[The Stute] October 27, 2023 (Issue 8, Volume CXXI)

The student newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology, and creator of Attila the Duck.

happy spooky season!

www.thestute.com Instagram @thestute VOLUME CXXI No. 8

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

HOBOKEN, NJ | OCTOBER 27, 2023

NEW STUTE EVERY FRIDAY • EST. 1904

THE HALLOWEEN ISSUE

FEATURE

SPOOKY STORIES PAGE 2

FEATURE

CAMPUS CHAOS PAGE 4

FEATURE

Stute’s Halloween PAGE 5

SCIENCE

SCIENCE MADNESS PAGE 6

SPORTS

scary Sports PAGE 7

OPINION

THEMED COLUMNS PAGE 8

PULSE

MYSTERY PUZZLE PAGE PAGE 11

PULSE

ROVING REPORTER PAGE 12

BENJAMIN KNOBLOCH FOR THE STUTE

Read if you dare!

BY ISABELLA ZIV, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Greetings, brave souls, and welcome to The Stute’s fifth Annual Halloween Issue! In this special edition, we present to you a concoction of curious and spine-chilling tales with their origins shrouded in mystery. Prepare yourselves for a spine-tingling journey through the shadows of

our campus, where truth and legend blend into one. Within these bewitched pages, you’ll find a cauldron bubbling with spooky stories and Halloween-themed pages.

We’ve temporarily set aside our traditional weekly paper to revel in the spirit of Halloween. As student journalists, we embrace this opportunity to peel back the layers and get creative. So, dear

reader, prepare to be enchanted, captivated, and maybe even a little scared. The Stute’s fifth Annual Halloween Issue awaits, daring you to turn the pages and immerse yourself in the mysterious and playful spirit of the season.

After all, Halloweekend is upon us — the perfect time to embrace the eerie and celebrate the spooky.

Happy Halloween and, above all, happy reading!

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Feature Masthead Volume CXX No. 8 Executive Board VAMPIRE-IN-CHIEF..................................ISABELLA ZIV ‘25 CANDY MANAGER..................................TANYA AVADIA ‘26 SPOOKY STORY EDITOR.............................AVA WANG ‘25 COSTUME DESIGNER.....................NICOLE GIARDINO ‘25 JACK-O-LANTERN CARVER..........KAYDEN CANNILLA ‘24 SPOOKY FILM MANAGER.....................RAFAEL LEE LI ‘24 HAUNTED HOUSE MANAGER...........CLAIRE HANNAN ‘24 TOMBSTONE WRITER..........................KEENAN YATES ‘24

Editorial Board POTION EDITOR.................................BEN KNOBLOCH ‘25 MONSTER EDITOR....................................ERIN MCGEE ‘25 GHOST EDITOR.............................EVAN PAPAGEORGE ‘26 BAT EDITOR............................................CHRISTA RUIZ ‘25 SPIDER EDITOR...................................TASHA KHOSLA ‘25 ZOMBIE EDITOR..................................MIA PETROLINO ‘25

Operations Board HEAD GHOSTBUSTER.........................OLOF PERSSON ‘25 CRYPT KEEPER.............................KEVIN CASTNER JR. ‘24

Staff & Contributors Advait Dantuluri Charles Beall Meghana Mamadapur Jerson Yang Anjali Joy Aditi Shilawat Shane Mitchell Raynelis Villa Emily Johannan Abby Jacobs

Kai Wong Nicole Cheung Ethan Kleschinsky Tianna Spitz Hima Thummala Rachel Abraham Liz Sepulveda Josie Strano Stephen Pachucki Jack Scherban

Ghostly innovation: a meeting with Colonel Stevens

BY E VAN PAPAG EORG E Born in 1749, Colonel John Stevens III is a historical figure and the patriarch of the Stevens family that eventually went on to found Stevens Institute of Technology. As an inventor, lawyer, and innovator, Colonel Stevens was a man of many trades, years ahead of his time. Since the Colonel was so ahead of his time, The Stute was interested in finding out if he could have predicted what would happen with his home. To find out, The Stute met with a local medium on Friday the 13 under a moonless sky to contact Colonel Stevens from beyond the grave.

The meeting happened beneath the cliffs of Colonel Stevens’s estate in Sybil’s Cave.

Stevens recognized the cave and led its excavation in 1832. His familiarity helped calm his temper, as he immediately could feel the legacy of rival inventor Robert Fulton emulating across the Hudson. We started by explaining how when his son, Edwin, passed away in 1868, he left a sum of money to start a school of learning, which grew into a nationally ranked institution of engineering, invention, and innovation. He was happy to hear his legacy of innovation has survived, and that Fulton only has high schools named after him.

The Stute then offered the Colonel a quick tour of campus, showing him pic-

tures of Castle Stevens, explaining that his house burned down, and pointing out where Federal Hall, Trinity Church, and Fort Clinton were in the vibrant skyline of New York City. He was amazed by the immense innovation in his home and how his family’s legacy has survived for centuries and still stands as a beacon of invention and engineering.

Colonel Stevens was thrilled that the campus still has some older buildings but was excited to see his name shining across the Hudson atop the South Tower. He loved how Stevens now has many laboratories and research facilities that allow his family name to be the forerunner of great inventions and discoveries.

We needed to return to Sybil’s Cave as dawn approached to get the Colonel home.

He chuckled and admitted although he was an innovative inventor, he could have never imagined what the Stevens name had become! He even joked that he might start a ghost engineering program at the institute to keep up with the times. As we bid him farewell, he promised to haunt the campus occasionally to ensure everyone kept up with his innovation legacy. We’re unsure if he was serious, but we’re watching for ghostly apparitions in the labs.

Contact Us If You Dare...

GENERAL.........................................EBOARD@THESTUTE.COM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF................................EDITOR@THESTUTE.COM ADVERTISING................................BUSINESS@THESTUTE.COM OFFICE...............................UNIVERSITY CENTER ROOM 216B

Corrections NOTICE A MISTAKE? Email us at eboard@thestute.com.

EVAN PAPAGEORGE FOR THE STUTE

Disclaimer All opinions and editorials reflect the views of their respective author(s). No Part of The Stute may be reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the written consent of the Editor-in-Chief. Cited references of The Stute are permitted.

Policy on Letters to the Editor All members of the Stevens community are able to submit a Letter to the Editor to be published in The Stute. Letters must refer either to a piece published in The Stute or to The Stute in general and must be between 400 – 800 words in length. Submit letters to editor@thestute.com with your name and title (when applicable) or using our Google form. For writers who wish to write a Letter to the Editor anonymously, please see our policy on anonymity.

The Editorial Board reserves the right to choose whether or not to publish a submitted Letter to the Editor based on a majority rule vote, and additionally reserves the right to edit letters for clarity or request authors to revise. Provided that the author approves the final version, The Stute reserves the right to edit letters according to our copy editing procedures, defined in our policies.

Policy on Op-Eds All members of the Stevens community are able to submit a standalone opinion piece (otherwise known as an Op-Ed) to be published in The Stute. Op-Eds must be between 400 – 800 words, but longer submissions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. To submit an Op-Ed please email eboard@thestute.com with your name and title (when applicable) or using our Google form (tinyurl.com/submit-t0-stute). For writers who wish to write an OpEd anonymously, please see our policy on anonymity.

The Editorial Board reserves the right to choose whether or not to publish a submitted Op-Ed based on a majority rule vote, and additionally reserves the right to edit Op-Eds for clarity or request authors to revise. Provided that the author approves the final version, The Stute reserves the right to edit Op-Eds according to our copy editing procedures, defined in our policies.

The legend of the headless Hessian matrix

BY C H ARLES BEALL The town of Empty Interior, NY was a place of spell-bound mathematics. Fantastical concepts like infinities acting the same as other numbers, or horrifying ones like a curse to fail every math exam for eternity, held a high degree of intrigue among the townspeople. Jacobi Crane, a well-known Connecticut mathematician, was keen on studying the area.

Upon arrival, he quickly learned of the spookiest of all tales in Empty Interior — that of the headless Hessian matrix, a specter that roams the town, sending anyone it encounters into the heights of the atmosphere, or the depths of the Earth, based on its negative or positive mood. In awe of the story, Crane felt no sense of fear despite the quavering voices of the old wives who told him.

Also a man of romance, Crane became enamored of the town’s young belle Katrina Vandermonde, the daughter of a wealthy farmer. Abraham Wronskian, a bachelor who grew up in the town, grew quite jealous of the new visitor, who seemed to have all the time he wanted with Vandermonde.

At a party hosted by the Vandermonde,

Crane, after imbibing a fair amount of the house punch, decided to propose to his new crush. Vandermonde, while flattered, declined his offer, on account of not knowing Crane for that long, and because he was a mathematician. Crane, defeated, left the party, but on his way home, noticed something strange.

The ground began to shake, and then warp, as he felt himself losing balance.

He eventually fell on his back, and when he looked up, there he saw it. A block-like structure floated above him, its top rows seemingly missing. It bellowed, “I’m the headless Hessian, and I need you, Jacobian, to regain my top rows!”

The next morning, the townsfolk went looking for Crane, but all they could find was a small note that said, “don’t drink and derive,” a spot on the ground marked as “local minimum,” and Crane’s horse eating some grass on a misshapen patch of the road. Vandermonde and Wronskian married, and remember the strange visitor to their town with a calculus-themed party every year (no one else in Empty Interior has yet attended).

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JERSON YANG FOR THE STUTE

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SPOOKY STORIES Gather around to read the myths of campus Roaches in Davis Hall: curse or coincidence?

Lewis: the pumpkin that haunts the halls of DiffEq

B Y M E G H A N A M A M AD AP UR

BY TANYA AVADIA

With spooky season descending around the Stevens campus, no one is safe. Spirits lie in wait for students to haunt, and new dangers are spotted gurgling at the surface of the Hudson. Lying at the heart of campus and replete with new freshman blood, Davis Hall is a sure target. Many students have taken necessary precautions to board their windows, cleanse auras within rooms, and even keep the lights on while sleeping. However, a more sinister plot beyond imagination has manifested: little orange creatures with eyes full of pure hatred, or as they are known in our world, roaches.

Roaches were first spotted in Davis Hall on August 27. Since then, the Stevens administration has taken the necessary steps to eliminate the creatures, including sending exterminators. It is unclear what substance they were using. However, every now and then, roaches still appear to be crawling the hallways. An unnamed student who resides in Davis Hall stated that they “noticed that the roaches were bigger and more widespread.” Another student also claimed to see roaches with red eyes in the middle of the night.

The Stute decided to launch an investigation in response to the hysteria. A Stute staff member snuck into Davis Hall late at night

and followed the roaches to see their trajectory. The roaches appeared to start infiltrating the ground level before entering the staircase to the next floor, all the way up to the fifth.

After wiggling into every room, the roaches traveled back to the first floor. This led to the greatest discovery of all: the roaches entered the lounge in Davis Hall, their suspected lair of operations. The Stute staff member claimed to have seen a person with a witch hat and an extremely pointy nose in the corner, whispering to the roaches. Before a picture could be taken, the roaches started to attack the Stute staff member, who had to retreat quickly to escape with their life.

This experience left most of The Stute shaken and terrified for the safety of Davis Hall’s residents. It is clear now that the roaches are not a coincidence, but rather the doing of one individual. The investigation has reached a roadblock as The Stute is unsure of how to proceed. We have asked President Favardin for a comment, but his office has been unusually quiet. To ensure that freshmen stay alive on October 31, we advise everyone to go home. There’s no telling what kind of horrors these roaches will inflict in the upcoming days.

When most people see him, they see nothing more than a pumpkin with a carved face. What most people who do see him do not know is that he hates this. He hates being known as just a jack o’lantern, especially when he has a name.

Lewis is the name of the jack o’lantern that has taken an unsuspecting residence at Stevens. He was a mere pumpkin harvested for the purpose of being sold in a supermarket. Subsequently, he ended up at the Trader Joe’s. He sat there waiting to be picked until one day a sad, frustrated college student with raccoon eyebags and a Stevens hoodie bought him. The Stevens student did not really know what they were doing when they randomly purchased a pumpkin, but it was in some way to cheer up.

The start of October meant that it was officially spooky season, but this Stevens student was in engineering and all October meant was a gruesome month of studying for midterms. They had worked long and hard, but alas, they were no match for the Differential Equations test. The test broke the Stevens student so much that they embarked on a long walk, eventually ending

up at Trader Joe’s. The student had absolutely no Halloween spirit in them as they put all the fun aside to focus on the test, but now they wanted to get their mind off the test more than anything. This culminated in a pumpkin being bought; the pumpkin that would soon become Lewis.

The Stevens student brought the pumpkin to their apartment and carved it. They gave the carved pumpkin a name: Lewis.

Lewis lived in the student’s apartment for a few days and got a gist of what led to the student creating him. Lewis learned about the horrors of DiffEq and vowed to take revenge on behalf of his creator since his creator gifted him both a name and a face.

Lewis started slowly making his way to the Stevens campus and eventually took residence within the DiffEq classroom. There it continued to overlook all the students and ensure that they would pass their exams given one condition: they knew him to be Lewis. Anyone who saw him and didn’t address him as Lewis would be doomed to fail.

Therefore, if you see a pumpkin lurking in your DiffEq class, be kind to him and call him “Lewis.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVENS.EDU

Why does candy corn exist?

B Y A D VA I T D A N T ULUR I Throughout the history of the world, there have been many theories about why things are the way they are in the world.

Some people believe cats are apathetic because they are the reincarnations of people who worked dead-end jobs in their previous lives. Other people believe that the ocean is always blue because it listens to news about the modern world. However, one discovery was finally made about one aspect of the world: the reason why candy corn exists.

Long ago, when the world was starting anew, humans and corn kernels were the same size, so they managed to live together in harmony. However, genetic mutations caused humans to grow in size, and since the humans needed more food in order to

survive, they started preying on corn kernels. Some of the corn kernels started to hide on trees in order to avoid getting eaten, and that’s how corn on the cob became a thing. Unfortunately, humans continued to grow and keep eating the corn kernels, even those that hid on trees. So, the corn kernels all came together in order to discuss what to do about the humans. They decided to create fake corn kernels that the humans could eat, which would eventually kill them. The fake corn kernels were colored in orange, white, and yellow to attract the humans and make them addicted. That is why candy corn came to exist and why humans get sick from eating too much of them.

His name is LEWIS!!!!

PHOTO COURTESY OF TARGET.COM

Howe gets into the spirit of Halloween

BY TAS H A KH OS LA

Fizz is taking over brains

BY A D I T I S H ILAWAT Ever since Fizz has come onto our campus, students have been spotted looking sluggish and confused. They look disoriented when asked questions and have been seen walking into walls and doors regularly.

The Stute interviewed one of these students, and while interviewing them, they looked to have a green-ish tint to their complexion and their eyes were unfocused. Their answers did not make sense either, coming in the form of mumbles and strange groans.

We see technology as something that rots brains, but in this case, it seems to literally be rotting the brains of Stevens students. The app grew popular over the course of only a few weeks, and had many people addicted to it quickly. The most affected people seem to be the people who are on the app’s leaderboard. They all have similar qualities: purple

and green bruises, confused movements, and a staggered walk.

A student was also picked up off the sidewalk and taken to the emergency room earlier this week. They were found walking in a wall repeatedly and mumbling broken sentences. However, when they were taken to the emergency room, they were found to have peeling skin, specifically on their hands and head. Other students have been found acting like this, and the students with peeling skin have started to act more aggressively as well. Campus officials have been talking about classes going virtual again because of the harmful behavior of the Fizz addicts.

More information will be given when we have it. In the meantime, stay alert Stevens students! Is a free donut really free when this is the cost?

After years of declining attendance at Pierce Dining Hall, formerly the most premier dining hall on campus, Stevens has announced that a Spirit Halloween location will be replacing Howe. All 14 floors of the building will feature costumes, accessories, decorations, and more. With the police desk being moved to the UCC and the Cannon Cafe poaching Pierce’s ice cream business, Howe is now completely deserted. Spirit Halloween saw how desperately Stevens students needed a discount Halloween decor retail outlet to distract themselves from the horrors of midterm season and being at an academically challenging school.

Although Spirit Halloween store locations are seasonal, it has been decided that this particular location will be open all year.

A representative from Spirit Halloween noted, “I mean the frats have themed parties all year around. I’m sure keeping the store open will help up their costume game.”

The Stute decided to survey students on campus to gauge how they feel about the

change. One student declared, “This is the best thing to ever happen to campus! Maybe it finally won’t be dead on weekends for once.” Another claimed, “It’s about time.

Why would I bother walking to Pierce in the rain when I could just order from the UCC and bring the food anywhere? I’d totally walk to Spirit Halloween in the rain though, that’s definitely worth it.”

Still, other students aren’t too happy with this new addition to campus. One student noted, “Howe was the best place for Quack or Treat! Where will I get my candy now?”

An engineering student, who insisted we report that they are an engineering student, simply said that “the biz techs can finally get their clown gear.”

The new location will offer exclusive, Stevens-themed Halloween costumes to the student body including a Martini suit, the ghost of Colonel John, and scariest of all, the “assignment has been graded” Canvas email notification.

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CAMPUS CHAOS

The revenge of the lantern flies!

BY SHA NE M IT CH E L L , STA FF WRI T E R They may have left us alone for a year, but the lantern flies are back — and they want revenge! These terrible, red-winged creatures swarm campus, casting a cloud of fear on any student unfortunate enough to journey through the graveyard of bug carcasses at the base of the UCC towers. These monstrous insects seem to lack any sort of higher intelligence, as they aimlessly bump into objects and latch on to unsuspecting citizens. In fact, the only reason the wretched lantern flies haven’t deposed President Nariman Farvardin as the one true leader of Stevens Institute of Technology is that they are unable to organize, which protects students from losing their beloved university president to a lantern fly uprising. When asked about the university’s plans to solve the bug crisis, Martini the Dog, Interim Vice Provost of Insect Management, had this to say: “Woof. Woof woof, woof.

Grrrr.” Indeed, this moving statement aligns with the university’s ten-point plan for insect eradication, as it prioritizes student health

and safety above all else. Martini the Dog will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joseph R. Biden later this week for her contributions to world peace.

While Interim Vice Provost Martini has certainly been doing her part to rid Stevens of bug invasions, students have also formed communities that aim to assist in the process. The “Flies Are Really Very Annoying, Remove Dead Insects Now” Club, or F.A.R.V.A.R.D.I.N. as it is affectionately referred to by its members, has been working closely with the SGA to clean up dead lantern flies on campus and repair any damage they may have caused. Esteemed SGA Senator Riyana Phadke confirmed the SGA’s unwavering support for this initiative, saying, “As an SGA Senator, I can say with certainty that we are doing everything in our power to protect campus from lantern flies. In fact, we are allocating every dollar of funding we have to construct a massive statue of a can of RAID, in hopes of scaring the lantern flies away.” She then added, “That idea was all mine, and I really think it will work.” The Office of SGA President Paulina Georgoutsos

has yet to comment on the validity of this statement.

With a mixture of both university-led and student-led initiatives, lantern flies are sure to be permanently eradicated from

Mystery of the bowling alley: what lurks within lane six B Y TA SHA K H OS L A , B U SIN E SS MAN A G E R

After many mysterious disappearances, both of bowling balls and the occasional player, a few unlucky students (mainly a few of the many computer science majors on campus) attempted to discover what’s really going on with lane six, but all of them disappeared without a trace. Those students were my friend group, and I realized it was up to me to avenge them by figuring out what exactly happened. I also had nothing better to do, considering my whole friend group was gone.

One night, I ventured down to the Howe basement and waited for everyone to vacate the alley. As the last person left, I snuck in while the door was still open and lurked behind the tables until I knew for sure the coast was clear. Using my phone’s flashlight, I slowly approached the ball-return at lane six and moved the light around, trying to look for any clues. Interestingly enough, there were chunks of white fur littering the ground. I wasn’t sure what the fur could be, but I knew the ripped up pieces of Linear Algebra homework were definitely from my now-missing friends.

ANJALI JOY FOR THE STUTE

I followed the pieces of fur and homework paper and found a rectangular-shaped hatch on the floor right next to the ball-return. At this point, I probably should have just minded my own business and left it alone, but I knew I had to rescue my friends, especially since I had a computer science midterm coming up and definitely needed some help. So, I decided to pry the door open and climb down the ladder that awaited me.

As I descended the ladder, I realized that I was in some sort of cave. Once my feet hit the ground, I turned on my flashlight and found more pieces of fur laying around and miscellaneous items like backpacks, bowling shoes, old bowling balls, and socks that apparently had been chewed. As my light traveled around the room, I noticed tunnel entrances with signs indicating that these tunnels lead to various other spooky places on campus such as the basement of Gateway South, Humphrey’s Hall (that one smelled strongly of Axe body spray when I got too close to its entrance), and of course, the UCC. Suddenly, I flinched back as I came face to face with a portrait of President Farvardin and his beloved dog Martini.

GRAPHIC BY NICOLE GIARDINO

campus sometime in the very near future. Strangely, as temperatures have dropped and fall has begun, the local lantern fly population has seemingly disappeared entirely on its own. While students may rejoice

their temporary freedom from the swarm of six-legged monsters, they are cautioned to stay alert, as next year they may have to once again face… the revenge of the lantern flies!

Homework to hauntings: Halloween on a Tuesday Something about it seemed suspicious, so I crept closer and to my surprise, I found papers and diagrams detailing how for years, students have been sacrificed in order to keep Martini alive all these years. The ceremony involved luring students in with the bowling alley, opening the hatch to trap them, and then performing some sort of ritual involving candles and red and gray robes.

Feeling sick, I sat down, trying to process everything I had just seen and read. I may be a dog lover, but even I couldn’t justify this! As I went to sit back up, my hand brushed against something warm and waxy — a lit candle. This was not there when I first entered the cave. I whipped around to see robed figures approaching me. I knew that I was next. At that moment, it was fight or flight — and I chose flight.

I took off and ran into the tunnel labeled UCC, and I refused to turn back to see who was behind me. I just kept running until I reached the UCC where I knew I could take refuge in my dorm.

I know that I don’t have much time before they find me. By writing this, I am hoping that others can read my story and investigate this conspiracy even further before it’s too late.

BY NIC OLE G IARDINO, LAY OUT EDITOR When you think of Halloween, the last thing that comes to mind is homework and classes, but that’s the unfortunate reality when Halloween falls on a Tuesday. Celebrating Halloween on a weekday may initially sound disappointing, but it can actually be a lot of fun. I personally enjoy finding unconventional ways to celebrate this spooky holiday. It adds a unique twist to the celebration, requiring some creative planning. I’m here to share with you some ways to celebrate Halloween in untraditional ways.

One annual tradition that my roommate, Science Editor Erin McGee, and I cherish is watching Tim Burton’s, The Nightmare Before Christmas at least once during the last week of October, and if time allows, on Halloween itself. In the lead up to the holiday, we like to host movie nights where we watch spooky movies. Back in 2021, we watched the series, Squid Game, throughout the month of October. This year, we have been watching Bojack Horseman (not exactly a scary series, but it has its eerie moments). Watching Halloween movies while snacking on popcorn and candy is a great way to decompress and have fun, especially if waiting for trick or treaters to come to the door.

Another one of our all time favorite traditions is pumpkin painting. We try to do this every year with a small group of friends, and this year we are doing it

the night of Halloween, after we get out of our night classes. We cover the kitchen table with copies of The Stute (not to disrespect my own layout), get snacks, and play a Halloween playlist. Speaking of playlists, Erin and I have a joint Spotify playlist filled with all of our favorite Halloween-centric music.

Also, you can gain a lot of Halloween spirit by simply walking around Hoboken. So many houses are decorated to the max and so walking around past these houses is a really fun activity to do (especially with a pumpkin spice latte in hand). I recommend walking along Bloomfield or Garden, these streets go all out on Halloween decor. Additionally, there are also many halloween themed drinks to find from your favorite local coffee shop. Kai Wong, Sports Writer, recently recommended adding pumpkin spice syrup in an iced chai latte from Jeffersons (which I now have to recommend to you). Jefferson’s offers a wide variety of syrups to add to your chais or coffees to make fall themed drinks. Other fan favorites include Empire Coffee’s apple chai, and bwé’s apple pie cold brew latte.

So while you can petition the government to make Halloween a national holiday so we always have the day off — for right now we have to make the most of our normal Tuesday. So get some pumpkins, curl up with a pumpkin spice latte, and watch Halloween movies in your free moments to celebrate even in the busiest of midterms’ seasons.

NICOLE GIARDINO FOR THE STUTE

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Happy Halloween

from The Stute

GRAPHIC BY ISABELLA ZIV

The Stute Graveyard R.I.P. Kevin Castner Jr.

R.I.P.

(Curious George) 2002-2023

Erin McGee (Clown) 2002-2023

R.I.P.

Tanya Avadia 2004-2023

Death by: Old “Make me a list of all EICs ever” Crushed by shelf

Death by: Black hole Sacrifice

Death by: AFR BBM Appendicitis

R.I.P.

R.I.P.

Kayden Cannilla

R.I.P.

Olof Persson (Tree House) 2003-2023

R.I.P.

2003-2023

2001-2023

Death by: Rogue football MAC scores

(Cheetah) 2001-2023

Rafael Lee Li

Death by: “That sounds like an outreach job” Tummy hurt

Death by: Headshot Wordpress Photo Cropping

Deathy by: Photo shoot out File naming convention

R.I.P.

Tasha Khosla

R.I.P.

Death by: Ran out of topics Being left on read (by sources) Missing in action

(Cowgirl) 2002-2023

Death by: Constant contact Mailchimp Black lung

R.I.P.

R.I.P.

Ben Knobloch (Pumpkin) 2003-2023

Death by: Fake news Propaganda Room temp coffee

Evan Papageorge (Cupid) 2004-2023 Death by: 3 article limit Sunday deadline

Keenan Yates 2002-2023

Death by: Em dash Gramer mistakes Memed too hard

R.I.P.

R.I.P.

Isabella Ziv

Death by: Easy kyudoku creativity

Death by: A thousand cuts Editorial 750 word count

(Princess) 2002-2023

Ava Wang (Chicken) 2004-2023

(Barney) 2003-2023

Claire Hannan

R.I.P.

Christa Ruiz

R.I.P.

Nicole Giardino (Cheerleader) 2003-2023 Death by: Indesign Wednesdays

R.I.P.

Mia Petrolino (Aurora) 2003-2023

Death by: Broken ankle

GRAPHIC BY ISABELLA ZIV

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Science Spooky Skeletons: How skeletons led to a better understanding of the Spanish Flu

BY E VA N PA PA G E OR G E , O PIN IO N E D I T OR Halloween is the time of spooky skeletons. Whether it be Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas or the 10-foot inflatable skeleton sold at Walmart, skeletons are the rulers of Halloween. However, skeletons are fantastic Halloween decorations in science and the key to uncovering mysteries from a century ago. For example, a study from McMaster University and the University of Colorado uses skeletons to shed light on the Spanish Influenza epidemic.

Amanda Wissler and Sharon N. DeWitte are anthropologists who took a step back from the COVID-19 pandemic to compare it with the pandemic of the last century, the Spanish Flu. The Spanish Flu epidemic ravaged the entire world from 1918 to 1920. At the same time as the First World War, The Great Influenza, as it became known, killed more people than the war — with estimates ranging from 20 million to over 50 million. In particular, records of the time show that more young adults were affected than any other section of the population. Hence, life expectancy in America dropped by 12 years. As a result, the graph of those who died from the epidemic looks like a “W” rather than the traditional “U.” A “U” graph correlates with higher mortality rates among the very young and very old. The “W,” however, sees the same traits as the “U,” but also sees a large number of young adults also dying from the

virus. The symptoms of those sick with the flu match that of today: sore throat, chills, fever, and deterioration of the lungs — the most deadly part of the disease — reported esteemed disease historian Alfred Crosby.

Despite the recorded values of young adults being more susceptible to the disease, Wissler and DeWitte sought to challenge this long-standing assumption. They believed those with underlying symptoms to be more sensitive to receiving the disease and experiencing more dangerous symptoms — an idea all too familiar in the post-COVID-19 world. They used techniques for post-mortem tuberculosis or cancer diagnoses or other stressors like nutritional deficiencies to test their hypothesis. In those diseases, the shin bones of infected individuals have small bumps on them; with a way to prove their hypothesis, Wissler and DeWitte found themselves in the shadow of Halloween — searching for skeletons.

Wissler and DeWitte approached the Cleveland Museum of Natural History to find their skeletons. Cleveland has a vast collection of 3,000 skeletons, all meticulously labeled by name and information about when and how they died. The researchers examined 81 skeletons of individuals who died from ages 18 to 80, with Wissler noting she treated the skeletons with “great respect.” Among the 81 individuals, 26 died between 20 and 40. To ensure the validity of their results, DeWitte and Wissler also examined the skeletons of individuals who passed before the influenza outbreak.

The results Dewitte and Wissler

CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY SKELETON COLLECTION, COURTESY OF THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

found confirmed their theory. Rather than the most robust trend predicting if an individual died of the flu during the outbreak, the study found that those “frail or unhealthy individuals were more likely to die during the pandemic than those who were not frail.” While the “W” shaped graph stays true, rather than be because of the age, Wissler and DeWitte showed it was their frailty.

Despite their findings, DeWitte and Wissler found a new question: why the “W” shaped graph of the

ages of when individuals died? Peter Palese, a flu expert at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, proposed an answer. He says that the high death rates of young children and older adults are due to DeWitte and Wissler’s findings. For the large number of young adults who succumbed to the disease, Palese explains that it is most likely those individuals did not face exposure to a similar virus before the influenza outbreak. Because of this, they did not have the resistance that many full

adults had.

The study by Wissler and DeWitte showed that skeletons are not just for Halloween decorations and spooky tales but can be used to uncover critical scientific insights. Who knew that examining the bones of the deceased could reveal so much about a pandemic from a century ago? It’s like something out of a horror movie, but with science! So, next time you see a skeleton, don’t be scared; remember that it might be the key to unlocking a mystery or two!

ciated more to ensure its protection against climate change.

Consequently, the changes in fall foliage do not only impact the environment but also our economy and living activities. Actions that can help fight climate change involve providing free transportation, creating recreational spaces, and pro-

moting environmentally friendly practices. Practicing these actions is necessary to help reduce the effects of natural disasters caused by the lack of environmental maintenance.

As communities make conscious choices to better the climate, people will be able to bring better health to the plants and spaces around them.

Wildfire smoke may affect fall foliage B Y RAY N E LIS V I L L A , STA FF W R I T E R This year, the fall may seem less colorful, as fall foliage is affected by climate change. Due to the extreme climate of the past two years, trees are now facing physiological challenges. One of the most recent events that contribute to the issue involves Canada’s wildfire smoke; however, the rainstorms and sudden temperature changes have already been affecting the trees.

During the summer, chlorophyll is produced by trees using sunlight and higher temperatures. Therefore, when the sun begins to set earlier and the weather becomes cooler during the late months of the year, chlorophyll begins to be replaced by carotenoids and anthocyanins, the compounds that give leaves yellow, orange, and purple colors, along with the green foliage that turns to red and yellow hues. Now, trees are struggling to keep their carotenoid and anthocyanin levels with inconsistent temperatures. The chlorophyll that the trees produce during the spring and summer does not match the amount of sugar and car-

bohydrates the tree needs to grow and survive during the winter. Even if the trees are learning to adapt to the changes, they do this by reducing fall foliage time to grow for longer periods and shorter transitions.

Since September 29, rain has come every weekend in the Northeast. In the meantime, people have experienced warm and sunny days in the middle of the week. Just as humans feel these changes, the trees are stressing over what season it currently is. The heavy rain has strained trees to absorb too much water. The excess water prevents the trees from properly obtaining their nutrients. The lack of nutrients lead the trees’ leaves to produce a yellow color from weak health. Eventually, the branches and leaves may die.

Also, the trees become prone to the growth of fungal diseases and deterioration of the tree. The effects of constant rainfall at this time of the year put trees at risk of being healthy for the next seasons.

Trees in Canada’s wildfire smoke, along with other wildfire cases, were unable to absorb sunlight efficiently due to the ash particles. Because of the particles scat-

tering the light, the sun looked as if it were a bright orange or red color.

Similarly, the particles disturbed the trees’ process of photosynthesis because the smoke blocked the leaves from receiving sunlight appropriately. The slowed photosynthesis process is causing a shorter fall foliage season and more muted leaf colors. The last ten years have demonstrated less colorful leaves in many states, except for some that are gaining back their bright colors, such as New Hampshire and Maryland.

The fall season happens to bring large numbers of tourist revenue, about $1 billion total. Many expect to see the trees changing color in the United States and grab a vacation to feel the coziness of fall, whether this is done by taking a trip to a national park or staying at an inn with a beautiful mountain view full of many tree colors. There are hopes for long fall foliage during this harvest season so that consumers can enjoy the many fall-themed events that are brought by businesses. And so, the early falling leaves might be cutting short tourist revenue this year. The fall foliage must be appre-

COURTESY OF STEVENS.EDU, EDITED BY ANJALI JOY

What’s Hiding in the Dark? Flying Snakes!

BY B E N JA M IN K N OBL OCH, STA FF WRI T E R As we inch closer and closer to Halloween by the day, it’s the perfect season to learn more about some of the spooky yet mesmerizing things that lurk in the dark, specifically one particularly creepy group of creatures- flying snakes.

Though snakes are one of the most commonly feared animals and something we generally try to avoid even here in Hoboken, there is one particular genus of snakes known as the flying, or gliding snake that possesses some seriously fascinating abilities.

Chrysopelea, better known as gliding snakes, is a genus made up of five species

of tree snakes which reside in South East Asia that possess an unmistakably eerie ability to glide through the air. Though the thought of a snake flying towards you might be unsettling, the mechanisms that allow gliding snakes to do so are truly an evolutionary wonder. The aerodynamics of the gliding snake remain a mystery, as relatively few studies have studied them, with creatures like birds, bats, and insects having received most attention from researchers, leaving animals that can only glide, but not fly, heavily ignored.

To perform their unique gliding motion, gliding snakes move from side to side, sending waves with large amplitudes through their bodies. They launch themselves from trees and, upon becoming airborne, begin splaying their ribs

and flattening their bodies in the dorsoventral axis to create a rather unconventional cross sectional shape. According to Dr. John J. Socha at Virginia Tech, how a snake, with its ribs spread and body flattened, is able to achieve aerodynamic lift, is truly a mechanical mystery. What makes the gliding snake so slitheringly interesting is its ability to seemingly defy what we know about how most animals interact with aerodynamics. The gliding snake uses a completely different set of mechanisms than other flying animals like birds and insects. The combination of an undulating motion with the paired effects of body morphing that results in the body not exhibiting bilateral symmetry is a phenomenon never seen before in biological nor engineered flyers. From bats

to gliding ants, no other species has been identified using this type of mechanism.

In the case of the paradise tree snake, a particular species of gliding snake which Dr. Socha has studied extensively for over a decade, the cross sectional shape of the snake’s body varies along the span of its length. In 2014 Dr. Socha and colleagues analyzed what “type of wing” the snake’s body mimics while in air. After modeling the paradise tree snake’s body, Socha and his team found that the snake moves in the air exactly as it would in the land or the water, in an “S” shape.

“It doesn’t straighten out and fly like a living javelin,” says Dan Holden, one of Dr. Socha’s colleagues, “It more or less works its way through the air like the wiggly pipe that it is, with much of its body…

always broadside to the air flowing over it”. The team immersed the model in a tank, using water to mimic air flow over the snake. They found that at angles between 15 and 45 degrees, the snake actually achieved better lift than that of many conventional wing shapes.

However, Holden and Dr. Socha’s work thus far is only the beginning. To truly understand the aerodynamics at work, the paradise snake’s subtle changes in movement while in the “S” shape must be modeled at each fraction of a second.

As ducks, another incredibly well engineered animal, we know that the biomechanical properties of many birds and insects’ bodies are used to model planes and robots. It’s possible flying snakes have a future in engineering too.

Interested in Science Journalism?

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Reach out to Erin McGee, Science Editor (emcgee@stevens.edu) for more information – No experience necessary to write • thestute.com/category/science –

Friday, October 27

7

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVENSDUCKS.COM (Shot by Mike McLaughlin), edited by Nicole giardino

Sports

Swim team starts their season looking scary fast B Y K A I W ON G, SPO R TS W R I T E R

For their second dual meet of the season, the Ducks headed south to Glassboro, NJ, to take on the Rowan University Profs. The men and women’s teams combined for seven wins and earned more top times in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC), but both teams fell to Rowan University.

The women’s team opened the meet beating out Rowan in the 200-yard Medley Relay with a time of 1:52.30, just 0.09 seconds off their best time this season. The rest of the women’s team was highlighted by sophomore Natalia Brunetti who had three first-place finish-

es, along with senior Keenan Yates who had a first-place finish in the 50-yard Freestyle, and sophomore Adriana Bertolotti, who also won the 100-yard Breastroke. The men’s team totaled two first-place finishes against the No. 25 Rowan team.

Sophomore Will Stibor touched the wall first in the 50-yard Freestyle by one-hundredth-of-a-second, and Deo Bove took first in the 200yard Butterfly, touching the wall in 1:59.93.

In the MAC, the women’s team is looking like a dominant threat this early in the season. The women’s team holds the fastest 200-yard Medley Relay time by over a second advantage with a time of 1:52.21.

Brunetti holds the fastest 100-yard

Butterfly time, while junior Sophie Patz holds the fastest 200-yard Individual Medley time by over a second. Other notable times include first-year Abby Rosingana who is third in the 1,000-yard Freestyle and sophomore Gabby Tyer who holds the second fastest 500-yard Freestyle time by 0.07 seconds.

On the men’s side, they look to be defending their championship title for the fifth season in a row. The men are off to a good start, holding the fastest times in ten events. The team is highlighted by sophomore Angel Velazquez, who was named MAC Swimming Rookie of the Year last season and holds the fastest times in the 100yard Breastroke and 200-yard In-

dividual Medley. Men’s Swimming is rounded out by first-year Patrick Cortelli who holds the top times in the 500 and 1,000-yard Freestyle, sophomores Deo Bove and Lukas Mikulenas, who hold the top times in the 200-yard Butterfly and 200yard Breastroke, respectively, and upperclassmen Ryan Ward and Darius Truong who hold the top times in the 100-yard and 200yard Backstroke, respectively.

Next up, the Lady Ducks take on Kean University this Saturday, October 28, at 12 p.m. in DeBaun Aquatic Center for their first home meet of the season. The men will join the women back in the pool in two weeks on Friday, November 3 for the NYU Fall Invitational.

Field Hockey’s win streak hits double digits, haunting their competition

SAT, OCT 28 WOMEN’S AND MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY MAC Championship Dallas, PA Time TBA WOMEN’S SWIMMING Kean University Hoboken, NJ 12 p.m.

FIELD HOCKEY DeSales University Center Valley, PA 12 p.m.

WOMEN’S AND MEN’S SOCCER Lebanon Valley College Hoboken, NJ 12/3:30 p.m.

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL Stockton University Galloway, NJ 3:30 p.m.

SUN, OCT 29 WOMEN’S AND MEN’S FENCING Rangers Fall Invitational - Part I Madison, NJ Time TBA WRESTLING

B Y A B B Y J A COBS , SPO R TS W R I T E R Field Hockey began their win streak last month on Wednesday, September 20, against Drew University where they took home a 4-0 win. At that point in the season, the victory was the largest win for the Ducks of the year. This win streak is the longest for the team since their 11-game win streak in 2021.

Just three days later, on Saturday, September 23, the team secured an 8-0 victory over Eastern University on home turf. First-year Jess Kopernick and junior Sarah Korczukowski made notable marks on the team’s victory, both having scored two goals and Kopernick with one assist.

Their third victory in a row and sixth of the season came on Wednesday, September 27, also known as Umpire Appreciation Day, over Montclair State University (MSU). The 3-2 win marked the first defeat of MSU since 2009 and ended a 12-loss streak against the school.

Wins number four and five came on Saturday, September 30, and Wednesday, October 4, against Albright College and Keystone College.

The Ducks took a 2-0 victory over Albright and a 1-0 over Keystone.

Saturday, October 7, marked Field Hockey’s Senior Day, the Duck Country Game, the team’s first game of the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC),

ON DECK IN SPORTS

Wrestle-Offs Hoboken, NJ 10 a.m.

TUE, OCT 31 WOMEN’S SOCCER MAC Freedom Championship Semifinal Location and Time TBA

WED, NOV 1 WRESTLING Delaware Valley University Hoboken, NJ 7 p.m.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVENSDUCKS.COM (Shot by Sid Rochlani), edited by Nicole giardino

and the sixth win for the streak. The team started strong with a point each quarter prior to halftime, and then another two in the third, finishing 4-0 over King’s College on home grounds.

A 7-1 victory over Misericordia University marked win number seven of the streak. The game, fought at DeBaun, took place on Wednesday, October 11, and served as the teams’ Pride Game. With five different players making goals throughout the game, graduate Lynda Farinella led the Ducks with two goals and two assists.

A game against Lebanon Valley

College, originally intended to be on Saturday, October 14, was postponed to the next day, Sunday, October 15.

With a point in each half by sophomore Taylor Knox and then Farinella, the Ducks secured win number eight at a margin of 2-1.

The teams’ Mental Health Awareness Game marked their ninth victory in a row. Facing Arcadia University, Farinella and senior Dani Hessels scored in the first and third quarters respectively, resulting in a 2-0 win.

The Ducks’ win streak hit double digits with their 6-0 on Saturday

with a victory against Delaware Valley University. Korczukowski led the team with three goals throughout the game and Farinella made her 11th goal of the season. This game also marked a 5-0 record in the MAC Freedom for the Ducks.

On Wednesday, October 25th, the team played FDU-Florham, their sixth game of MAC Freedom, and the 16th of their season.

Their next MAC game will be tomorrow, Saturday, October 28, in Center Valley, Pa., against DeSales University.

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL DeSales University Center Valley, PA 7 p.m.

FIELD HOCKEY MAC Freedom Championship Semifinal Time and Location TBA MEN’S SOCCER MAC Freedom Championship Semifinal Time and Location TBA

STEVENS SCOREBOARD D AT E TUE, OCT 17 WED, OCT 18

SAT, OCT 21

SUN, OCT 22 TUE, OCT 24

TE A M WOMEN'S SOCCER MEN'S GOLF WOMEN'S TENNIS MEN'S SOCCER FIELD HOCKEY WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL WOMEN'S SOCCER WOMEN'S SWIMMING MEN'S SWIMMING WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL MEN'S SOCCER WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL FIELD HOCKEY WOMEN'S FENCING WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL MEN'S SOCCER

OPPONENT KING'S COLLEGE (PA) THE MELEE - SINGLE ROUND MAKEUP EVENT STOCKTON UNIVERSITY KING'S COLLEGE (PA) ARCADIA UNIVERSITY KING'S COLLEGE (PA) ARCADIA UNIVERSITY ROWAN UNIVERSITY ROWAN UNIVERSITY NO. 1 JUANITA COLLEGE ARCADIA UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON DELAWARE VALLEY UNIVERSITY LIU SHARKTANK CHALLENGE ARCADIA UNIVERSITY DELAWARE VALLEY UNIVERSITY

LOC ATI O N AWAY AWAY HOME AWAY HOME HOME HOME AWAY AWAY AWAY HOME AWAY AWAY AWAY HOME AWAY

S C OR E W (8-0) 1ST OF 5 W (9-0) W (3-2) W (2-0) W (3-0) W (3-0) L (105-157) L (92-170) L (1-3) W (1-0) W (3-1) W (6-0) 3 Wins, 2 Losses W (3-1) W (3-0)

Friday, October 27

8

Opinion MIN D OF A FR ES H M A N

S E N IOR IT I S

Spooky season

Spooky savings: tips for a cheap halloween

I sometimes say I can smell the seasons coming. The smell of decaying leaves wafts through the streets, and the 65-degree air permeates my nostrils and the stitches in my $19.99 Marshalls sweater. Then it dawns on me — the time has finally descended.

Spooky season is upon us.

In high school, we analyzed poetry with the fervor of English majors, and most of us have come to associate the seasons with seasons of life. We learned that spring would be birth, summer would be teenage youth, fall would represent the decline to middle age, and winter would be inevitable death. Even though we are in the summer of our lives and fall symbolizes getting older, the meaning of fall for me personally revolves around the change it brings.

I’ve seen many of my friends go through an enormous change within the first months. Despite the melancholic deterioration of our natural surroundings, I’ve witnessed peers blossom into bet-

quently. I’m more honest and true to myself here. When I feel a certain way about something, I just say it how it is. And for the first time, I’ve felt like I’ve had unrelenting support from my friends.

As I grow older, everything seems less magical. The wonder of holidays has become nostalgia, and as we settle into adulthood, society tells us we can’t look at things with the same splendor we once did. I’d like to retain my supposed “childishness” for as long as I can. While we are growing up, the balance between responsibility and child-like wonder can become difficult to navigate.

During high school, everyone was so eager to grow up and go to parties, but the most fun moments I’ve had in college so far have been spent playing Mario Party with a few close friends, and painting rocks in my dorm room. Throughout your time here, I urge you to not try to go through the semesters so fast, and enjoy the time before getting that nine to five job.

Happy spooky season!

NICOLE CHEUNG FOR THE STUTE

BY ETHAN KL ES C HI N S K Y ‘24 As we pass through midterm season and everyone begins to spend all their time studying, there is only one thing on my mind: What should I be for Halloween this year? It is such a simple, yet troublesome question, but I tend to enjoy the challenge associated with figuring out a fun costume that falls within my very, very, small budget. However, I like to say that in the brokest days come the greatest moments of inspiration. I remember in my sophomore year, I was at a Spirit Halloween that was briefly open next to the CVS on First Street, and I was desperate for anything that could’ve led to something that resembled a costume. I felt as if I was at my lowest when I turned to my right, and it was sitting there with what felt like a glowing aura

COMIC CORNER B Y JOSI E ST R ANO

B Y LI Z SEP ULVED A

around it, a bald cap. This was what I needed, and for less than $15 I was on my way back to my apartment with the best costume idea ever: Mr. Worldwide. The next day I bought a cheap suit from St. Mary’s Thrift Store, ordered a crappy pair of sunglasses, and the scene was set. Let’s be real for a second, if you’re getting desperate for an easy costume and Halloween is right around the corner, try to find a bald cap and follow suit. When Halloween came, I had a blast, and everyone seemed to appreciate the effort I put in.

But to have fun on Halloween, you honestly don’t even need a bald cap. I understand with classes picking up, and an overall low desire to not only find something to dress up but to spend money on that Halloween can seem dreadful and boring. I can assure you that it is anything but that. Even though we may be smack dab in the middle of midterm season, and your coursework has finally begun to become more rigorous, you should make an effort to get dressed and show yourself off. I feel as though Halloween only happens once a year, and you may come to regret it if you miss

it. During my first year, the COVID era, I don’t have any memory of doing something extravagant for Halloween, so I highly recommend you find a way to go out and enjoy yourself with those that are important to you!

At the end of the day, this is one of your last Halloweens whether this is your first or fifth year, for me this very well may be my last Halloween that I really celebrate on my way to the grave. So, it only makes sense to make the most of it. If you’re still not convinced that you have what it takes to get dressed and go out, I will give you some costume suggestions: you could buy a sheet and be a ghost, or use that sheet and make a toga, or a nun (using the same sheet), or anything you want.

Happy Halloween!

ETHAN KLESCHINSKY FOR THE STUTE

BY NICOLE CHEUNG ‘27

ter versions of themselves, or give into their worst vices. As we are growing into ourselves, we are finally becoming separate entities from the parents that have shaped our worldview. For some, this is what we’ve been always longing for, and for others this move to college might’ve been a dread. I find myself falling in the middle of these two.

In my first days of college I realized that I quite literally have free will, and I could truly do (mostly) anything. I now had to figure out how to spend my time, who to hang out with, and whether or not to just not go to the lecture I was already 30 minutes late for (I did because my parents don’t pay private school tuition for me to skip class). With freedom, came the crushing pressure of messing things up. Now, it really felt like my actions belonged solely to me.

Through this month, I find myself becoming a stronger person. Though it has taken a while, I have garnered the strength to stand up for myself more fre-

Friday, October 27

9

Opinion B OOK OF T HE W EEK

UN MAS K IN G : A N A U TISM STORY

A Little Life: Hanya Yanagihara’s spectacle of trauma

Halloween every day: the costumes of autism

BY TIANNA S PI T Z ‘ 2 7 Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life, published in 2015, is a plotless, sporadic, existential narrative that manages to be both shocking and beautiful, but never at the same time.

From New York Times bestseller to BookTok stardom, A Little Life was sensationalized for telling a simple story of male friendship between four broke college graduates that cling to each other in the shared deprivation of New York City. Despite the novel being a lengthy 720 pages, Yanagihara writes beautifully of the interdependent narratives of each character as they find love and livelihoods, as they grow apart and come together, all while an undertone of emotional or physical suffering hums in the background. While Yanagihara is praised for being raw and capturing the totality of “a little life,” she sensationalizes and even debatably sells the shock factor of trauma and its lingering effects — winning $50,000 for the annual Kirkus Prize for Fiction and the accolades of being a Man Booker Prize Finalist.

The time frame is intentionally ambiguous as the characters allude to social climates of the late 90s to early 2000s

and follow 50 years of friendships from the college students’ early twenties to their late fifties. In an unassuming but very New Yorker landscape of studio apartment buildings and Chinatown hole-in-the-walls, we meet the four leads: Malcolm, a nepotist son born into wealth, J.B. an ambitious egoist artist, Willem, a good-looking waiter and aspiring actor, and Jude, a pre-law student shrouded in traumatic mystery. Yanagihara carefully hyper-focuses on Jude, and therefore suffering, as his friends simply witness him cope with the trail of physical pain and PTSD stemming from his formative years as an orphan subjected to emotional and physical abuse. While the friend group intended to make life pacts, Yanagihara paints them in a fatalistic yet ideal reality where each of them rise to the top of their careers, while the rest is misery revealed through individual character profiles that intertwine.

A Little Life serves as a comprehensive collection of suffering as Yanagihara portrays topics of sexual abuse, selfharm, homophobia, chronic illness, disability, and suicide in an attempt to justify the over 700 pages, but casts them through a lens of romanticized fiction rather than a dialogue of awareness. Yanigahara employs picturesque prose, allowing the reader to understand the importance of visceral feelings with romantic descriptions to depict violence with equal attention and fluidity. The descriptive narration is dutiful and unrelenting in which Yanagihara’s talent to transport the reader to the sensual storyline of each character has been crit-

icized as abuse of plot line. As domestic abuse and PTSD rear their ugly heads for the sake of the plot, how many trigger warnings is enough to necessitate depictions of trauma if it serves to represent the underrepresented?

As Yanagihara writes powerful descriptions and stunning imagery alongside dense, even chapter long scenes, of abuse, A Little Life represents the spoon full of sugar to the medicine of trauma dumping. The characters all balance between the friendship and contempt they share for one another as Yanagihara suggests the ambiguity of love to morph throughout the years. Likewise, the theme of balance persists through the comparison of companionship and suffering as Jude grapples with the fear and desire to be known and forever attached to the concept of pain. Yanagihara reserves her elaborate descriptions and conventions for the themes of trauma and friendship to highlight both transformative elements that create a semblance of consistency throughout the sprawling plot.

Invisible sorcerers responsible for cold weather at Stevens

BY OF F C E N TE R PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON.COM

Jump scare sexism

BY CLAIRE HANNAN ‘24 Picture this: you’re scrolling through Instagram. Everything is chill on your feed, a normal mix of dog videos and reposted TikToks when all of a sudden, the algorithm decides to pull up a grainy Reddit screenshot where some man explains why women suck and should be in the kitchen. Gasp! A blood-curdling scream cuts through the air; you’ve just fallen victim to what I like to call: jump scare sexism. The example I just gave is common enough. We all have at one point or another been lulled into a false sense of security and then been startled by a sudden reminder of everyday sexism.

We all know that those things exist but we don’t always see them: like a horror movie vil-

As we explore our journey of autism, we slowly unmask the many mysteries that autism holds. We have examined how autism is defined and diagnosed, its effects, and even a potential part of the human brain that can cause autism. To celebrate Halloween, we will explore autistic masking more thoroughly. We will try on the different Halloween costumes of an individual with autism.

The first costume that an individual with autism may wear is just themselves. Imagine those celebrities who dress up as themselves because they are cool enough to do so. For individuals with autism, acting like themselves is normal for them, but for people who do not know them, it could seem like they are wearing a costume. Autistic individuals in their “this is

zerland, and then talk for another couple hours.

Another costume in the wardrobe of an individual with autism is that which they use the most: the “everyday” costume. The “everyday” costume is what we with autism wear out in the wild of the social realm. With complete masking, continuous observations, and almost non-stop calculations of when to look someone in the eye, change the topic, nod, laugh, and when it is okay to talk, the typical costume of individuals with autism is what we wear in classes, at work, on the street, or in general. The “everyday” costume is just how I am most of the day — unless it’s one of the aforementioned situations.

Halloween is very festive: candy, trick-or-treating, trips for a pumpkin spice latte, and costumes. However, for some, wearing costumes is part of daily activities. For those with autism, masking is just a part of our lives. Whether it be entirely masking in everyday life or none at all in an intimate environment, costumes are just another Tuesday for those with autism. Whether you are wearing the same costume as always or got one off Amazon, Happy Halloween!

OF F T HE PRESS

G IRL (ISH) TAL K lain lurking just out of sight until it pops out at you, then you can’t forget it exists anymore.

Honestly, horror movies are a pretty good analogy for sexism. There’s psychological horror; going to a straight bar sort of reminds me of watching Midsommar, you feel like something is off, maybe it’s in your drinks, maybe it’s the guys in the corner looking at you weird. Either way, you make sure to walk extra quickly and keep an eye over your shoulder on the way home. There’s body horror; getting unprompted opinions on what features make you hot or not and having your body be twisted into something foreign and outside of your control. And of course, there’s jump scare horror: walking down the street, romanticizing life, and then hearing a catcall, seeing a dude on the sidewalk ahead of you, looking at you like you’re meat.

These things don’t happen very often (at least in my experience) but I think that adds to the suspense. It’s like living in a haunted house and going for a while without any paranormal activity. Like,

BY EVAN PAPAGEOR G E ‘26

me” costume might not mask their stims, push down urges to bring up their current hyper fixation, or analyze a social situation. My “this is me” costume is what I wear at 2 a.m., reading a book about the structural resonance of medieval architecture without needing to understand emotional cues or measure my eye-contactto-not-eye-contact ratio. If you are around an individual with autism and they’re in their “this is me” costume, they most likely feel comfortable around you (this is a good thing!).

Another costume that individuals with autism may exhibit is the one they wear when in a more public environment but where one of their hyper fixations thrives. These environments could be a club, class, conversation with friends, or anywhere, with their interests being the main focus. In this costume, individuals with autism will have some of their masking, but some will not be in use. They won’t randomly change topics, but they might talk over you. If you get me talking about history, music, law, or something I love, this is true — I will blabber on about minute parts of how an old Stevens family member married this guy, who ran off to Swit-

you know the ghosts are still there, but what are they up to? When are they gonna pop out next? At least in horror movies, it’s clear to everyone who the problem is. No one tries to say that being chased by a psycho killer isn’t as bad as people make it out to be.

People never say, “well maybe if your skirt was longer, you wouldn’t have been possessed.”

Just like horror movie protagonists, women don’t wake up expecting to be jump scared by sexism. We’re living other plot lines until we get ripped out and forced to briefly live our miniature horror movies. A vast majority of the time, everything is okay, but there’s always that small chance that it won’t be, that we’ll end up a headline.

It’s spooky stuff. I think that people tend to forget the beginning of horror movies too often, that the characters’ have whole lives before the movie starts, and they’ll have one after the movie ends.

When your day is interrupted by a catcall, when you feel like you might be getting followed on the way home, you just have to shake it off. Hey, it’s not that bad, right?

So far, there has been a sharp increase in the accumulating cold weather around our campus.

Gone are the days of the warm summer sun, turning into a freezefest where goosebumps start popping out like jack-in-the-boxes as our bodies try to look for warmth.

You might be wondering: it’s getting cold already? But the freezing temperatures aren’t due for 0.00000000000000000001 milliseconds! What’s happening?

It’s clear that invisible sorcerers are responsible for this. According to The Stute’s famous and reliable investigative journalist, Totes Forreal, sorcery has been seeing a sharp increase in Stevens ever since people have been learning about the special Stevens magic that helps people succeed in life. Sorcerers have been trying to jump on the train of exploiting the Stevens magic for their own selfish benefit, and are starting by creating cold spells to create a lower temperature that students are forced to survive in. A closer look provides how sorcerers are able to create this cold weather: first, the sorcerers used the Stevens magic and combined it with the power of hate before adding three teaspoons of salt, four table-

spoons of vinegar, and 10 green bottles hanging on the wall. After mixing well and adding a Diablo Sauce packet fresh from the local Taco Bell, an explosion occurred, and freezing temperatures mixed with the air, creating the cold temperatures all throughout Stevens.

It doesn’t stop there, either.

According to Totes Forreal, the sorcerers are planning on creating more terrible spells to test the limits of their magic. First, they are planning on turning all the ice cream in the Pierce Dining Hall into shaving cream, as well as replacing all the toppings with droppings. Then again, the taste will most likely remain the same given how the ice cream already tastes. Second, inspired by the spies from other colleges (see the September 29, 2023 version of Off The Press), they are planning on infecting all the water fountains with an everlasting supply of Kayko in order to prevent any student from ever discovering their evil plans. Third, they are planning on making the entire campus fly through the air all over the world, going through places like Paris, Mumbai, Venice, Cairo, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, Tijuana, San Francisco, and even going as high as the moon. Fourth, they are planning on hacking every single

computer at Stevens to play compilations of Jar-Jar Binks 24/7 in an effort to further lower the intelligence of Stevens students. Finally, they are planning on creating a mandatory test that all students have to attend on Christmas day, and if they lose even a single point, they lose all the credits they earned so far and have to start over again.

Thankfully, Totes Forreal also discovered their special weakness to all their wickedness: fun, determination, and spirit. The sorcerers hate resistance to their evil magic, which can be found in enjoying life to your fullest. Therefore, it is recommended that all students at Stevens have all the fun they could possibly have, show the utmost determination in life, and showcase the Stevens spirit any way that they can. In doing so, the sorcery will eventually stop, and all the sorcerers will live in the summer, bringing an end to their cold weather mayhem. So, don’t be afraid to show your Stevens spirit! Attend as many events as you can, and don’t let the midterms or upcoming finals stress you out, as you will do your best! With everyone’s fun, determination, and spirit, we will eventually be rid of those wicked sorcerers and we will find freedom from the freezing wind.

WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR (IF YOU DARE) Letters should be addressing a published piece in The Stute or to The Stute in general THESTUTE.COM/POLICIES FOR THE FULL REQUIREMENTS GRAPHIC BY NICOLE GIARDINO

Friday, October 27

10

Opinion ADV ICE FOR BRO KE CO L L EGE S TUD E N T S

Dressing up without draining your wallet

BY HIMA T HU M M A L A ‘ 2 3 As pumpkins, plastic skulls, and witch hats start to fly off of the shelves, it signals that the famous spooky holiday is right around the corner. Halloween is a holiday that has been celebrated for many, many years and continues to be a prominent part

of people’s lives, whether this is from the thrill of being spooked, the enjoyment of decorating pumpkins, or even just the fun of dressing up. Going to your nearest Halloween costume store and looking at all the different types of people you could be for the night was quite mesmerizing as a kid. There were aisles and aisles filled with the latest superheroes, princesses, and occupations in different colors and sizes. Or maybe you are a more creative person who tends to go in more of a DIY route with your costumes. Creating a costume with different pieces you have at home, or with store-bought supplies can not only be fun to do, but also rewarding, as you can make your outcome customized

and personalized to you specifically.

Deciding what to dress up as can cause not only trouble to you, but also to your bank account. The overwhelming amount of money that can go into buying a costume cannot be underestimated. Most people have various social events during the week of Halloween, which can lead to them needing many different outfits. This imposes the important question of whether they should wear the same one, or have multiple outfits. Many spring for the second option, which is, of course, valid, but this decision requires some DIY skills so you can refrain from damaging your wallet. Luckily, there are some quick

ways to pull together outfits that are not only cheap but easy. The real issue lies with where these ideas come from, as not everyone has the time to be brainstorming these ideas. So, read on to learn where to spark ideas from!

First up is Pinterest. An app that was popular, then became not popular, and is once again kind of popular and is a great place to check for any sort of outfit inspiration. The layout of Pinterest allows one to view multiple different ideas at the same time, ensuring that a quick skim is enough to find ideas that peak your interest. Then, save it to a board and go back and check them over later. Pinterest also has people posting where, exactly, they get their outfits

from, which can help you align your potential purchases with how much you want to spend.

Next is Instagram. Instagram has people’s old posts from past years, making it another good source for inspiration. Maybe you remember a really nice outfit your friends posted last year, and you can find the post and get ideas from it. Accessories are also a big part of costumes, especially if you want to make them seem more realistic. Although it is possible that many of these won’t come to mind right away, looking at the different ways people have customized their outfits can help you attain an idea of how you want to piece together your outfit.

Lastly, take a look at your

closet and pieces that you already have. Have a white sheet lying around? Snip some holes and be a ghost. Have a flannel?

Be a scarecrow. Or rather than sticking to the cliché, but still valid, costumes, try to put something interesting together, better yet as a group costume with your friends! Group costumes ensure that if you are struggling with getting the correct pieces to your outfit, you have friends you can bounce ideas off of and figure out something at the end.

Just remember, the most important thing is that you are satisfied with your costume. It doesn’t matter if you bought it or made it, as long as you like it and can afford it without financial damage.

S TEVENS’ CHE F S RECI PE CA RD S

A P OOL S IDE PERSPEC TIVE

Toil, trouble, and seeing double

The spooky case of burnout in college athletes

B Y KAYD E N CANNILLA ‘24 As the veil between the worlds grows thin and Hallow’s Eve draws near, it’s time to prepare for a night of spectral delights and eerie enchantments.

Halloween is a time when the supernatural stirs, and whether you’re hosting a ghostly gathering or simply looking to embrace the

spirit of the season, crafting Halloween cocktails is a bewitching endeavor. The essence of the season, with all its anima and mystique, is distilled into these elixirs, ready to infuse your celebrations with magic and intrigue. Their strength will be needed to brave the dangers of the night.

All the essential ingredients are ripe and readily available, though these recipes do not capture the breadth of autumnal flavors. Incorporating nutmeg, star anise, and caramel into your concoctions can enchant your guests and sate your appetite for seasonal delights. Much like a skilled incantation, a mixologist must balance the flavors of their brew. Sweetness, acid-

ity, bitterness, and potency all play a role in creating a harmonious concoction.

Experiment with different ratios to achieve the perfect taste. For those who do not take kindly to indulging in spirits, these may be transformed into virgin concoctions. The most enchanting part of the alchemy is the presentation. Do not neglect it, as a Halloween cocktail is not just about the potion itself. Use eerie glassware, muddled fruit, or herb garnishes, and dry ice to create an enchanting ambiance.

Beware of the strength of your potions, as their sweetness may mask their danger.

The Stute is not responsible for any mischief you get into under the influence of these elixirs.

POTIONS, ELIXIRS, AND BREWS

Dragon’s Breath

Vampire Refresher

3 parts apple cider or apple juice (unfiltered) 1 part tonic water or seltzer 1 part Fireball Cinnamon Whisky Optional: Rim glasses with cinnamon sugar dust

1 part cranberry juice 1 part pomegranate juice 2 parts ginger ale (or ginger beer) Maraschino cherries Optional: 1 part vodka or rum

Combine with ice in shaker, strain, and pour over ice

Shake juice with ice and optional liquor.

Strain and top with ginger ale and cherries

Oogie Boogie Brew

1 part Mt. Dew 1 can lemon-lime seltzer 1 dash of lemon juice Gummy worms

Optional: vodka, tequila, or mezcal Pour soda over ice and stir. Top with lemon juice and gummy worms.

BY KEE N AN YATES ‘2 4 For a majority of athletes, playing at the collegiate level is the pinnacle of their career. To have made it to college for any sport marks a significant number of years spent training, refining, and marketing their craft, a feat few accomplish. Only approximately 3.2% of high school swimmers will continue into Division 3 (DIII) athletics, which is still a large number when compared to the 1.2% of wrestlers who do the same.

Even with these small portions of athletes continuing to compete in their years of higher education, college sports hit a new record in December of 2022 with over 520,000 athletes in competition around the country across all three divisions. Of that half a million, less than 2% will “go pro,” or continue their athletic pursuits full-time, leaving the other roughly 510,000 athletes to pursue their non-athletic professional careers. But that number doesn’t quite tell a full story.

Approximately 30% of college athletes will quit before completing four years of athletic eligibility, according to a study at Brown University. The umbrella term for quitting is often referred to

as “athletic burnout,” or simply, “burnout:” a term researchers have defined as a cognitive-affective syndrome, which consists of “emotional and physical exhaustion, sport devaluation, and a reduced sense of accomplishment.” This scenario has seen a lot of explanations and names, including “training stress syndrome,” where too much stress can produce “staleness [...] and eventually burnout” of an athlete.

This experience is all too common in college athletics; a quick Google search on quitting college sports returns articles from other schools such as Williams College and Oklahoma Christian University where former college athletes reflect on walking away from their sport, likening their relief to “ripping a Band-Aid off” and how their decisions were “ultimately [...] best for [their] future.”

The physical and mental fatigue of burnout associated with athletics has quantifiable repercussions, summarized in a 2019 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The results were alarming at best: for current athletes, mental health symptoms and disorders included 34% anxiety/depression and 19% alcohol misuse, whereas with former athletes, rates stood at 16% distress, and 26% of anxiety/depression. For those that do leave a sport, they find relief in walking away from something so demanding at 20 hours a week on paper, meaning, not accounting for time spent traveling to and from practices and games, preparing for practices, visiting athletic trainers for injury prevention, team bonding activities, recruiting events, mandatory

trainings, and more.

The effects of the physical demands of college athletics are compounded by a lack of proper sleep. A survey of University of Arizona athletes found that 68% of their athletes reported poor sleep quality: 87% slept less than eight hours a night and 43% slept less than seven hours a night, a far cry from the 10-12 hours of sleep college athletes would need to be at peak performance on the court and in the classroom, due to the amount of muscle recovery necessary that only occurs during deep sleep. Sleeping less than 8 hours a night makes student athletes 1.7 times more likely to sustain an injury, but more often than not, that sleep is secondary to athletics and academics, which have more easily quantifiable measures of good and bad performance.

Can burnout be prevented?

It’s tough to say. Factors that contribute to it include, but are not limited to, team culture, intensity of training or coaching, tendency of perfectionism in a given athlete, and the unquestionable fact that the likelihood of having a future career out of the sport is near zero for the majority of college athletes. Once an athlete has hit a point where they devalue a sport and have experienced a decline in performance along with emotional and physical exhaustion, the biggest help becomes mitigation in forms of encouraging support, in an academic setting and especially in terms of mental health. If you have begun to feel the onset of burnout, make sure to stop by the student-athlete walkin counseling hours and check out other resources for athletes at Stevens.

Phi Sigma Kappa, Phi Sigma Sigma, Sigma Delta Tau

Saturday, October 28th The Phi Sigma Kappa House 837 Hudson Street 5-7pm For Kids 8-10pm For Students $5 Per Ticket

KAYDEN CANNILLA FOR THE STUTE

All Proceeds Go to Charity

Friday, October 27

11

Puzzle Page Puzzlehunt Introduction You’re walking down the block on Halloween night. You’re out for candy and nothing else. It’s 8 p.m. You look up at the moon. A waxing gibbous shines down on you. You reach the door of the next house. It’s opened by a shadowy figure who moans “Why are you still trick-or-treating? You’re twenty-something.” Before you can come up with a witty response, the silhouette utters “This hubris cannot go unpunished.” You start to feel anger. More anger than you’ve ever felt before. More anger than any person can reasonably hold. You look down. Hair. More hair than you’ve ever had before. More hair than any person can reasonably have. A door slams in your face and a note slides from under the door: “You may have noticed your body going through some changes recently. It will only get worse from here. By the next full moon, your transformation into a werewolf will become irreversible-” You’re particularly concerned now.

It’s already a waxing gibbous. You skim past a couple paragraphs of rambling. “To find the cure, follow this map. On the way, you’ll encounter nightmares beyond your wildest dreams.”

Wait what? “In each of the five locations, you’ll find a clue. Once you have all five clues, come back behind my house to the garden, where you’ll find your cure. If you fail to find the cure in time, you’ll be a monster forever. Signed, Mr. E”. You start moving.

Stevens Trivia Club Halloween PuzzlehuntǤ Ǥ ȋ ȌǤ ǡ Ǥ ǨǨ

Laboratory

The Witch’s Lair

Oops! Frankenstein (or his monster, you don’t know) took your clue and mixed it with all the body parts in the lab. In order to get it back, you'll need to unscramble the body parts and take the remains.

The witch foresaw your arrival and prepared these recipes for you. Now, it's up to you to determine what comes next. And remember, there's only one thing that can protect you in your time of need.

Graveyard

ABCHMOST IORSTW EILNPSV CELNOO AEKLMN ABCEIP EELNPRS EGNORTU DEEILOY ABDDELRW

Haunted House As you walk up to 1515 Lupine Drive, you feel a shiver run down your spine. This house is huge. Who knows what awaits?

The Mummy’s Tomb Beneath the haunted house, there’s a tomb with a large sarcophagus. Inscribed on the wall is a riddle.

“Drop” each letter into one of the squares below to reveal mummy’s Ǥ Ǥ Ǥ

The Garden of Mr. E

ͳǤ ͷǤ ͻǤ ǡ ͳ͵Ǥ ̶ ̴​̴​̴ ̶ ͳͶǤ ̶ ̵ ̴​̴​̴̶ȋ ̶ ̶Ȍ ͳͷǤ ͳ͸Ǥ ̶ ̵ ̵ ̶ ̴​̴​̴ ͳ͹Ǥ ͳͺǤ ͳͻǤ ǫ ʹͳǤ ̶ ̴​̴​̴ ǫ̶ ʹʹǤ ʹ͵Ǥ ʹͶǤ ʹ͸Ǥ ʹͺǤ ͵ͲǤ ͵ʹǤ ǫ ͵ͶǤ ͵͹Ǥ ǡ ͵ͺǤ ͵ͻǤ ǫ ͶͶǤ ͶͷǤ ͶͻǤ ʹͲͳͳ ͷͲǤ ̶ Ǧ ̶ ͷͳǤ ȏ ̵ ǨȐ ͷʹǤ ̴​̴​̴ ͷ͵Ǥ ͷͷǤ ǫ ͷͺǤ ǫ ͷͻǤ ͸ͲǤ Ǧ ̶ ǣ ̶ ͸ͳǤ ͸ʹǤ ̶ Ǧ Ǧlaw“ ͸͵Ǥ ͸ͶǤ

TWTF...

D#EFF#G#...

DKPCO...

WNWNNE... aSolLa...

QWERT...

XZBDF...

TJQK...

IBGYO...

LiBeBC...

OTTFFSS...

MVEMJ...

AMJJA...

͸ͷǤ ͸͸Ǥ ǡ

DOWN ͳǤ ǡ Ǧ ʹǤ ͵Ǥ ͶǤ ͷǤ ͸Ǥ ̶ ̶ ǣ Ǥ ͹Ǥ ͺǤ ͻǤ ͳͲǤ ǡ ͳͳǤ ͳʹǤ ̶̴​̴ ̶ ͳ͹Ǥ ʹͲǤ ̶ ̶ ʹͷǤ ʹ͹Ǥ ʹͻǤ ͵ͲǤ ͵ͳǤ ǡ ̵ ͵͵Ǥ ǡ ͵ͶǤ ͵ͷǤ ǡ ͵͸Ǥ Ǧ ͶͲǤ ͶͳǤ ̵ ǡ ͶʹǤ ǡ Ͷ͵Ǥ ǡ Ͷ͸Ǥ Ͷ͹Ǥ ͶͺǤ ͷͳǤ ̶ ̶ ͷͶǤ ǡ ͷ͸Ǥ ̴​̴​̴ ȋ Ȍ ͷ͹Ǥ ̶̴​̴​̴ ̶ ȋͳͻ͸ͳ Ȍ ͷͺǤ ǡ

12

Friday, October 27

Campus Pulse

Cesar Noguera Saigua ’24

Emma Tong ’25

Bracy Ehrich ’27

“Inflatable T-rex. That’s what I went with last year, but I don’t know”

“Hopefully Gudetama if my costume comes on time.

If not I’ll be Pompompurin.”

“Fred from Scooby Doo.”

ROVING REPORTER B y R afae l L e e L i an d mia p etrolino Gursimran Vasir ’26

“Katherine from The Vampire Diaries.”

“What are you dressing up as for Halloween?”

Tanya Avadia ’26

Liz Sepulveda ’27

Jeffrey Ober ’27

“Monster energy drink.”

“An uno reverse card so I can people candy..”

“A cowboy.”

Christian Alston ’27

Francesco Turano ’27

Martina Franz ’27

“Fish. I’m so scared of fish. I can’t look at fish.”

“A mime.”

Quinn Gainey ‘27 “Oh man. Probably waking up and there’s a bug on my left cheek. Not the right one..”

“8 a.m. classes.”

ROVING REPORTER B y R afae l L e e L i an d mia p e trolino “Davis roaches.”

“What is your greatest fear?”

“Jeff. Also my roommate.”

Cal Christie ’27

Rylee Hussey ’27

Stephan Sekulovski ’27

“Getting dunked on”

“Cats.”

“Brownies.”

Easy Puzzle #1

Medium Puzzle #1

Liv Alberto ’27

Medium Puzzle

9 6

6 4

1

8 2

8

7

8 1

HardPuzzle #1

Sudoku

Easy Puzzle

8

Jeremy Roller ’23

2 3

7

5

6

4

8

9

1

2

6

9

7

6

6

6

5

4 5

2

1 2

6

Fill in the puzzle so that every row across, every column down and every 9 by 9 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.

3

7

1

2

6 6 8

9

8

1 9

3

7

9 6

7

3

1 4

9

4

8

4

1 6

7

4

1

2 9

2

3

2

6 4

4

9

4

9

2 4

9 3

7 1

8

3 5

4

Hard Puzzle

4 4

Fill in the puzzle so that every row across, every column down and every 9 by 9 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.

7

9

2

3 7 Fill in the puzzle so that every row across, every column down and every