WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 14, 2020 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan
STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916
VOLUME 111 | ISSUE 13
COVID-19 Tracker p. 2
Community First Hosts Wonder-Fall Weekend
Public Safety Blotter p. 2 Second Presidential Debate Cancelled p. 2 Falvey Library Hosts First Election Lecture p. 3 Who is Amy Coney Barrett? p. 3 Student Burnout & The Necessity of Days Off p. 4 Letter from the Editors: Your Mental Health Matters p. 5 Women in Politics: Misogyny and Double Standards p. 5 Sophomore Thomas Newton Releases New Song p. 7 Talking in Zig Zags p. 7 Drawing Fashion Inspiration from Music p. 8 Villanova Anime Club p. 8 Monochrome, but Make it Fashion p. 9 Tips for Decorating your Dorm for the Fall p. 9 Director of Athletics Updates Community p. 10 Athletics Raises More than $636,000 on 1842 Day p. 10 Men’s Basketball Recruiting Class of 2021 p. 11 Swim & Dive Welcomes Back Alumni as Assistant Coach p. 11
Students sit around fire pits on the campus green. Courtesy of Sarah Jones
Jadyn Ramos Staff Writer Sara Hecht Staff Writer
Just through Corr Arch, the campus green has been transformed into a fall festival. String lights now adorn lampposts, bales of hay line pathways and trees are lit in orange and purple, perfect for the beginning of the autumn season. These changes are all thanks to the Community First Committee, who initiated Wonder-Fall weekends this October. Despite the University’s adjustments and cancellations of events due to COVID-19, the dedication to community that is spoken so highly of was displayed in the efforts that made the first Wonder-Fall weekend a success. The constant challenge of having community events, while staying true to The CARITAS Commitment, was overcome with the organization of these events.
Students were given a safe and socially-distanced space to gather with friends and enjoy fun games and activities. Each day’s events vary and can be found on the Community First Committee’s website, along with the night’s food truck menus. On Wednesdays, students can enjoy pumpkin bundt cake and warm apple cider while carving their own pumpkins. Thursdays through Saturdays, live acoustic music and fire smoke will fill the air as students play lawn games and eat from a variety of food trucks. So far, students have come in socially-distanced masses to enjoy food from La Cabra Brewing, Zacs Burgers, Donut Envy and, of course, the Public Safety ice cream truck. Wonder-Fall had a successful start. On Thursday evening, local band The 29ers brought its “distinct Texan twang and alt-country edge” songs to the ears of students
dining on their mac and cheese, donuts, ice cream and s’mores. In the coming weeks, students will enjoy a variety of food from over 15 different food trucks. University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D. made an appearance last week, driving by to say a quick hello to all those enjoying the events of the evening. Friday night’s festivities were similar to the previous evenings with a twist on the musical entertainment and new delicious foods. The famous Chickie’s & Pete’s brought their renowned crab fries while The Crepe Truck Philly had students lining up all the way to the bookstore. Sophomore Mary Sweeney raved about the sweet crepes, while Molly McKenna added they were “definitely worth the wait.” Saturday kicked off with a new wave of food trucks, including Pitrucco’s Pizza and Scoops and Smiles Ice Cream. The crowd favorite Donuts NYC
returned with its freshly fried donuts and hot chocolate. The musical guests of the night played a range of popular songs and quickly got the crowd cheering and shouting requests. Sweet Caroline won the vote. Additionally, students enjoyed s’mores with the help of the Community First Committee volunteers who worked tirelessly throughout the week to make sure everyone was safe and had fun. Students from all parts of campus were amazed at the wonderland that was put together on the campus green. The combination of the decorative lights, pumpkin carving, music, food and games provided a much needed fun celebration on campus. Wonder-Fall is a great opportunity to get out of the dorm room, enjoy the beautiful autumn weather and have some fun while still upholding The CARITAS Commitment and keeping the communtiy safe.
Harris and Pence Face Off in Vice Presidential Debate Jack Birle Staff Writer On Wednesday Oct. 7, Vice President Mike Pence and California Senator Kamala Harris participated in the first and only Vice Presidential Debate of the 2020 election at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Washington Bureau Chief for USA Today, Susan Page, served as the moderator. At the beginning
of the debate, Page repeated the rules in an attempt to avoid another chaotic discussion, as seen in the first presidential debate. “The two campaigns [and] the Commission on Presidential Debates have agreed to the ground rules for tonight,” Page said. “I’m here to enforce them on behalf of the millions of Americans who are watching.” The first topic of the debate was the pandemic.
The topic was made more important by President Trump’s treatment for COVID-19. Harris accused the Trump administration for downplaying the virus and not having a clear national strategy for the pandemic. She then proposed the Biden-Harris plan would be to provide more PPE, a strategy for contact tracing, a free vaccine and increased testing. Pence responded by
slamming Biden for calling Trump’s ban on travel from China earlier this year “xenophobic and hysterical.” He also countered the Biden-Harris coronavirus national strategy. “When I look at their plan that talks about advancing testing, creating new PPE, developing a vaccine, umm, it looks a little bit like plagiarism, which is something Joe Biden knows a little bit about,” Pence
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