The Sandspur Volume 123 Issue 8

Rollins promotes consent week page 3 Issue 8, Volume 123 Thursday, October 27, 2016

Page Page #2 •• SECTION OPINIONS

Thursday, September 11, 2014 Thursday, October 27, 2016

Considering Trump’s temperament

Established in 1894 with the following editorial:

Trump’s temperament has been a key to his claim to fame. It could backfire if he is elected Commander in Chief on November 8.

EXECUTIVE STAFF Lauren Waymire Editor-in-Chief Alexandra Mariano Managing Editor Caroline Arrigoni Production Manager

CONTENT STAFF Raquel Leon Head Content Editor Amanda Grace Head Copy Editor

Barbara Padilla Minoska Hernandez Morgan McConnell Copy Editors Eric Hilton Kalli Joslin Section Editors Christina Fuleihan Staff Writer Kalli Joslin Nolan Brewer Web Editors

DESIGN DEPARTMENT Shaayann Khalid Head Designer Victoria Villavicencio Zoe Kim Maliha Qureshi Designers

BUSINESS & FACULTY Greg Golden

General Manager of Student Media

Dr. Bill Boles Faculty Advisor

Joseph Klens

Let’s consider Trump’s temperament. He has said that he has a wonderful temperament, a winning temperament. Regardless of your opinion about presidential candidate Donald J. Trump, something about his aspect is apparent—almost universally understood—and that is that he is a fighter. He is known to never back down, but this commitment makes him highly adversarial. This demeanor is probably best demonstrated by his less-than-mellow argumentative style. What follows is not an endorsement of presidential candidate Clinton or any other candidate, but does explicitly explain why Trump is unfit for office; placing reactionary egotists in positions of authority rarely goes well for their underlings.

Just last week, Trump demonstrated his reactionary attitude in a tweet regarding his portrayal on Saturday Night Live. While a sensationalist may say that this is evidence that he is a threat to free speech, that is

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Perhaps the most important of all is the president’s relationship with Congress. If you think that the GOP was not cooperating with President Obama, consider the relationship with Trump. They already lack a solidly sound relationship with him, and the Democratic Party would in likelihood be as opposed to Trump as the GOP was to President Obama. Bills were passed, yes, but not easily.

Let us also consider what the effect of obtaining presidential power would be on Trump’s psyche, or at least consider the effect of the powers he believes he will obtain upon becoming president. He often speaks in glimmering generalities and ultimatums which largely consist of him declaring that he will accomplish everything as if he were a Czar—he would need only speak a word and it would be so. This power is not afforded to the President of the United States; fortunately, this is a fiction. Our three branches have a series of checks and balances specifically meant to counter authoritarian ruling.

The main concern here is not that Trump will have unchecked power but more the fear of what his next move will be when he realizes he doesn’t. Will he realize that he must be cooperative with Congress? This is the most optimistic possibility. Will he simply be unproductive and argue and stall? This would be the most frustrating thing for the American public. Is it possible he will do drastic things to expand presidential power? It has been done before.

Essentially, I posit that Trump’s attitude, demeanor, and overall temperament are security risks and can potentially cause strife domestically and with foreign bodies. This is no laughing matter, and the overall habits of Trump should be taken into consideration, perhaps weighed more than the things he says. His “winning temperament” may actually cause all of us to lose, and this is without considering his policies or even his words. As a citizen, would you really want someone who can be aggravated by a tweet to be anywhere near the Oval Office? Think about it.

Understanding consent

David Neitzel Business Manager Taylor McCormack Business Intern

Writer

both not a foregone conclusion and simply not plausible, even if he were to become our 45th President. The most important thing we can conclude about his tweet is that Trump actually took the time out of his presumably busy schedule to bother to give a thought about a satire of his image. Rare is the public figure who would be bothered to notice such things. They are public figures, and public ridicule is inherently part of the job. I believe a thick enough skin to ignore comedians is a necessary requirement of any public office.

One of the most important tasks of the presidency is diplomacy. Trump, being reactionary, needs only a small nudge in order to start an international incident. This would be disastrous for tense relationships like we have with Russia and Iran. Additionally, an unstable temperament has the potential to strain existing cooperative relationships, especially those that are not one hundred percent beneficial to the United States. Diplomatic agreements are rarely meant to benefit one side.

The term “consent” is often used in talk of domestic violence and sexual assault. It’s critical to have a clear definition of the word and learn about its role.

Katie Pearce

Writer

Consent to sexual activity is not the question of maybe; it is the presence of “yes.” It is clear, sober, and enthusiastic—a complete “yes.” An answer which may be withdrawn at any time, for any reason, and one which— even if given while alert—should be assumed to be withdrawn once any mind-muddling agents have had their play.

In college, lack of consent has the power to hurt partners, destroy otherwise-spotless reputations, and seriously injure and derail the life of the victim. Assaults become even more complicated when substances are involved. When two intoxicated individuals who are unable to provide consent and one of them takes issue with their actions the

next day, who is to blame?

Consent for all actions is important; just because someone wants a cookie, it doesn’t mean they want all of your cookies, nor that they will always want your cookies all of the time. Some people like chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin. If someone wants chocolate chip cookies but not oatmeal raisin, that doesn’t mean you should force feed them oatmeal raisin cookies. Even if they eat all your chocolate chip cookies, they still may not want oatmeal raisin.

It also doesn’t matter how much money you spent on cookies; if the person occupying your interest says “no” or looks unsure, then do not keep asking.

If they say “yes” and are not inhibited or pressured in any way, continue to ask if they still want more cookies in case they change their mind. Even if they say they

want some of your cookies, they could still decide against having milk.

Perhaps they’ve agreed to a relationship instead of an exchange of mutually accepted actions. This is not permission for abuse, verbal or physical.

Relationships, just as familial rapports, are not a declaration of ownership; relationship status is not a permission slip declaring, “Anything goes!” It is, however, meant to be a construct of respect and trust. Any form of relationship is not a guarantee for permanence.

Domestic violence, which includes any form of abuse, is unacceptable. The beginning of the end of any healthy relationship is thinking your actions have no consequence, that you have no faults, and that the other person isn’t impacted by what you

do. At the end of my elementary school career, my mom was arrested for domestic violence; the physical aspect was not directed at me, but the verbal abuse was toward everyone in the household. We had tried to solve our problems at home, but my mother was unresponsive. The cops, who had been called by people concerned for my mother’s safety, warned my father that Social Services would take my sister and me if my father did not file a domestic violence report that night. He did. We are relieved to not have her around.

Physical abuse is abominable, but so is every kind of abuse; mental and emotional abuse often leave scars that are the hardest to see, especially when it is inflicted by those who claim they love you, by those you thought you loved too.

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sandspur, its staff or Rollins College.

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Page 3 • FEATURES

Rollins hosts “Better Than Sex” PJ Consent Week Party educates Last week the Office of Title IX on sexual health hosted Consent Week 2016. Events helped students understand how to maintain healthy relationships.

Christina Fuleihan

Staff Writer

October is that lovely time of year when the holidays are almost in sight, but the stress of gift-giving and gatherings has not yet come crashing down. If you lived anywhere else in the United States right now, the leaves would be changing colors, the weather would be cooling, and it’d seem like the perfect time to be alive.

October has always stood for more than just another month on the annual calendar, however.

One typically seems to associate this month, first and foremost, with the wonders and horrors of All Hallows Eve, or Halloween, but October is also a month that many important causes identify as their own. Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and National Down Syndrome Awareness Month are all synonymous with the thirty-one days that make up what we know to be the month of October. The list goes on and on: Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, National Dental Hygiene Month.

As college students coming from a diverse range of personal experience, some of these issues may be more relevant to us on a personal level than others, but all are significant. The pink of breast cancer month might sometimes seem to outcompete the purple ribbon that stands for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but when statistics claim that a third of women and a tenth of men in the United States of America have experienced or will experience some sort of abuse in their lifetimes (i.e. rape, physical violence, and/or stalking), we must remind ourselves that all of these causes are equally vital to promote.

It seems only fitting therefore that the Office of Title IX would host Consent Week 2016 in the midst of the Domestic Violence Awareness Month. As a mandatory part of Freshman Orientation, we all discussed issues regarding consent, so the themes that surround Consent

Week should not be new or unfamiliar to anyone. However, the fact that the Office of Title IX hosts an annual Consent Week on campus annually is an important reminder to all of us about how pertinent and serious such issues should be. Consent is most definitely not a topic to be taken lightly, though popular media culture might seem to hint otherwise.

As a part of Consent Week, #TarsGetConsent stickers and bracelets were handed out on campus. Wellness Ambassadors also participated in promoting Consent Week by running a Kissing Booth event where students were encouraged to discuss the importance of themes such as respect, economic partnership, honesty, trust, and accountability as they pertained to a healthy relationship. It should be pointed out that not all relationships are romantic, however, and it is just as important to promote shared responsibilities and a supportive environment in a relationship between roommates or friends as it is between loved ones.

“It is important for students to respect themselves and their rights; it’s equally important, if not more important for students to respect each other and their rights. That’s what this event is all about,” said Connor Celentano ‘18, one of the Wellness Ambassadors in charge of planning and coordinating the Kissing Booth event.

As another facet of the Kissing Booth event, students were also asked to listen to a song and identify whether the lyrics were in fact promoting consent or not.

The messages our generation is exposed to daily by means of music and popular media regarding personal responsibility and relationships can be incredibly distressing; however, it is important that one takes responsibility for their own actions. It is also equally important that each and every member of the Rollins community makes a proactive effort to maintain and promote a safe campus.

Topics ranged from preferred methods of birth control to the the high cost of Plan B during the get-together hosted by Planned Parenthood, the Lucy Cross Center, and the Wellness Center.

Rebecca Candage

Web Copy Editor

Over a dozen female-identifying Rollins students put on their favorite pair of pajamas to attend the “Better Than Sex” PJ Party on Tuesday, October 18.

This number is excluding our feline friend Sophie, spotted perched outside Chase Hall, who received a lot of affection from the incoming partiers. The Lucy Cross Center, Wellness Center, and Planned Parenthood came together to hold an informational question and answer session all about sexual health. Students were delighted at the scrumptious hot chocolate with marshmallows, cookies, popcorn, and brownies served. Whether they stayed for a shorter period or the entire event (based on their schedules) everyone made sure to partake in the desserts in true collegiate fashion.

Once everyone was properly nourished, the meeting began with the Planned Parenthood representative explaining her experience with the company.

She started working with the program when she was an undergraduate to help pay college tuition bills and has stayed with the company ever since. Planned Parenthood just celebrated 100 years of health service last Sunday, October 16. Though it is their focus, sexual health education is only one aspect of their work; they have provided health services to countless people and over 9,500 lifesaving cancer screenings.

Before getting to group questions, the representative asked us one: When do you think people should be educated on these topics? Students responded with a range of ages, but she said that it could start as early as when toddlers started naming parts of the body, like the eyes or toes. Addressing middle areas of the body instead of shying away from them can reduce negative feelings about them and introduce lessons on respect that

would carry throughout their lives. She then transitioned to answering questions from the group as well as anonymous questions submitted online, which ranged from which lube is safe to use (water-, not oil-based, is best), using male and female condoms, what sexual activities are safest, and types of birth control. She was extremely knowledgeable and was able to answer any question asked.

An hour into the event, two Wellness Center employees, Wendy Kimelman and Sharon Darin, joined the conversation. They stressed that the best contraceptive is the one with which you are consistent.

The point was brought up that one should check the condom’s packaging, expiration date and appearance before using and to always have more than one in case the first will not be effective or if partners switch between sexual activities. They should also be kept out of sunlight; aditionally, storing them in one’s wallet is not advised, although an inside zipper pocket of a purse should prove effective. In any case, check first for any punctures or signs of wear or aging. They also discussed the importance of starting communication with parental figures so the first time you talk to them about more sensitive subjects or ask for their support is not in a crisis situation.

The spread of STDs/STIs

“

were addressed as well; this is one reason why it is important to use a condom. While bacteria-based diseases can be treated to eventually be cured, virus-based diseases (such as herpes) can only be treated for symptoms. This is why the representative recommends both partners being tested before having intercourse. The Wellness Center will be holding clinical STI tests free with your R-card on Oct. 25.

A student jokingly questioned why Plan B is so expensive.

This prompted a short discussion about how products to promote women’s s e x u a l health are often costlier than need be.

The Planned Parenthood representative also added that Plan B should only be taken in emergency situations, not as a regularly used contraceptive, because of the large amounts of hormones it employs.

Overall, the event was a success. Planned Parenthood, Lucy Cross, and the Wellness Center made it possible for every woman in attendance to learn a lot of information in a short period of time on topics that are often considered too taboo to discuss. “I thoroughly enjoyed it,” voiced Addie Cursey ’20.

This first PJ party laid the foundation for similar events geared toward male-identifying and LGBTQ+ students promised to come later in the year.

One should check the condom’s packaging, expiration date, and appearance before using...

Page Page #2 NEWS 4 •• SECTION FEATURES

Thursday, September 11, 2014 Thursday, October 27, 2016

Freshman “Sunset Yoga” summer unites students for a reading sparks common cause Hosted by the Rollins Student Athlete Advisory controversy Committee, “Sunset Yoga” taught students basic

yoga with the proceeds benefitting Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Christina Fuleihan Writer On the night of Monday Oct. 3, if one passed by Mills Lawn last Thursday, Oct. 21, they might have been surprised by the litter of colorful mats, the rows of smoothies, and the crowd masterfully demonstrating the one-legged downward-facing dog yoga pose. The Rollins Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) recently sponsored a Sunset Yoga event on Mills Lawn in order to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

SAAC has been especially active this year with a special focus on the personal embodiment of health and wellness. SAAC has already participated in various events such as the Wellness Center’s Fresh Check Day, the National Hazing Awareness Tailgate, and the Homecoming Pulse of Orlando 5K this semester. Other upcoming events that the committee will be hosting include an enhancement party scheduled for November, which also hopes to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and next semester’s annual student athlete formal.

“SAAC seeks to cater to all members of the Rollins and Winter Park community. The low

intensity and didactic nature of yoga makes it an inclusive activity [that] most people can perform. We build community as we promote the physical, mental, and emotional wellness that exercise, especially yoga, confers,” said Michael Dulman ‘18, who serves as the secretary for SAAC. The Rollins Student Athlete Advisory Committee held its first Sunset Yoga event last year on Park Avenue, though the event was moved to Rollins’ campus this semester in order to increase community awareness and student participation. Planning for the event began September of this year with student-athlete representatives meeting with a Make-A-Wish representative to discuss promotion and preparation details. Furthermore, SAAC also partnered with various local businesses, including Full Circle Yoga and Ballball Yoga Gear, in putting on the event.

“I personally believe this event will demonstrate our commitment to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and provide the means for student-athletes to give back to their community.

Student-athletes can offer a lot to their community with their self-discipline and energy, and organizing and participating in Sunset Yoga will help prove

Photo courtesy of Scott Cook

that to both the student-athletes themselves and others,” continued Dulman.

Most of us might seem to associate the Make-A-Wish Foundation and ‘wish stories’ with holiday drives. After all, it is an organization that has made it its mission to grant children with life-threatening illnesses their very own ‘wishes.’ Dreams really can come true as one of these ‘wishes’ is granted every 35 minutes to terminally ill children aged 2 to 18 years old.

The foundation’s goal is to provide 300 children with wishes this year, and SAAC should be proud of being able to bring Make-A-Wish one step closer towards making this happen The Make-A-Wish Foundation happens to be the official philanthropy organization sponsored by the NCAA’s Division 2, so proceeds from SAAC philanthropic events always go towards fundraising for this foundation.

The event was also a great opportunity for Rollins community members to bond. Friends and teammates took to yoga for a challenging but rewarding, bonding experience. “Sunset Yoga with the lacrosse team was a great way to bond as a team and struggle through some fun yet tough yoga together,” said Zach Collins ‘20. “And it was great for our team to go out and do something together.”Overall, this year’s event proved especially successful in bringing together the exceptionally athletic and occaisonally active poles of the campus for a common cause.

As Dulman concluded, “The Rollins Student-Athlete Advisory Committee would like to thank the Rollins community, students, student-athletes, faculty, and staff, for its widespread support of our philanthropic efforts. We will keep the campus posted on future events and continue to give back to the Rollins and Winter Park community that has made [it] possible for us play the sports we love and proudly represent our school.”

Maura Leaden

Writer

This year’s freshman summer reading selection inspired intense controversy. After an exhausting debate, the faculty ultimately decided on Junot Díaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, but difficulties did not stop with the novel’s selection.

Unhelpfully, the announcement of this year’s Summer Reading was not released until Convocation. Yes, the Convocation that occurs during Fall Orientation. Therefore, students did not actually read the Summer Reading assignment over the summer. This late assignment was explained by faculty as a reaction to the controversial topics presented in the novel; faculty was hesitant about asking incoming students to read it without context and a bit of a disclaimer.

Now with the “Week of Wao” among us, it is time for us to learn whether or not students actually struggled with this novel as much as it was predicted.

With completion of the novel occurring halfway into the first semester for many, students are now capable of weighing in with their true thoughts on the novel.

As with any interpretation of art, two poles emerged. Some freshman students enjoyed the novel, while others did not. After hearing negative comments from others, McKenna Leaden ‘20 was surprised to find that she actually liked the novel. “Once I started reading it, it was difficult to put down because I enjoy the way the author writes and the interesting, kind of weird word choices that he uses.” This spontaneity from the author was a humorous point for Leaden, such as when “he calls the mother of the story ‘homegirl’.” These additions helped to make it a quick read for her.

Kristine Rapprich ‘20 is another supporter of the novel, or more specifically the author. She shares that, “I read another book by him before, and I really like his writing style, so I thought it was just as good as the other one.

I thought it was unique that he

wasn’t afraid to use graphic language.”

Other students were not as supportive of the novel due to its character development and glorified controversial topics such as virginity. A consistent problem is that the quiet, unpopular kid is made out to be the loser in the story, making it seem like there’s shame associated with being a virgin. The effect this and other characterizations may have had an averse affect on somestudents’ self-esteem.

One student, Madeline Spies ‘19, was not a fan of several uncomfortable descriptions, stating that “some of the parts were unnecessarily explicit. What they could have said in one sentence—instead it’s five sentences long and it goes into graphic detail.”

Macy Sullivan ‘20 was upset with the resolution overall. “I did not enjoy Oscar Wao as much as I wanted to, just because I was frustrated at the amount of uncertainty that happened in the book,” Sullivan argued, due to the majority of issues left unresolved. As for the end of the novel, Sullivan said that “for most of the book you wanted relationships to form and things to happen that just didn’t, and while it may be considered a happy ending, in some way, I don’t think it was the happy ending that anyone wanted.”

The novel aside, students had strong opinions on the Summer Reading assignment in general. One argument supported by students and professors alike is that this debate should never have even happened in the first place. These people believe that Summer Reading should be specific to the RCC. Mandated discussion of Oscar Wao is simply a disruption from class topics.

Many students admit to not even reading the novel since their professors only assigned optional essays. The Rollins community is left with the reality that prior to the “Week of Wao” some students had not even addressed the book in class, and many have yet to even open the novel.

Page 5 • FEATURES

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Students fight for gun regulations Critical Media and Cultural Studies Department students recently created the Pledge for Pulse initiative. The initiative draws attention to current gun safety laws and regulations.

Maura Leaden

Writer

Professors from the Critical Media and Cultural Studies (CMC) Department are concerned about current gun safety laws, especially following the recent massacre at Pulse in Orlando. They, along with their students, have been committed to the success of the Pledge for Pulse. It is an initiative aimed at reducing gun violence, established by the bipartisan Orlando Anti-Discrimination Ordinance Committee (OADO), which is a group that works on LGBT civil rights.

Dr. Lisa Tillmann has been in touch with the founder of OADO, Michael Slaymaker, who contacted her and her colleague, Dr. Kathryn Norsworthy in Graduate Studies and Counseling, after the Pulse shooting because they were part of the committee.

Dr. Tillmann brought the idea to the Rollins Action Network, which, according to her, is “a group of about 70 faculty and staff who have expressed interest in community organizing and social change work.” Once Tillmann and Norsworthy got the Action Network involved, they decided to call this initiative the Pledge for Pulse. The current process for this initiative involves contacting candidates for the U.S. and Florida house and senate and asking them to sign the pledge. The pledge asks candidates simply to commit to “pledge to vote for common sense gun safety laws” in order to “honor the 49 victims of the Pulse massacre and because mass shootings steal our freedom,” according to the Pulse Pledge website.

Dr. Steve Schoen commented that campaginers “are not asking for anything very elaborate, they are just asking for gun

safety legislation that their constituents support.” This pledge is so relevant because “large percentages of Americans and Florida residents support increased background checks for guns.

Republicans, democrats... everyone wants better background checks.” For example, citizens do not want “someone who’s on the Terrorist Watch List to be able to get a gun...the legislation seems like a no-brainer.”

Dr. Tillman remarked that the powerful aspect of this initiative is that “nobody is a lobbyist, nobody is paid, and this is a volunteer grassroots organization.” So far, candidates of all the political parties have been contacted twice by e-mail, many by phone, and the goal is to make a second round of calls before the election. Dr. Tillmann and her colleague Dr. Schoen each made 65 calls last week alone, and they have also gotten their students involved, who volunteered their

time to contribute to the first or final round of calls. Dr. Tillmann is hopeful that the initiative has offered a unique experience for students to be calling government officials “whether it was campaign staff, or the candidate him or herself, or even a holder of public office.”

Joshua Seraballs ‘19 is a Critical Media and Cultural Studies major volunteering for the Pledge for Pulse effort. He has not yet been able to contact any candidates or representatives, yet he states that “what we are doing here is very important because it brings awareness to the candidates and representatives on how many concerned people we have on gun safety.” Along with Joshua, approximately 20 other students came to help Dr. Tillmann and Dr. Schoen so that they were able to complete their desired round of calls.

As far as Dr. Tillmann is aware, no other colleges are in-

volved, but the Rollins Action Network (RAN) is working through their Florida contacts to try and get individuals and organizations to call the candidates from their districts and thank them for signing the pledge as seen on the website, or acknowledging the absence of their support on the pledge and addressing the importance of gun safety to their communities.

Besides the Pulse shooting, another reason that RAN was eager to get involved with gun activism was Campus Carry, “the so-called ‘right’ to have a loaded hidden weapon on a public college or university campus” that is being pushed through the Florida legislature. “Because Rollins is a private school, we wouldn’t have to abide by Campus Carry, but we have close friends and associates who work and study at Florida public universities so we were very concerned for their safety,” says Dr. Tillman.

Vegans celebrate 11th WE’RE HIRING annual Veg Fest FREELANCE WRITERS

The 11th annual Central Florida Veg Fest drew crowds of vegetarian and vegan connoisseurs, musicians, vendors, and vibrant cultural representation.

Manny Rodriguez

Writer

The 11th annual Central Florida Veg Fest was held in Orlando this past Saturday, Oct. 22. With lines of cars and lots of traffic, Veg Fest was crowded with people and the smell of all-natural dishes. Some of the concession stands’ lines were so long that they partially blocked the entrance!

The whole festival exuded a free-to-love vibe, making it a pretty chill place to be. Even though it was called “Veg Fest,” it was not all about veggies—the event was rich in culture. In one corner, there were people meditating and doing yoga. There were so many things to offer, including all-natural and homemade products, puppet animals, T-shirts, and the opportunity

to pet guinea pigs. One of my favorite sections featured the amazing henna designers, who were pretty popular. Throughout the whole time, there was live music, including a Rollins student playing the saxophone.

There was a fantastic variety of clothing styles and the different types of people who wore them were even better— there was even a guy wearing a shirt saying “I LOVE VEGAN GIRLS.” At other booths further back, there were numerous items for dogs and even an adoption station. There were puppies in play areas that had such cute eyes and playful character, it was hard to leave. Wherever you turned, there was a dog. I was glad I made it out mess - and puppy-free in the end.

Most of the food was a bit

pricey, but thankfully there were some vendors that gave free samples. Veg Fest was definitely geared toward vegans—if you love meat and unnatural treats, it might not be the place for you.

The best thing there, in my opinion, was the culture behind the products. The environment at Veg Fest had its own vibe. Speakers broadcasted information on how the public can save so many animals if it lowers the amount of meat consumed. It was both inspiring and educational.

Parking was not hard at all, due to the fact that there was a shopping center not too far where people could park for free.

However, if you wanted to skip the walk, parking on-site was a small $5 fee. Overall, it could not have been better—especially in this amazing sweater weather.

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Page 6 • A&E

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Music students showcase their talent

The Department of Music started the “Music at Midday” concert series to showcase students and to provide workshop opportunities.

Allison Wilson

Writer

Every Tuesday from Oct. 18 to Nov. 8, the music department will be holding “Music at Midday” performances for the Rollins students and faculty to enjoy.

Students who are not currently music majors or minors are welcome to come and support their peers as they showcase their thriving musical talents.

The performances are held in the Tiedtke Concert Hall at 12:30 p.m. During the event, anywhere from 2 to 8 music students get on the stage to present a song to the audience.

According to Meghan Beck ’17, a music major, “Most students performing in midday use a song they have just started working on this semester to perform in their midday.”

In lieu of a traditional pen and paper final exam, the music performance majors have to participate in a ‘jury.’ In these juries, students recite various songs from their repertoire for a group of professors in their particular discipline. Professors then see if the student has been retaining the skills they have been taught. To prepare for these juries, many music students choose to test out their songs earlier in the semester at Music at Midday. Music at Midday is also a grade for music majors.

For many music students, it is a chance for them to try out

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songs they have just recently began working on in lessons for their performance. Still others, like Beck, take the opportunity to dust off material that has not been utilized in a while. For her solo, Beck sang a dreamy rendition of an art song entitled “Could Be.” It is a song she first learned a couple of years ago, but picked up again as she feels it “fits [her] voice much better now.”

The repertoire performed by the students during the event tend to lean more towards the classical genre. The students are able to showcase the technique they spend years studying to perfect as well as the stage presence one builds after much experience performing in front of an audience.

B e cause the event starts during common hour, when most classes are on break, the event can be easily attended by most Rollins students. This could have a positive effect with the music program gaining more outreach and a following within the campus community.

It also provides another positive attribute for the performers and audience alike. For the student musicians it is a chance to refine their artistry in front of a supportive audience. And for the audience, the program provides the benefit of an opportunity for learning about different types of music beyond what is most played on Top 40 radio playlists.

Open mic night raises awareness of mental illness The Lucy Cross Center teamed up with other departments on campus to host the first “Drop the Stigma” open mic night. The event was designed to raise awareness about anxiety and mental health.

Joseph Klens

Writer

What are words to you?

What is a speech or a poem? Are they simple syllables or a release and a means to describe a human being, their thoughts, and their struggles?

The written word may be a release to the writer, and indeed they were at the “Open Mic: Drop the Stigma” event this past Wednesday, Oct. 19. Sponsored

by The Lucy Cross Center, The Wellness Center, The Olin Library, and Disability Services, this event was meant to recognize and support those who suffer from anxiety and mental health issues.

The arts can be a wonderfully effective form of therapy to ease tension and may actually be

more effective a method of conveying how a person thinks and feels in a way that idle conversation simply cannot.

Indeed, this event offered a valve to vent frustrations, fears, joys, and triumphs to a receptive audience who may understand what it can be like to walk a mile in the author’s shoes. Beyond this, there was general discussion about what it means to be mentally ill and the unique experiences each person faces. Casually dropping them in everyday discussion never quite goes so well, so having this open mic created a place to let loose and openly express yourself to a receptive audience.

Works could be anonymously submitted and read, and walkons were also welcome. The following is one of the anonymous

submissions: “The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) states that approximately 1 in 5 adults in the United States, about 43.8 million, or 18.5% have a mental illness of some minor magnitude. One in five is not a small number. I would be willing to wager that you know more than five people, which implies that you have a friend, relative, or classmate with a mental illness, as small as it might be.”

The discussion suggested that the event could be a recurring one. If you suffer from a mental illness, this provides you with a place to freely share your story with your peers in an open platform. Bring a friend! By simply showing up, you can show your support for those who suffer from mental illness.

It is a chance to refine their artistry in front of a supportive audience

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Page 7 • A&E

Thursday, October 27, 2016

DiCaprio’s new documentary highlights climate change A Rollins-exclusive premiere of Leonardo DiCaprio’s newest production, “Before the Flood,” raised awareness about the drastic effects of global climate change.

Tamara Vuckovich

Writer

Academy Award-winner Leonardo DiCaprio’s new documentary, “Before the Flood,” aims to educate people and raise awareness on climate change.

As a United Nations Messenger for Peace, DiCaprio traveled to countries most affected by climate change during the making of the film. He traveled to Indonesia, where there are mass destructions of rainforests in pursuit of palm oil.

Millions of civilians, plants and animal species in Indonesia are in danger. DiCaprio also traveled to New Zealand, where he saw that its coral reefs are almost nonexistent. The emission of greenhouse gases are being absorbed by oceans, making it extremely difficult for marine ecosystems to thrive. Climate change is very real and its effects on the planet are undeniable.

The burning of fossil fuels is one of the primary reasons for global warming. Its emissions have polluted our planet’s air and water. Throughout history, there have been wars over coun-

tries that have huge reserves of oil. Fossil fuels are a nonrenewable energy source, making oil and other gases finite and limited.

Though these fossil fuels have caused great harm to our planet, we have all benefited from them. For example, you can thank fossil fuels for your daily commute to class or for a flight to a tropical destination. And even though the world’s economy functions on the use of fossil fuels, many countries have taken to alternatives by using wind and solar as main sources of energy—many countries except the United States.

While watching “Before the Flood,” I started to wonder whether we as a human race have done too much irreversible damage. The melting of polar ice caps has become faster than what scientists have predicted.

Entire countries and islands are being wiped out. There are certain days in China that school is closed because the air is too polluted for people to be outside. Not to mention, civilians in China wear air-pollution masks on a daily basis. Species like the

orangutan are close to being extinct. So much life and beauty that is still present might not exist in the next few decades if we continue to do little to address the situation.

“Before the Flood” takes a harsh look at reality, but there is hope. A scientist in the documentary mentioned that if we start taking steps in the right direction, the planet will continue to warm up, but will eventually cool. We might even see marine ecosystems return.

We can take immediate changes to alter our diet. By consuming less beef, less greenhouse gases will be admitted into the atmosphere. There are certain appliances you can replace in your household with more energy-efficient models.

Walk, bike, or carpool whenever possible; it is both a healthier and greener option. Install solar panels in your household. With Election Day coming up, vote for representatives that will support the existence of climate change and will push for changes in Congress that will take action about it.

New ‘Ouija’ movie sets the tone for Halloween

A few moments shine in Ouija: Origin of Evil, the second film in the Ouija series. Its jump scares and outstanding child actress set it far above the original.

Mason Fox

Columnist

Just in time for Halloween, Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016) is sure to scare you out of your seat.

Set in the late 1960s, a recently widowed mother (Alice Zander, played by Elizabeth Reaser) performs scam séances in her home with the help of her two daughters Lina and Doris Zander in attempt to pay their mounting bills. Everything is groovy until older daughter Lina, a normal high school sophomore, sneaks out to go to a friend’s house where she comes across a Ouija board and later convinces her

mother to add it to the act. Naturally, the younger daughter Doris, a sweet and innocent little girl, becomes possessed by a demonic force almost immediately after using the Ouija board alone for the first time.

As one might expect, this aligned with the normal clichés of the horror genre. After becoming more obvious to the family after each scene that something is wrong with Doris, they ask the girl’s priest and principal Father Tom (Henry Thomas, also known as the kid from E.T.) to see what is happening to Doris.

The creepiness of this movie is punctuated by the terrific per-

formance of the young star Lulu Wilson, who plays the possessed Doris. Wilson does a wonderful job of balancing her extremely precious and shockingly creepy personas at the same time, especially when she goes into graphic detail explaining what it is like being choked to death to her older sister Lina’s boyfriend.

Although the plot is lacking and has little room to build psychological horror, the movie is still very frightening. Director Mike Flanagan does a good job of springing some effective scares on the audience with jump cuts and CGI horror effects, keeping you on edge until an eventually

silly ending. The use of music and close up shots of the actors’ faces resulted in an uneasy feeling. I often found myself getting very scared, but only in the short term none of the “scary” scenes were impactful enough to follow you home and keep you up at night. Overall, Mike Flanagan did a good job of resurrecting a franchise that had a bad response after its first film. It was by no means a masterpiece, but it was entertaining, well made, and certainly scary. I would recommend it to anyone who needs a good scare to get into the Halloween spirit!

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Page 8 • SPORTS

Tars fall to Fighting Knights The Rollins Men’s Soccer team lost to the Lynn Fighting Knights in a close match at home. The Tars play again this Saturday at Barker Family Stadium.

Photo courtesy of Jim Hogue Photos

Manny Rodriguez

Writer

Last Wednesday, Rollins went up against Lynn University’s Fighting Knights, No. 8 in the division. It was a tough game for Rollins, and though both teams played aggressively, the Tars lost 5-3 in Sunshine State Conference action.

The Fighting Knights scored in the first two minutes of the game with a questionable call that resulted in a penalty kick.

However, the Tars recovered when Alexis Martinez ‘17 shot to the back of the net with a penalty of his own, tying up the two sides 1-1.

Rollins took the lead minutes later when Matt Volk ‘18 shot a beautiful header off to the bottom side of the goal. Volk’s goal was the Tar’s ninth goal of the year and moved him to fifth in the Sunshine State Conference for goals scored. Fans cheered in excitement as their home team took

the lead. This boost of support for the Tars helped them maintain their lead up to the halftime break.

The Fighting Knights competed with renewed vigor following the break. Playing with everything they had, Lynn supporters enthusiastically applauded as their team evened the score to 2-2 only three minutes into the second half. Soon after, James Crowley ‘18 put the Tars back on top when he received the ball from Tosan Ebigbeyi-Popo ‘17 and shot it between the legs of the Lynn goalkeeper. This gave the Tars a 3-2 lead over the Fighting Knights.

Lynn, however, did not give up without a fight. The Fighting Knights turned up the pressure and were able to find the back of the net three more times during the rest of the half to earn a 5-3 win. Jack Watson, from the opponent’s’ offense, tallied a hat-trick during the game. Rollins continues on at 7-5-1 for the season

overall and 3-4-1 in conference play.

This was the Tars’ first home loss of the season, putting them at 2-1-1 for home matches. Home team fans were devastated, but there is still some hope: Tars can look forward to cheering on the team in the coming games at Barker Family Stadium and elsewhere.

Come cheer our Tars on to victory at future home games; the next opportunity to support Rollins is this Sunday, Oct. 30.

Upcoming Matches Sun. Oct. 30 Embry-Riddle @ Barker Family Stadium, 7:00pm Tues. Nov. 01 - Sun. Nov. 06 Sunshine State Conference Tournament, location and time TBD

Game Statistics

Goals Shots Shots on Goal Saves

ROLLINS 3 14 7 4

LYNN 5 16 9 4

Corners Yellow Cards Red Cards

1 1 -

6 1 -