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SEBASTIAN HOLT THE DAILY ILLINI
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NEWS
The DI · Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Red Lion patron sent to hospital
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By Lilli Bresnahan
On March 5, during Unofficial weekend, Jaelynn Edwards was taken to the hospital at approximately 2 a.m. after an altercation with an employee of The Red Lion. Edwards, a 22-year-old student at a real estate school in Evansville, Ind., had gone out with her friends to The Red Lion. According to Edwards, The Red Lion employee had been “super mean” to her before she entered the bar. “When I first went in there, he was looking at my ID, and he thought it was a fake,” Edwards said. When Edwards suggested the employee scan her ID, she said he called her “stupid” and said “that’s such a dumb thing to say.” Later, when Edwards and her friends were on the dance floor, she said The Red Lion employee began “dragging” her out, and she began hitting him “because he
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was grabbing me.” Joe Lamberson, interim assistant to the Champaign police chief, said in an email that Edwards was being escorted out for being in an “unauthorized area” when she struck the bar employee, who police later confirmed “had injuries consistent with being punched.” Edwards said she was not in an unauthorized area, and that her friends told her they watched as she was “grabbed” from where they stood on the floor and dragged outside. After she was taken to the hospital, Edwards received seven stitches on her temple and underwent a CT scan because doctors thought she might have had a concussion. The Red Lion management did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Read more online on dailyillini.com. lillakb2@dailyillini.com
The Daily Illini is the independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The newspaper is published by the Illini Media Co. The Daily Illini does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the University of Illinois administration, faculty or students. All Illini Media Co. and/or The Daily Illini articles, photos and graphics are the property of Illini Media and may not be reproduced or published without written permission from the publisher.
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SYDNEY LAPUT THE DAILY ILLINI
Jaelynn Edwards, a real estate student from Indiana, was hospitalized after an altercation with a worker from The Red Lion on March 5. THE
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LIFE & CULTURE
The DI · Wednesday, March 23, 2022
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Outdoor Adventure Club hikes up student happiness By Aidan Finn Staff Writer
Past a bunch of tree branches and on top of an uncharted stretch of hills, the view of the 265,000-acre Shawnee National Forest is clear. For the members of the Outdoor Adventure Club on a long trip away from Champaign, the forest made a great camping ground. From taking on endeavors that range from local nature trails to multi-day desert treks, Outdoor Adventure Club is a student-run exploration group on campus. The club provides students with opportunities to get outside and meet other people at the University who have the same desire to adventure in nature. Lisa Silverstein, sophomore in LAS and board member of the RSO, described the cheerful vibes of the campers during their trip to the Shawnee National Forest. She also detailed the drive behind the OAC’s adventures into the wilderness. “I think we have a great group of people together,” Silverstein said. “Outdoor adventure club provides a really great way to take a break and reset from school. I think by getting off campus, being in nature, just doing other stuff is a great way to maintain low levels of stress and feel refreshed after it.” The group sends a weekly newsletter to invite people interested in participating in their upcoming weekend getaways. Regarding expenses, the OAC does not have a registration fee — the only costs are a booking fee paid for each individual trip and the money spent on individual supplies. Gabe Tavas, senior in FAA, said he enjoys the easy, recreational fun provided by the club. “I’m enjoying it a lot actually,” Tavas said. “I haven’t been out to Shawnee before, it’s nice just being out here for the weekend.” The Shawnee trip took campers on a south-bound three-hour drive for an overnight campout on a hilltop after a several mile hike. The trek was not short of mud, fallen trees, ruined walkways and enormous icicles that dangled off of cliffs. Sophie Speedy, senior in LAS, said she sees the organization as her excuse to follow her outdoor passions. “I’ve always wanted to get into the outdoors stuff, but I never felt I was prepared or safe enough to do it on my own,” Speedy said. “There’s a lot of really smart people who’ve gone on a lot of
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OUTDOOR ADVENTURE CLUB WEBSITE
Members of the Outdoor Adventure Club enjoy their time at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2021. Lisa Silverstein, sophomore in LAS, and other members talk about the RSO's recent trip to the Shawnee National Forest in February. trips so they know what they’re doing, and they also organize all of it.” Basil Habiballah, freshman in LAS, is a frequent OAC adventurer and said he has enjoyed learning about new outdoor experiences like backpacking and winter camping. “It wasn’t anything shocking, but it was really cool to carry all the things you need to survive for a day on your back and walk into the woods,” Habibal-
lah said. David Young, senior in Engineering and a social chair board member of OAC, shared his ideas of what the RSO's core mission is. “It gives you a real different experience than just staying on campus,” Young said. “You meet a lot of new people from a lot of different backgrounds, people from all over the world.” Young said he found the club to be
an ideal way to get out of one’s comfort zone, and a source of his most fond memories at the University. “My very first trip was spring break of my freshman year,” Young said. “We went to Arizona for a week, did a little bit of backpacking and day hiking. I am never going to forget that trip, I loved the people that were there.” aidanf3@dailyillini.com
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The DI · Wednesday, March 23, 2022
DI staff collects 23 awards at ICPA convention By Heather Robinson Editor-in-Chief
The Daily Illini staff traveled to Chicago on Friday for the annual Illinois College Press Association conference, where collegiate newspapers from across the state meet to discuss student media and compete in various contest categories. The DI took home third place in the Sweepstakes category for overall points awarded, behind The Vidette of Illinois State University and The Daily Northwestern.
1st place awards
3rd place awards
Editorial: DI staff Entertainment Supplement: buzz staff Digital Advertisement: Mason Rousey Sports Column: Claire O’Brien Shoot Chicago Competition: Cameron Krasucki Photo Essay: Cameron Krasucki
Sweepstakes: The Daily Illini General Excellence (Web): DI staff Sports Page Design: DI staff In-Depth Reporting: Farrah Anderson Photo Essay: Cameron Krasucki Sports Feature Story: Jackson Janes
2nd place awards Feature Page Design: DI staff Column: Rayna Wuh News Story: Amrita Bhattacharyya General News Photo: Cameron Krasucki Feature Photo: Cameron Krasucki
Honorable mention awards Online News site: DI staff Editorial: DI staff Headline Writing: DI staff Sports Page Design: DI staff Sports Podcast: Brendyn Jones Sports Podcast: Josh Pietsch hrr4@dailyillini.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARK CAPAPAS
The Daily Illini staff members Cameron Krasucki, Heather Robinson and Drew Friberg attend the Illinois College Press Association awards ceremony on Saturday.
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DAILY ILLINI
The DI · Wednesday, March 23, 2022
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CUMTD workers answer `Why is my bus late?' Labor shortage, decreased service lead to transportation delays for students By Cecilia Milmoe Assistant Features Editor
Emily Kubik, freshman in DGS, walked to her bus stop with the assumption that her bus would not arrive at the scheduled time. This was something she’d grown used to. “I feel that I’ve kind of gotten used to showing up like two minutes before the arrival time assuming they might be early or assuming they might be late,” Kubik said. “Typically, they’re later.” Kubik is one of many students who have been frustrated by the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District reducing its service for bus routes. Amy Snyder, chief of staff at the CUMTD, said increased ridership is the reason students sometimes see buses showing up later than expected. “When our buses are fuller, it takes more time at each stop,” Snyder said. “We want to make sure people can board and leave safely.” While service has been reduced, the number of students who rely on public transportation has not shrunk. Snyder also said this is causing the buses to be fuller than usual. Kyle McClain, lead instructor for the Safety & Training Department at the CUMTD, said operators are trying to make sure as many people as possible can ride on the buses. “We try to accommodate all of the passengers that we can,” McClain said. “Our increments are not as frequent, so our operators are definitely holding back, trying to get as many people as we can on the bus.” Snyder said the service reductions can also be caused by the ongoing operator shortage CUMTD is facing. “We’ve cut about 20% of our service from what we did pre-pandemic,” Snyder said. “That’s due solely to the fact that we don’t have enough competent operators who have been adequately trained, and we won’t compromise on safety.” These service reductions affected most of the bus routes available to students. Snyder said the reductions were
CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI
Students catch the 10E Gold after the Freshman Welcome Celebration and Convocation on Aug. 20. Students are experiencing difficulties with CUMTD buses due to frequent delays and an increase in riders. decided based on the frequency and number of riders in areas. For areas with less frequent buses or fewer riders, the cuts were larger. Although many of the routes received service reductions, Snyder said no routes were cut entirely. “We wanted to protect coverage and to make sure all corners of the community have service,” Snyder said. Snyder also said she understands the impact the service cuts have had on those who rely on public transportation. “People are relying on transit to get to class, to medical appointments or maybe just to visit a family member,”
Snyder said. “I don’t ever want to dismiss what the cuts did, because it’s very personal.” McClain echoed this sentiment, saying he doesn’t enjoy seeing riders having difficulty getting to their destinations in a timely manner. Snyder also said she expects the service reductions to remain for some time because of the many safety and training requirements for operators. “We’re going to do everything that we can to turn it around, and I do believe that someday we will,” Snyder said. “But I think people can expect to see the service levels they’re seeing
now in the fall.” Snyder said the CUMTD is currently working on projects to improve its technology and to provide more information for people waiting at bus stops. Snyder also encouraged riders to give feedback through their site or over social media. “We are not satisfied with the level of service, and we strive to provide the community with what they need,” Snyder said. “We’re doing everything that we can on our end to rebuild our workforce and to provide a quality product.” cecilia@dailyillini.com
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The DI · Wednesday, March 23, 2022
The DI · Wednesday, March 23, 2022
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Scientists answer `What is the smell before it rains?' By Faith Allendorf Features Editor
Dark clouds crowd the sky with their dim overcast shadows. Lightning cracks and a roll of thunder quickly follows. But before the rain starts to pour, a distinct smell lingers in the air. Many wonder what the smell before it rains is and why it occurs. Professionals in atmospheric sciences at the University answer this question. According to Stephen Nesbitt, a professor in atmospheric sciences, the scientific name for the smell that comes before rain is ‘petrichor.’ Nesbitt explained how it’s created. “It’s actually a bunch of chemical interactions that happen as the rain falls through the sky and also when it hits the surface and hits things like plants,” Nesbitt said. “It’s all chemistry.” Troy Zaremba, a graduate student studying atmospheric sciences, explained how plants interact with rain to create the smell. “When it’s dry, plants will secrete oils and stuff that helps prevent other plants from sprouting up nearby,” Zaremba said. Robert Rauber, a professor of atmospheric sciences and the director of the School of Earth, Society and Environment, said the oils fall into the soil and interact with bacteria. “When it rains, these bacteria produce spores (airborne reproductive cells) that carry those oils mixed with other chemicals,” Rauber said. “There’s a particular chemical called geosmin that creates that fresh smell that you smell when it rains.” Nesbitt said the smell is produced when the first few droplets of rain hit the soil at the beginning of a rainstorm. These initial interactions are usually what is smelled. “When the rain starts to hit plants, when the initial few drops start to fall, that’s when those chemicals are released,” Nesbitt said. While petrichor is the smell that occurs before a rainstorm, Nesbitt and Rauber said thunderstorms have a slightly different scent. “I’m going to describe it as an electrical smell,” Rauber said. “But that’s actually ozone you’re smelling and ozone is produced by electrical charges.” During a storm, lightning heats the air in the higher atmosphere and scatters the existing nitrogen and oxygen atoms. Sometimes, three of the free-
“It’s actually a bunch of chemical interactions that happen as the rain falls through the sky and also when it hits the surface and hits things like plants.” Stephen Nesbitt Professor in atmospheric sciences
SEBASTIAN HOLT THE DAILY ILLINI
floating oxygen atoms combine and form ozone. The scent is noticeable after this process. Wind serves as the carrier of these smells. Nesbitt said after storms produce cold air in the upper atmosphere, the air is released and takes the smell with it. “You’ll feel that cold air start to rush towards you,” Nesbitt said. “That cold air rushes out of the front of the storm, but then also brings, for example, some of the ozone that might have been released by lightning up in the clouds.” The air carries ozone, bacteria spores and plant oil in it and is the reason it is possible to smell a storm before it hits a certain area.
To both Rauber and Zaremba, the scent of rain reminds them of spring. “I just find it very fresh,” Rauber said. “I think, if anything, it kind of brings this fresh ‘spring is here’ type of mood that you get.” Nesbitt, however, has a different experience. “It just kind of smells a little moldy, like when you’ve been down in your basement and you haven’t had a lot of ventilation,” Nesbitt said. According to Nesbitt and Rauber, rain in the Midwest is comparatively different than it is in other parts of the U.S. For example, the Midwest experiences a variety of storms and the full range of seasons. Rauber said the Midwest is also prone
to having stratus clouds. “Stratus clouds are big sheets of clouds that cover large areas and produce rain for long periods of time, but at a relatively low intensity,” Rauber said. Similarly, Nesbitt said rain droplets in the Midwest are smaller and more frequent in number and in warmer areas, they are larger and fewer in number. He said this is because of the difference in the type of aerosols − liquid and solid particles in the air. “All raindrops form on a tiny dust, salt or pollen particle,” Nesbitt said. “The chemical properties of those aerosol particles can lead to different precipitation processes.” Nesbitt explained how this applies to the Midwest. “A lot of our rain is formed on tiny aerosol particles that come from the soil,” Nesbitt said. “If you go down to the tropics …their precipitation is formed on salt particles.” Neither Rauber, Nesbitt or Zaremba think that climate change will impact the smell itself. But, they do believe it will affect the frequency that the scent occurs. “I think those processes are going to happen in a warmer climate as much as they do now,” Nesbitt said. “We will probably have more precipitation and perhaps more severe storms going into the future here in the Midwest.” Zaremba also said there will be more storms in the future. “I think like with climate change, you definitely have more extreme precipitation events because warm air can hold more water,” Zaremba said. “So basically, you end up getting more precipitation.” faithaa2@dailyillini.com
SYDNEY LAPUT THE DAILY ILLINI
Animal experts answer `Where do turtles go in the winter?' By Azucena Gama Staff Writer
During the first warm and sunny spring day in March, a turtle peeps its head out to soak in the sunshine for the first time since December. But many wonder where turtles go in the winter. According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, there are 17 species of turtles in Illinois. The most common types of turtles in the Champaign-Urbana area are freshwater. There are also species that range in a variety of characteristics: carnivores, yellow-spotted, two inches long, a foot long or those that live 50+ years. Though many animals go into hibernation during the cold months, turtles do not hibernate the same way most species do. Instead, turtles go to the bottom of a body of nearby water and bury
themselves in the mud. They stay under the mud until the weather is consistently warm again. Christopher Phillips, a principal herpetologist at the University, studies reptiles and amphibians. Phillips explained how turtles decide when it is the right time to resurface. “It depends on the severity of the weather, like right now (since) we’re having some really good weather, you would think ‘oh man it’s in the 70s, the turtles are gonna come up!’ but they know better than that, Phillips said. Phillips also said that the region the turtles live in is a deciding factor for when they will come out of the water. “Illinois is a long state, north to south, so it varies from north near the Wisconsin border down to the south. Near here (the south) they’re gonna come out a little earlier,” Phillips said. Similar to turtles, snakes also
hibernate below ground. However, snakes hibernate for a different reason than turtles. When they go below the frost line – where the underground water freezes – snakes burrow themselves to conserve their energy. Turtles do not hibernate. Instead, they slow their body processes down without sleeping. “All snakes whether they are semi-aquatic or terrestrial, have to hibernate down in the ground below the frost line,” Phillips said. “And depending on where you are in Illinois, the frost line in Chicago can be 16 inches. Down in southern Illinois, we don’t even have a frost line.” Another factor in a turtle’s seasonal cycle is the quality of the water they bury themselves under. Turtles also factor in human actions that affect their habitats. According to Alexander Rocha, freshman in ACES, pollution has affected reptiles and amphib-
ians greatly, and the consequences could worsen. “Amphibians live on both land and water, right now because of the increased water pollution and stuff they’re going through kind of a hard time, especially with the increasing and decreasing temperature,” Rocha said. “This climate change in general is kind of putting them as an entire category at risk in general, and not a lot of people care as much because they’re all gross and slimy.” Rocha also said that the best way to support reptiles and amphibians is to maintain the water quality. It is especially important to protect the water in areas that are rich with different types of animal species. Rocha also said that maintaining the water quality can be done by preventing polluting the water with sewage, chemicals or fertilizer runoff. gama3@dailyillini.com
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OPINIONS
The DI · Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Students answer `Who is your childhood best friend?' TALIA DUFFY ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR As we move throughout life, we’re touched by the presence of many people, but few have an impact as lasting or as precious as a childhood friend. Some stay forever, some move away and some spark out after a fight or some other kind of drama. Everyone will have a different story when they’re asked: Who is your childhood best friend? Here, I have collected the stories of University students’ childhood best friends, starting with mine.
Talia Duffy, assistant opinions editor I don’t remember meeting my childhood best friends — that’s how young we were. Pierce and I met when we were only one year old at one of those baby classes where mothers sit in a circle and do cute little activities with their kids. There, our moms became friends, which meant we were friends too. A couple of years later, Pierce and I entered the same preschool, where we met Kaylee. Thus, our trio was complete. This span of time — when we were three, four years old — is when my consciousness of Pierce and Kaylee begins. As I said, I don’t remember meeting them, which also means I don’t remember my life without them. A montage of the best moments in my childhood is full of the three of us. Every core elementary school rite of passage — math homework, class parties, atrocious art projects — we faced together. But when sixth grade rolled around, Pierce ended up at the other middle school in our district. Even Kaylee and I, at some point, formed groups of friends that didn’t overlap. So, we grew apart. We’d say hello in the hallways of our high school, and sometimes, but not often, stop to chat before rushing to our next class. We’d catch up at family functions, Fourth of July parties and movie nights in the depths of summer. These reunions were infrequent, but I cherished them. We aren’t best friends any longer, but they remain a constant presence in my life. They’re the glue that holds the pieces of my background together. We go to different colleges now. We’re farther apart than we ever were. But I still can spell Kaylee’s abnormally compli-
TALIA DUFFY THE DAILY ILLINI
Assistant Opinions Editor Talia Duffy is seen with her childhood friends Pierce Abed and Kaylee Bajgrowwicz. Talia and other students talk about their childhood best friends and how impactful they have been in their lives. cated last name from memory. I still think of Pierce every time a new FIFA game is released. And I still keep a picture of the three of us on my desk — a moment, frozen in time, with my oldest friends.
Vishesh Akshat Pathak, junior in Information Sciences “(The) individuals that have been constant for me as a best friends throughout my entire life have been my mother and my younger sister. “(Last summer) I had a terrible breakup ... The stress was really bad to the point where I couldn’t sleep. I was suffering from insomnia. I started dissociating from my family ... (and) I started smoking in a really bad fashion, like, smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, or maybe Juuling an entire pod in one sitting. That was very detrimental to my health. “My sister, fortunately, she noticed some patterns … And she confronted me. It took her 15 minutes to figure out, within three, four days of when this happened.
And I legitimately broke down. “She knew that whenever I’m stressed, I’m unable to sleep. She was like, ‘Put me on FaceTime, I’ll read you a book or something like that or play your favorite music. I want you to go to bed … Three, four weeks into that, I started getting better. “I came out of the end of the tunnel as a better individual and a happier person. So that definitely brought me and my sister close, because she can actually see on my face if something’s wrong or not.”
Margaret Mosher, freshman in the Parkland Pathways Program “My childhood best friend is my neighbor Emily … she’s the person I do everything with when I’m at home. I’ve never met somebody as intelligent and understanding as her. “Our moms had our older brothers on the same day. We knew each other in high school and we ended up living two doors down from each other (in college). And we were best friends all of our childhood.
“One of my favorite memories with her is when we were little, we would go into my mom’s closet and try on all of her clothes and we’d do little fashion shows with my sister. And it’s been really fun growing up, living pretty much next to somebody who I call my best friend.” Talia is a freshman in Media. taliagd2@dailyillini.com Scan the QR code to read the full column online.
OPINIONS
The DI · Wednesday, March 23, 2022
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Campus polarization kills productive dialogue By Jude Race Columnist
On March 2, I went to a workshop hosted by the Department of Political Science titled “The Art of Disagreement.” The other students and I contrasted dialogue, debate and discussed tolerance for alternative perspectives among other topics. In all, it was an excellent chance to reflect on how we engage with people we disagree with. However, only a dozen other students attended the workshop. I would’ve hoped for a higher turnout, but it goes to show how little our campus community cares about having polite, productive political discourse. Sadly, this is but one symptom of political polarization on our campus, the great destroyer of opportunities for dialogue. The outcome of this polarization surrounds us; a hostile, groupthink-infested echo chamber that hypocritically touts its dedication to diversity and inclusion while shutting down challengers to the status quo. Last month, the echo chamber paraded their startling disregard for civil disagreement when they raged against former Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaking at an on-campus event. The Illinois Student Government even passed a resolution condemning the event, seeming to forget the part of their mission statement about “safeguarding the rights of the students.” But I suppose protecting free speech only matters to ISG when they agree with what’s said. Drawing from a past column of mine, it’s easier to discuss opposing beliefs when we don’t obscure them with censorship. Otherwise, good luck talking with someone whose beliefs you refuse to hear or understand. Good luck talking to the 47% of Americans who want increased police funding, the 48% who believe illegal immigrants worsen their communities or the 60% who think our nation should remain the lone military superpower. Most of these people aren’t racist, xenophobic imperialists — they’re expressing in good faith what they see as the best path forward for America. For those on the other side of the aisle: Good luck talking to the 44% of Americans who don’t think they must believe in God to be moral, the 53% who feel gun laws should be stricter or the 61% who want the minimum wage raised to $15 an hour. Those who believe these things aren’t satan-
PHOTO COURTESY OF @SSL.UIUC INSTAGRAM
Members of the Students for Socialism and Liberation and the C-U Party for Socialism and Liberation gather outside Foellinger Auditorium as a walk out of the Jeff Sessions event on Feb. 2. Columnist Jude Race argues that people should be more open-minded when it comes to engaging with others with different beliefs. ic, tyrannical communists — they’re also people who want what’s best for their country. Some students on the left and right may object to entertaining each other’s ideas as they believe the other side is undermining their basic rights. However, I encourage them to remember that no one has the right answer to every problem — otherwise, we would’ve already done what would’ve so obviously remedied the issues we face. If partisans think there’s an undeniably correct answer to every problem, they must then explain why tens of millions of Americans choose to ignore the better option staring them in the face. These Americans aren’t ignorant; they just opted for another path to the same goals we all share: good health, peace and economic prosperity for all. Given the diversity of views in our nation, college should prepare us to interact with people from all walks of life, not just those who hold the same values and beliefs as us. We can never be prepared for the world if we insist on shutting out the ideas we dislike, find personally hurtful or label as polit-
PHOTO COURTESY OF @ILLINIREPUBLICANS INSTAGRAM
Jeff Sessions speaks with members of the Illini Republicans on Feb. 1. ically incorrect. If you do not understand a controversial belief, you can never effectively address it. Only by listening to the people we disagree with can we lessen polarization and prepare ourselves for the world
awaiting us at graduation. So, Illini, why not try a little open-mindedness? Jude is a senior in LAS. jdrace2@dailyillini.com
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SPORTS
The DI · Wednesday, March 23, 2022
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Freshmen step up in loss to No. 5 Houston By Jackson Janes Staff Writer
The Illini did not have much NCAA Tournament experience heading into the Big Dance. Illinois snapped an eightyear absence last season, but it lost in the second round against Loyola Chicago. With veterans struggling in the spotlight; two Illini freshmen emerged and made an immediate impact on Sunday, though it was not enough as No. 4 Illinois fell to No. 5 Houston, 68-53, in the second round of the tournament. Guards RJ Melendez and Luke Goode did not play in Illinois’ 54-53 win over Chattanooga on Friday, though they both got significant minutes on Sunday. “You’re looking for anything that will spark you,” said head coach Brad Underwood. “I made up my mind that we had to go a little deeper in this game anyway, but, you know, RJ’s spontaneity and his athleticism, I knew we would need in this game. And then Luke just jumps up and makes two like he’s been doing it his whole life.” Melendez scored nine points and shot 4-5 from the field in the loss while play-
ing 20 minutes. He also grabbed two boards and dished out three assists. Goode entered the game six minutes after Melendez, but he still played 19 minutes and went 2-7 with six points, all of which came in the first half. He registered five rebounds and a block. Melendez entered the game with 11:05 to play in the first half, and he immediately provided a spark with the Illini down, 12-7. Goode came into the game with 5:16 to play in the first, and he knocked down a 3-pointer two minutes later, cutting Illinois’ deficit to four. Less than one minute later, Melendez drove to the basket once again, spinning past his defender before getting to the hoop and finishing while getting fouled. With the Illini down by seven, Goode drilled a triple with 90 seconds to play in the first half to give his team a bit of momentum heading into the second half. “We needed that,” Underwood said. “You’re looking for that spark and you love playing veterans, but tonight it was a night that the freshmen were great.” Melendez scored again less than eight minutes into the second half, converting
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a layup on a pass from Goode to cut Illinois’ deficit to a single point. His fast-break dunk was his loudest play of the game, though. After graduate student guard Alfonso Plummer grabbed a loose ball on the defensive end, he found a wide-open Melendez sprinting to the basket. Melendez emphatically finished at the other end to end a 6-0 Houston run and reduce Illinois’ deficit to four, but he was called — somewhat controversially — for a technical foul for hanging on the rim. With the season now over and the first-year guards prepared for a second season in Champaign, Underwood expressed his excitement for the future of the program. “Sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way,” Underwood said. “At the end of the day, we’ve got to be better in this game. And we will continue … We will keep getting back here. “You’ve gotta have match-ups, you’ve gotta have a good team, and doggone it, today wasn’t our day.” @JacksonJanes3 janes6@dailyillini.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF @ILLINIMBB INSTAGRAM
Guard RJ Melendez celebrates on the court during the second round game against Houston on Sunday. Melendez and guard Luke Goode scored a combined 15 points, but the Illini fell to the No. 5 Houston Cougars, 68-53.
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BUZZ
The DI · Wednesday, March 23, 2022
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SEBASTIAN HOLT THE DAILY ILLINI
Experts say Gen Z uses memes as coping mechanism By Gina Jagminas Staff Writer
Young people have taken to social media in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine to spread information, resources and even memes about the situation. The way people have been using social media ranges from reposting Instagram Stories about donating to hospitals to spreading TikToks posted by soldiers on the ground in Ukraine. Dr. Brooklyne Gipson, an assistant professor of communication at the University, explained why people are often quick to turn to social media in times like this. “A lot of us are using social media to learn, to get educated, but we’re also mining social media for memes that we can share to kind of signify that we’re on the right side of the fight,” Gipson said. Social media can be a positive force in situations like Ukraine because it provides a platform for people to connect, share resources and educate themselves. “You can find research outlets and community-oriented people who are
having these nuanced conversations that enhance what we’re getting from other places,” Gipson said. Through social media, people who may not watch traditional news outlets are finding ways to support Ukrainian people. But, Gipson said there are also dangers to social media use, because people often believe what they see on social media and form opinions on misinformation. One of the primary concerns with the way people interact with social media comes with the fear of spreading misinformation. With the sheer amount of content, it can be difficult to differentiate between truth and falsehood. “If something you see on the internet is super emotionally provocative, that’s something you should take a beat on because a lot of this information is created for virality,” Gipson said. “In a socially-mediated world, we’re not realizing that we’re all following each other’s lead in these conversations,” Gipson said. “In reality, the conversation is so nuanced. It can’t be reduced to a flag in support of Ukraine; it can’t be reduced to a joke about Putin.” Dr. Rachel Magee, an assistant pro-
“Memes can be very objectifying sometimes. They can turn real human subjects into objects of discourse” Dr. Brooklyne Gipson Assistant Professor of communication fessor in Information Science, studies the way teens engage with social media. “I think there’s an idea or a sense that there’s a community you’re belonging to when you share these jokes,” Magee said. The constant influx of information, especially memes, can have adverse effects on the groups experiencing the event people are making light of. This is exacerbated when the majority of content is coming from people outside of the affected group. “Memes can be very objectifying sometimes,” Gipson said. “They can
turn real human subjects into objects of discourse.” She recognized, though, that memes are not always created out of malice. “Some of those memes are coping mechanisms,” Gipson said. “When we see people making jokes about the war in the U.S., we’re so far removed from it. It allows some of us to keep a psychic distance.” Social media not only functions as a way for teens to share their lives with each other, but it lets them engage with major news and attempt to make a difference with issues they care about. “When we think about a big event like Ukraine, we can see more of what’s happening because more people are able to share information, more people are able to post and we have a variety of sources,” Magee said. Magee said social media is a great outlet for self expression. “We need to let people have opportunities for expression and engagement with the community,” Magee said. “But we also need to encourage them to think a little bit about the social and human elements of what they’re doing.” ginamj2@readbuzz.com
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The DI · Wednesday, March 23, 2022