The Reveille 10-18-21

Vo lum e 131 · N o. 52

E s t. 18 87

Mond ay, O c t o b e r 18 , 2 021

O

ALL

VER

Despite surprising win against Florida, Orgeron will not return for 2022 season

Read on

page 2 NEWS

p ag e 3

Students have named a new virus spreading through Greek life the ‘frat flu’ after many experiencing cold-like symptoms.

ENTERTAINMENT

p ag e 5

‘The Many Saints of Newark’ attempts to tell the story of how Tony Soprano became became the antihero in ‘The Sopranos.’

SPORTS

p ag e 8

Amid a coaching realignment conversations, LSU backfield shines in a 49-42 victory over the Florida Gators.

OPINION

p ag e 11

“Its becoming increasingly difficult to make ends meet in this country, especially for someone trying to obtain an education.”

L SU Re ve i l le.co m @l s u r e ve i l le

page 2

ORGERON OUT

How Ed Orgeron built LSU into a champion and let it all fall apart

BY REED DARCEY @byreeddarcey Ed Orgeron grinned as he walked toward midfield.

Max Johnson had just taken a knee, pumped his fist and secured a thrilling win over Florida. From the outside, it looked as though LSU, and Orgeron, were back. In one game, running back Tyrion Davis-Price had exceeded his season rushing total, set a new LSU record and refueled a stagnant LSU offense. The defense had forced four takeaways, despite injuries to six starters.

But in reality, it was already the beginning of the end for the Orgeron era. The fans didn’t know it, the players may not have known it, but Orgeron knew.

Athletic Director Scott Woodward had already made his decision: Orgeron will not be LSU football’s coach come 2022. He will finish the 2021 season on a farewell tour, and that will be the end.

“Ultimately, we have very high standards for all of our sports programs at LSU.” Woodward said, “Based on our on-field results and our evaluation of the potential for future immediate success, it is time for a new direction.”

The narrative of the Orgeron era at LSU follows a path of achievement, failure and finally, redemption, despite long odds.

At first, no one thought Orgeron had a chance to earn the full-time gig: he was the classic interim coach, and nothing more. But he got the job, his team lost to Troy, and then he built back to the top.

Orgeron’s team won a national championship two years later.

A dismal two years removed from that championship, Orgeron won’t get another chance to fix it. No matter what happens, LSU will have a new coach in 2022, and a new era will begin.

“I’m happy for our team,” Orgeron said. “I think our team went through a lot this week.”

Orgeron’s LSU career began in 2016 after Les Miles’ unimaginative, archaic offense and clock management mistakes inevitably led to his firing after 12 seasons

by Athletic Director Joe Alleva.

His keys were tossed to a barrel-chested, gravel-voiced, Cajun-swamp-man defensive line coach – the right man to breathe life back into a program that had grown stale. This was Ed Orgeron’s dream.

“Growing up in south Louisiana, being the head coach at LSU was a dream,” Orgeron, the Larose native said. “This is the greatest job in America. It’s a great day in my life, I’ll tell you that.”

Orgeron, newly minted as interim head coach, had the support of the players.

“I see us doing great toward the end of the season,” star defensive lineman Arden Key said. “I feel like he will solidify the head coaching spot, and they’re going to give it to him for next year and for years to come.”

Orgeron offered the newly opened job of offensive coordinator to tight ends coach Steve Ensminger, and the offense took off.

The Orgeron era blossomed with two debut games that each broke records for the school, one for most yards collected against an SEC opponent and the other for Orgeron being the first coach to win his first two games by 30 points or more.

Orgeron’s Tigers won six of their eight games and finished 8-4 on the season. They were No. 14 in the final Coaches’ Poll and second in the SEC West.

“There’s a different feeling in the air,” junior tackle K.J. Malone said. “Everybody wants to come

together. We love Coach O, and that’s who we’re playing for. We want him to be our coach.”

Not long after, the coach beat out Florida State’s Jimbo Fisher and Houston’s Tom Herman for the job after Alleva learned that he had been wedged in a bidding war with Texas for Herman.

Upon finding out, he muttered an expletive, slammed the phone on the coach’s agent and called Orgeron.

Alleva met Orgeron outside the football operations building, where he officially offered Orgeron the job. The husky cajun bear-hugged the athletic director and lifted him off the ground.

“I’ve seen how he’s changed the culture of this football program,” Alleva said. “The attitude of the players. The attitudes of the people in the building. It’s phenomenal.”

“There was no choice, absolutely no choice, but to hire Coach O.” It wouldn’t take long, however, for the Orgeron era, now fully underway, to take a turn for the worst.

The troubling allegations of sexual misconduct against Orgeron’s best player, Derrius Guice, came to light in spring of 2017, as detailed in an active class action lawsuit against LSU Athletics.

That spring, during Orgeron’s first offseason as head coach, a player reportedly sat down with the coach and told him that a year prior, Guice had raped his girlfriend, an LSU student named Ashlyn Robertson, as first reported by USA Today. Orgeron was reportedly dismissive.

“Everybody’s girlfriend sleeps with other people,” the coach allegedly told the player.

Orgeron denied that statement publicly, and privately to Husch Blackwell investigators. The story

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron points up at the sky Oct. 16, before LSU’s 49-42 win against Florida at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.

is described in an amended class action lawsuit in which Orgeron is a defendant. The suit names two additional alleged victims of Guice, a former tennis player named Abby Owens and an exfootball operations intern named Calise Richardson.

The following season, Guice appeared in all 11 games. To start the season, LSU shutout BYU and breezed past Chattanooga. But then, the Tigers fell to Mississippi State 37-7, narrowly beat Syracuse at home and then infamously lost to Troy. LSU’s streak of beating non-conference opponents at home was snapped at 49.

“A disappointing performance,” Orgeron said. “We were out coached and out played tonight. That’s the bottom line.”

Orgeron’s unit, however, did not let the loss define their season. They went to the Swamp and beat Florida 17-16. Then, they faced an early 20-point hole at home to No. 10 Auburn, but stormed back to win 27-23.

It was the Tigers’ largest comeback ever in an SEC matchup in Death Valley.

“We were resilient, we kept on playing,” Ogeron said. “I think the difference in the football game was the way our defense came out and shut them out.”

After winning six of their last seven regular season games, LSU earned a Citrus Bowl bid against Notre Dame.

But before the bowl game, LSU athletics fielded yet another complaint against Guice: This one was from 74-year-old Superdome worker Gloria Scott, who said Guice sexually harassed her while she worked a high school football state championship game. Scott called LSU Athletics, demanding to speak to Orgeron and request he suspend Guice from the upcoming bowl game. It is unclear if she ever spoke to Orgeron.

Guice played in the Citrus Bowl nonetheless. LSU lost 21-17, and Guice declared for the NFL draft. In the offseason, Orgeron fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada after one season and replaced him with Ensminger, who led an explosive offense while Orgeon was interim coach.

“Here’s the deal, it’s tough when you make a mistake,” Orgeron said. “But it’s even tougher not to admit you made a mistake.

[Canada’s offense] just wasn’t a good fit. I had to do what I thought was best for the LSU program. So that’s why I did it.”

In the offseason, with a full year under his belt and a new offense in tow, Orgeron went to look for a quarterback. One spring evening, that quest led him to Mike Anderson’s seafood restaurant for a recruiting meeting with a graduate transfer quarterback from Ohio State.

His name was Joe Burrow.

see ORGERON, page 9

B-16 Hodges Hall Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, La. 70803

NEWSROOM (225) 578-4811

Editor-in-Chief LARA NICHOLSON Managing Editor ENJANAE’ TAYLOR Digital Editor BROCK SANDERS News Editor MADELYN CUTRONE Deputy News Editor JOSH ARCHOTE Sports Editor REED DARCEY Deputy Sports Editor JOE KEHRLI Entertainment Editor GIDEON FORTUNE Opinion Editor CÉCILE GIRARD Multimedia Editor ABBY KIBLER Production Editor HANNAH MICHEL HANKS Chief Designer SARAH LAWRENCE

ADVERTISING (225) 578-6090

Layout/Ad Design SHELLIE MILLIRON Layout/Ad Design SAMIRA AWAD Layout/Ad Design SARAH FRANCIONI

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Daily Reveille.

If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsu.edu.

ABOUT THE REVEILLE The Reveille is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication.

A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.

NEWS FRAT FLU FEAR

page 3 STUDENT LIFE

Unknown illness spreading through campus not COVID, mono or flu

BY GABBY JIMENEZ & CORBIN ROSS @gvjimenezz & @CorbinRoss5 Students all over campus have been experiencing symptoms of coughing, congestion and other cold-like symptoms over the last few weeks — though Student Health Center officials aren’t sure what the cause is.

The sickness, though likely a strain of the common cold, has been deemed the “frat flu” by LSU students on Twitter and TikTok, as it’s allegedly concentrated among Greek Life.

Many students experiencing the symptoms have been testing negative for COVID-19, mononucleosis and the flu, according to Student Health Center Executive Director Julie Hupperich. The university has yet to report one confirmed case of the flu this semester.

There are just 36 active COVID-19 cases on campus as of Oct. 15, according to LSU’s COVID-19 dashboard, as around 80% of the student body is vaccinated.

Hupperich believes the illness going around is likely an unnamed virus working its way through the student body.

“Some students have claimed that it’s coming from the residence halls, we’ve heard others say it’s Greek organizations — honestly I think it’s just something we’re seeing in general among the student body,” Hupperich said.

MATT ROURKE / Associated Press

This Jan. 10, 2013 photo shows vials of flu vaccine in Philadelphia.

The most notable mention of the sickness appeared on the TikTok account @lsuchicks, where a video of different allergy relievers was captioned with “#fratflu.”

Biological sciences senior and Phi Mu member Madeline Mahtook has observed many girls in her sorority house sneezing and losing their voices.

Mahtook noticed the illness going around for about two weeks, and says it’s similar to a sinus infection. She said a friend of hers tested negative for COVID-19 after developing symptoms and recov-

ered within a few days of resting at home.

Mahtook agreed with the theory, saying that students get sick with the common cold and sinus infections every year when colder weather rolls around, a trend made worse during midterms week when students are stressed and staying up later.

While others in her sorority have felt ill, Mahtook says that many have been pushing off going to the doctor until their conditions worsen. Because classes are back in person, students have found

‘Everyone I know is struggling’

that it’s harder to keep up when they’re sick, especially now that some professors don’t offer Zoom as an alternative.

“No one feels awful enough that they can’t go to class,” Mahtook said. “If they don’t feel like they’re about to die, then they’re going to class.”

Kappa Delta member and kinesiology senior Erica Lebouef has also seen students continuing to go to class despite being sick.

“Students are going about a normal day as they would. For a lot of people, it’s not anything too intense,” Lebouef said. “With midterms this week, it would be hard to take off a week of school.”

Lebeouf suffered from a sore throat last week, and her roommates and friends have been experiencing coughing and fatigue, despite testing negative for COVID-19 and the flu.

“You feel like if you miss one class, you fall really far behind,” Lebeouf said. “Those couple of days that we would be out, it would just be even more stress on us to pick back up and get back into the swing of things.”

Education senior Lauren Taylor is a member of Chi Omega. She described the cold-like symptoms that she’s seen on campus for the past two weeks as the “inevitable” time of year where everyone is more susceptible to getting sick.

As midterms approached, Colby Mitchell found it difficult to juggle his sophomore chemical engineering classes with his social life and extracurriculars.

The stresses of a busy college lifestyle reached an apex when Mitchell had his first exam for one of his engineering courses and quizzes for several other classes to prepare for. On top of coursework, it was a rehearsal day for Tiger Band.

“All these things pile on and it’s really overwhelming to get yourself through,” he said.

Because he has so much on his plate, Mitchell is forced to let other personal priorities slip by the wayside; Cleaning his room, washing the dishes and doing laundry seem like secondary tasks when he’s faced with a mountain of other responsibilities.

Mitchell is not alone in feeling the responsibilities of college life weighing down on him. Across campus, students feel burnout from balancing the pressures of hours of coursework, extracurricular activities and a healthy social life.

An estimated 85% of college students reported feeling overwhelmed by everything they had

see FLU, page 4

see STRUGGLING, page 4

BY DOMENIC PURDY @tigerdom16

STUDENT LIFE

How much is too much? Coffee addiction afflicts students

BY GABBY JIMENEZ @gvjimenezz Every morning, the Panera Bread in Patrick F. Taylor Hall brews over 20 gallons of coffee.

Tiffany Myers, the general manager at the Panera Bread, sees the same students every morning purchasing a cup to get themselves through their day.

“We brew about 12 gallons of just iced coffee alone every day,” Myers said.

International studies sophomore Nicole Mann drinks four cups of coffee a day — two in the morning and two in the afternoon.

Mann started drinking coffee at 13 years old, and since her junior year of high school, she began regularly drinking coffee twice a day, saying it has become part of her schedule.

“During midterm week, I’ll drink a lot more coffee, which is definitely unhealthy,” said Mann, who would sometimes drink up to eight to 10 cups a day. “I was just consistently drinking more

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

Customers enjoy the coffee and work Sept. 28, at Coffee Joy on 3617 Perkins Road in Baton Rouge, La. and more every few hours.”

She says she often drinks black coffee, as it’s the cheapest option.

“I definitely drink for the effect, it keeps you up and keeps your blood pumping and your adrenaline going with all the caffeine you have,” Mann said. “Being cooped up in the dorm wore

me out so much that I drank more coffee.”

A 2019 study done by Elsevier, a science-based publishing company, observed caffeine intake among college students from five universities, including LSU. The study provided multiple reasons students consume caffeine:

• Nearly 80% used caffeine to feel awake • About 1/3 used caffeine to improve concentration • Roughly 25% said it helped increase their physical energy • Less than 10% drank caffeine to alleviate stress Overall, the study found that

the main reason students drank caffeine was to improve mood and performance.

Architecture freshman Amelia Blackmon has found herself drinking more coffee and energy drinks the past few months, attributing this increase to working at a coffee shop and having timeconsuming classes. Blackmon said she’s doubled her caffeine intake while in college.

Blackmon drinks around two cups of coffee a day. She started drinking coffee in seventh grade, and now drinks all types — black coffee, frappes, lattes — even substituting a cup of coffee for a Monster Energy drink some days.

Blackmon works at Coffee Joy, a café in the Acadian Perkins Plaza Shopping Center, where she sees many LSU students and professors regularly come in for coffee. Working there has also enabled her to get free coffee, which has helped make the habit less costly.

“It gives me energy, and I’m

see COFFEE, page 4

Monday, October 18, 2021

page 4

LSU announces Homecoming King and Queen on Saturday REVEILLE STAFF REPORT LSU announced the 2021 Homecoming King and Queen Saturday during halftime at the LSU football game against Florida.

Chandler Black, a sports administration senior, and Claudia Henry, a mass communication senior, were crowned King and Queen out of a court of six seniors and eight freshmen, sophomores and graduate students. The King and Queen were determined by a vote to the student body.

“A big thank you to everyone

that has congratulated me and showed me support over the past week,” tweeted Black.

The announcement comes after a week of Homecoming events leading up to the crowning, including a concert Tuesday featuring rapper Swae Lee and Fall Fest on Friday, both of which happened on the Parade Ground.

This year marked LSU’s 96th official Homecoming, according to the program’s website, and was characterized by the theme “No Place Like Homecoming,” inspired by “The Wizard of Oz.”

COURTESY OF LSU CAMPUS LIFE

LSU Homecoming Queen Claudia Henry and King Chandler Black pose after being crowned during halftime of the LSU football game against Florida at Tiger Stadium on Oct. 16.

said. “It’s definitely important to take time to reset. Even if it’s just a 30-minute long bath or doing some yoga, it’s necessary.”

Raime Thibodeaux, director of Mental Health at the Student Health Center, agrees that it is important to allow time to re-center oneself. Sometimes it’s as simple as going to the Parade Ground and “spending 30 minutes outside in the sunshine and listening to the birds chirping,” she said.

Thibodeaux expressed the importance of support networks and other methods of care before one seeks professional help for burnout. Among the coping methods she hopes to teach are the importance of getting enough sleep and the value of physical exercise.

“Getting into our physical body is really helpful in getting out of our own head,” she said. “The way to not overthink is to focus on more bodywork.”

Another way to cope with the weight of college stress and burnout is a solid support system of friends and family, Thibodeaux said.

A major cause of anthropology junior Ianthe Davis’ burnout is a lack of social interaction with their friends. Davis found that midterms deprive them of this support system they so desperately need.

“When everyone’s studying, that can’t really happen,” they said.

Despite their burnout being less intense than during freshman year, Davis found that it is still incredibly difficult to process the stress of midterms, especially when their roommate is experiencing the same stress.

Weselak experienced something similar.

Her roommate works a fulltime job and her boyfriend is in the senior year of his undergraduate studies.

“I’ve had the support and love that I need to feel good about this but everyone else has their own problems too,” Weselak said. “It’s kind of hard when I’m struggling, everyone I know is struggling.”

Thibodeaux found a solution to the absence of a support system in prioritization. She said organizing one’s life into separate aspects can also help prioritize and reduce stress that comes from classes and extracurricular activities.

Focusing on one task you have to do, one method of connection between you and your peers and one thing you just enjoy goes a long way in coping with burnout, she said.

For Davis and Mitchell, the thing they enjoy doing that allows them to cope with overwhelming burnout is playing video games.

“I usually play games in which I can just plow through anything like ‘Assassin’s Creed’ or ‘Kingdom Hearts,’” Davis said. “I’d much rather a fun kind of stress that I put myself under other than stress that I have to go through. I can decide when I’ve had enough but I can’t really do that for school.”

Even though he would love to have a good nap every once and a while or to play video games with his friends, Mitchell does feel his professors that assign copious amounts of course work are preparing him for the future.

“Everybody goes through [burnout] to a certain extent,” Mitchell said. “A lot of jobs may push you to your limit. I think [professors] know about it and they’re doing their best to push you through it.”

caffeine a day, about four or five cups of coffee. However, some people have different levels of tolerance for caffeine since some can metabolize it faster.

While many people who drink coffee have a built-up tolerance that enables them to drink more, others can experience nervousness, anxiousness and fatigue. People who drink too much coffee can experience symptoms such as jitters, insomnia, fast heart rate, nausea and headaches.

Holston also says that while black coffee is better in terms of calories, it still has about the same amount of caffeine as others would.

Wildlife ecology freshman Ariana Tashakkori is a regular coffee drinker, drinking two cups every

day. Tashakkori originally drank Monster Energy drinks in high school, but eventually switched to coffee. She now drinks it first thing in the morning with breakfast, either brewing it herself or buying a cup at CC’s Coffee House. Despite the cost, Tashakkori continues to drink coffee for its effects.

“It’s expensive, even if you get a big gallon of cold brew from the grocery store, that’s a lot of money,” Tashakkori said. “At this point, I’m dependent on it. I can’t stop drinking it or else I’ll get headaches.”

Holston strongly advises against energy drinks, which have high caffeine amounts.

While Bang has zero calories and no carbohydrates, it has double the amount of caffeine compared

to a Monster energy drink, and it’s more potent, meaning people who drink it can feel the effects much quicker.

Holston also warns students of the dangers of mixing alcohol with Bang energy drinks. According to Holston, the high caffeine count can mask the effects of alcohol, so students may not feel significant effects and believe they are able to drink more.

Holston believes that drinking coffee can be a healthy habit until it turns into overconsumption or is used to replace sleep.

“Even though you’ve been up all night caffeinated to study, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to do great on the test, because you’re not going to be able to function well mentally,” Holston said.

STRUGGLING, from page 3 to do over the course of the school year, while 30% reported this stress as having a negative relationship to their academic performance, according to a 2018 study by the Anxiety & Depression Association of America.

As archival studies graduate student Abbey Weselak finished two of her seven-week-long LSU Online courses after pulling a series of all-nighters to prepare for 3,000-word finals, she felt burned out. The stress that so many other students reported got to her, even after her undergraduate tenure.

“I was taking two core classes that had nothing to do with my major so it was really difficult to be interested in it. It was difficult to get into the swing of writing my papers,” Weselak said. “It was not the best.”

She said transitioning immediately from her bachelor’s degree to graduate school without a gap year added to her feelings of stress and burnout.

On top of the accelerated coursework that came with her online graduate classes, Weselak works four days per week as a student worker at the LSU Museum of Art. It’s important to allot time to keep her mind off the stresses of school and work, at least for a little bit, Weselak said. She has made it a habit to set her Sundays aside to realign herself after working on school work two days a week and working four.

“I really, really need it,” she

COFFEE, from page 3 very sleepy all the time, so I need it to get through my class or a late night project,” Blackmon said.

Denise Holston, an assistant professor in the LSU School of Nutrition and Food Sciences and registered dietician nutritionist, was not surprised by the amount of coffee students reportedly drink in a day, or the amount coffee shops like Panera Bread brew every morning.

“Students have a lot on their plate: they’re studying, they’re trying to make good grades, most students have jobs and families and need a pick-me-up in the morning,” Holston said.

The Food and Drug Administration recommends consuming no more than 400 milligrams of

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

LSU students take notes on their laptops on Oct. 12, in the Business Education Complex Auditorium on South Quad Drive in Baton Rouge, La.

FLU, from page 3 Like Mahtook and Leboeuf, Taylor has also seen students going to class despite their symptoms. While they are doing this to stay on top of their studies, Taylor believes the students are just making themselves feel worse.

“I think that people forget to take care of themselves, so their immune systems get worse,” Taylor said. “That’s just our body’s response to stress, especially when people aren’t eating enough and not working out.”

Despite the lack of confirmed cases at the university, the CDC and other national experts are predicting a more active flu season for 2021. While LSU has not met its flu vaccination goals for this year, the vaccine is still being offered by the Student Health Center.

Hupperich said the center administered 1,168 vaccines last week, which is about a third of the amount of flu vaccines administered per week in 2019.

Hupperich believes that a large part of this reduction is due to vaccine fatigue attributed to students hearing about COVID vaccinations all throughout 2021. Hupperich said another cause could be because many students don’t see the point of getting a flu shot this year, as last year’s flu season wasn’t as bad due to COVID-19 measures.

Communications disorders junior Jillian Primeaux encouraged other students to get vaccinated for the flu after getting her own shot.

“Vaccinations are good for the general population,” Primeaux said. “I like to go whenever LSU does it just because it’s free, which is nice, and they just have it really accessible.”

Because vaccine rates this semester were so low, the Student Health Center is looking to offer flu shots at other sites on campus again.

Even though the “frat flu” doesn’t appear to be a major issue, Hupperich warns students that a legitimate flu outbreak is possible, and getting vaccinated is essential in preventing an outbreak among students.

“I’ve always gotten the flu shot, but especially right now, it’s super important to just take any precaution you can to stay as healthy as possible,” said Mick Day, a communication disorders graduate student.

ENTERTAINMENT

page 5

THIS WEEK IN BR

Want to see your event in the Reveille?

Email information to editor@lsu.edu.

THURSDAY AT 8

WEDNESDAY AT 6

TUESDAY AT 5:30

MONDAY AT 5:30

BY AVA BORSKEY @iamavab

OCTOBER

18

Goat Yoga LSU UREC

TH

Attend a yoga class that’s the Greatest Of All Time…literally. On Monday Oct. 18 from 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m., the UREC is hosting Goat Yoga. Practice your yoga poses as goats roam around and interact with you. Bring your own yoga mat and water. Pre-Registration required.

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

An LSU student smiles while a goat stands on his back on Feb. 7, 2020 during Goat Yoga on the Parade Ground.

OCTOBER

19 TH 20

Alfred Glassell Jr. Endowed Lecture 103 Design Building Auditorium

TH

Northwestern University art history professor Krista Thompson will be giving a talk on “Black Light: Tom Lloyd, Refraction, And Art Historical Disregard,” on Tuesday, Oct. 19 from 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. in 103 Design Building Auditorium. The presentation will explore refraction as an artistic, archival and historical practice. Seats are available on a first-come, firstserve basis.

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

The LSU Design Building sits on West Campus Drive in Baton Rouge on Sept. 10, 2020.

Wild’n Out LSU Student Union Theater

OCTOBER

21

The Black Student Union at LSU presents a night full of comedy and fun featuring Rob49, Lango and BFresh. You can also expect appearances by Subtweet Shawn, Rude Jude and TroyGotNext, with sounds by DJ RBD. The event is free general admission for all LSU students with a Tiger Card.

Doors open at 6 p.m. at the LSU Student Union Theater.

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

The LSU Student Union sits on Tower Drive in Baton Rouge on Jan. 11, 2020.

Captain Green Red Stick Social

OCTOBER

ST

New Orleans funk band Captain Green is bringing their signature sound to Red Stick Social, 1503 Government St. The show starts Thursday, Oct. 21 at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. Tickets are available for $10 on Eventbrite.

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

Captain Green performs on September 9, 2015.

page 6

‘Many Saints’ is a riveting recontextualization

BY CONNOR MCLAUGHLIN @connor_mcla I had always heard of David Chase’s landmark series, “The Sopranos,” but it wasn’t until the summer of 2019 that I decided to press play on the pilot. Immediately, I was hooked. Combining elements of dark comedy and gangster violence, the intergenerational epic series centered around ItalianAmerican mob boss Tony Soprano, played by the late James Gandolfini. It became one of the most iconic pieces of media I have ever seen as it explored the downfall of contemporary America, addiction, suburban life, mental illness and organized crime through the lens of a nuclear family living in New Jersey.

I was incredibly amped yet skeptical to hear about the idea of a prequel film from Chase and veteran director of the series, Alan Taylor. I just prayed that it wasn’t a misfire.

Thankfully, “The Many Saints of Newark” feels, looks and breathes exactly like an episode of the show.

It tells its own tragic story forged from the fires of the iconic series.

Unlike most prequels, there’s little effort to shove in fan service and the performances of established characters feel like overt imitations that nail the mannerisms and

voices in the best way possible.

It’s a stunning standalone film that I’d harken to an attentive drama which you have to pay attention to to truly soak in.

Revolving around Richard Dickie Moltisani, played by Alessandro Nivola, the prequel threads together stories about generational trauma, the race relations between Italian-Americans and AfricanAmericans set against the backdrop of the New Jersey race riots of 1967 and how Tony Soprano, played by Micheal Gandolfini, became inducted into the DiMeo crime family.

Performance-wise, the acting is amazing. Nivola is simply excellent as Dickie Moltisanti, whose surname translates to “Many Saints” in Italian, as he lights cigarette after cigarette and stirs up trouble through the streets of Newark. Leslie Odom Jr., Vera Farmiga, Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen, Joe Magaro, Ray Liotta, and Michela De Rossi were all fantastic too. However, it’s Gandolfini’s role as Tony Soprano that stole the show for me. He inherits his father’s role with grace, providing the character with a never-before-seen sense of nerdiness, innocence and creeping malevolence. It was truly special to behold.

Plot-wise, the film balances a lot, which is indicative of its abrupt

editing. The only sin of “Many Saints” is that it left me wanting more. I believe it would’ve been much better suited as a miniseries than a two-hour film.

Nevertheless, I was impressed by its allure because I found myself completely absorbed in this new set of characters in the same way I did when I watched the show. I felt truly invested in characters I had never seen throughout the duration of “The Sopranos” 86-hour runtime, although familiar faces popped up here and there. Perhaps the best element of “The Many Saints of Newark” is that it surprisingly furthers the narrative of “The Sopranos.” It’s one thing to hope for something, but to receive it is a blessing in and of itself.

In season four, episode 10 of “The Sopranos,” Tony laments to his therapist Dr. Jennifer Melfi , played by Lorriane Bracco, about what happened to the stoic masculine figures of old America.

“Whatever happened to Gary Cooper? The strong, silent type; that was an American. He wasn’t in touch with his feelings, he just did what he had to do,” Tony Soprano asked.

“The Many Saints of Newark” provides the answer to this question through Dickie Moltisanti. As the film slogan states, he is the man who made Tony Soprano. All

7.99IZZA C A R R YO U T ONLY

$

P E G R LAWITH 3-TOPPINGS

BATON ROUGE 5201 Nicholson

761-HOWIE (4694) DELIVERY • DINE IN • OPEN UNTIL 4 AM

FLAVOR YOUR CRUST FOR FREE!

All stores are independently owned and operated. Offer valid only at store #3802 in Baton Rouge, LA. Tax and additional toppings extra. Additional charges may apply. Limited time offer. If you have online ordering issues, visit hungryhowies.com/help. If you need help ordering online due to a disability, please contact your Hungry Howie’s store for assistance. Hungry Howie’s and its related marks are trademarks of Hungry Howie’s Pizza & Subs, Inc.

of Molti Scunti’s actions and motivations throughout the film mold Tony as a man and are later inherited by him. Molti Scunti’s charming disposition, wisecracking, leadership, hostility and violent temper, all point to Soprano’s makings in the series. Christopher Moltisanti’s origins are also explored, which is implied by a final chilling shot, Michael Imperioli’s narration and an awesome callback to the series’ theme song “Woke Up This Morning” by A3.

In short, “The Many Saints of Newark” does so much more than portray the rise of Soprano. Even without prior knowledge of the show, the film has no problem standing on its own two legs, delivering a terrific origin story in stolen truck loads.

For “Sopranos” fans, “Many Saints” recontextualizes the landmark series as a whole, telling a story about the inescapability of trauma that reverberates up and down the streets of Newark.

There’s history in every nook and cranny of America and the history of “The Sopranos” can be found here, within the ravaged space of the Moltisantis of New Jersey. I loved it and I cannot wait to watch it again.

One last thing, please make sure to eat some gabagool immediately afterward.

Head

to

o

Head ‘Many Saints’ betrays ‘Sopranos’ golden standard

page 7

BY EDDY HAGE @ hage_eddy “The Sopranos” is the greatest piece of art ever made. David Chase somehow managed to condense the American experience into 86 episodes of television. The legendary show is a thrilling exploration of a New Jersey mafia family. “The Sopranos” told an all-encompassing story of crime, depression, suburbia, heritage and capitalism.

Each thematic thread was explored to its magnificent conclusion with hilarious dialogue and operatic arcs. How can anyone follow up the high bar set by the show? Well, you don’t. Or, as “The Many Saints of Newark” proves, you can’t.

The prequel attempts to tell the story of Dickie Moltisanti, played by Alessandro Nivola, the man “who made Tony Soprano,” as the film’s slogan puts it. The film revolves around Moltisanti handling the murder of his father, becoming a father figure to an adolescent Soprano, played

by Michael Gandolfini, and challenging a rival gang leader.

The film tries to tell three main plotlines in just two hours, leading to dead ends, unexplored threads and performances that feel like cameos from a skit.

In trying to give every character their deserved moments, “The Many Saints of Newark” fails to give even the main characters fulfilling arcs. Characterizations in the movie rely completely on what the audience already knows from the show.

One-note characters pop in to deliver cheeky one-liners and references to “The Sopranos.”

There is too much fan service and not enough of the actual characters and storylines the audience wants to learn about.

The story of Harold McBrayer, played by Leslie Odom Jr., feels like an unfulfilling distraction from the actual plot. The initial setting of the movie is the 1967 Newark race riots. Through exploring these riots, Chase attempts to speak on the struggle between the Italian-American and African-American cultures, while also relating the riots to the Black Lives Matter movement. However, Harold and the Newark riot storyline are relegated to the background, so the race relations at play are never fully examined.

Despite being the protagonist, Moltisanti’s story flies by in unmomentous scenes that feel like short stories edited together with no thematic vision. The audience jumps from one plotline

to the next with no tangible connection between the three independent plots. Moltisanti’s personal arc is about him dealing with the reflection of his dead father, Hollywood Dick, played

by Ray Liotta.

Through Moltisanti’s budding romance with his father’s widow, Giuseppina Moltisanti played by Michela De Rossi, and his connection with his incarcerated uncle, also played by Ray Liotta, “Many Saints” approaches themes of abuse, ambition and reconciliation. However, neither of those relationships are given enough screen time to truly understand.

Moltisanti, whose last name translates to “many saints,” is presented as a strong and silent type, a real Gary Cooper. To Soprano, this status of stoic masculinity is the pinnacle of what a man should be. However, in multiple fits of murderous rage, the film showcases the reality of who the strong and silent type is in reality: a monster.

In a way, “Many Saints” is explaining how Soprano became the way he is. He is a sociopath, a criminal, an adulterer and a bad father. Moltisanti is all of those things as well. However, the audience is barely given any time with Soprano (or Dickie)

to explore what, to Tony, is the peak of mafia stoicism. Tony glorifies this period in his life, yet we spend all that time with him as a supporting character.

Hollywood Dick created Dickie Moltisanti, who then created Tony Soprano, who then created Christopher Moltisanti. The film attempts to talk about the “sins of the father,” by showing the failing chain of mentorships that all these made men experience. With only two hours to present these relationships, each scene that attempts to showcase this idea fails to describe this cycle of crime in a thematically coherent way. An audience member would only understand what “The Many Saints of Newark” is trying to say is if they watched “The Sopranos” say it better.

The film grapples with an excessive amount of characters and ideas. Due to that, its two-hour runtime does not give any of its seeds enough time to grow. All these plotlines would have been better served with a prequel miniseries instead of this sad attempt at revival.

“The Many Saints of Newark” is a massive waste of potential, and it definitively proves that “remember when” is the lowest form of storytelling.

apply for

Student Media MANAGER

spring 2022 positions

Station Manager of KLSU Editor of The Reveille Station Manager of Tiger TV Must be an LSU student enrolled half-time at minimum and in good academic standing. Request application materials by emailing StudentMedia@lsu.edu. Submit application materials via email to StudentMedia@lsu.edu by Friday, October 22nd, 2021.

Advertising • Reveille • LSUReveille.com • Gumbo • KLSU • Tiger TV

SPORTS CROCODILE TEARS

page 8

Tyrion Davis -Prize breaks rushing record, fuels LSU’s homecoming victory over Florida

BY HENRY HUBER @henryHuber_ If you had told any LSU fan a couple weeks ago that Tyrion Davis-Price was going to break the single-game rushing record, they would have thought you were messing with them, and that reaction would have been justified.

LSU was one of the worst rushing teams in the country throughout the first five weeks of the season, but on Saturday LSU accomplished what any team that’s looking to overcome adversity or bounce back would want to do.

They adapted. Two weeks removed from one of the worst rushing performances by the Tigers in recent history, LSU realized then that something needed to change.

Auburn had noticed LSU’s primary weakness and exploited it, resulting in a heartbreaking loss for LSU. Had the Purple and Gold had a more balanced attack then, it is likely that they would have won.

The coaching staff seems to have recognized that, as they changed up their play-calling immediately.

That just so happened to correspond perfectly with a resurgence by the offensive line.

In the previous five weeks, Davis-Price could not get down the field and averaged about two yards per carry. It was clear then and is even more clear now that

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU football junior running back Tyrion Davis-Price (3) runs the ball Oct. 16, during LSU’s 49-42 win against Florida at Tiger Stadium. the poor output was not his fault, as his up-the-field, bruiser play style relies heavily on the effectiveness of the offensive line.

His side of the offense received a lot of criticism to start the season and his response was just to focus and continue to work hard.

“I just took it one day at a time and worked my tail off each and every day,” Davis-Price said.

“That’s all I could do, just do the

best for my team.”

We have now witnessed what happens when this offensive line plays to its offense’s strengths, and the results have been exciting.

Over the past two games, Tyrion Davis-Price has rushed for 434 yards on 58 carries (7.48 yards per carry) and five touchdowns.

The craziest part is that twothirds of that came from the win against Florida, as Davis-Price

had the best rushing performance by an LSU Tiger ever, rushing for three more yards than Leonard Fournette’s 284 against Ole Miss in 2016. The junior running back has looked unstoppable in previous weeks, reminiscent of when Fournette was in his prime with the program.

When asked about his recordbreaking performance, DavisPrice gave the credit to his offen-

sive line.

“Coach Peetz and the coaching staff challenged us to go in and create a running game, and the oline, they’ve been coming with it every day at practice just busting their tails and doing extra work,” Davis-Price said. “I can’t be more proud of them and I just can’t wait to do something for them.”

On one drive in the third, Davis-Price ran the ball eight times for 70 yards, finishing the drive off with a 25-yard touchdown run on a stretch to the right, in part to an amazing pull block by Ed Ingram and other great blocks down field. That came on top of a 40-yard touchdown rush earlier in the quarter, which went straight through the teeth of the defense.

The holes were plentiful throughout the entire game, and that is something that LSU fans everywhere have been asking for all season.

LSU’s recent effectiveness in the run game will come in handy next weekend, as the Tigers will look to keep the ball out of Ole Miss’ hands as much as possible against a Rebel defense that has given up almost 200 rushing yards per game this season. If DavisPrice has a few more performances like the one he had today and against Kentucky last week, we could see him among the nation’s best for the Heisman ceremony come January.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

LSU breaks soccer losing streak, takes win with penalty

BY MICHAEL SANCHEZ @MikeSanchez525 The LSU soccer team snapped a five-game losing streak on Thursday, defeating Kentucky 1-0. This victory marked the first SEC win on the road for the Tigers under Head Coach Sian Hudson.

“It was great to see some fight back in us tonight,” Hudson said. “It was a total team effort all 90 minutes for that win. We played for each other tonight.

“Now we will look to carry this momentum from this performance tonight into our next match against South Carolina.”

After a five-game losing spell, Hudson decided it was time for an unconventional approach.The coach mixed up the starting lineup against Kentucky, and to the viewers surprise, this lineup did not include leading goal scorer Tinaya Alexander in the starting 11.

Molly Thompson and Taylor Dobles were the starting forwards alongside Alesia Garcia.

The game plan included Dobles

ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

The LSU soccer team puts their arms around each other Sept. 26, before their 2-1 loss against Georgia at the LSU Soccer Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. and Thompson’s speed wearing down the Wildcat defenders early on in the match.

Midway through the first half ,Alexander was subbed onto the pitch. Neither side could break through the opposing defense to put a goal on the board in the

first 45 minutes of play. Going into halftime, the Tigers outshot Kentucky 10-3, while drawing six corner kicks.

The story of the match was written in the 72nd minute. Alexander shimmied her way into the box drawing a penalty kick

due to an unsuccessful slide tackle attempt by a Wildcat defender. Goalkeeper Mollee Swift walked into the box, staring into the eyes of the opposing keeper.

Composed and collected, Swift sent the ball to the left of the Kentucky keeper to put the Ti-

gers ahead 1-0.

“It’s something that we’ve talked about prior,” Swift said on if she was surprised to be called on for the penalty kick. “I’m confident with doing it. It was my time to step up. I’m glad we could get this win on the road.”

Swift secured her first collegiate goal, while also becoming the first LSU keeper since 2013 to score a goal.

The Tigers have three matches left on their schedule to punch their ticket into the SEC tournament. With last night’s victory, LSU is now tied with Texas A&M for the 10th spot in the conference tournament. The top-10 teams in the conference compete in a series of matches to see who sits on the throne in the SEC. If LSU can produce a handful of successful outcomes in their upcoming matchups, then they will have a chance to prove their early season success was not a fluke.

LSU returns to Baton Rouge on Thursday, Oct. 21 to face off against a high-powered South Carolina squad.

Monday, October 18, 2021 ORGERON, from page 2 Whatever plagued the first season and a half of Orgeron’s tenure had been solved. He and his staff had successfully recruited Burrow, arguably the greatest player ever to wear purple and gold. In scrounging for his weapons, they identified a few underrated recruits — Justin Jefferson, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Ja’Marr Chase — spotted their potential and dug all of it out of them. Orgeron recognized the need to modernize the offense and found Joe Brady, a young whiz kid who changed LSU’s offense forever.

Steve Ensminger was the right play-caller for the offense, as was Dave Aranda for the defense.

Though he disagreed with Aranda’s approach (he desperately wanted an attacking 3-4 scheme), Orgeron let the steely defensive guru do his job.

The result: an undefeated season, a Heisman Trophy, a national championship and a six-year contract extension for the old Cajun who led it all.

When the confetti stopped falling and the celebration ended, Orgeron was largely left on an island. Aranda took over as head coach at Baylor, Brady became the Carolina Panthers’ offensive coordinator and only a few starters from the magical team remained.

page 9 Orgeron had almost a blank slate and a blank check. He could do whatever he thought necessary to bring LSU into a state of perennial title contention. But with great power, comes great responsibility — and pressure.

Once fans and donors had tasted the glory of a national championship, they held Orgeron to a higher standard. Now, he had to live up to that standard and prove himself yet again. As the Tigers prepared for their 2020 season opener against Mississippi State, Orgeron walked into the football office to find not one player there -they had walked out as part of a nationwide movement of athletes skipping practice to protest racial inequality.

On the heels of a pandemic summer and a renewed, global focus on race following a few highprofile police killings, Orgeron and his players were reportedly on different pages. A number of players felt that their coach had “mishandled” the day of protest, The Advocate reported, and were frustrated that he said he “loves President Trump” earlier that summer on Fox News.

After an hour-long discussion between players and Orgeron about race and police brutality, two of the team’s best players, Ja’Marr Chase and Tyler Shelvin, opted out of the season to prepare for the NFL Draft.

The tension in the locker room

carried onto the field.

Orgeron’s defense allowed a Tiger Stadium record 623 passing yards in a crushing 44-34 loss to Mississippi State. LSU traveled to Missouri, where they allowed another 586 yards in a 45-41 loss.

Starting quarterback Myles Brennan was injured in the second half and missed the rest of the season.

Auburn beat LSU by 37 points, the largest margin of victory in the history of the series. It was LSU’s worst loss since 1996 and, if not for a late, garbage-time touchdown, it would have been its worst loss to an unranked opponent in the 84-year history of the AP Poll.

LSU’s defense was one of the worst in the country. They frequently miscommunicated in the secondary, lost track of receivers on basic crossing routes and failed to tackle. The blame fell on new defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, who Orgeron later admitted was lazily hired without a formal search or interview.

“I hired some coaches I didn’t even interview for the last staff,” he said, “and I’m never doing that again.”

Thrilling wins over Florida and Ole Miss quieted the critics, and the team ended the season 5-5. But Orgeron still fired Pelini at the end of the season at a $5 million buyout. Ensminger retired, and Orgeron hired two

s l w o t nigh

young Joe Brady proteges to run the offense: Jake Peetz and DJ Mangas. After missing out on a couple high-profile candidates, he handed the defense to his third choice, Minnesota Vikings assistant Daronte Jones.

“I think that throughout the season, our team became tougher,” Orgeron said after the Ole Miss win. “Our coaching staff became closer. We continued to fight. Went through a lot of adversity. There were some games we didn’t play very well, but we came back and we fought and we finished strong. That’s what I’ll remember about this team.”

With a young team, a fresh new coaching staff and a better energy throughout the building, Orgeron entered 2021 confident.

Before the Tigers’ opener against UCLA, he playfully jeered a heckler.

“Bring your ass on,” he said with a smile, “in your little sissy blue shirt.”

UCLA upset the Tigers. LSU fans flashed back to Mississippi State, as the defense allowed 38 points, 210 rushing yards and huge play after huge play. Orgeron took the blame.

“It’s my responsibility,” he said. “I told that to the team.”

LSU then beat McNeese State, Central Michigan and Mississippi State. They took control early in the game against Auburn, but let the game slip away. The defense

could not bring down quarterback Bo Nix, and the offense was out of sync. The Tigers spent five timeouts; four of them were to prevent delay of game calls.

The following Monday, Orgeron made a point to take more of the blame.

“I want to say this first: Ultimately, I’m responsible for the performance of this team,” Orgeron said. “I’ve always been responsible, and I always will be.”

Orgeron then took his team to Lexington, Kentucky, to face the Wildcats. His defense, after showing improvement, collapsed. The offense surprisingly ran the ball well, but the passing attack faltered. They lost 42-21, and Kentucky gathered 329 yards rushing.

Woodward watched the embarrassing performance on the sideline. He saw Wildcat ball carriers slip through LSU defenders.

He watched the offense’s futile attempts to mount a comeback. He saw star receiver Kayshon Boutte go down with an injury.

And he made a decision. No matter the outcome of the Florida game, Orgeron would not get another chance. After beating Florida, Orgeron was back where he started five years ago: He’s a placeholder again, while his bosses look for a full-time coach. His message is similar.

“We’re gonna fight,” he said with a smile. “These LSU Tigers are gonna fight.”

early birds

Classifieds

page 10

Thursday, October 18, 2021

Now twice a week. To place your ad, visit www.lsureveille.com/classifieds and click Submit an Ad Costs: $0.34 per word per day. Minimum $3.75 per day. Deadline: 12 p.m., three school days prior to the print publication date FOR RELEASE OCTOBER 18, 2021

Help Wanted SOHO Boutique Salon is seeking front desk associates to assist clients in all aspects of their visit.

Candidates will be expected to have a great upbeat attitude, able to work with computers, and capable of multitasking with a smile! $10-$15 with lots of perks.

Please call 225-246-8005 and ask for Honey, Susan or Jordan.

THE Daily Commuter Puzzle

smawe’re the rte st

up some interest!

Place a classified at LSUReveille.com

YMCA seeks Before and Afterschool Care Counselors at select school sites. This position will assist in the caretaking and supervision of youth placed in YMCA care. The counselor will assist students with homework, light tutoring, and provide recreational activities. Free membership with employment. Contact Monica Brown, 225-924-3606 ext. 1405, mbrown@ymcabr.org.

Apply online at ymcabr.org/jobs

Place a classified at LSUReveille.com

our classifieds are

TEA-RIFFIC! Place a classified at LSUReveille.com

REEL IN

tails

SOME

Place your

business!

classified

{ { HE RE

Place a classified at LSUReveille.com

Scare

Let Your Business Bloom Place a Classified

LSUReveille.com

coolest ads in Baton rouge !

The

place a classified at

LsuReveille.com!

Place a classified at LSUReveille.com

ACROSS 1 In good physical shape 4 Prince William’s mum 9 As dumb __ ox 13 Carved gem 14 Off-__; intermittent 15 “Rio __”; John Wayne film 16 __ tea 17 Shocking and disgraceful 19 “Don’t __ stranger”; parting words 20 Humiliation 21 Ford or White 22 Grow dark 24 Marsh 25 Suspects’ excuses 27 Firstborn among siblings 30 Ne’er-do-well 31 Unclear 33 Farm animal 35 Dutch ovens 36 Come together 37 Lavish party 38 Word with lodge or mask 39 Lions & Tigers & Bears (Oh my!)

40 __ Frappuccino; Starbucks order 41 Move down a web page 43 Railroad employee 44 Granola bit 45 Black-and-white animal 46 Reduces one’s speed 49 Dot 51 “Don’t __ for Me Argentina” 54 Surrender; relent 56 Wingless parasite 57 Baker’s need 58 Picnic cup material 59 Quantity of paper 60 Powdered drink 61 Ship poles 62 Weird DOWN 1 Look toward 2 Starry-eyed

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

Created by Jacqueline E. Mathews

3 Knight, for one 4 Runs fast 5 Of a Peruvian tribe 6 __ West 7 Zero 8 “Four score __ seven years ago…”

9 State without proof 10 Hearth residue 11 Be adjacent to 12 Prying 13 Triangular sail 18 Home 20 __ up; agitate 23 Lincoln & Beame 24 Primary color 25 Sight from Salzburg 26 Peeks 27 Breakfast choice 28 Wearing glasses 29 Support one’s parish 31 Calf meat 32 Sleeve filler 34 Rotating machine part 36 Become liquid

10/18/21

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

©2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.

37 Explorer or Bronco 39 Drink to 40 Religious man 42 Making waves?

43 Indiana team 45 Graves or Lawford 46 Aberdeen native 47 Volcano’s output

10/18/21

48 Remove the lid from 49 Smack 50 Family man 52 Librarian’s advice 53 Potato variety 55 Package delivery svc.

56 To and __

OPINION

page 11

American government to blame for students’ poor finances *NOTE: This column is a response to “Opinion: College

students are to blame for their own poor money management,” published on Oct. 8. Find it at LSUReveille.com.

SULLY’S SCOOP CLAIRE SULLIVAN @sulliclaire If anyone has a problem prioritizing money, it’s not college students, but the American government.

Americans are burdened with $1.59 trillion in student loan debt.

The cost of college has increased 25% in the last decade alone, and rent continues to skyrocket across the United States. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to make ends meet in this country, especially for someone trying to obtain an education.

Seventy percent of students worry about their finances, according to a 2015 study done by Ohio State University. Financial struggle is the No. 1 reason students drop out, which contributes to the nine-point graduation gap between low-income students and middle or upper-income students.

According to a 2018 George-

town University report, 70% of full-time students work, typically 15 to 35 hours a week. Low-income students are forced to work even longer hours, further widening gaps in opportunity.

My fellow columnist Samuel Camacho wrote this in his recent piece: “I listen to my fellow college students weeping that they’re ‘poor,’ asking their parents for more money and demanding their student loans be forgiven. To most of you, I only have one thing to say: you’re doing this to yourself.”

Let’s break that down.

First, many college students do, in fact, face serious economic hardship. Millions of college students go hungry because they do not have enough money to pay for food. A 2020 survey done by the Association of American Colleges & Universities found 41% of college students at four-year institutions had experienced housing insecurity and 15% had experienced homelessness. Many students are actively experiencing the realities of poverty, not “weeping that they’re ‘poor.’”

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

LSU students fill most of the available seating on Aug. 27, inside the Student Union.

Second, college labor statistics suggest most college students earn their own money. Is there some population of students that swipe their parents’ credit cards without a care? Sure. But to assume most students have the privilege to ask for money from their parents whenever they want is simply a false generalization.

Third, despite endless conservative talking points, student loan cancelation is actually a broadly popular policy. Two-thirds of re-

spondents in a 2021 Grinnell poll supported student loan forgiveness in some form.

The massive loan burden many bear for their education is not only a detriment to individuals but also to society as a whole.

Student debt makes it harder for young people to buy homes, get married and have children—and never mind putting anything away for the future.

Camacho also points to busy crowds at the Student Union as

evidence to his claim of widespread wasteful spending habits.

But again, this is not proof college students spend money irresponsibly—35,000 people attend LSU, and every one them needs to eat. Not to mention, many students have meal plans that allow them to spend Paw Points at the Union.

Attributing the financial struggle of college students to individual choices ignores the crushing structural issues that are actually to blame.

It is a failure of American policy that students must shoulder so much debt for an education.

Higher education should not be a commodity vastly more accessible to the wealthy, especially in the richest country in human history.

The federal government spends trillions of dollars on war and leaves scraps for social programming that would improve the lives of millions.

Blaming the individual prevents us from solving the broader issues at hand—and it lets America’s worst money-managers, our legislators, off the hook.

Claire Sullivan is a 19-year-old coastal environmental science sophomore from Southbury, CT.

Barnes & Noble at LSU has creepy, unwelcoming atmosphere CRADDOCK’S CORNER KATHRYN CRADDOCK @kcradd4 Our campus has a lot going for it—oak trees, magnolias, the Parade Ground, a live tiger. It fails miserably, however, in the bookstore department.

Even just the words “bookstore” and “coffee shop” connotate coziness, warmth and a pleasing aesthetic. The Barnes and Noble bookstore fails miserably on all these counts. The colors are bland, the lighting is nauseating and the inventory is full of tacky, overpriced LSU-themed junk.

I would even go as far as to say that the building and its contents are creepy.

This might seem like an insignificant bone to pick with our university, but I would argue that it matters. We’re now in the middle of October, right on the cusp

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

Mignonette McGraw, freshman majoring in environmental law, and Jackson Katz, freshman majoring in biology, work on their homework on Jan. 27, at Barnes and Noble at LSU on 2 Union Square. of autumnal weather that primes students for nestling inside with their textbooks and a coffee, and yet one of the central studying spaces on campus shares more in common with a Walmart than any of the academic buildings

surrounding it.

The LSU bookstore hosts shelves upon shelves of nightmares. There are the cheesy selfhelp books and celebrity memoirs with terrible attempts at relating to younger crowds. There is the

snack section, featuring nutrientdeficient snack food in packaging that wastes way too much plastic. You also have the school supplies, overpriced due to their LSU branding.

The bookstore is one of the few shopping options for students who live on-campus without a car. Sure, there are convenience stores located on campus, such as the 459 Outtakes and Take 5, but these businesses are also underwhelming. Plasticwrapped boiled eggs and little snack packs are not sustainable or energizing food options.

If you ever need a place to study or to grab a coffee, I would avoid the LSU bookstore at all costs. Seriously, unless you have to get a textbook only available from the LSU bookstore, I’m telling you, don’t go in there.

Other opinion columnists have previously critiqued the architecture of certain buildings on campus, particularly Lockett Hall. Lecture halls should encourage learning and enlightenment;

Editorial Policies and Procedures EDITORIAL BOARD Lara Nicholson

Editor in Chief

Enjanae’ Taylor

Managing Editor

Madelyn Cutrone

News Editor

Josh Archote

Deputy News Editor

Cecile Girard

Opinion Editor

The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University.

The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to editor@lsu.edu or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

functional, well-planned architecture is essential to lifting students’ moods and concentration.

Bland buildings that treat interior design as an afterthought, on the other hand, take away from a positive learning experience.

Considerable attention has already been given to the LSU Library’s dismal condition, and for good reason. Libraries serve as reflections of a university’s academic culture, so the implications of an underfunded, moldy library are...disturbing.

The same attitude should be applied to our bookstore. The spot where students go to buy books and other school supplies, or maybe even just to study and get coffee, should be enriching and welcoming.

It should not be creepy and blinding, reeking with the stench of consumerism sneaking its way into academia.

Kathryn Craddock is a 21-yearold mass communication junior from Patterson.

Quote of the Week “People say I look so happy and I say, ‘That’s the Botox.’”

Dolly Parton Singer 1946 — present

Are you a student at a Louisiana college or university and haven’t gotten the COVID-19 vaccine yet?

Geaux for your 1st or 2nd COVID-19 vaccination on campus and GET $100 Visa gift card.

Visit shotfor100.com to get more information on where to get your vaccine and $100 today.