a questionable individual within the group that isn’t treating you right, respectfully bring it up with another group member. Problems in friend groups are much easier to resolve when there is respectful communication.

I hope these tips help you integrate smoothly into the friend group. The most important thing to remember is to be yourself and be kind. Things like this can be very tough and anxiety-inducing, but you’d be surprised how long you can sit and talk to them for.

Canva

OPINIONS

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

Trump’s next four years:

“Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.”

American flag, from Unsplash

On Jan. 20th at noon, the United States of America gained a new leader. A man who has been given a second chance to lead this country even after being ranked as the worst president in American history by a bipartisan panel of presidential historians. A man who has roused hatred, bigotry and division throughout his time in the public eye. The American people have spoken. They have made it very clear that this is who they want to take the reins for the next four years.

Unlike the other side, I am willing to admit when my candidate lost an election. Yes, I’m devastated, but I’m not going to do something insane like engage in an insurrection to attempt to overthrow the peaceful transfer of power, a tradition that has been enshrined in our nation’s history dating back to President John Adams and broken by President Donald Trump. Like millions of Americans, I have been reflecting for these past months

on what went wrong, why we lost and why we decided to return to the era of Donald Trump.

Unfortunately, most Americans are very nearsighted and don’t educate themselves or think about the consequences of their actions. They have fallen under the spell of entertainment and sensationalism rather than focusing on facts. This is not a game or a reality TV show. Many may think I’m being too partisan or that I’m somehow a horrible person for not supporting your positive opinion of a convicted felon, racist, homophobic, misogynistic, failed leader. I support your right to disagree with me. I welcome your disagreement. That is where the best ideas form, through debate and compromise. That is how America went from 13 colonies to the most powerful nation on the planet. There is not necessarily a right or a wrong opinion when it comes to things like economic policy or government

involvement in citizens’ lives. However, when you start debating basic human rights and degrading those who are different from you, that is where you are clearly wrong.

Additionally, facts are facts and opinions are opinions. We are in an unfortunate period in our nation’s history where this statement is not universally accepted. They want to control you. They want you to be uneducated. That’s how they entrench their power. To support a leader who will do anything to reinforce his own power and wealth, as well as that of his friends, at the expense of others, is disgraceful. Leaders matter. Reflect on this question… do you want your child to grow up and act like Donald Trump? You’ve just placed him in a position where he will be a role model for children over the next four years. Unfortunately, he takes that role very lightly. He does not care about you. He does not care about what his actions result in.

“...I am terrified for what the next four years will bring. I am terrified for the people I love. I am terrified for our nation.”

As a gay man, I am terrified for what the next four years will bring. I am terrified for the people I love. I am terrified for our nation. It hurts beyond belief that people I love vehemently support someone I despise. Someone who would strip away my rights at the first chance he gets… my right to love who I love, my right to protest, my right to disagree. I will not remain silent while this happens. SILENCE = DEATH. I hope I’m wrong. I truly do. However, I’m willing to bet that I won’t be. Your prices aren’t going to go down, there won’t be law and order and America’s respect and power in the world will decline. We’ve made this mistake before and we just made it again. This is why history is so important. Learn from the past and educate yourself with reliable, respected sources, not just ones that you agree with. If you voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 election or opted not to vote for either major party candidate, you have made the most consequential decision of the 21st century, a decision that ensures America’s decline and the rejection of so many people’s rights. For those of us who are on the right side of history, stay strong. I am with you. I support you. I will fight to ensure that our rights are respected. I am ready and willing to do so. Remember what Vice President Kamala Harris said in her concession speech, “only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.”

“Better Man” deserved better: Staff writer reviews box office flop

NICOLE NWAZURUOKEH NICOLE.NWAZURUOKEH.24@CNU.

When I’ve told many people that I’ve recently watched this new movie called “Better Man,” I’ve mostly gotten confused responses. There was a little more recognition when I described it as the “CGI Monkey Movie,” but still, it seems to be relatively unknown in the social circles that I’m in. In my personal opinion, that is a crying shame. “Better Man” was a creative and well-made biopic, with plenty of comedy and heartbreak, as well as a healthy dose of self-awareness and reflection. It follows Robbie Williams, a British singing sensation, and his tumultuous journey through fame, ranging from his days in Take That, a boy band, to his wild solo career.

This may sound like a sad story. It is. When you remember that this all happened to a real person, it added another dimension of pain. I cried during multiple points in the movie. Even despite this, it ends on a good note. Robbie Williams goes into rehab and starts to make amends with the people around him. He sings Frank Sinatra to a sold out crowd in the Royal Albert Hall, a very famous music hall in London. Most importantly, he’s still alive today and has a good life. He’s married and has four kids, and from what I understand, he’s still sober.

Unfortunately, the movie is a box office flop. I spent a couple days in denial of this, so it hurts my soul to type that out. I was genuinely saddened to hear that it was doing so badly, as it appears to get raving reviews from those who watch it, even if they didn’t expect much going into it. As much as I love the film and Robbie Williams’s music, I think I understand why it’s not doing the best overall, at least in the United States of America.

For starters, if you skimmed this article and thought I said Robin Williams, you wouldn’t be the only one who’s made that mistake. Robbie Williams is relatively unknown in the USA. He had two songs that peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: “Angels” at 53 and “Millennium” at 72. Both these songs were released in 1999.

Outside of the USA, his achievements tell a different story. He’s sold over 76 million solo records. In 2006, he got a Guinness World Record for selling 1.6 million concert tickets in a

single day. Well, after doing some dutiful research (which consisted of watching Robbie Williams interviews on repeat), I think he wasn’t all that successful in the states because everything about him is painfully British. His songs and speech are full of British slang that most Americans probably wouldn’t resonate with. His humor is also crude, self-deprecating and very straightforward, truly showing the cultural differences between British and American humor. He had an easier time breaking into European and Australian markets, but America was a nogo. The boy band he was in didn’t have the same cultural relevance in America that it did in Britain, so he didn’t really have a platform to jump from on that front.

Secondly, this movie doesn’t have the draw that most biopics do, which is having a famous actor play someone even more famous. In “Better Man”, Robbie Williams is a CGI chimp throughout the entire movie. There are no jokes about him being the only primate in the room. It’s played completely seriously. While this choice does heavily relate to the themes of the movie (the tagline, for the record, is “Fame makes a monkey of us all”), it simply doesn’t appeal to most people. It’s very out there and niche. In comparison, most biopics compensate for the fact that you may not care that much about the person it’s about by casting a popular actor. I mean, even though Bob Dylan is pretty famous in the USA, I’m sure that “A Complete Unknown” has people watching it for the sole purpose of seeing Timothee Chalamet.

Despite the box office bomb, I will still happily recommend “Better Man” to everyone that I know. It was truly an enjoyable movie with amazing visuals and music to accompany the story. I will also take this time to plug Robbie Williams’s music. Personally, I really enjoy his songs, especially “Bodies,” “Come Undone,” and “Me and My Monkey.” And no, “Me and My Monkey” was not in the movie.

P.S: If Robbie Williams ever needs an American college freshman to be in charge of his promotion, there’s a pretty good candidate here at CNU. Spoiler alert, it’s me.

LA fires and the rich

“What did students do over break?”

Should we wish the wealthy’s homes would burn first?

TRINITY TOMPKINS TRINITY.TOMPKINS.24@CNU.EDU

If you were to ask anyone what first comes to mind when you say Los Angeles (LA) California, it most likely would be Hollywood. A place for parting, a place for the rich, a place for famous individuals. However, another common and current thought could be about the LA fires that are dangerously consuming the west coast. Houses are being engulfed in flames and thousands of people have been issued evacuation orders. So many families have been uprooted from their lives without any real knowledge if they will be able to go back to how life was previously. With this said, what about the wealthy families who can easily rebuild? Is it fair to hope that they are the ones to lose their possessions to the fire first? Personally, I don’t think so. While social class and net worth tend to be a hot topic of conversation and easily change perspectives and how people live their lives, I think it’s important to remember that we all have some similarities. Every human being has people that they care for; people that cannot be replaced even in the most dire of situations. This is similar

to family heirlooms passed down for generations or historical paintings in a museum. Sometimes, things are so valuable, even if not monetarily, and cannot simply be replaced even with the highest social status. What about your baby pictures or photos of your grandparents that existed before digital technology? What if they weren’t backed up? Documented years of your life could literally go up in flames no matter how wealthy you are.

So, while it may be that richer families would be able to restart their lives more efficiently and easily then the general population, this doesn’t mean that they are inherently exempt from mourning losses of certain possessions exactly like everyone else. This also doesn’t mean that they won’t be worried about friends or family who could also be nearer to the fires. So, I don’t think it’s ethical to be wishing for their lives to be the first ones to be disrupted as they are also suffering. And while it may be cliche, maybe take a minute to think about how you would feel in their position.

Hollywood sign in LA California, from Unsplash

Student poetry and short story submissions

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

“No Man’s Land”

By Anna Sine

A house upon a hill that stands alone

A lovely little kingdom once was great

Now the dogs and pigs eat your rotting bones

And a lonely survivor now must wait

She tends the fields and keeps the cows and sheep

Letting the flowers grow as once we did

Empty mansions all that is left to reap

And what once was shining is now squalid

Poor thing, waiting for souls to return here

But they went with the crumbling pillars

Still the barren land is left hers to rear

Precious even as the wind grows chiller

A blessed curse the world makes her bear

Sudoku

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.

THE EDITORS welcome letters from readers. Editors reserve the right to edit for length and AP style, as well as refuse publication. An email with a “.doc” attachment is perferable.

JOIN THE STAFF The Captain’s Log is always open to students who are interested in writing, photography, editing or graphic design.

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Contact Us

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News Editor breanna.dorrian.23@cnu.edu

Sports Editor trajan.greenwell.21@cnu.edu

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A long time ___

Tons

Between soprano and tenor

“Among the Stars”

64 Man famous for his small step

69 One of eight English kings

70 Took off without a sound

71 Kill it

72 Sharpen

73 Suffix meaning "name"

DOWN 1 Fitting 2 Referring to the globe 3 Prefer 4 Ready for battle

5 Shake it out

6 Musician Yoko

7 Cans

8 NASA's ongoing lunar mission, named for the Greek goddess of the hunt, which plans to put the first woman on the moon

9 Tolkien's epic, colloquially 10 Obligations 11 Wizened

13 Gradually introduced, with "in"

14 Slippery critter 15 Infant

20 NASA's first lunar mission, named for the Greek god of poetry, which put the first human on the moon

21 "She-Hulk: Attorney ___" (2022 Marvel Miniseries)

22 Real smooth dance

23 Peak condition

25 The only rocket to have ever carried a person outside of low-earth orbit

28 In favor of

30 Star Wars' Imperial starfighter designation

32 "Back to the ______"

33 Sends romantic signals

35 NASA project named for the twins Castor and Pollux, which aimed to test run long-term space travel in preparation for later missions

38 When the underdog wins

41 Shark feature

42 Sci-fi horror Foundation meant to observe and guard against dangerous creatures

45 NASA project named for the Roman god of travelers, which put the first American into space

48 Band or bass beginner

51 Upstream swimmer

54 Online crafts marketplace

56 Hosiery thread

58 Texture

59 Actress Kendrick

60 Pageant accessory

62 Chateau ___ Michelle winery

63 VCR format

65 Mandate ending telework, briefly

66 Possess

67 Vote against

68 Workout spot