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ector
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NewarkGo: Sharing a Ride in the City By Daniil Ivanov | Editor-in-Chief By Ethan O'Malley | Photography Editor
Newark will soon begin a 6-month pilot program for an electric bicycle and scooter ride share initiative. The program, called NewarkGo, aims to target 10 high-traffic “fleet anchors” concentrated in the Downtown/University Heights areas, as well as 10 “equity zones” across the city selected due to factors such as long commute times and high rates of poverty. Newark’s ride sharing system is dockless—bikes and scooters are recommended to be left upright, away from traffic and in a general zone, but do not have to be locked into a docking station. This move is intended to lower the cost of introducing a large amount of accessible vehicles into neighborhoods, and to allow the placement of the vehicles be fluid and influenced by local usage. Some NJIT students, ahead of the curve, already own such electric scooters for getting to class or getting around Newark. George Aboudiwan, senior computer science major, said “I'll take it to Penn…. Like a casual trip is 10 minutes. I'll take it to Ironbound. Branch Brook is an easy trip on the scooter, you've just got to be mindful of the cars though because at 280, it's a little... they're not mindful there.” The lack of mindfulness by city drivers is a key concern for many bike sharing programs. The bike crash rate measured in Newark from 2008-2013 was 2.8 per 10,000 citizens, while the percentage of commuters on bikes was 0.3%. However, both statistics are in line with the state average. “Now during COVID-19 and quarantine,” Aboudiwan said, “there's barely any cars, but even before then, it wasn't too bad of a thing. If anything, you just pull off a little right. And they're gonna swerve by you anyway…. They could be more mindful, that's for sure. I mean, I've almost been hit a few times.” A concern is that the addition of many new cyclists and scooters to roads that are not used to a large number of cyclists and scooters might spike these rates. However, the city has cited a good deal of research that points to the opposite effect, with a growing number of cyclists resulting in increased awareness from drivers and thus an increase in safety, called the “safety-in-numbers effect.” Aboudiwan commented on this effect, saying that unlike suburban or rural drivers, drivers in Newark “expect people to be in the road. They expect people to be riding around.” Kayla Mitchell, a senior biomedical engineering student, can also be seen riding her electric scooter across campus. “Once I learned to ride it,” Mitchell said, “I felt very safe…. I try to use the sidewalks whenever I can, if they're not too crowded, but then if not, I'll go on the shoulder of the road. And I do follow traffic laws, like whenever there's been traffic lights I'll always go with the flow of traffic.” The city has stated that bicycles and scooters will not be allowed on sidewalks so long as the adjacent road has a speed limit of 30 miles per hour or less. Data from the trial period will, however, guide the city to high traffic areas where new bike lanes will be painted on.
Photo by Daniil Ivanov
Another concern is that helmets will not be mandated for any rider over the age of 18. Aboudiwan and Mitchell both admitted
Vol. C | Issue 3 Week of February 8, 2021
to not wearing helmets on their personal scooters, despite revealing that their scooters can reach speeds over 20 miles per hour when going downhill on Warren Street. The city made this decision to not require helmets since such requirements have been shown to reduce participation in such ride sharing programs, which in turn eliminates the safety-in-numbers effect. Newark hopes to offset such safety concerns by heavily encouraging helmet use and distributing free helmets as part of its community outreach. The results of these efforts will be tested during the 6-month period. The city hopes that these bikes and scooters may serve as overflow for current public transportation methods, and as a supplement for areas of the city that have no access to public transport. It may shorten the commutes of Newark residents, which have nearly doubled in the last decade, especially in areas like the West and South Wards which do not have access to the Newark Light Rail system. This is in addition to the potential benefits to the environment and to health and wellness. One key aspect is the role it may play, at least during its pilot rollout, in mitigating COVID-19. By giving an alternative to public busses and trains, the city hopes to minimize the time that citizens spend in close proximity to each other while still allowing those without cars to travel. “It's fast,” Mitchell said of her scooter, “I mean the Light Rail is fast too, but also [with the scooter] you don't have to be up against everybody on the Light Rail. You know, social distancing.” Each bike will be equipped with a GPS tracker to recover stolen bikes, and the city places the responsibility of tracking and damage prevention on the e-bike and e-scooter firms themselves. To avoid the accumulation of bikes in high density areas, as well as improperly parked bikes, the city will rely on company compliance officers to randomly monitor bikes to ensure they are properly parked and distributed. Additionally, vehicles will be unable to leave the city limits due to the geolocking software installed on the bikes and scooters. While this will likely hold for the duration of the pilot, if the program continues Newark has expressed interest in working with neighboring towns to expand cycling range. Residents may also find bikes in short supply in the initial roll out. In order to avoid oversaturation, the city has placed temporary caps on the number of bikes to be distributed. However, these caps should rise over time if high demand and proper corralling of vehicles can be demonstrated. While the city has not yet released clear details on the companies that will be involved in the pilot program and the number of vehicles that they intend to release, they seem committed to a 2021 launch. “I think there is interest in the community,” Aboudiwan said. “Like whenever I go to Shoprite, whenever I go to Penn, every trip I get someone asking me about my scooter like, ‘oh, where'd you get that from? Where can I get it from? How much is it? Is it worth it?’ Like yeah, I always recommend it. So there is interest within like, the broader Newark community.” Mitchell, a supporter of Newark’s decision to introduce the NewarkGo program, called her scooter “the best investment I’ve made, for sure.”
THE VECTOR
Week of February 8, 2021
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WEATHER Wednesday, Feb. 10th
Thursday, Feb. 11th 33°F |19°F 9 mph
34ºF |24°F 8 mph
Friday, Feb. 12th
Saturday, Feb. 13th
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VECTOR STAFF Copy Editors Victoria Nguyen Parth Agrawal James Nanchanatt Sreya Das Karim Gueye Yukthi Sangoi Anthony McInnis Contributing Writers Nick Merlino Fatima Osman Staff Writers Joseph Ayoub Saanika Joshi Maksim Sokolov Samira Santana Evan Markowitz
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Upcoming Events WEDNESDAY, Feb. 10th 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm ACS: Research on Campus 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm NJIT L.E.A.D.S.: Student Leader Workshop #2 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Red Cross League: Valentine Alphabet Cards 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm ZOOMSICLE Auditions THURSDAY, Feb. 11th 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Murray Center: Galentine's Day FRIDAY, Feb. 12th 9:30 am - 10:30 am Medicolegal Death Invesitagation
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POLICE BLOTTER
1/30/21 12:01AM An employee at the Village Market on Warren St. reported a suspicious male walking in and out without buying anything and also harassing students. The individual left the premises prior to police arrival.
NJIT Vector Summary 2/6/2021 Times Shown are Times Reported
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THE VECTOR
News
Week of February 8, 2021
Power to the Players: How Reddit Took Down Wall Street By Daniil Ivanov | Editor-in-Chief By Sreya Das | Web & Multimedia Editor A new joke has come out of Reddit in the last few weeks: How do you become a millionaire fast? Be a billionaire and bet on GameStop’s stock to go down. GameStop is a company that many are familiar with from a time before video games were bought at the click of a button—when kids had to drag their moms to the mall to pick up a game off the shelf. December’s Earnings Report for GameStop’s shareholders showed that sales were down 30% from the same time last year, and some investors questioned whether the company would even stay afloat. This question of whether or not GameStop would tank soon led some hedge funds, like Melvin Capital and Citron Capital, to “short the stock to zero.” What this means is that, rather than buying or selling shares in the company, the investors “borrow” shares of GameStop (GME) from a broker, sell those shares expecting the stock price to go down and then rebuy the shares to give back to the broker after a set period of time. If things went according to plan, those investors would have made a large profit from selling borrowed GME shares at a relatively low price but buying them back when it’s absolutely worthless at the end of the contract. However, on Jan. 11, GameStop pointed to a new trajectory by appointing three new members to their board of directors, all of whom were executives of the e-commerce platform Chewy. The same earnings report that pointed to the decline of GameStop also pointed out a 257% growth in online sales—something these three executives have a lot of experience with. One investor and Redditor, u/DeepFuckingValue, who has been posting updates of his shares in GME since 2019 on the subreddit r/wallstreetbets, has been cited as the one to bring interest in the stock to the forum. Between the news of the new direction of the company, the perception of GME being undervalued and the news that hedge funds were betting on GME to go to zero, the Reddit community began to buzz about the stock. On Jan. 13 GME went from $19.95 to $31.40 (57% increase) in one day. After another 25% of growth over the next week, Citron Research Group tweeted out that “GameStop $GME buyers at these levels are the suckers at this poker game,” later claiming that their account was hacked. GME closed at $65.01 that Friday, the 22nd, but the cockiness from the hedge funds, and possibly a millennial nostalgia of GameStop, would fuel a different level of growth thanks to the Reddit community.
January 11: Gamestop (GME) adds 3 new directors to their board, former executives of Chewy
With the opening of the markets on Monday, the 25th, Redditors from r/ wallstreetbets rallied behind GME to drive the price higher than the stock has ever been. Redditors and investors from NJIT didn’t miss the opportunity either. “I browse Reddit a lot, and it was inevitable to stumble upon the news of GameStop especially when it first started happening,” said Christian Om, senior information technology major. “Particularly the subreddit r/wallstreetbets is where everything began and I knew of it before the whole GameStop fiasco. I think it really grabbed my attention though when my friend who is also into stocks and follows that subreddit actually put money and bought up some stocks, and I guess the rest is history.” On Tuesday, Elon Musk tweeted out “Gamestonk!!” to the delight of many as the stock continued to climb while pundits on television tried to explain the situation, adding fuel to the fire as they attempted to defend the hedge funds and condemn the Redditors. By Wednesday, the 27th, GME reached its peak of the day at $380 per share (up over 1800% since Jan. 13). Melvin Capital and Citron Capital announced that they were closing their positions on GME, taking billions of dollars in losses among other short-selling hedge funds. Further controversy was aroused when on Jan. 28 Robinhood—the major platform used by retail investors—and other investing platforms placed restrictions on transactions involving GME as well as other stocks that r/wallstreetbets picked up (AMC Theaters, Blackberry, Nokia, Naked Juice and others). The move received major backlash from the internet as Robinhood appeared to side with the wealthy hedge funds. The firm released a statement on Feb. 1 to all users that the reasoning behind limiting volatile stocks stemmed from clearinghouse deposit requirements that have to be met, and the deposit requirements are tied to the volatility of the stocks being bought and sold. In order to comply with the clearinghouse requirements, Robinhood and others made the decision to limit a small minority of stocks to allow the rest of the stocks to be bought and sold without issue. “I think they're really scummy,” said Om. “Robinhood could've just been transparent about why they put restrictions on trading but they weren't. Robinhood and a lot
January 13: GME stock increases by 50%, Redditors on r/wallstreetbets post gains and fuel a short squeeze
of other brokers have broken the trust of their customers and who knows if a situation like this can occur in the future. A lot of people are starting to move on from Robinhood to other brokers as well, since nowadays the only advantage Robinhood really has is the [User Interface].” “It’s undeniable that it’s because of the trading restrictions that the prices of the stocks were affected, and the censorship of the people on Robinhood and Discord was either a huge coincidence or were the result of the hedge fund's influence on these platforms,” said Om, referring to how Discord temporarily banned the r/wallstreetbets server on Jan. 27. “However I do think Robinhood is definitely the fall guy for the entire situation, when the fact of the matter is they're not the only bad guy.” Camillo Ortillo, senior computer science major, echoed the anti-Robinhood sentiment, stating “All [of Robinhood’s] changes for limiting buy orders are bad; I think they’re on the hedge fund side. If they didn’t limit orders then we would’ve seen more growth on all the meme stocks, and I would be at three times profit by now.” Stacy Lee, senior business and information systems major, said “I appreciate Robinhood for getting me started and more interested in investing, but the fact that they prevented users from buying into the ‘meme’ stocks and closing trading really didn't sit well with me. That was such a dirty move and I want to look into other brokerages now.” GameStop’s stock has since plummeted from its Jan. 28 max of $483 per share, flattening out around $60. However, the impact of the week of stock market chaos goes beyond stock prices. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission issued a statement that they “will act to protect retail investors when the facts demonstrate
abusive or manipulative trading activity that is prohibited by the federal securities laws.” Politicians from both sides of the aisle, notably Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Republican Senator Ted Cruz, agreed on Twitter that Robinhood and other brokers removing popular stocks from their platforms was unacceptable. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated that regulators would meet to address the situation. New York Attorney General Letitia James tweeted that her office would look into the situation as well. Robinhood users also filed a class action lawsuit against the company for barring them from openly trading. More than half of Robinhood users owned GME stock. What also came from the week of headlines was a deeper knowledge of how the stock market works for many young people, as every news station and influencer commented on the situation and tried to explain to others what short selling is. “I'm a novice to the scene and learned a small amount about stocks prior to this incident from my grandfather,” said Dyllon Stejakoski, applied physics junior. “I found how to make a brokerage account that connected with my personal bank and fully got into the scene as a direct result from the events that happened.” Lee followed a similar path. “I started investing last year during the summer, I think. I was always interested in stocks and just increasing my financial literacy. This event definitely has me wanting to do more research and learn more about investing, stock markets, options, et cetera.” Because of GameStop’s stock prices and a Reddit forum, more retail investors than ever are participating in the stock market. Thanks to a wave of people on r/wallstreetbets, GameStop is once again giving power to the players. January 29: Trading
January 27: Citron Capital and Melvin Capital close on their short positions, taking major losses
platforms reopen most of the volatile companies for trading, and the SEC releases a statement
February 1: Investors make attempts to cash out on their gains after GME price rose by over 300% the previous week
January 28: Robinhood and TD Ameritrade restrict trading of GME as well as other volatile stocks
THE VECTOR
News
Week of February 8, 2021
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Emotionally Nondistant
Resident Assistants By Karim Gueye | Senior Staff Writer
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to develop, so too have the residential building policies we put in place to curb its spread. NJIT’s Reslife has put together recovery guidelines that allow students to live on campus and retain a sense of normalcy while also preventing outbreaks from occurring on campus. The 2020-2021 resident contract features several COVID-19 specific revisions. In addition to the infectious diseases clause on the resident contract, Reslife has also placed limits on resident gatherings in lounges and in residents’ dorms. These policy changes are an entirely different beast from the dorm life we know from the past, but a certain subset of residents have been required to adapt the most. Resident assistants (RAs) are responsible for a multitude of duties to keep NJIT’s dorm halls running smoothly. Under normal circumstances, RA duties typically include planning programs for residents to attend, serving office hours, working making “rounds” across their designated buildings to make sure nothing is wrong, serving as desk attendants beginning this year and being a general resource for residents in terms of academic and emotional support. RAs are also required to attend weekly staff meetings and regular Reslife committee meetings. Former RA and fourth year computer science student Evan Markowitz says these duties add up to about 20 hours a week not including “rounds,” emergencies and DA duties. The amount of mental energy required to be an RA can’t be quantified and “a lot of headspace is devoted to being an RA even when you’re doing other things.” New policies mean that RAs have additional duties and rules to enforce.
RAs now run a strict “no guest” policy throughout the dorms. Luis Medina, Oak RA and junior chemical engineering student, does not consider this new policy difficult to enforce as these checks are done during their standard rounds of their building. According to Luis, Oak residents have “remained very understanding of the policy” and DAs now check residents against the residential rosters of the building they are trying to enter to confirm that residents are only entering their own dorm halls. According to Serita Das, Laurel RA and first year graduate business administration student, RAs are also responsible for enforcing mask policy within dorm halls.
outdoor scavenger hunt, “There was no contact and all residents did the scavenger hunt individually.” A resounding number of RAs define the communities they foster as the most important part of their jobs, as well as the most personally beneficial. Laurel RA Ross Bonifacio became interested in becoming an RA after hearing about negatives experiences that other trans people faced in the past while dorming. Bonifacio used his personal experiences to help other LGBT residents in his hall.
community on her floor. “I have been able to build community on my floor by utilizing GroupMe to interact and engage, inform them about programs and check in, while others have been able to do so through Discord and such.” Das does admit that that making these connections is more challenging than it was in the past, but she says that she and her fellow RAs are doing their best under the circumstances. Despite their everchanging responsibilities, NJIT’s RAs remain satisfied with
RAs are now also responsible for delivering meals to quarantined students. During the fall semester, this duty was distributed to all RAs, but since Redwood is now used to quarantine students, this responsibility now lies primarily with Redwood RAs. According to Medina, Cypress staff aids some of the Redwood staff as well. While RAs now take on additional duties, this doesn’t absolve them of their regular duties. Even during the pandemic, rounds still need to be made, residents still need support and emergencies still happen. NJIT RAs have adapted their tactics to meet safety standards. Firstly, duties such as programs and RA duties have been adjusted to be socially distant. Estefany Galdamez, Oak RA and junior business major, no longer enters residents’ rooms during inspections. Instead, she and her fellow RAs opt to inspect residents’ rooms from the door. None of her events can have contact, as such (almost) all of them are virtual. Last semester Galdamez ran an
Photo by Ethan O'Malley Das has become accustomed to building relationships with different people in different ways, a personal development she accredits to her three years of being an RA. Das takes pride in being a resource for her residents, a feature many other RAs agreed upon. “I always say if I can make a difference in one person’s life, I’m happy.” Being socially distant required Das to take a different approach to fostering
their duties. Regarding this year’s recent changes, Bonifacio said “I don’t know if its more difficult, but it is much different.” Das’ outlook on COVID-19’s effects on her duties is particularly upbeat; when asked if the pandemic had affected the advantages of being an RA, she explained, “if anything, [it] has been a beneficial learning experience.”
$4 Million from CRRSA Act By Yukthi Sangoi | Senior Staff Writer In late December, Congress passed the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act that was signed into law by former President Trump. This provides additional provisions for higher education institutions since the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was signed in late March, towards the beginning of the pandemic. CRRSA is considered as a law, part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 according to Ivon Nunez, executive director of Office of Student Financial Aid Services at NJIT. “The amount available for student emergency grants is $4,055,485, which is the same level as CARES,” said Nunez. The most prominent variation coming with the new act is with students’ eligibility to receive aid; they do not need to meet all of the Federal Title IV requirements, such as owing on a defaulted loan, meeting academic progress or Selective Service registration for male students. As of now, however, Nunez mentioned that unfortunately, “undocumented, international students [associated with the
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy] remain ineligible;” however this could be amended under the current Biden-Harris administration, Nunez noted. Another key variation between the two acts consists of students now being given the choice to utilize their CRRSA funds to pay down their student account balance. These funds can be used to cover expenses part of attendance such as “tuition and fees, room and meals, transportation, books and supplies, technology, computers, childcare and healthcare and any other COVID-19 related emergency expenses.” $600,000 worth of expenditures was allocated to the Fall 2020 semester from the CARES Act, but the entire distribution was spent during the Spring, Summer and Fall 2020 semesters in order to help “students with technology needs such as computers, webcams and other miscellaneous technology and Wi-Fi,” Nunez explained. “We also provided funds for food, transportation, housing and meals and other emergencies related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
She further explained that the office was thrilled to be able to support students with their unexpected costs and needs due to classes taken virtually: “The amount of need witnessed was overwhelming, from students and their parents losing their jobs to the loss of family members from the virus.” There are some institutions— for example, Stevens Institute of Technology— that gave each of their students a portion of funds from the CARES Act regardless of their status. NJIT’s office decided against such awarding; Nunez clarified, “if we do ‘block’ awarding like the way Stevens is doing, we may fund students who do not demonstrate need, and thus the funds will not serve the purpose.” Pell Grant eligible students are given priority in the funds given out. The next level of priority consists of non-Pell Grant eligible students who have an emergency expense as specified and ranked by priority on the application. Nunez stated, “The award amounts are determined based on how students rank their needs, and using internal standards, the award is processed. If students elect to use their funds towards their NJIT balance, funds
will be directed to pay down the balance provided they checked the consent on the application.” The maximum funds allocated to a student is either the Pell Grant level, $6,345, or the requested amount if it’s lower than the Pell Grant. Additionally, the office wanted to ask students if their family income has decreased due to the pandemic; if so, the office can offer an Income Reduction Appeal, which is a process of reassessing need using current tax information as opposed to the one used when filing the 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The office has expected to finish processing the funds by the end of the first week in February; the staff has been working on reviewing the 2,000+ applications they have received in order to take the students’ emergency needs seriously. Although the Jan. 30 deadline has passed, Nunez stated “if funds are available after the review of all the applications submitted by the deadline, we will provide another opportunity for applications” by sending out an announcement.
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THE VECTOR
Features
Week of February 8, 2021
Tristan Parker Living as a black man in America is a reality that the country and world is being forced to realize. A lot of the things that we have to endure are coming to light and the system that is so flawed is being brought to justice. Growing up in South Florida, many of the things I thought were normal would shock most people. I thought it was normal to exercise increased caution around white people, because I was invading “their space”,
What being black in America means to me is an automatic sign of strength. Living in a system that was built by us, yet not for us, with somewhere around half the US population not understanding why we’re protesting. People don’t understand that the model minority didn’t build this country, but rather infiltrated it in order to preserve the systemic racism that’s continued till this day. As someone who’s multiracial and basically ambiguously black, my experiences are very micro and different compared to my friends and family that are more obviously black. The hate that I experience only really stems from home from my own Philippines-born mother. She’s tried to make me and my siblings appear as nonblack as possible since birth, to the point where my oldest sister passes as white. But as someone who is black but isn’t always seen as black, I see it all. I see my friends and family that “fit the description” more being harassed for things that I never get harassed about. Black girls in my high school always getting dress coded and sexualized while it was never a problem
for the white girls to show extra skin. Getting pulled over with my friends and having the cops search them (and REALLY search them) but not me. It’s little things like these that add up to the bigger picture: black people in this country and in this world deserve justice, full acceptance, and equality. We shouldn’t need to change our features nor our mannerisms because we are NOT inherently bad. Black people deserve to express their culture, their passions, their fears, their truths, and have their voices heard in every case. Black people deserve to have every opportunity that anyone else can have. It’s the racism that’s propagated within our society that convinces the masses that black people are something to fear or something to hate, while in actuality, every day black people have to live in fear of whether or not they’ll even make it home. Being black means having tougher skin, and carrying a society that doesn’t care about us or protect us, but should. Because without us, America as we know it today wouldn’t even be here.
wherever it was. I thought it was normal to expect people to stereotype me openly and without shame, never having said a word to me. I remember the day my dad taught me how to be stopped by police. He told me, “Roll down all your windows, turn the lights on, have your license and registration on the dashboard, and don’t move your hands from the wheel.” This was 4 years after we watched
Trayvon Martin’s killer get off free. This was before it was popular to acknowledge and change the American black experience. So to me, it was normal. I don’t say this to receive pity but rather to show that black people live a very different reality from the rest of the country. Now it’s up to us to change that and make sure we are treated equally.
Anonymous
THE VECTOR
Features
Week of February 8, 2021
Mattheau Bonner To be black in America is to realize from a very young age that there are people out there who will simply hate you because of the color of your skin. Some will dismiss your thoughts, words, and actions without listening to you. Then when you find and surround yourself with people who support you and treat you like a fellow human being, you realize that you have not actually escaped racism because it is in the system that surrounds you each and everyday.
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To be Black in America is to eventually learn that the American "melting pot"– where people of all colors, cultures, and backgrounds are recognized and appreciated for their contributions to the united whole–is a myth. It conveniently obscures the true, historical purpose of race in America: to distinguish "them" from "us".
Ty'rese Hutche
Richard Woods What it means to be a Black citizen in America has been different to me in the different stages of my life. When I was a kid, I was raised on the belief that nobody should be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character (yes I was raised on the main message spoken by Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.). So I followed those principles and still follow those principles. Since I am half Puerto Rican and lived with my mom growing up, I was always surrounded by my Hispanic roots more so than my African-American roots. However, I did end up identifying more with my Black roots than anything (possibly to try and differentiate myself from my peers). In this stage of my life, being Black in a primarily Hispanic neighborhood leads to mostly funny moments and no significant moments of racism (besides the rare instance of a poor taste Black joke). My perspective of being a Black citizen started to change once I started high school. I started meeting people who started calling me White because I spoke more eloquently than the stereotypical Black man and I didn't wear the stereotypical clothing. At first it didn't bother me, but over time it started feeling like my intelligence and somewhat respectful and professional behavior towards others was being used against me. It felt like I wasn't matching my roots or following the stereotypes. This eventually kick started a period of my life where I was trying to figure out my cultural identity that lead into college. The moment that my eyes opened as to the real perspective of Black people in America came in freshman year of high school. I was a member of my school's Mock Trial team, and we would go and compete either at the Jersey City Courthouse or at Princeton University for a different part of Mock Trial called Moot Court. My first ever competition at Princeton
was when I noticed that people looked at me differently because of the color of my skin. Now a lot of minorities know about "the look". It varies based on the situation you're in, but basically amounts to the same level of awkwardness and will always leave you at least really uncomfortable. The people looking at me were looking as if they were watching the circus passing by. This type of look I got was the "I didn't know they came in that color" look. Usually I get this look from White people that evidently have not been outside their own community very often and live in a predominantly White town or city. When the coach of the team saw that we were all getting the look, he told us to use that to motivate ourselves to do better than them. So I did, and even though I got destroyed that year, I felt a drive to improve and show them that I am more than the color of my skin. So from that moment on, being a Black citizen in America meant that I needed to work harder to stand out and live the life I want to live. After freshman year of high school, I started to pay more attention to how people perceived me in terms of my skin color. The main thing I saw during high school were people that were scared of Black people. There was actually one situation, which I mainly view as more hilarious than anything, where I encountered someone who was scared of both of my ethnic backgrounds. When the Mock Trial team went to the Jersey City Courthouse in my sophomore year (where we proceeded to win the county tournament. Weird flex I know), two other teammates and I were told to prevent the opposing team from taking notes and spying on our team. So in order to do this, I sat in front of one of the members spying on us while the other two sat next to them. Once we started to talk to the spy to dis-
tract them, they mentioned how they brought a pocket knife to the courthouse. What they proceeded to say shocked me at how absurd it was to me. They said, and I quote, "I brought it to protect myself against the Black people". All I could say to that was "WHAT?", and they immediately tried to fix the situation. However, they only made it worse by saying "Oh no I am sorry. I meant to protect myself against the Puerto Ricans". All I could say to him was "I'm both", and I just saw his face turn pale by how much he completely messed up in that conversation. Now I say this situation is hilarious because of the absurdity of it all. I am a pure pacifist. I try to resolve altercations and disagreements with communication and only resort to physically fighting either in self defense or when it's the only option left. The fact that someone was scared that I was gonna do something because I am a big Black man just made me laugh. This was around the time where I took the Black stereotypes on the chest and laughed through it because there was no harm to it. Now before I go on to college, I want to preface that I was blessed to have a mother that never gave up on me and helped me want to strive to be great. My mom would always tell me that I may need to work harder than others, but that my options were limitless. She even came storming into my room as a kid when Obama was elected crying that I could go as far as being a President if I wanted to. Once I came into college, that's when the meaning of being Black in America showed its most ugly and harsh part of itself. When I first came to NJIT, it was during the 2016 election. Thanks to the, for lack of better and non vulgar words, poor word choices of Donald Trump, I began to see the level of overt
racism skyrocket to a depres racism was always present, time I saw so many people e an overall bad taste in my m frustrated at the level of igno
Coming to NJIT was also meet more people that were ican. Since I was a part of before attending NJIT, I me ful people who were deep their Black roots. Being a p meant that I also was show rican-American and Hisp on campus like NSBE, SH time in the program also al scholarship from the Black nology Alumni Association this scholarship meant that meetings a month with the m this organization. These be years of experience in the fi and STEM as a whole. The m I learned a lot of tips and t not only my freshman year, whole.
These meetings also we more connected with my B troduced to the hardships t to put up with in their care how unnecessary and disre of their higher ups were. Th sticks to me to this day is shook the hand of their sup pervisor proceeded to wipe pants. I knew that being Bla a disadvantage when trying the door of my career, but I el of disrespect that I would supposed to be a profession
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Features
Week of February 8, 2021
AnJolae Seabrooks People want what they want. Whether it’s a new car, A new house, Even a new career. People want what they want. Whether it’s change, A new outlook on life, Even to change who they are as a person.
eson
ssing level. Now this , but it was the first embrace it. It just left mouth and I just felt orance on display.
o where I started to e also African-Amerf EOP the summer et so many wonderply connected with part of the program wn the different Afpanic organizations HPE, and AFSA. My llowed me to earn a k Engineering Techn (BETAA). Earning t I had to attend two main benefactors for enefactors have had field of engineering meetings were where tricks to improve in r, but in college as a
ere where I became Black roots and inthat minorities have eers was baffling in espectful the actions The one story that still when one of them pervisor, and the sue their hand on their ack would put me at g to get my foot into never knew the levd receive in what is nal setting. The one
People...people want a lot of things. But… Why don’t they want us to live? To be equal? Our excellence? People want what they want.
What does it mean to be black in America?
In this case… We want justice. We want rights. We want to drive without feeling scared to be pulled over. We want to walk these streets like everyone else can. We want to shop without being followed around the store. We want to be heard. We want… We want… We want...
Illustration by Sacrée Frangine
This list could go on and on about what we want. person that opened my eyes the most to the prejudices and injustices that Black people go through had to be my mother. Now that I am basically seen as an adult, she became more open about how much racism and prejudice is present with almost every aspect of my life. My mom has had bad experiences as a kid with White people because she was Puerto Rican. So she started to tell me about what to look out for because of the color of my skin. The conversation that broke me, however, was when she told me what to do when driving. Never wear a hoodie. Never wear shades. If I ever get pulled over by a cop, keep my hands up at all times. Only talk when spoken to. Speak calmly and straightforward. Let them know every action you are doing. Do not resist. Comply. Any mistake, and it will be your life. This was the moment that the whole truth was shown to me on what it means to be Black in America. The injustices and straight up attacks on African-Americans citizens of any status. The overt hatred that racist people have and the covert mannerisms that people have around minorities. Black men and women being killed by cops or racists for doing nothing wrong. Excessive force being used on Black people and Hispanics while White people do the same crime and get a slap on the wrist. White supremacists wishing for Black people to either die or be closed off in their own communities. White people trying their damned hardest to justify the death of Black people to protect the cops. The deaths of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery may have been the moments that opened peoples' eyes to these injustices, but I learned way in advance how deep it all goes. Now this story I wanted to save to the end
because it was the most poignant moment in my life in regards to racism. My family went to a Walmart in South Jersey after going to a Cracker Barrel to pick up a few supplies. When entering the store, my mom told us to not wander off by ourselves in this store. I didn't pay any mind to it and went off on my own to the Electronics section. I mentioned earlier about "the look" and how it depends on the situation you are in. This situation was different. Out of nowhere I suddenly felt daggers on my back. As if my every move was being watched, I turned to see an old White clerk for the Electronics section. All I saw on his face was nothing but pure hatred. It felt like his glare was piercing through my body. I started getting anxious and walked away. He soon followed me with that same look of pure hatred. I walked away faster than before hyperventilating. I knew what this look meant. I felt it deep inside. "You steal something, and I will shoot". So what does it mean to be a Black citizen in America? In my opinion, it means that I will have to work harder than most to get my foot in the door in my career. It means that I could be doing anything and I will be targeted by racists and police. It means that there will always be people that hate me for something I cannot control. However, what it also means is that I am blessed to have so much culture in my life that I can share with others. It means that I still can go for a career in teaching Mathematics to the next generation of great minds. It means that I can help aspire young Black men and women to go beyond the stereotypes and strive for greatness. It means that I may need to fight for equality, but that equality can be achieved not just by the color of my skin, but by the content of my character.
People want what they want. In this case… I want change, I want prosperity. I want people like me to keep living and to achieve our goals. I want people to understand that Black Lives Matter. We NEED people to understand Black Lives Matter. This does not mean no other forms of life matter. This does not mean that no one else is important. What we mean is that this fight is important. We have been oppressed and ignored for too long. The change we NEED must be fought for once again. People are tired. We are tired. I am tired. When will you be tired too?
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Features
Week of February 8, 2021
The Death of the Snow Day: A Damn Shame By Evan Markowitz | Staff Writer
Photo by Ethan O'Malley
COVID-19 and online interaction has taught us one particular lesson: Nothing is sacred. One crucial adaptation that was mourned this winter across the nation? We killed the snow day. As we saw last week, snow hasn’t gone anywhere, but we’ve lost one of the sacred rituals of academic life—having a day off school when it’s snowy. With the adoption of online learning, many would argue that the snow day just isn’t necessary. After all, the primary pragmatic justification of cancelling classes, that the roads weren’t navigable under the adverse weather conditions, is moot when anyone can log onto Webex from the comfort of their own homes and dorm rooms. That said, I think this misses a number of other justifications for the snow day, both pragmatic and otherwise. One particularly good reason to keep the snow day alive is pretty straightforward: students have responsibilities at home. I personally spent much of our most recent snowstorm shoveling snow. I’m sure I’m not alone in this, as students in classes often reported either just returning from outside, or their intention to head there after the lecture was over. Some students shovel for their neighbors as well which can take a lot of time out of the day which would normally be used for instruction and homework. I know I’ve already missed classes due to shoveling. Obviously shoveling is not the only responsibility that students have, nor does every student have that responsibility, but I think it is enough to suggest practical benefit of a snow day.
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Of course, I would be amiss to not pine about some of the less practical aspects of the snow day. For instance: having fun. Being inside while the snow piles on is definitely a morale-killer for many students and people in general. While I’ve not been to the university in-person this semester, I can distinctly remember the many snow objects that are made by students all over campus. There were snowball fights on the green next to Cypress Hall, snowmen in front of Laurel and messages sneakily carved out of the snow on the soccer pitch next to the WEC. It was lighthearted fun, and while these things have undoubtedly happened again despite the coursework, wouldn’t it be nice to have one less thing to worry about for a day? I’m not opposed to change. At the right time, change can be a great thing. Moving to a converged model of teaching was the type of positive change which allowed students to continue studying despite the deadly pandemic in which we find ourselves. That said, not all change is good, and I really think that removing the snow day in favor of online learning is a change for the worst. In such an unprecedented time, I would hope we could find little ways to cling to whatever normalcy might be left, and I’m convinced that keeping the snow day is one of those ways, especially as one of the most socially distanced activity that unites students of all ages back to nature and to each other. I hope it is premature to declare the death of the snow day, but if it is too late, I hope I speak for many in declaring: you will be missed.
A Light-hearted Plea to Continue Wearing Masks Post-Pandemic By Issac Scafe | Senior Staff Writer *This piece is written satirically. If this pandemic has done one thing right, it has been bringing the habit of wearing face masks into style. I’ve found no greater joy than slipping on a face mask to complete my outfit and protect myself from the bitterly cold winter we are facing, let alone its efficacy in decreasing transmission rates of several unfavorable diseases.
to worry about their appearances when hidden behind the mask and can instead enhance it with a new pattern every day. What could be even more important than someone's health is their privacy. As technology continues to evolve, people's privacy is increasingly becoming harder to maintain. Cameras everywhere can spy on anyone and track facial features
without them knowing. With a mask however, people can prevent cameras from analyzing their every move. Now, we can go out in public without fear of the government watching us. Cameras cannot use facial recognition if a mask is obscuring the target. In this technological age, privacy is important and masks are one way to ensure that people can prevent themselves from being tracked.
Masks can be used for much more than preventing the COVID-19. Out of hands but want something to eat a snack out of? Wear a mask. Need an extra accessory for your outfit? Wear a mask. Planning on invading the Capitol building? Should probably wear a mask. So when the world eventually returns to normal, it’s my wish that nothing stops us from wearing masks.
So with the country beginning to distribute vaccinations to tackle COVID-19 more rapidly, many suggest there is hope that we’ll eventually make it out of this long, dark tunnel. However, does the end of the pandemic signal that we should no longer wear face masks? I would have to disagree. Let me ask you a question. Have you heard of anyone that has actually gotten the flu this season? I haven’t either. Between the flu and cooties, maybe we should keep wearing masks since they are reasonable at reducing transmission of many droplet-based illnesses. More importantly, consider our physical appearances. Someone could be dealing with a bad acne breakout or could have forgotten to brush their teeth. Maybe someone got a nose piercing their parents told them not to get and now they have to hide it. Whatever insecurities someone has about their face, it can easily be taken care of with a mask. Can a mask hide every flaw one may have? Probably not, but it can at least provide some relief going outside to face the world. People will no longer have
Graphic by Nicolas Arango
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THE VECTOR
Opinion
Week of February 8, 2021
What Makes a Good
“Giant Monster”Movie
By Anthony McInnis | Senior Staff Writer In recent years, giant monster movies have become much more popular in Hollywood. Movies like “Pacific Rim,” “Godzilla” and “Rampage” have shown studio executives that there is money to be made in the genre. The release of the trailer for the upcoming “Godzilla vs Kong” has even mustered a surprisingly large and positive reception. Despite the recent popularity, the genre is not seen as high art. People who are excited to see a big gorilla punch a big lizard aren’t looking for a deep exploration of themes. There aren’t many giant monster movies considered to be classics. Far too often, they fall victim to the trappings of the genre. However, upon the mastery of a few key essentials, a monster movie has huge potential to reach success and push boundaries of the genre. Often times what makes an exceptional giant monster movie is a core theme at the center in which the fictional monsters that can properly the cultural and societal fears of the times. Frankenstein’s monster is representative of the fear of scientific advancements. On the same token, The Blob represented the growing power of communism and the Soviet Union. The original Godzilla represented the atomic bomb. When making a giant monster movie that stands the test of time, there should be a societal-level fear or problem being conveyed through the creature. One of the best examples of that is 2008’s “Cloverfield,” which captured the widespread terror and xenophobia following 9/11. The monster in that movie represented an outside threat bringing terror and vi-
olence to an American city. Through the characters and the found footage style, the audience could feel what it's like to experience such a disaster. Although we may cringe at its core theme now, it remains that “Cloverfield” accurately depicted the fears at the time. The biggest problem most people have with monster movies are poorly written characters. Often times the audience will have to follow a bunch of bland, under-developed and cliché characters as they wait to see monsters smash buildings. The issue is that a movie needs human characters to serve as a point of view for the audience, yet at the same time people are paying to see the monsters. As a result, the characters are treated as a mere afterthought, existing purely to move the plot forward. Another common issue with character writing is that there are too many characters, forcing screen time to be divided amongst eight or so main characters as well as the monsters. All that results in no characters having enough time to develop. The decision to have tons of main characters is a financial one. The studio can hire several moderately well-known actors and give them all top billing, making it more likely the average person sees a couple faces they recognize. 2019’s “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” is a perfect example of that, as each scene has a different B-list actor explaining the plot. It’s quite simple to solve the issue of character writing in monster movies: develop the monsters as characters. The monsters are what people are paying
to see after all. Give the monsters a defined personality, show how they think and show how they chill. Frankly, the ideal monster movie would be a pseudo-nature documentary where you see how the giant monsters eat, sleep and reproduce. The 2005 remake of “King Kong” did this perfectly. Kong was a fully realized character with motivation, personality and stake in the story. Likewise, while “King Kong” had a large cast, the
the sake of character growth. In order to pilot the giant robot, the characters need to bridge each other’s minds and connect, which gives both a narrative and need for character growth. The writing is sharp as a tack.
focus stayed on the main character Ann Darrow.
should be developed as its own character. While it isn’t essential for every film of the genre to do all three, these three steps nonetheless serve a blueprint for success. Hopefully, the genre can someday move past the current stigmatization of just being about dull, dumb action with weak plot and shallow characters.
Probably one of the best monster movies in terms of character writing is “Pacific Rim.” The whole story is centered around the two leads and their ability to connect. In this instance, the monsters are simply obstacles to be overcome for
To sum up things, in order to make a truly great giant monster movie, a core, relatable theme should be conveyed through the monsters, the cast should be kept small and focused and the monster
COLLECTIONS voices from around campus
Submit your responses to @njit_vector on Instagram!
What are your relationship red flags? " Being a Pisces... actually "when you try your best to this one particular Pisces. make them feel better but Not all Pisces" they don't do the same for you" "CS Major" " Not showing any signs of "When you wear rose col- showering or being clean" ored glasses, red flags are just flags" "When she's vegan and can't find the vegan food in "when they say they're des- your fridge so she flips out perate" on you"
"Not wanting to hold your "The Wolf of Wall Street is hand" their favorite movie" "See: The Sweater Curse"
"They tell me I'm special for something I did that's abo"not being able to control lutely normal" your anger" "tries to fix me" "taking their anger out on you specifically" "a man bun"
"They actually enjoy trad- " WHEN THEIR ENTIRE PERing stocks" SONALITY TRAIT IS THEIR "Lack of self-care" "Being upset but not wantSEXUALITY" ing to talk about it" "When they call me brave "Red flag: Kat's entire attifor being vegan" "not buying flowers for the tude" "A disinterest in doing homies" things together" "Quentin Tarantino movies "Oh man, impatient dudes? are their absolute favorite" "gaslighting" Big turn off" "They hate cats"
THE VECTOR
Opinion
Week of February 8, 2021
10
Road to the Super Bowl: What No One Saw Coming By Samira Santana | Staff Writer
The Super Bowl LV took place this past Sunday in Tampa, Florida. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs were looking to win back-to-back championships against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. What’s interesting about this year’s big game is arguably, the faceoff between potentially the two greatest quarterbacks of all time, with many referring to the game as the “GOAT vs the Kid”, kid being the name of a young goat. Last season, Mahomes led the Chiefs with an impressive 12-4-0 record. This year they became a more dominant front, picking up 14 wins and only two losses. The Chiefs had faced off with the Buccaneers only one time this season in a last-minute fight-to-the-finish regular season game. In the fourth quarter of this game, Brady threw two touchdown passes to lead his team back in the game. But with two second-half interceptions, Mahomes outplayed Brady and held the ball in the last quarter to clinch the win at 27-24. Naturally, many saw the big game this year going either way. To overlook the Chiefs and only regard Mahomes is a rookie mistake. Their offensive line is one of the best in the NFL and they have one of the most explosive players in the NFL with Tyreek Hill as wide receiver, not to mention the dominant threat in tight end Travis Kelce. There is no doubt about it, the Chiefs went into the game looking to use all of these to their advantage. Brady’s first season with the Buccaneers could have started better, but
the end is what matters, and a ticket to the Super Bowl is always cause to celebrate. With a slightly lower record of 115-0, they clinched the Wild Card game against the Washington Football team and proceeded to win against the Saints and Packers for the NFC title. However, the Buccaneers’ struggle with inconsistent office was something they had to endure as the season continued. Their only faceoff with the Chiefs came after two home losses: a brutal 38-3 loss against the Saints and a loss to the LA Rams. But after this struggle, they haven’t looked back: changing their tactics, the team was able to win by more than 10 points against the Lions, Falcons and the Saints to advance to the NFC championship. The New England Patriots, formerly led by Brady himself, was the last NFL team to win two Super Bowls in back-toback years. Following the Chiefs’ win in 2020, this year could have been the test for Mahomes to see if he truly had the potential to match Brady’s standing. On the flip side, after Brady’s shocking exit from the New England Patriots, winning the Super Bowl with a completely different team could solidify his place as the greatest of all time. But the game played out like no one had imagined. Ironically, although both teams having the best offenses of the entire NFL, the first half was more of a defensive game. With nothing on the scoreboard in the first quarter until the last few minutes, the Chiefs finally had a field goal opportunity, and some penalties led to
a last-minute touchdown for the Buccaneers. The Chiefs continued to make many defensive mistakes that cost them another touchdown in the second quarter, creating an eleven-point margin going into the second half. As the margin continued to grow, many fans held out hope that the Chiefs could overcome it just as they’ve had in the past, especial-
attack but the Buccaneers' defense really came out to play and did what no other team in the NFL has done: hand Mahomes his first double-digit loss since coming into the NFL.
ly when looking back to their road to the Super Bowl last year. The third quarter further exposed the Buccaneers’ dominant position with Brady continuing to put points on the board. Mahomes, on the other hand could only muster up a field goal opportunity as his offensive line struggled to protect him and the Buccaneers’ defense taking out and even double-teaming Kelce and Hill. In the final quarter, the Chiefs continued to
powerful Chiefs. But the Chiefs aren’t done yet, it is clear that they are still a bright young team that has more opportunities in years to come. If Mahomes continues improving he could very well be a candidate for one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Brady, on the other hand, was all smiles after the game, announcing his decision to continue playing, all while adding a 7th ring to his record collection.
All in all, both teams deserved to be in the big game. The Buccaneers showed more hustle and heart and kept their composure while playing against the
Binge-watching “Bridgerton”: TV Show Review By Prem Naik | Senior Staff Writer Pretty faces, pretty dresses and gorgeous set pieces— is there anything more delightful than a period drama? “Downton Abbey,” “Outlander” and “Poldark” stand out as some of the most popular period dramas full of twists, turns and melodrama. Netflix’s own “Peaky Blinders” and “The Crown” have gained much critical acclaim and popularity as well, so it’s no surprise that their latest release,“Bridgerton,” would follow suit. Over the top in terms of set design and costumes as well as dramatic plot lines, “Bridgerton” combines what audiences have come to expect of a period drama and compiles it into a bingeable series for millennials and “zoomers” alike. Following in the footsteps of Lady Mary in “Downton Abbey” and Queen Elizabeth in “The Crown,” “Bridgerton” centers around Lady Daphne Bridgerton, our strong and bold heroine whose struggles are often a result of the opinions of those around her and the time period in which she is confined. As part of the social elite in late Georgian Era London, social season is the time when young men and women are expected to find a spouse through various balls and events. This season is particularly important for Daphne, as it happens to be her first, and these impressionable mo-
ments are vital to her success in finding a suitor. Voiced by Julie Andrews, Lady Whistledown serves as the narrator, an unseen but prominent woman in the social elite whose published writings summarize the significant and sometimes scandalous events of the season. A simple word from the mysterious Lady Whistledown could help or hurt the characters’ reputation. While Phoebe Dynevor’s character Daphne initially gets a stellar mention from Lady Whistledown, things get complicated for her when her overprotective and overbearing brother manages to drive off all eligible suitors at the start of the season. However, when she runs into the reserved and haughty Duke of Hastings, Simon Basse, played by Regé-Jean Page, she and the Duke devise a scheme. As a woman who wishes to marry above and elevate her social standing, and a man who is not interested in marrying anyone, the pair resolve to make it appear as though they intend to marry each other. In simple terms, they begin a fake dating experience in an effort to make others jealous. As a plot point that sounds eerily similar to 2018’s “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” it is not difficult to guess how their pact turns into a friendship, and eventually something more.
To say period dramas lack diversity would be an understatement, which “Bridgerton” attempts to remedy this by casting biracial actors. Interestingly, even if historically innacurate considering the time period, it’s clear that the focus of the show was Daphne’s journey as a woman trying to find love on her own terms and taking steps to control her own life. The show works very well in this way and is empowering in a setting that would not usually allow for it. Instrumental covers of pop songs also help to cement that this is a period drama meant to appeal to our generation. Something else that also makes “Bridgerton” worth watching is the compelling side characters and their plights. There’s the tragic story of Miss Marina Thompson who must look for a suitor while the love of her life is a soldier on duty, the misadventures of the Featherington family and the chronicle of Daphne’s brother Anthony who loves a singer below his social class. But the most engaging of them all was the journey of Eloise Bridgerton who does not want to follow in the footsteps of Daphne in becoming a wife and mother, but instead seeks to start her own life in hopes to uncover who Lady Whistledown is. There are many more subplots that each get just enough screen time to
not feel rushed, but could all have been fleshed out in their own right. While the show is not as family friendly as other popular period dramas, it is certainly full of grandeur— in every sense of the word. Daphne and Simon’s story does drag at times, but overall, “Bridgerton” is a quick and worthwhile watch.
Photo by Netflix
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THE VECTOR
Entertainment
Week of February 8, 2021
Horoscopes By @poetastrologers
ARIES TAURUS There is time on your side, but you will likely feel that you have to rush. You don’t in fact—in fact, the timing of this is very important. Still, there will be 10 reasons to complete it. You only need one and you’ll continue to be driven towards it.
CANCER
GEMINI
Everything is that pretty gold that you love. Two things stuck together but you will pick the one hard to see. A hand or two and a hand to hold. There is a smile in everything.
On a rock you will find that you can look up. And that’s exactly right that—that you should. A very pale and beautiful sky. There is rain, but that’s a good thing.
LEO
VIRGO
Do You Even Sudoku? EASY
It feels different—this part of the story. Still, is much to be done and even more to say. A trumpet that sings what you really feel. Love is a louder story than even you realized.
A very pretty rainbow and there’s a triple. You are in a comfortable place with friends. When you hold one thing out and another in, there is balance. There is also conversation on its way to you.
A bird on top of the arch and then there are coins. You have a calm expression. This doesn’t mean you aren’t motivated. In fact, you have every intention to keep going.
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
You can’t wait to forgive someone and yet, you will take your time. Because it is in fact in this waiting that you feel the real truth. A harmony, a letter. In the midst of the grey is a bright green fern.
You aren’t getting what you want, but you will keep that a secret. For now you will look up at the stars and dream again. It’s that radiating dream where orange is upon orange. Even in the middle of waiting is the dream.
It was all day, you with this thing above you. Then so quickly it went away. Without it you will free again to create. But still perhaps you miss it so acutely.
CAPRICORN
AQUARIUS
PISCES
This is the way you like to look in the mirror, with the gaze turned towards the other side. That’s because of the future and that’s because of the past. But the present too you hold like a scale. On each side is a flower that means eternity.
The room is purple and on each finger is an option. A star too— it’s all there. But what longing is you have yet to master. No instead you turn towards the floor, where progress means to be.
You will be funny to many. But inside that will be the cry. It is the words that you know will come out eventually. But for right now enjoy the banquet of your heart and its consistencies.
MEDIUM
HARD
Comics EVIL
Crossword Crossword credited to onlinecrosswords.net
Tweet @TheNJITVector a photo of your completed crossword puzzle (only if you can solve it, though)! Across 1. Counterfeit 5. Pinto prodder 9. Singer Khan 14. Composer Stravinsky 15. Guesstimate phrase 16. Veronica of "Hill Street Blues" 17. Carson's spinning-toy essay? 20. Houses with walls of water 21. Revives 22. Puts the collar on 25. Caesar, for one
26. Levi Stubbs' cookware set? 31. Eyeliner target 34. Bee flat? 35. Shade of blue 36. Beef cut 38. It borders Kazakhstan 40. Basic nature of a perfume 42. Tithed percentage 43. Zapata's "zip" 45. Cry of mock horror 46. Sound after a pinprick 47. Decides to critique harshly?
50. Sault --- Marie 51. London park name 52. Rod on a screen 56. Makeshift digs 61. Photo's ace? 64. Revolutionary Allen 65. Touched ground 66. Morales of` "Bad Boys" 67. Val Kilmer movie (with "The") 68. Coloring agents 69. Lady of the knight
Down 1. Pacific archipelago 2. Spellbound 3. Germany's Helmut 4. Cubic Rubik 5. Bottle by the chow mein 6. Whiz 7. JFK served in it 8. Mil. student body 9. Molecule mavens 10. Loathed 11. Famous cookie maker 12. Continued (with "on") 13. Ran preceder 18. Dessert, to a dieter
19. Parasite's home 23. Bear of Alabama football 24. Masseur's workplace 26. "--- all, folks!" 27. Gives a job to 28. Roy's wife Dale 29. Fedora fabric 30. Sometime in the future 31. "Say" sound 32. Of an ancient Peruvian empire 33. Ownership papers 37. Pager signal 39. Weapons at some weddings?
41. Amateur baseball fields 44. Fire sign 48. Look curiously 49. Very distant, as space 50. Indian music maker 52. Baited a state trooper 53. One of the Jackson 5 54. Alpine reverberation 55. Pore over 57. Opposite of flunked 58. Astronaut's org. 59. Coal carrier 60. Garfield's whipping boy 62. Untrustworthy 63. Stalemate
THE VECTOR
Week of February 8, 2021
12
HELP KEEP NJIT’S CAMPUS SAFE...
BY GETTING TESTED!
To ensure the health and safety of
*Volunteers accepted based on availability of test kits.
SIGN UP HERE
the university community, NJIT is conducting weekly COVID rapid antigen testing of 400 individuals on campus. That’s 320 students and 80 faculty and staff each week. Invitations to be tested will be sent out via email. We strongly encourage voluntary registrations as well.* Testing will be administered by New Jersey Innovation Institute in conjunction with Bergen New Bridge Medical Center.
TESTING HOURS Monday: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Tuesday: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. Wednesday: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. Thursday: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
NEW TESTING LOCATION M2CU Unit Corner of Warren & Lock Streets (across from WEC)