The Student Printz: August 19, 2020

SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927 • WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM • AUGUST 19, 2020 | VOLUME 106 | ISSUE 2

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BIDEN VP CHOICE

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Vintage Instant Film makes a comeback

SARAH BURSE PRINTZ REPORTER Photos by Brian Winters | Printz

olaroid is an instant camera that was created in 1948.

Designed as a simpler way to take photos, it’s easy accessibility quickly made it a household name. It has been seventy-two years since the first polaroid was created, and business is still booming.

The first Polaroid camera, the Model 95,, hit the shelves of department stores in 1948. The creator of the Polaroid, Edwin H. Land, got the idea for instant cameras after noticing how long it took his daughter to develop one of her photos. With his degree in Physics from Harvard University, Land went to work developing a camera designed to have an instantaneous turnover rate. Thus, the instant camera was born.

“It is an interesting experience to see how all of ‘Absolute One-Step Photography’ can happen very

simply if it happens sequentially,” Land once said in an interview, as recapped by the American Chemical Society (ACS). “When the film is ejected[, ...] ‘all hell breaks loose,’ but in a much more orderly way than that phrase implies. For several minutes[,] chemical reactions occur rapidly one step after another in [the Polaroid’s] thin sandwich and then this progression slowly stops. There is peace again and the picture is complete.”

Polaroids quickly became the standard for high tech photography equipment. It helped develop color film for instant cameras in 1963, reformulating development processes along the way. It remained a huge market presence well into the later half of the 20th century.

With the rise of digital cameras, though, Polaroid hit hard times.

Because the company refused

to start manufacturing digital products, sales started to fall.

It wasn’t long afterwards that its management also started to crumble. The company had six different CEOs within four years of the early 2000s. It filed for bankruptcy twice between 2001 to 2009, and shut down production altogether in 2008. For years, it seemed like Polaroids were going extinct.

However, during the mid2010s, Polaroids suddenly became fashionable again. With the rise of photo-focused social media websites like Instagram and Snapchat, many sought out new avenues to help make their posts stick out. Users quickly found that older cameras, especially ones using older looking film, got their posts noticed by a lot more people. Pretty soon, tweens, teens and college students became much more interested in buying and refurbishing instant

cameras, which Polaroid still had a significant market stake in. Sales for Polaroids skyrocketed in 2016, its stock going up 166 percent.

As Polaroid’s revival was spearheaded by younger generations, I asked some of my social media friends their opinion and experience with Polaroid.

“When I was a child, my mom used to take pictures of me with her Polaroid,” said longtime Polaroid user Nastacia Davis. “I was so excited when they made a comeback -- I can finally have one of my own.”

“I love my instant camera,” agreed Ashley Williams, another Polaroid user. “However, the film is expensive.”

I also have a pretty long history with Polaroid. I can recall my

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NEWS MEET THE STAFF Executive Editor

Brian Winters brian.s.winters@usm.edu

News & Features Editor Mary Murphy mary.s.murphy@usm.edu

Entertainment/Opinion Editor Meg Fuller meghan.fuller@usm.edu

Sports Editor

Charlie Luttrell charles.luttrell@usm.edu

Photography Editor

Meg Fuller meghan.fuller@usm.edu

Multimedia Editor

Blair Ballou blair.ballou@usm.edu

Social Media Editor Bethany Morris

bethany.morris@usm.edu

Design Editor

Marissa Haas marissa.haas@usm.edu

The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submission must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@ gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.

AUGUST 19, 2020

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Southern Miss Greek life goes online MARY MURPHY

NEWS/FEATURE EDITOR Photos by Bethany Morris | Printz

very year, hundreds of new and returning Southern Miss students attend fraternity and sorority Recruitment Week.

Greek life is a huge part of USM, with over 20 fraternities and sororities active on the Hattiesburg campus. Due to the ongoing threat of COVID-19, however, both Recruitment Week and its culmination, Bid Day, have gone fully online for the first time.

On August 8, the Director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL), Dr. Maleta Wilson, released a letter officially announcing an entirely virtual Recruitment process for the 2020-21 school year. The decision came after five months of planning from both FSL and student chapter leaders, following similar precautions taking place across the country at other schools.

“Although this semester may not look like what we would have imagined, what is most important is that we are all here, and we will work together to make this recruitment season successful despite the circumstances,” Wilson said.

All Recruitment Week events, including panels and interviews for specific fraternities and sororities, were accessed via Zoom from August 10 to August 14.

Bid Day itself will also be held on Zoom this upcoming Saturday, August 15. With limited space available in fraternity and sorority houses per state mandate, many Greek organizations will probably also hold weekly chapter meetings virtually during the school year, utilizing applications like Microsoft Teams and Skype.

“Whether you are at home or on the campus, as long as you have access to the internet, a computer and have paid the registration fee[...], you are allowed

to participate in this year’s recruitment season,” Wilson said.

COVID-19’s unique impacts on college life perhaps especially affect fraternities and sororities. Considered by many to be a fundamental part of the college experience, many Greek life social gatherings and parties have been cancelled or outright prohibited because of the pandemic, leaving many feeling sad or frustrated.

This is only further complicated by the sheer number of fraternity and sorority members in the United States. Greek organizations are one of the most popular forms of extracurricular activity at many universities, as it allows members to make lifelong friendships and future business connections through unique social gatherings and internship opportunities.

Considering a decent chunk of fraternity and sorority houses are also either privately owned or reside off-campus, it can be tricky for universities to monitor what every member of every fraternity or sorority is doing at any given time.

Despite banning in-person recruitment, over 160 students have tested positive for COVID-19 at the University of Mississippi, traced back to illegally hosted Greek

“rush parties”.

Regardless, many look forward to virtually connecting with other fraternity and sorority members during this upcoming school year. Phi Kappa Tau’s Vice President, Austin Boudreaux, said as much during a Virtual Interest Session posted to PKT’s Instagram on August 6.

“I’ve been in this chapter for a while and one of the best experiences I’ve had since being here is getting to watch leaders like Jonathan [Dixon, Recruitment Chair for Phi Kappa Tau] grow and kind of just seeing how the chapter’s grown over time,” Boudreaux said.

“That’s something I’m looking forward to this fall, even though we might be under some special circumstances here. I think we have a great opportunity to bring in a class of guys and help continue our mission and our chapter on campus.”

If you’re interested in Greek life and want to learn more about it for next year, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life has multiple student panels publically available to watch on their website, www. usm.edu/fraternity-sorority-life.

Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.

The ladies of Alpha Delta Pi welcomes home AC’18 on Saturday August 15, 2020. Bid day festivities were to follow Hattiesburg’s city ordinances of wearing masks and social distancing. New members ran home in pairs instead of all at once and chapter members had scheduled times for bid day to provide a safer environment and keep distance.

NEWS

AUGUST 19, 2020

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Southern Miss oyster hatchery receives $7.6 million grant from U.S. Treasury BRIAN WINTERS EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Photo by Brian Winters | Printz

overnor Tate Reeves announced on August 12 that the U.S. Department of the Treasury has approved a RESTORE Act grant worth $7.62 million for the construction of The University of Southern Mississippi’s new Oyster Hatchery and Research Center.

The oyster hatchery is located at Southern Miss’ Gulf Coast Research Lab at Ocean Springs’ Cedar Point. The grant is administered by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).

The center is currently in the design phase, and it is anticipated that Southern Miss will provide approximately $1.2 million in state funding for facility construction costs in addition to the RESTORE Act’s funding. An additional $4 million in RESTORE Act funding was included in MDEQ’s restoration planning for the procurement and installation of aquacul-

ture systems equipment, but it has not yet been submitted to the U.S. Department of the Treasury pending an approved final design.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to be at the foundation of applied research and development to benefit the resources of Mississippi,” said Kelly Lucas, Interim Associate Vice President for Research, Coastal Operations and Director of the Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center. “This work benefits the Coast economy and ecology by putting oysters back into the Gulf ecosystem, improving water quality, replenishing habitat, stabilizing shorelines and providing delicious oysters for the seafood industry.”

The center in Ocean Springs will support the state’s oyster restoration efforts by producing oyster larvae and conducting oyster aquaculture research. The preliminary design includes a hatchery and oyster larvae production tanks, algae cultivation space, a laboratory and support office space.

“It has become increasingly clear over the past several years that the decline in oyster production and

Pictured: The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory at Cedar Point.

harvesting is a problem for both the economy and the ecosystem of the Gulf Coast,” said Chris Wells, MDEQ Interim Executive Director.

“The new hatchery, along with the implementation of other restoration projects, will be a key part of improving Mississippi’s oyster population.”

These funds are part of the RESTORE Act’s Direct Component, or ‘Bucket 1’. In the RESTORE Act, 35 percent of the total funds are reserved for Bucket 1 projects and are divided equally among the five Gulf Coast states for ecological and economic restoration.

Activities that can receive RESTORE Act funding include restoration and protection of natural resources, mitigation of damage to natural resources, workforce development and job creation, improvements to state parks, infrastructure

projects, coastal flood protection and promotion of tourism and Gulf seafood.

“Oyster farming plays a huge role in both the economy and ecology of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

This investment in restoring the oyster population will help boost our state’s economy and reinvigorate the Gulf Coast for years to come,” said Governor Tate Reeves.

“This industry has taken serious hits in the past several years. We are truly grateful for President Trump and Treasury Secretary Mnuchin’s support of The University of Southern Mississippi and the Gulf Coast’s efforts to rebuild this vital part of our state’s economy.”

More information about Mississippi’s restoration efforts can be found at restore.ms.

Trump encourages privatization of the USPS SARAH BURSE PRINTZ REPORTER he United States Postal Service has shipped mail since July 26, 1775. However, this foundational public service may soon be up for grabs, as talks of privatization have gotten increasingly prevalent.

The USPS has been facing increasingly rocky circumstances with the ever-growing prevalence of technology. Many have forgone the wait of physical letters in favor for the instant transaction of emails and direct messages.

“USPS has lost more than 50 billion dollars since 2007, and will likely continue losing money unless there are major reforms,” Chris Edwards, an economist, wrote in “Privatizing the U.S. Postal Service”.

Compared to other shipping companies like FedEx and UPS, the USPS has widespread access to every mailbox in America.

This is in part because of how the USPS was formed. “[In] 1934[,] during the Great Depression, Congress created a law prohibiting anyone from putting their hands in mail-

boxes -- except for the Postal Service,” NPR contributor Emily Sullivan explains. “The law -- aimed at clamping down on people skimping on postage -- has been in effect ever since.”

Because of this “legal monopoly” over postal services the USPS has in the states, it receives a majority of its funding from the government. However, the Trump administration has recently been questioning the use of those funds. President Trump himself has been very vocal about the USPS, once tweeting, “[The USPS] has been mismanaged for years, especially since the advent of the internet and modern-day technology”.

However, many have criticized Trump’s stance on the issue, as he, like many Republicans, has been very vocally against the use of mail-in ballots for the upcoming presidential election. COVID-19 has made many nervous about physically going out to vote following quarantine, so mail-in ballots have become an increasingly popular alternative.

Trump, however, believes mail-in ballots will lead to a “fraudulent election”, causing him to lose to Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

Talks of the Trump administration cutting USPS funding, in addition to the already slower arrival dates of online shopping orders, has made many U.S. citizens worry

Illustration by Marissa Haas | Printz that their ballots will not be delivered on time. “[V]oter suppression, plain and simple,” said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold about Trump’s issues with the USPS. Trump’s allegations of tampered mail-in voting ballots have caused the removal of letterboxes in some states. As of August 14, 2020, USPS will stop these removals, but the potential of its privatization remains.

Should the government fully cut funding to the USPS, its privatization will cause our country’s shipping methods to change. According to one U.S. Office of Management

and Budget report, “a privatized postal service would have a substantially lower cost structure, be able to adapt to changing customer needs and make business devices free from political interference.” However, many have pointed out that the potential costs of shipping would go up, meaning many poor and rural Americans will lose an important way of communication, as well as leave several smaller businesses to pay extra to get their supplies. Updates of the situation come in daily, and its actual result is currently unknown.

FEATURES CONT. FROM PG 1 mother letting me use her black vintage Polaroid as a child. I was amazed at how instantly the photo came out of the camera. I still adore the small white frame around the photos. Like Williams said, I also think its film is really expensive, with eight sheets of Original Polaroid film costing $20 at WalMart. I stopped using my Polaroid because I couldn’t afford film. But I still love the photos I took with it, and enjoy seeing more of them.

In 2017, The Impossible Project, previous creators of the PX 100 Instant Film, took full control of

AUGUST 19, 2020 Polaroid in their company merger.

With Polaroid’s new management, they began updating their product line, and now have a variety of high tech products for sale.

Where they once went against formally groundbreaking tech like digital cameras, they now offer things like the Polaroid Lab, which prints out smartphone pictures after a small syncing process, and 3D Printers for

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personal use. Polaroid also started selling products outside of photography, such as smart TVs. In this century, recording life moments is important, whether through video, audio recording or photo. Modern technology makes everything simple and fast, and Polaroid meets those two characteristics easily. Yet it also adds something important to this mix: physicality.

This is something Polaroid has

embraced over the last few years whole-heartedly. According to their “About” page, “We exist to help you see the moments, to pause them and to relive them in something you can hold in your hand and turn in forever.” Life is about capturing moments, and Polaroid gave us the tool to capture them.

Polaroid is a versatile company that is still staying relevant by embracing change. Polaroid may have had a long fall from grace, but when they came back, they did so with a vengeance. Under The Impossible Project’s management, time can only tell what Polaroid will do next.

Journalism professor discusses experience, gives advice to students BRIAN WINTERS EXECUTIVE EDITOR

alking into College Hall, students might be greeted by a Journalism professor. This professor will greet the student and joke around with them, either by saying he had black hair when the dinosaurs roamed the earth or how an event from his past was 1000 years ago. That professor is David R. Davies Ph.D, who started teaching at Southern Miss in 1991.

According to Davies’ biography on The University of Southern Mississippi’s website, he worked as a reporter for the Arkansas Democrat and Arkansas Gazette before entering academia.

Davies has directed the Southern Miss British Studies Program since 2013 and teaches courses in writing, editing, reporting, social media and media history.

Davies said he first got into journalism when he worked for his highschool newspaper in Malvern, Arkansas.

“Way back in the 1970s, I had a great journalism teacher -- hello, Mrs. Cagle -- and I got interested in journalism from that,” Davies said.

Davies went to the University of Arkansas and studied journalism for his undergrad. Davies said he started out with broadcast journalism, but eventually moved over to print.

“I got the bug in high school, and I was some[one] who really liked reading and liked newspapers,” Davies said. “It was a natural fit for me.”

It was also while in the University of Arkansas that Davies first studied abroad. His study abroad experience in France made him interested in becoming the director of the British Studies Program at Southern Miss.

“I was always interested in study abroad -- I had studied abroad once as an undergraduate and a couple of years after I graduated,” Davies said. “Consequently, I had seen how important study abroad was for my life[,] and when the opportunity to work in the British Studies Program, I jumped at it.”

Davies first started in British Stud-

Photo courtesy of The University of Southern Mississippi

ies in 1999 and became the academic director in 2013. He said study abroad has been a really important part of his time at Southern Miss.

“We have a strong program, and it has been such a delight to be associated with it,” Davies said.

Jessica Bunales is the assistant director with the British Studies Program.

Bunales said Davies has worked with the Office of Study Abroad for many years and is dedicated to making study abroad a possibility for all students.

“The only consistency [with the program] is that Dave brings enough energy and enthusiasm to keep everyone engaged and excited for the day’s task,” Bunales said.

Davies said the best part of going abroad is watching students grow from

that experience. He said studying abroad makes a student open to a wider range of possibilities, and that is why he works in study abroad.

“Yes, we want you to learn about journalism, art or whatever it might be abroad, but the bottom line is we want to open up new worlds for you so that you can see yourself going different directions and taking on new challenges,” Davies said.

It also leads to many interesting situations that fit right into Davies’s humor.

Davies shared a story that occurred when he was in Brighton during one study abroad trip. They were sitting outside and a seagull swept in and stole his sandwich.

“I ordered this little ham sandwich on a baguette -- it was probably the

best sandwich I had ever tasted in my entire life, it was absolutely a work of art,” Davies said. “I was about to take my second bite when a huge seagull swooped down from above and took the sandwich right out of my hand.”

Davies has also held several administrative positions at Southern Miss, such as the Chair of the Journalism department from 1998 to 2001, the Interim Director of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism from 2004 to 2005 and the Dean and Professor of the Honors College from 2007 to 2014.

All of the administrative jobs entailed working with students, which, according to Davies, was the best part of those jobs.

“Working in my administrative positions were just a great opportunity to help students and watch them grow,” Davies said. “There is no better feeling than watching your students go off to success.”

Davies said, because of the Internet, it is so much easier to keep track of former students and to enjoy their success. He made sure to add that Southern Miss students who graduated in the School of Communication end up working in some terrific jobs across the country.

He shared some advice and comments for current students in the School of Communication.

“What I would tell journalism students and Mass Communication students generally to do is master these technological tools the best they can while they are in college,” Davies said.

“The wider your range of skills, the better.”

Davies said employers really want people who can do a wide number of things, so the more skills a student has, the better. He encouraged students to get a minor that goes with their major and build a strong portfolio that applies to media and non-media jobs.

“The bottom line is, students need to use the opportunity of college where there are so many possibilities for experience to gain as much as possible,” Davies said. “College is [the] time to cast a net as wide as possible -- take courses in all the areas that interest you -- so that you can see what appeals to you.”

NEWS

AUGUST 19, 2020 Southern Miss upgrades WiFi as new semester begins

BRIAN WINTERS EXECUTIVE EDITOR

n August 13, WiFi services at the Hattiesburg Southern Miss campus were temporarily interrupted. Southern Miss’ iTech personnel worked with the equipment manufacturer to procure a replacement unit, which is now in use. iTech sent out an email on August 13 that said installation of the new unit had begun and would be completed as soon as possible. It warned that WiFi service on the Hattiesburg campus may be sporadic. To help with this, iTech suggested faculty and staff connected computers to the network using a hardwired network cable. Students were encouraged to use the computers at the Cook Library if they continued having difficulties.

On August 16, iTech sent out an email that said the WiFi network on the Hattiesburg campus was repaired on August 13, with ad-

ditional equipment installed and configured on August 14 as an extra precaution.

David Sliman, the iTech Chief Information Officer, said Southern Miss iTech is upgrading all of its WiFi services university-wide, allowing for increased speed and better bandwidth as more devices connect this semester.

“The new wireless equipment was purchased as a High-Availability pair, which means if one goes down, the other takes over,” Sliman said. “Each piece is capable of supporting about 64,000 connections.”

Sliman explained that is enough to support over 15,000 people on campus, each having four devices connected to the WiFi at the same time. Sliman said that the replacement equipment installed on August 13 will be tested throughout the weekend and completed prior to classes beginning on August 17. “iTech’s network and systems are engineered for redundancy so they can achieve as close to 100 percent uptime as feasibly and econom-

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Photo courtesy of Bryan Wiseman

ically as possible,” Sliman said.

“Unfortunately, technology is not perfect, and while we are confident we have the best system available, there is still some risk of brief periods of connection loss.”

Sliman said iTech understands that even brief losses of WiFi are inconvenient, especially as students and faculty are learning and teaching online. He recommended that all users have a backup plan

in place, such as using hardwired computers in the Cook Library or locating public WiFi around campus, in case the worst happens.

If issues arise, the iTech team has the ability to troubleshoot from wherever they are located. Students, faculty and staff may contact the iTech Help Desk via email at helpdesk@usm.edu or by phone at 601-266-4357.

Southern Miss expectant for a new Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion HANNAH HOUSTON PRINTZ REPORTER outhern Miss President Rodney D. Bennett Ph.D announced that he will be hiring a new Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Strategic Initiatives on July 1. This will be the first time a chief position at Southern Miss will be dedicated to building and upholding a diverse and inclusive campus.

This announcement came shortly after a video released by Dr. Bennett in response to this summer’s protests and the global eruption of anger about racial injustice in society. Many Southern Miss students have been a part of these protests, and have discussed their importance to larger conversations of equality.

Until now, the university has not had a division exclusively set on ensuring that campus upholds a tolerant and diverse community standard.

“I think it’s great timing to hire a position like this and, as a new part of Southern Miss, I’m excited to be here for that.”

Sirena Cantrell, Dean of Students, said about the new hire. “I’ve only been here nine months, but I think it takes a great person to come in and figure out what are some needs that each constituency group has, to get help from the community, and to

help push new initiatives forward.”

Hani Morgan Ph.D, a professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, says that this new position has been a long time coming.

“In my experience, it’s moved slower than other universities,” said Morgan. “I came from a different region that tends to focus more on this topic. For example, the faculty at other universities tends to be more diverse [than Southern Miss’].”

When asked what the new Vice President may need to specifically address, Morgan said, “Off the bat, I think that there have been issues involving equity, the way cultural minority people are treated, their salary, promotion and other diversity issues that have been unresolved from previous years that need attention. These need to be taken care of and we need to continue to make progress. Somebody coming in needs to resolve these issues with somebody like me that has been here many years. That will help this university make progress.”

Cantrell also thought that forming a committee with other existing faculty might be a good idea.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for the institution to have that position so there’s someone that will focus on diversity and inclusion for the campus. I think it would be beneficial to form a diversity and inclusion committee or task force that helps that person with those kinds of initiatives,” said

Cantrell.

“Students should be exposed more to diversity issues,” Morgan said. “Considering what’s been going on in society, especially this year, I think this topic is more important than ever.”

Some Southern Miss students agree that education is a good starting point for improving how members of the community engage with one another.

“I think that we should see an active move to educate people about cultural things, especially people that may be different or not understand.” Layla Aybare, a freshman English major, said. “A large [amount] of resources needs to go into that because this is a diverse campus and people need to feel included and like they are welcome here.”

Aybare also said she enjoys the feeling of the campus’s community, and would like the new Vice Principal to enhance that feeling through cultural and equitable education.

Ignorance often leads to conflict between peers that may not understand one another’s frame of reference. Jada Brown, a junior social work major, says that, if Southern Miss were to create a new division for diversity and inclusion, she would like to see this gap closing.

“I would like to see everyone come together instead of being apart,” Brown said. “I know some people grow up having to only be with one race and understand that one race. I feel like everyone is human

and we need to come together as equals to form a family. [...] Some people treat others like they are less than or lower than because of who they are or where they come from.

The way people talk to one another needs to change, because that’s how confrontation begins.”

Students also feel that the new Vice President should be aware of their concerns for campus. Khaliah Means, a Freshman entrepreneurship major, said that she would like to see the new Vice President show the community show their similarities while respecting their differences. “[There needs to be] more events where everyone is merged together, so any and everybody doesn’t feel out of place, or like [they’re] forced to be here,” Means said.

“My vision is for The University of Southern Mississippi to become the model for public higher education across the country in all that we do, but especially in areas which require bold leadership,” Bennett said. “I am committed to a future for USM in which we work together to ensure all individuals who study, teach, research, and work here are offered equal opportunities to succeed.”

Southern Miss is expectant and excited to see how the new Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Strategic Initiatives begins work. For more information about this division, go to Southern Miss’ Diversity and Inclusion website.

ENTERTAINMENT

AUGUST 19, 2020

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Bands still jam during the pandemic HANNAH HOUSTON PRINTZ REPORTER ocial distancing and stay-at-home orders throughout the pandemic have made it difficult for some bands to reach their audiences or maintain income. Others, like local artists Cole Hill, The DLX, and The Holly Rogers, have found ways to maintain their reach amidst today’s challenges.

Each of the creators said when the pandemic hit, they were nervous about what to do.

Hill recalled that he “had so many gigs scheduled for the rest of March and April, and then three got cancelled, then five got cancelled, then ten. It kept going and I just thought[,] ‘What am I going to do? That’s a really big part of my income’.”

The Holly Rogers echoed that fear, worried about their live concert revenue as well. Jackson Bounds, the band’s drummer, said that, “It’s hard to run the business side of it when it’s half-capacity and limited hours, but you never want to feel like the bad guy.” “[C]oncerts have pretty much come to a halt for me,” agreed Shawn Chambliss, creator of The DLX. “I’m not looking for any shows because they don’t exist. I know that the live industry from any sustainable business past the restaurant level is shut down right now in this area of the country. So, my efforts and energy are best focused elsewhere.”

The pressure of the pandemic pushed each of these artists back into their natural element: getting creative.

“I think I was at a crossroads where I could just sit and use this as an excuse to lay back and not do anything or find new ways to make some income and connect with my audience,” Hill said.

Both Hill and Chambliss chose the latter,

Hannah Houston | Printz turning towards social media as an outlet to stay relevant. At-home concerts became their normal.

“As soon as lockdown started, I started doing some online things like Instagram concerts,” said Chambliss. “It’s interesting and different because you don’t get immediate feedback, and even if you do[,] it’s delayed.”

Chambliss streamed concerts from his living room, happy to produce a show he claims is a “light lift” on production value.

“It’s an easy setup,” Chambliss said, “just my phone, laptop, ring light, and trying to set up an interesting backdrop.”

Hill mostly streamed on Facebook because it allowed for longer streaming times, but he did switch to Instagram for “solo sessions”. For these livestreams, he would pick a genre or band and

play the entire virtual set under that theme. He said one Friday night he played an hour long set of only Eagles songs.

“We did two or three livestreams a week,” Hill says. “It was very different, but it was honestly a lot of fun. We would ask for virtual tips on Venmo, PayPal and Cashapp.”

Chambliss explained that online audiences for these shows started off with high attendance.

As more people got used to staying at home, the attendance dropped.

Even with the changes and inconsistency in audience members, Hill and Chambliss both agree that they have reached a more widespread audience because of the online shows.

“It got a really good response,” Chambliss said.

“Lots of people were saying ‘I look forward to this

every Friday’.”

Hill says the livestreams have “allowed us to connect with more people from different places, that we wouldn’t have, had this not happened.” The shows even brought Hill a new fan from Hawaii that he says he’s been grateful to connect with.

While The Holly Rogers also performed online gigs, such as T-Bones Records and Café’s “Live, From a Safe Distance” concerts, they did continue to perform live, in-person concerts. Each band member expressed how much they appreciate their fans for still coming to shows, but need them to be safe and respectful during this time.

“Not everyone follows the guidelines,” Jake Noble, The Holly Rogers’s bassist, noted.

Bounds laughed at that and added, “I stay behind the drums, so I don’t get too close to anybody. [...] It’s kind of in the front of our heads the whole time, it’s a weird time we’re in and it’s not really something live music has seen before.”

Once Hattiesburg venues started to reopen, Hill started performing live again. “As soon as things started opening up, I started playing at some places in Hattiesburg, a lot of them outside on patios, with open air,” Hill said. “I’m very thankful to be playing. I missed it a lot.”

“If you guys are going to come out to the show, do whatever the bar says,” Carson Mars, The Holly Rogers’s guitarist, advised fans. “If you do come out, we would love to give you a hug, but drunk hugs are no longer an option, so we will love you from afar.”

All three of these artists have been using this time as an opportunity to write more music and prepare for new releases. The DLX is releasing their newest single on Sep. 4, and Cole Hill will be releasing more singles in the fall. The Holly Rogers debuted their first original single this summer and their debut album, ‘If You Get the Chance’, will be released in September.

‘Teenage Fever’? More like Teenage Excellence JAKORI BEAUCHAMP PRINTZ REPORTER aash Paige’s career so far has been brief, but impactful. Her first single, “Love Songs”, went viral on the social media app Tik Tok within a few months of its 2019 release.

Shortly after, she also signed onto a record label, Def Jam, and released her first EP, “Parked Car Convos”. Her Twitter and Instagram pages have so far amassed a total of 437,000 followers.

Now, almost a year into her career, Paige has finally released her highly anticipated debut album, “Teenage Fever”.

I was already a fan of Paige’s when “Teenage Fever” dropped. Her third record, “A Muse In Her Feelings”, is an early contender for the best R&B project of the year. After releasing a diverse set of singles throughout 2020, I had high hopes going into “Teenage Fever”. Even though I was slightly disappointed by the end result, I was also highly impressed, and know this will only lead to better content.

The album features a lot of musical heavy weights at the moment such as Isaiah Rashad, K Camp and Don Toliver.

The album also features other new musical up-and-comers such as 42 Dugg and SSGKobe. The immersive production value and melodic sounds on the album’s opening track “London” set the album up perfectly, giving a clear image of the

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introspective, often relationship-driven story the album is about to tell.

If I’m being honest, “Teenage Fever” is a sleeper album, taking a few listens to get into. This isn’t helped by the album opener, “London”. Though the production value was good, it was overall a weak opener and left no impression other than as a filler song. The next song, “Grammy Week”, however, was a standout. The Don Toliver feature was an eye catcher.

I loved the instrumentation of the song with Don Toliver adding perfectly to the tone. Coming off the heels of their other great collab, “Euphoria”, it was a great two peat.

The next song, “Lost Ones”, only really held my attention. The song after that, however, “Soul Ties” featuring SSGKobe, reignited my fire and hope

within the album. The most prominent part of the song was the way the two verses from Paige and SSGKobe went back and forth, creating a storyline that held my attention for the entire track.

The other standout songs on “Teenage Fever” are “Jaded”, “Break Up Song”, “Problems” and “Mrs. Lonely”.

“Jaded”, initially released as a single, is a mid-tempo R&B song with similar musical styling to Drake’s “Trust Issues”.

The relatable lyrics speak of a woman who’s reminiscing about a relationship that’s gone from fun to rocky. This is a standout track because Paige is showing off more on the melodic side of her R&B music as opposed to the Hip-Hop/Trap side that we are used to. So that, plus the overall production of the track, makes the song a great addition to the album.

“Break Up Song” features R&B/Rap superstar K Camp. The song speaks of Paige’s relationship issues with a person, basically serving as their breakup. Within K Camp’s verse, he sings from the guy’s perspective, adding another dimension to the overall storyline of the song. Like the other standouts of this album, “Break Up Song’s” instrumentation leaves a great impression, and it’s one of the few where the featured actually contributed something to the song.

“Karma” was an ok way to close the album. This track features Paige reflecting on the more introspective parts of the album’s overall storyline. If we are being honest, I thought this track, like “London”, was a weak way to close out the album, especially after the amazing tracks “Mrs. Lonely’’, “SOS” and “Problems” featuring Isaiah Rashad. A great way to end the album would’ve been to have “London” close out the “Mrs. Lonely”. The production, vocals and harmonies used within “Mrs. Lonely” track would’ve meshed well with “London”. As is, “Karma” was a very midway end to an overall amazing album.

This album was ok, mostly held back by all the filler tracks used, such as “London”, “Karma”, and “Fake Love” featuring 42 Dugg. Hopefully, she will learn from “Teenage Fever” and create even better content in the future. With this amazing attempt at a debut album, Kaash Paige might finally reach mainstream success.

OPINION AUGUST 19, 2020 Harris could win the presidency for Biden DIPIN SUBEDI PRINTZ REPORTER he long-awaited search of a running mate for Joe Biden has finally come to an end with a reinforced purpose: to topple the incumbent president at any

cost.

Senator Kamala Harris was announced as Joe Biden’s Vice President nomination on August 11. She was one of many potentially successful and equally qualified women politicians that were considered for the job of the Vice President. Selecting Harris for the job could prove to be a wise decision, resulting in polls giving him higher chances of him winning the presidential election this year.

The choice of a female running mate was not a surprise, since Biden had vowed to choose a woman during a debate with former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders months ago. That he chose a woman of color could be helpful in garnering African-American voters. Black voter turnout waned in 2016, but rose in 2018, and could see a further upsurge with Harris running alongside Biden. Additionally, when the country is raging against police brutality and racial injustice, a black candidate can serve as a symbol to reassure minority voters that their rights will be safeguarded once the

Biden-Harris campaign comes to a successful end.

Harris herself is an experienced legislator and is currently serving as one of the Senators of California, so the choice of a black woman as a running mate can not be slandered by her opponents as a “publicity stunt”. She is considered trustworthy by her constituents as she has successfully advocated for climate change, healthcare for all and against the foreclosure crisis in California, to name a few of her many causes. Her involvement in these activities might come in handy to reinvigorate the pandemic-stricken economy after the presidential election favors the Democrats. Her work on the ‘Relief Act’ is proof of this, as it would provide a monthly check of $2,000 to the people and ban foreclosures and evictions due to unpaid mortgages and rents as a result of COVID-19.

Harris could bring even more experience to help Biden win if she heeds mistakes from her previous presidential campaign.

She is a charismatic politician adorned with the qualities of an excellent debater. Along with her personable characteristics, picking her as a vice presidential candidate could help Biden raise funds for his campaign, as they will need as much money as possible to promote their ideas. That already seems to be the case -- the duo managed to raise $26

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million a day after Harris was picked as a running mate.

Defeating the Trump-Pence ticket is not going to be child’s play, however. President Trump, as shown during his past campaign, has grossly slandered each and every one of his opponents. He is an adept propagandist who succeeds in pandering to mass impulses rife in the country today, especially xenophobia and racism. Harris, because of her ambiguous ethnicity, could be a target of vilification by her opponents. That said, Harris’ commendable accomplishments as a Senator could help clarify her motive of serving the people as a Vice President, making

her immune to such defamations.

The concern of voters regarding the eradication of pandemic has seen to have a major pivotal point during this election. If both Biden and Harris pledge to devise more efficient plans than the incumbent government to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, they could shift the scales back to the Democratic Party’s side.

All in all, Biden has selected an appropriate running mate during this situation, since nobody could possibly deny how Kamala Harris has always bent over backward trying to solve people’s problems, pandemic or not.

COVID-19 has a few good takeaways BRIAN WINTERS EXECUTIVE EDITOR OVID-19 has its fair share of negative connotations associated with it. People are sure to have memories of premature goodbyes, opportunities taken away and plans being postponed indefinitely. There are a few good things to come from this pandemic, however.

One of the better things COVID-19 has taught the world is to never take things for granted. At any time, the things we expect or look forward to can be taken away. It was certainly unexpected to have classes go online and not be able to have face-to-face contact with friends for months at a time.

Being aware of good hygiene is also a huge plus to come out of this situation. Hygiene should always be important, but the pandemic has made people more aware about how important it is. Objects are being wiped down more and hand sanitizer is being offered in more locations.

It will be good to think that people will still carry on these practices after the pandemic is under control. It seems like second nature now to walk into a store and apply the hand sanitizer they have at the entrance. Even when not offered, more people appear to carry hand sanitizer with them when they leave the house.

People have left their comfort zones while under stay-at-home orders in order to learn new skills and hobbies. With life and work getting in the way normally

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or being used as an excuse, isolation has made for a lot of free time, possibly allowing people to find a new thing to be passionate about.

Moreso, everyone was forced to get out of their comfort zone and change huge parts of their life. Working from home forced us to learn to be productive on our own and we had to learn to communicate more with our fellow workers. We had to be more active keeping up with schedules and deadlines to make sure everything went on okay rather than just waiting the last minute for everything.

The forced responsibilities people have had to hold themselves to will be a valuable life skill to come as a result of COVID-19.

Ideally, getting work done on time will be no problem once everything is back to how it once was.

Many people will remember how the pandemic disrupted life long after it’s done.

How life changed as a result of COVID-19 will be interesting to explore more in-depth in the future. Everyone will be able to share how they coped living through this moment in time, and we can all potentially bond over living through this historical

event.

There have undoubtedly been many hardships as a result of COVID-19. The massive social, economic and personal losses over the last several months shouldn’t be understated. But there is always a silver lining when it comes to situations like this.

There are sure to be many other good takeaways from this situation other than the few listed above. At the end of the day, it has to be remembered: at least one good thing can and will be taken away from this situation we are all currently living in.

SPORTS

AUGUST 19, 2020

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Analysis: New Southern Miss football schedule adds improvements CHARLIE LUTTRELL SPORTS EDITOR

n Aug. 6, the Southern Miss Department of Athletics released a revised schedule for the upcoming football season, which replaced two canceled games against Jackson State and Auburn.

While fans may be upset about the loss of these opponents, the new schedule increases winning chances and the opportunity to rekindle one of the team’s fiercest rivalries.

The need for a new schedule came after the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) postponed its season and the Southeastern Conference (SEC) announced it was only playing games within its conference. Southern Miss was left without two of their fast-approaching scheduled games, but managed to reach out and find two replacements.

The revised schedule replaced the Sep. 19 contest against Jackson State with the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles from the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). However, on Aug. 13, the OVC also postponed its season, once again leaving the date open for another replacement.

With the cancelation of the prior scheduled game versus Auburn, Southern Miss will now not play an SEC opponent for the first time since 2012. The vaunted conference brought excitement and attention to the Golden Eagles, which will be missed.

However, the games rarely have a positive outcome on the team’s victory column.

Southern Miss holds a 23.4% win percentage against SEC teams (32-108-3).

Southern Miss is not incapable of competing against an SEC team, but the odds are not in their favor. In the last decade, the

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team has a 1-11 record versus SEC opponents and is outscored by an average of 19 points per game.

The new schedule replaces the Sep. 26 game at Auburn with a home game versus the Tulane Green Wave. The move gives Southern Miss seven home games in one season for the first time since 1920, giving the team a major advantage. Last year, the Golden Eagles played at The Rock five times and finished with a 4-1 home record.

Coincidentally, the history between Southern Miss and Tulane football also dates back to 1920. At that time, Southern Miss was the Mississippi Normal College, and the football team had only been in existence for eight years. Normal lost to Tulane 19-0 in their first matchup.

The schools did not play another football game against each other until 1979.

From then on, the two teams played each other for 27 consecutive years, creating the historic rivalry that became known as the “Battle for the Bell”.

The teams recently met for the first time in a decade at the 2020 Armed Forces Bowl, which Tulane won 30-13. However, they have not played in a regular-season game since 2010.

In 2017, the schools announced a four-game series that will start in 2022.

With the addition of this year’s game, the schools are scheduled to play each other five times in eight years. One of Southern Miss’ most historic rivalries will be renewed.

It will be interesting to see how the upcoming games against Tulane turn out.

Throughout the rivalry, Southern Miss has held the advantage with a 23-9 record.

Against Tulane, the Golden Eagles have scored an average of 27 points per game, while allowing the opposite team an average of 16 points per game.

As uncertain as the upcoming football season has already presented itself to be, Southern Miss was able to make the most out of an unprecedented scheduling challenge. Barring any more cancelations, players and fans can look forward to four consecutive home games to begin the season, as well as a preview of the revived “Battle of the Bell”.