08-24-22

The Pitt News

T h e i n d e p e n d e n t s t ude nt ne w spap e r of t he U niversity of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | AUGUST 24, 2022­Volume 113 Issue 10

WELCOME BACK 2022

Cover by Nate Yonamine| Staff Photographer

TABLE OF CONTENTS Bank accounts, dining and more: SGB members talk plans for academic year……………4 ‘Not on campus, on another campus’: About 130 Pitt first-years to live in Carlow University dorms this academic year...............................................................................6 ‘Simply fun’: Students find interests, friends with Pitt’s more than 400 clubs......................8 As Pitt confronts virus, students share feelings about COVID-19 rules…….................….10 Column | Most interesting Pitt sporting events to kick off the school year.........................13 The Backyard Brawl: Recalling one of college football’s most storied rivalries............14-15 ‘To finish first, first you must finish’: Panther Racing pushes limits of performance, reliability.........................................................................................................................17 Panthers playing to prove they’re ‘here to stay’ in 2022....................................................19 No need to worry about Pitt’s wide receiver group............................................................20 Your education is a privilege, not a chore..........................................................................23 Prioritize green during the move-in blues..........................................................................24 What your favorite place to buy coffee says about you.....................................................25 First-years: You should care about Pennsylvania politics.................................................26 Letter from the editor | Welcome to Oakland! Here’s what to expect................................28 5 movies to get you back to school...................................................................................29 ‘The power of art in everyday spaces’: Local poets celebrate Oakland’s past, present and future in new OBID sidewalk poetry project..................................................................30 Fireworks, Fall Fest and more: Pitt Program Council preps for fall semester...................32 The 5 essentials that should be in your bookbag..............................................................33 A guide to the best outdoor study spaces around campus................................................36

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BANK ACCOUNTS, DINING AND MORE: SGB MEMBERS TALK PLANS FOR ACADEMIC YEAR Pamela Smith

Contributing Editor As the fall semester begins, Pitt’s Student Government Board will start allocating hundreds of thousands of dollars from the student activities fee fund — which is financed through students’ tuition — to clubs. The Pitt News spoke with some board members to learn about their plans for this year.

President Danielle Floyd said the group hopes to launch a long-awaited program that will give student organizations a private bank account at PNC bank. This program, spearheaded by former board member Brennan Conway, would also allow student organizations to use Venmo and Cash App. Board member and Vice President of Operations Isabel Lam said her goal is to get the program off the ground by the spring semester.

“We are currently in the process of writing a proposal to administration to see if they give the go ahead for our pilot program which may be introduced as early as spring semester,” Lam said.

“Both SGB and [Student Organization Resource Center] are very excited to implement this program in the future.”

Floyd, a senior economics major, also wants to create a SGB task force that will work on inclusion initiatives, such as establishing a “Belonging and Inclusion Center” on the sixth floor of the William Pitt Union, and to collaborate more with other Pennsylvania state-related schools, such as Penn State and Temple Universities, through the Pennsylvania Association of State-Related Students.

Students elected Floyd and eight board members last year. The group’s main job is allocating a portion of the $2.7 million from the student activities fee fund to student organizations. They also represent students in talks with the University and provide resources such as free 20 minute legal consultations, a free New York Times subscription and grants for student organizations related to diversity and inclusion.

One seat on the board is currently

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unfilled after Celeste Lintz resigned earlier this month due to “increased commitments.” Current board members will vote for a new board member, with applications currently open to students.

Lam, a junior political science and economics double major, said her top goal is ensuring “complete transparency and efficiency” in the allocations pro-

that students know that they have allies and advocates whose sole focus is hearing their concerns and ensuring that action takes place,” Floyd said.

Board member Corbin Makar is pushing to diversify dietary options on campus through SGB’s Dining Task Force. He said more engaging survey options will help accomplish this goal.

Annika Esseku | Staff Illustrator cess. She, alongside Carson Hawk, chair of the allocations committee, plans to update “outdated” caps, which will allow clubs to request and receive more money. Lam also wants to implement cardless access in residence halls and other campus buildings not affected by the July removal of building access restrictions.

Floyd’s main priority is strengthening ties between the board and the student body, ensuring student opinions are heard by University administrators.

She said she’ll accomplish this by updating the organization’s website and social media pages, hosting office hours as well as speaking at student organizations’ meetings.

“My overall goal this year is to ensure the SGB is approachable and accessible to all students, and to actively make sure

“To receive constructive feedback from our peers, we need to develop more ways to connect to them personally,” Makar, a junior communication rhetoric major, said, “whether that be digitally, like direct email surveys, or in-person with planned food tastings.

Rather than looking at a set of predetermined responses, we want to instead hear what students have to say.”

Through SGB’s LGBTQIA+ task force, Makar wants to advocate for a dedicated LGBTQ+ center on campus.

Makar said progress on the center “stagnated,” although the group made progress in other areas, such as Pitt hiring a coordinator of belonging and inclusion, Ali Hoefnagel.

One of board member Sophia Shapiro’s goals is implementing educational programs about tenant rights so stu-

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dents aren’t “taken advantage of by their landlords.” Shapiro, a junior urban studies major, also plans to work with religious groups to ensure they can observe holidays “without academic penalty.”

Some Jewish, Hindu and Muslim students have reported difficulties making arrangements with professors to accomodate religious celebrations.

“We will work with the administration to communicate to professors dates of different holidays and the accommodations students will need,” Shapiro said.

Shapiro also plans to motivate Pitt students to be “civically engaged” through voter registration initiatives.

She plans to work with Pitt Votes, Pitt Serves and student groups to get students to register to vote. Shapiro’s father, Josh Shapiro, is running for Pennsylvania governor.

Non-board members also have a say in SGB. Chief of Staff Dominic Victoria advises elected members, and said he hopes to work on improving storage in the William Pitt Union and O’Hara Student Center along with improving student working conditions on campus alongside the board.

“I’m a big advocate for community collaboration, and I hope to connect board members with the Oakland Planning and Development Corporation as we continue the fight for equitable development, tenants’ rights and improved housing conditions, specifically in Central and South Oakland,” Victoria, a junior politics-philosophy major, said.

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‘SIMPLY FUN’: STUDENTS FIND INTERESTS, FRIENDS WITH PITT’S MORE THAN 400 CLUBS

Khushi Rai Staff Writer

A new semester means a new opportunity to join Pitt’s more than 400 student organizations — anything from club sports to Knittsburgh, a knitting and crochet group.

With so many clubs on campus, students might find it hard to learn about them all and decide which ones to join. Pitt’s Student Organization Resource Center facilitates registration, manages business transactions and provides resources such as event planning and training. SORC is also hosting its annual activities fair on Aug. 28 outside the William Pitt Union from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. so students can find clubs that interest them.

For students interested in dancing, the Ballet Club at Pitt performs twice a year and offers a weekly masterclass for different dance styles and levels. Members performing in upcoming shows attend weekly rehearsals with a student choreographer.

Leah Mrozek, a senior marketing and supply chain management major and the club’s artistic vice president, said the club is for dancers, or those interested in dancing, who want to continue performing in college.

“To join the club, you must fill out a form at the beginning of the semester to let us know about your dance experience,” Mrozek said. “The next step is to attend no-cut audi-

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tions so we can place each dancer in a piece.

Join our email list to get the latest updates from the club!”

Mrozek said the club will host a kickoff meeting at the beginning of the semester, along with a technical rehearsal and dress rehearsal later in the semester. An added perk, she said, is that club members can attend shows by the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater for a discounted price.

Pitt also has a variety of clubs for students looking to volunteer. Pitt Best Buddies, a chapter of a global nonprofit organization, pairs students with members of the Pittsburgh community with intellectual and developmental disabilities for one-on-one friendships. They also host events like trips to the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium and participate in fundraisers like the Best Buddies Friendship Walk.

“Its main goal is to be inclusive. Pitt Best Buddies holds meetings at least once a month, and students can get involved by visiting our Instagram and emailing us to be put on the email list,” said Maddie Kuzdzal, a junior biology major and vice president of the group.

Camp Kesem helps support Pittsburgh families with cancer patients through fundraising, outreach and volunteering. Pitt’s chapter also hosts a weeklong free summer camp for children.

See Clubs on page 18

Dancers perform an excerpt from the ballet “Coppelia” during the ballet club’s spring show in Bellefield Hall. Patrick Cavanagh | Senior Staff Photographer

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‘NOT ON CAMPUS, ON ANOTHER CAMPUS’: ABOUT 130 PITT FIRSTYEARS TO LIVE IN CARLOW UNIVERSITY DORMS THIS ACADEMIC YEAR

Alexandra Ross Senior Staff Writer

Noah Stephenson has a few complaints about his on-campus housing this year — namely that it isn’t on Pitt’s campus at all.

“They said it was on-campus housing, and it’s not on campus, it’s on another campus,” Stephenson said.

Stephenson, a first-year computer science major, is one of about 130 first-year Pitt students who will live in Carlow University’s Frances Warde and Dougherty Halls during the 2022-23 academic year due to record enrollment levels and housing demand, according to a July news release from the University.

Pitt students will occupy two full floors in

each building, living in double or triple rooms.

According to the Panther Central website, the University chose to partner with Carlow based on “the established community partnership between the two universities, proximity to Pitt’s campus and resident amenities.”

Frances Warde and Dougherty Halls are located on the edge of Carlow’s campus near

the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Halket Street. A walk from the Carlow dorms to the Cathedral of Learning takes about 15 minutes — for reference, a walk to the Cathedral from Sutherland Hall takes about 12-15 minutes.

Claire Ponciano, a first-year neuroscience major who will live in the Carlow dorms this year, said she isn’t bothered by the longer walk to campus.

“If anything, I really appreciate the fact that I’m walking because I already barely get any exercise, so the walking is fine with me and it kind of gives me time to explore the city,” Ponciano said.

Ponciano also said she felt relieved to receive any housing assignment at all, because she turned in her housing application after the first deadline.

“I felt relieved because I was guaranteed housing and I was pretty unsure about that when I was filling [the application] out, and it was kind of stressful … so I was happy either way that I was assigned, like, an actual place to live in,” Ponciano said.

Ponciano clarified that despite missing the housing deadline, Panther Central encouraged her to still apply for guaranteed first-year housing. She said Panther Central told her over the phone that her assignment in Carlow was guaranteed housing, not non-guaranteed.

According to a University spokesperson, housing assignments are determined based on multiple factors, including a student’s date of acceptance, when they submitted the housing application and the programs in which they are enrolled. Pitt and Carlow formed a housing partnership between last winter break and March, though neither Stephenson nor Ponciano said they recalled the Carlow dorms appearing as an option in their housing forms.

Carlow student Emilee Matz started a petition in March 2022 to protest the housing partnership between Pitt and Carlow, calling the presence of Pitt students on Carlow’s campus “a threat to our education … [and] to the historical value of our sacred campus.”

Matz later updated the petition stating that she had met with Carlow University administration and learned that approximately 178 of Carlow’s 441 on-campus beds would go unfilled this upcoming academic year, and the See Carlow on page 12

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AS PITT CONFRONTS VIRUS, STUDENTS SHARE FEELINGS ABOUT COVID-19 RULES

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As Pitt prepares to take on COVID-19 for the third year, students expressed mixed feelings about the current state of the pandemic. However, most feel generally comfortable with the University’s guidelines that were updated in July.

Pitt’s mask rules will “at a minimum” be in line with what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends based on community spread in Allegheny County.

If spread is “high” masks are required on campus, but if spread is “medium” or “low” they’re optional. As of Aug. 18, masks are required.

“Additional restrictions may be imposed by the [COVID-19 Medical Response Office], or other entity designated by the Chancellor, if it determines such protection is needed in certain locations or settings,” reads Pitt’s guidance. “Additionally, all community members are welcome to wear face coverings based on their own comfort levels and needs.

All students, faculty and staff are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they have an approved exemption.

Other rules imposed by the University include mandatory routine testing for nonvaccinated students, faculty and staff as well as mandatory testing during fall arrival for all students living in University housing.

Students must report positive tests to the University and isolate, according to Nick France, a Pitt spokesperson.

“Students must inform their campus’ health office of their result,” France said.

“That office can determine the length of isolation, based on the latest public health guidance and the patient’s symptom status, as well as if isolation housing is required.”

Grace Lopiccolo, a junior biology major, said she’s planning to wear a mask during class this semester and thinks all students may have to wear masks at some points throughout the semester.

“I think it’s okay that it’s optional, but I have a pretty good feeling that it’ll be back to mandatory because I feel like COVID is definitely going to get bad again,” Lopiccolo said.

Aside from the possibility of mask requirements, Lopiccolo said she doesn’t think COVID-19 will affect the fall semester much.

“It didn’t really affect last year too much, at least for me, so I feel like it’ll remain that way,” Lopiccolo said.

However, some students are hoping the University doesn’t implement mandatory masking. Mia Dektor, a sophomore psychology major, said she’s glad Pitt is allowing students the option to choose if they wear one or not.

“Whatever the University wants us to do, obviously I will do, but it’s nice that as of right now we can have a choice,” Dektor said.

She said while she thinks COVID-19 might lead to virtual classes, she’s hoping it doesn’t happen. There was a virtual class option during the 2020-21 school year, and for a few weeks at the beginning of each semester during the 2021-22 academic year. Pitt’s faculty union recently reached a deal with administration which could allow union members to request remote classes and office hours to protect themselves or medically at-risk family members against COVID-19.

“I know new variants come out all the time, but I think Pitt does a really good job at letting us know early enough if we’re

going to be online or if we have to wear a mask,” Dektor said.

Dektor isn’t the only student looking to the fall with optimism. Kiley Hayes, a junior nutrition science major, said she thinks COVID-19 will still impact the semester, but not to the degree it has in the past. She said she’s comfortable with optional masking.

“When we did it last semester I think it worked well because if you wanted to wear it, you could, and if you were comfortable not doing it, it didn’t matter,” Hayes said.

Gabriella Policella, a senior marketing major, said she suspects masks will become mandatory if cases begin to rise, but is glad she does not have to wear one for now.

“I’m excited to be able to be in a classroom without a mask again because I feel like it makes for a more personal and intimate learning experience,” Policella said.

Policella said she is afraid of cases rising, businesses closing again and experiencing negative mental health affects as a result.

However, she’s hopeful that it won’t happen this fall.

“I don’t think it’s going to affect the school year at all, except for possibly having to wear masks for a little bit, maybe when flu season intersects with COVID,” Policella said.

The Cathedral of Learning from Schenley Plaza. TPN File Image

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Carlow, pg. 8 partnership with Pitt allowed Carlow to regain lost revenue from that on-campus housing.

Stephenson said while living in other dorms further from the center of campus — such as Sutherland Hall — has certain benefits, he doesn’t see those same advantages in Frances Warde or Dougherty Hall.

“It just seems like there’s not really any upside to it,” Stephenson said. “I’ve heard from people who live in Sutherland that the dorms are nice there, there’s a dining hall there. So that’s farther away, but at least there’s some upside, but there’s no real upside for the Carlow dorms.”

According to Stephenson, another of his concerns involved potential social isolation from other first-year students, because of the distance and relatively low number of students in the dorms.

“It seems like it’s a little socially isolated,” Stephenson said. “There’s only 130 people living there, and kind of far away … so we’re kind of just isolated because it’s just like four floors of students.”

Ponciano said the presence of other Pitt students, including fellow first-years and resident assistants, would help her feel more connected to Pitt while in a Carlow dorm.

“I don’t think that living in a Carlow dorm is going to significantly impact that experience, because I’m also sharing it with you know, the RAs and like, other Pitt students who were assigned there,” Ponciano said. “I’m just really looking forward to kind of getting to know everybody and kind of exploring the City and what it has to offer.”

The University spokesperson said Pitt is dedicated to ensuring students residing in Carlow residence halls have the full Pitt experience.

Frances Warde Hall on Carlow University’s campus. John Blair | Senior Staff Photographer

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“Frances Warde and Dougherty halls will have floors dedicated to Pitt students with Pitt Resident Assistants and Pitt student life activities,” the spokesperson said. “Additionally, students residing at Carlow will have all of the same amenities and experiences of those residing in traditional on-campus housing including: 24/7 security, onsite laundry, a fitness facility, air conditioning and microwave-fridge units.”

Pitt previously leased out hotel rooms during the 2020-2021 academic year to reduce the spread of COVID-19 on campus, and returned to the Residence Inn on Bigelow Boulevard during the 2021-2022 academic year to manage a “surge in enrollment,” according to the University Times. The University later bought the hotel in November 2021 and began renovations there this summer, according to the Pitt spokesperson, who said students will occupy part of the building this fall.

“While the building won’t be fully occupied, we currently have approximately 90 units reserved,” the spokesperson said. “Not all units will be occupied to allow renovations to occur throughout the building with less disruption.”

According to Panther Central, each double and triple room in the Carlow dorms will come equipped with a microwave, air conditioning, a refrigerator, twin-size beds, desks and dressers.

Bathrooms in each residence hall are communal. Students can access wireless internet, cable television and on-site fitness and laundry facilities at no additional cost, and can receive mail in student mailboxes located in Carlow’s Grace Library, next door to the dorms. Pitt students are required to have a Pitt meal plan, which will only apply to Pitt dining services — not Carlow’s.

Pitt students staying in Carlow’s dorms will be billed for the housing through their student account at Pitt, just like students in regular oncampus housing, according to Panther Central. The per-semester housing rates Panther Central lists for Pitt students living in Frances Warde and Dougherty Halls — $3,357 for a double and $3,692 for a triple — are identical to the rates listed for Carlow students on the university’s website.

Stephenson said while he was initially more upset about living in a Carlow dorm, he is now getting used to the idea.

“I was a little upset, but it’s really not too big of a deal to me at this point,” Stephenson said.

“I kind of am already getting, like, I’m over it, like it’s whatever.”

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MOST INTERESTING PITT SPORTING EVENTS TO KICK OFF THE SCHOOL YEAR

David Scott Staff Writer

Get your Pitt gear ready, because it’s time to get back into the stands. After a long summer without collegiate sports, Panthers sports teams are getting ready to compete for championships.

As you get settled in for the fall semester and start your classes, it’s always good to find time to kick back and stay caught up with Pitt’s teams. During the first week of classes, consider checking out some of these games with your friends.

Pitt men’s soccer vs. West Virginia: Aug. 29, time TBA The Panthers will look to pick up right where they left off after a strong 2021 campaign. Pitt finished the season 13-5-2 and tied with Duke for first place in the ACC Coastal division. But the Panthers lost in

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the semifinals of the ACC tournament to Notre Dame.

The matchup against West Virginia will be the Panthers’ fourth game of the 2022 season and their third at home. In 2021, they were an impressive 11-1 at home, meaning you’re certainly in for a great game.

Pitt home soccer games take place at Ambrose Urbanic field, which students can reach by walking or taking a campus shuttle. The field is up Cardiac Hill and past the Petersen Events Center in the Cost Sports Center.

Pitt women’s soccer vs. Kent State: Aug. 31 at 7 p.m.

Soccer is certainly one of Pitt’s strongest sports. The women’s soccer squad also perSee Scott on page 34

A soccer ball on Pitt’s Ambrose Urbanic Field. TPN File Image

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THE BACKYARD

Jack Markowski Staff Writer

RECALLING ONE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S ed the game from 1919 to 1929, in addition to a stretch from 1935 to 1962, where West Virginia hosted only five games. From 1962 on, the two sides alternated host sites on an annual basis.

The latter part of the twentieth century featured some of the most tightly contested matchups in Backyard Brawl history. In 1952, West Virginia captured their first ranked win in program history over the No. 18 Panthers by a score of 16-0. Three years later in 1955, No. 17 Pitt exacted revenge by defeating the undefeated No. 6 Mountaineers 26-7.

The 1970 meeting had one of the biggest comebacks in rivalry history, as Pitt rallied for four touchdowns in the second half after being down 35-8 to win 36-35.

In 1975, West Virginia kicker Bill McKenzie

With the Backyard Brawl returning this season between Pitt and West Virginia, college football is getting back one of its most storied and historic rivalries. While Pitt leads the series 61-40-3, both sides have boasted periods of dominance, most recently the Mountaineers in the 2000s.

The Brawl got its roots in 1895 when WVU and Pitt, then known as the Western University of Pennsylvania, faced off on the gridiron for the first time. The game took place in Morgantown as the Mountaineers went on to win 8-0 before also winning the next two installments in 1898 and 1900. WUP finally reigned victorious in 1901 by a score of 12-0 to earn its first win in the rivalry.

It didn’t take long for the Panthers to build momentum. They went on to win 10 of 11 games from 1904 to 1921, with the only nonvictory being a scoreless tie in 1909.

From 1919 through 1939, the two schools played each other each season, and Pitt took home all but three games during that stretch.

This coincided with the Panthers most dominant run in program history, as they won five national championships under head coaches Pop Warner and Jock Sutherland during that time frame.

The 1921 matchup between the two sides was significant not only in the context of the Backyard Brawl, but for the sport in general. The game, which took place at Forbes Field, was the first in college football history to be broadcast over radio. It aired on KDKA, a Pittsburghbased commercial station. The Panthers won the game 21-13.

Pitt’s longest winning streak in the Backyard Brawl also happened to come during the firsthalf of the 20th century. The Panthers tallied 15 straight victories from 1929 through 1946, which included 10 shutouts of the Mountaineers.

One wrinkle in the history of the Brawl is that up until the early part of the 1960s, Pitt had an overwhelming advantage in terms of hosting games. Either Forbes Field or Pitt Stadium host- TPN File Image

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drilled a 35-yard field goal as time expired to clinch a win over the No. 20 ranked Panthers.

Senior quarterback Dan Marino led two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter before Mountaineers sophomore kicker Paul Woodside missed a field goal to give No. 2 Pitt the 1613 win seven years later in 1982.

The rivalry moved into a new direction in 1991, when both programs became founding members of football in the Big East Conference.

Pitt had become a full-sport member starting in 1982, but West Virginia became a football-only member that year before eventually becoming a full member in 1995. Conference realignment only proved to further strengthen the rivalry between the two programs.

While the Panthers defeated the Mountain-

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eers during the first year of Big East play, WVU went on a five-game winning streak from 1992 to 1996 that stands as their longest over the course of the Brawl.

Overall, the Mountaineers sustained that trend while the two schools were conference rivals, besting Pitt with a record of 14-7.

One of the most infamous games in recent college football history came in 2007 toward the tail end of the Big East days. Heading into the last week of the regular season, West Virginia was ranked No. 2 with a 10-1 record and seemed to be on the fast track toward clinching its spot in the 2008 BCS National Championship. All that stood in its way was a home contest against the reeling 4-7 Panthers who were no longer bowl-eligible and coming off of two

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BRAWL:

MOST STORIED RIVALRIES straight losses.

Instead, Pitt shocked the college football world by defeating the Mountaineers 13-9, ending their hopes of securing their first-ever national championship.

No. 20 WVU was able to get the last laugh, though, defeating the No. 8 Panthers 19-16 in 2009. West Virginia has also won the last three installments of the Brawl, including the most

recent one in 2011.

With West Virginia leaving for the Big 12 in 2012 and Pitt joining the ACC in 2013, the two teams went their separate ways, leaving the rivalry behind.

However, after a decades-long pause, the Backyard Brawl will be back on Sept. 1, and it appears to be here for the foreseeable future.

Pitt Football Training Camp at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Friday.

John Blair | Senior Staff Photographer

Pitt Football Training Camp at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Friday.

John Blair | Senior Staff Photographer

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‘TO FINISH FIRST, FIRST YOU MUST FINISH’: PANTHER RACING PUSHES LIMITS OF PERFORMANCE, RELIABILITY

Richie Smiechowski Senior Staff Writer

On any given day during the school year, several members of Pitt’s Formula SAE team, also known as Panther Racing, work deep into the night in the sub-basement of Benedum Hall. Away from their course load, they choose to spend their free hours tirelessly building and refining an open-wheeled race car that will compete in only a handful of events each year.

For the engineering students and motorsports enthusiasts who sometimes spend upward of 40 unpaid hours a week working on the car, they simply enjoy being able to work with free rein outside of the classroom. According to Lucas Ramsey, the club’s executive director and junior mechanical engineering major, FSAE isn’t just an extracurricular activity — it’s where he furthers his education with hands-on engineering experience.

“The classes kind of teach the theoretical part of it, but then the application is done in clubs,” Ramsey said. “It’s what has kept me coming back. I can learn all these concepts in classes, but for me to be able to go and apply them to a real thing helps so much with my level of understanding.”

Both Ramsay and senior electrical engineering major Joseph Szlavik voiced similar praises about how FSAE gives prospective engineers a chance to try every element that comes with building the car. Szlavik, who is the team’s technical director, said they are often forced to deal with situations in the workshop before they’re addressed in class.

“There’s plenty of times where I will learn stuff in the club before I learn it in the classroom,” Szlavik said. “There was a certain design problem we had where we had to design an analog circuit, and it was before I had taken any circuit design classes. I ended up researching and getting involved enough to where I could probably teach it better than I would in a class.”

While on the surface FSAE is a purely hands-on, engineering-based club, it wouldn’t survive without its business side of the team.

Students who are interested in learning how to run a race team without getting their hands dirty can find an important role managing the

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program’s expenses and daily operations.

Former FSAE Business Director and Pitt graduate Lysia Gheris said the business team’s duties are far more high-stakes than just social media and running meetings — they manage the annual budget, which comes from the University and sponsors, allocating portions of the budget to each of the car’s several com-

acquire points for Pitt by acting as a manufacturer presenting their car to a panel of mock shareholders. According to Gheris, working the business side of the team both on a day-today basis and presenting at competition was invaluable to her practical education outside of the classroom.

“I always tell prospective students at re-

Attendees look at the PR-028 at a formula SAE showcase in 2016. TPN File Image ponents. cruitment events that I learned more in FSAE “The biggest perpetual role of the job was my freshman year than I did in the classroom the financial management and purchasing,” of the business school all four years,” Gheris Gheris said. “We manage the budget that goes said. “For the competition events we were to everything, from travel and competition putting together financial reports that I didn’t costs all the way to buying nuts and bolts and learn even in high level finance courses ... carbon fiber, everything you need to put the Learning how to navigate leadership and that car together.” kind of environment has been an extremely Gheris said the business team constantly valuable experience.” reaches out to sponsors and different departOnce the budget is finalized and distribments at Pitt, keeping them informed on uted, the engineering team takes over to prothe car’s development and upgrades. Apart duce a physical race car. The money is split from donations, sponsorships are critical to between seven subsections, each equally imthe team’s success, as some businesses and portant to the performance and reliability of organizations affiliated to the team provide the car. Incoming first years have the option to workspaces, machinery or specialty parts that work on any of the seven components such as would otherwise be unattainable to the team. brakes or aerodynamics, often jumping from On top of acquiring and distributing mon- one to the other, exploring their interests. ey to the team, there are also three business Szlavik and Ramsay said when they first events at the annual end-of-year competition joined, they were able to work on all areas held at Michigan International Speedway. of the car, eventually finding a specific area While they aren’t involved in optimizing the of the car that they could specialize in. Each car’s performance, the business team can still department has a learning curve, meaning it

August 24, 2022

sometimes takes students years to develop a director-level understanding of a particular system.

For the engineering team, performance of the car when it comes to acceleration and handling is important — but what they really have to focus on is the reliability of the car. A 22-kilometer endurance event accounts for 30 percent of the teams’ points at events. Teams that sacrifice reliability for extra speed will often lose out on significant points in Michigan when a component malfunctions halfway through the distance event.

“The tradeoff with all these things is the reliability of different parts,” Ramsay said. “The reason why a lot of teams don’t get through endurance is because they’re trying to maximize all the points. All it takes is one little failure to crash your car.”

Last year at competition, Pitt managed to complete the endurance event for just the second time since 2017. For the engineers who worked endlessly on the car, prepping it for just a few moments of track time in Michigan, seeing their car cross the finish line was everything.

“It really felt amazing, I noticed a couple people cry,” Szlavik said. “I don’t think we slept for maybe four or five days straight preparing the car, it was pretty exhausting. But when we got to the competition and we finally saw the car run, it’s probably the most relieving thing in the world.”

After finishing no. 32 out of 100 teams in Michigan last May, Panther Racing is once again ready to start recruiting tenacious first years to help develop their 2023 challenger over the coming months. As regulations change and other teams get quicker, they will once again be asked to further push the limit of reliability and performance.

“One of the great things that has been mentioned to us by F1 engineers is that to finish first, first you must finish,” Szlavik said.

“There’s no perfect balance between performance and reliability. I think that what I’ve learned and will keep with me throughout my engineering career is that finding that balance is more of an art than it is a science.”

17

Clubs, pg. 6 Lauren Charlon, a senior neuroscience major and the club’s co-director, said general body members meet every two weeks. She said the coordinator board also is currently accepting applications for various committees.

Therapy Dogs, a new club at Pitt, raises money and resources for the Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh and strives to be a place where all dog lovers can meet and conPitt students pet therapy dogs in the Cathedral of Learning in March. Clare nect. They also advocate for the continuation Sheedy | Assistant Visual Editor of Therapy Dog Tuesdays, when therapy dogs

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August 24, 2022

from the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society stop by the Cathedral of Learning at 7 p.m. to visit with students.

“As a new club, we are testing out the frequency of meetings that work best for us. As of now, we are hoping to meet at least once a month. In these meetings, we plan to discuss our upcoming events that may include anything from service to fundraising opportunities,” said Omkar Betsur, a junior biology major and the club’s president.

There are also groups that are more oriented to specific majors, such as the Computer Science club. The computer science club hosts socials and informational events to connect students with each other and industry professionals. They also host workshop events to assist students with assignments, resumes and applications.

Jamir Grier, a junior computer science major and club president, said prospective club members don’t have to be a computer science major or pay dues to join. He said meetings are typically held on Wednesdays, while corporate events are held on Mondays.

Hackathons are occasionally held on the weekends or over a span of time.

“CSC aims to be the largest CS organization on campus and has seized that goal by working hard to guarantee that the merit of our events, programs and avenues of communication (i.e., discord, newsletter) are good enough to drive members to participate when and how they can,” he said.

And if students can’t find a club that fits their interests, they can form one if they have 10 students willing to join the group and can secure a full-time faculty or staff member as an advisor. The new organization registration period occurs from Oct. 1-15 and Feb. 1-15.

No matter what type of club a student joins, Barbara Kucinski, a lecturer and faculty advisor at Pitt’s psychology department, said they offer friendship and spaces to figure out your interests with a diverse group of people.

“Student organizations are a good place for students to develop and hone communication and listening skills, engage with a diverse group of people and make friends,” Kucinski said.

“I’ve known students who got internships, jobs and volunteer positions by attending group meetings and meeting people,” she added. “Those that go on to hold leadership positions in a club/organization learn how to work with a team (which employers value) and gain leadership and management skills.

Furthermore, it is simply fun.”

18

PANTHERS PLAYING TO PROVE THEY’RE ‘HERE TO STAY’ IN 2022 Dalton Coppola Sports Editor

It’s a common platitude for someone to say “respect is earned, not given.” Not only is it cliche, but this isn’t always the case.

Pitt football knows this all too well.

The Panthers went on an improbable run through the ACC last year and won their first conference championship. A vast majority of the starters from the 2021 team are back in 2022, putting the Panthers in a favorable position to repeat as champions.

Or so one might think.

Members of the media submitted their ACC pre-season polls, and just three of the 164 voters predicted Pitt to repeat as champions. Not only do the voters think that Pitt won’t win the conference, they also view the Panthers as underdogs to win the Coastal Division. Miami received 98 votes — 60 more than Pitt did — to win the Coastal.

While most of the time players and coaches say they don’t look at what the media thinks, plenty of Panthers conceded that they have seen the rankings. And according to senior corner Marquis Williams, he and some of his teammates find the rankings “disrespectful.”

“I don’t think that there’s respect there for us,” Williams said. “Because [the voters] wouldn’t have put Miami in front of us. Why would you all do that? It’s been a

lot of stuff around the country going on, but we have the best players over here in the ACC. We just won the ACC Championship. I don’t think we’re getting the respect we deserve. I don’t know where it’s coming from, but I know Sept. 1 is a new start and a new season. We will prove why we’re the top team … we want to get into the playoff and the national championship.”

Similar to the voters in the ACC, the Associated Press released its rankings and the Panthers, who come in at No. 17, trail three teams in their own conference — No. 16 Miami, No. 13 NC State and No. 4 Clemson. While the AFCA Coaches Poll did rank the Panthers at No. 16 and one spot ahead of Miami, the Panthers still trail Clemson and NC State despite winning the conference last year.

Senior linebacker SirVocea Dennis said it seems like other schools get respect and that it does hurt a little bit when Pitt doesn’t receive that same praise.

“We don’t get enough hype in the media,” Dennis said. “We’re not worried about it. But it is nice to see it every once in a while. I know these guys work their tails off … for that to not get as recognized as other places, it takes a hit a little bit.”

In all fairness, the Panthers have lost a number of marquee players and coaches See Panthers on page 22

A Pitt football player holds his helmet at Pitt’s football training camp at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in August. Image via Pitt Athletics

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19

column

Brian Sherry

NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT PITT’S WIDE RECEIVER GROUP

Staff Writer

Replacing a starting wide receiver is a difficult task — but replacing a Biletnikoff award winner is a nearly impossible duty for any head coach. Pitt football Head Coach Pat Narduzzi found himself in this exact situation when former Panther wideout junior Jordan Addison transferred to USC. Through use of the transfer portal and development of existing players, Narduzzi tried his best to fill the hole Addison left. In fact, Narduzzi’s offseason improvements of the wide receiver group may have elevated them above last season’s Addison-led squad.

The transfer portal played a pivotal role in Pitt’s rebuilding effort. The Panthers landed sophomore Konata Mumpfield from Akron prior to Addison’s departure.

Mumpfield dominated last season for the Zips, earning Freshman All-American.

The former Akron receiver’s campaign included a commanding performance against Western Michigan, racking up 122 yards and two touchdown receptions. Addison posted only slightly better numbers against Western Michigan, receiving for 124 yards and three touchdowns. Mumpfield may become Pitt’s lead receiver in the post-Addison season, but he won’t be the only one vying for that spot.

Senior Jared Wayne will also look to shine next season. Wayne finished second in receiving yards for the Panthers last season with 658 yards. Addison’s presence last season may have even stunted Wayne’s ability to step up as a big-time wideout, as Wayne received less than half the number of catches as Addison. With another year of development and experience under his wing, Wayne will put up big numbers this season.

Of course, no wide receiver group is complete without a supporting cast, and several players will look to step into that role. Junior Jaylon Barden put up impressive numbers last season despite limited playing time. Barden averaged the most yards per catch on Pitt’s roster with 19.3 yards per reception.

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Meanwhile, Louisiana Tech transfer hauling in two touchdown receptions.

10.17. The first year from Texas could prove redshirt sophomore Bub Means recently Pitt also boasts several first-year pros- valuable as a slot receiver, filling in a crucial gained eligibility to play next season, giving pects who could make an impact in the gap Addison left.

First-year Addison Copeland will likely get playing time as well. Copeland ranked as the top receiver recruit out of the state of New York. The future of the Panther receiving group looks bright with Copeland and Nwabuko.

But the Panther’s offense won’t have to rely on the wide receiver group to haul in all of the passes. Pitt also possesses several offensive skill players to take the receiving load off the wideouts. Sophomore tight end Gavin Bartholomew will look to take a more active role in catching the ball after his successful first-year campaign. The sophomore tight end racked up 326 yards and four touchdowns last season.

The running back group will also take some responsibility in catching the ball. Junior Israel Abanikanda led the Panther runPitt junior wide receiver Jaylon Barden (10) catches the ball in the Pitt end- ning backs in receptions last season, haulzone during a game against Miami in 2021. TPN File Image ing in the ball for 197 yards. The running back group looks especially deep this year, with senior Vincent Davis and sophomore Rodney Hammond Jr. both looking to make a difference on the ground and in the air.

Ultimately, the receivers will only be as good as the quarterback throwing them the ball. Many unanswered questions still linger surrounding the quarterback position.

Redshirt junior USC transfer Kedon Slovis remains the frontrunner to replace former Pitt Heisman candidate Kenny Pickett. But after a lackluster spring game performance from Slovis, redshirt senior Nick Patti could take the starting job before the start of the season.

Pitt’s 2022 receiving class has the potential to be better than last year’s group.

Pitt senior wide receiver Jared Wayne (5) catches the ball in the endzone Between the solid depth and intriguing during a game against UNC in 2021. Patrick Cavanagh | Senior Staff Pho- newcomers, the Panther wideouts have the tographer ability to fill in the gaps.

But some doubt still lingers over the Pitt another experienced transfer receiver 2022 campaign. entire offense. Who will step up to be the in the depth chart. Means began his career First-year Che Nwabuko might be the number one receiver? Who will be the go-to at Tennessee as a defensive back before most dynamic player on the Panthers’ roster slot receiver?

The Panthers will need to find transferring to Louisiana Tech to focus on this season. Nwabuko possesses elite speed, these answers before their Sept. 1 showplaying wide receiver. Means led the Bull- winning the 100m Texas track and field down against West Virginia in the renewed dogs in yards per catch with 19.6 while also state championship with a blistering time of Backyard Brawl.

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21

Panthers, pg. 19 since the confetti settled. Heisman finalist quarterback Kenny Pickett departed for the NFL and Biletnikoff winning receiver Jordan Addison infamously transferred to USC. Not only did the star duo leave the program, but their coaches did too. Quarterback coach and offensive coordinator Mark Whipple along with receivers coach Brennan Marion left the program for the same job at Nebraska and Texas, respectively.

When one of the most prolific offenses loses arguably four of its most important pieces in the span of a few months, people are inevitably skeptical of the new unit’s potential. Head coach Pat Narduzzi went out and recruited some highly regarded coaches and players to fill these vacancies.

Frank Cignetti Jr. took over as the offensive coordinator and Tiquan Underwood took over the receiver room. Both have experience in the NFL — Cignetti as a coach and Underwood as a player. Narduzzi also added Kedon Slovis, a former first-year All-American quarterback and redshirt junior transfer from USC. Pitt made headlines when it lost Addison to USC due to its timing and Addison’s status as one of the top receivers in the country. Narduzzi has also said he thinks that USC tampered with his receiver and illegally contacted Addison to offer him NIL opportunities in hopes to lure him away from Pitt. Underwood said it definitely hurt to lose his top receiver on the last day that Addison had the option to enter the transfer portal. But the new receiver coach said his players’ response to the highly controversial situation inspired hope in him.

“To get [texts] from some of the wideouts in the room saying ‘Coach, we got your back and we’re going to put in work and we’re going to make this thing happen,’ that meant everything to me,” Underwood said. “That just told me the type of character we have in that room. We know that we lost a talented player and great person, but it opens an opportunity in the room … we just gotta go out there and do our job.”

Slovis, the new guy on the block, also tweeted out a simple message —“culture wins.” Some saw this as a slight to Addison, but Slovis clarified that all he meant was he felt Pitt’s culture is what makes the Panthers’ team so special.

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August 24, 2022

“I think [the tweet] got misconstrued a little bit as a slight [toward Addison], but it wasn’t,” Slovis said. “It was more so saying that regardless of who’s here, regardless of who’s in the building, what talent we have, the culture is what wins the games.

We have a great culture here and we have great players — we’re going to be just fine.”

It isn’t uncommon for college football teams to have a disappointing season following one in which they reached new heights. Take the 2019 LSU Tigers, for example. The Tigers went 15-0 and won the National Championship in 2019 and many consider the team as one of the greatest college teams ever. The following two years, LSU went 5-5 in 2020 and 6-7 in 2021, falling back to college football purgatory.

Senior defensive lineman Habakkuk Baldonado acknowledged that Pitt hasn’t been very successful in recent history. But the senior hopes that if the Panthers can string together a few successful seasons, then maybe the media will start taking them seriously.

“Respect is something that you have to earn,” Baldonado said. “For a long time we have not won a lot of games, but now that has changed. Hopefully, we’re going to go on a long streak of having winning seasons … as good as last year was, it was one year. Clemson has won multiple years, and they gained respect out of that. That’s what we’re going to have to do the next couple of years.”

Members of the media have made it clear — they don’t think the Panthers have a program that is sustainable. Baldonado said whatever people think “doesn’t matter” and all that matters is which team is hoisting the conference championship trophy in December.

“Last year was one year, but we did win the whole conference, we did beat Clemson,” Baldonado said. “Not much has changed. We returned most of the players that did that last year. People can think whatever they think … it doesn’t matter, it’s preseason. We’re going to see in December who’s still standing.”

The Panthers have their first opportunity at earning respect in the Backyard Brawl on Sept. 1. The West Virginia Mountaineers will make the trip to Acrisure Stadium to play in front of a sold-out crowd as the two teams renew their rivalry for the first time since 2011.

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opinion

YOUR EDUCATION IS A PRIVILEGE, NOT A CHORE

Sarah Liez

Senior Staff Columnist Most university students know that feeling when a professor cancels class — the sudden happiness of not having to sit through another dull lecture, not having to socialize with fellow students and not having to leave the comfort of your bed.

But it’s truly ironic to celebrate the cancellation of a program you’ve allocated so much of your time and money toward. Students work hard to get into their university of choice and then applaud the cancellation of an event for which they sacrificed considerable resources.

Those of us lucky enough to attend university often view our schoolwork as a chore, not as a privilege — especially those coming from an existing place of privilege. Young adults no longer seem to care so much about the education itself or the expansion of knowledge and personal growth that comes from active participation in higher education. Instead, we have been socialized to apply more emphasis on the end goal — that shiny degree that acts as a pricey key by which you can pursue a better future — rather than the journey.

It is important to first acknowledge that not all university students are subject to this predicament. Many individuals face barriers to receiving an education that require them to work harder to secure an acceptance and subsequently a degree at any university, especially a highly accredited and competitive one such as Pitt. Because of all the obstacles that lower-income, first-generation and other disadvantaged students must overcome in order to attend university, these students tend to be more grateful for their education, exhibiting greater rates of satisfaction, increased learning gains and a heightened ability to overcome setbacks when compared to their peers.

This is probably because these individuals are more appreciative of their education after having put in the personal work to acquire it — they know, better than anyone, what a college degree is worth.

Today, most of us value higher education not for the experience itself, but for the degree which acts as a symbol of success. A degree leads to increased access to job opportunities, increased marketability, increased earning potential, increased job security and

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increased ability to weather adversity. A degree is a title of high value in a capitalist society. A degree is insurance for a happy life — or so the mainstream tells us.

Personally, my hometown’s school district — Lower Merion School District — is one of the best public school systems in the country.

As a low-income student growing up amid high-income peers, I understood the privilege I was granted simply being able to attend these schools. I understood — partly from my socio-economic position, partly from listening to friends completely disregard their privilege and partly from my father, who attended inner-city schools and worked fulltime to finance his college education — that few people had access to similar resources.

Our schoolwork was rigorous — most students saw school as a pain, an annoying but necessary step toward a successful future.

Most worked hard simply for the letter grade and not for intellectual growth. As I got older, I realized I owed it to those less fortunate — those suffering under educational apartheid and those risking their lives for the education my peers were so unappreciative of — to acknowledge how lucky I was and to take advantage of my resources.

Once you recognize the privilege of a college education, you develop greater appreciation for your coursework. You study not for the purpose of obtaining an ordained piece of paper that states you’ve met a series of predetermined requirements, but rather for the education itself. We have a tendency to place so much emphasis on that decree of learning that we overlook what we’re actually spending our money on — the ability to learn in an organized, sophisticated environment with a cultivated focus on an area of interest.

The classroom can be an influential sphere of self-growth if you allow it to be. Engaged pedagogy is a term coined by author bell hooks that entails the integration of real life and classroom lessons to generate interpersonal growth between students and teachers. Engaged pedagogy is a philosophy of both teaching and learning that encourages individuals to develop honest relationships with each other and with the learning material. Full participation in course materials and discussions, according to hooks, creates mutual understanding between individuals,

expands the heart and mind to invaluable experiences and teaches us how to become better learners — both in and outside of the classroom.

Engaged pedagogy — and similar methods that place value on personal growth over formal titles — encourages students to view knowledge as a tool that can strengthen our common good. We learn that there is greater value to an education than receiving a good grade, that learning can create mutual understanding and solve important issues and that learning is a privilege not granted to all.

As we commence the school year, we should strive for engaged pedagogy that recognizes the value of academic discourse and enables genuine, interpersonal growth.

We can develop greater satisfaction, growth and emotional depth when we appropriately value our schoolwork instead of viewing it as yet another task. Engagement allows for true learning that benefits students in a number of deeply profound ways that are of little value to corporations, yet of signifi-

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cant value to ourselves and those around us.

It helps us become better citizens, learn the difference between good and bad, see the importance of hard work and guide our minds and hearts on the best paths. Education is good for society, it is good for the world, and it is good for our own happiness.

Whether you come from a place of privilege or disadvantage, all of us at Pitt need to take a step back, recognize our privilege and then reshape the way we value education. We who are lucky enough to receive an education must use that advantage to the best of our ability — that is what we should be going to school for. There are millions of disadvantaged adults longing for the experiences we see as bothersome chores and, at the end of the day, our knowledge is the only thing we’ve got.

Sarah Liez writes primarily about gender issues and social phenomena. Write to her at sjl88@pitt.edu.

23

opinion

Grace DeLallo

PRIORITIZE GREEN DURING THE MOVE-IN BLUES

Assistant Opinions Editor Wow, can you believe it’s August already? Time really flies when you’re working, interning, job-searching, soulsearching, vacation-setting and trying-to-survive-amid-perpetual-chaos,

doesn’t it?

Well, welcome back to campus in one of the cloudiest cities in the United States. Pitt might be trying to fool students into thinking Pittsburgh has sunshine by the photos they stock their various website pages with, but the un-

fortunate truth is that Pittsburgh is ohso-gloomy. However, it’s also true that Pittsburgh has wonderful green spaces around campus that are accessible through a manageable walk, drive or bus ride.

Moving back to the city can be hectic, especially when thousands of other students are making the same tense, stress-inducing move. Amid the movein blues, make sure to take advantage of the green spaces in our gray city.

Lower Panther Hollow Trail Panther Hollow is a small, historic neighborhood located in Central Oakland that was home to one of the first Italian neighborhoods in the City. Although most students don’t know about the neighborhood, they surely know the Lower Panther Hollow Trail. Located just over one mile from the Cathedral of Learning, this trail makes for easy hiking as it’s only one mile on relatively flat ground. But if sitting is more your speed, the amoeba-shaped lake is a beautiful spot to hang around,

especially at sunset. The lush green surroundings block out the buzz of the city just outside its oasis while the watershed lulls you into relaxation. What could be a better treatment for beginning of the semester stress?

Schenley Park 456 acres of land sit between Oakland and Squirrel Hill, donated in 1889

by Mary Schenley — hence the name, Schenley Park — and have become a staple in outdoor enjoyment for university students and Pittsburgh residents alike.

Unless you’re a new student, you’ve definitely walked through parts of Schenley Park. Schenley Plaza, located on Forbes Avenue across from the Cathedral of Learning, is a spot Pitt and CMU students frequent thanks to the lush, inviting lawn and benches surrounded by native plants. Many events are hosted in the park, which is an even more compelling reason to venture outdoors into the sea of green that exists on our campus.

See DeLallo on page 37

A view of Panther Hollow in Schenley Park off of a walking trail.

Clare Sheedy | Assistant Visual Editor

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24

opinion

WHAT YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO BUY COFFEE SAYS ABOUT YOU

Talia Spillerman

Senior Staff Columnist When walking in Oakland, you’ll hear a symphony of swooshing ice clinking against plastic cups. Between coffee, boba, milkshakes and an abundance of other morale-boosting drinks, everyone has a favorite to get them through a dreary Monday — or any day, for that matter.

Here’s your personality based on where you buy your energy-boosting drink.

Amos Starbucks While you forced your Mom to buy you a Keurig and Dunkin’ K-cups before your first year living in Tower B, it’s now a decoration on your dresser. You thought that once you got to college you would magically like the taste of coffee, but you still need ungodly amounts of milk and syrup for your caffeine fix.

While waiting for a drink and break-

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fast sandwich at 10 a.m. every morning, you always run into at least one person from your class’s Facebook page that you messaged before arriving on campus.

You also make small talk about the climb on Cardiac Hill and how glad you are to live in Tower B since it’s basically in the heart of campus.

Atwood Starbucks You used to go to Amos, but seeing someone you know on the walk there or during your wait is too much to handle.

You usually drink coffee that you brew in the comfort of your own home — you only buy your coffee on days you’re in a rush or need a midday pick-me-up.

You want to try locally owned coffee shops, but the convenience of a mobile order is hard to resist. In fact, you make sure to mobile order your drink 30 minutes ahead of time to avoid small talk with your project partner from Psychology 101 while waiting in line.

Fuku Tea You like the feeling of balls in your mouth — tapioca balls, that is. You never got in on the caffeine craze that dominates in college culture — mainly because you don’t like the taste of coffee.

However, you love walking down Forbes with your colorful straw juxtaposing the sea of sippy-cup Starbucks lids — like an onion ring in a bowl of french fries — to show that you don’t need coffee, just a mere inspirational drink is enough to boost your day. To you boba fanatics, I have one question — how does it feel to be better than everyone?

Redhawk Ever since you went abroad and drank a cappuccino every morning from the coffee shop below your apartment in Venice, you refuse to go back to your Starbucks’ iced latte with cold foam. So

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you decided to explore other options and sauntered down Meyran to this hidden coffee oasis. You get your drink and sit at the picnic tables while reading the latest Colleen Hoover book. For hours, you sit — sipping, reading and eavesdropping on nearby conversations.

Dunkin’ on Forbes You’re in the mood to be disappointed — with your drink and studying for the day. Each visit, you get a different flavor and milk combination, but somehow, it tastes the same. I do understand the appeal — in a world full of uncertainty, it’s refreshing to know you can depend on a Dunkin’ beverage not meeting your expectations time and time again.

Although the caffeinated milky water is not why you venture to the heart of campus, you come to people-watch through the giant windows that peer onto Forbes. When you spot someone See Spillerman on page 35

25

opinion

FIRST-YEARS: YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT PENNSYLVANIA POLITICS

Paige Wasserman Staff Columnist

If you don’t already know, Pitt is a public university that provides more affordable tuition to in-state students, as well as needbased financial aid. To provide these benefits, Pitt relies on a hefty appropriations bill from the Pennsylvania government. However, during this year’s budget cycle, this funding was hotly debated, and surprise — it came down to politics.

Why, you may ask? Well, Pitt conducts life-saving research with fetal tissue.

Despite abortion being legal in Pennsylvania through 23 weeks of pregnancy — paired with the fact that this research is only carried out with patients’ consent, and investigations have found that Pitt is compliant with federal and state regulations — many Pennsylvania Republican legislators found this research blasphemously unacceptable and were willing to block Pitt’s

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funding over it.

We, the students, received emails and read social media posts every day from Pitt telling us to sign petitions and urge our senators to vote in favor of Pitt’s appropriations bill. Chancellor Patrick Gallagher urged current students and alumni to take action in an interview with Pitt Magazine.

Admittedly, it was annoying that the University essentially said to us, the students, “You’re going to pay 60K a year unless you shoulder the responsibility of performing political labor while you study and job hunt full-time. Thanks so much bestie! :)” But, understandably so, Pitt was willing to do whatever it had to. It was stressful, and a lot of us, already cynical about the people in power, felt really helpless.

And the Republicans and the pro-life organizations that bow to the whims of fascism are making the feelings of helplessness worse. They’re not going down without a

fight.

Since the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, Pennsylvania anti-abortion groups plan to beef up their operations, and they’re raising more money than ever before.

The Women’s Choice Center, which says it provides “life-affirming pregnancy services,” has raised $1 million so far this year, which is almost twice as much as 2016. Amy Scheuring, the group’s executive director, says it’ll spend most of these funds on advertising to keep up with the pace at which pharmaceutical companies advertise abortion pills.

The Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation State PAC has also increased its expenditures in the second quarter of 2022. Among the expenditures are donations to political candidates and payments to media manufacturers. These expenses indicate their desire to further influence Pennsylvania antiabortion legislation and overall fortify the pro-life movement.

But why should you really care?

Well, this isn’t like other political issues, where they only affect poor people or women or people of color –– which, if you don’t care how legislation affects other people, disrespectfully, eat my toenail clippings. If you’re a Pennsylvania resident and a Pitt student, you are a potential casualty of the right’s culture war. State Republicans want to smother you, their constituent, beneath a mountain of student debt because of their own misunderstanding and miseducation regarding medical research. If that angers you — and it should — it’s time to get involved.

How do you do this? For starters, if you’re an out-of-state student from a staunchly blue or staunchly red state, I encourage you to register to vote at your dorm room address. Pennsylvania is a swing state, and there’s a really contentious Senate race between John Fetterman and Mehmet Oz this November.

This race may not pertain directly to state Senate matters, but it’s crucial to capturing better control of the U.S. Senate and passing meaningful legislation regarding issues such

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as gun violence, federal legalization of cannabis and immigration law. If you’re from Maryland or Mississippi and you groan at the constant federal gridlock, this is a great place to start your activism, or at the very least your new political awareness.

If you’re an in-state student, depending on where you’re from, it may be wise to register and vote at your home address.

Why is this important? Because Pitt resides in Pennsylvania’s 42nd State Senate district, which typically goes blue. If your home address is in a State Senate district that either swings or goes red, your vote will be more powerful there, assuming you’re voting blue.

Check out this resource from the Pennsylvania General Assembly to find out who your legislators are, and look at trusted resources like those from Ballotpedia to learn more about this year’s state Senate race and see who’s running for your district’s seat.

Also, don’t just look at federal and state Senate races. Vote and research your vote AT EVERY LEVEL. Municipal, local, state, federal, everything. The smaller the government realm is, the more it affects your dayto-day life, from your property taxes to the quality of your sidewalks.

I know it’s overwhelming, especially if you’ve never been interested in politics. My passion for politics began at a very early age, but I understand that’s not the case for everybody. There’s a lot of social pressure in high school –– many people censor their beliefs to fit in, or perhaps their social circles discourage formation of any beliefs at all.

Your world is about to get a lot bigger, and you’re going to form relationships with people who don’t look and think like you. Lean into your curiosity and challenge yourself to learn more.

So, first-years, this is your wake-up call.

Your opportunity at financial wellness and a head-start toward the rest of your life lies squarely in the hands of pro-life wackadoos.

Vote, talk and care. It’s about to get really important.

Paige Wasserman (she/her) writes about the arts, pop culture, campus culture and things that make her want to scream. You can reach her at PLW15@pitt.edu.

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letter from the editor

Welcome back to Oakland, everyone!

It’s exciting to once again see our favorite restaurants, Cathy and, for the third time, students milling around campus buildings wearing masks.

Since I’m part of the last class that had at least one semester unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s a pretty big deal to finally be starting the year with a sense of normalcy — in large part because of scientists and health care workers across the country and right here in Pittsburgh.

The Pitt News has kept our campus community informed throughout the pandemic and through other large stories. Some important news — a contentious governor’s race, an exciting football season, how Walnut Capital’s Oakland Crossings project might change the neighborhood, the search for a new

pittnews.com

WELCOME TO OAKLAND! HERE’S WHAT TO EXPECT. chancellor and the effects of rising tuition — is developing right now. Check out our website daily or subscribe to our email newsletter at pittnews.com/newsletter to find out the news as soon as we

Thalia Sifnakis | Staff Illustrator

do. You can also follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @ThePittNews and like us on Facebook.

While you move back in, we’ve prepared this Welcome Back guide to help you adjust to campus life again. Our talented news reporters have written articles describing what campus will look like this fall — based on what we know right now, at least. Our insightful columnists offered their hard-won wisdom on college life, the culture desk provided some top-notch advice on the best movies and study spaces and our photographers gave us stunning visuals. And if you, like many students, are excited about the Backyard Brawl, the sports section is for you.

If you want to help tell these stories alongside our team of nearly 150 student journalists, we would love for you to join

August 24, 2022

our staff. We’re always looking for our next team of editors, reporters, photographers, videographers, illustrators and copy editors to work at our award-winning newspaper. No prior experience is necessary to join, and all positions are paid. Apply to the nine open positions at pittnews.com/application.

We also want to hear from readers and new members of the Pitt community. Reach out digitally or stop in our office at the William Pitt Union with story ideas, Op-Eds, responses to articles or any questions about our 110-year-old newspaper. Nothing is too big or too small.

H2P! Rebecca Johnson, Editor-in-Chief

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5 MOVIES TO GET YOU BACK TO SCHOOL Jacob Mraz Staff Writer

Summer blazes on, but it’s time to think about school again.

Gone are the days of vacationing, visiting family and hanging out around the house. Soon your life will be filled with syllabi, assignments and studying. But how do you come back?

Everyone aligns their mind differently.

Some find music helpful. Others like to listen to a podcast or go for a jog. For me, it’s movies — they are like a reset button.

No matter how often I find myself overwhelmed or anxious, a good movie can always bring me back.

I thought I would share five movies to help you get in the mood for school. These are movies I believe you can watch again and again over the semester to keep you motivated all year.

1. Dead Poets Society (1989) When Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) begins his junior year at the all-male Welton Academy in Vermont, he is assigned the brilliant Neil Perry as his roommate (Robert Sean Leonard). As they and their friends arrive to classes on the first day they are greeted by John Keating (Robin Williams), the unconventional new English teacher who invokes a spirit of wonder and hope into their young minds. A spirit of rebellion and awakening quickly follows, and the elite youngsters must come to grips with their own ideals in the face of their parents’ wishes.

Moving and thoughtful, “Dead Poets Society” is as much a story of wonder as a tale of growing up. It’s a reminder that

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we can be our own people — that we don’t need to stand in the shadow of our parents’ dreams for us. It is a movie for anyone who has ever dreamed of living an extraordinary life or has ever wanted more than the status quo.

And to those dreamers I proudly say, “O captain, my captain!”

2. Animal House (1978) When Larry Kroger (Thomas Hulce) and Kent Dorfman (Stephen Furst) fail to get into the high-brow Omega Theta Pi house, they settle for the notorious Delta Tau Chi house, where they meet the rowdy John “Bluto” Blutarsky (John Belushi).

But after numerous academic and campus violations, the school Dean, Vernon Wood (John Vernon), has it out for Delta and instructs Omega’s president, Gregg Marmalard (James Daughton), to find a way to have the house’s charter revoked.

“Animal House” is often heralded as one of the greatest frat movies of all time. But college isn’t all about partying and fighting.

“Animal House” tells a story of brotherhood — of coming together against impossible odds and finding a way to make it work, even if it takes a little mayhem along the way.

3. Spirited Away (2001) Being a kid isn’t easy — just ask Chihiro.

Directed by the acclaimed Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli, “Spirited Away” follows a young girl whose parents are turned into pigs after stumbling on an abandoned amusement park. Dazed, she walks to a nearby, seemingly operational bathhouse for help, only to be transported to the spirit

world. There she meets a host of whimsical and powerful spirits as she attempts to rescue her parents and discover who she is.

A beautiful tale of youth and perseverance, “Spirited Away” will move you with its visuals and its story. Studio Ghibli, the animators of this and a host of other wonderful films, are famous for their environment, storytelling and worlds that stick with you. Lovers of Pixar will find much to appreciate in this intricately crafted masterpiece.

Students looking for something to put on to unwind after a particularly rough day need look no further. While you may not relate to the youth of the film’s protagonist, her determination to adapt and persevere is a familiar desire to new and old students alike.

4. Monsters University (2013) Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) dreams of being a Scarer. In Pixar’s prequel to “Monsters Inc.” Mike is a first-year at the famed Monsters University where he meets Sully (John Goodman) in a scaring class.

The brain to Sully’s natural brawn, the two develop a rivalry that culminates in their expulsion. But the intuitive Mike makes a deal with the dean to get the two, along with a crew of other misfits, back into the school. If they can win the “Scare Games’’ then they can come back. If they lose, they leave forever.

Though inspired by “Animal House,” “Monsters University” tells the story of dreams. Many people come to college hoping for one thing and become something else entirely — just ask former engineering or chem students. But for every person

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who gives up or redirects, there are also those who push through — who, despite everything, refuse to lose.

There are times over these four years where you may ask yourself if it’s all worth it. Let this film act as a reminder that it is and that, even if you have to change course, you can still achieve your dreams.

5. Legally Blonde (2001) Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) is on top of the world. She has the money, the boy and her future laid out before her. That is, until her boyfriend dumps her to go to Harvard Law School. But Elle refuses to be put down and, after months of studying, aces her LSAT and arrives at Harvard bright-eyed and full of dreams. But the drab and often waspy attitude of her peers clash with the SoCal glow of Elle’s personality. She learns soon enough that no one will take her seriously until she proves that she is more than just a pretty blonde.

This is a movie for anyone who has ever felt out of place in their chosen major — a film whose protagonist is a symbol of overcoming. It’s a reminder to each of us that, no matter what society thinks about you, the only one who can stop you is you.

Image via Wikimedia Commons

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‘THE POWER OF ART IN EVERYDAY SPACES’:

LOCAL POETS CELEBRATE OAKLAND’S PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE IN NEW OBID SIDEWALK POETRY PROJECT

Bella Markovitz Staff Writer

Hot sunshine wasn’t the only thing brightening Oakland’s sidewalks this summer. Stencils and spray paint brought verses of poetry in vibrant pinks, purples and blues to the neighborhood’s normally gray walkways.

These poems are part of Oakland Business Improvements District’s new sidewalk poetry program. OBID first completed this project in May when staff spray painted the poems of 22 contest winners on Oakland sidewalks using stencils. Sidewalks are a critical location for reflection, according to Cate Irvin, the former director of placemaking and activation for OBID’s sidewalk poetry project.

“Sidewalk poetry embeds the power of art into our everyday spaces,” Irvin said. “Especially during the pandemic, our sidewalks have become critical spaces for contemplation, fresh air and socializing.”

Leah Friedman, the marketing and communications manager of OBID, said the group started the project to celebrate April as National Poetry Month, inspired by the work of artist Marcus Young in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Young created a sidewalk poetry project in 2008 when he worked as the City Artist with Public Art Saint Paul, a private non-profit that works alongside the City of St. Paul to transform public spaces in engaging ways.

OBID began the program in fall 2021 with a contest asking for submissions of short poems about “Oakland’s past, present and future.” A committee of seven jurors selected 25 winning poems out of 82 submissions. Lisa Kay Schweyer, a program manager for the transportation research institute Traffic21 at Carnegie Mellon University, served as one of the jurors and as a contributing poet. Schweyer said the jurors reviewed a spreadsheet that listed the poems without including any names or identifying information of the poets.

After three rounds of reviewing, the committee chose 25 poems, which are compiled in an online booklet. The OBID website also has a map showing each poem’s location in Oakland.

The pandemic played an important role in not just the inspiration for the project, but in the inspiration for some of the poets as well.

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Local writer and contributing poet Jessica Manack said she was inspired by her experience as a mother raising two young kids during the pandemic.

“We have just taken so many walks around our neighborhood, especially thinking of the very early stages of pandemic and lockdown and my kids are both learning to read, and they just look for words in the world around them,”

cars vroom,” Manack’s poem reads.

Manack’s poem wasn’t the only one to focus on Oakland’s bustling urban movement.

Contributing poet Sarah McMullen, director of senior leadership projects at Pitt, likens the movement of Oakland to the beating of a heart in her poem, “Oakland Pulse.”

“Thump thump / Feet on the concrete / The pulse of timeless advance,” McMullen writes in

A sidewalk poem being made with pink spray paint. Image courtesy of Leah Friedman Manack said. “So with this poem, I really wanted to create something that a small child could find and read.”

Manack’s poem is located near Rita’s Italian Ice on Forbes Avenue. She said she can easily imagine a happy child bopping along with their ice cream, stopping to read the words in their familiar rhyming pattern.

“Trains chug, / bikes zoom. / Trucks lug, /

her poem “Oakland Pulse.”

McMullen cites the “constant movement” of Oakland similar to a “pulse” as her inspiration for the poem.

“I’ve always been struck by Oakland’s ability to be old and new at the same time. We have the dinosaurs on one side of the street and cutting edge science on the other side,” McMullen said. “There’s also a constant movement to the

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sidewalks and the streets, feet in all directions, with a main road going one-way in each direction.”

The description of Oakland as a heart appears again in another sidewalk poem, this one on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Bigelow Boulevard and written by former Pitt student Kira Brice.

“In the beating heart of the city / illuminated highways intertwine,” Brice wrote.

Brice first wrote the poem she submitted for the contest during her time as a Pitt student.

When she saw the ad for the contest, she felt that it was calling her directly.

“I’m not originally from Pittsburgh, and when I came to Pitt for college, I felt out of place at first. Reflecting upon that has made me think broadly about place in general. What does it mean to be out of place?” Brice said. “I was proud of these poems already, and I knew that they best represented my experiences in Oakland and how I felt living here.”

Many of the poems came from former Pitt students like Brice. Former student and contributing poet Erica Hom said her poem drew from her experience as a literature student at Pitt.

“It was important for me to pay homage to the literary disciplines that influenced me, as well as the strangers and classmates who eventually became my friends and chosen family,” Hom said.

Lily Keener, who is finishing her master’s degree in library science at Pitt, said her poem, located near the corner of Fifth Avenue and Thackeray Avenue, came to her on the way to class. Like many of the other poets have, she lovingly references “Cathy” in her poem.

“Morning fog descends on Oakland / hides Cathy in its arms,” Keener wrote.

Keener said when she wrote the poem it was a “typical gray Pittsburgh morning.”

“It sparked something in me, and I scribbled what became my poem in the back of my class notebook,” Keener said.

Friedman said OBID plans to continue the project and will open submissions for a new contest in the fall. She also said to look out for “a big exciting public art installation” in Schenley Plaza in the fall.

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FIREWORKS, FALL FEST AND MORE: PITT PROGRAM COUNCIL PREPS FOR FALL SEMESTER

Serena Garcia Staff Writer

Whether it’s Bigelow Bash, homecoming fireworks, movie screenings, an annual trip to New York City or much more 一 Pitt Program Council has some of its most exciting events in the fall semester.

This year, the student-run organization plans on adding some new activities.

Since the University lifted many of its COVID-19 restrictions, PPC is looking forward to the events they have lined up for the fall. Though Public Relations Director Lydon Pelletier said it’s too early in the year for the organization to release many of their plans.

“I can’t really say what they are,” Pelletier said, “Each year there are always new ones.”

However, there are two popular events returning in the fall that all students should know about 一 Fall Fest and the Homecoming Laser Show.

Fall Fest, which PPC produces, is an

annual event complete with live music and food trucks. The event has boasted headliners such as Aminé in 2017, Young the Giant in 2018, lovelytheband in 2019 and Lauv last year.

Pelletier said students will have to wait until late summer to the beginning of the semester before learning more details about the concert, including the headliner.

Pelletier said Fall Fest is one of her favorite events and that she’s looking forward to it this year.

“I think the Pitt Program Council really comes together, and students are the ones who are putting together that big stage the day before the concert,” Pelletier said. “It’s a 12-hour day for the Pitt Program Council.”

Besides Fall Fest, students can keep an eye out for homecoming events, which kick off on Oct. 3. The football team plays Virginia Tech on Oct. 8 in an ACC matchup.

PPC will throw their annual Fireworks and Laser Show on Oct. 7 at 9 p.m. at the Cathedral of Learning from Bigelow Boulevard. The event features a soundtrack full of new pop hits and some classic oldies along with a laser show full of graphics.

“In terms of annual events, I think the Homecoming Laser and Fireworks shows and Fall Fest, if you haven’t been to either of those before, I think that’s not something you should miss,” Pelletier said.

For incoming students, PPC partnered with the Student Affairs to host two events during Welcome Week. One of these events is a night with hypnotist, Erick Kand, on Aug. 26.

“[It’s] always super fun and there’s always a ton of people there, and students, a few of them, will get randomly brought to the stage and hypnotized,” Pelletier said.

The next day, on Aug. 27, new students will dance and celebrate the night away at Welcome Back Bash. The event, which takes place on Schenley Drive between Forbes and Clemente, lasts from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

“The events, along with the others happening throughout Welcome Week, are meant to make first-year and transfer students feel more at home in Oakland,” Pelletier said.

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BURGERS! Fireworks erupt from the Cathedral of Learning at PPC’s annual Homecoming Laser and Fireworks show in 2018. TPN File Image.

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Pitt students at a Lauv concert on Schenley Drive at PPC’s annual Fall Fest in 2021. TPN File Image.

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THE 5 ESSENTIALS THAT SHOULD BE IN YOUR BOOKBAG

Serena Garcia Staff Writer

As the beginning of classes draws near, students may be wondering what they should bring to syllabus week. Besides the obvious items such as a laptop and notebook, there are many other essentials that everyone needs on hand.

Here are five must-haves for any Panther’s bookbag.

1. Various Writing Utensils This may seem obvious, but some often forget to bring an array of writing utensils for their classes. Every student needs a pen, pencil and a highlighter. A highlighter is especially key during syllabus week, when students should highlight deadlines and other important information.

Many professors ask students to have a #2 pencils, especially when an exam is approaching. When exam season arrives, some professors tend to use Scantrons, for which #2 pencils are necessary. Personally, I like having both pencils and

pens handy in my backpack. In this age of technology, many have opted to use their laptops and tablets as their preferred way of notetaking. But some people continue to choose the paper route as the main way to write down assignments, take notes or even doodle.

2. Umbrella Unfortunately, Pittsburgh’s weather is unruly, so carrying an umbrella is a must when living in this City. It may be sunny and hot in the morning, but in the afternoon, rain and clouds might appear.

Personally, I find the smaller umbrellas the perfect size to fit in any book bag, big or small. But your umbrella, your choice. If you find yourself on campus without an umbrella, don’t fret — you can stop at the Pitt Stop or the University Store on Fifth to find a Pitt-themed or Pitt-inscribed umbrella. Don’t be like me and get caught in a rainstorm with soaking clothes and a soaked backpack — it’s not a good feeling.

3. Reusable Water Bottle Going from class to class, you’ll definitely need to stay hydrated throughout the day. The perfect way to keep your water nice and cool is by having a reusable water bottle. Not only are you keeping up with your water intake, but you are helping save the environment as well. A reusable water bottle is a must-have in your

backpack. Instead of wasting your dining dollars or your own money on a plastic water bottle that will be thrown out in a short amount of time, you can invest in a nice water bottle.

While many may opt for the wellknown Hyrdoflask, there are other more See Bookbag on page 38

Promiti Debi | Senior Staff Illustrator

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much-anticipated Backyard Brawl against rival West Virginia. ESPN College Gameday will air its first show of the 2022 season formed well in 2021, finishing 11-7. But the at the game, meaning Pitt fans can show the Panthers finished No. 9 overall in the ACC entire country their passion. due to a 4-6 record in conference games, All Panthers home games take place at and didn’t qualify for the ACC or NCAA Acrisure Stadium, and shuttles run from tournaments. campus to the stadium before and after the Still, the Panther roster features plenty of experience, which head coach Randy Waldrum will look to capitalize on.

Like the men’s team, Pitt women’s soccer was slightly stronger at home, winning six on its own turf and five on the road, so fans can expect an exciting game. The matchup against Kent State will be the fifth of the season for the Panthers. It will begin at 7 p.m. and at Ambrose Urbanic field.

Scott, pg. 13

Pitt football vs. West Virginia: Sept. 1 at 7 p.m.

This is what we’ve all been waiting for — the 2021 ACC champions are back to defend their title. The Panthers’ breakout season last year brought life and excitement to Pitt football games that we haven’t seen in years. What’s even more exciting is that this year’s team has the chance to be even better.

Pitt fans will see the Panthers’ new-look offense perform for the first time in the

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and will serve as an early test for head coach Dan Fisher. While Pitt has always put out a strong volleyball team, the Panthers broke out in 2021, finishing with a 30-4 record.

They tore through the NCAA tournament as well, but lost in the semifinals to Nebraska 3-1. This was the first time in school history that Pitt made the Final Four.

On Sept. 2, the Panthers will face off against Cincinnati at noon and Utah State at 7 p.m. Fisher and the Panthers will then gear up to take on No. 10 BYU at 9 p.m. on Sept. 3 at the BYU Invitational.

game. The game starts at 7 p.m. so get there early, enjoy some tailgating and prepare your singing voice for “Sweet Caroline.”

Pitt volleyball at the BYU Invitational: Sept. 2 at noon and 7 p.m.

While Pitt volleyball won’t play at home until Sept. 9, the BYU Invitational features some of the best competition in the nation

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Spillerman, pg. 25 you know walking by, you text in your group chat as if you spotted a celebrity.

After a few hours, you realize that you spent more time looking out the window than writing your essay due at midnight.

Dunkin’ on Centre You used to be obsessed with niche life hacks that might work but, overall, are not with the hassle — like trying to peel a clementine in one piece. You went to this Dunkin’ once because you heard it was better and quicker than the one on Forbes. It was — but was it worth walking 20 minutes out of your way? Probably not. So now you’ll just settle for mediocre coffee like the rest of the Forbes Dunkin’ drinkers.

Saxby’s Hillman You need caffeine, but you don’t like coffee — so you go to the closest place possible to avoid missing a review topic with your study group. You get the same drink as the person in front of you, hoping that they know what kind of coffee tastes good, but little do you realize that they too just got the drink of the person in front of them. You end up ordering a vanilla latte with almond milk even though you’re wondering what “cappuccino” means. Maybe between now and the next o-chem exam, you’ll google it.

Divvy’s You like big buns, and you cannot

lie. You’re here to meet friends who you haven’t seen since your first year. You reminisce on your adventures in Holland Hall — what a different time! While sipping on the monthly latte special, which tastes much better than Dunkin’, you tell them how you passed your first-year neighbor on the street and the startling new haircut he got. After about an hour, you tell them you have to go. You all feel obligated to exclaim that you all should get together soon even though you all very well know that it will be possibly months before you make time to see each other again — if at all.

Milkshake Factory You’re a first-year. You got the meal plan with the most off-campus dining dollars and spent all of them at the Milkshake Factory — besides the one time you went to Stack’d with your whole floor. You’ve tried every flavor on the menu and have settled on “The Chocolatier” as the best. Each time, you hope that your lactose intolerance decides to disappear for the night — though that never seems to be the case.

Yet, no matter the outcome, you’re a loyal fan. You’ll return with whoever on your floor is available, even if it is so cold that your hands freeze to the cup or the aroma of the aftermath shifts through your floor’s airways for three to five business days.

Talia Spillerman writes about anything and everything. Write to her at tns26@pitt.edu.

Promiti Debi | Senior Staff Illustrator

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A GUIDE TO THE BEST OUTDOOR STUDY SPACES AROUND CAMPUS Jessica McKenzie Senior Staff Writer

Ah, Pittsburgh — it has us Panthers sweating buckets in sweltering heat one minute, then running to take cover from a torrential downpour the next. As fall semester kicks off, it’s just a matter of time before we’re walking to our classes in blistering cold.

Fall is the best season to spend as much time outside as possible. We’re fortunate enough to have some beautiful natural spots on our mostly urban campus, where we can enjoy some foliage in not-too-torturous temperatures.

With that in mind, this is a guide to some of the best outdoor study spaces on campus — from a student who prefers to work with a little fresh air and white background noise.

1. Schenley Plaza I’ll start with one of the more obvious, but underrated, spots to do some studying. Schenley Plaza can get a little crazy on a sunny day, but once it cools down and the clouds roll in, the crowds thin out. If it’s a breezy day, I love to wander over to one of the little green tables on my way out of class in Cathy and do some homework on my laptop.

You’re right next to some great food options — The Porch, Tres Amigos, Omar’s Halal Grill and Asia Tea House — that make it super easy to munch on something while you study (this is how I developed my addiction to spicy bourbon chicken). You also get a beautiful view of Cathy, a nice spot for people watching and sometimes live music from outside The Porch.

2. Mary Schenley Memorial Fountain A super short walk from Schenley Plaza is Mary Schenley Memorial Fountain, which is arguably one of the most amazing landmarks on campus. The fountain features a bronze and granite sculpture that depicts the Greek god Pan and a female singer playing a lyre.

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To be completely transparent, the WiFi here is pretty spotty, so don’t start a Zoom call or anything, but if you have your files downloaded and can work offline, this is a great — and less hectic — spot to be productive. Right outside of the Frick Fine Arts building, you’re overlooking Schenley Plaza and get distant, but beautiful views of campus. This area really sets Pitt’s campus apart from other college campuses, and since it’s surrounded by trees, this is the ideal spot to appreciate changing leaves in the fall.

able WiFi. Also, you’re right by Forbes Street Market, the William Pitt Union and Schenley Plaza for a snack break. It’s usually decently quiet and not crowded, but those picnic tables are limited, so try to get there early.

the squirrels.

5. Quad Between WPU and Starbucks This one is my not-so-secret weapon for weather of all kinds. When it’s pouring rain and I’m still in an outdoorsy mood, you can find me at a table under 4. Cathedral Lawn the walkway between Starbucks and the I will go to my grave insisting that any WPU. The WiFi is decent, my laptop is view of Cathy can’t be overhyped. The safe from the rain and there’s a solid view Cathedral Lawn is a go-to spot for any- of the bustling Fifth Avenue or Schenley thing student life related, including pic- Quad. If you can’t function without cafnics, club meetings, campus-wide events feine like me, having such quick access to Starbucks while doing homework is a must.

The only iffy factor here is that because this spot is close to so many residential buildings, it can get busy and loud — especially on weekdays as people filter in and out of classes. So, if you’re looking for a place to do your remote midterm, this isn’t the best option. But if you want a comfortable spot to sip on something from Starbucks’ legendary fall menu and review your study notes, this is a perfect place to do so on a drizzly day.

The Cathedral of Learning lawn. Nate Yonamine | Staff Photographer 3. Picnic Tables Between Posvar Hall and Hillman Library This is kind of a substitute spot until Hillman’s construction is scheduled to end in February 2023. For those who weren’t around before the construction began in August 2021, there used to be an array of picnic tables outside of Hillman’s second floor, which offered students a breezy, spaced-out and (mostly) clean place to study or eat and chat with friends. What’s left of those tables are on the walkway between Posvar and Hillman.

This is a fantastic spot for depend-

or just wandering around and appreciating our campus. Of course, it makes a cozy study spot too.

When I don’t have to worry too much about having a great WiFi connection, I could spend hours here reading under a tree or on a bench. Facing one way, you get a great up-close and personal view of Cathy towering over you. Turn around and there’s Heinz Chapel, another Gothic-revival piece of architecture and famous landmark on campus. There’s plenty of space here, so you can decide if you want to be around people and noise or away from it all, where it’s just you and

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DeLallo, pg. 24 Westinghouse Memorial If you look at the elevators located in Pitt’s buildings, you’ll notice at the bottom of the threshold that they’re branded with “Westinghouse.” George Westinghouse was a famous engineer and inventor who was not a Pittsburgh native, but did base his work in Pennsylvania. His contributions are seen in our industrial infrastructure, but the beautiful bronze memorial located along the Steve Faloon trail in Schenley Park brings a beautifully maintained natural area that’s teeming with life. By day, dragonflies dart above the lily pads while birds grace the sidewalk, grazing for bugs among the native plants. By night, the frogs that usually take shelter in the pond’s cover scurry out in the open. Whether you’re looking for a quick stroll or somewhere to throw a blanket down and relax, this spot is too good to ignore.

Frick Park Frick Park, named after Henry Clay Frick — a native to southwestern Pennsylvania — is a historic park in Pitts-

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burgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood.

With 17 miles of trails you can walk or bike though, it’s a place worthy to visit.

Depending on how deep you venture, you’ll feel as though you’ve escaped the city completely.

Once while hiking the trails, I spotted a black squirrel frolicking around the trees — a rare sight. If that’s not enough to convince you to explore the 644 acres of Pittsburgh’s largest historic regional park, I don’t know what is. But if you need that extra push, it’s also home to Blue Slide Park. You know, the focus of Mac Miller’s album, “Blue Slide Park.”

Three Rivers Heritage Trail Pittsburgh’s bridges are famous considering the stunning number of them — a whopping 446. But the reason we have so many bridges is because of the natural landscape and features that make the region so special. Pittsburgh’s three rivers — the Monogahela, Ohio and Allegheny — are iconic features of the City and act as the main attraction for the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. Spanning over 33 miles, the trail offers intimate views of the City on either side of all three rivers, and is a must see feature to return to

over and over again while in Pittsburgh.

Wherever you are in Oakland, on or off campus, prioritizing enjoying the green spaces available to you is a must.

With the immense benefits — including improving your mental health and creating safer communities — that natural spaces can provide, you owe it to yourself and to the hard work that Pittsburgh

Parks Conservancy and Friends of the Riverfront put into maintaining these beautiful spaces to visit as often as possible.

Grace DeLallo writes about social, environmental and political issues. Write to her at gkd5@pitt.edu.

Bikers ride along a path in Schenley Park. TPN File Image

August 24, 2022

37

Bookbag, pg. 33 affordable options that fit a college student’s budget. If you need inspiration, you can find an assortment of water bottles at Marshalls or TJ Maxx, or on Amazon.

4. Chargers Whether your devices are charged or not, everyone should have chargers in their bookbag. The worst feeling is when you are entering the last class of the day with a battery depleted and no charger in sight.

Before leaving my apartment in the morning, I make sure to check that I have three chargers handy — laptop charger, phone charger and Airpod charger. Having all three ensures that all of my devices will last the whole day, including through all-night study sessions in Hillman or a coffee break at Saxby’s. A charger is an essential for every college student, and is a day-to-day necessity.

traveling around the City and in and out of campus, you’ll always need your Pitt ID to access free bus rides and you may need it to enter certain Pitt buildings.

For any college student, your bookbag is your lifeline — without it, you would be lost in the world of academia. Whether it’s carrying your laptop, tablet, assortment of notebooks or a folder full of syllabi, a student’s backpack is carried anywhere and everywhere. Before embarking on this fall semester, be sure to check your bookbag to ensure that you have everything you need.

5. Wallet Like the writing utensils, this may seem like a gimme, but many students forget their wallets. I, for one, have done it on multiple occasions. Having a wallet is a way to make sure that you have all of your important cards, money and IDs on you. Some people may opt for a phone wallet, perhaps Pitt-themed, to keep all of your necessities on the back of the phone. Some may want to carry a small wallet that can hold cash, a few cards and your IDs. If you’re out on campus all day, you most likely will find yourself needing either your Pitt ID, cash or some type of credit/debit card. Whether it’s a stop at Dunkin’ on Forbes, a trip to Stack’d on the corner of Forbes and Oakland avenues or maybe even a visit to the Pitt Stop, a wallet will always come in handy. Plus, when

pittnews.com

August 24, 2022

38

Classifieds

I Rentals & Sublet N D E X

Employment

• NORTH OAKLAND • SOUTH OAKLAND • SHADYSIDE • SQUIRREL HILL

R A T E S

Insertions $0.10)

1X

1-15 Words

16-30 Words (Each

Additional

Deadline:

For sale

• CHILDCARE • FOOD SERVICES • UNIVERSITY • INTERNSHIPS • RESEARCH • VOLUNTEERING • OTHER

2X

$6.30 $7.50

$11.90 $14.20

3X

4X

$17.30

$22.00

$20.00

$25.00

notices

services

• AUTO • BIKES • BOOKS • MERCHANDISE • FURNITURE • REAL ESTATE • PETS

• EDUCATIONAL • TRAVEL • HEALTH • PARKING • INSURANCE

5X $27.00 $29.10

6X $30.20 $32.30

• ADOPTION • EVENTS • LOST AND FOUND • STUDENT GROUPS • WANTED • OTHER

Add. + $5.00 + $5.40

Word:

Two business days prior by 3pm | Email: advertising@pittnews.com | Phone: 412.648.7978

Employment Cohen Chiropractic Trigger Point Center is a local, boutique chiropractic office lo­cated in North Oak­ land for over 40 years with close proximity to the local universities, shops and Craig Street business district. The office is search­ing for a part time administra­ tive staff person to assist pa­tients with check in and check out.

The position requires strong communica­ tion, good computer skills, customer ser­vice focus and the ability to multi‑task­ing skills. A connec­tion to health and wellness is pre­ferred but not re­quired. Hours we are looking for would be Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 7:30pm, Wednesday from 9:­30 am – 2:30 pm., and Saturday morn­ings from 8:30‑12:­30. Hours are nego­tiable. Please con­tact Josh or Nancy at 412.681.4747 or forward info to josh@ cohentrigger­point. com. This is an hourly position $10 an hour ini­ tially for training, with op­portunity to increase after fully trained.

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