The Daily Illini Vol. 150 Issue 55 May 10 by The Daily Illini

YEAR IN REVIEW

THE DAILY ILLINI

MONDAY May 10, 2021

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

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Vol. 150 Issue 55

DI looks back on top five moments of this year BY AMRITA BHATTACHARYYA NEWS EDITOR

With this entire school year having taken place in the midst of a pandemic, it was like no other. Here is a look at the top five moments of the 2020-21 school year, in no particular order. Saliva-based COVID-19 test The University has become a leader with their saliva-based COVID-19 test, which enables fast and frequent testing on a large scale. On July 8, the University opened on-campus testing sites for students, staff and faculty. By mid-August, the University received Emergency Use Authorization by the Federal Drug Administration for their saliva-based COVID-19 test. The University has worked to develop a comprehensive testing system, from creating a COVID-19 dashboard analyzing trends of infection rates to the creation of the Safer Illinois app, which provides building access passes and exposure notifications. Now, the University has plans to roll out its test to the larger C-U area. Big Ten win On March 14, the Illini won

the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Championship. The Illini were awarded No.1 seed in the Midwest region for the first time since 2005 and the fourth time in school history. Students celebrated this historical moment by rushing the Main Quad, rallying around Alma Mater and even lighting fireworks. Festivities lasted well into the evening, with Green Street busier than usual on a Sunday night. Although the Illini’s run was cut short in March Madness, the Big Ten win and following celebrations were memorable moments for Illini fans.

was to reallocate 25% of the total UIPD budget, which is roughly two million dollars. The reallocation focuses on investing in more community services and less policing. However, it is not set in stone yet. Since students voted to approve the referendum, it now takes the form of an administrative recommendation, which has to pass a review process by the Board of Trustees and the University. This semester also saw an increase in anti-Asian sentiments nationwide. In April, the C-U community rallied in support of the Asian American Pacific Strides in social justice Islander community, holdThis year saw multiple ing protests to stand against advances in social justice, Asian-targeted violence. such as the Black Lives Matter movement and Kingfisher mascot local activists advocating On Sept. 22, the kingfishfor change in C-U. Over the er mascot received majorsummer, protesters engaged ity endorsement from the in a series of marches in University senate. With C-U, demanding police past discussions about reform. The Champaign possible mascots such as County Community Coali- Alma Otter or Champ, a tion also met and began the World War I veteran, the process of discussing police kingfisher marks the first reform locally. successful mascot proIn late March, 78% of vot- posal to pass through the ing students voted to reallo- University senate. There is cate the University of Illi- no official precedent for a nois Police Department mascot adoption process, funding. The referendum but the next step is conven-

CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI

Illini football players Delano Ware, Moses Okpala, Jartavius Martin, Owen Carney and Khalan Tolson march down First Street to protest police brutality in the black community on Aug. 31.

ing with Chancellor Rob- was dismissed by the Uniert Jones and the Univer- versity Jan. 29. After his sity administration. case received international attention and pressure from COVID-19 dismissals the Illinois legislature, and This school year saw high- with a petition reaching over profile dismissals of stu- 40,000 signatures, the Unidents, especially relating to versity reinstated Chen on COVID-19 testing noncom- Feb. 16. Chen’s case highpliance. Ivor Chen, gradu- lighted the lack of clarity ate student in Engineering, regarding COVID-19 disci-

CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI

A group of students link arm and arm singing the “Oskee-Wow-Wow” Fight Song after the Illinois basketball team won the Big Ten tournament on March 14.

pline policies, according to the Graduate Employees’ Organization. Antonio Ruiz, graduate student in LAS, was also dismissed from the University March 25 for testing noncompliance, after Ruiz failed to utilize the salivabased test due to disabilities. abhatt52@dailyillini.com

CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI

A COVID-19 testing worker hands a student a funnel at the ARC on Feb. 1.

International students reflect on school year during pandemic International students who stayed abroad during the pandemic faced unique challenges this year, while attempting to complete their online learning from across the world. According to the University’s most recent numbers, 839 fewer international students are enrolled at the University this spring, compared to last spring. For those who did decide to enroll at the University, the obstacles they were faced with while adjusting to remote learning from home were plentiful. The adjustments ranged from lack of motivation to time difference challenges. Jiwon Lee, sophomore in Engineering, resides in Daegu, South Korea. This past

year, she had classes at 4 a.m. Korean Standard Time. “The biggest challenge I faced was making the deadlines because of the time difference, but I was able to overcome that by asking for extensions,” Lee said. Jana Barghouthi, freshman in LAS, currently lives in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Despite the difficulties they had to deal with, Lee and Barghouthi both agreed that a major benefit of staying at home this past year was being able to spend more time with their families. “This past year gave me more time with my family which I will forever appreciate, ” Barghouthi said. “Moving all the way across the world is not an easy task, so the past year has allowed me to really spend time with them before moving the

coming fall.” As the year wraps up and vaccines become more widely available in the United States, many international students are planning to experience campus life next school year. “My motivation to study dwindled week by week, but thankfully I realized that I’ll soon be on campus and I just had to push through and finish the semester strong,” Barghouthi said. Although it saddens Barghouthi to think that she lost her college experience the entire first year, she expressed her excitement to finally be surrounded by other students, attend classes in person and hang out with people who she has spoken to online. While some international students are excited to live on campus next semester, oth-

er international students are nervous about the environment they will be returning to. “I’m planning to return in person next semester because I’m a resident adviser and I’m feeling a bit afraid of all the Asian hate that is going on in the U.S.,” Lee said. However, Lee hopes to gain a more “quality education,” as she believes that online learning has limitations that in-person classes do not have. Barghouthni expressed a similar sentiment. “I am thrilled to be on campus next year,” Barghouthi said. “I believe that I am completely ready to do my best, enroll in more classes, form friendships and be an actual college student for my sophoPHOTO COURTSEY OF SARAH KISHTA more year. ” Sarah Kishta looks over lecture slides at 2:15 a.m. from her

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POLICE

Review this year’s top blotter moments BY VIVIAN LA & WILLIE CUI ASSISTANT DAYTIME NEWS EDITORS

Deceptive practices were reported by a student at the University on Sept. 14. According to the report, the student received a phone call from someone pretending to be a member of the U.S. Marshals Service, who claimed the student’s social security number was compromised and there was a warrant out for her arrest. The caller then instructed the student to send $2,900 in Bitcoin to an unknown account to resolve the issue. The student then contacted police after the caller demanded more money.

Two offenders were issued a notice to appear in court for theft from government property near Race Street and Curtis Road around 4:45 p.m. on Sept. 23. According to the report, a witness contacted police after she saw the two female offenders load a vehicle with pumpkins stolen from a University research field. The estimated value of the stolen pumpkins is $175. An arrest was made on the cha rges of aggravated kidnapping and forcible detention in the 1800 block of North Cunningham Avenue around 6:40 p.m. on Nov. 2. According to the report, police became aware of a

plot to exchange custody of a kidnapping victim for cash at a gas station.The suspect arrived at the gas station in a van full of people, including the kidnapping victim. The police determined the other people in the van were kidnapping victims as well. No one was injured and the investigation remains ongoing, Theft of $500 and under was reported on the 1700 block of Melrose Village Circle around 9:18 a.m. on Jan. 14. According to the report, the offender stole the victim’s dog and resold it. An arrest was made on the charges of possession of a firearm by a felon,

intent to deliver between 500 to 2,000 grams of cannabis, and possession of a controlled substance on the 3700 block of Colleen Drive around 10:57 a.m. on March 8. According to the report, members of the Champaign County Street Crimes Task Force obtained a search warrant for the offender’s apartment after they learned he was expecting a delivery containing cannabis through a package delivery service. After confirming the offender had accepted the package, police searched his home. vla2@dailyillini.com williec2@dailyilllini.com

Online classes impact student experience BY AMRITA BHATTACHARYYA NEWS EDITOR

Sitting at home in pajamas and logging on to Zoom to take classes, the typical student experience was significantly different this school year. Online classes had many impacts on student life. The use of Zoom raised privacy concerns. It started during an I-Connect meeting on April 29, 2020, when multiple individuals virtually hijacked the workshops, shouting racial slurs and bearing swastikas. This was the first highprofile instance of Zoombombing at the University. On Jan. 20, the University announced in a Massmail that all University Zoom accounts will be required to sign in to Zoom using Shibboleth Single Sign On (SSO) beginning Feb. 7. This was an effort by the University to securely authenticate identities of students. The world of online classes saw professors exploring new modes of teaching, such as using vir-

tual meeting rooms which resemble an old 8-bit video game. The structure of online classes also raised another issue: How would students be tested? After the University shifted to online classes in March of 2020, the University signed a contract with Proctorio, an AI-based online proctoring service which analyzes trends to prevent students from cheating during tests. The University’s contract included what Proctorio was allowed to do with the data of students, and Proctorio also adheres to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Nonetheless, complaints started forming among the student body about privacy violations and overreach by Proctorio. From concerns about accessibility among students with disabilities to students who lack technology needs, Proctorio has been a large point of scrutiny among students. On Sept. 30, 2020, a petition to ban Proctorio at the

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University was created. In January, the University announced it will end the emergency use license with Proctorio after this summer. With the lack of socialization and zoom fatigue that comes with handling online classes, students also reported feeling burned out this semester. As consideration for the hardships that students faced as a result of the pandemic, the University implemented a Credit/No Credit option for students, enabling them to finish off

their classes without worrying about bad grades. As a result, the University saw GPA inflation to different degrees in various colleges. Looking ahead to the spring semester, the University plans to hold significantly more in-person classes. Although not a return to complete normalcy, the increase of inperson classes will surely be welcomed by many students after a tumultuous year of online classes.

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NEWS

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COVID-19 testing program succeeds, reopens campus

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Student Anirudh Nandella deposits his completed University COVID-19 test into a receptacle at the ARC on Feb. 1. Testing at the University allowed for a safe return to campus by effectively identifying and quarantining infected individuals. BY WILLIE CUI ASSISTANT DAYTIME NEWS EDITOR

When the pandemic hit, the world all but stopped in its tracks. With no readily available way to screen for individuals infected with COVID-19, the University shuttered its classrooms and lecture halls, shifting instruction to the virtual world. Over the summer, the University looked for a way to safely reopen the campus for the coming fall, albeit at a reduced capacity. And they found one. In the intervening months, University researchers developed a simple and reliable COVID-19 test that only requires a saliva sample, rather than the more common and invasive nasal swab.

And so, during the summer, the University refitted a section of its Veterinary Diagnostic Lab into a COVID-19 testing lab. There were some hiccups along the way, but the testing program did its job — the program made it possible for the University to reopen its campus despite the pandemic looming. By continuously testing on-campus students, faculty and staff, the University was able to more effectively identify and quarantine infected individuals. While the chaos of 2020 may seem like a distant memory today, the sheer scale of the University’s testing program at the start of last fall is noth-

ing short of extraordinary. The cavalcade of test results generated by the University caused state health officials to exclude the University’s tests from the state’s regional COVID-19 metrics for fear that it would distort the actual situation in Champaign. In September, the University’s testing accounted for nearly 20% of all COVID-19 tests in the state and roughly 2% of all tests in the country. Of course, the University’s testing program was not without issues. At the start of the fall semester, the surge of returning students and new freshmen put significant strain on the University’s COVID-19 testing lab in the VDL.

Despite being designed to conduct roughly 10,000 tests a day, for the first few weeks of the fall semester, the lab was receiving upwards of 18,000 tests per day. This resulted in the tests arriving at the lab faster than it could process them and a backlog of saliva samples began to accumulate, with boxes of samples stacking from floor to ceiling at one point. Additionally, the University ended up backtracking its claim that its saliva test was approved under an “umbrella” authorization by the Food and Drug Adminstration, after the agency notified the University that the test has not in fact been approved.

Despite these bumps in the road, most of the issues surrounding the University’s testing program have since been rectified. When the spring semester began, the University spread the testing for returning students across several days by grade level, giving the VDL more time to process the tests. To more effectively process tests, the University also began to automate some steps of the VDL’s testing process, such as purchasing four automated decapping robots to process saliva samples. More importantly, the University’s saliva test finally received an Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA in late February, allow-

ing the University to expand its testing program to the surrounding community. With the rapid rate of vaccination against COVID-19, the University has announced that inoculated individuals who submit proof of vaccination will be able to opt out of the University’s testing program but are still required to social distance and use face masks. While the path of recovery moves at a snail’s pace compared to last year’s rapid societal shutdown, at least this coming fall semester looks to be a welcome return to (relative) normalcy. williec2@dailyillini.com

Timeline of major events: Revisit past year of coronavirus BY VIVIAN LA ASSISTANT DAYTIME NEWS EDITOR

2020

July 8: The first on-campus COVID-19 testing locations open. Testing consists of spitting into a tube. Sites become available for free to all University students, staff and faculty. Aug. 3: The University announces via Massmail that mandatory twice weekly testing will be required for all faculty, staff or students who participate in any on-campus activities. Aug. 17: Over 10,000 saliva tests of students, faculty and staff conducted in one day, comprising 1.3% of the total COVID-19 tests nationwide. Aug. 18: The University announces via Massmail that they plan to use trained employees to monitor the entrances of buildings where in-person classes are held and an app, Safer Illinois, for students to manage test results and gain building access. Aug. 20: The University-developed, saliva-based COVID-19 test receives Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration. Aug. 24: First day of fall 2020 instruction and the University releases an online COVID-19 dashboard that reports data from on-campus saliva tests. Aug. 31: The University reports 230 positive COVID-19 cases in a single day, the highest in the academic year. The University counts 280 individual University students, staff or faculty who tested positive for COVID-19

between Aug. 16 and 24. Sept. 2: University officials attribute the increase in confirmed cases to illegal student behavior in a Zoom press conference. A two-week long limitation on non-essential activities is announced. Sept. 9: University officials said there are 200 open investigations into student behavior for violating COVID-19 related policies. Sept. 14: The UI senate executive committee confirms that eight students have been placed on interim suspension for violating COVID19-related policies, most for social distancing and mask noncompliance. Sept. 24: New COVID-19 cases fall to semester lows, with the positivity rate averaging under 0.4% for 11 days. Sept. 27: Champaign County announces that over 500,000 tests have been conducted for COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Sept. 29: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration tells Illinois Newsroom that the University never had Emergency Use Authorization for the COVID-19 saliva test. Sept. 30: Illinois public health officials announce that Champaign County COVID-19 data will be excluded from regional numbers, due to large volume of testing at the University. Oct. 1: The University suspends study abroad programs through spring 2021. Oct. 19: The University records less than 100 positive cases the week prior, the lowest in the fall semester. The UI senate also votes to cancel spring break in favor for three

non-instructional days and delay the start of the semester. Oct. 26: The University records 74 positive cases, the highest single-day total since Sept. 8, when the two-week lockdown was still enforced. Oct. 27: The University announces via Massmail that more than 1000 students face discipline for COVID-19 related policies. Nov. 16: The University projects to spend $270 million in the fiscal year 2021 for COVID-19 related costs and approve a $6.72 billion budget for fiscal year 2021. A surge in state, county and campus COVID-19 cases prompts increased restrictions as “second wave” hits. Nov. 20: The UI senate approves a resolution to adopt a credit/no credit policy for fall 2020 grades in response to the academic difficulties due to pandemic. Nov. 21: Fall break begins. Fall 2020 instruction and final exams will use online delivery methods after break. Nov. 25: University students are unable to get a saliva test at the two other Illinois campuses. Dec. 14: The University surpasses one million saliva tests conducted since the start of the testing program in July. Dec. 18: The first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine arrive in Champaign County, going to frontline medical workers.

2021

Jan. 25: Spring semester instruction begins. The University reports 179 new cases of COVID-19 identified from Jan. 16-22 after nearly 58,000

BRIGIDA DOCKUS THE DAILY ILLINI

COVID-19 Wellness Ambassadors walk along the Main Quad on Oct. 7. The Daily Illini reviews influential COVID-19 moments throughout the past year.

tests. The thicker testing tube is replaced with a thinner one due to the University’s implementation of robotic technology to process saliva tests. Champaign County enters Phase 1B of the state’s vaccination plan. Jan. 29: Select in-person University employees become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Graduate student Ivor Chen was dismissed for COVID-19 testing noncompliance, spurring campus support for Chen. Feb. 8: The UI senate approves a resolution to adopt a pass COVID/no pass COVID grade mode for spring 2021 grades. Feb. 11: Six on-campus cases of the COVID-19 variant, B.1.1.7, are confirmed by Professor Nigel Goldenfeld.

Feb. 17: Graduate student Ivor Chen reinstated and the University agrees to reduce his punishment. March 1: The FDA approves the University’s COVID-19 saliva test for Emergency Use Authorization. March 4: The University announces via Massmail that fall 2021 instruction will be mostly in person. The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District opens vaccine appointments to residents with underlying health conditions. March 5: Campus celebrates “Unofficial” with limited gatherings. March 9: The University announces in-person, private stage crossings for 2020 and 2021 graduates. March 10: The University announces that off-campus

graduate students are no longer required to test regularly for COVID-19. March 23: SHIELD CU launched, allowing family members of University students to access the school’s COVID-19 saliva testing. April 5: The University announces that all students, staff and faculty are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. April 20: The University dismisses graduate student Antonio Ruiz for COVID-19 testing noncompliance. April 29: The University announces via Massmail that fully vaccinated individuals will be able to waive saliva testing if they provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination for the fall 2021 semester. vla2@dailyillini.com

MONDAY May 10, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

LIFE & CULTURE

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2020-2021: Read a year full of stories BY FEATURES STAFF

This is a list of the most popular stories published each month by The Daily Illini Life & Culture section during the 2020-2021 school year. The Life & Culture section has reported on a wide variety of issues, ranging from human rights protests to a new cannabis dispensary, during the first full school year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

August: Freshmen Adjust

January: iCAP

Freshman year is already a difficult adjustment for students at the University. However, the COVID-19 pandemic made it even harder. Many freshmen struggled to adjust to online classes and found it difficult to make friends. Without an in-person Quad Day, many freshmen found it difficult to join RSOs. KENYON EDMOND THE DAILY ILLINI

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Students sit in the shade of trees on Aug. 21. Freshmen struggle to adjust to college during COVID-19.

Over 12 years ago, the University announced its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 through the Illinois Climate Action Plan. Since the iCAP was updated in 2020, energy sustainability efforts on campus have remained underway despite COVID-19 challenges and budget restraints. Although officials report that the University has decreased its energy consumption by 25% since 2008, some iCAP energy members have doubts about reaching the 2050 goal because of financial constraints. CASSIDY BRANDT THE DAILY ILLINI

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September: Quarantine Meals

The world had its eyes on the University’s groundbreaking fall semester COVID-19 plan. However, there were many holes. After The Daily Illini received an anonymous tip from a parent concerned for their student in quarantine isolation, many students reported that the University failed to provide them with meals.

February: Long-distance Relationships

February, the month of love, was challenging this year for those in long-distance relationships. COVID-19 complications made it even harder for students to show their love for one another. JACOB WARGO THE DAILY ILLINI

Students stand in line at the Ikenberry Dining Hall on Sept. 24. Some students in isolation have had difficulty receiving food from University Housing.

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October: Altgeld

NATALIA PTASZEK THE DAILY ILLINI

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March: AAPI

Tucked past three flights of steep staircases, the chimes room in Altgeld Hall is home to shelves of handwritten music, wooden pedals connected to wire cables and the Altgeld Ringers, a group of student chimes players. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Altgeld Chimes.

Throughout the year, the Asian American and Pacific Islander community has been the target of hate crimes and violence. In response to the Atlanta spa shootings on March 16, students and staff at the University educated the Champaign-Urbana residents on the racism the AAPI community faces on a daily basis and spoke about their fear for their safety and that of their family members. MARK CAPAPAS THE DAILY ILLINI

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Michael Broussard, assistant chimesmaster and graduate student in FAA, speaks about the chimes at Altgeld Hall on Oct. 16. The Altgeld Chimes were gifted to the University from its students from 1914-1921.

November: Age of Politics

RYAN ASH THE DAILY ILLINI

Helen Nguyen, associate professor in Engineering, lights a candle at the vigil for those who lost their lives in the Atlanta spa shooting on March 26 at Beckman Quad.

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April: Menstruation

When the 115th Congress began its term in 2017, the average age of its members was among the oldest in recent U.S. history. The average age of the House was 57.8 years. For the Senate, it was 61.8 years. However, politicians are getting younger. The congressional elections held in 2018 introduced the youngest freshman class since 2011 with figures like Alexandria OcasioCortez, who became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress at 29 years old.

Kate Clancy, associate professor in LAS that specializes in menstruation studies, published a tweet asking if people who menstruate were experiencing abnormal cycles since getting their dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. As many replied saying they had, Clancy began to research whether the COVID-19 vaccine alters menstruation. She said historically, vaccine and drug trials don’t look for changes in menstruation patterns. JULIA EVERSMANN THE DAILY ILLINI

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Read the full story here: CASSIDY BRANDT THE DAILY ILLINI

December: Women in Science

May: NuEra

In subjects of science, women often have been largely underrepresented, both in broader society and in scientific archives and historical records. This semester, the University Archives has been holding a Women in Science lecture series in an effort to highlight and document the achievements of women in the sciences.

The adult-use cannabis dispensary, nuEra, opened its Campustown location in early April. Being close to the University campus, Alex Carretto, general manager, said their customer base is mostly college students but there are some local customers as well.

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Read the full story here: ANGELINA CHAN THE DAILY ILLINI

WE HAVE

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Workers at the NuEra cannabis dispensary hang balloons above the entrance on April 15. The adult-use dispensary opened on Green Street last month.

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Monday, May 10, 2021

Students push for accommodations during Ramadan BY LIZ GREMER STAFF WRITER

From April 12 to Wednesday, May 12, Muslim students across the University celebrate the Islamic holiday Ramadan. Throughout the month, Muslim students celebrate this holy time with fasting, prayer and reflection with other members of their community. As celebrations continue throughout the month, one of the primary practices that Muslims take part in is daily fasting or taqwa. In order to achieve taqwa, Muslims must abstain from eating or drinking anything, even water from sunrise to sunset. However, before keeping a fast in Ramadan, Muslims begin with a meal called suhoor or sehri where you eat before sunrise. During the day, Muslims fast, keep up with the five daily prayers and read the Holy Quran. Once the sun sets, Muslims break their fast with family and friends and attend Taraweeh, their nightly prayer. While Ramadan is a time filled with reflection and community, many say it can be somewhat challenging given the heavy schedules college students have. Many Muslim students’ schedules have needed adjustments in order to complete school-

work and take part in Ramadan celebrations. “A typical day during Ramadan includes staying up until sunrise and eating Suhoor,” said Hidayah Afzal, freshman in AHS. “I then wake up for my classes and complete my five daily prayers and proceed to break my fast at sunset. Followed by this, I go to the mosque and pray a nightly prayer with my friends.” Fasting is one of the most important aspects to Ramadan, but Sophia Jandry, freshman in LAS, said it can also be challenging to students given the meal schedule and proximity to finals. “If I’m being honest, fasting has impacted my schoolwork in some ways,” Jandry said. “I am trying my best, and I know myself and my routine very well, so I definitely make it work just as other Muslims on campus are.” According to Afzal, despite the challenges of fasting to Muslim students, there is still a positive feeling associated with this holy month. “To me, Ramadan not only includes abstaining from food and water but also connecting with oneself spiritually and becoming a better person,” Afzal said. During Ramadan, the Uni-

versity has provided accommodations for Muslims, said Allison Kushner, director of the ADA Division of the Office for Access & Equity. “Providing accommodations is what we do in the Office for Access & Equity everyday,” Kushner said. “The ADA Division is always here to help the University community.” This year has been unique, compared to years prior due COVID-19’s impact on Ramadan. The University’s saliva testing option has proven to be a challenge for Muslim students who are fasting and cannot provide enough saliva for a sample. One of the ways the University is accommodating Muslim students impacted by this is by providing a nasal swab option. “Committed to equity and inclusion for members of all religious communities, the University wanted to ensure that those fasting could do the nasal swab as an alternative option,” Kushner said. “It is important that all students have access to the University’s programs and services. By providing this alternative accommodation, we can ensure that students have the ability to access and take part in campus activities while observing Ramadan.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF CIMIC-CENTRAL ILLINOIS MOSQUE AND ISLAMIC CENTER’S FACEBOOK

On July 4, people came together to pray outside during the pandemic following all guidelines and safety rules. Students at the University are working to get accommodations during Ramadan.

Additionally, the University has given Muslim students the option of trading in meal swipes at the dining hall for refunds. However, Jandry said this policy doesn’t take into consideration that students still must eat before and after fast. “It upsets me that the University is not at all as accommodating to Muslim students and their religious practices as they are to Christian and

Jewish holidays,” Jandry said. “I wish that the University was more lenient and gave more understanding towards the Muslim community during this time in understanding. Although we are college students, we are Muslim Americans first.” Throughout the month, the Muslim Student Association has offered different events and activities for students to participate in.

“There is a strong sense of unity and community within MSA that has made celebrating Ramadan special this year,” Jandry said. “We have done different sports events and discussions where we get to hang out with our friends and get to know upperclassmen,” Jandry said. “I am so thankful to the MSA for these events and proud.” egremer2@dailyillini.com

Cicadas return, specific brood emerges in Illinois counties BY MATT TROHER INVESTIGATIVE NEWS & LONGFORM EDITOR

From late spring to early summer, billions of tiny insects will emerge from the ground. They will lay their eggs, mate and make lots of noise. For those who happen to live near the bugs, it will be deafening. They will shed their exoskeletons and leave them to line trees and sidewalks, terrifying little children and the occasional adult walking by. Their shared chorus will be heard from miles away, signifying one thing. The cicadas are coming. Every summer, a group of cicadas emerge from the ground where they spend most of their lives. These groups are called broods, which are classified by time and region. What makes this summer special, however, is the emergence of a specific species of cicadas called Magicicada, com-

monly known as periodical cicadas. Magicicada only emerge from the ground once every 13 or 17 years, depending on the brood, making their emergence a special occasion. This summer, Brood X (read as brood ten), know as the Great Eastern Brood, will make their emergence. While experts only expect the brood to be seen in Illinois’ easternmost counties — Clarke, Crawford, Edgar a nd Vermillion — cicadas don’t care much for administrative districts and may make an appearance in the neighboring Champaign county. Katie Dana, doctoral candidate in LAS, studies cicadas. Her summers can be spent traveling the state and surveying cicada populations, contributing to research on a species she believes are

underappreciated. “Cicadas are kind of an understudied group, and I keep adding new state records to Illinois because nobody’s really been out looking for them,” Dana said. “Because Illinois is such a fragmented landscape, especially the prairies being such a fragmented resource, I spent a lot of time traveling throughout the state, a nd I

spent a lot of time at roadside prairies, typically railway prairies.” According to Dana, there’s no proven reason why periodical cicadas only emerge every thirteen or seventeen years. However, the leading hypoth-

esis is that their sporadic nature is hard for predators to predict and gives them an evolutionar y advantage. “The more popular is the idea that it’s hard for predators to predict these emergences,” Da na said. “If you come out in large numbers, but sporadically, no predator is going to predict that and eat all the individuals before they are able to lay eggs.” Due to the rarity of an event such as the emergence of Brood X, media outlets have understandably been abuzz with cicada coverage. But Cicadas are more than just an episodic event, their biology can have some applications to our world and out technology. Marianne Alleyne, professor in LAS, studies bioinspired design, looking at insects for inspiration

on how to make new technologies. Cicadas interest Alleyne due to a special property of their wings.

basing technology off the existing physical structure of cicada wings will help with sustainability — both in the ecological sense and technology longevity. “It’s always easier to just cover it with certain chemicals, like a surface with chemicals, and get hydrophobicity that way,” Alleyne said. “But I think we all have come to realize that that might not be sustainable. If you have structural features, maybe you can actually keep that hydrophobicity for longer.” A lleyne’s interest in cicadas will bring her out to the East Coast in just a few weeks. Since it is rare Champaign county will see the full brunt of Brood X, she plans on making a road trip out to Washington D.C. to view the Brood in its full glory. “I highly recommend a road trip there,” Alleyne said.

“Cicada wings have little nano-pillars that are so small that water collects up in droplets on top of those fillers, and that kind of sits there, and it doesn’t spread out,” Alleyne said. “That’s called hydrophobic, superhydrophobic to be technical, and then when it can actually roll off, the wing never gets wet. You could think about how we could use surfaces like that, that don’t get wet, that can self clean.” While hydrophobic technology does exist, a vast majority of those technologies utilize a chemical mixture to achieve hydrophobicity. Alleyne believes mtroher2@dailyillini.com

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ACROSS

1 Animal that barks 4Bourbon barrel material 7 Tribal leader 12 Blunder 13 ___ colada 15 List for a meeting 16 *Certain psychedelic experience 18 Nintendo game featuring balance exercises 19 ___ of the game 20 Early auto engine’s power source 22 Construction area, e.g. 23 Performs like Iggy Azalea 25 Social stratum 27 Provoke 30 Nevada city on the Truckee River 31 PC monitor type, in brief 34 *Hairstyle popularized by Lucille Ball 36 Hip-hop producer who founded Aftermath Entertainment 38 For two, in music 39 Jeans material 41 At the drop of ___ (instantly) 42 Drops in the mail 44*Cheap neighborhood bar 46 Bygone Mach 1 breaker, for short 47 Major water line 49 Hang around idly 50 “Wanna join us?” 52 Fairy tale bear with a hard bed 53 Delivery room instruction 55 Put on hold 57 Religious sisters 61 Real lowlife

7 14

40 44

37 41

18 20

55 62

65 68

67 69

PUZZLE BY ZHOUQIN BURNIKEL

63 “So there!” … or what you can do to the ends of the answers to the starred clues? 65 Looks without blinking 66 Ship personnel 67 Number of Q tiles in Scrabble 68 Item that may be baked or mashed, informally 69 Caustic solution 70 Ingredient in a Denver omelet

DOWN

1 College faculty head 2 Whale that preys on octopuses 3 Worrisome, as news 4 Make a pick 5 Cockpit reading 6 Makes a scarf, say

7 FX in much sci-fi and fantasy 8 Bank holdup 9 *Bunt single, e.g. 10 Heading in a word processing menu 11 Destiny 14 Gibbon or gorilla 15 “Geez, that sucks!” 17 Expressed contempt for 21 Like vinegar 24 Falcons, on scoreboards 26 Roll for a greenskeeper 27 “No bid from me” 28 Connection points 29 *Home of many a courthouse 30 Talk too long 32 Yearn for 33 Scare off 35 Pop singer Dion 37 Visibly elated

40 Nonsense 43 Home of the George W. Bush Institute, in brief 45 Hack (off) 48 Capitol Hill staffers 51 Busiest airport in the Midwest 52 Oyster’s creation 53 “Hey, over here!” 54 ___ Beauty (Sephora competitor) 56 Org. that monitors consumer scams 58 “Here comes trouble …” 59 Mama’s mama 60 Part of a cherry you don’t eat 62 Gen ___ (millennial’s follower) 64 Ovine mother

The crossword solution is in the Classified section.

OPINIONS

MONDAY May 10, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

Read online!

Scout’s scoops unveil transformative year Dobrik attempted to visit campus legal services amidst his impending allegations. SATIRE Sources divulge to Scout that Dobrik, whose previous trip to campus was in October was the best of times, of 2019, vehemently sought it was the worst of advice and assistance from times, it was the Student Legal Services. age of deciding between Promising a Tesla to whostraws and funnels, it was ever would overlook the the age of ranking whether overwhelming allegations, Pfizer or Moderna was better Dobrik’s spiraling stardom — no shade, Johnson & John- decline notably originated son — we had a pandemic in C-U when legal services before us, we had a sprawling wholeheartedly turned down KAM’s line ahead of us. the self-sworn “comedian.” It doesn’t require a mas“Don’t get me wrong, a ter reporter, such as Scout, Tesla is a Tesla, but the guy to realize this year was difgives me the creeps,” noted ferent than most. However, one employee. throughout all the academic “When he called, you year’s triumphs and tribula- could hear his ‘squad’ in tions, in the end, Illini united the back awaiting David’s against a common enemy: next command while he either the encroaching panwas on the phone with us. demic or, conversely, the Uni- Jason Nash (a companion versity’s COVID-19 policies to Dobrik) also interrupted designed to save students the call to plead with David and faculty — a strenuous not to admit any guilt: ‘Dude, time for decision-making you’re golden, just give them indeed. a Tesla and promise they’ll Still, a year like no other have a slice of your ad revdeserved an investigator enue in the next ‘FRIENDS comparable to none. Scout KISSING GONE WRONG — was there, lingering and lisCRINGE’ video.’” tening beneath the Univer“We obviously told the sity tunnels and reporting on guy no since, one, I’m not too the scene for the year’s leadfamiliar with his content, ing exclusives. Accordingly, and two, we don’t even profor this splendid reflection vide the extensive services on the academic year, Scout’s he required,” concluded this compiled a compilation of his confidant of Scout. best scoops — free of charge! Ranging from obtaining “Mamma Mia!” replaces the “tea” — Scout’s regularly Spring Jam next year mastering this modern lingo, In a bombshell disclomind you — on the Illini’s sure, Scout discovered secret letdown of the century at documents unveiling that March Madness, to learning Spring Jam 2022 will feature what will replace Spring Jam a reunion of 2009’s stellar next year, Scout is here to blockbuster “Mamma Mia!” deliver all the details: Passed underneath an Ikenberry Dining Hall table, this Kingfisher would have saved source couldn’t comment on March Madness this stunner other than, “It’ll Although Scout wishes he make Lollapalooza look like could reveal this high-level festival season filth.” source, consequently, Scout In all its glory, Scout secured a big-time scoop uncovered the University’s contending that the Unigrand plan to reunite this versity’s mascot-in-waiting star-studded cast in further would have returned the aspirations to supply more Illini home as March Madtalent to the C-U area. ness champions instead of “With celebrities such as casualties to Sister Jean. Meryl Streep, Amanda SeyFurthermore, where fried and the Swede, surely Loyola Chicago enjoyed C-U will become the next encouraging prayers from Sundance, South by SouthSister Jean, the Illini would west or Tribeca,” chronicled have been electrified with one testimony. various performances and “We fully expect the stucheers by the Kingfisher — dent body to lose their minds even without a participating when the cast momentarily crowd: The Kingfisher is that exits the stage and performs thrilling, folks. within the crowd to numbers Similarly, with the Univer- like ‘Honey, Honey’ or ‘Lay sity lacking a mascot since All Your Love on Me.’” the rightful retirement of “Likewise, the Main Quad “Chief Illiniwek,” the prowill be refurbished to echo posed bluebird was disclosed the film’s Greek set: grass to Scout as the missing link and sidewalks replaced by to an outright Illini victory. sand and cobblestone; aca“There is nothing we have demic buildings reconto compete with the Sisstructed to appease the ter Jeans, Bucky Badgers Greek architecture featuror Herky the Hawks out in ing egg white and sky blue the collegiate athletic world. buildings to resemble C-U’s We’re struggling here,” version of Kalokairi.” asserted this high-ranking, The remarkable docuanonymous athletic official. ment ends by stating, “actors Despite Scout’s pledge to will not take any questions impartiality, Scout underregarding ‘Mamma Mia! stands the disastrous impliHere We Go Again.’” cations the Kingfisher’s Nevertheless, what an absence holds on basketball interesting age for the Uniand beyond. Surely the University. Additionally, next versity will comprehend this year can only be better as as well and rescue univerC-U stands ready for more sity athletics from another Scout exclusives. The search “missing mascot” incident continues. next year … CAMPUS SCOUT

THE DAILY ILLINI FILE PHOTO

A student works on a computer at the PAR computer lab on April 28, 2020. Columnist Matthew Krauter argues that it’s time that Zoom exits our lives to make way for in-person classes in the fall.

End Zoom’s control over education it where it’s due for its ease of access and abolition of the iClicker resale SENIOR market. COLUMNIST As I unloaded my bags for a grumpy team of an unusuTransportation Security al semester of Administration agents in socially disCalifornia, I had to pinch tanced classes comes to myself upon spotting the a close, many students Zoom branding adverwaved goodbye to their tised on the inspection cameras one last time as bins — I reject the idea professors ended their that shaking hands is a class Zoom meetings. relic of a bygone era. Likewise, as the student Zoom shouldn’t be body becomes increasing- here to stay for classes. It ly vaccinated, it’s time for was always meant to be a the Zoom era to end at the band-aid for COVID-19, University of Illinois. not the vaccine. When COVID-19 struck “Zoom University” is the country in March not a substitute for a colof 2020, it hit hard. The lege lecture. Rolling out end of the semester was of bed one minute before uncertain for the stuthe call begins is quite dents returning from different from trekking spring break: Zoom was across the Main Quad to the solution, connectFoellinger Auditorium. ing students and profesTo no fault of the stusors around the world in dents or instructors, vira turbulent transition tual classes are demorfrom the classroom to the alizing, awkward and desktop. difficult to focus upon. The University’s saliva Anyone who has led a tests aren’t the only reavirtual meeting this past son the academic year year can attest to the has continued relatively challenge of engaging an smoothly. Zoom, accordaudience of faceless paringly, deserves credticipants with their camMATTHEW KRAUTER

eras off: The black mirror holding your reflection is worse than speaking to a wall because it’s a living one. A wall that no matter how hard you try to talk to will writhe with all its might to avoid participation. Professors may ask for cameras to be turned on, but the quality of attentiveness and participation is always subpar to standard classes. Being the participant presents its own set of challenges. It’s not easy staying engaged amidst the monotony of sitting in your room all day. The temptation to play chess in another tab or text a friend rivals Eve in the garden. There’s a lack of human connection over the call that icebreakers don’t surmount. It’s a bit awkward to unmute yourself to speak in a discussion, and subsequently be notified your connection is unstable and nobody can hear you. The difficulty of online learning only compounds in asynchronous lectures as you set the playback

speed to 2x to speedrun it for more Netflix time. Beyond purely academic engagement, RSOs and campus social life suffer from virtual meetings. RSO attendance has declined sharply due to the social obstacles presented by Zoom and the lack of engaging in-person events. At root, young adults crave face-to-face social interaction. Unlike adults in the workforce savoring their days working from home, college students want to continue growing into the people they want to be despite the challenges of COVID-19. They want to network, work in new places — reap the tangible rewards of their hard work on campus. The Zoom era must meet its end because COVID-19 cannot be our new normal. It’s in the interest of student social life and academic success to revert to normalcy as the University community continues to press back the threat of COVID-19. Matthew is a junior in LAS. krauter3@dailyillini.com

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Resume LGBTQ in-person support programs BY: JOSHUA HWANG

ay: For college students, it’s a month of high levels of stress followed by parties celebrating another semester in the books. For others, a start on an internship or summer job. For some LGBTQ students, the start of summer may mean another season of LGBTQ problems made worse by COVID-19. According to an article published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, a percentage of LGBTQ youth state that their parents do not support their LGBTQ status, and this may pressure them to remain closeted. This, coupled with decreased social interactions due to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, makes returning home mentally straining. Another issue pertaining specifically to transgender individuals would be the cancellation of gender-affirming surgeries. A report from ABC News states that many gender-affirming surgeries have been delayed until after COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted which causes great mental stress on those who await gender reassignment surgery. The University has sup-

*Campus Scout writes

David Dobrik planned a visit to opinion-based, satirical legal services stories and uses fictional In November this last year, YouTuber and self-proclaimed “funny guy” David

sourcing.* Submit tips to: scout@dailyillini.com

THE DAILY ILLINI FILE PHOTO

A group of people hold up giant letters spelling out “PRIDE” at the Champaign-Urbana Pride Parade on Sept. 28, 2019.

port programs established way before the COVID-19 pandemic. Programs such as the LGBT Ally Network and LGBT Resource Center provide support programs and foster positive communities for LGBTQ members on campus; however, due to COVID-19 social restrictions, these essen-

tial services have mainly been moved online. In-person programs offered by these centers have been postponed indefinitely. The University needs to address this matter in one specific way: Reopen LGBTQ in-person support programs as soon as possible. By reopening these

programs, the campus can support LGBTQ students in a more productive capacity, especially for those who stay for the summer, as well as prepare for LGBTQ students who come back in the fall. Joshua Hwang is a freshman in LAS. opinions@dailyillini.com

JONAH OZER THE DAILY ILLINI

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS | opinions@dailyillini.com with the subject “Letter to the Editor.” The Daily Illini reserves the right to edit for length, libel, grammar and spelling errors, and Daily Illini style or to reject any contributions. Letters must be limited to 300 words. Contributions must be typed and include the author’s name, address and phone number. University students must include their year in school and college.

MONDAY May 10, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

SPORTS

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Year in review: Sports staff reflects on unique season BY THE DAILY ILLINI SPORTS STAFF

After the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic cut the 2020 season short, 2021 became the year for teams to bounce back and use the extra time off to improve their performances. With several seniors returning for a fifth year across Illinois’ 19 Division I sports, 2021 truly was an unforgettable season. There were countless notable moments from every sport this year, but The Daily Illini sports staff chose just 12. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest results, moments and achievements from Illinois athletes and teams this year. Note: The moments are listed chronologically, meaning the staff did not rank the moments after narrowing the list to 12. 1) Illinois beats No. 1 USC, No. 7 UVA in National Team Indoors Championship Head coach Brad Dancer and the Illini got some good news before their 2021 campaign even began: Seniors Aleks Kovacevic, Zeke Clark, Noe Khlif and Vuk Budic all would use their extra year of eligibility and return to the team for a fifth season. After struggling in 2020 and posting a 5-6 record prior to the remainder of the season being canceled, the Illini opened its 2021 regular season with a challenge, hosting the Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Team Indoor Championships. The tournament featured the unranked Illini and seven top-10 teams. Despite being the underdog, Illinois put the tennis world on notice by beating then-No. 1 Southern California 4-1 in the opening round of the tournament behind a doubles point win and singles victories from Clark, Siphosothando Montsi and Kweisi Kenyatte. Coming off an upset, Illinois immediately was humbled in the next round, falling to then-No. 4 Baylor 4-0. Though the loss was a brief dent in their momentum and confidence, the Illini earned the opportunity to compete for third place against No. 7 Virginia. Unlike the match against USC, Illinois wasn’t able to pick up the doubles point. But the team bounced back in singles play, winning four of six matches to pull off the 4-3 upset win. It wasn’t that easy, though. The Illini were down 3-1 at one point, needing singles victories from Hunter Heck, Montsi and Clark to turn the match on its head and finish in third place in a tournament that they were the lowest-ranked team in by a significant margin. 2) Abby Cabush breaks program’s 200-yard freestyle record twice in one season The 200-yard freestyle school record was held by Barbie Viney (1:47.96), which was set on Feb. 8, 2007. Nearly 14 years later, junior Abby Cabush set a new record for Illinois. In a meet against Wisconsin and Northwestern, Illinois fell, but she set a record and some personal bests for the team. Cabush’s time and new record for the 200 was 1:47.90. Just a couple of weeks later at the Big Ten Championship, Cabush broke her own record she had just set. The Sussex, Wisconsin native broke this record in the preliminaries and earned a time of 1:47.80, earning her a spot in the 200-yard freestyle final on day three of the Big Ten Championship. In the finals of the 200 freestyle, Cabush didn’t break another record, but she did display a great deal of honor for representing Illinois in the finals. Overall, she finished 16th with a time of 1:49.14, getting 11 points for the team. Cabush is one of the leaders for the Illini and has been a consistent contributor in freestyle. At every Big Ten Championship since her freshman year, she has earned personal bests, mainly in the 200 freestyle. With one year remaining as an Illini, Cabush seems to be on track to continue breaking and setting new records.

3) Illini beat Wolverines in Ann Arbor by 23 without Ayo Dosunmu During the 2020-2021 men’s basketball season, Ayo Dosunmu was vital for Illinois’ game plan, as he was a consensus All-American for a reason. However, after the Chicago native suffered a broken nose against Michigan State, the Illini were without their best player in Ann Arbor. Michigan was one of the best teams in the Big Ten this season, and without Ayo, experts and fans alike believed Illinois would struggle to compete with a talented Wolverine squad. To the delight of the Illinois faithful, they were quite wrong. No. 4 Illinois wiped the floor against No. 2 Michigan, winning 76-53 at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor. This win against Michigan was the biggest win against a ranked opponent on the road since 1989. Senior Trent Frazier (22 points), sophomore Kofi Cockburn (12 points, seven rebounds) and freshman Andre Curbelo (17 points) led the charge for the shorthanded Illini. Illinois’ defense in the first half held Michigan to 20% shooting from the field, and the offense took over in the second half. A 31-12 run in the first ten minutes of the second half put Illinois up by as many as 28 points. Though the season ended with a disappointing loss to Loyola Chicago in the second round of the NCAA tournament, this game will live in the memories of Illini fans for a long time.

4) Sydney Sickels tosses a no-hitter against Penn State On March 13, Illinois matched up against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex in Leesburg, Florida. Sydney Sickels was on the mound for the Illini and put together an absolute gem of a performance. Sickels threw the 14th no-hitter in Illinois softball history, as she allowed no earned runs and struck out ten batters. In game two of this doubleheader, Illinois won 2-1 to pick up a victory in Sickels’ stunning performance. Illinois opened up the scoring as Jaelyn Vickery and Avrey Steiner started off the third inning with back-to-back bunt singles. Bella Loya then doubled to right center field to give Illinois a 1-0 lead. Penn State got its one run of the afternoon after a sacrifice fly scored a runner from third, who reached base via an error. Illinois then broke the 1-1 scoreline with a Delaney Rummell two-out single. Sickels struck out two out of the last three Penn State batters to secure her no-hitter and the ninth win of the season for the Illini.

5) Women’s gymnastics team breaks all-around, beam school records on Senior Day Every year, all Illinois teams honor their seniors on Senior Day with a ceremony before the last home event of the season. This year was no different, as the Illini women’s gymnastics team honored six seniors: Nicole Biondi, Rachel Borden, Kasey Meeks, Kylie Noonan, Tessa Phillips and Jaylen Spence. After four years of hard work, one last meet at Huff Hall became more than just memorable for the seniors; it was historic. The Illini finished with a team score of 197.575, the best all-around score in program history, surpassing the previous mark by nearly three-tenths of a point. Illinois also broke the school record on beam, recording an all-time high of 49.525. While the Illini set program records in these two areas, they also recorded the joint-seventh-best score on vault, third-best score on bars and the fifth-best score on floor. The team also notched career-highs, including three from Biondi on her special night, as the Massachusetts native broke personal records on vault, bars and all-around. Mia Townes also set three new career-best scores on beam, floor and vault, with the score in the last event (9.925) coming in as the joint fifth-best all-time. Shaylah Scott’s career-high 9.950 on beam put her in a tie for the second-best event score in program history. Despite the disappointing end to the season three weeks later, the Illini had four members — Biondi, Townes, Scott and Mia Takekawa — earn Second-Team All-Big Ten honors. 6) Big Ten Championship - men’s basketball When Ayo Dosunmu announced he would be returning for a third season in Champaign, he made it clear that he wanted to win some silverware. And that’s exactly what happened. After the team set the program record for most Big Ten regular-season wins in a season with a 16-4 conference record and earned the No. 2 seed, Illinois received a double bye and took on a Rutgers squad it lost to earlier in the season. The Illini came to play, sailing past the inferior Scarlet Knights by 22 points and setting up a semifinals matchup with the team’s archrivals: the Iowa Hawkeyes. Illinois dominated the rematch with Iowa, with Cockburn going for 26 points and Dosunmu scoring 18 in an 11-point victory, sealing a trip to the tournament final for the first time since 2008. The only team standing in the way of a conference title was Ohio State. The teams had split their two regular-season matchups in two back-and-forth games, and the final proved once again to be a similar format. After 40 minutes of regulation couldn’t separate the two sides, the Illini squeezed by the Buckeyes in overtime, winning by three and bringing the Big Ten tournament trophy back to Champaign for the first time since 2005. Based on his heroics all season, Dosunmu was named the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year, an unanimous First-Team All-Big Ten and consensus First-Team AllAmerica selection. PHOTO CREDITS: #1: PHOTO COURTESY OF CARY FRYE/FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS; #2: PHOTO COURTESY OF FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS; #3: PHOTO COURTESY OF FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS; #4: ELIANA CHANDRA THE DAILY ILLINI; #5: PHOTO COURTESY OF FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS; #6: PHOTO COURTESY OF FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS; #7: CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI; #8: PHOTO COURTESY OF FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS #9: PHOTO COURTESY OF KELLY HAGENSON/FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS; #10: CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI; #11: PHOTO COURTESY OF MEN’S GOLF TWITTER; #12: PHOTO COURTESY OF ILLINIHQ’S TWITTER

2B Monday, May 10, 2021

THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM

Daily Illini sports staff awards: Coaches of the Year BY THE DAILY ILLINI SPORTS STAFF

W hen ref lecting on the coach of the year, it’s hard to separate this trio of coaches, as they each guided their respective tea ms to conference tournament titles. Brad Dancer is in his 17th year at Illinois, and he has continued to grow his legacy in Champaign Urbana. The men’s tennis team’s Big Ten tournament win wasn’t anything new, as he now has coached three teams to conference tournament titles, though this is his first since 2015. Dancer led the Illini to one of the best regular seasons in program history, guiding the team to a 21-2 record heading into

the NCAA tournament, and the team hosted the first and second rounds. With a stacked cast of seniors, Illinois remains one of the most prominent teams on the college tennis map. Mike Small has grown accustomed to conference success, as this is the men’s golf program’s sixth consecutive Big Ten tournament title. Small now is in his 20th season at Illinois, and he has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year 11 times. This year, Small coached the team to five tournament titles, including a historic 38-stroke win at the Louisiana Classics, the largest margin of victory in the tournament’s history.

The team will compete at the NCA A Stillwater Regional in Oklahoma starting May 17. Brad Underwood led a stacked Illini men’s basketball team to a record 16 conference wins and an overall record of 24-7, while also sealing an NCAA tournament berth for the first time since 2013. The fourth-year Illinois coach finished the year ranked second in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, secured a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance for the first time since 2005 PHOTO COURTESY OF CRAIG PHOTO COURTESY OF DANNY PHOTO COURTESY OF KELSEA and coached a consensus PESSMAN/FIGHTING ILLINI MATTIE/FIGHTING ILLINI ANSFIELD/FIGHTING ILLINI First-Team All-American ATHLETICS ATHLETICS ATHLETICS and likely first-round draft Men’s head tennis coach Brad Head Illinois golf coach Mike Head Illinois basketball coach pick in Ayo Dosunmu. Dancer stands on the court Small poses for a photo with Brad Underwood looks intently sports@dailyillini.com

during the match against Notre Dame on Saturday.

the Big Ten Conference Trophy May 2.

at his players during the game at Ohio State March 6.

Ayo Dosunmu recognized as Illini men’s Sydney Sickels named Illinois women’s player of the year by DI sports staff player of the year by DI sports staff BY THE DAILY ILLINI SPORTS STAFF

In an unanimous vote, junior Ayo Dosunmu was selected as The Daily Illini’s men’s player of the year. The Chicago native put together a historic third season in Champaign, as he was the only player in the last 11 seasons to finish the year with an average of at least 20 points, six rebounds and five assists per game, eventually ending up with 20.1, 6.3 and 5.3, respectively. Dosunmu also received the Bob Cousy Award for the best collegiate point guard,

though this was one of several accolades he received. Despite playing the Big Ten tournament with a mask following a facial injury suffered near the end of the regular season, Dosunmu was the conference tournament’s Most Outstanding Player and was named to the AllTournament Team. For his dominant play all season, the junior guard was an unanimous First-Team AllBig Ten selection. He also was an unanimous First-Team All-American, receiving first-team honors from USA Today, Associated

CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLIN

Junior Ayo Dosunmu looks for an open pass opportunity at the game against Wisconsin Feb. 6. The Daily Illini named Dosunmu the best Illinois men’s player of the year.

Press, National Association of Basketball Coaches, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, Sporting News, Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports. USA Today also named Dosunmu its National Player of the Year. Though he dominated on a nightly basis, Dosunmu will forever be remembered as one of the biggest factors for the men’s basketball program’s turnaround, as his decision to stay in state and play for Illinois dramatically shifted the tides for an underperforming program. After three seasons at Illinois, including a surprise return this year, Dosunmu’s time in Champaign is officially over, as he has declared for the 2021 NBA Draft. Though he will no longer compete as an Illini, his jersey will hang in the rafters at State Farm Center, recognizing one of the best players to ever compete in an Illinois uniform. Honorable mentions: Zeke Clark (tennis), Ian Skirkey (gymnastics), Adrien Dumont de Chassart (golf )

BY THE DAILY ILLINI SPORTS STAFF

Pitching is a mental game. Junior pitcher Sydney Sickels continued to dominate in the circle, as she has learned to master the art of pitching. At the start of the season, Sickels pitched six scoreless innings against Rutgers Feb. 26, allowing two hits and striking out seven. Her exceptional execution in the circle continued throughout the Illini’s first two weekends at Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex in Leesburg, Florida. She threw a complete game win against Michigan State March 11, recording 11 strikeouts, no walks and no earned runs in game one. March 13 against Penn State was no different. Sickels tossed a no-hitter, throwing the 14th no-hitter in Illini softball program history. She did this all while pitching a complete game, striking out 10 batters, allowing one run and walking none. Her dominant weekend in Florida culminated with the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors March 16; she went

ALLENDE MIGLIETTA THE DAILY ILLINI

Junior Sydney Sickels pitches during the game against Minnesota March 28. The Daily Illini named Sickels the best Illinois women’s player of the year.

3-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 21 innings pitched, 31 strikeouts without allowing a single walk, along with back-to-back one-hit, 10 strikeouts games. Sickels continued to excel as the season progressed. She threw two complete-game shutouts against Wisconsin April 2 and April 4, recording 12 strikeouts in both appearances and throwing a one-hitter in the April 4 matchup. April 6, Sickels received her second Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors. She finished the series against Wisconsin with no earned runs and 24 strikeouts, allowing only six hits and three walks in 14.0

innings pitched. With each new four-game series comes a dominant pitching performance. On April 23, Sickels struck out 11 of the 30 batters faced in a complete-game win against Indiana. Her ongoing progression allowed her to strike out 10 batters in another complete-game win versus Northwestern April 30, and she finished with a 5.33 strikeout to walk ratio in three starts versus Northwestern April 30, May 1 and May 2. Honorable mentions: Taylor Kuper (volleyball), Nicole Biondi (gymnastics), Kendra Pasquale (soccer)

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7) Aman Thornton named Big Ten indoor track & field male freshman of the year Every season, the coaches of the Big Ten choose a male and female freshman of the year for indoor track & field, and this time the male honors went to Illinois’ Aman Thornton. Throughout the year, Thornton excelled in the 600-meter, placing fifth at the Big Ten Championships with a time of 1:18.10. He earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors as part of a distance medley relay team that placed second in the conference. Along with Thornton’s great performances in the 600-meter race, he took third place at the Hawkeye Invitational with a 1:54.06 in the 800-meter race. The last time the Illini had an outdoor Big Ten Freshman of the Year was Andrew Riley in 2009. Jon Davis won outdoor freshman of the year in 2017, and Davis remains a valuable member of the team in his final year at Illinois.

8) Kuper becomes first Illini defensive specialist or libero on All-Big Ten First Team After an incredible breakout year in her first season as libero, junior Taylor Kuper was named to the All-Big Ten First Team, becoming the first defensive specialist or libero in program history to earn the honors. Kuper played in all 71 sets for the Illini this season, and she finished with the third-most aces (40) and the fourth-best aces per set average (0.56) in the NCAA. The Kansas native also led the Big Ten in both categories. She also dominated defensively, finishing fourth in the Big Ten in both digs per set (4.41) and total digs (313). “All I can think about is how I wish we were still playing,” Kuper said when asked about her All-Big Ten selection. “It feels bad because my teammates went through the same things with COVID-19 this year; it sucked. I wish there was a way that everyone got the recognition because they all deserve it. I mean, it’s nice and I appreciate the recognition, but I want them to be recognized as well.” As a sophomore in 2019, Kuper finished with 249 digs and 37 aces, with significant jumps in both categories coming during her first season at libero. Kuper also received the American Volleyball Coaches Association Northeast All-Region Honorable Mention for her achievements this season.

9) Men’s gymnast Ian Skirkey wins NCAA pommel horse title In the men’s gymnastics NCAA Championship, junior Ian Skirkey posted a score of 14.166 to claim the pommel horse title. Skirkey is the first Illini since Brandon Ngai in 2016 to win the pommel horse championship. Even before the championship session, Skirkey earned the highest score on the pommel horse in the first qualifying session with a score of 14.066. Though he was ranked No. 22 in the country going into the weekend, he proved rankings don’t matter whatsoever. Going into the championship round on Saturday with Illinois performing on the pommel horse last, the veteran knew he was going to anchor the lineup. While it might have been a lot of pressure on the junior, he pulled it off. With the help of Michigan gymnasts performing worse than usual, Skirkey gained a huge advantage. Knowing he had to do a near-perfect routine and stick the landing, he did just that. After landing, his teammates on the sidelines celebrated because they knew it was a solid showing. Skirkey’s performance ended with an NCAA Championship title, and he was named an All-American on pommel horse for the second year in a row. Skirkey’s championship allowed him to automatically qualify for the USA Gymnastics National Championship in June, joining fellow Illini junior Michael Fletcher. During the 2021 season, Skirkey earned two pommel horse titles in addition to finishing second at the Big Ten Championships, losing out on first by just five-hundredths of a point.

10) Riley Gowens, Ryan O’Hara and Cole Kirschsieper throw a combined no-hitter On April 25, the baseball team made history. Riley Gowens, Ryan O’Hara and Cole Kirschsieper threw a combined no-hitter against Purdue. This no-hitter marks only the 11th in the 142-year history of the baseball team. The last no-hitter happened back on April 24, 1985, against Bradley, while this also was the program’s first no-hitter away from home. Gowens threw the majority of the no-hitter, going seven innings, while O’Hara and Kirschsieper got one inning apiece. The previous weekend Illinois lost to Purdue twice on their home ground. Losing 6-4 and a whopping 20-6 put quite a dent in the morale of the pitching staff. The tough loss helped motivate the pitching staff and forced the group to focus on the game and prepare for what now is a record in the Illinois baseball history books. Something to note about Gowens is that it was his first season making an appearance in an Illini uniform. Going through Tommy John surgery his freshman year and needing 10-14 months of rehabilitation kept Gowens out of the game. After a tough two losses to the Boilermakers a week earlier, the Illini turned it around the following weekend against Purdue. This time there were no losses, and Illinois ended up winning the three-game series, the team’s first series sweep of the season. With the no-hitter this season, the pitching staff is hoping to keep the momentum going for the remainder of the year.

11) Big Ten Championship - men’s golf Throughout the 2020-2021 season, Illinois men’s golf dominated its competition, winning four tournaments during the regular season. When it came time for the Big Ten Championship in late April, the end result stayed the same. The Illini opened up their play April 30 at a windy Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana. Adrien Dumont de Chassart and Tommy Kuhl were the standout performers for Illinois, as they both shot +1. At the end of the first round, Illinois and Iowa sat atop the standings with 300 strokes each; The closest competitors were Penn State at 305 and Rutgers at 307. Moving on to the second day, Illinois took a two-stroke lead on Iowa on the back of another solid performance from Dumont de Chassart and fifth-year senior Michael Feagles, who shot a team-best -1. Head coach Mike Small was proud of the team’s overall performance, and he knew that Illinois needed strong rounds from every member on the roster. “The best way for anyone on the team to win the tournament individually is to not try to win it,” Small said. “Play solid golf, play what the golf course gives you, be efficient like we talked about and then you add them up at the end” The final day of the Big Ten Championship saw the Illini struggle early, but the team eventually prevailed for a one-stroke victory over the Hawkeyes. Feagles and Dumont de Chassart both earned spots on the All-Championship team after their consistent performances which helped Illinois secure its sixth straight Big Ten title. 12) Big Ten Championship - men’s tennis In a gritty finale between Zeke Clark and Ohio State’s Kyle Seelig, Clark came out on top and won his third set tiebreaker to make Illinois the Big Ten tournament champion. The Buckeyes stood in their way of victory like they have for the past five years. After suffering a 4-1 defeat to the Buckeyes during the regular season, they turned things around in the final. Earning the doubles point secured them an advantage, but by the time it got to singles, the Illini were not doing so hot. In the first set, Aleks Kovacevic was the lone Illini to win, so it created a fight in the second set to get the championship. Freshman Hunter Heck was a huge contributor to the win, as he came back from his 0-6 first set loss to win 7-5 in the third set against Big Ten Freshman of the Year JJ Tracy, who picked up his first loss of the season. Still behind 3-2, it was up to Clark and Noe Klihf. The fifth-year seniors showed resilience on the courts, and nearly four hours of playing later, they came in clutch to get the win. With Big Ten West Title and Big Ten Tournament title, the men’s tennis team will look ahead to the NCAA tournament, as it hosted the first two rounds and competed against DePaul and Notre Dame as the No. 16 seed and will play in Orlando in the Sweet 16. sports@dailyillini.com

Honorable mentions: Olivia Howell wins Big Ten 1-mile indoor title (women’s track & field), women’s tennis upsets No. 7 Northwestern on Senior Day, Demirjian Park opens (soccer and track & field), volleyball upsets No. 8 Purdue in season finale, Michael Fletcher wins Big Ten vault title (men’s gymnastics), four football players sign with NFL teams, Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn receive Big Ten and All-America honors (men’s basketball), head coach Nancy Fahey gets her first Big Ten tournament win against Wisconsin (women’s basketball), soccer has two game-winning goals in last five minutes in final two regular-season game, Evan Manivong goes viral for vaccination card celebration (men’s gymnastics)

4B Monday, May 10, 2021

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Monday, May 10, 2021

Businesses reflect on pandemic BY CAROLINA GARIBAY & SYDNEY WOOD

buzz calendar BY RUKAYAH HUSSEIN

BUZZ EDITOR & BUZZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

This past year has posed countless hardships for businesses across the nation, and now more than ever, it’s important to support Champaign-Urbana’s local eateries, shops and boutiques. Despite the immeasurable challenges of COVID-19, these businesses continue to persevere and overcome these obstacles, embodying C-U’s resilient nature. As we reflect on this year, some businesses have shared their experiences and some lessons they’ve learned during the pandemic. The Upper Bout Quarantine has led to the discovery of many new hobbies and interests. For many, music and learning to play an instrument were some of those hobbies. “Everybody needed something to do to occupy their time at home, and playing an instrument or learning a new instrument was one of those things that everybody just kind of wanted to do,” said Andrew Kauffman, store manager of The Upper Bout in Champaign. The Upper Bout is a retail music store that emphasizes the relationship between the store and its customers so customers can have the best instrumentbuying experience. Kauffman said The Upper Bout employees were out of work for two months last year when quarantine started. They were able to return to work in May 2020, and Kauffman praised the overwhelming support the Champaign community showed The Upper Bout. “After everybody got back from lockdown, there was this renewed sense of community and oneness that kind of continued through onto this year,” Kauffman said. “It really does illustrate and emphasize the fact that community is so important.” Kauffman said the pan-

BUZZ CALENDAR EDITOR

The buzz calendar is a compilation of events happening in the Champaign-Urbana area. Follow our top picks in Monday’s and Thursday’s papers for ideas on what to do on any night of the week, from where to eat to what to watch. Want to submit an event? Email calendar@readbuzz.com.

MONDAY, MAY 10 PHOTO COURTESY OF PLANTIFY’S FACEBOOK

The inside of Plantify’s shop is shown above. Although businesses struggle with the on-going pandemic, they are able to overcome these challenges.

demic taught him just how important community support is and how powerful it can be in times of division and hardship, whether that be in the community, in the country or across the world. “There’s been a lot of political and all sorts of other turmoil in the news and in our country,” Kauffman said. “But here in Champaign specifically, it’s been nice to see everybody just kind of rally together as a community and support one another.” Plantify As quarantine progressed, many began collecting plants as a distraction from the stressors of daily life. Plantify is a plant shop that opened last June and is located on the outskirts of downtown Champaign that aims to help people beautify their spaces with plants. “Plantify was started out with my desire to help people beautify their space with plants,” said owner of Plantify Long Luu. “Beyond their aesthetic value, plants can help create a tranquil and positive environment, which makes them an excellent addition to any living space.” The shop sells easycare indoor plants in sizes ranging from small to large, such as succulents, monstera, cacti and other tropical houseplants. Plantify also sells planters, candles, keychains, plant care accessories, free consulta-

tions and plant repotting. Luu said opening a business during COVID-19 was challenging, and the store ensured the safety of its employees and customers by carefully navigating and adhering to COVID-19 protection guidelines. He said Plantify was lucky because of its understanding, cooperative customers who helped the shop maintain a safe and comforting environment since its opening day. Luu said he learned there’s always an opportunity to understand what people need and to offer them solutions to remedy their challenges. “As our way of life changes, the need to make our space comforting and relaxing has risen more than ever, and Plantify has strived to help customers with that,” he said. Luu believes Plantify brings a breath of fresh air to C-U. The store has been growing steadily over this past year, and Luu explained Plantify will soon be moving into a larger store where more modern, elegant and unique items will be added to the shop’s decor and gift selection. “We have and will always try to create a lush and welcoming space that fosters a sense of peace for visitorz, ” Luu said. “We find great joy in helping people find ways to style and brighten up their space every day.”

United Way of Illinois Equity Challenge

 All day  Virtual event hosted by the United Way of Champaign County  Free Following a year of great unrest and strife, it’s critical that people take the time to learn with and from each other. Join thousands of your neighbors across Illinois for the United Way of Illinois Equity Challenge. The group will learn about inequality and systemic racism in 21 weekly lessons. The self-guided learning journey examines the history and impact of racism and how it has shaped people’s lives. The experience will deepen understanding and help launch what we hope will be a lifelong commitment to improving equity and inclusion.

DIY Kids Take & Make

 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.  Douglass Branch Library, 504 E. Grove St., Champaign  Free Pick up a new take-and-make kit every week at the Douglass Branch with a fun craft for school-age kids to try at home. They would love to see what you make, so post a photo and tag them!

Sola Gratia Farm’s Annual Spring Plant Sale

 9 a.m.-5 p.m  Sola Gratia Farm, 2200 S. Philo Road, Urbana  Free Large variety of organically grown veggies, herbs and some perennial fruits, plus locally sourced flowers including hanging baskets, potted, perennials and bedding.

TUESDAY, MAY 11

Town & Country Amateur Art Show

 9 a.m.  Springer Cultural Center, 301 N. Randolph St., Champaign  Free Part of the fun of making art is displaying it. Budding artists and art enthusiasts are encouraged to enter their work in this local amateur show. There will be a public critique by the juror on the last day of the show. Everyone is welcome to attend.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12

Lunchtime Live Storytelling

 1:15 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.  Virtual event hosted by the Spurlock Museum  Free Take a soothing lunch break and join Kim Sheahan Sanford, the Spurlock Museum’s assistant director of education and resident storyteller, for family-friendly stories from around the world. Access the Facebook Live event on our Facebook page.

Crafty Adults | Polymer Clay Jewelry

 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m.  Virtual event hosted by Champaign Public Library  Free, registration required Inspired to make your own jewelry? Join local artist and entrepreneur Emmaline of Loren Made Studio as she shares her polymer clay techniques and design knowledge. Crafters of all skill levels are welcome!

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Revisit ‘Halo: The Master Chief Collection’ this year BY AIDAN FINN STAFF WRITER

This year has had some great titles to begin the new generation of consoles. The PlayStation 5 saw the flashy and chaotic “Returnal” and Nintendo had a unique, fun romp with “Monster Hunter: Rise.” With all these fun titles, if I were to conclude this year’s run of Illini Recommends with a singular recommendation, I would without a doubt point to “The Master Chief Collection.” Yes, the game I bought when I was 13, all the way back in 2014, is definitely the best title to sink your teeth into this year and the next year and the next millennium after that, as it is the definitive greatest game of all time. “Halo: The Master Chief Collection” is a five-game collection of all the mainline Halo titles, the firstperson shooter franchise that established Xbox as a powerhouse brand to compete with PlayStation and Nintendo. The protagonist, the Master Chief, has been propelled to the cultural relevance of

Mario and Mickey Mouse. Despite having games that are over 20 years old within the nearly 7-year-old compilation, it is truly the best place to be right now in the gaming sphere. This is due in part to the revival of the game on PC with legions of nostalgic fans, jaded by the repetitive, dull landscape of modernshooters. Reconnecting with the series gives that good-old pandemic depression the boot. “Halo: The Master Chief Collection” did not have a smooth start at all. In fact, it is still regarded as having one of the most botched launches of all time. Completely broken servers and archaic serverbrowning technology had players waiting upwards of five to 10 minutes for a match if it didn’t crash your new, flashy Xbox One with it. I put the game back on the shelf for years until I dipped back into the fight, along with the mob of other Halo nerds. If multiplayer is not your thing, then don’t worry. Halo has the greatest sin-

gle-player shooter campaign on the market. I will never forget the summer of 2017 where I partook in the holy pilgrimage of bingeing all Halo games in chronological order. From “Halo Reach” to “Halo 4.” It was an over 100-hour journey, and its magic cannot be replicated. It truly is a bucket list box that needs to be ticked and a necessary marathon that all fans of the video game medium must participate in to truly see how good the medium is capable of being. Also, you get Steve Downs as Master Chief, so that alone is worth the price of admission. There will be many great games to play this year, and we can only hope that it gets better with each successive generation. But Halo is a different, untouchable beast of a series that I will forever enjoy kicking back and playing until the sun rises the next morning. “Halo: The Master Chief Collection” is available on PC and Xbox One. aidanf3@readbuzz.com

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Gameplay from the video game “Halo: The Master Chief Collection” is pictured above. The game was released on Nov. 11, 2014.

Discover unforgettable album, extended play releases BY SYDNEY WOOD BUZZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

As vaccines become widely available and artists begin to announce upcoming tour dates, it feels like the live music scene is finally returning and the world is gradually being restored to normalcy. As we conclude this semester and move into summer, it’s as good of a time as ever to reflect on some recent album and extended play releases that were particularly memorable despite the uncertainty of this past year. Joy Oladokun: “in defense of my own happiness (the beginnings)”

I discovered Joy Oladokun’s “in defense of my own happiness (the beginnings)” in February despite it being released last July, but it’s now my go-to album for latenight listening sessions. The 10-track album is Oladokun’s second full-length album, but she recently released a single on April 30, titled “sorry isn’t good enough.” Some of my favorite tunes on this album are “smoke,” “lost” and “Who Do I Turn To?” Oladokun’s music teeters the line between grief and hope, delving into Oladokun’s experience with pain, loss and her relationship with religion. The Nashville-based

artist nails multipart harmonies with her soulful, willowy voice, and her poignant lyrics reflect her experiences as a queer artist of color. Oladokun’s music lives within the folk genre, with inspiration drawn from roots in rock and pop. In “in defense of my own happiness (the beginnings),” Oladokun turns her vulnerability into strength with her abundance of empathy and human grace. Cosmo Pyke: “A Piper for Janet” Released on Jan. 18, “A Piper for Janet” is one of my absolute favorite EP releases from this past year. I discovered Cosmo Pyke last

summer through his single “Social Sites,” and I enjoy the spacey, dreamy quality of his music. I’ve listened to “A Piper for Janet” countless times since its release, and I’m still finding new things about it that I enjoy. Throughout the four-track EP, Pyke plays with his usage of time signatures, and his instrumental sound has clearly evolved since his last releases in its vibrancy and complexity. Pyke’s music is an amalgamation of reggae, alternative, jazz and indie music, and he fuses these styles to create his unique sound. My favorite tunes on this EP are “Seasick” and “Railroad Tracks.” In both tunes, Pyke

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showcases the duality of his musical ability by alternating between loud, high-energy melodies and softer, calmer moments of vocals and instrumentals. This EP is only 20 minutes long, so it’s definitely worth checking out. Julien Baker: “Little Oblivions” Julien Baker deserves a mention on this list in honor of her upcoming tour later this year. Released on Feb. 26, “Little Oblivions” is Baker’s third full-length studio album that showcases her talent in evoking emotion with her confessional, honest lyrics. In “Little Oblivions,” Baker confronts the intersecting parts of her identity, such as her religion, sexuality and Tennessee roots. Some notable songs on this album are “Relative Fiction,” “Repeat” and “Ringside.” This album has influences from the indie realm of folk and slowcore, and Baker’s expressive soprano voice is perfectly complemented by her own harmonies and other instrumental melodies. “Little Oblivions” is Baker’s introspective rumination into her relationship with herself, including her past experiences with depression, substance abuse and taking accountability. In “Little Oblivions,” there are many moments where Baker’s voice grows in intensity and volume, yet sometimes it feels like she’s purposefully controlling her volume in particularly intense moments in her lyrics, almost as if she wants these exposed,

soft moments to be more meaningful than loudness. If anything, these quieter moments heighten Baker’s vulnerability and connection with listeners, making “Little Oblivions” one of my favorite releases from this year. Christian Leave: “Heavy Hitting Hurts My Head” “Heavy Hitting Hurts My Head” is yet another EP release that caught my attention this year. Christian Leave released “Heavy Hitting Hurts My Head” on Feb. 28, and the high-energy EP lives within the indie-rock genre. Some notable tunes on the five-track EP are “Your Life Your Time” and “Hard Wad Body,” though it’s honestly hard to pick favorites. The EP’s upbeat instrumentals contrast Leave’s lyrics of not feeling comfortable in his skin and of being broken and unfixable. The 21-year-old artist has struck the balance between dynamic melodies and selfdeprecating lyrics in “Heavy Hitting Hurts My Heart.” The 14-minute EP explores Leave’s feelings of being overwhelmed and afraid of judgment and the finite nature of time. Although his lyrics revolve around self-critique in this classic comingof-age EP, Leave doesn’t let these gloomy thoughts linger, but instead, he contrasts these emotions with a nimated instr umentals that lighten and make “Heavy Hitting Hurts My Head” more meaningful. swood2@readbuzz.com