THURSDAY March 4, 2021
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Vol. 150 Issue 37
B117 stabilizes in CU during nationwide surge Variant cases in community, on campus contrast US exponential growth
BY AMRITA BHATTACHARYYA STAFF WRITER
Cases of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 are currently stable in C-U, contrasting the nationwide exponential growth of the virus which is doubling every 10 days. The B.1.1.7 variant is known to be more contagious compared to other variants with 2,400 reported cases nationwide as of Sunday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “In the next four to six weeks, there is an expectation that B.1.1.7 may become the predominant strain in the U.S.,” Awais Vaid, deputy administrator of the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, said. Rebecca Smith, epidemiologist and co-leader of the SHIELD team, expects an
increase in cases on campus as time goes on. Since the start of the year, there have been 13 confirmed cases of the B.1.1.7 variant on campus and 56 suspected cases. There are 67 reported cases of the B.1.1.7 variant in Illinois total as of Sunday. The campus daily sees about one to two suspected cases of the B.1.1.7 variant, according to Nigel Goldenfeld, COVID-19 modeler for the University and professor in Engineering. Goldenfeld says the lack of a significant increase in cases is partially attributable to the “incredibly effective” sur veillance testing that SHIELD does, due to quick test results and isolation of positive cases. To test for B.1.1.7, the
Reported cases of B117 variant
600
as of March 3
500 400 300 200 100 0
Florida
Michigan
California
BY CHIEH HSU & WILLIE CUI STAFF WRITERS
The Food and Drug Administration approved the University’s COVID-19 saliva test on Monday for emergency use. With this Emergency Use Authorization, the U of I system can “broadly expand its covidSHIELD testing beyond its universities,” according to the University. “It’s good because it is a good test,” said Christopher Brooke, assistant professor in LAS at the University. “It’s really been a success to keep the infection rate really low. The test took about a month to develop, and it could have been done more broadly, nationally and made a huge difference.”
Illinois
SEE VARIANT | 3A
Ever since the University backtracked its previous claim of approval, Illinois has pushed for an EUA, submitting its test to the FDA on Dec. 30, for approval in order to expand the use of its saliva test across the state of Illinois. “We look forward to SHIELD’s implementation in Urbana, particularly in neighborhoods where our most vulnerable populations live,” said Diane Marlin, mayor of Urbana, in an interview last December. The test may be conducted in laboratories designated by the University that are certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CILA) and “meet requirements to perform high complexity tests,” according to the EUA. However, the FDA notes that the test should be used in conjunction with other medical information to determine whether someone is infected. “Positive results are indicative of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA; clinical correlation with patient
Wisconsin
Source: Center for Disease Control CASSIDY BRANDT THE DAILY ILLINI
RSOs balance virtual, inperson events in spring
FDA authorizes UI saliva test for emergency use U of I system expands COVID-19 test to other schools
Texas
of our competitions were canceled,” said Julia Martz, president of Illini women’s soccer club. In the fall, different sports clubs were assigned different levels of activity depending on the level of contact and the risk of COVID-19. Sports such as golf continued to compete as they were able to comply; however, close contact sports could not compete. “We need to get a negative test, and we only take our masks off during water breaks,” Martz said regarding maintaining precautions while practicing. “Though we get to practice, the social aspect is still missing for us since we are friends and like to hang out apart from practice.” RSO’s for performance arts are facing a similar dilemma due to the lack of audiences and platforms because of the pandemic. There are fewer competitions and performances, with most of them shifting to virtual platforms. “It is difficult to meet up during the pandemic, but we have been able to rehearse in person three hours a week,” Dillon Maguigad, president of No Comment A Cappella, said. The group would typically get three rehearsals (nine hours) per week. “We did participate in a competition last semester and have had virtual concerts this semester, as well as last semester,” Maguigad said when asked about changes in the group’s performance due to the pandemic. “The virtual events are more like recorded videos and focus more on production editing.”
BY PAYAL RATHORE STAFF WRITER
PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
Illinois professor Christopher Byron poses for a professional headshot. Byron is leading a team that is trying to understand how COVID-19 saliva tests work on patients in the early stages of the virus.
UI, National Institute of Health research testing optimization
Many in-person events of Registered Student Organizations have shifted online to be compliant with University social distancing policies. While performance arts and sports-related RSOs are able to practice in-person with certain restrictions, most academic and pre-professional RSOs have adapted virtual settings for their activities. Registered Student Organizations are an important means for students to interact with their peers and form connections across campus. The pandemic, however, has impacted the ability to socialize as many RSOs shift their activities to virtual platforms. “A majority of events that we are hosting are virtual, since many of our active members are off campus, and we don’t want anyone missing out on any event,” said Aaron Guo, president of the University’s accounting club. The accounting club now invites accounting firms to give virtual presentations. Social events are held via Zoom and include movie and trivia nights. “Hands-on activities are a bit difficult to plan right now,” Guo said. “However, if we do have an in-person event, we will have to ensure that everyone present gets tested and that there is social distancing in place.” While sports teams continue to practice, competitions and other related events stand canceled for a majority of close contact sports. “We are still able to practice; however, a majority payalr2@dailyillini.com
tive or put into quarantine through contact tracing. In order to prevent the “You’re not contagious spread of COVID-19 effi- the whole time you’re ciently, a testing system infected,” Brooke said. “A that identifies patients in lot of people will test posiSEE TEST | 3A the early stage of their dis- tive a long time after they ease is essential. In light of are infected, well after they this, a collaborative proj- stop being contagious. ” ect between the University Brooke’s group is part of of Illinois and the National the Clinical Research Core Institute of Health inquires at the University of Masthe optimal way to employ sachusetts Medical School a COVID-19 diagnosis test. and funded by the Rapid “One of the huge short- Acceleration of Diagnoscomings of our response to tics project at the NIH. this virus “The NIH w a s t he took the lit“This research is giving us effective tle study we a high-resolution picture deployhave plantment of here of how this virus replicates e d diagnosand elevattic testing over time in people and how ed it severresources,” well it’s being picked up by al orders of said Chrisdifferent testing methods.” magnitude,” t o p h e r Brooke said. Brooke, Although CHRISTOPHER BROOKE a s s i s t a n t ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN MICROBIOLOGY saliva tests profesuse a nonCAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI sor in LAS invasive A University COVID-19 test site worker hands a student a at the University. “If that sample extraction methfunnel at the ARC testing site on Feb. 1. The University’s saliva had been done capably at od, it requires a processtest has received FDA emergency authorization. an appropriate scale early, ing facility and a few hours I think we would’ve saved of wait time to process the a lot of lives.” results. On the other hand, Brooke is the principal rapid antigen tests, where investigator for the col- the tests use nose swabs laborative project. Accord- to extract the samples, can ing to Brooke, most stud- be done quicker with little ies are done after a patient machinery. However, it’s has been treated at the hos- still not totally understood pital and late in the infec- how good a job they do at tion process. In contrast, detecting people while or the aim of his group is to before they are contagious, understand how the tests according to Brooke. work on patients in the “This research is giving Opinions: Celebrate Features: Alumni early stages. With the Unius a high-resolution picUnofficial, be brings TikTok versity’s frequent testing ture of how this virus repKENYON EDMOND THE DAILY ILLINI COVID-19 safe to the office policy, Brooke can reach licates over time in peo- Students learn about various RSOs at Quad Day on Aug. 26, out to students who have 2018. The majority of RSOs have had to move their activities PAGE 6A very recently tested posiSEE RESEARCH | 3A online since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. PAGE 4A BY CHIEH HSU STAFF WRITER
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Students rest in La Casa Cultural Latina on March 7, 2016. The University has established a program to increase Mexican enrollment.
UI works to increase Mexican student enrollment BY LUIS VELAZQUEZ
Kit Donahue Melissa Pasco
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The University of Illinois system seeks to expand and create connections with Mexico. New connections expect to increase enrollment of Mexican students and different partnerships for the University. The initiative, University of Illinois System Mexican & Mexican-American Students, known as I-MM Á S, began to develop back in 2016. Tim Killeen, president of the University
system, was involved in this agreement. Last fall, the Latinx enrollment increased to 17% within the 90,000 students enrolled systemwide, matching the Latinx percentage of the population in Illinois. Within the state of Illinois, the enrollment of Latinx undergraduate students is at 21%, and it continues to grow for 16 straight years, according to a University press release. “This important initiative is rooted in the
bedrock mission that we have carried since our founding — to open our doors wide, unlock the talents of every deserving student and create the next-generation workforce and innovation that paves the way to progress,” Killeen said in a press release. Autonomous national University of Mexico, one of the largest universities in Latin America, Technológico de Monterrey and the National Institute of Public Health are also involved
in the agreement. I-MMÁS will establish mentoring and other programs to support Mexican students in order to be successful at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. New exchange programs will be created to provide “international study opportunities for students,” according to the press release. lvelaz20@dailyillini.com
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THURSDAY March 4, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com
NEWS FROM 1A
VARIANT
CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI
A pharmacist draws the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine into a needle at the Church of the Living God on Feb. 20. The county has expanded the eligibility range for the vaccine.
Vaccine opens to younger at-risk persons BY SAMANTHA BOYLE MANAGING EDITOR FOR REPORTING
Fifteen new COVID-19 cases were reported on March 1 — the most the University has seen since Feb. 24. The University has conducted 1.5 million tests with 6,169 total positive cases since July. Champaign County as a whole has conducted about 1.76 million tests. With a 0.11 positivity rate, the University has been conducting around 10,000 tests per day. On March 1, the University conducted 13,998 tests. Champaign County has seen 18,256 total positive cases as of March 2, with 299 active cases. The county’s active cases are down 70 cases from Feb. 28. At the same time, about 80,000 total doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered. About 30,600 of those doses are the second dose. The county has opened eligibility for the vaccine for persons 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions. The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District lists these as underlying conditions: • Cancer • Chronic kidney disease
the future, but it wouldn’t be useful as of now in stopping transmissions. Vaid does not foresee Champaign County moving back to Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan in the short term. In the long term, Vaid says it is dependent on how fast the county can vaccinate a large proportion of the population and how well people follow social distancing guidelines. “We are providing vaccines better than any other county in the state of Illinois,” Vaid said. This is due to strong community partnerships in which vaccine centers are well equipped and ready to vaccinate people. Vaid says the CUPHD’s contact tracing team is able to identify cases and contacts within about 12 hours of receiving a lab result. In taking additional precautions against spreading COVID-19, Smith recommends double masking to decrease the risk of transmission. Specifically, she recommends putting the disposable mask on first and then a fabric mask. “The idea is that the disposable mask has better filtration and the cloth mask has better fit,” Smith said. “So by combining the two, you get the best of both worlds.” Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are effective against the B.1.1.7 and B.1.3.5.1 variants.
SHIELD team must do sequencing. The team does not sequence every sample that comes through the lab, but instead monitors for S gene dropout. This pattern is present in B.1.1.7 but also in other variants. According to Smith, the number of S gene dropouts which are not attributable to B.1.1.7 is “likely small enough not to matter,” so S gene dropouts are treated as suspect B.1.1.7 cases. “We know it’s here, we know to keep an eye on the S gene dropout,” Smith said. “We don’t need to know every single B.1.1.7 case at this point.” Another variant on the CDC’s radar is the B.1.3.5.1 variant first detected in South Africa, of which Illinois has one reported case as of March 1. “I am keeping an eye on B.1.3.5.1,” Smith said. “That one is of concern for me particularly because it’s associated with a potential increase in reinfections.” Genotyping is required to test for the B.1.3.5.1 variant. This means sequencing the whole gene of the virus, as opposed to the University’s polymerase chain reaction test to analyze three particular regions of the virus. Goldenfeld says the University may eventually consider setting up a systematic program of genotyping in abhatt52@dailyillini.com
FROM 1A
TEST
infection and should not be used as the sole basis for patient management decisions,” the EUA said. “Negative results for SARSCoV-2 RNA from saliva should be confirmed by testing of an alternative specimen type if clinically indicated.” As a result of the new EUA, residents of the Champaign county can potentially gain access to the SHIELD test through their public health services.
history and other diagnostic information is necessary to determine patient infection status,” said the EUA. The FDA also warns that a negative result does not necessarily mean that someone is uninfected with SARS-CoV-2, and other testing methods should be used to confirm suspected cases. “Negative results do news@dailyillini.com not preclude SARS-CoV-2 CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI
A Champaign County resident waits to receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at the Church of the Living God on Feb. 20.
• Diabetes • Heart conditions • Pulmonary diseases • Sickle Cell Disease • Smoking • Solid organ transplant • Pregnancy • Obesity • Persons with disability Chancellor Robert Jones also sent out a Massmail Tuesday discussing the COVID-19 variant, B.1.1.7. The variant was first
detected in the nited Kingdom, but has since been detected at the University. “With our rapid saliva test and frequent testing requirements, we have tools to maximize safety for our entire community, even with the emergence of this new variant,” Jones said in the email. The CUPHD has also stated that the COVID-19 vaccinations will also
protect people from the variant. “I strongly encourage you to be vaccinated when you receive a chance to do so,” Jones said. “We are grateful to CUPHD for their vaccination leadership, and we will continue to share any vaccination opportunities for our faculty, staff and students.” sjboyle2@dailyillini.com
FROM 1A
RESEARCH
of data they have collected and moved away from its preliminary stage. Due to the large number of volunteers and the complexity of monitoring test samples, their group is currently not looking for new participants.
ple and how well it’s being picked up by different testing methods,” Brooke said. “We can quantify how well rapid antigen tests work compared to what we’re doing on campus. This can chiehh3@dailyillini.com help guide how these tests can be used most effectively to block spread. ” Brooke’s group is processing the large amount
New week’s available vaccination appointments fill within hour Champaign remains sixthbest in state for vaccine rates at 80,079 doses BY ETHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR
essential workers and residents 65 and older. After more than a month of vaccine distribution, Champaign County stands near the top of many vaccine metrics compared to other counties across Illinois. After 2,038 new shots on Monday, the county has administered 80,079 doses of the vaccine, sixth-best of Illinois’ 102 counties despite being 10th in population. The top five dose distributors — Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will and Kane counties — also have the state’s five biggest populations. Champaign County ranks even better in per capita vaccination metrics. An estimated 23.5% of the county population has received at least one dose of the vaccine, while 14.6% have received the full two doses. Those percentages are the fourth-highest “first dose rate” and second-highest “full vaccination rate” of all counties in the state. Statewide, about 15.3% of the population has received at least one dose of a vaccine, while 6.8% have been fully vaccinated.
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District opened up three days of first dose vaccine appointments on Monday afternoon. An hour later, they were full. A new eligibility rung, the last of Phase 1B, had been added for this week’s appointments: County residents ages 16-39 with a set of underlying health conditions, including cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, heart conditions, weakened immune system after organ transplant, obesity, pregnancy, pulmonary disease and sickle cell disease. A relatively low vaccine supply prevented Champaign County from administering very many first doses last week. Most appointments were dedicated to sec- @esimmsnews ond doses for the early stag- ecsimmon@dailyillini.com es of Phase 1A and 1B, like
CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI
Two Moderna COVID-19 vaccines wait to be used at the Church of the Living God on Feb. 20. The county has administered 80,079 dses of the vaccine
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THURSDAY March 4, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com
LIFE & CULTURE
Illini Esports competes in virtual arena BY MATEO BAUTISTA CONTRIBUTING WRITER
With every eye glued to a computer screen at the Innovation Studio, the match began. The clacking of keyboards and the whirring of processor fans were drowned out by the cheering of students, as the Illini League of Legends team dominated Purdue University’s team. Illini Esports started on campus as a group of students united by their passion for gaming. This enthusiasm led to the organization growing into multiple competitive Esports teams in games such as League of Legends, Call of Duty, Super Smash Bros. Melee and more. Each of these games has its own collegiate league that Illini Esports participates in, where they compete against other college’s competitive teams. The amount of work each player puts into these games is comparable to athletes from more traditional sports, with many players putting in more than 40 hours a week of practice. League of Legends coach Dawid Bycul explained that some players even play for amateur teams on top of their commitment to the Illini Esports team. “Players are expected to scrim four to six hours a day,” Bycul explains. “That’s, what, 30 hours a week, right? Then they’re also playing for collegiate which is also taking up 15 hours a week.” This hard work is reflect-
ed in their performances, with Illini Esports winning the 2019 Big Ten Network Championship and a top-four finish in the 2019 League of Legends College Championship. However, not even Illini Esports can escape the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic led to the cancellation of college Esports tournaments in 2020 and continues to impact the livelihoods of the players. Lis Chapa, Director of Operations for Illini Esports, explained, “Unfortunately, our lab space where we do have practices and they do their official matches normally can hold around 25 people, but because of restrictions we’re down to five.” Without access to the more stable internet at the Innovation Studio, as well as its top-of-the-line computers, players are more susceptible to dropped internet connections and hardware issues. Practices are less efficient because of lag, hardware setup, and losing connection to the game. Worse still, a player that loses internet connection during a competitive game can seriously hurt the team’s ability to win. Bycul elaborated on how it has thrown off the schedules of the players. “My players stay up late. I have tournaments at noon that we almost missed because a player is asleep,”
Bycul continued. “We have definitely dropped games this season because we’re mentally not there. Someone’s hungry because they forgot to eat before, someone’s tired because they’re not used to waking up at 11 a.m.” Trying to develop habits that stick has become a larger issue for the Esports’ teams since the pandemic started. Now that players are not in the same location and because they can be more flexible with when events are, practices are scheduled for when all players are available. That does not mean it is always the best time for them. If a player is waking up at 3 p.m. each day because their schedule allows them to, having a practice or game at 3 p.m. might be doable for them, but they will not be in a good state of mind. While these are some difficulties Illini Esports has encountered, there has been some good news to look forward to. The transition to a more internet-reliant society has led to a spike in viewership for their games on Twitch and Discord. A.J. Taylor, president of Illini Esports, said, “We saw that there was a huge spike when COVID first hit and the lockdown was happening.” Zade Lobo, VR Club Vice President and Illini Esports VR Competitive Coordinator, explained that all competitive players are in the
JULIA EVERSMANN THE DAILY ILLINI
Illini Esports Discord and that it gives fans the unique experience of being able to interact with them. “You can just reach out to them and say ‘Hey, I want to work on this tactic, how do I do that?’ and they can give
you advice and a lot of them are very friendly,” Lobo said. Illini Esports also sets up ‘watch parties,’ where students can hop onto the stream of a competitive game. When the pandemic passes, Illini Esports is
planning to host in-person watch parties where students can cheer for their team in person. mateodb2@dailyillini.com
Alumnus helps students land jobs through TikTok BY ALEXIS LAZARO CONTRIBUTING WRITER
It’s no secret that one of the most dreaded aspects of the undergraduate experience is successfully securing a career after graduation. From writing the perfect resumé to networking with other alumni in their chosen field, it’s a difficult process across the board that can be overwhelming for students. David Paykin, an alum from the University’s class of 2017, understands this all too well, noting that it can be difficult for undergraduates to receive the most minimal advice due to accumulated debt from pursuing a degree. This inspired him to start his TikTok profile, @CorporateLife, in hopes of reaching as many graduating students as possible and making their transition out of student life as easy as he can. “My view on it is that students and people who are coming out of school should not, after already paying so much money for tuition, have to pay to get more of this information,” Paykin said. Acknowledging the direction other content creators like him have taken, Paykin
made it clear that he wanted to keep his content accessible to all, choosing to stay on TikTok over exclusive platforms such as Clubhouse, a podcast-styled chatting app that directly connects users via invitation. This mindset has also pushed Paykin to develop free resumé, cover letter and networking templates as well as a LinkedIn group with thousands of active participants that can be accessed through a website titled beacons.page/ davidpaykin. The audience plays a big role in the creation of Paykin’s videos, and he strives to deliver the content that they want to see. “What I realized was the disconnect,” he said. “Everybody who had this knowledge was building their content based on what they wanted to see and not listening to their community and to students, to understand what their problems are right now.” Although it can be tedious work, Paykin noted that he reads through every single comment and finds the common thread that connects them to make a video that addresses that specific problem.
As an example, he said he took up the issue of finding a job for a specific major or field, which is a comment that shows up often under his videos. He will take the major or field that is being commented on repeatedly and make a video showing how to get a job in the field or industry for that specific major. Paykin credited this as the source of his success and why he has grown so much since starting his profile in October 2020. He said he believes that helping people and getting them to where they want to be will ultimately lead him to be able to help more people. “In reality, if I help a student, they’re going to go tell all their friends or their family or people who also need help that they know, and then I can help more people,” he said. He said he believed there should be a shift in mentality from looking at people as dollar signs to looking at their problems and offering substantial solutions that will make a difference for them. Paykin also said that this is something that should stretch to businesses as well who try to gain the most monetary value from their consumers by giving them the bare mini-
KAITLIN MIKRUT THE DAILY ILLINI
mum effort. Even from personal experience, Paykin said that so many times in college, students get focused on one company or one type of job, but
there are so many different ways for you to end up at that company or in that role. “We just need to be really thoughtful about the fact that the decision you make today is
not the decision you make for the rest of your life, and that it is always up for a change,” he said. alazar20@dailyillini.com
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Thursday, March 4, 2021
Students battle seasonal affective disorder BY LIZ GREMER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
As the days remain dark and gloomy, a feeling of lethargy and sadness is present in many students. While there has been a breath of fresh air as spring approaches, students may continue to feel the effects of seasonal affective disorder, more commonly known as seasonal depression. Seasonal affective disorder is a subset of depression that is related to a change in the season, Dr. Robert Woodward, Medical Director of McKinley Health Center, said. The change in mood typically begins and ends around the same time every year, with most prevalence during late fall and winter. In comparison to other types of depression, like chronic and acute, seasonal affective disorder differs. While diagnosis criteria differ among medical professionals, a history of the same symptoms during different times of the year when the weather changes can help support a diagnosis. “(Seasonal affective disorder) differs from other depression,” Woodward said. “The patient is not being exposed to an acute event like the death of a family member or having symptoms that are pervasive throughout the year.” Amy Wiedmann, Clinical Counselor at the Counseling Center, said symptoms of seasonal affective disorder may include mood changes, losing interest in activities, changes in appetite or weight, unexplained aches and pains, in addition to a change in sleeping patterns. “Seasonal depression oftentimes has the same sorts of symptoms as other sorts of depression,” Wiedmann said. “The difference that makes
KAITLIN MIKRUT THE DAILY ILLINI
it unique is that it usually occurs at around the same time every year.” Although seasonal affective disorder might not be persistent or particularly significant for those who suffer from it, there are different ways to combat and manage it. While some turn to more medical techniques, such as
light therapy or counseling, others can incorporate specific behaviors into their daily life that help to control it. From participating in daily exercise to taking the time to make social connections, the feelings and symptoms may decrease. However, being able to engage in activities like this
KAITLIN MIKRUT THE DAILY ILLINI
KEEP YOURSELF AND OTHERS SAFE!
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is more difficult due to COVID-19. The stay-at-home order has influenced all factors of life and has left an impact on people’s mental health, leading many students to feel isolated. Ashley Clarke, freshman in LAS, said she has experienced this isolation. “If COVID wasn’t a thing, we could go out in the winter and we could hang out and go to places,” Clarke said. “We can’t do that right now. I’m stuck in my dorm most of the time, and I don’t really see the sun.” For many, the feeling of isolation has heightened with the pandemic. Many restaurants and activities are not available or recommended, making it difficult for many people to have social interactions, Woodward said. “It is my opinion that most people crave human interaction, even if, for example, it is just going out to lunch,” he said. “Many do not wish to meet up with people during the pandemic, so they do not
take advantage of lunch as an excuse to get out during the daylight hours.” The virtual aspect of school and classes has also added to the symptoms of seasonal depression for some. Without having in-person classes, many students are left without a routine which can have an adverse effect on seasonal affective disorder, Wiedmann said. “That’s the thing with COVID,” Clarke said. “We never stop with school. We could do the entire semester if we wanted. There’s never that clear cut: ‘I’m in class right now. I’m done.’” With the feelings of seasonal depression and its impact, there are also many resources the University offers for students and faculty to utilize. Although it can be difficult to reach out for help during a time of the pandemic, there are many options for students to explore, Wiedmann said. “There’s such variety,” she said. “Even if a student only
comes one time and feels like they got what they needed, then it’s a wonderful thing for everyone involved.” McKinley Health Center has 22 primary care providers for students to see in regard to mental health disorders, Woodward said. Additionally, McKinley offers a program that provides students with the opportunity to access light therapy from the Mental Health Unit in an attempt to combat seasonal affective disorder. Appointments can be made either in-person or via telehealth from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Counseling Center also offers mental health resources and therapy. Students can call 217-333-3704 to connect with a counselor and schedule an appointment. Additional resources include Kognito, an at-risk training program, as well as their social media. egremer2@dailyillini.com
NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD ACROSS
1 Singer Del Rey 5 Giant walking combat vehicle in “Star Wars” films 9 Stuffs 14 Not just occasionally 15 Blue shade 16 Without backup 17 Poppycock 18 Release, as a song, in modern lingo 19 “OK, you win” 20 Something directly following a penultimate position — that is to say, diametrically opposed to a primary one 23 Gracefully send away 24 Passing comment? 25 Girl group with the 1999 #1 album “FanMail” 26 90s, say 31 Lie in the sun 34 Like an oven 36 Demographic figure 37 “Bullet” in a food fight 38 Female kangaroo 39 Golden blades that may be tenderly chew’d by equine or bovine beings 44 None of it is good, as the saying goes 45 One committing insurance fraud, maybe 46 Prospector’s find 48 ___ Halles (central food market in Paris, once) 49 It may end with a reality check 53 The cat’s meow, baby. Dig? 57 Follower of pigs or cows 58 Be plentiful 59 In perpetuity 60 Country sound
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PUZZLE BY STEVE MOSSBERG
61 Black-and-white swimmer 62 Name meaning “born again” 63 Shipment 64 Actor Damon 65 Till section DOWN 1 Drink from a machine 2 Colorful kind of shirt 3 Common congestion points 4 Figure skater, for one 5 With more of the same sort 6 Donna ___, 2014 Pulitzer winner for “The Goldfinch” 7 Confess openly 8 Mistakke, of a sort? 9 Agreed to tie the knot 10 North African capital 11 Work
12 “That most odious and antisocial of all passions”: John Stuart Mill 13 Date 21 Pioneering I.S.P. 22 Four-star 26 Wiped out 27 Human rights lawyer Clooney 28 Number two 29 What crystal jellies do when disturbed 30 Views 31 ___ Men (one-hit wonder group of 2000) 32 Food thickener 33 Janitor’s janglers 35 Decides 40 Not doing a darn thing 41 Cry toward the end of a list 42 Source of some omega-3s
43 It may be rolled out for exercise 44 Competitor of 21-Down 47 Cartoonist Chast 49 Tape recorder button 50 Torn asunder 51 TV producer Chaiken 52 Funerary burners 53 Classic name in audio equipment 54 Shakespeare character who says “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is / To have a thankless child!” 55 Model in a science classroom 56 Computing prefix 57 Alternative to an ellipsis
The crossword solution is in the Classified section.
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THURSDAY March 4, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com
OPINIONS THE DAILY ILLINI EDITORIAL
Americans will someday embrace ‘flexitarianism’ CHIARA AWATRAMANI COLUMNIST
W
hen my partner first asked if I would do Veganuary with them, I laughed. No way was I not going to eat all my favorite foods like shrimp biryani and pizza. Instantly, I decided on going vegetarian for the month instead. So, I settled for substituting shrimp with spinach, already missing the fresh taste of meat. However, I was not prepared for the immense appreciation for the vegetarian lifestyle I would gain. E Before my one-month E M V KISS EGATI stint as a vegetarian, I N D couldn’t imagine my meals OVI I’M C meatless. Spaghetti had meat in the sauce and fried rice had chicken amongst the veggies. And that was that. Besides, who could live without a good burger? A lot of people. According to Deals On Health, around 10% of the world populaJONAH OZER THE DAILY ILLINI tion is vegetarian, the U.S. accounting for one-fifth of the world’s vegetarians. Clearly, people thrive without meat. In fact, a meatless diet dizing the fragile public and allow the Illini traBesides, Unofficial lowers the risk for many health situation. dition to transcend state weekend not only denotes diseases and conditions. Still, students don’t boundaries. an annual Illini custom Healthline claims that vegdeserve to be admonished We implore those willbut also a solemn mileetarians are approximately for drinking and partying to wait in long bar stone — one whole calone-third less likely to be ing responsibly if they are lines to instead plan endar year since COVID hospitalized due to heart doing it within their own something smaller and infiltrated campus and disease; this diet is also said private “pod” of people. A at home. The inability to forced the remainder of to help prevent and treat few close friends celebrat- celebrate in large groups the Spring semester to be Type 2 diabetes and high ing away from the bars is no reason to lose enthu- held virtually. It may be blood pressure. may be less than ideal, siasm for celebrating, a grim anniversary, but The facts alone were not but it still can be fun and especially as this semeswith the end in sight, stu- enough to persuade me. We in accordance with state ter is long and without dents deserve to toast to do a lot of things in our lives guidelines. Students can respite. But there is a having endured the rough that are unhealthy so why still dance and play pong responsible and irrespon- year. not eat meat? What confrom the comfort of their sible way to enjoy this Illini, you’ve more than vinced me that vegetarianown apartments. year’s Unofficial. earned an opportunity for ism was not that bad was the If one’s chosen UnoffiThe University adminsocialization and a party. quality and deliciousness of cial pals are off campus istration may abhor But appreciate the holivegetarian meals. or aren’t part of the group Unofficial, but students day in a manner that fails So many dishes such as of people he or she regudeserve more than three to exacerbate the panpizza, pasta, fried rice and larly sees, Zoom is not Wednesdays and a basic demic. Just make sure stir fry could be adjusted only a relevant vehicle for acknowledgment that the that before you kiss the to not include meat withcelebration but perhaps social distance guidelines Irish that you see their out losing the essence of an inclusive one. One can have been demanding and Safer Illinois app first. the dish. Certain meals like invite University alumtaxing on students’ menpasta with red sauce, pesto ni to virtually celebrate tal health. pasta, cheese pizza, dal, saag
Enjoy ‘Unofficial’ conscious of COVID-19
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ntil the return to post-pandemic normalcy, everyone will simply seek refuge in familiar comforts and traditions to satiate the thirst for routine. For Illini, this means the celebration of Unofficial. Just do so safely. The University’s decision to cancel Spring Break means students will remain on campus during St. Patrick’s Day — something the administration has often tried to avoid — and feeling more burnt out than ever. And although students deserve this excuse to celebrate and a reprieve from isolation, they should do so with special considerations to the ongoing pandemic in order to avoid jeopar-
paneer or vegetable stir fry don’t contain meat in the first place. Currently, companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods have found success due to their invention of “meatless meat.” These meat substitutes are available at many supermarkets and taste divine. This provides another method of eating vegetarian. Throughout time, as it has gotten easier to substitute meat, more Americans have adopted the vegetarian lifestyle. Also, health risks and environmental concerns of eating meat have brought vegetarianism to the mainstream. Still, many people — myself included — have many doubts about devout vegetarianism: What about vitamins? What about protein? What about homemade fried chicken? From these doubts came my prediction for the future American diet: “flexitarianism.” The first time I heard about this, around three weeks into my vegetarian challenge, I rejoiced. Throughout my vegetarian experience, I had discovered I would never want to be a strict vegetarian, solely because I would miss out on a world of different foods and cultural cuisines. With the introduction of flexitarianism, I realized I could occasionally enjoy my favorite meals that contain meat, explore world cuisine and enjoy the various health benefits of eating less meat. Many Americans express interest in this middle ground as well. According to Earthday, more than half of Americans display a willingness to consume less meat and/or eat more plant-based substitutes and foods. Flexitarianism is the fantastic future of food because of its delicious blend of compromise between meat consumption and healthier plant-based diets. Chiara is a freshman in LAS. cawatr2@dailyillini.com
Youth endures as compass for dazed spirits despite its ever-fleeting nature NATHANIEL LANGLEY COLUMNIST
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ature dictates youth as ever fleeting. Yet, in retrospect, youth in nearly every other cultural facet is depicted as a retreating state of mind: a disposition, frankly, under constant constraints by societal burdens. Youth is a resource exquisitely bestowed to the human psyche, but it also represents the most fragile aspect of the human condition. If youth capitulates in life’s most contentious moments — be it primarily staggering stress — the youthful resource is therein extracted and seldom survives outside an abiding individual. Youth’s exceptionally combative occasions appear in its tense transgressions against exterior pressures. No better illustrations for these moments of youthfulness are exemplified than in bildungsroman films presenting portraits of pure youthful bliss in a single day. Most notably, the films best equipped in this youthful endeavor are Richard Linklater’s “Dazed and Confused,” and George Lucas’s “American Graffiti.” Both set in their respective director’s adolescent ages, Linklater and Lucas craft picturesque tales chronicling characters’ last hurrah for youth — youthful jubilees contradicting
impeding age and life’s laborious fate. Nevertheless, each film captures a vivid snapshot that resembles a goodbye to primeful youth, but, in fact, is a window into the potential, glowing life one has with youthfulness in their soul. Linklater’s “Dazed and Confused” captures the essence of the last day of high school and bottles this illusive substance into a dazzling motion picture. Set in 1976, Linklater’s single-day account of youth arranges this treasured resource at a crucial crossroad for the characters as this disoriented cast ponders their summer and future plans. Following Randall “Pink” Floyd’s outset summer odyssey, youth reveals itself in the form of the boldly free-riding, laxed approach to life Floyd and company value. The central thesis of “Dazed and Confused” revolves around hempinclined David Wooderson’s — remarkably played by Matthew McConaughey — pivotal guidance to Floyd in pressing, “Let me tell you this, the older you do get, the more rules they’re going to try to get you to follow. You just gotta keep livin’ man. L-I-V-I-N.” With McConaughey’s beaming delivery, Linklater notes youth’s burial as one ages, including societal pressures integrating individuals “to try to get you to follow”, the Kafka-esque drum ever-beating for societal conformity. The rebellion in this
instance does not lie in youth resisting against a mellowed order of sorts, but rather the rejection exists in one renouncing youth and “L-I-V-I-N,” opting alternatively to a humdrum system in which youth is taboo. This same directive rings true in Lucas’s “American Graffiti” set in 1962 California. In Lucas’s ode to the summer of ‘62, characters’ anguish for the future eclipses their realization that radiant youth and opportunity have been entirely with them in their quest for truth in maturity. Accompanying summer’s final night, Lucas provides the audience a technicolor wonderland of youth’s eternal spring on the streets of southern California. Ironically, these characters on college’s cusp dread youth’s purported exit; their night of shenanigans assume as if youth will request its unbridled return at the stroke of midnight. Youth’s dispute against merciless, imminent uncertainties exist both in characters’ anxieties for college, as well as Lucas’s representation for a youthful nation losing its innocence a year later — America capsized in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy’s harrowing assassination. This pairing further elucidates youth as a liberating means for one’s mind — in youth, there is no trepidation for life’s potential fizzling. In conjunction with “Dazed and Confused,” “American Graffiti” is an image springing with youth-
PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB
Marissa Ribisi, Michelle Burke and Jason London star in “Dazed and Confused.” Columnist Nathaniel discusses the film and its relationship with the fleeting nature of youth.
ful freedom. However, where Linklater’s film culminates in youth’s triumph over the mundane, Lucas opts to display the incessant reality. Suspecting youth’s calamitous conclusion and, in turn, fabricating a resistance, “American Graffiti’s” attentive characters remark of the titular character, Curt, “(he) just said at dinner tonight that he didn’t see what the big hurry was. He thought that he ought to stick around and go to (Junior College) for a while, and try and figure out what he wanted to do with his life.” Curt’s inkling for suspending youth never manifests as he eventually does resolve to attend college. Still, Curt’s conviction for maintaining youth confuses adolescence with inaction and postponing life’s inevitable interruption — an unnecessary interruption when one already preserves a youthful soul. Youth and inaction share
no correlation, but when the dread of losing youth paralyzes individuals, inaction becomes the logistical conclusion to numb the panic of relinquishing youth. Mass culture advocates for youthful hearts, yet the common incentive remains for individuals to withdraw youthfulness and elect for more subjective sophistication and maturity. Definitively, youth is the independent spirit free of subjugation and qualms. Friedrich Nietzsche — the father of nihilism, not regularly associated with any joyful thought — haphazardly characterizes youthful spirits best when professing one “to become master over yourself, master of your own good qualities.” In youth, one is master to none — subservient to parents and elders, naturally, but nonetheless autonomous of life’s later administrators. There are many ways in which youth can fall adrift,
yet there are seldom manners in which youth may retrieve its occupant. As demonstrated in “Dazed and Confused” and “American Graffiti,” the youthful spirit marches in its own rhythm — a rhythm endangered, still, at any potential peril. Like any given resource, youthfulness requires an unabashed commitment and clear resolve in maintaining its opulence. However, life will never equally resemble the cautionary innocence exhibited in films like “Dazed and Confused” and “American Graffiti.” Youthfulness, henceforth, becomes an individual’s responsibility to cherish and conserve in all its liberation and defiance of gravity: a recognition, not ignorance, of life’s ulterior influences to pester, to secure the enlightened, youthful spirit. Nathaniel is a sophomore in LAS. ntl3@dailyillini.com
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.
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THURSDAY March 4, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com
SPORTS
SWIM & DIVE
PHOTO COURTESY OF FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS
Junior Abigail Cabush competes in a butterfly event during competition. Cabush has been named the Illini of the Week after solid personal performances this weekend in the Big Ten Championships.
Cabush breaks records, etches name into history books BY RENATO ARTEAGA STAFF WRITER
Everything about the world was up in the air. Coaches were fighting to keep their team’s spirits up, and athletes were training without any indication of when they would be able to compete again. Without any timetable for a return, the women’s swim and dive team had no idea if they would even have a season or get a chance to showcase their skills. Once they did get the clearance to compete this season, the team’s main concern was making the most of their opportunity. After the Illini finished the regular season with a 1-3 recorded and advanced to the 2021 Big Ten Championships, junior Abigail Cabush, along with many others, entered the playoffs
having already broken previous records. This weekend, Cabush and the Illini etched their names into the history books after the team finished in 12th place with 177 points. “One of the bigger things this year was we all set our own goals, and we all had accountability partners,” Cabush said. “At this meet, my partner was Isabelle Guerra. We all talked about each of our events and what we wanted to do. Then, we symbolized when we achieved goals with a sticker board, like there were different stickers for the accountability goals and best times.” The tactic was simple, but after the team broke 40 personal records and recorded nine new all-time school records, their sticker board filled up. During the third day of
playoff action, Cabush qualified for the finals with a time of 1:47.80 and broke her previous 200-yard freestyle school record — 1:47.90 — which she set earlier in the season on Feb. 6. Her preliminary time once again broke the previous 200-yard freestyle school record of 1:47.96, which was set on Feb. 8, 2007, by Barbie Viney. “At the conclusion of that race, I was most excited about being able to come and be able to make it back that same day for a night swim to score some points,” Cabush said. “It was so exciting to look up into stands when I finished, and my teammates were giving me two thumbs up after I asked if it was a good swim. … It was cool to see all the hard work we put in this year be paid off, and we saw it with tangible
results.” The Sussex, Wisconsin, native was one of two Illini swimmers that qualified for the finals, and she even managed to set a new personal record in the 50-yard freestyle the day before with a time of 23.49. Freshman Cara Bognar, the other qualifying Illini swimmer, headed to the finals with a time of 4:18.70 in the 400-yard individual medleys preliminary and praised Cabush’s leadership and impact on making others on the team feel welcome. “Abby is one of the most amazing leaders and teammates I could have ever wished for,” Bognar said. “In a way, she is one of the people on the team that I look up to the most. Her leadership has inspired me to become not
just a better swimmer, but an overall better person.” As the only upperclassman on the relay, Cabush managed to record the fourth fastest 200-yard medley relay time in school history with sophomore Athena Salafatinos, sophomore Divya Kale, and freshman Lily Olson with their time of 1:41.19 during the first day of competition. Cabush and her teammates in the 200-yard freestyle and the 400-yard freestyle relay — Olson, freshman Laurel Bludgen and senior Emma Curtis — also managed to set the fastest time by the Illini in both events all season with times of 1:32.49 and 3:23.75, respectively. While Cabush’s records will leave a lasting impression of her phenomenal time
with the team, she remains hopeful about the success she and the team will continue to have during her remaining years for the Illini. The number of underclassmen that stepped up to the plate during this year’s championships is something that excites Cabush about the future of the program. “We had a lot of freshmen and sophomores that are really buying into the team culture and that are really excited to swim,” Cabush said. “It’s really cool to see that we did well this year, but next year we can be even better. … I know the team is going to be in good hands, because we have so many underclassmen that love to step up and swim fast.” renatoa2@dailyillini.com
MEN’S BASKETBALL
DOMINANT DISPLAYS FROM CURBELO, FRAZIER LIFT ILLINI BY JACKSON JANES ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Illinois was supposed to travel to Ann Arbor just under three weeks ago to take on a Michigan squad that had just received clearance to return from a COVID-19 pause. Much to the annoyance of Illini fans across the country, the game was moved to the last week of the season, forcing the Illini to play three ranked opponents in their final three games. After winning two straight games without Ayo Dosunmu, who sat out after breaking his nose against Michigan State on Feb. 23, the Illini dominated without their star guard once again Tuesday night, taking down the No. 2 Wolverines on the road, 76-53. The win was the Illini’s seventh in program history against a top-2 opponent, while it’s the team’s first since they beat No. 1 Indiana in Champaign in 2013. Impressive scoring displays from Trent Frazier and Andre Curbelo and dominance on the boards on both ends of the court guided the Illini to the unexpected win. Let’s take a look at seven key Illini performances from the team’s resounding win.
TRENT FRAZIER After spending two s e a sons on below average teams, Frazier exemplifies everything this Illini team represents: passion, determination and grit. The Florida native stepped up once again against the No. 2 Wolverines on Tuesday, scoring 22 points — his third 20+ point performance of the season — on 7-18 shooting, including 2-5 from beyond the arc.
Frazier’s shooting was certainly his standout contribution, but his defense was impressive once again, as he held Michigan guard Mike Smith to five points and no assists on 2-6 shooting. His intensity on the defensive end of the court was apparent for all 40 minutes, and he was one of the biggest reasons why the Wolverines attempted just seven 3-pointers — making two — despite averaging over 19 attempts per game. The Illini needed a big performance from Frazier, and that’s exactly what they got. If Frazier can continue to put together dominant defensive displays while also complementing Dosunmu and Cockburn on offense, beware of this Illinois squad come the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments.
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ANDRE CURBELO Without Dosunmu, Curbelo is tasked with running and controlling the pace of the offense, and Tuesday’s game was one of his best in an Illini uniform. Curbelo extended his doubledigit point streak to four games, as he scored 17 points and grabbed six rebounds. The Puerto Rico native came off the bench after three minutes and jump-started the Illini offense, opening the scoring with a nice layup before ultimately scoring seven of the team’s first 10 points. Curbelo craftiness was much needed without Dosunmu, and tonight’s performance should give Illini fans plenty of optimism for the
future of Illinois basketball. Turnovers have been an issue for the freshman all season, and after turning the ball over 11 times across the last two games, Curbelo had just two on Tuesday. His decision-making has significantly improved over recent weeks, and though he picked up four fouls, Curbelo looks like a dangerous weapon off the bench for Brad Underwood’s squad.
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KOFI COCKBURN Michigan’s Hunter Dickinson is one of the few college centers who matches up with Cockburn in terms of height and size. The Jamaica native certainly got the better of the Wolverine freshman, as Cockburn scored 12 points on 6-10 shooting while holding Dickinson — who is averaging almost 15 points per game — to six points on 1-8 shooting. Though Cockburn got into foul trouble, his defense was intense and made it hard for Dick-
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inson to get any good looks. Austin Davis was able to find a bit more success against Cockburn, as he scored nine points on 4-4 shooting. Cockburn proved he can do more than just finish alley-oops from Dosunmu or Curbelo, and he needs to bring this defensive intensity in the postseason if the Illini have any shot of putting up a fight against other top teams. SEE GRADES | 2B
2B Thursday, March 4, 2021
THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
SOFTBALL
Avrey Steiner keeps it simple as she leads Illini lineup Team captain excels on field, jumpstarts offense over six-game weekend series BY CARSON GOURDIE ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Patience, but be aggressive. Hit for contact, but smack it if they doubt you. Read the defense, but let the instincts take over. Sophomore infielder Avrey Steiner’s strategy at the plate can be narrowed down to a singular facet: She simply does what’s needed at the time. That approach helped her go 11-22 over the six-game weekend series, jumpstarting a sluggish Illini offense. “(Softball) is all situational,” Steiner said. The Illini have started the season on fire, going a combined 5-1 in Florida over Rutgers, Maryland and Michigan, with pitch-
FROM 1B
GRADES Adam Miller: A
After struggling with his confidence early in the season, Miller has flipped a switch over the last few weeks, as he is finally getting his shots to fall from deep. This improvement was especially apparent on Tuesday when the Peoria native hit a deep step-back three to open up an insurmountable 16-point Illini lead, and he finished with six points on 2-7 shooting, including 2-4 from deep. Even when his offensive production isn’t topclass, Miller steps up on the defensive end, forcing Wolverine shooters into tough, contested looks. He was
ing having a major influence on the team’s success. Pitching was good last year, too, but the Illini still struggled to reach .500 before the season ended. This weekend, though, hitting was able to give the pitching staff some wiggle room. Steiner hit .338 last season, shining bright on a team that struggled to score more than one run during a large portion of the non-conference schedule. A batting average that high is usually the peak for college athletes, but Steiner wasted little time in the off-season to become a more complete hitter. “She is a coach’s dream,” said head coach Tyra Perry. “She is very determined, and she comes to practice every day looking to get better in every facet.” Steiner’s softball IQ — and natural skills — has made her one of the toughest outs in the Big Ten. In 23 plate appearances in Florida, she only struck out twice, but she only walked once. Steiner consistently made contact with the also one of the reasons why Michigan took only seven 3-pointers, as he constantly put pressure on the perimeter and essentially eliminated Franz Wagner, Isaiah Livers and Eli Brooks for the entirety of the game. The freshman guard has found his shooting touch, a trend the Illini will hope continues going into the postseason.
Jacob Grandison: A-
Ever since moving into the starting lineup, Grandison has been a huge asset for the IIlini, as they have gone 8-1 in games he’s started. On Tuesday, the Oakland, California, native scored three points, with the lone basket coming just over two minutes into the second half to open up a
PHOTO COURTESY OF FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS
Junior Avrey Steiner fields a ball during competition. Steiner has been the most successful Illinois softball player so far this season, striking out only twice in 23 plate appearances in Florida.
ball, putting pressure on the defense. Because of Steiner’s track record — mostly singles —
defenses try to stack the odds against her, having the infielders move up on the diamond. What defens-
es will start to figure out, against Rutgers and Michihowever, is Steiner’s abil- gan, respectively. ity to carry the ball, shown SEE STEINER | 3B with her triple and double
double-digit lead, while he also added a season-high five assists. Though he will never be a huge scoring threat, Grandison brings the intensity on defense and is aggressive on the boards. He grabbed six rebounds on Tuesday, including three on the offensive end, and these offensive boards directly led to six secondchance points. His grit and determination was also apparent when he dove for a loose ball despite the Illini being up by over 20 points, which shows he’s willing to work hard regardless of the score or opponent. Once Dosunmu returns, it will be interesting to see if Brad Underwood opts to keep Grandison in the lineup or replace him with
Williams, who has also put together some impressive displays over the last few weeks.
ing has also significantly improved over the last few games, as he’s taken at least six shots in each of the last three games. Like Miller and Frazier, Williams’ defensive intensity helped limit Michigan’s 3-point shooting threat, and the Wolverines likely would’ve taken more shots from behind the arc if it wasn’t for Williams’ energetic defensive effort.
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Da’Monte Williams: A-
Last year, Williams was used primarily for his defense, as he averaged less than three points per game during the 20192020 season. This season, Williams has added some scoring to his already stout, disciplined defense, as he is averaging 5.4 points per game this season. The Peoria native scored seven points on Tuesday on 2-6 shooting. Williams brought intensity on both ends of the court, as all seven of his points came off secondchance opportunities. His confidence in his shoot-
Giorgi Bezhanishvili: B+
in holding the Wolverine big men to a combined 15 points. Bezhanishvili also had a solid offensive performance, as he scored four points on 2-3 shooting, while he also grabbed two offensive rebounds. It was a pretty typical display for Bezhanishvili on Tuesday, as he played well on both ends of the court, though he still lacks the physicality and size that Cockburn brings to this dominant Illini squad. Though he isn’t Cockburn, Bezhanishvili is a solid replacement for the Jamaica native when he’s on the bench or gets into foul trouble.
With Cockburn on the bench for large stretches in both halves, Bezhanishvili was forced to guard Dickinson and Davis, both of whom are bigger and stronger than him. Despite the challenge, the Georgia native had a solid outing, @JacksonJanes3 as he also played a big role janes6@dailyillini.com
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MEN’S BASKETBALL FROM 2B
STEINER W hen tea ms sta r t to respect the singles machine, Steiner likes to drop a bunt down to catch napping infielders offguard. The constant catand-mouse game Steiner plays with defenses has kept innings alive, while Steiner gets to act as a liaison for the team. “It’s more of a trial and error,” Steiner said regarding her approach. “I can see what the pitcher gives up, and I can help observe and relay it back to the team. It can help us make adjustments.” Steiner’s ability to lead by example has made her a natural leader for the team, as she enters her second season as a team captain. Perry, who has seen tremendous growth from Steiner since her freshman season, has noticed how humble of a player Steiner is despite her success at the plate. With a young team that struggles to consistently produce power, Steiner’s ability to get on base at the leadoff position by any means necessary is vital, as she has the gift of being able to manufacture her own run. “We teach a system making sure players maximize their god-given talent, (and) she has speed and a high IQ,” Perry said. “Once she gets on base, she can push the envelope and steal and score.” Though Steiner excels at turning a single into a de facto extra-base hit due to her speed — stealing two bases — the infielder took the role of the cleanup hitter last weekend and drove in a team-high six runs, which helped the Illini blow out the Scarlet Knights and hold off the Wolverines. The Big Ten season will be unprecedented, as the Illini will face a conference-only schedule due to COVID-19 protocols. Games against mid-level conferences usually help inflate players’ statistics, but it seems like Steiner really doesn’t need the boost. With a current batting average of .500, Steiner’s rate of success is likely unstainable, though it is possible it doesn’t fall too far. A career .302 hitter coming into this season, Steiner’s batting average has gone up each season, as she continues to get more and more confident. But her goals are more than batting .400; it’s about a positive trajectory and getting on base as much as possible to help out her teammates and harm the opposing pitcher’s ERA. “I think every year I get to soak up new information and grow and mature,” Steiner said. “ Playing in the Big Ten gives me a lot of experience and helps me expand my tools. (Being) on base for my teammates when they need me, and coming up big when my team needs me most (is the goal).” @gourdiereport gourdie2@dailyillini.com
Illinois dominates at Michigan without Ayo BY BRANDON SIMBERG STAFF WRITER
When Ayo Dosunmu was announced as inactive just hours prior to No. 4 Illinois’ game at No. 2 Michigan, it seemed like Illinois would suffer a defeat. After all, the Wolverines had just one loss on the season, powering through the Big Ten. But, in one of the more surprising results of the season, the Illini dominated the Wolverines, winning 76-53. Michigan led for just 3:34 of play. Here are my takeaway from Tuesday night’s action.
Illinois’ defense came to play
In my preview, I wrote about Michigan’s ball-screen offense and how defending those actions would be the key to success. Illinois did just that. Cockburn was excellent at containing Mike Smith when switched onto him. On a lot of Michigan’s side pick-and-rolls, the Illini constantly “iced” them, not allowing the ball-handler to use it, throwing the Wolverines off. As a result, Michigan struggled. Hunter Dickinson shot a season-low 12% from the floor. Franz Wagner was somehow worse, going 1-9. Mike Smith, who entered the contest leading the Big Ten in assists, didn’t register a single dime, as the
Illini forced him to become a scorer. Eli Brooks was the only Wolverine in double-figures. Michigan’s 17-49 (34%) shooting clip was their worst of the season.
Illinois wanted it more
Michigan came into the game as a strong rebounding team with their long front-court, but Illinois outrebounded them, 42-26. A lot of that is expected when you shoot 34%, but Illinois also beat them on the offensive glass, snagging 12 offensive rebounds. They used those to convert 22 second-chance points. Oftentimes, rebounding is a hustle and effort thing, and in Ann Arbor, it was Brad Underwood’s squad PHOTO COURTESY OF UIUC MEN’S BASKETBALL TWITTER who won the hustle game. Trent Frazier celebrates in the game against Michigan on Wednesday in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Illini beat the Wolverines 76-53.
Andre Curbelo proved he can do more than pass er in just 19 minutes of made Saturday’s game at Big Ten tournament, would Earlier in Big Ten play, Curbelo was carving up defenses with his passing. Naturally, teams adjusted, taking away those passing lanes. Curbelo struggled at first, but with Dosunmu out of the lineup, he has found his scoring niche, going for double-figures in all three games. Curbelo used his savvy dribbling and patience to find the right angles and attack the rim. He scored 17 points on 8-14 shooting, not attempting a single 3-point-
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Illinois controls its own destiny for a one-seed
Illinois went into Tuesday as the fourth projected one-seed by multiple bracketologists. While a loss without their star wasn’t going to kill them, it would have
Ohio State significantly more important. With it being unlikely that the committee would place a Big Ten seed at No. 1 and No. 2 in the same region, jumping from a two to a one-seed could be the difference between Elite Eight and Final Four, as they would avoid Gonzaga or Baylor until then. But, with this win over the No. 2 team in the AP Poll, the Illini have some breathing room. A win at Ohio State, or making it to Sunday of the
likely seal their fate as a No. 1 seed. If the Iowa Hawkeyes or Buckeyes fall early in Indianapolis, that would improve their chances as well. The other team to keep an eye on is Alabama, which could conceivably win the SEC tournament and finish 24-6. Regardless, Illinois controls its own destiny now for a one seed, which would be a massive accomplishment. @BrandonSimberg simberg2@dailyillini.com
FOOTBALL
Jake Hansen chases championship dreams in Big Ten BY CARSON GOURDIE ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Five years is a long time in college, and Jake Hansen decided it was best if he passed up the NCAA’s offer for an extra season. It didn’t matter that Bret Bielema sparked new life into the program. It didn’t matter that a sixth season would be a likely return to normalcy. The King of Forced Fumbles thought it was time for the NFL. Hansen went through all of the basic protocol when declaring for the draft, and he signed an agent, a perceived move that usually ends all possibilities of coming back to college if he changed his mind. But as the months passed, Hansen would check on his Champaign-Urbana friends and noticed the energy boost Bielema gave them. Whether it was the new offensive and defensive schemes, Hansen’s teammates who took the extra year seemed all in, and he wanted a part in it, too. After successful talks with Bielema and being granted a waiver by the NCAA, Jake Hansen is ready to don the Illini jersey once more to complete unfinished business. “I was never a first-team All-Big Ten guy,” Hansen said. “We never played in a Big Ten championship. Those are things I wanted to do. After talks with Coach Bielema, those are things that are very possible with him.” While Bielema is trying to turn around Illinois’ fortunes with high school recruits, securing Hansen is just another drop in the bucket when convincing Lovie
Smith-era players to come back. Already securing Brandon Peters, along with almost the entire offensive and defensive lines, Bielema is essentially running back 2020 next fall with the hopes of trying to create something Smith couldn’t. Hansen, the veteran leader in a depleted linebacker corps, may have been the missing link if Bielema wants to seriously contend for a bowl game in his inaugural season. Hansen’s impact on any of Smith’s success couldn’t be overstated. With a defense heavily reliant on causing turnovers, Hansen was the poster child of forced fumbles, which helped Smith secure a signature win over No. 4 Wisconsin in 2019. While knocking out the football was the Florida native’s calling card, Hansen truly became a well-rounded player, who appeared ready — and set — to start playing football on Sundays. The second team All-Big Ten selection finished No. 3 in the nation in tackling and increased his interception and sack totals in the past two seasons, despite only playing nine and eight games the last two seasons, respectively. What more did he have to prove? Well, with his NFL chances probably not being as great as he would like combined with the NCAA giving him the option to return to school with Bielema, Hansen could use his sixth year as a chance to learn under a coach with valuable NFL experience. But it wasn’t so easy for
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action. With Miller and Curbelo stepping up, the future looks bright for Illinois. If Curbelo can become a somewhat passable shooter this offseason, his scoring should improve dramatically.
CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI
Senior Jake Hansen tackles the opposing ball carrier during the game against Northwestern on Dec. 12. Hansen has decided to return to the Illini for a sixth season.
Hansen to just turn back on the NFL and return to Illinois. Because he signed an agent, the NCAA had to grant him a waiver to come back to school, which put Hansen in a bind. “It was quite extensive, (but) Illinois helped out a ton,” Hansen said of the waiver process. “I had to continue going through the entire draft process as if I were going to be in the 2021 draft.” Hansen’s decision to pull his name out of the draft was incredibly difficult for him, as he wanted to play in the next level for so long. But things changed, and Hansen realized that being hasty and sticking to the draft despite being able to play in a new system with an established Big Ten coach could be costly. Next year’s defense won’t have the Smith input that developed Hansen into one of the top linebackers in the
conference. The Illini will no longer run a 4-3 or be dependent on turnovers. Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters and Bielema will install a 3-4 defense while trying to find the strengths of each player on the field. Hansen’s return doesn’t allow him to fly over to Dublin, Ireland, to take on the Cornhuskers. His return won’t guarantee a spot in the Rose Bowl. But his return gives the Illini stability at the linebacker spot and a chance to kick off the Bielema era the right way with a bowl appearance. Hansen has already played in a bowl, and he’s put in his time. He helped the Illini compete in Big Ten play by forcing turnovers and flying to the football. Bielema can prepare the Smith recruit for the NFL, and this offseason can be a learning experience for the sixth-year senior,
even if staying in Illinois for another season was a tough decision. “Understanding the ins and outs of the (NFL process) is going to help me out a lot going forward when I come out for the 2022 draft, hopefully,” Hansen said. “It’s something I will share with my teammates as well and keep that information real close.” But Hansen’s decision to return would take more than a defensive system changing. It was about the substance of Bielema’s vision for the program. “A lot of what he said, it sounds great up front,” Hansen said. “It was like, maybe that’s a little hard to believe. But a lot of the players backed up everything that he had to say, and that really did it for me.” @gourdiereport gourdie2@dailyillini.com
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buzz calendar BY RUKAYAH HUSSEIN 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.
THURSDAY, MARCH 4
Crafts, Folklores and More!
PHOTO COURTESY OF KEVIN WINTER/EA SPORTS BOWL
Megan Thee Stallion performs onstage during the EA Sports Bowl on Jan. 30, 2020 in Miami, Florida. Megan Thee Stalion is one of the several female artists on Buzz writer Rukayah’s playlist created for Women’s History Month.
Celebrate women in music industry BY RUKAYAH HUSSEIN BUZZ CALENDAR EDITOR
Although March is officially Women’s History Month, we should celebrate women all the time. This patriarchal society constantly belittles women, and the odds against women ex ponentia lly increase if they are also a minority. Trans women, queer women, women of color, disabled women and more are told they need to work ten times harder to reach a certain level in nearly every industry due to the prejudice in society. Women continuously have to fight for their positions, especially in the entertainment industry. In honor of Women’s History Month, I have created a playlist that features women music artists that have been icons in the industry, whether it is because of their recent rise to fame or their welldeserved reign among the greats for multiple decades. This playlist is dedicated to them and includes many personal favorite songs by these marvelous women.
1. Desperado - Rihanna 10. Clean - Taylor Swift 2. Happiness is a but11. Too Darn Hot - Ella terfly - Lana Del Rey Fitzgerald 3. Como La Flor 12. Power - Little Mix - Selena 13. Dja ngo Ja ne 4. Broken Clocks - SZA Janelle Monáe 5. 911 - Lady Gaga 14. After the Glitter 6. M iss World - CourtFades - Stevie Nicks ney Love (Hole) 15. Can’t Pin Me Down 7. Lady Sings the Blues - MARINA - Billie Holiday 16. You should be sad 8. Rolling in the Deep - Halsey - Adele 17. Captain Hook 9. Feeling Myself Megan Thee Stallion Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé rukayah2@readbuzz.com
4-4:45 p.m. A virtual event hosted by Spurlock Museum Free The Spurlock Museum of World Cultures is announcing a week-long event called Crafts, Folklores and More to celebrate National Craft Month. This is a family-friendly event sponsored by Ascending Aesthetics and cosponsored by the Spurlock Museum and the Museum of the Grand Prairie. Collaborators also include Jeane Rene Balekita, 4-H Champaign Mixed Clovers, WEFT Radio and our valued community members. Crafts, Folklores and More will bring you an artsy combo of folktales with related crafts, youth presentations and interactive sessions — all from the comfort of your homes.
FRIDAY, MARCH 5
Prarie Skies Spotlight
8 p.m. A virtual event hosted by Staerkel Planetarium Free Enjoy this virtual, live-narrated tour of the wonders of tonight’s sky, with a particular focus on current events and audience requests. Find out what constellations and planets are visible tonight and how to find them. This show is updated seasonally and is intended for all ages.
SATURDAY, MARCH 6
Champaign-Urbana Winter Farmers Market
PHOTO COURTESY OF SAUL LOEB/POOL/GETTY IMAGES/TNS
Singer Lady Gaga performs during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20.
8-11 a.m. Lincoln Square, 201 Lincoln Square, Urbana Free Shop from all of your favorite local craft, food and farm vendors indoors at Lincoln Square Mall. Masks and social distancing will be required in the space, and there will be limits on the number of shoppers in the market area.
SUNDAY, MARCH 7
Virtual Illini Fest 2021
7 p.m. A virtual event hosted by the University Free There’s so much to celebrate at the University of Illinois — even during a challenging year. Let’s celebrate it together at IlliniFest, a virtual program open to everyone in the Illinois community. When gathered together — alumni, students, parents, faculty and staff — we become a community that faces the world’s greatest challenges by rolling up our sleeves, joining forces to make discoveries, and inspiring one another toward greater impact. That’s powerful together. And that’s what you’ll experience at IlliniFest. Even a pandemic can’t keep us from gathering to celebrate what the University of Illinois community stands for and has accomplished.
The 38th Annual International Dinner & Performance Night
3-5 p.m. for food pickup and 6-8 p.m. for the virtual event University YMCA, 1001 S. Wright St., Champaign $12 for community members and $10 for students This year’s event will showcase the traditional pillars of rich cultural food and performance. Also incorporated will be opportunities to support local businesses and provide safe intercultural dialogue spaces (in multiple languages!). The International Dinner will involve a local restaurant sampler pick-up at the University Y from 3 to 5 p.m., followed by a virtual event from 6 to 8 p.m. The event will highlight a “Catch up in the Kitchen” with local chefs and special guest performances from local artists. A new and exciting perk to attending this event is having access to a business showcase resource, offering deals and discounts to local businesses throughout the Champaign-Urbana area.
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‘Swifties’ reflect artist’s musical journey BY CAROLINA GARIBAY ASSISTANT BUZZ EDITOR
The music industry has developed dramatically over the past several years as artists enter and leave the spotlight. We can easily define each year of music by who dominated the charts and radio stations. Though artists constantly break records and re-define the music scene, no one has dominated the music industry or paved the way for its future as 10-time Grammywinning singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. “My sister’s two years older than me, and I remember going with her to pick out the ‘Fearless’ album CD when it came out,” says Rebecca Madden, junior in Applied Sciences and avid “Swiftie,” or Taylor Swift fan. Madden says she became a fan, though, after getting the “Speak Now” piano sheet music book. She says that she and her family would listen to Swift’s songs all the time, and each family member had a favorite song. “She has an album and a sound for everybody,” Madden said. “Everyone has a different order they would rank her songs.” Greta Lilly, junior in ACES, also remembers when she first became a Swiftie in third grade. “I remember going home from school one day and going onto YouTube and watching it for the first time and thinking, ‘Oh my god. This is the greatest thing ever,’” Lilly said. She praises Swift’s storytelling, which is something she’s known for. At Swift’s core, she is a songwriter, and fans admire her ability to tell vivid stories through her music and weave connections between songs. “I loved her lyrics from the beginning,” Lilly said. “I love how they always tell a story
you can follow. It’s very specific in the way of her storytelling, and I always thought that structure was cool.” Swift has been praised for her songwriting since the release of her first album, “Taylor Swift,” in 2006 when she was 16 years old, and since then, she has released eight more studio albums. In the past couple of years, though, Swift has struggled with owning the rights to her masters (master recordings). In November 2018, Swift announced that she was leaving Big Machine Label Group (BMLG), her recording label at the time. Since then, she has signed with Republic Records and Universal Music Group, where she was allowed to own the rights to her master recordings. After leaving BMLG, Swift had been trying to buy back her masters to release music. According to “Variety,” in 2019, Scooter Braun, CEO of Ithaca Holdings LLC. acquired BMLG from Scott Borchetta, CEO of BMLG, in a $300 million deal. Since Swift recorded her first six albums at BMLG, Braun owned Swift’s entire masters from her first six albums. Swift learned about this deal as it was announced to the rest of the world. In November 2019, Swift announced on Tumblr that Borchetta and Braun weren’t allowing her to perform any of her old songs at the American Music Awards, where she would be honored with the Artist of the Decade Award. She asked her fans for help in telling Borchetta and Braun, who she said were exerting “tyrannical control” over her, how they felt about the situation. “I was frustrated because it made me think about the CDs that I had gotten that had made me so happy and the posters I got when I was
a little kid and just thinking about how there was such a deep level of exploitation in there that I didn’t even realize,” Madden said. She also says that so many other lesser-known artists are dealing with the same situation. Many young artists sign contracts without knowing the consequences that might come up several years down the road. Lilly shares a similar feeling and says that she doesn’t understand why people in the music industry let this slide. She says that she thinks a big part of this complacency toward Swift having her music sold is partly due to internalized misogyny in our culture. “I think people judge her just because they feel like they can, and they have a say in her life versus they wouldn’t second guess if a man did any of the things she has,” Lilly said. She also says that this type of double standard has existed throughout Swift’s career. Many people’s perceptions about Swift come from what they heard from others’ opinions, which are often misinformed. Swift, however, has put an end to others controlling her life and announced that she started re-recording her first six albums in November 2020. She said in a tweet in February that her new version of “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” is coming out soon (fans found a clue in her message that suggests this new version is coming out April 9), as well as six neverbefore-released songs. She also released her new version of “Love Story,” titled “Love Story (Taylor’s Version),” in February, which fans loved. “I was so happy with it,” Madden said. “Just the slight maturity in her voice singing the same words she wrote when she was 16 was super
PHOTO COURTESY OF GENIUS
The album cover for Taylor Swift’s new album, “Fearless,” is pictured above. The project is a re-recorded and expanded version of her 2008 album “Fearless” set to be released sometime in April.
interesting.” Madden says she can’t wait for the rest of the albums’ re-releases, specifically “Speak Now,” which Swift wrote entirely independently. “I just think there’s something so powerful about an entire album of just her words being owned by her,” Madden said. Lilly also looks forward to the latest version of “Speak Now,” specifically the unreleased songs Swift is planning on releasing along with the rerecorded album. She hopes that the other re-recorded songs will hit the same way “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” did. “That was like the first song I noticed her from when I was younger, and it got me excited about her and reminded me of
being a third-grader and getting super into Taylor Swift,” Lilly said. “It was kind of nostalgic in a way, and it shows how much she’s grown, and I’ve grown in the past 15 years of music.” That parallelism of Swift and her fans growing up together through her music makes the relationship between each other strong and unique. This relationship looks as if it’s only going to grow stronger as Swift continues to release music and fans continue to support her as they’ve done for the past 15 years. “I think what makes her stick out is her honesty in her music. She tells a story. It’s like her own diary, and she lets the world hear her feelings,” Lilly said. “They want to
know how she sees the world.” Madden says that much of Swift’s success and her fans’ dedication is due to her ability to experiment with several different genres while still maintaining her unique sound. “She’s gone full back-woods country, she’s gone full pop, she’s done more of like an electro-pop type of vibe, she’s done indie music,” Madden said. “She’s covered the spectrum and saturated the market. Everyone has a song that you listen to, and you’re like, ‘God damn – that one hits particularly hard.’” Swift’s new version of “Fearless” will be out on April 9, and you can listen to “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” now. garibay5@readbuzz.com
‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ enchants readers with story of independence BY RAINA KUTIROFF STAFF WRITER
PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON
The cover of Delia Owens’ novel, “Where The Crawdads Sing,” is pictured above. The book was released on Aug. 14, 2018.
Delia Owens captivates readers in her debut novel “Where the Crawdads Sing.” This realistic fiction novel tells the story of mysterious yet lovable Catherine “Kya” Clark. Kya, or better known as Marsh Girl to the rest of a small North Carolina town, spends most of her time learning to live independently after both of her parents and siblings left the marsh when she was just six years old. Barely surviving on musselsin-grits, Kya befriends the town’s shop owner, the only townsperson who calls Kya by her name, rather than Marsh Girl. Jumpin’, the shop owner, and his wife Mabel promise to protect Kya and keep her safe by refilling her boat’s fuel and providing clean clothes in exchange for oysters to sell
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at the shop, easily found near Kya’s property. In her lonely free time, Kya learns to be kind to her only friends: the birds living on the marsh. Spending most of her time feeding, watching and getting to know the birds, the Marsh Girl quickly turns into the Marsh Expert. Kya learns every aspect of the marsh, from knowing when certain birds come to the swamp to predicting when the marsh tides will be high and low. Kya learns to share her love for the marsh and its birds when she meets a boy who loves birds almost as much as she does. Kya thinks she finally learns what it means to trust another person for the first time in her life. That is until the relationship takes a turn, and Kya is left promising herself never to trust another person again. She soon for-
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gets her promise and meets another boy, town favorite Chase Andrews. Chase’s curly blonde hair and blue eyes are quickly captivated by Kya’s unique beauty, and he vows to be faithful to her. Once again, Kya is left crushed and broken-hearted. For years after, Kya lives her life swearing off trust and hides in her broken-down shack and small reading cabin. The next time Kya leaves the marsh is for her murder trial. Throughout Kya’s coming of age narrative, the story switches chapters between Kya’s story and the death of the town’s well-known handsome quarterback, Chase Andrews. The town is quick to assume the murderer is Kya, who is known as strange and mysterious, but readers must read on to find out what the
jury thinks. “Where the Crawdads Sing” is a unique masterpiece of a novel that will leave readers having a difficult time putting the book down. Owens successfully captures a narrative of love, loss, trust and heartache. This novel will leave readers wondering what it means to lose someone and if trust can ever be gained again. Readers will witness how a young woman must protect herself when no one else will. This captivating story crosses between a murder-mystery, a romantic love story, an eloquent novel describing the country’s nature and beauty and the complicated life of a young girl trying to survive. rkutli2@readbuzz.com