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March 27, 2018
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Stand With Students calls for change The event was in support of the nationwide March for Our Lives event on March 24 and was organized by groups such as Indivisible New River Valley and Coalition for Justice. TAHREEM ALAM news staff writer
Students and members of the community gathered in front of Henderson Lawn on March 24 to participate in the nationwide March for Our Lives movement to protest gun violence. The “Stand With Students: Blacksburg” rally attracted hundreds of students, families and other community members despite the looming snowstorm. Several organizations came together to host the rally, including Indivisible New River Valley (NRV Indivisible) and Coalition for Justice. In addition, members of the New River Valley Greens, Moms Demand Action and One Voice Blacksburg gave speeches during the rally. “Drawing attention to it like this is important,” said Alexa Casey, who is the coach for NRV Indivisible. “Gun reform means that you pay attention to loopholes that are made, you limit the types of guns that you have out on the streets, you consider people’s mental health aspects, you have more time to apply for a gun and so there’s a number of things like that that we have to pay attention to. We don’t want to take anyone’s gun rights away; we just want gun reform that makes sense.” Additionally, protesters wanted to bring to light the fact that the U.S. is the only developed country that has recurring mass shootings. Resolutions being proposed in an effort to solve this problem include banning automatic assault weapons, having a universal background
check system and raising the age for legal gun ownership to 21. Protesters also wanted people to realize that restructuring gun legislation could end other sorts of gun violence, such as ones related to domestic violence and suicides. “The reality is that 96 Americans die every single day due to gun violence. So it’s not just about mass shootings, we have to talk about handgun violence. There’s a broader issue here beyond just school shootings, one that in particular affects marginalized communities, women through domestic violence and people with depression –– in fact, most gun violences are actually caused by suicides,” said Ryan Wesdock, who is the chair of the Greens at Virginia Tech and member of the NRV Greens.
Moms Demand Action, Professor Dale Wimberley, a member of Coalition for Justice and Brianna Sclafani, a criminology student. Sclafani was a freshman in high school six years ago when the Sandy Hook shooting happened in her hometown, which resulted in the loss of one of her friends’ brother. Her speech called for more marches until change was made. “Since Sandy Hook alone, more than 400 people have been shot in over 200 school shootings. We are here because we want change, because we see injustice and we seek action. Parkland, Virginia Tech stands with you, Sandy Hook stands with you, we all stand with you,” Sclafani said. Justin Santopietro and Anthony Flaccavento, who are candidates for representatives in Congress for the 9th Congressional District, were both present at the march as was Delegate Christ Hurst. We are here because we “This is my hometown. I was a freshman in high school on April 16, 2007. After that want change, because we tragedy, we saw our legislator in the state see injustice and we seek of Virginia, Morgan Griffith, do absoaction. ” lutely nothing to recognize the tragedy that happened. We have to vote; there is Brianna Sclafani no replacement to that,” Santopietro said. criminology major Flaccavento drove in from his hometown, Abingdon, and participated in Many protesters expressed distaste to the rally there before participating in the the idea of arming teachers and professors one here. with guns for safety purposes. “On this issue (gun violence) our Before the speeches began, the orga- national policy is as clear as it is immoral nizers named and commemorated the to do nothing. Congress has decided that 17 victims who died in the Parkland routine gun violence is acceptable, that it’s shooting on Feb. 14. Then, speeches were given by Jennifer Gallagher, a member of see page 3
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Hurst shows support for students
BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA
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TAHREEM ALAM / COLLEGIATE TIMES Protesters stand on College Avenue to participate in the Stand With Students: Blacksburg rally, March 24, 2018.
March 27, 2018 PAGE 3
ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES People from all over the U.S. came to Washington, D.C., to participate in the March for Our Lives, March 24, 2018.
TAHREEM ALAM / COLLEGIATE TIMES
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ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES
impossible to protect Second Amendment rights and still take meaningful action. This is indefensible,” Flaccavento said. Flaccavento mentioned that the only good thing was that the younger generation realizes the problem with the nation’s gun legislation and he and other speakers recognized that “younger people have had enough.” Delegate Chris Hurst said it’s not a coincidence that he’s seen more leadership and courage in teens than in congressmen and delegates in Washington, D.C., and Richmond. Referring to the children and teens, Hurst said, “These are the people that we are fighting for every single day. This is our future. Now, understand why we are here and what we have to do.” Like many others, Hurst told the audience that if they wanted to see change, vote. Casey and Wesdock also expressed the importance of youth being involved, and offered other ways of taking action if not by voting, such as joining community organizations and looking on social media for events similar to the march. “I think college, high school and middle school students standing up is the thing that’s making the difference. That’s why it matters now more than it has in the past. They’re the ones who are making a difference between this succeeding and failing,” Wesdock said. Hurst’s girlfriend, Alison Parker, was shot and killed on live TV in 2015. Despite experiencing this tragedy, he remains positive about bringing changes to the community. “When I lost the love of my life, they asked me, ‘Do you think something will finally change now, given what happened?’ and I said ‘no,’” Hurst said. “But something is different this time around. Can you feel it?”
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Body positivity encourages unhealthy behavior
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The movement does more harm than good when it decides to ignore fundamental health issues that obesity carries. ccording to a recent report by the American Psychological Association (APA), Americans’ dissatisfaction with their bodies began to decline in the early 2000s, following a peak in the 1990s. Accordingly, the body positivity movement has gained considerable steam in recent years. Based on the notion of accepting your body the way it is, the movement is aimed at dismantling the stigma placed on fat bodies. However, the campaign seems to have taken a hazardous turn, instead offering those who are extremely unhealthy an excuse to continue their descent toward obesity. Body positivity became a cultural phenomenon much through a major change in advertising. Ashley Graham became the first “plus-sized” model to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue, and she even had a Barbie made in her image, requesting that the doll’s thighs touch,
much like those of a real woman would. Similarly, Aerie — American Eagle’s sister store for lingerie — launched Aerie Real, a 2014 ad campaign featuring only models who had not undergone any digital retouching such as airbrushing. What really is body positivity, though? Although it might mean something different to each individual, the overarching ideal is fairly uniform and applies to both ends of the body type spectrum. According to Mallorie Dunn, founder of the body positive fashion line SmartGlamour, body positivity means accepting the body you have as well as any changes in shape, size and ability it may undergo due to nature, age or your own personal choices. According to Kaila Prins, a body positive wellness coach, the goal of body positivity is simply body acceptance. Clearly the main idea is to love and embrace the body you’re in, regardless of whether it
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fits the “norm” — this can range both from being “too skinny” to being “too fat.” However, some people — especially those who are on the heavier side — seem to take Dunn’s definition strictly word for word. Although people should accept the body that they were born with — as well as the one that results from your lifestyle choices — they shouldn’t use this as a pass to continue to make poor choices, possibly harming their health in the process. Television frequently highlights this unfavorable side effect of the body positivity movement. Reality shows such as “My Big Fat Fabulous Life” depict the false notion that body positivity can be used to justify an unhealthy, sometimes deadly lifestyle. Now on its fourth season, the show follows Whitney Thore, a woman weighing 380 pounds who is determined to lose weight throughout the course of the series. With her “big girl” dance class along with other activities, Thore aims to promote “no body shame.” Yet, she epitomizes the major misinterpretation of the body positivity movement. Thore hides behind body positivity in order to continue ignoring the health issues that arise from her obesity. During a dance-a-thon, Thore passed out from exertion and was rushed to the hospital with an above-average heart rate. The doctor emphasized that her poor health could lead to overexertion again, and even death. When asked about it by People Magazine, Thore claimed it “wasn’t a question of fat versus thin,” laughing off the obviously deleterious effects her obesity had on her overall health. Thore also faces various other health problems, from being diagnosed as prediabetic to injuring her back to the point that she couldn’t get out of bed. Thore openly admitted to People Magazine, that her size was at least partly to blame for her back issues. However, whenever suggested to lose weight on the show, Thore becomes
extremely defensive and immediately reverts to the body positivity slogan. Clearly, Whitney Thore, among many others, have taken the concept of body positivity to mean that it’s OK to be morbidly obese or dangerously underweight as long as you can laugh off the serious health issues it causes; this is all wrong. The exemplar of body positivity is not someone who, while accepting their body, is also slowly killing themselves, and the movement is not an excuse to do so. This warped interpretation of the body positivity movement is what leads followers to larger problems down the road, like heart disease, diabetes, anemia and even death. Such problems are showcased on similar shows, like “My 600 Pound Life.” Sadly, a man died recently after suffering a heart attack while filming the show; he weighed as much as 842 pounds and openly acknowledged the strain his weight put on his body. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity in America is common, costly and serious. More than one-third of U.S. adults are obese. While these might not be reality show-worthy levels of obesity, many adults obviously struggle with this issue. With obesity playing such a huge role in our society during our lifetime, I think it’s important to acknowledge when movements like “no body shame” and “body positivity” have reached their limit. While I think we can all get behind loving and embracing your body the way it is — big, small, tall, short, curvy, bony or whatever the case may be — I draw the line when embracing your body entails ignoring the obvious signs of your deteriorating health. Your pride isn’t worth more than your life.
LINDSEY SLUSHER • class of 2020 • political science
Banning assault weapons would not work given their low prevalence in deaths and overall number of guns in U.S.
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THOMAS THORGERSEN • class of 2019 • political science
DAVID HONG / COLLEGIATE TIMES The entrance to the Virginia Tech Department of Communication in Shanks Hall, Nov. 4, 2017.
argument. However, writing is one of those rare skills that is useful in every walk of life. In order to partially remedy the general lack of enthusiasm toward and relevancy of their content, several changes should be made to the English CLE courses. There will always be people who hate writing no matter what class they take, so the courses should not be changed to make them more enjoyable, but rather make them more useful. Each department should have their own English CLE specifically tailored to the demands of their field. Enough people already take these classes, so it should not be too much extra work to split up these groups by college. Professors in the departments could advise the English teachers on what the curriculum should include. These courses could also help to engage students who have difficulties with writing as a subject by taking into account the skills that they are learning in their majors and connecting those to writing. It would also be beneficial if students were taught writing skills that are relevant to life. For example, writing a cover letter for a resume is an important step in the job application process, and a well-written cover letter could give students an edge over other applicants. First impressions mean a lot, so it is essential for job applicants to cultivate the best possible image of themselves. Good writing skills could also make employees more likely to earn promotions, as employers seek to reward the people who are the most effective and succinct writers. For those who enjoy it, writing can be a thrilling experience, giving a voice to people who typically go without one. Even for people who do not share that sentiment, the ability to craft meaningful sentences is perhaps the most important skill that they can learn. SALLY DUKES • class of 2019 • political science
March 27, 2018 PAGE 5
implementing extreme gun bans and gun buyback programs. The stigma around mentally ill people is one that must be addressed as well. While mass shootings take up the spotlight in the media, the issue of suicide is often pushed to the side. Studies have shown that mentally ill individuals are more likely to hurt themselves rather than others. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 62 percent of the 169,395 firearm deaths in the U.S. from 2011 to 2015 were suicides. That is an alarming statistic that the public fails to acknowledge or advocate for. The current anti-gun movement is contradictory to say the least. Its supporters fail to acknowledge certain aspects of gun violence, while spotlighting other aspects to support their argument. Nowadays, all you need is a Twitter or Facebook account to have your own platform, and suddenly you’re an expert. Pushing and implementing legislation based on emotion is a mistake that we must avoid making. While some may see it as noble act to join the anti-gun movement, these people are instead disgracefully standing on the graves of innocent children to push their own political agenda.
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t seems as though nobody likes taking the introductory English courses in college. Those who enjoy writing either test out or find an alternative class to take instead, leaving the English 1105 and 1106 classes here at Tech full of people who would rather not be there. That is a shame, because writing is one of the most valuable skills a person can have, regardless of their field of study. Crafting sentences and forming coherent arguments are fairly universal abilities that allow people to succeed in life. Earning grants for scientific research or artistic study requires the ability to write persuasive essays. Giving an engaging lecture comes into play when a person is in a management position. And at some point in their career, everyone is going to have to send an email. There are also other, less obvious benefits to learning how to write well. Learning how to craft an essay is useful in understanding logical processes and the best ways to explain one’s thinking. Many have criticized the university’s mandatory Curriculum for Liberal Education (CLE), saying that requiring students to take classes outside of their major is both a waste of time and money. For some of the required courses, that could be a legitimately convincing
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n wake of the tragic shooting that occurred last week at Stoneman Douglas High School, the issue of gun control has risen once again. Whether it is brought up on the news, in class or on social media, it is an inescapable issue that must be addressed. While the gun violence rate has decreased since the 1970s, the idiocracy of the anti-gun movement has increased substantially. The media has tried its hardest to portray mass shootings as if they are occurring more than ever, but they are actually just as prevalent or even less frequent as they were in the 1980s and 1990s. With that being said, one mass shooting is far too many, and hopefully one day, as a society we can prevent these horrific events from occurring; however, banning semi-automatic weapons is not the answer. According to the Gun Violence Archive, assault style rifles only accounted for 2 percent of the gun deaths in 2016. More importantly, while handguns only account for 34 percent of firearms, they contribute to about 80 percent of the gun homicides in America. You don’t need an AR-15 or any other assault rifle to conduct a mass shooting. Almost 11 years ago right here at Virginia Tech, 32 people were tragically killed, and 23 more were injured. This was not the product of some deadly assault weapon; the massacre was carried out with a Glock 19 and a Walther P22, which both happen to be pistols. The argument being presented for banning assault weapons is completely illogical. While many people push for a gun ban similar to Australia’s in 1996, the implementation of such a policy would be near impossible. Australia’s gun buyback program confiscated over 650,000 guns, which was nearly one-fifth of the country’s firearms. Comparatively, doing so in the U.S. would result in attempting to confiscate over 60 million firearms. Attempting to push a similar policy would be unrealistic to say the least. Interestingly enough, the gun violence rate has steadily decreased since the 1990s. This was accomplished without
For those who don’t enjoy studying English, required English courses should focus on field-specific skills.
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Intro English courses Anti-gun movement lacks substance, merit require restructuring
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Want a day away from Blacksburg? Try these Virginia destinations.
Whether you’re a sucker for a good roller coaster or just want to cruise the Blue Ridge Parkway, our state has it all. HEATHER TROBRIDGE
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lifestyles staff writer
Virginia is full of amazing sights and plenty of things to do if you look hard enough. It is time to take advantage of the impending warm weather. From quick trips to day trips, with springtime right around the corner, there are many places to explore, from Northern Virginia all the way down I-81. Here are some great ways to spend warm spring days or ideas for a fun weekend getaway: Half-day trips Looking for a challenge, but not a fan of theme parks or roller coasters? Look no further than the natural beauty of Virginia’s mountains. The official website for the state of Virginia features recommended hikes all across the state that range in difficulty, from easier hikes like the Virginia Creeper Trail and the Great Falls National Park Trail, to more advanced hikes like McAfee Knob or Old Rag Mountain. If you would like to appreciate the beauty of the mountains, but do not feel like doing a lot of walking, Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway are car-friendly alternatives that wind through the mountains and feature overlooks that allow you to exit your vehicle and enjoy the view up close. Many of these great hikes are right in our backyard, so take advantage of it while you can. Along with hiking trails, the Virginia mountains have natural rock formations and caves that have been turned into popular tourist attractions. Located in the Shenandoah Valley, Luray Caverns are the largest, most popular caverns in eastern
America according to its website. The caverns themselves are not just the only thing to see while visiting; museums, an adventure park, and a garden maze can all be found here too. Luray Caverns is a two hour ride up I-81, so it’s an easy way to spend a spring day when you want to get out and about. Not the biggest nature fan? That is fine, since Virginia is also known for its amazing breweries and wineries. The Virginia Wine website divides the state into 10 distinct regions of wineries, each featuring locally crafted Virginia wine. There are also many craft breweries throughout the state, a lot of which are located up and down I-81. For the animal lovers in the state, the Virginia Safari Park, which reopened on March 10, is an “180-acre drive-through adventure” according to its official website. The only thing of its kind in Virginia, the park features many different types of animals roaming the land, that visitors are allowed to drive by and feed through their car windows. Along with this, the park has giraffe feedings, a tiger territory to view the big cats, kangaroo and penguin exhibits, and a petting zoo. Hours of operation range and tickets are $21.95 for college students. Only an hour and fifteen minutes up the road, there’s no better way to spend your day than at Virginia’s only drive-through zoo. Day trips For the thrill seekers, there is no better place to go in Virginia than Kings Dominion. The park, located in Doswell, Virginia, features 12 roller coasters, including the Intimidator 305, which
according to the park’s website is “one of the tallest, fastest coasters on the east coast, ... which takes you up 305 feet and sends you plummeting at an angle of 80 degrees at 90 mph.” The park also features a water park and other special shows throughout the spring and summer. Opening day is March 24, and park passes are already on sale. Although it’s a little out of the way, a three hour drive is a small trip to take when there are memories to be made!
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Virginia Beach is only an extra hour away from Colonial Williamsburg, and is worth a visit while you’re on that side of the state.”
Weekend getaways Virginia is rich with history and there is no better example of that than the Manassas National Battlefield Park in Manassas, Virginia. The park is in commemoration of the two battles in the Civil War that took place in this area. According to its official website, the national park is open from dusk to dawn, and features numerous exhibits and daily tours around the park. This battlefield is about a three and a half hour long drive from Tech, so it would be best to make a weekend trip out of this one. Another celebration of Virginia’s history is featured at Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia. Its website boasts that it is “the world’s largest living history
museum” and offers many different events for people of all ages. There are seasonal activities to take part in, interactive shows, museums to browse and even carriage rides. If that is not appealing to you, there are taverns which feature specialty beers and food as well. Ticket prices range and are listed on its website. This four hour long drive will take you all the way across the state, so make sure you plan a jam packed weekend if you chose to do this! While you’re at it, tack on an extra hour and make it a beach weekend. Virginia Beach is only an extra hour away from Colonial Williamsburg, and is worth a visit while you’re on that side of the state. It’s packed with fun things to do, from shopping, to games, to bars, to just catching rays. There are also many spas and resorts in the state, such as the Salamander in Middleburg, Virginia. People can stay at the resort and take part in many different activities like its archery program, disc golf, art classes, fitness classes, falconry and, of course, the spa. For those who are not staying the night, there are three different restaurants and a cupcake and wine bar to dine at. The Salamander’s website lists its rates. Being that this one is also located in Northern Virginia, about three and a half hours up the road, this is a great way to spend a weekend unwinding before finals. Virginia is one of the states that really does have it all. With spring on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to get out and explore the state. @Heather__Tro
The movement has been fighting gender-based violence since 1990. Learn about its history and how to get involved. HEATHER TROBRIDGE lifestlyes staff writer
someone that a sexist joke they made is not funny, can lessen future violence, and Anderson’s hope is that “over time … everyone working (together) can lessen violence.” Caroline English, a sophomore majoring in international studies and sociology and minoring in leadership and social change, is one of Take Back the Night’s co-coordinators. English believes that through this event they are showing solidarity with the victims and raising awareness by holding the rally and march. “I think that all students, no matter where you stand politically or if you’ve experienced gender-based violence or even if you really don’t know what it is, (everyone) can connect with someone or with themselves to the issue of genderbased violence,” English said. She encourages students to get involved in the issue, in some way, because she believes that ending genderbased violence is a group effort. “It’s something that takes support across a community; it’s not something that can be solved by a small group of people,” English said. “So when everyone is involved and everyone shows their support, even if it’s just showing up to the beginning of the rally or marching and chanting with everyone else, it just shows that Virginia Tech isn’t going to stand for this.” Anyone who joins in on the rally is encouraged to wear a purple ribbon representing anyone that you know who has been sexually assaulted or affected by sexual violence. Ribbons are available at the Take Back the Night information tables at the Women’s Center at Virginia Tech, at 206 Washington St. Students are able to join the organizing effort for Take Back the Night by attending the United Feminist Movement’s meetings every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Room 340 Lavery Hall.
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March 27, 2018 PAGE 7
MEHHER HASNANY / COLLEGIATE TIMES Virginia Tech President Tim Sands speaks at the 28th annual Take Back the Night rally and march, which raises awareness of gender-based violence, March 30, 2017.
United Feminist Movement, Susan Anderson (also a member of Blacksburg Town Council), was not the founder of the organization on campus, but has had close ties since its founding by Judith Scott in the early 1990s. At the time before the Women’s Center existed at Tech, all instances of gender-based violence were handled through the dean’s office. Scott felt that all students, particularly the female students, needed an organization that advocated for undergraduate women’s concerns. The organization went through several name changes before deciding on United Feminist Movement, but always remained a space for students of all genders. Scott is also the founder of the local Take Back the Night march, and the United Feminist Movement has always backed this event. Anderson believes there is huge importance in this event.“It’s happening everywhere. It happens in our community and there’s no safe space. It happens in all neighborhoods whether you’re urban or rural,” Anderson said. Anderson has seen students whose lives have been changed due to genderbased violence and knows their struggles when working through it. “You never forget it, but you learn to live with it and you learn to hopefully be stronger through it. I would like to see people not have to go through it, men or women,” Anderson said. The rally and march themselves hold great importance to Anderson, and she hopes to see it inspire others to make a change. “One Take Back the Night isn’t going to change the world or the community,” she said. The goal of the rally is always to raise awareness and share resources in the community, while the march is to excite the crowd to make a change, while students give participants information on how to deal with gender-based violence. “The idea is to educate, empower and give people tools to create change,” Anderson said. The organization’s hope is to inspire a small change that will make a big impact; adapting a small change, like telling
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There is reason to fight for a safer nightlife, not only on college campuses, but around the world, and the participants of the Take Back the Night rally have been doing just that since 1970. Since the 1990s, the Take Back the Night rally and candlelit march to promote awareness for the actions and attitudes of those who maintain violence in our communities, and to protest against gender-based violence, have been hosted at Virginia Tech. The event is organized by the United Feminist Movement, which encourages all of us to make a better change and impact on the community, especially for those with reason to fear being alone, with emphasis being on the night. This year’s rally will be held on Thursday, March 29, at the Henderson Lawn outdoor stage on College Avenue (or in the Graduate Life Center auditorium in case of rain). Participants are
encouraged to arrive between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., as the event will begin at 7 p.m. After the initial rally, participants will march through Virginia Tech’s campus and downtown Blacksburg, returning to Henderson Lawn for a closing celebration. This route is also accessible for those with limited mobility; however, it is encouraged that anyone in need of assistance calls 540-231-8041 at least one week in advance. The march takes place during National Women’s History Month, and people of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to partake and support the movement. Participants can sign up as individuals or members of a group or an organization; all are allowed to bring signs or banners supporting the cause. Many who march have a wide variety of gender-based violence that they are fighting, from sexual harassment and misogyny, to rape, assaults and murders, but they are all on the same mission to end it. The current faculty adviser for the
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Take Back the Night rally promotes awareness of sexual violence
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sports collegiatetimes.com/sports
Baseball avoids sweep in weekend series with Boston College, drops two games out of three Despite a strong start, the Hokies could not secure a series win, but bounced back in the third game with the Eagles.
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STEPHEN NEWMAN social media editor
Following a postponed home game against Marshall earlier this week, Virginia Tech traveled to Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, to face Boston College. The Hokies avoided a sweep by winning the finale, but dropped their second consecutive series in ACC play. Game one Connor Coward started the opener for the Hokies, opposed by Jacob Stevens for the Eagles. The teams matched each other nearly blow for blow, before Boston College pulled away late, 7–4. Coward retired the first eight batters he faced, but ran into trouble with two outs in the third. Anthony Maselli and Jake Palomaki singled, Dante Baldelli drew a walk, and Jack Cunningham brought them all home with a double to right field, giving the Eagles a 3–0 advantage. The Hokies countered with one run in each of the next four innings. Sam Fragale drove in runs in the fourth and sixth frames, while Darion Jacoby crossed home plate in the fifth and seventh. Tech’s one-run lead didn’t last long. Coward walked the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the seventh and was replaced by Andrew McDonald, who hit and walked the next two batters respectively. With the bases loaded, Nic Enright replaced him, but did little to limit the
damage. The Eagles scored four runs in the inning, despite only getting one hit. Enright walked two, and surrendered a sac fly, an RBI single and a double-steal of second and home. Another run scored on a passed ball, and Boston College took a 7–4 lead that it never relinquished.
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The Hokies ended their three-game losing skid with a 5–2 win, despite being outhit 11–6.”
Game two Ian Seymour took the mound in the front-end of a doubleheader on Saturday. He had a solid outing, but two pitches did him in, and the Eagles came out victorious again, 6–2. Just like Coward, Seymour was perfect through 2.2 frames. Then Mitch Bigras took the first pitch he saw over the right field wall. Palomaki, the following batter, made it back-to-back long balls for the Eagles, who took the lead, 2–0. Small ball gave the Hokies their first run. In the fifth inning, Jacoby reached on a single, then advanced to second base on a wild pitch, moved up to third on a groundout from Nick Menken and scored on another wild pitch. Both offenses went virtually silent until the top of the ninth. After a
hit-by-pitch and a single, JD Mundy was intentionally walked. Fragale struck out, but Jacoby drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game. Nick Menken flied out to end the top half, and the Eagles came up with a chance for a walk-off win. McDonald walked two batters and hit one. With two outs, Baldelli came up large, taking the 0–1 pitch deep to left field for a grand slam, giving the home team a 6–2 victory. Seymour and Dan Metzdorf, Boston College’s starter, combined to strike out 20 hitters, including 12 from Metzdorf, who lost his chance at the official win in the ninth inning. Game three Looking to avoid a sweep, Tech struck early. The Hokies ended their three-game losing skid with a 5–2 win, despite being outhit 11–6. Jack Owens walked to lead off the game, and was advanced to second on a ground ball fielder’s choice from Tom Stoffel. In a two-strike count, Luke Horanski drove a ball to right field for Tech’s first homer of the series, and its first lead since game one. Starter Luke Scherzer gave up three hits in the three scoreless frames he pitched. He also got more run support in the top of the fourth, when the offense strung back-to-back hits together with two outs, capped off by a home run from Fragale. The Hokies tacked on one more run in
the seventh frame. Jacoby drew a walk, his fourth of the series, with one out. Joe Freiday Jr., who got the start behind the dish in the finale, followed him with a single, advancing him to third. Jojo Odachowski bunted into a fielder’s choice, and Jacoby was gunned down at the plate. However, Jack Owens brought a run home anyway, singling to right field. The Eagles’ lone two runs came in the eighth inning. Jack Cunningham doubled with one out, and Gian Martellini did likewise, driving him in. After a groundout, Chris Galland brought Martellini home on a single, cutting the deficit to 5–2, but that was as close as they got it. Virginia Tech’s record now stands at 10–12 overall and 4–5 in conference play. The team is also just 2–7 in true road games. However, the Hokies won’t have to leave Blacksburg again for nearly two weeks. They’ll host Liberty on Tuesday, March 27 at 4 p.m. before hosting NC State for three games, beginning on Thursday.
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Women’s lacrosse faced Virginia Commonwealth University on Wednesday for the first time in program history. MADDIE THOMPSON assistant sports editor
Despite the snow and frigid temperatures, women’s lacrosse came out with a bang in its first ever matchup with Virginia Commonwealth University on Wednesday afternoon in the Indoor Practice Facility. During the first half alone, Tech managed to put up 13 goals against the Rams, and added nine more in the second half, finishing out the game 22–7. Though the game started out tight, the Rams only trailing 2–1, a sudden burst of momentum for the Hokies led them on a scoring streak that would end with five unanswered goals. Tech maintained this
healthy lead throughout the rest of the game, a deep hole that was hard for the Rams to climb out of. Tech, now ranked No. 16 in the country, saw several different Hokies put the ball in the goal throughout the game. Eight different players put points on the board for Tech, senior Tristan McGinley and freshman Paige Petty each tossing in five apiece. The Hokies remained overwhelmingly dominant on offense, ripping 38 shots at goalkeepers Ria Peralta and Gillian Belfiore before the afternoon was done. Add in the 22 draw controls over the Rams’ nine, and Tech was able to make the impact on offense that it has been striving for all season.
With such a dominant offense, head coach John Sung was able to rotate in more players than usual, with a few making their collegiate debuts. “It was good to see the young kids get in there and do some things today,” Sung said to HokieSports. “Sarah Lubnow got a few goals. Carly Harris made her first career save — I’m really happy and excited for her.” Freshman Morgan Berman was another fresh face that saw time on the field that afternoon. The Suwanee, Georgia native put 23 minutes into the game, relieving senior goalie Meagh Graham, and was able to stop three shots. VCU’s offense was led by junior attacker Molly Barcikowski, who tossed
in two of her own and assisted on four others. The Rams also came out on top against the Hokies in ground balls, snatching up 17 to Tech’s 13 during the game. With just six games left in the regular season until the ACC Tournament, Tech will travel to Burlington, North Carolina, this Saturday, March 24 to face off against Elon. The Hokies are 1–1 in the series against the Phoenix, with last season’s game ending in a thrilling overtime where Tech suffered a loss, 13–12.
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Tech lacrosse defeats Rams in blowout victory
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GABRIELA RIVERA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Julia Volte (3) searches for an open teammate, March 21, 2018.
GABRIELA RIVERA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Tristan McKinley (7) runs with the ball across the field, March 21, 2018.
March 27, 2018 PAGE 9
GABRIELA RIVERA / COLLEGIATE TIMES Kristen Kohles (23) passes the ball to Emma Crooks (31), March 21, 2018.
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OUSING GUIDE
Decorate your new apartment for less next year
Our writer provides some tips for making your new space look trendy and original without breaking the bank. SAMEERA SUNKARA
PAGE 10 March 27, 2018
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lifestyles staff writer
Congratulations, you have your own apartment — so what’s the next step? Decorating, obviously. But the only issue? Decorating your apartment is expensive, especially for broke college students. Luckily, there are some tricks and tips to having a beautifully decorated apartment without racking up a bill equivalent to a student loan payment. First and foremost, see what you have already in the attic or basement of your parents’ house because a lot of that stuff can be really useful. Everything from old clothes, pillows, blankets, retired photo frames and posters to past holiday decorations can help accentuate an apartment. There’s definitely a lot of stuff that your parents are no longer using. Once finished looking through your own home, thrift stores like Goodwill are an excellent place to shop for quirky unique furniture, as is Craigslist. While slightly more expensive, places like Amazon and Target have more typical, simplistic furniture options, and as a student, one can get a discounted Amazon Prime membership, which includes free shipping. As far as wall art goes, there is no point in buying something that would be not only cheaper, but also much more fun to make on your own. It’s pretty amazing what a person can do with a couple canvases, some colorful Sharpies or paints and a little bit of rubbing alcohol. Create new posters by painting the back of old ones or using the side of an old cardboard box. Also, for the artsy individuals, instead of buying block or framed quotes, just
paint the quote of choice onto either a block, a piece of poster or even some cardboard, which can then be framed. There are a million and one inspirations for these types of decorations on Pinterest, the No. 1 guide to homemade artsy decorations. To personalize a bedroom, photo collages are also a great way to save money; not only does one avoid paying the cost of a larger photo, but collages combine multiple memories into a single frame. And, as a bonus, one doesn’t even need a frame: Cork boards and pieces of cardboard can also be used as a base. A great storage idea is using old crates and baskets and painting them a different color instead of buying racks and shelves. Maybe buy one of those ottomans that can store items while also being used as stool. Even better, just turn one of those crates upside down and use it as a stool or side table by placing a cushion or tablecloth on it. Old candle holders are also an excellent place to store jewelry in the bathroom, as are old glass jars and ceramic pots. Another fabulous, budget-friendly idea requires only a stack of photographs, some clothespins and a piece of string. Attach the pictures to the string via the clothespins and ta-da! This is perfect to hang above your windows or around a door. Old Christmas lights, either white or multi-color, are also great to hang around windows and doors — or even mirrors — to add a bit of brightness to the place. As for the living room, there is no point in buying a bunch of throw pillows when all one needs to do is learn how to sew. Just find an old blanket or piece of clothing that you like but wouldn’t
An apartment bedroom, March 21, 2018.
mind cutting up, and then spend the afternoon sewing it into a pillow case; old soft clothes can be used as stuffing. Old T-shirts can be used to make a large quilt or even a rug, and a beautiful old quilt can be re-utilized as nice tapestry to hang behind the couch. Also, instead of buying fancy, brand-new curtains, just use a pretty patterned bed sheet instead, and alter accordingly. Instead of buying figurines or other fancy trinkets to place on a table or shelf as decorations, instead use items that are just sitting around the house, like painted wine glasses or aesthetically pleasing books, both of which make great centerpieces. Plants also make nice decorations and can brighten up any room. To store utensils in the kitchen, one
BILLY CLARKE / COLLEGIATE TIMES
can use old tins or aluminum cans, and just add some color using stickers, paint or even melted crayons. And why buy expensive vases and bowls when old glass bottles and jars are just as beautiful and can serve the same purpose? Just fill them with fake flowers or chocolates, tie a ribbon around the top, and place on the kitchen counter to make it seem more homey. These are just a few of the many different ways to decorate an apartment when stuck with a budget, and there are definitely thousands of others, courtesy of Pinterest.
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Plenty of apartment complexes in Blacksburg accommodate pets. Compare your options with this helpful rundown. BECKY SUTTON copy editor
Searching for the perfect place to live off-campus can be a daunting task; however, it becomes even more difficult if you are looking for a place for both you and your furry friend. Odds are you are going to have to compromise and either pay more in rent than you’d like or live in a complex a little farther from campus. Luckily, there are quite a few options in Blacksburg for you and your best friend, and here are some that are located on bus routes that are all less than 10 minutes from campus.
Windsor Hills Windsor Hills has four different floor plans including a studio set-up for $860–880 a month, a one bedroom with one bath for $865–1045, two bedrooms with one bath for $925–1245, and three bedrooms with one and a half baths for $1300–1535. The exact rent varies depending on square footage. They require a $150 fee per pet and
$25 in rent a month. They have no breed or weight restrictions, but pets must be approved beforehand. There is a three-pet limit per apartment. They are located on Hampton Court, which is about an eight-minute drive to campus. Students also have the option of taking the Harding Ave. bus to campus. Chasewood Downs Chasewood Downs has four different floor plans to choose from: a studio set-up for $615 a month, a one bedroom for $690–780, a two bedroom for $820–920 and a three bedroom for $1146, all with one bath. Monthly rent varies depending on the square footage of the apartment. A $200 refundable deposit, a $200 pet fee and $15 monthly pet rent is required. There’s a two-pet limit as well as a breed and a 50-pound weight restriction.
The complex is located on University City Boulevard, with easy access to the UCB bus route, and is about a six-minute drive to campus. Foxridge Foxridge offers a wide range of floor plans to choose from with monthly rent ranging from $900 for a one bedroom, $990–1035 for a two bedroom, $1248 for a three bedroom, $2029–2079 for four bedrooms and $2410–2435 for five bedrooms. The rent price varies depending on the number of bathrooms. They require a $100 pet deposit and $10 monthly pet rent with a three-pet limit. Foxridge is about nine minutes from campus, and has multiple stops on the Hethwood route for students to use. PETS / page 13
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The Mill The Mill offers one-bedroom apartments for $770 a month, two bedrooms for $839 and three bedrooms for $1065, all with one bathroom.
They require a pet fee of $200, a refundable deposit of $150 and monthly pet rent of $25. They do not allow aggressive breeds and have no weight limit restrictions. The apartments are located on Grayland Street, which is down South Main Street past Cook Out and Kroger. It’s about an eight-minute drive to campus and students can use the South Main bus to get to campus as well.
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LIVI DEL VALLE / COLLEGIATE TIMES Lily the Corgi takes a walk through Heritage Park, one of the many dog-friendly trails around Blacksburg, Virginia.
March 27, 2018 PAGE 11
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HRL strategizes to deal with campus overcrowding Over 600 members of the Class of 2021 were put in temporary housing. Learn how Virginia Tech dealt with this issue. HEATHER TROBRIDGE lifestyles staff writer
With this year’s freshman class being one of the largest to date, temporary housing was a much needed way to address the situation of there not being enough rooms to house all of the new students. This is not the first time there has been an overage of expected students before, so the Housing and Residence Life offices were able to handle this situation effectively and smoothly. While some changes were made to students’ initial housing plans, many of these changes ended up working out for the better. Kenneth Belcher, senior associate director for Housing Services, is no stranger to an overage. “This is my 25th year here, so I’ve seen a few different configurations of a lot of different overages over the years,” Belcher said. This year’s freshman class had over 600 students in temporary housing. While not ideal, temporary housing is considered at the beginning of every year, as 100 to 115 students are expected to be placed in temporary housing each year. “That’s very normal for us, and we really want to be in that area because (at) an institution of our size with the attrition we have the first bit of the year, we want to maintain a high occupancy,” Belcher said. The first temporary housing option is using RA rooms to house students. If more room is needed, the next step is converting lounges. If even more students need housing, the school begins to ascribe three students apiece to standard dorm rooms, or finds off-campus housing options. “We basically try to use the best situation and best policies for the overages we have,” Belcher said. Though being stuck in an unexpected
rooming situation is nobody’s favorite scenario, not every instance is a horror story. Samantha Lambeth, a sophomore experimental neuroscience major, was placed in a converted lounge with three other students this past school year, after having conditional contracts. “As time went on and they were starting to send out emails for housing, we kinda figured out that chances were we were going to placed in a study lounge,” Lambeth said of their situation. While she and her other roommates were placed together at random, it all worked out. “We all get along and it’s all really fun,” Lambeth said. Some RAs were also given roommates this school year. Natalia Marin, a junior electrical engineering major, received a roommate for the first semester this school year, who then moved out when space was made available the second semester. “They told us last year that we might be having one, but we didn’t find out officially until this summer,” Marin said. While it was different than her previous year as an RA, her roommate “was really nice, and I was glad she was my roommate,” Marin said. “As an RA it’s really nice to not have one (a roommate) so you can have meetings in your room and things like that, but we made it work.”
“
Having O’Shag back as the new residential college is going to be awesome.” Kenneth Belcher senior associate director for housing services
Housing is determined based on the yields from the admissions office on the number of projected students.
FILE 2016
“They send out many thousands of offers and if they’re off by even a small percentage point, that can really throw your numbers off,” Belcher said. “When that happens, freshmen are guaranteed on-campus housing, so we have to find how to handle that. We have to make an educated guess based on how many students we think they’re going to bring in, and they usually do pretty well with that.” The incoming Class of 2022 is already being looked at closely by both admissions and housing. “Admissions have made their offers and are waiting to see how that comes back, and we have no reason to believe that they won’t hit their target; we just won’t know and they won’t
know,” Belcher said. Both offices will be watching trend lines and reports closely until they receive their final numbers, but Belcher said, “Until we approach that deadline and see what the slope of that curve looks like, we just won’t know.” However, housing services are very prepared and have factored in the re-opening of O’Shaughnessy Hall. “It’s great because we’ll have more beds and we really want to house as many of those students as we can,” Belcher said. “Having O’Shag back as the new residential college is going to be awesome.” @Heather__Tro
from page 11
The Retreat The Retreat offers a wide variety of different floor plans, with rent being per bedroom: $864–899 for two bedrooms, $764–814 for three bedrooms, $695–780 for four bedrooms and $700–740 for five bedrooms. Exact rent varies on the style of house and square footage. A $250 pet fee and $25 monthly rent is required to have a dog or cat, and there is a limit of one pet per house. There’s a 75-pound weight limit and they do not allow aggressive breeds. These houses are about a sevenminute drive to campus and are conveniently located on both the Hethwood and Carpenter Boulevard bus routes.
Smith’s Landing Smith’s Landing offers one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, which vary slightly in monthly rent depending on square footage. One-bedroom, one-bath plans are $975–985; two-bedroom, two-bath plans are $1235–1245; and threebedroom, three-bath plans are $1825. They require a $450, non-refundable pet fee and $35 a month in pet rent. There is a 40–60 pound weight limit depending on which floor of the complex you live on, and there are some breed restrictions. The apartments are on Plantation Road,
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about seven minutes from campus, and are located on both the Hethwood and Carpenter Boulevard bus routes. There are also options such as Pheasant Run and Pheasant Run Crossing — townhomes that are individually owned. Not all townhouses in these neighborhoods allow pets, but some landlords do allow them and
create their own policy regarding them. Before you settle on a place for next year make sure you do your homework — you and your pet will be thankful you did.
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Terrace View Terrace View’s apartments and townhouses range in rent price depending on whether they are renovated or not. One-bedroom apartments are $950–1150 monthly, two bedrooms are $675–705,
three bedrooms are $665–685 and four bedrooms are $430–630, all with one or one-and-a-half baths, with rent being per bedroom. They have a $200 pet deposit, $200 pet fee and $20 monthly rent for pets. There’s a two-pet limit and some breed restrictions. Terrace View is about five minutes to campus and students have access to the Progress Street, Toms Creek and Patrick Henry bus routes.
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PETS: Keep an eye on hefty pet deposits and fees
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Considering The Village? You should think again While it certainly is not the worst living experience one could have, The Village leaves a lot to be desired for its patrons. MEG CONNORS managing editor
When I look back at my thought process for apartment hunting during my freshman year, I can’t help but shudder at how naive I was throughout the ordeal. I had no idea how to gauge if an apartment was worth its cost, and had no clue what sorts of amenities or features were important or even necessary. Unfortunately for me, my roommates and I ultimately decided to sign a lease at The Village, which is comprised of two phases and is located off of Patrick Henry Drive. I lived in Phase 2 of The Village throughout my sophomore year at Tech, and while it wasn’t by any means the worst experience of all time, I would never recommend living there for a host of reasons. The biggest red flag that I should have
paid more attention to when signing a lease was the price. This is undoubtedly on me for not doing more research on rent in Blacksburg, but $560 (plus some utilities) a month sounds like a good deal when you’ve never lived in an apartment before. However, in reality, it is way too steep of a price for what you get out of it. The apartments are fairly small with thin walls, and are not even particularly nice or even cozy, especially in Phase 2. And while the apartments are furnished, which is included in rent, they are furnished with the bare minimum, and almost certainly require an extra couch and smaller furniture such as bedside tables. Whenever I wanted to run errands or drive to campus, I faced the nightmare that is dealing with the Phase 2 parking lot. There were always far fewer spots than cars in the areas of the parking lot
The Village is a popular apartment complex for students, March 26, 2018.
close to my apartment building, and if I ever dared to lose my parking spot at night to go on a quick trip, I would almost certainly be forced to park very, very far away. This doesn’t sound incredibly inconvenient, but when it happens every day, it gets old very quickly. One valuable takeaway from this is that good parking should not be taken for granted — so the next time you score a parking spot directly in front of your apartment building, remember how lucky you are. Another great inconvenience of living in Phase 2 of The Village was the walk to and from the bus stop. This was also something that I didn’t realize when signing the lease, as the Phase 1 apartments are a fairly convenient distance from the bus stop on Patrick Henry Drive. I would estimate that the walk to the bus stop from my apartment building was about 0.2 miles — which, again,
KAILA NATHANIEL / COLLEGIATE TIMES
doesn’t sound terribly inconvenient until you make the trek every day, particularly in bad weather. Perhaps the greatest overarching problem that I noticed during my year at The Village was poor management. Communication was occasionally poor about important things such as billing, and it was a headache to try to get in contact with management. The employees at The Village with whom I spoke were always extremely kind, but the management would occasionally leave them to deal with situations without, in my opinion, proper training or knowledge. Despite the many cons that I noticed during my tenure at The Village, it would be unfair to say that there weren’t any upsides to the complex. I miss the amenities the most — especially the gym — and while they aren’t worth the unfair price or hassle overall at The Village, you don’t realize how nice it is to have a gym in your complex until it’s gone. And while the pools and hot tubs weren’t always the cleanest or nicest, they were fun to have around. I also really appreciated how quickly maintenance staff responded to work order requests. And similarly to the people to whom I spoke who worked at the front desk, the maintenance staff was always very kind, which is obviously really important. While The Village isn’t a completely terrible choice for off-campus housing, I recommend looking elsewhere if features like fair price and good management are important to you. However, if you are reading this after signing a lease at The Village, don’t worry too much — it’s just a year of your life, and is certainly a step up from living on campus.
@Meg_Connors7
Will you avoid the temptation that comes along with shopping for your apartment? Resistance can be hard. SAMANTHA SMITH
you’re an avid baker, you might use this; otherwise, it’s a waste of money.
Moving into a new apartment is exciting, but buying stuff for your new apartment is even better. However, you should beware: Pinterest and Target will trick you into thinking you need that really cute tapestry that costs $50 — or worse, you’ll get caught up on Urban Outfitters’ website and pay $90 for the same tapestry. We’ve all read pieces that tell you what you do need for an apartment — but what about what you don’t? Here are some of the things I’ve been tricked into buying in the past that I have yet to use.
A drying rack for dishes First off, I have a dishwasher, so I don’t know what possessed me when I bought this. If you don’t have a dishwasher, this might be handy. Keep in mind that this might also encourage you to take days to put away your dishes. If you have the option to put your dishes away right after you wash them or leave them out, I think at least half of us would opt to wait.
lifestyles staff writer
BILLY CLARKE / COLLEGIATE TIMES A living room at The Edge Apartment Homes, Oct. 1, 2017.
Throw pillows Granted, throw pillows do make your apartment look more adult-like. But, when you’re a couch lounger like me, they honestly just end up on the floor or in the way. Having one or two might be
nice to cuddle with on your couch, but having too many is just excessive and unnecessary. @SSmith992
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A whisk I make a lot of eggs because let’s be honest — eggs are cheap and versatile. On one of my many strolls through Target, I decided that I absolutely needed this bright purple whisk. It has yet to leave the junk drawer of my kitchen. If
That sixth blanket One of my favorite things is to curl up on the couch with a hot cup of coffee, a blanket and a movie. However, I love this activity so much that whenever I see a blanket I like that’s reasonably priced, I find myself buying it, bringing it home and realizing I definitely didn’t need another blanket. While having a few is useful, having five just makes your apartment look cluttered.
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