1-17-24

The Pitt News

T he i n d e p e n d e n t s t u de nt ne w spap e r of t he Un iversity of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | JAN 17, 2024 ­| Vo l u m e 1 1 4 | I ssu e 8 0

A masked Pitt student walks outside the Petersen Events Center in January 2024. Alex Jurkuta | Staff Photographer

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT JN.1, THE LATEST COVID-19 VARIANT

Bella Markovitz

the newest and now most dominant variant in “another long line of Omicron strains.” Snyder noted Almost four years after the initial outbreak that JN.1 is of interest because of its potential to of COVID-19, new virus strains continue to cause “immune escape.” necessitate attention and precautions.

“In other words, it might cause trouble for our According to Dr. Graham Snyder, JN.1 is immune system to recognize it because of mutaSenior Staff Writer

Vigil marks 100 days since conflict in Gaza, calls for release of Israeli hostages pittnews.com

pg. 4

tions that had gone on over time,” Snyder, medical director of infection prevention and hospital epidemiology at UPMC and associate professor at Pitt’s School of Medicine, said.

Snyder said even almost four years after the initial outbreak, masking is still of the utmost im-

Protesters call for permanent ceasefire in Gaza, support for Yemen pg. 3 January 17, 2024

portance, especially during times of outbreak.

“If you do need to, by the course of your day, be exposed to other people, masking is really effective at preventing you from being exposed,” Snyder said.

See COVID on page 2

PileZ brings Rochester’s ‘garbage plates’ to Oakland pg. 6 1

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In an email sent at the beginning of the academic year, Vice Provost Kenyon Bonner and Medical Director of Pitt’s vaccination and health connection hub Dr. Joe Suyama encouraged students to take precautions against COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses by masking, getting vaccinated, testing and isolating when sick.

Snyder emphasized the importance of new antiviral treatments that emerged for people to use when they have COVID. “For people who are vulnerable to complications, there's antiviral treatment for both COVID-19 and influenza,” Snyder said. “The antiviral treatments for both are effective at reducing the risk that you have to see a doctor or be hospitalized or die of those viruses, and it’s important to start those early.”

Because the COVID virus mutates and adapts, Snyder explained the necessity of getting the newest vaccine each year.

“Each season will need an updated vaccine that helps prepare our immune system to recognize the changing viruses,” Snyder said. “If you have not had your last dose of COVID-19 vaccine for some time, or if you've never been vaccinated, this latest vaccine will prepare your immune system to recognize the change in virus.”

Morgan Hayes, a sophomore ecology and evolution major who has a chronic illness, said she

TAKE 61B, C, D BUS

contracted COVID from a family member around Christmas. She experienced the typical COVID symptoms, including muscle aches, brain fog, sinus congestion, “extremely low” blood pressure and a fever that climbed as high as 103.5 degrees.

Hayes did not receive the most recent COVID vaccine because the last COVID vaccine she received last spring gave her an adverse reaction. She consulted her doctor when making the decision not to get the newest vaccine.

“I had such a horrible reaction to it,” Hayes said. “Like it almost hospitalized me, so I did not get the new strain vaccination.”

Taylor Kingerski, a junior anthropology major, also contracted COVID over the holidays.

“On Christmas Eve, my family had to go to the emergency room for an injury,” Kingerski said. “As me and my mom both got COVID at the same time, we highly suspect we got COVID from the emergency room.”

Like Hayes, Kingerski did not get the most recent COVID vaccine due to a previous adverse reaction.

“The last time I got a vaccination for COVID was a booster shot, and it was when they first came out with it,” Kingerski said. “I would’ve got others after that but I had a very bad reaction to the shot, and I’ve been afraid of getting it ever since.”

Nevertheless, Kingerski said everyone who can

get the vaccine should get it and to continue wearing masks.

“My advice is for everyone to continue wearing masks and to get the new updated vaccine,” Kingerski said.

As far as how to cope with symptoms if one does get sick, Kingerski said taking medications helped him. People should consult their doctor before taking any new medications.

“If it’s not too bad, take different fever-reducing and congestion-relief medicines,” Kingerski said.

“Air humidifiers really helped me as well. If you are doing particularly worse than a cold, I would recommend Paxlovid. My mom took it as she also had COVID the same time as me and it really helped her, and she didn’t have any complications from it.

It could really alleviate the worst.”

Since getting COVID, Kingerski said it has made his immune system “basically collapse.”

“It took advantage of a previous sickness when my immune system was weak,” Kingerski said. “And then directly after, bacteria took advantage of what COVID did to me and now I’m sick with a bacterial infection. Getting COVID doesn’t mean just COVID, it can mean other sicknesses in quick succession. Before you think it’s OK if you get infected with COVID, please consider you may be jeopardizing more than just a week of being sick.”

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January 17, 2024

2

‘HEAR US’: PROTESTORS CALL FOR A PERMANENT CEASEFIRE IN GAZA, SUPPORT FOR YEMEN

Briana Bindus Staff Writer

About 100 people gathered in Schenley Plaza Monday evening to protest the recent United States airstrikes on Yemen.

“On this day, what would be Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 95th birthday, you are here because you honor his fight for freedom. You are coming out in these numbers to say ‘no,’” a speaker at the event said.

The U.S. struck several parts of the country that are controlled by the Houthi rebel group and said to contain their facilities in response to the group’s attacks on vessels linked to Israel in the Red Sea. This comes in the midst of an escalation of violence in Gaza and Israel since October.

The Pittsburgh Party for Socialism and Liberation held the protest, which they called “Hands off Yemen,” to call for a ceasefire in Gaza along with an end to “US money for murder and genocide in Yemen or Palestine.”

“Yemen cares. They bravely say, ‘Stop taking human lives in Gaza.’ Despite famine, they are the only country putting themselves in harm's way,” Sabrina Kaye, a member of the Pittsburgh Palestine Coalition, said in her speech.

Kaye called not only for a ceasefire, but for political acknowledgment from elected officials, including Senator John Fetterman and President Joe Biden, and for young voices to speak out.

Kaye and other protestors chanted, “Yemen, Yemen, make us proud, turn another ship around!” in response to a U.S.-owned ship being struck by

pittnews.com

Protesters hold a banner during Monday afternoon’s “Hands Off Yemen” protest in Schenley Plaza. Alex Jurkuta | Staff Photographer Houthi fighters on Monday.

“It’s simple. Just like a ceasefire will get the Yemenis to stop their blockade, a ceasefire will get the hostages released,” Kaye said.

Kaye further specified PPC’s goals and beliefs.

“We need this genocide to end,” Kaye said, “And, yes, we support Yemen.”

The “Hands off Yemen” rally took place in

are, what they stand for, whether or not they take money from AIPAC organizations,” Kaye said.

Olivia Ghabi, a sophomore biochemical major, agreed with Kaye that “it’s important to be here,” especially on a university campus.

“That’s what universities are for,” Ghabi said, “it’s to educate. And I don’t think education stops at what your focus of study is, but you should be

Protesters hold signs during Monday afternoon’s “Hands Off Yemen” protest in Schenley Plaza.

Alex Jurkuta | Staff Photographer

A woman wearing a keffiyeh speaks to protesters during Monday afternoon’s “Hands Off Yemen” protest in Schenley Plaza.

Nate Yonamine | Assistant Visual Editor

the center of Pitt’s campus. Kaye said the organizations chose this location to get “important” young voices involved and to educate them on political stances.

“It’s important for young voices to get involved, to know who your political candidates

aware of things that are happening in the world.”

Ghabi shared her resonance with the protests as a Palestinian-Jordanian woman. She said “it hits home” since she has family that had to move to Jordan after the first Nakba, and “start from scratch.”

January 17, 2024

“I see the pain in my father’s eyes, my family’s eyes,” Ghabi said. “I have family in Jordan right now; so I’m showing up for them, for my grandfather, and also just as a human being.”

A key point emphasized by speakers during the protest was that labor forces should stand up against “imperialism all over the world.” Ghabi said she agrees with the speakers on this, and sides with working-class individuals who are taking a stand.

“We really can’t get scared of [imperialists] just basically bullying people into submission, because that’s certainly not what I want to do,” Ghabi said. “There’s a lot of people in the world who are willing to take a stance, and it’s very possible that we could actually turn this around.”

The group of mostly community members and students chanted “Shut it down!” and “Long live Palestine” while holding signs that read “Stop the genocide, end the occupation” and “U.S. hands off Yemen.”

Kaye reminded protestors of the power of voting.

“We are a barrier to their evil agendas,” Kaye said. “If you do not hear us, then we will not vote for you. Come November, we will remember.”

Kaye and other protestors hope for action from countries around the world supporting Palestine.

“In Palestine, there can be no justice and no peace while there is occupation.”

3

‘BRING THEM HOME’: VIGIL MARKS 100 DAYS SINCE CONFLICT IN GAZA, CALLS FOR RELEASE OF ISRAELI HOSTAGES Photos by Ethan Shulman | Visual Editor

“Bring Them Home” vigil attendees join arms and sing Hatikvah, the Israeli national anthem.

Patrick Diana Staff Writer

Around 40 students and community members gathered outside of the William Pitt Union in solidarity with the hostages taken during Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

Chabad at Pitt organized the event, called the “Bring Them Home” vigil, which focused on bringing together Pitt’s Jewish community and raising awareness for the ongoing violence in Israel and Gaza as Jan. 14 marked 100 days since Oct. 7.

Vikki Kotlyar, vice president of Chabad at Pitt, touched on the more emotional side of the conflict and how the Jewish community’s response has impacted her.

“I struggle to put into words the anger and sadness I feel,” Kotlyar said. “I’ve never been more proud to be Jewish.”

Matthew Garber, a junior law, criminal justice and society major and co-vice president of outreach at Chabad, spoke first. He had words of hope at the vigil.

“Let this vigil be a testament to our resilience,” Garber said. “That even in the face of adversity, the Jewish people will stand strong.”

Since the initial Hamas attack, when 240 people were taken hostage by Hamas and 1,200 were murdered, Israel said 25 of the hostages were killed and 132 remain in captivity. Almost 24,000 Gazans have been killed in the last 100 days primarily from Israeli airstrikes, with nearly 2 million displaced.

Junior Ilan Gordon, who serves as co-vice president of outreach for Chabad at Pitt, encouraged people to volunteer, citing his own experiences working

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Vigil attendees hold signs while listening to speakers during the “Bring Them Home” vigil.

in a soup kitchen in Israel over winter break.

Gordon spoke to the crowd about the rise in antisemitism on college campuses. He named Students for Justice in Palestine specifically and called for their removal, while also noting that he believes Pitt’s administration could be doing much more to help Jewish students. Gordon said he believes groups like SJP have allegedly justified the Oct. 7 attacks.

“Those organizations should not be allowed on Pittsburgh’s campus and the fact that our University, deans [and] leaders are giving them a platform is completely … unacceptable,” Gordon said.

Garber echoed the same sentiments regarding SJP and Pitt’s response since Oct. 7.

“They should ban SJP,” said Garber. “As I think that resisting what we’re doing is terribly wrong of them.”

Garber later clarified his sentiment to ban SJP and said he believes SJP and affiliates create an “unhealthy environment on campus.”

In response to calls to ban the student organization, a spokesperson for SJP said they believe that human rights “should be applied equally and unconditionally.”

“The Students for Justice in Palestine at Pitt condemns all violence against civilians regardless of their political affiliations. Therefore, our organization condemns both the actions of Hamas and the Israeli government that have resulted in the loss of innocent lives.”

Following a few speeches during the vigil, Rabbi Shmuli Rothstein then led the group in a prayer along with more scripture readings.

Matthew Garber, speaks to “Bring Them Home” vigil attendees.

First-year Ilay Dvir shared stories from living in Israel, talking about how he thought living under constant fear of a bomb threat or siren was normal.

The organizers taped posters calling for the return of the hostages on the Union’s pillars. Before the event started, two University employees approached the organizers asking them to take down the posters. After organizers told the officials that the event would not last long, the Union workers left.

Midway through one of the speakers, an employee returned insisting the posters be brought down, but the organizers convinced the employee to let them finish the vigil.

In response to the decision to try and remove the posters during the vigil, University spokesperson Jared Stoneseifer referred to the University’s policies.

“The posting and chalking guidelines are clearly posted,” Stonesifer said. “Violations of these guidelines are addressed as appropriate.”

Stonesifer also said the University is a “community where respectful and productive dialogue can exist and where compassion is nourished and promoted,” in regards to criticisms about its handling of antisemitism.

“We recognize that free, legally protected, and open expression can include ideas or speech that some may consider wrong,” Stonesifer said. “But in no way does this provide license for speech or behavior that is discriminatory, abusive, harassing, or harmful. As University leaders, we work intentionally to create a culture of support across our entire Pitt community, including to ensure the ready access of resources to those who need them.”

January 17, 2024

Stonesifer emphasized that Pitt does not tolerate any discrimination on campus.

“Any act or report of discrimination, physical violence and/or threatening behavior is taken with the utmost seriousness, and investigated fully,” Stonesifer said.

Previously Pitt employees have also taken down Israeli missing person posters around the Quad, claiming they were in violation of signage policies.

Julie Paris, the mid-Atlantic regional director of StandWithUs, an international pro-Israel nonprofit organization, implored attendees to do what they can to combat the rise in antisemitism.

“We have also seen incredible bravery and leadership from students across the country,” Paris said.

“We witnessed students reporting incidents and demanding change, organizing rallies and demonstrations, bringing in expert speakers, and using their own social media platforms to amplify voices.”

The last speaker Alon Leshem, business manager of the Student Coalition for Israel at Pitt, finished the vigil by highlighting what he said is the resilience of the Jewish community at Pitt and across the world.

The vigil was followed by a gathering back at the Chabad house for food. Supporters also lit Yahrzeit candles at the Chabad house in mourning the civilians and soldiers who passed in the last 100 days since Oct. 7.

“People want to feel a part of a community,” Rothstein said. “We [Chabad] are supporting the students and building a healthy community to feel a part of.”

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with a clarification from Matthew Garber.

4

TAKEAWAYS

PITT WRESTLING LOSES MORE MOMENTUM WITH LOSS TO OKLAHOMA STATE

Brian Sherry Sports Editor

No. 15 Pitt wrestling (7-4, ACC 0-0) put itself on the map this season following a 21-13 beat down of No. 5 Ohio State on Dec. 10. The young Pitt program was in the midst of a four-match win streak and looked capable of taking on the nation’s best.

But it appears the Panthers’ momentum has all but disappeared, as the team is now 1-3 since its big match against the Buckeyes.

Pitt faced another poor performance this weekend, as No. 5 Oklahoma State walloped the Panthers 31-6 at the Fitzgerald Field House on Friday. The Panthers were also supposed to travel to face off against No. 4 Iowa State on Sunday, but the match was canceled.

The Panthers may have missed out on another chance to prove themselves in Iowa this weekend, but their blowout loss to Oklahoma State shows that the team is not yet ready to take down elite-level programs. Pitt only managed to win two matches against the Cowboys despite having a record-setting crowd come out to cheer it on.

But looking at the results of the match, it's clear the Panthers were outmatched from the start. Out of the 10 matches wrestled on Friday, the Panthers were only favored in the rankings in three of these bouts. Oklahoma State is a historically elite program and proved too much to handle for the youthful Panthers.

Still, there were a few matches that should have played out much differently for Pitt. Arguably the biggest example of this came at the 141-pound bout, as redshirt first-year No. 8 Tagen Jamison of Oklahoma State dominated Pitt redshirt senior Cole Matthews 8-2. Matthews — a program veteran and former All-American — failed to earn a single takedown against the much younger Jamison.

The Panthers faced another upset in their next match at 149 pounds, as No. 26 redshirt first-year Finn Solomon of Pitt fell to senior Sammy Alvarez by a major decision. The Oklahoma State senior had not wrestled a single match for the Cowboys prior to his bout against Solomon.

In the last and arguably most important match of the night, the Panthers failed to make a dent in the Cowboys’ already insurmountable lead, as No. 9 redshirt first-year Dayton Pitzer

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fell to No. 11 redshirt junior Konner Doucet of Oklahoma State 3-0. Pitzer kept the match tied throughout the first two periods, but Doucet earned a hard-fought reversal to take the match.

While the Cowboys completely controlled Pitt for the entire match, there are a few bright spots to takeaway for the Panthers. For one, the Panthers managed to limit the Cowboys from picking up extra points, as Oklahoma State earned just one pin and no technical falls throughout the match.

The Panthers also had two wrestlers step up and earn big wins against ranked opponents on Friday. At 174 pounds, Pitt redshirt sophomore Luca Augustine picked up a narrow 2-1 overtime win over No. 28 first-year Brayden Thompson. Augustine is just one young Panther who has proven himself as a future star this season.

The redshirt sophomore is now 9-2 on the season and is currently ranked No. 15 in the nation.

Pitt earned its best win of the night just two matches after Augustine’s close victory, as No. 15 redshirt first-year Mac Stout defeated No. 12 senior Luke Surber 5-2. Stout, like Augustine, is another young Panther to watch. The redshirt first-year began his 2023-24 campaign with a dominant first-place performance at the Clarion Open in November and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down since.

But Pitt’s bright spots from Friday’s matchup do not change the fact that it is too young and lacks the star power to compete with the nation’s best. This issue will continue to plague the program moving forward as it embarks on its quest for a conference title in a loaded ACC this season.

The Panthers' next two matchups will prove especially difficult. Pitt will first face off against No. 22 Arizona State on Jan. 21 before their most anticipated match of the season against conference foe No. 8 NC State on Jan. 26. While the Panthers' match against the Sun Devils is undoubtedly winnable, their match against the Wolfpack will likely prove too much to handle.

Moving forward, the Panthers need to continue to fight for points like they did against the Cowboys. But more importantly, the young Panthers team needs a veteran presence, like Matthews, to take the reins and pick up big wins.

January 17, 2024

Redshirt senior Cole Matthews grapples with an opponent during Friday night’s wrestling meet at the Fitzgerald Field House. Ethan Shulman | Visual Editor

Redshirt sophomore Luca Augustine is declared the winner during Friday night’s wrestling meet at the Fitzgerald Field House. Ethan Shulman | Visual Editor

Redshirt first-year Mac Stout is declared the winner during Friday night’s wrestling meet at the Fitzgerald Field House. Ethan Shulman | Visual Editor

5

P I L E Z B R I N GS RO CH EST ER ’S ‘GARBAGE PL ATES’ TO OAKL AND Kelly Xiong Staff Writer

home fries and sauces.

PileZ, the new restaurant occupying the Zechariah Vanzo, the owner of PileZ, despace that used to be Mad Mex at the corner of scribes the garbage plate as “mac salad, home Bates Street and Atwood Street in Oakland, had fries, topped in cheeseburger, hot dog and meat its grand opening on Friday, Jan. 5. PileZ serves sauce and other condiments on top.” Vanzo, who garbage plates, a dish from Rochester, New York, was part of the Mero restaurant group that owns that consists of a mashup of meats, vegetables, CHiKN, Stack’d, Viva Los Tacos and Melt’d, de-

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cided to branch out and open his own place. ing, most importantly in my opinion, meats.”

Vanzo said the Mero group were “a good group The exterior of PileZ remains similar to of guys,” but he wanted to bring something that when Mad Mex occupied the space, with colhits another target audience “besides just lunch- orful shapes painted on the sides of the brick time or like middle of the day food.” walls. The interior, however, was completely “The meal is a large meal meant to be shared remodeled. PileZ’s interior is very minimalistic, by two people,” Vanzo said. “[It] gives the op- with lots of empty space, bright lights, big TVs portunity for people to share food whether it’s a and tablets. They have minimal seating spaces, late night or breakfast.” as Vanzo said he expects PileZ to be more of a Vanzo said his childhood in Rochester in- takeout place. spired the “I wanted it idea for PileZ. to be right there He came to in the central Pittsburgh for part of Oakschool and deland,” Vanzo cided to stay said. “It’s rein the city. He ally just based said his journey on pick-up and with the Mero convenience.” group led him Compared to the creation to the origiof PileZ. nal Rochester “I thought, garbage plates, you know, let’s Finegan said give it a try and PileZ was a resee how it goes,” spectable homVanzo said. age.

PileZ opens on the corner of Atwood Street and Vanzo said “It hits the Bates Street. Liam Sullivan | Staff Photographer PileZ adds a mark pretty Pittsburgh twist well. It’s of the to the garbage plates. specific class of regional U.S. foods where it’s “I decided to do mac salad, french fries, just pretty much just a bunch of stuff thrown toto give a little bit of Pittsburgh in there, and do gether. So hard to mess up. But still, it certainly the cheeseburger, hotdog option,” Vanzo said. has some authenticity, especially with the meat PileZ offers variations on that basic model. sauce on top.”

Many of the dishes on the menu come in handFinegan also said the portion sizes were masheld or pile form. Vanzo also teased the possibil- sive, saying that it is definitely $15 worth of ity of a seasonal gyro option. food.

Since its opening, some Pitt students have “I easily had two portions, and I eat a ton. tried PileZ’s plates. Jack Finegan, a senior busi- Anyone who eats smaller portions can easily get ness information systems and supply chain three out of one single plate,” Finegan said. management major, said he has been to RochesEmma Smith, a recent Pitt engineering gradter and has tried the original Rochester garbage uate and Rochester native, said she has not gone plate. Finegan said the food at PileZ “leaves a lot to PileZ yet but would like to try it out. Smith to be desired.” said she wanted to see if it compares to her fa“It’s always hard to beat the original,” Finegan vorite garbage plate place in Rochester. said. “I’d definitely say the couple of times that “I am a big fan of garbage plates. I get one I’ve played up in Rochester, they’re definitely a every time I visit home,” Smith said. “They are lot better than what you get at PileZ.” great drunk or hangover food, so it’s a good idea Finegan said PileZ has fewer customization to sell them in a college town.” options than he would like.

Smith also said in her experience, people in “You can only take things off as opposed to Rochester can be picky about their plates. adding things on. They only have three meat op“People are very particular about their plates tions and adding sauce costs extra money,” Fine- and everyone has a favorite place that they will argan said. “The typical garbage plate in Rochester gue is the best, so it will be interesting to see how has a ton more customization options, includ- Rochesterians feel about PileZ,” Smith said.

January 17, 2024

6

opinion

MAKING ART WHEN YOU’RE DEPRESSED FEELS IMPOSSIBLE —

DO IT ANY WAY

Izzy Poth | Staff Illustrator

Livia Daggett

Contributing Editor It was like jumping feet-first into cold, clear water on an August afternoon when it happened — when the stars aligned and the Wellbutrin sloshed around in my stomach just right with some breakfast and a good night’s sleep Yet no quantity of logical interventions from other people, no kind words about things I’d written in the past, could have pulled me out. The fog just sometimes lifted long enough to spit out the couple thousand impersonal words I needed to pass a class.

When you build your identity, even a comparatively low-stakes one like your undergraduate major, around your ability to generate a creative product, it’s terrifying to feel like you’ve lost that ability. Your friends are taking internships in New York and writing theses and submitting their poetry to literary magazines with weird names, and you’re left crying in your studio apartment where the heat never quite reaches the city code minimum, trying to figure out where you went wrong.

In its worst form, depression seems insurmountable, a tsunami taunting you moments before it crashes down. Every time you resurface and get a breath in, you feel silly and regret everything you said, all the time wasted, all the people you pushed away. But when you’re trying to outrun the flood, it doesn’t help to know that the wave is actually only three feet tall. You’re still drowning. And you feel like the first person ever to do so.

I’ve felt so much anger at myself for not writing. I’d tell people in a self-deprecating tone how absurd it was that I was a writing major who started crying every time they tried to start a paper, attempting to spin my frustration into something funny. I genuinely believed something in my brain had broken and made me a fundamentally uncreative person who didn’t deserve

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to put words to paper. I wrote a cover letter in which I told a publishing company that I’d realized I “far prefer the privilege of working with others’ words.” I love editing, and I would love to do it professionally, but I know I wrote that sentence because I had decided I would never again be capable of writing my own.

A depressed mind tears apart your writing before you even start, injecting loathing into the arteries that flow to your fingertips, scoffing at every word that could be more elegant, dragging you to the overflowing Wix portfolios of people you don’t know to show you how pointless it is to even try.

It convinces you that creative writing is a magical ability some people possess and others don’t.

It makes you self-absorbed enough to believe everyone is waiting with steepled hands for the moment you finally let slip how mediocre a writer you are. It doesn’t want you to finish something and be proud of it, it wants you to prove it right.

To protect yourself, you don’t write at all.

I even felt angry that I couldn’t exploit my feelings to use as writing material. I was envious of writers who wrangled their mental anguish into beauty and meaning and perplexed at how they did it. Why could Virginia Woolf and Albert Camus channel their angst into thought-provoking classics and I can hardly write a discussion post?

Admittedly, they didn’t have millions of strangers with cameras and two cents salaciously vying for their attention inches away. But in the throes of “Woe is me,” not being able to make art out of pain feels like yet another personal failure, more proof that I don’t have the gene.

None of it is true. There is nothing but you and the finite number of words you know and the college newspaper that might print what you say. There is nobody waiting to jeer at your word choice or hackneyed topic or conversational tone.

Shiv Roy, by god, you were right — “There’s just people in rooms trying to be happy.”

I wish I had an answer to the pain of mental illness, a real one with steps — for anyone who’s been through the same, but also for myself, because I know I’ll be back in it again. You and I both know how empty advice and cheery encouragement ring when you’re low enough, and I won’t disrespect you by pretending to have some-

thing profound and transformative to say.

But you do have to hold out for change. That’s the one platitude I’ll hold us to, partly because it’s true, but also because it doesn’t try to gaslight you out of feeling pain in the moment. It’s something you can cling to at your darkest without cognitive dissonance.

As for the creativity block, minimizing selfhatred might have to happen before you can feel secure enough to try again. Fill pages with lists of your good attributes, things that you value or foods that you’d like to eat. Make collages of sweet texts people have sent you and photos from times you felt real pride. Do anything you can to untangle your self-worth from your ability to produce.

Practice distress tolerance by reminding yourself, no matter how awful you feel right then, that you had the capacity to love something before and that you will love something once more.

Trust that your brain, that frustrating, enigmatic,

January 17, 2024

spongy monstrosity, is not broken, and it will serve you again. Those neural pathways are still there. An audience for your creations can’t wait to see what you make next. The joy you used to feel will return, in small moments and big. Now that I’ve experienced it for long enough to write this column, I know it’s possible.

Doing the simplest, messiest, most mediocre version of whatever you used to enjoy keeps creativity in your life in the meantime. It’s easier said than done when you feel like you can’t do anything, but I’m talking toddler level simplifications — doodle silly little guys, hum along to familiar songs, knit one ridiculously long scarf in garter stitch. I don’t know if I can be a writer right now.

But I can write some weird-ass journal entries.

Livia Daggett is finally branching out from copy editing other people’s work to write their own. If you’re so inclined, write to them at LED88@pitt.

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PLAY NOW ON OUR WEBSITE PittNews.com pittnews.com

Release Date: Thursday, September 28, 2023

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 Green shade 5 Pub offerings 10 Vellani who plays Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel 14 European auto 15 Missouri feeder 16 On guard 17 Curly cabbage 18 Propaganda technique that attempts to appeal to average Joes 20 Vaping device 21 Family room 22 Gary of “13 Reasons Why” 23 “Who else would I be talking about?”

25 Malleable 26 Accessory for early U.S. presidents 32 “Check,” in poker 36 Haywire 37 Chardonnay adjective 38 Some “Downton Abbey” characters 39 Blood type abbr.

40 Compare 41 Cuisine with green and red curry 42 Suit to __ 43 Troubled 44 Candy-coated caramels in a yellow package 47 Western Asia native 48 Engaged, as gears 53 Home for una familia 56 Bass, for one 58 Lawn mower brand 59 Like the eyes of a person who hasn’t gotten enough sleep 61 Volunteer’s phrase 62 Chase and Citi rival, popularly 63 “Dallas” surname 64 “In __ of gifts ... ” 65 Adult-to-be 66 Candidate list 67 Dry run

Januar y 17, 2024

DOWN 1 Lighthearted 2 With speed 3 Lunch spots 4 Poem of lament 5 Hall and Oates, e.g.

6 Tropical getaway 7 Bread brushed with ghee 8 __ Fridays 9 Like some overload 10 “You can’t make me!”

11 Mauritania neighbor 12 Torah storers 13 Nasdaq rival 19 Military flute 24 Chooses 25 Composer Prokofiev 27 Opening lines?

28 Dorky sort 29 Bring around 30 Swedish superstore with a yellow-and-blue logo 31 Ibsen’s “Peer __” 32 Trawling equipment 33 Ko’olau Mountains locale 34 Show off

35 “On the Waterfront” director 40 Cut with a light 42 Wears down 45 Chicanery 46 Come forth 49 Circus prop 50 Bro 51 Native New Yorkers 52 Treat whose varieties appear at the starts

of four long answers and are represented a dozen times in this puzzle 53 Pride Month initials 54 Household succulent 55 Bistro 56 New Balance competitor 57 Fast time 60 Midnight mouser

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

By Jeff Stillman ©2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

09/28/23

09/28/23

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