APRIL 7 - APRIL 13, 2020
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE
FEATURES PAGE 2 Books can provide students with an escape from the rigors of quarantine cabin fever.
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OPINION PAGE 6 Nontraditional students at UAA have experienced the journey to a degree in different ways.
Students and UAA community can manage pandemic stress with online resources By Christina Swayney features2@thenorthernlight.org
Finding ways to cope with stress during these trying times, even if it isn’t done in person, can help the UAA community improve its mental health. Due to social distancing, face-to-face mental health services are not as readily available. There are services available through email, Skype, phone call or text. The UAA Department of Psychology operates the Psychological Services Center, or PSC, which provides mental health services to UAA students and the community. The department made its services available remotely during the COVID-19 crisis. Dr. Eric S. Murphy, a professor and the director of the Department of Psychology, shares how they are able to do this at this time. “We have converted entirely to telehealth services, so clients can be treated by a therapist without leaving their homes,” Murphy said. Students and the community are able to make appointments at the PSC
PHOTO BY JAMES EVANS / UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE
Dr. Grant Sasse, director of UAA’s Psychological Services Center, and clinical psychology master’s student Amber Frasure help students from their homes through the PSC’s new telehealth services.
via telehealth services by calling (907) 786-1795 to make an appointment. The department offers counseling services provided by UAA clinicians who are graduate master and doctoral students supervised by licensed psychologists. Clients at the PSC do not need to be affiliated with UAA to receive services. Dr. Sara Buckingham is an assistant professor of psychology at UAA. She
recommended following the Commit, Accept, Relax, Exercise, Schedule Model, or CARES, model, developed by Dr. Joel Hughes of Kent State University in Ohio. The model focuses on simple tasks those under stress can do daily to manage anxiety and worry. CARES has coping exercises such as breathing techniques, journaling and advice on how to create a routine
that will break up the endless quarantine days. Dr. Buckingham also suggested a podcast provided by the American Psychological Association called “Speaking of Psychology: Managing Your Mental Health During COVID-19 with Lynn Bufka, Ph.D.” The podcast provides practical information related to COVID-19, like insurance issues and ways to manage stress. Dr.
Bufka is the associate executive director for practice research and policy at the American Psychological Association. The National Alliance on Mental Illness also has a thorough online COVID-19 Resource and Information Guide that Dr. Buckingham suggests. The guide has advice at length and numerous other resources related to COVID-19.
The UAA Student Health and Counseling Center, or SHCC, is also available for mental health sessions via telehealth. Students can make appointments by calling (907) 786-4052. Their hours of operation right now are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Students should call the SHCC phone number to make an appointment and not go to the clinic in person, as it is closed due to health mandates. Mary Woodring is a family nurse practitioner at the SHCC and encourages students to contact the clinic if they need to talk with someone about mental or physical health. “We want to get the word out to students that we are still operating. We are just doing most of our sessions using telehealth, using programs like Zoom,” Woodring said. There is also a Crisis Text Line for COVID-19. Text HOME to 741741 to reach a counselor. Help is also available on Facebook Messenger. Crisis Text Line offers free, confidential crisis support over text in the U.S. 24 hours, seven days a week.
Stimulus bill checks could take up to 20 weeks to arrive By Gabby Vance arts1@thenorthernlight.org
President Trump signed a $2 trillion stimulus package to aid the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The stimulus, signed on March 27, is the largest emergency aid package in U.S. history. “Democrats initially took issue with the package, which was crafted by Senate Republicans at the outset, arguing that it put corporations ahead of workers,” Manu Raju’s April 2 CNN article said. Voting to pass the legislation began on March 2, when the
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Senate had a unanimous vote of 96-0. The bill was then passed by the House of Representatives on March 27 and signed by the president. The key factor of the stimulus package is the financial provisions it will provide to Americans. Citizens will receive a check with an amount based on their income. Individuals earning $75,000 or less in gross income will receive $1,200 and married couples who earn a combined income of up to $150,000 will get a check for $2,400 with an additional $500 per child. For individuals making more than $75,000, their checks will be reduced by $5 for
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every additional $100 and people making more than $99,000 will not receive a check at all. These income thresholds will be doubled for couples, according to Katie Lobosco’s April 2 CNN article. The IRS has said that payments will go out automatically for people who authorized direct deposit of their 2018 and 2019 tax returns. Those who haven’t filed their taxes yet are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. The Treasury Department stated that people who receive Social Security will also receive payments automatically, according to CNN. Paper checks are expected to start being issued
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the week of May 4 for people who have not authorized direct deposit on their tax forms. The checks will be issued at about 5 million per week, with checks for low-income individuals going out first, according to a House Democratic memo obtained by CNN. The treasury is planning to develop a web portal in the coming weeks that will allow people to update their direct deposit information. “Congressional aides were told last week when they were briefed by the IRS that roughly 150 million taxpayers will be eligible for the payments, but of those, the IRS estimated they only had about 70 million peo-
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ple’s direct deposit information on file,” according to Manu Raju’s April 2 CNN article. “That means for roughly 80 million Americans, the IRS will have to rely on mailing checks.” Americans aren’t expected to start receiving payments until mid-April and it could take up to 20 weeks for all checks to be mailed. In addition to the payments made to Americans, the stimulus package will provide billions of dollars to hospitals and state and local governments. For more information and updates on the stimulus package, visit CNN.com.
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FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020
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Students can read to pass the time and enrich imaginations By Christina Swayney features2@thenorthernlight.org
Though going outside while following the social distancing protocols is encouraged for mental health, boredom can still occur at home. Fortunately, there are also at-home activities to help cope with boredom. Reading an interesting book can pass the time and there are many types of stories that may even help people cope with the current pandemic. David Bowie is a professor and chair for the Department of English at UAA. If a reader is looking for a book that tells a story that goes deep into situations and emotions that are similar to the current pandemic, he suggests a book by Albert Camus. “If anyone is interested in very on-the-nose stories of dealing with epidemics, Albert Camus’s ‘The Plague’ is deservedly a classic,” Bowie said. “The Plague,” pub-
lished in 1947, takes place in the French Algerian city of Oran. The book shows what a widespread sickness can do to a city and presents questions about the human condition. Bob Zmuda is a library science technician in Utah. He has lived and worked in Alaska for many years as a seasonal employee for Mt. McKinley Princess Lodge. Zmuda recommends classic literature to deal with emotions. “I’ve been hearing generally that people have been finding solace in some Stoic writings, like ‘Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations,’ and I’ve been meaning to check them out,” Zmuda said. Books to help escape can be a great way to relieve stress and take the reader on a mental vacation, even for just a while. Bowie has recommendations for this as well. “I’m a fan of magical realism, so Mark Helprin’s ‘Winter’s Tale’ and pretty much anything by Gabriel García Márquez, but per-
haps especially ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ are solid go-tos for me, and some few books I happily revisit every few years,” Bowie said. Lea Tifft is a communications major at UAA. She has some favorite books for this time of social distancing. One of these books she recommends is “The Tattooist of Auschwitz.” The story “tells the extraordinary tale of Lali Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew, who was imprisoned at Auschwitz in 1942, and forced to tattoo numbers onto the arms of thousands of incoming prisoners. At the camp, Sokolov met a Slovakian girl, and they fell in love,” according to a review in The New York Times. Books to help improve the self are also an option during this time of less social interaction. Justina Kohler is a radiology and sonography tech major at UAA. She likes the book “You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Liv-
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ing an Awesome Life,” by Jen Sincero. Kohler says that it helps enrich her personality. “It taught me self-confidence and that being myself is all I need. Truth be told, it also taught me to be independent and that I
should speak up, respect others and not be afraid of what people think,” Kohler said. These recommended books and more can be purchased online as paperback, hardcover, or Kindle and audio versions. Audi-
ble, an audiobook website, has a free 30-day trial and is $14.95 after one month. Kindle also has many free books available. Another resource, Open Library, has a large catalog that users can read, borrow or purchase.
PHOTO BY NICK FEWINGS ON UNSPLASH
Books can be purchased online through sites like Amazon, or accessed digitally through apps like Audible.
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Quarantine Playlist: Boost your mood with music during the hunker down By Gabby Vance arts1@thenorthernlight.org
If you’re looking to boost your mood with an entertaining activity while hunkering down, music is a good option. Music can have powerful psychological effects — it can be relaxing, energizing and stress relieving, according to verywellmind.com. A 2013 study proved that music is able to soothe people who have been exposed to or are dealing with stressors. In the study, a group of people were exposed to a stressor and then took a psychological stress test. The participants either listened to the sound of water, relaxing music or nothing at all. Those who listened to music were able to recover from the stress faster than the others. Another benefit of music is its ability to make people happier. In a 2007 study by ChamorroPremuzic and Furnham, emotional, rational and background were found as the three distinct dimensions of musical use. Another study from 2012 concluded that people who intentionally tried to boost their moods with music actually felt happier in
just two weeks. “If you’ve ever felt pumped up while listening to your favorite fast-paced rock anthem or been moved to tears by a tender live performance, then you easily understand the power of music to impact moods and even inspire action,” according to a verywellmind.com article medically checked by Daniel B. Black. In order to jazz up quarantine life, you might consider listening to music at home or while enjoying some no contact outdoor activities. UAA student music suggestions: • Chika (artist) — “Chika is self-made and built a rap career on Instagram. Her flow is ill and unique and [she] totally owns it. She talks a lot [about] what it means to be an outsider and working hard for success. If you enjoy rap and like great come-up stories, [then] she’s a great listen,” political science major Teeana Nicholai said. • “Thunder” by Imagine Dragons — “Great Song,” nursing major Emily Dulski said. • “How I Was Raised” by Lil Tecca — nursing major Riv-
PHOTO BY DARIA LITVINOVA ON UNSPLASH
Music has been proven to have the psychological effects of soothing stressors and elevating moods to make people happier.
er Skareen suggested. • Real estate major John Anderson’s suggestions: • “Full Circle” by Quinn XCII • “Guilty Pleasure” by Bryce Vine • “123456” by Fitz and the Tantrums • “Come Hang Out” by AJR • KRUA’s music manager
Hitbox First Impressions: Waste Not, Want Not — Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Zach Smith-Brookins’ suggestions: • Purity Ring or EDEN, AKA The Eden Project (artists) — “They are both these indieelectro artists that have a lot of relaxing instrumentals and just great songs,” SmithBrookins said in an email. • Riz La Vie (artist) —“I rec-
ommend Riz La Vie for those who like less electro and more lyrical music,” Smith-Brookins said. • Harpers Farce (artist) — “If you like sci-fi prog-rock, check out Harper’s Farce. They are a local band that has been around since 2015,” Smith-Brookins said.
SCREENSHOT COURTESY OF SEKIROTHEGAME.COM
or just got caught up playing other games and forgot about. I’m certainly guilty of these types of habits, so this is a great time to appreciate what we have.
GRAPHIC BY MICHAELINE COLLINS
By John Novotny arts@thenorthernlight.org
This is the first entry in a new Hitbox series called Waste Not, Want Not. I’ll be playing critically-acclaimed games that I’ve bought, but haven’t gotten around to playing yet. After playing about five hours of games like the Resident Evil 2 remake, Disco Elysium and Outer Wilds each week, I’ll give my first impressions and decide if I would consider playing more. I’m not the biggest fan of these games’ genre, such as survival horror or puzzle games. However, I fig-
ure that these games have received so much widespread praise that there has to be something to appreciate in them. “A record 3.3 million Americans have filed for unemployment” because of shutdowns related to COVID-19, according to a Guardian article. This also means many people may not have a regular income and want to save money. The waste not, want not series will hopefully inspire you to play all those games you may have sitting in your virtual or physical libraries that you bought just because they were on sale, you heard a lot of good things about
Developer: FromSoftware Release date: March 22, 2019 Platforms: PC [played], Playstation 4 and Xbox One Price: $59.99 The first thing you need to know about Sekiro is that it’s hard as nails. It’s so difficult that it’s not unreasonable to spend multiple hours trying to defeat a single boss. FromSoftware has been making this kind of game for years, the most popular being the Dark Souls series. Unlike the dark fantasy world of Dark Souls, Sekiro is set in a fantasy version of late 1500s Japan. It starts out innocuous enough, but as the player progresses through the game, more fantastical creatures and elements appear. You play as Wolf, a shinobi whose ward, The Divine Heir Kuro, has been kidnapped and his “dragon heritage” is going to be used to create an immortal
Becoming overwhelmed with multiple enemies is a fast way to die in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, so dividing and conquering is the best strategy for victory.
army. After failing to stop the kidnapping and losing an arm, Wolf receives Kuro’s dragon blood after infiltrating his prison. However, Wolf is too weak to save Kuro and is brought to an abandoned temple and receives a prosthetic arm from a former shinobi. Wolf then sets out to save his ward with his new prosthetic arm and the ability to resurrect once after death thanks to Kuro’s blood. The prosthetic arm can be fitted with several tools, such as shurikens, a flame vent and an axe. Each tool has a purpose; the shuriken deals bonus damage to airborne enemies and the axe can break shields. With the ability to resurrect after one death before actually dying, you would think that would make the game more forgiving. While that’s technically true, it doesn’t feel that way in practice. Each
enemy presents a significant threat, even if it’s just a simple foot soldier that you’ve fought dozens of times before. One blow could take away a significant chunk of your health bar. Combat is a dance of balancing offense and defense. The player can deflect an attack and if timed just before the enemy’s attack lands, it can perform a perfect parry and deal a death blow. Perfect parrying is difficult, but massively rewarding thanks to a loud “ding” sound and Wolf stabbing the enemy through their throat and a comically-large amount of blood violently erupting from the wound. After a few hours of playing, I had gotten through the surrounding area of an estate that was pillaged. I then ran headfirst into a brick wall in the form of a mini-boss called Juzou the Drunkard.
Challenging bosses are the main draw for FromSoftware games, but after dying dozens of times, it’s beyond anything I had previously experienced in Dark Souls games. Bosses typically take multiple attempts to defeat because they have powerful attacks that deal a lot of damage. So recognizing when the boss will do a certain attack by their movement and learning how to avoid it is the key. You might get lucky sometimes and dodge the right way to avoid a boss’s low slash, but you’re never going to be able to defeat them by getting lucky. The boss I got stuck on, Juzou the Drunkard, would hold his sword high in the air as he prepared to do a powerful downward slash that would kill me in one hit.
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‘Hunker down’ entertainment: TNL staff recommendations By John Novotny arts@thenorthernlight.org
It’s been another week hunkered down, so here’s another list of entertainment recommendations. This time, it is courtesy of the staff at The Northern Light. Krizelle Solidum Advertising Manager My entertainment recommendations to keep busy during the COVID-19 period would be the “Harry Potter” movies. I’m probably biased because I am the biggest fan, but honestly, it’s a great series. It contains eight movies, which would keep anyone pretty occupied. It also teaches very real life lessons and brings magic to this very dark time. One series available on Netflix that my mom and I became hooked on is “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez.” There are six episodes in the documentary series about a little boy who was abused. Eventually, it led to his death. Honestly, I’m such a sucker for twisted documentaries. I was hooked because it also showed me what my career path could look like as a journalist. All the information about how a trial works is fascinating and to learn about the holes within our police departments and the Department of Family and Child Services is chilling. The “Harry Potter” movies are available to rent or buy on YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, FandangoNOW and the Microsoft Store. “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez” is available on Netflix. Mary Ryan Managing Editor “Haven” is a science-fiction drama TV series based on “The Colorado Kid” by Stephen King. Set in Maine, the story is about people that have supernatural afflictions or powers called “the troubles” that cause chaos in the town. The main character, Audrey Parker, works alongside the Haven Police Department to find the sources of the mayhem and bring peace to the afflicted. Parker goes on a journey of selfdiscovery as she fights to find a cure for the troubles. I love a good murder-mystery or drama series, but “Haven” is more than that. The writers reveal the plot in bite-size pieces as the episodes progress, tricking me into binge-watching
GRAPHIC BY MICHAELINE COLLINS
seasons at a time. Things are far more complicated than they first appear. Though metaphorical, it is realistic in the way that the characters develop, discover themselves and struggle with their own fears. An underlying message suggests that personal trials must be dealt with by the individual because they end up hurting the ones they love around them. While it is up to each of us to fight our own battles, we are all fighting them together — the thoughtful counsel of a friend goes a long way. “Haven” is available to watch for free on Tubi and Netflix. You can rent or buy it on YouTube, Google Play, iTunes and Vudu. Michaeline Collins Graphic Designer I have been catching up on “Star Trek: The Original Series,” and just finished up “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” I’m just starting “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” While the original “Star Trek” series has dated visual effects, outfits and technology, many topics it discusses were ahead of their time and are still very relevant today. All of the series feature a community of characters that you get attached to and lots of interesting
side characters throughout the adventures. The adventures are fascinating in both what the characters are up to and the designs. Some of the costumes and designs of other species are very… interesting. “Star Trek” features a diverse cast as well, including people of color and other humanoid life forms that serve side by side with the crew members. “Star Trek” is a progressive series that was groundbreaking in its time and many themes and messages hold up to this day. I’ve also been playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons. For me, Animal Crossing has always been a relaxing franchise that never loses its charm. It is exactly what we need right now. With everything happening in the world, you can boot up your Nintendo Switch and play as a villager and just work on your little island paradise. The goal of the game is to build your island up from a recreation of the Fyre Festival to a paradise. One new feature in New Horizons is how easy it is to play with your friends. In a time of social distancing, you can have your friends come over with their villagers to your island and hang out, fish, catch bugs or watch for shooting stars. The
new crafting mechanic allows you to harvest new resources daily to save up and build things for your island and home. Even though I can’t go anywhere right now with social distancing, I can boot up my game, go hang out with my friends on their island and fish peacefully. “Star Trek: The Original Series” is available on Netflix, Hulu, CBS and Amazon Prime Video. You can also rent or buy it on YouTube and iTunes. “Star Trek: The Next Generation” is available on Netflix, Hulu, CBS, Philo and Amazon Prime Video. You can also rent or buy it on YouTube. “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” is available on Netflix, Hulu, CBS, YouTube TV, fuboTV and Philo. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available on the Nintendo Switch for $59.99. Joey Carreon Public Relations and Events Coordinator A prevalent theme I’ve noticed with people who are staying indoors and wanting to keep busy is trying something new. If that “something new” is getting into anime, “Attack on Titan” is your entry-level friend. With an-
ime skyrocketing in popularity as a trendier, more mainstream medium over the past decade, it’s no surprise that production value has increased as well. “Attack on Titan” is one of those shows that has benefitted from anime becoming a more respected and accepted entertainment medium. Unlike some animes, whose tropes resonate specifically with a niche crowd or solely anime fanatics, “Attack on Titan” features a riveting story and compelling characters that anyone can enjoy. “Attack on Titan” follows Eren Yeager, a teen living in a satirized version of Earth, where all of humanity is confined within one diameter and a tall wall is the only thing that separates them from the outside world. Yeager and the rest of humanity live ignorantly and blissfully in their dystopian bubble until one day, the wall is breached by beings called “titans,” humanoid giants who have one desire: to eat humans. The story focuses on Yeager and his friends’ coming of age as they join the military to fight for humanity against the titans — that is, until the plot thickens. Season one of “Attack on Titan” is available on Netflix in Japanese and English dubs — both of which feature a star-studded cast of voice actors. Seasons two and three can be found on Hulu and anime streaming services such as Crunchyroll. Ronan Klancher Sports Reporter I recommend the show “Bojack Horseman.” With the show being about anthropomorphic talking animals, you would think it would be a kid’s show. Bojack starts out as a lighthearted journey of a washed-up ‘90s sitcom star, now living in the 2010s. He tries to be relevant again, writing a memoir that he has been procrastinating for over a year and a half. Bojack meets people throughout the series who help him, but he does himself no favors. While a funny, lighthearted time for the first few seasons, it takes a turn for topics that are very heavy, such as addiction to hard drugs, pain killers, alcoholism, depression and loneliness. Bojack turns from an OK show in the first season to a great show the more you watch it while the protagonist makes mistakes and tries to cover for himself. Overall, it’s a great show to watch on Netflix while quarantined.
OPINION
THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020
06
Working degree seekers: The new college norm
By Krizelle Solidum Advertising Manager
The University of Alaska Anchorage is a commuter campus, which means that a good chunk of the student body is made up of working degree seekers, or nontraditional students. Those students, who are older, often with children at home, managing a job around their class schedule, adapt as best they can to balancing college life, but say that the university could do more to help. Christian Alversado is a 24-year-old philosophy major who began attending UAA in the fall of 2014, right after graduating high school. Going into his sixth year of college, he has maintained working full time at various jobs. The most recent is at a lab as a specimen processor. “I balance work, school, a relationship and self-care. Spending time with yourself like bingewatching a show on Netflix or taking yourself out on a date, that’s important,” Alversado said. Alversado’s motto in life, fitting to his major, is “question everything,” which leads to his many
questions about the lack of resources the university provides to nontraditional students. Scholarships are one aspect he is disappointed with. Oftentimes, when applying for a scholarship, one of the requirements is to be in some sort of leadership role in a campus organization, he said. “I get that part [of the application], but like what if there are people out there who are mothers and fathers? Sometimes they don’t have time to go to school and volunteer for all the stuff that’s required. What if it doesn’t work with your work schedule and you can’t take the time off?” Alversado said. Financial aid is another resource at UAA that Alversado says comes up short for nontraditional students. To be able to support himself financially, he has to maintain a job. Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, requires any student who is under the age of 24 to include parents/guardians on their application even if they are not receiving any support from them. Due to the requirement to include his parents’ income, Alversado does not qualify for financial aid.
Alversado said that his mental health has been greatly affected by his busy schedule. With juggling school, work, a relationship and trying to make time for himself, he has felt alone. But he wants anyone feeling this way to know that “even if you feel like you’re alone, just know that you count as a person and you’ll be OK.” Business accounting major Sandra Saetern is a freshman who returned to UAA after taking a few gap years. Currently, Saetern works at Odom Corp. in the sales department. She began her time at UAA back in fall of 2015, originally as a business management major. “Spring of 2016, that’s when I questioned if I was really passionate about this. Is this what I really want to do in life? On top of that, it didn’t feel right going to school. In 2017, I took that year to try and travel around,” Saetern said. “By 2019, I decided I’ve done a lot in my life and know what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go. Realistically, with my business accounting, I know the type of person that I am. I can use that accounting degree and go help small businesses owners. I love Alaska so much and supporting small businesses is something I want to do and my way of contributing toward that,” Saetern said. During her gap year, Saetern was able to explore and find what her interests and passions were. Most importantly, she discovered how to maintain a balance of her school and work life. “[This balance] taught me that whatever I don’t get done at work it’s fine, it’s just a job. I can come back the next day and slam it out. It helps me prioritize my time. When I’m
at work that’s all I worry about. Same with school,” she said. Her definition of a nontraditional student is someone like herself: a working student earning an income to support themselves, or a student who may not have the ability to attend school full time due to life circumstances. One area Saetern would like to see improved regarding nontraditional students is the university’s forms of communication. “If it weren’t for my friends telling me what’s going on around campus, I wouldn’t know. Yes, they send out emails and stuff about events, but it still lacks in that area,” she said. An example Saetern provided was when she happened to be studying in the Multicultural Center. While she was there, the MCC announced an opportunity for a scholarship. “It was nice cause I was there during the time of the announcement. But again, if I wasn’t there at the right time, I wouldn’t have known about it. They’re not really promoting well outside of campus,” she said. Similar to Swayney, Saetern would also like more variety offered for class times. Currently, the majority of Saetern’s classes are GERs because of the different requirements when she changed her major program. At the end of the day, a degree is what every college student is seeking, Saetern said. “People live different lives. Being traditional or nontraditional is fine, you just want to let them know ‘hey, I’m back in this course and we’re all striving for that one degree.’ If it takes me XYZ to get it, that’s fine, we’re still going to get there,” Saetern said.
PHOTO BY KATE ALVERSADO
Christian Alversado, a senior philosophy major, balances working fulltime, going to school and managing his life at home while pursuing a bachelor’s degree.
PHOTO BY SANDRA SAETERN
Sandra Saetern, a sophomore accounting major, asks UAA for increased communication with nontraditional students who may miss messages by not being frequently on campus.
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Hitbox: Learning the boss’ moves can also reveal opportunities to attack. Juzou the Drunkard will sometimes stop to take a swig from a gourd filled with poisonous alcohol. During those few seconds of vulnerability, you can move in and do a little damage in relative safety. Even during this short window of opportunity, you still have to be cautious and not get greedy. Sometimes, the boss will spew poisonous gas from his mouth shortly after drinking. This prevents the player from moving to those areas, otherwise, they will take damage. The only way to make Wolf stronger is by collecting prayer beads from bosses and mini-bosses and using four of them to increase your maximum health and posture. Unlike Dark Souls and other role-playing games, leveling up doesn’t necessarily make you more powerful in Sekiro. You can earn enough experience points to then get skill points to spend and unlock new abilities, but most of those just expand your move-
set. There are a few skills that objectively and passively improve Wolf, such as making your footsteps silent and increasing the effectiveness of healing items. The main progression the player makes is getting better at the game. It’s not beginner-friendly by nature and although resurrecting after death provides some leeway, by itself, it’s not enough to allow the player to smoothly and gradually grow their skills. You really have to sit down and be determined to get better. It might take multiple hours-long sessions of just practicing perfect parries. I think it might take a level of dedication that I’m just not willing to give. I can only imagine the feeling of improving at parrying and knowing when to go in for a flurry of strikes will pay off, but I can’t say that for certain since I still feel like an amateur. Will I be playing more of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice?
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Continued from page 4 No, not without a stringent training regimen. When I played Dark Souls 3, I could defeat a boss after around a dozen attempts. It was challenging, but the boss’s attacks were easy to decipher and I could learn to avoid them. It was fairly easy because the bosses were all fairly large and would take a few good seconds to wind up for an attack. Most of them were relatively distinct too, so after a few tries, it was easy to tell which wind-up was which. In Sekiro, it feels like I’m missing something fundamental about how to tell what attack a boss is doing. The issue could also be with how I’m playing. I’m not very adept at parrying, so I mostly use an overwhelming flurry of slashes to stagger the enemy before I finish them with a death blow. That type of tactic works with most enemies to varying degrees, but definitely not with bosses. I wish Sekiro prepared me better for these types of fights.
STAFF CONTACTS Sports Reporter Ronan Klancher sports2@thenorthernlight.org
Executive Editor Caleigh Jensen (907) 786-1313 editor@thenorthernlight.org
Multimedia Editor Jennifer Lincoln multimedia@thenorthernlight.org
Layout Editor Jason Herr layout@thenorthernlight.org Arts & Entertainment Editor John Novotny arts@thenorthernlight.org Arts & Entertainment Reporter Gabby Vance arts1@thenorthernlight.org
PR & Events Coordinator Joey Carreon events@thenorthernlight.org Graphic Designer Michaeline Collins media@thenorthernlight.org Advertising Manager Krizelle Solidum admanager@thenorthernlight.org Media Adviser Paola Banchero Administrative Adviser Zac Clark
Features Reporter Christina Swayney features2@thenorthernlight.org
The Northern Light is hiring! See our job listings at careers.alaska.edu.
TNL & COVID-19: Until further notice, The Northern Light has stopped producing print copies of future editions. Our story updates and content can be accessed via our social media accounts and through our website at thenorthernlight.org. Be well and stay safe!
In Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, the player character Wolf’s prosthetic arm comes with a grappling hook, allowing the player to grapple to tree branches and rooftops.
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The Northern Light is a proud member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The Northern Light is a weekly UAA publication funded by student fees and advertising sales. The editors and writers of The Northern Light are solely responsible for its contents. Circulation is 1,750. The University of Alaska Anchorage provides equal education and employment opportunities for all, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, Vietnam-era or disabled-veteran status, physical or mental disability, changes in marital status, pregnancy or parenthood. The views expressed in the opinion section do not necessarily reflect the views of UAA or the Northern Light.
N OT I C E O F N O N D I S C R I M I N AT I O N The University of Alaska is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educational institution. The University of Alaska does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, physical or mental disability, status as a protected veteran, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, parenthood, sexual orientation, gender identity, political affiliation or belief, genetic information, or other legally protected status. The University’s commitment to nondiscrimination, including against sex discrimination, applies to students, employees, and applicants for admission and employment. Contact information, applicable laws, and complaint procedures are included on UA’s statement of nondiscrimination available at www.alaska.edu/ nondiscrimination.
L E T T E RS A N D CO R R E C T I O N S P O L I C Y The Northern Light encourages readers to express their views in the newspaper. The Northern Light reserves the right to reject or publish any submission, online or in print. Letters to the editor can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length for a letter to the editor is 250 words, and 150 words for letters specifically endorsing candidates for federal, local, or university office. A letter to the editor is written by someone who does not have authoritative knowledge on the subject they are discussing. Contributors are restricted to one published letter to the editor per month. Opinion pieces can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length for a contributor’s opinion piece is 450 words. Contributors are restricted to one published opinion piece per month. Opinion pieces written by staff of The Northern Light are limited to 800 words. An opinion piece that is published in The Northern Light should be written by someone who has authoritative knowledge on the subject they are discussing. Letters and opinion pieces are subject to editing for grammar, accuracy, length and clarity. All letters and opinion pieces must include names, major and/or group affiliation and contact information for verification purposes. The Northern Light will not publish anonymous letters or pseudonyms. Requests for corrections can be sent to editor@thenorthernlight.org. Print publication is subject to accuracy and available space. All corrections are posted online with the original story at www.thenorthernlight.org. The deadline for submissions is the Friday before publication at noon, no exceptions. The Northern Light newsroom is located on the first floor of the Student Union Room 113.
Everyone off campus should get in on the census. If you live off campus, responding to the 2020 Census is an important and easy way to shape your future. The census impacts federal funding that goes toward critical programs like Pell Grants and health care services. Students who live on campus count too, with the help of campus housing officials.
2020CENSUS.GOV D-HP-HE-EN-026