The Tufts Daily - Thursday, March 3, 2022

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VOLUME LXXXIII, ISSUE 24

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Thursday, March 3, 2022

MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MASS.

Students call on administration to speak up on war in Ukraine

by Chloe Courtney Bohl Executive News Editor

A crowd of Tufts students, alumni and community members gathered at the Mayer Campus Center on Wednesday to show their support for the people of Ukraine.

The rally at Tufts comes one week after Russia launched a fullscale military attack on Ukraine on Feb. 23. The war, now on its eighth day, has so far been marked by Russian airstrikes on civilian targets and troop movements toward the capital, Kyiv.

Many Ukrainians are trying to flee the country, while others have enlisted in the military and are prepared to stay and fight.

Draped in a Ukrainian flag, Artem Dinh, a junior who is Ukrainian and Vietnamese, led the crowd in chants of “We stand with Ukraine!” and “Stop the war!” Dinh said he woke up Wednesday morning to texts from his friends in Ukraine that there had been an air raid on his city of Berdychiv. He urged the crowd to empathize with young people in Ukraine. “[Ukraine is] a democratic and free country,” Dinh said. “Same

ideal, same people like us [who are] studying computer science, studying psychology, studying medicine. … We as a free and democratic country should care about this.”

The rally was organized by Dinh, Dzheveira Karimova, Kevin Pham, Declan Landau and Ariel Kayton, all Tufts students, with help from the Offices of Public Affairs, Campus Life and Student Affairs, the University Chaplaincy and Ukrainians at Tufts and in the Greater Boston area. The organizers created a website where they compiled educational resources about the war, suggestions of Ukrainian nonprofits to donate to and other opportunities to show support for Ukrainians.

Eulasha Tisnovsky, a firstyear from Ukraine, urged everyone gathered at the Campus Center to sign petitions, stay informed and make donations in support of the country.

“What’s happening in Ukraine is way worse than you guys think … It’s not an invasion, or a conflict — it’s war,”

MINA TERZIOGLU / THE TUFTS DAILY

Community members gather outside of the Mayer Campus Center to rally in support of Ukraine on March 2.

Tisnonvsky told the crowd.

“Yesterday at about 5 p.m., which is about midnight in Ukraine, planes were dropping bombs over Kyiv, which is where my whole extended family lives. My two cousins, 14 and 17. My uncle and my grandma. They dropped so

close to my uncle’s house that he called my mom to say goodbye, because he thought he wasn’t gonna make it.”

Valeriia Kuzmuk, a Ukrainian student at Berklee College of Music, sang the Ukrainian national anthem at the rally and encouraged the crowd to join

in or hum along. Later, Kuzmuk explained that the anthem is about survival and resistance.

“When you listen to our anthem and you read the lyrics, you have to understand the story and the history of Ukraine see RALLY, page 2

Driver’s license bill for Tufts Women in Computer Science undocumented residents revives mentorship program clears Mass. House

by Elizabeth Zacks Staff Writer

by Aaron Gruen News Editor

The Massachusetts House of Representatives approved a bill on Feb. 16 that would allow undocumented residents to obtain driver’s licenses. The Work and Family Mobility Act, or H.4461, passed with 120 votes in favor of the bill and 36 against.

The bill passed largely along party lines, with every Republican and eight Democrats voting against H.4461. If it clears its next hurdles, the Work and Family Mobility Act will take effect on July 1, 2023.

Representative Christine Barber, whose district includes parts of Somerville and Medford, co-sponsored the bill.

“This [bill] is really essential to helping people to get to work, to get to school, to take their kid to the doctor, to get a COVID test or vaccine [or] to get groceries,” Barber said. “During the pandemic, it [is] challenging to just rely on public transportation, so

what I keep hearing is that this is really the number one issue for immigrants in our community.”

Since 1993, 16 states and Washington D.C. have passed legislation allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses. Iterations of the Work and Family Mobility Act have been introduced over the past two decades, but the bill has more momentum than past legislation.

Senator Patricia Jehlen, whose district contains Somerville and Medford, has worked to pass the bill since 2013.

“Many essential workers will now be able to get licenses,” Jehlen wrote in an email to the Daily. “Everyone will benefit when more drivers are insured and there are fewer hit and run accidents.”

The bill will likely face a vote in the Senate soon, and its passage there seems likely as over 90% of Massachusetts senators are Democrats.

Re p re s e n t a t i v e Erika Uyterhoeven, who represents see LEGISLATION, page 2

Tufts Women in Computer Science ( WiCS) has revived its mentorship program, which matches Tufts computer science alumni with current undergraduate students majoring in computer science.

Kaili Liang, co-president of Tufts WiCS, discussed the club’s mission.

“We’re a club on campus meant to empower and support any female-identifying and nonbinary students that are interested in computer science. You don’t necessarily have to be a computer science major,” Liang, a junior, said.

“We do this through a series of different events.”

The WiCS mentorship program had been paused for the last few years, Luella Sugiman, co-coordinator of the WiCS mentorship program said.

Before the program started, mentor relationships were mostly made through the Herd platform.

According to Liang, the Herd reached out to WiCS to

IAN LAU / THE TUFTS DAILY

The Department of Computer Science plaque is pictured on Feb. 28. transition its mentorship program to the larger network.

However, after joining the Herd for a short period of time, WiCS decided to return to its previous mentorship program, which it is currently restarting. “[We] decided that we liked the way we had done it previously better, because it was more intimate … we had more control over the matches, and we were able to help the different matches facilitate their meetings, which is not something that [the] Herd does,”

OPINION / page 7

ARTS / page 4

SPORTS / back

As COVID-19 cases decline, Tufts students must still think about their community

MFA galleries abound with Dutch and Flemish art

Women’s squash finishes season in CSA Tournament semis

Liang said. “We felt that ours was more personalized and specific to the people who decide to be a part of the program.”

Helen Li, co-president of WiCS, discussed the significance of mentorship for women and nonbinary people in STEM. “We think that mentorship is really important because I think we used to have a lot of alumni who come back and want to help women or … see MENTORSHIP, page 2 NEWS

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FUN & GAMES

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OPINION

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Thursday, March 3, 2022

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Tufts community rallies in support of Ukraine, Ukranian students and faculty RALLY

continued from page 1 and how most of the time that it’s existed, it’s been surviving,” Kuzmuk told the Daily. “But you also have to understand that by now we’re so used to it that … there’s literally nothing that can scare us.”

Landau, a junior who helped organize the rally, hopes it will put pressure on the universi-

ty administration to make a show of support to Ukrainian students.

“A lot of universities — even Harvard, who has made a really milquetoast statement — have said something … offered some support to their students,” Landau told the Daily. “We have a lot of Russian and Kazakh and Ukrainian students and they said nothing … so we want them

to make a statement. And we want them to offer support to our Ukrainian students in whatever way they can.”

Many Tufts students who don’t have direct connections to Ukraine showed up to the rally in solidarity.

“It’s really easy, being in America, to not pay attention … but I think it’s really important that we continue to educate our-

selves,” Rebecca Moriarty, a firstyear who attended the rally, said.

The crowd marched from the Campus Center to University President Anthony Monaco’s residence, Gifford House, where Dinh led a call-and-response chant of “Tufts, speak up!” and “Act now!”

“Alright Tony Monaco, we hope you heard us,” Dinh said as the chanting subsided.

Work and Family Mobility Act likely to pass Mass. Senate, generates support from activist groups LEGISLATION

continued from page 1 part of Somerville, believes H.4461 is long overdue.

“Without this bill, people are effectively living in fear,” Uyterhoeven said. “This is a huge win for immigrant rights in Massachusetts.”

Governor Charlie Baker, who has vetoed similar bills in the past, has not publicly stated whether he will sign the current bill if it passes the Senate.

“Governor Baker supports existing laws in Massachusetts … [that] enable those who demonstrate lawful presence in the United States to obtain a license,” a representative for Governor Baker wrote in an email to the Daily, but declined to say whether Baker would sign H.4461.

In the past, Baker has expressed concerns that a bill like H.4461 would allow immigrants to use falsified documents to obtain driver’s licenses; however, Barber believes the current bill accounts for these concerns.

“We put in really strong identification requirements,” Barber said. “People have to show a passport or a consular ID card, which is similar to a passport, to get a driver’s license, so I am hopeful the governor will sign this bill.”

Even if Baker vetoes the bill, Democrats in the House and Senate likely have a large enough supermajority to override his veto.

“We passed it with a … comfortable 15 votes over the veto-proof majority,” Uyterhoeven said. “So at this point, it’s almost irrelevant what Governor Baker does.”

Besides helping undocumented immigrants, Democrats say H.4461 would make roads safer for all drivers.

“People without legal status will be able to be tested, insured, and licensed,” Jehlen wrote. “They will feel less fearful in traffic stops.”

Uyterhoeven expanded upon this point.

“We shouldn’t confound traffic enforcement with immigration and customs enforcement,” Uyterhoeven said. “By mixing those two things up you’re essentially making it so that if you need to report a crime … [it’s] a huge challenge.”

Barber added that the bill has earned support from district attorneys and police chiefs from around Massachusetts. “[Law enforcement officials] don’t want to be pulling people over for driving without a license,” Barber said.

A row of cars in Somerville is pictured on Feb. 28.

“It’s not a good use of their resources.”

Barber attributes the bill’s success to widespread support among activist groups and local officials. Supporters of the Work and Family Mobility Act include the American Civil Liberties Union, the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition and dozens of local businesses.

“It’s been really helpful to have a broad coalition of people, including immigrants and incredible activists from Somerville and Medford fighting for this,” Barber said.

With the success of H.4461, lawmakers have their eyes on future legislation that could support undocumented residents.

Jehlen, for example, believes immigrants should be eligible

IAN LAU / THE TUFTS DAILY

for services that other taxpayers receive.

“Many people without legal status pay into Social Security and Medicare, but don’t receive benefits,” Jehlen wrote. “If they could gain legal status through federal law changes, it would help many families gain more economic security.”

Uyterhoeven also noted that many undocumented students are ineligible for in-state tuition, even if they are strong academic performers.

“I think we always want to pat ourselves on the back, but there’s so much more we have to do to support immigrants,” Uyterhoeven said. “We can’t wait 20 years for the next important legislation. It’s just so critical that we continue to move forward on these issues.”

WiCS gauging alumni interest, in process of making matches for mentorship program MENTORSHIP

continued from page1 nonbinary people to get more experience in industry and [teach] them what it means to be interviewing and having internships,” Li, a junior, said. “I think what it really does is [it] fosters community that allows women to feel more included and feel less of an imposter syndrome, so that they could be able to do anything in the industry related to tech.”

Sugiman, a junior, explained that the organization connects people in the women’s computer science community with experienced alumni who are either in school for master’s degrees or working in the computer science field.

“We have basically three mentorship sessions that are the baseline for interactions between mentors and mentees,” Sugiman said. “We’ll

have one session a month, which the mentors and mentees will get emails about, and they would work out a time by themselves, and each of these sessions have a specific topic that the mentees and mentors will discuss.”

Sugiman added that if mentors and mentees want to meet for more than three sessions, they are welcome to do so according to their own schedules.

Currently, WiCS is in the process of matching current undergraduate students with alumni in the computer science field.

Manpreet Kaur, co-coordinator of the mentorship program, explained the matching process.

According to Kaur, a sophomore, WiCS uses Google Forms to gauge alumni interest for mentoring. Then, WiCS reaches out to the Tufts student body, specifically students in computer science classes, to find interested mentees.

Questions on the forms ask mentees and mentors about their interests, career goals and future plans.

Sugiman added that WiCS has received some emails from mentors about the anticipated revival of the mentorship program.

“We have had a few really nice emails from the mentors, telling us how great it is that we’re starting this up because they feel like this connection between graduated alumni and passing experience and advice down to people who are just starting their CS career … is a very important thing that they themselves want to uphold,” Sugiman said. “And by establishing this program, we’re giving them a way to fulfill … their ideals or values.”

Kaur added that the duration of the mentor-mentee relationship varies based on what each person is hoping to gain from the experience.

“Hopefully as the mentorship program keeps going …

more students can apply, or maybe there will be different matches,” Kaur said. “It really depends on … who are the future mentorship coordinators, and also it depends on what the mentor and the mentee want from each other.”

Kaur emphasized the importance of WiCS mentorship and the excitement that both mentees and mentors bring to the program.

“It’s just really important that we’re bringing back this mentorship program because it really gives a lot of students the opportunity to … feel what CS can provide for them besides just taking classes, and especially when you come from no background of CS and just don’t know where to start,” Kaur said. “Our mentees are also very excited to get their matches, and everyone’s really anticipating to start this program.”

tuftsdaily.com

David Wingens Potty Talk

Potties of a far-off land

W

hen I, for the second time in my three years at Tufts, walked into 574 Boston Ave., my legs were weary and my beard visibly longer than it had been when I set out. After I set my hiking sticks aside, I lifted my eyes to the majesty of the building and was nary disappointed. The ceilings were high, natural light streamed in from all angles, the surfaces were soft to the touch and the seats were

Features vaguely uncomfortable but in a modern way. All I had left to see before declaring this site a new Eden were its bathrooms.

AMBIANCE The all-gender restrooms in 574 are a real testament to the power of rectangles. It goes nearly without saying that the room is rectangular, seeing as how rectangular rooms constitute the vast majority of the world’s rooms. What eludes reason is the way the designers, if they may be so called, decided to employ rectangular designs on the floor, walls and ceiling.

The walls have long, thin, white tiles that are oriented in the “hamburger” direction. The dark gray floor tiles run perpendicular to the wall’s “hamburg-

ers.” On the ceiling lies probably the most famous subset of the rectangle — squares. The mirror, too, is a rectangle. The sum of all this geometric madness is that you can see nothing but right angles; you may come to believe that you yourself are made up of right angles. This is not the case. It gets a perfect square: 9/10.

PRIVACY There is nothing quite like the horror of sitting on a toilet and hearing someone outside wiggle the doorknob. The designers seem to have had a little oopsie and forgotten to put a vacancy indicator on the door. The only way to know if the bathroom is in use is to wiggle the handle.

This is unfortunate for both the

bathroom goer and the wiggler because now both know of the other’s existence and both know that one is impatiently waiting outside the bathroom. This rushes the bathroom goer and creates an awkward interaction upon their departure. 3/10.

CONVENIENCE It is extremely convenient to customers of Titan Gas & Car Wash. For most others, a quick T ride to Harvard Square is likely quicker. 5/10 HOW MANY THINGS DO I HAVE TO TOUCH Here is where my review must make like the line at Hodge and split in two before becoming one again at some random point. While the all-gender and gendered bathrooms are of

3 Thursday, March 3, 2022 similar quality, they have a key difference in the touch department. The gendered bathrooms have top-of-the-line Dyson Airblade Vs, while the all-gender bathrooms are stuck with touch- and disease-friendly paper towels.

Both bathrooms have manual sinks and soap dispensers, which was disappointing given the building’s modern architecture. 4/10 These bathrooms have a nice facade, but unfortunately fall just short on many of the more advanced metrics and get an overall grade of 5.3/10 David Wingens is a junior studying international relations.

David can be reached at david. wingens@tufts.edu.

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Arts & POP ARTS Pop CULTURE Culture

tuftsdaily.com

Thursday, March 3, 2022

Dutch and Flemish art captivate viewers at the Look no further Museum of Fine Arts than good old raisins and peanuts (GORP)

RaiAnn Bu Micro-Trend of the Week

A

couple of months ago, I was shopping with my mom for a pair of hiking boots for her birthday. Our journey sent us to the Merrell outlet store where we browsed for shoes and deals (buy one, get 25% off). But while shopping, I was struck by the shoes — the shoes were packing.

I was drawn to these beautiful mid-rise cream hiking boots with a rainbow speckled sole and matching rainbow laces. Unfortunately, I don’t hike.

Undoubtedly, one of the hottest trends of the year in fashion has been gorpcore, a fashion aesthetic taking inspiration from the functional wear made for hikers and outdoorsmen. Think Arc’teryx rain zip-ups, Mammut puffer jackets, fuzzy Patagonia quarter zips, cinched track pants topped off with hiking sneakers — anything a rich dad would wear to Tahoe.

This niche style has been boosted by mainstream recognition. With notable fashion brands such as Gucci, Comme des Garçons and Nike rushing to capitalize on the trend through collaborating with staple hiking brands such as North Face, or creating their own collection of hiking-inspired gear such as Nike All Conditions Gear. Conversely, hiking brands such as Arc’teryx and Salomon have also begun to cater to fashionwear, building on their utilitarian roots.

But what has been the result of this synthesis of fashion and function?

Gorpcore symbolizes the desire for a more active lifestyle, one more in touch with nature.

Interest sprouted during the pandemic, a time when many picked up outdoor activities in lieu of work or school. It creates a fashion-forward interpretation and innovation of utilitarian gear, integrating style with function.

However, this desired effect in practice has had unintended consequences. Rather than sparking a desire among people to hit the trails, videos circulate of people wearing their $600 rain jackets in the shower to show off their ingenious waterproof technology.

The popularization of niche subculture gorpcore has arguably damaged the integrity of its original ideals. Patagonia and Arc’teryx have even set back some of their commitments to ethical and sustainable fashion due to the trendiness of their clothes.

Gorpcore is a case study of what happens to a niche subculture gone mainstream.

Similarly, because it has faltered in inspiring a profound appreciation for nature, current gorpcore now revolves around exclusivity in brands and prices. As Grailed, a popular fashion resale website, states when describing gorpcore, “The logos of the biggest outdoors brands are worn like badges of honor” demonstrating the cultural shift of these brands’ clothing from offering everyday, often overlooked, fashion styles to becoming chic.

It begs the question of whether a counterculture can maintain its integrity while simultaneously being popular, or if it is gatekeeping the act of preservation.

6/10. Regardless, I still want a pair of zip-off cargo pants (for the right price), and who can say no to a comfortable sneaker?

RaiAnn is a sophomore studying community health. RaiAnn can be reached at raiann.bu@tufts.edu.

The Museum of Fine Arts’ Dutch and Flemish galleries are pictured.

by Siavash Raissi

Assistant Arts Editor

Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts received a generous gift of 114 17th century Dutch and Flemish paintings for long-term loan and permanent ownership from private collectors in 2017. Years after receiving this new collection, the MFA recently renovated a suite of seven galleries, which has been open to the public since November 2021, to display these works.These galleries coincide with the opening of the MFA’s Center for Netherlandish Art, the museum’s latest research center dedicated to promoting artistic study of the region. Today, as a result of this latest acquisition, the MFA now holds one of

the most impressive collections of 17th century Netherlandish art.

However, the MFA’s expansive collection extends beyond paintings and features a variety of artifacts, including a library of books on Dutch and Flemish art, sculptures, silver, ceramics and ship models. With this multifaceted collection, the MFA is able to effectively detail Dutch global commercial dominance from slavery and the sugar trade during the 17th century. The wide assortment of objects on display document the region’s extensive trade networks that resulted in what the MFA calls the “first age of globalization.” Therefore, significant cultural and regional overlap is present in many of the collection’s artworks.

COURTESY SIAVASH RAISSI

As you enter the gallery’s first room, a projected video is displayed, summarizing the history of the Dutch financial empire and the origins of a new, independent art market in the 17th century.

This video is complemented by several other infographic displays throughout the gallery that feature data visualizations of the finances involved with selling art in a competitive market during this era. The first two rooms focus entirely on still lifes, each painting illustrating a wide variety of global objects that indicate the extent of early Dutch trade networks. These rooms capture the precise details often depicted by artists such as Willem Claesz. Heda and Jacob van Ruisdael. see MUSEUM, page 5

‘Three Months:’ A comedic, coming-of-age film about HIV

by Ryan Fairfield Staff Writer

Despite being mainly known for his singing career, Troye Sivan is no stranger to acting. In 2018, Sivan starred in “Boy Erased,” an adaptation of a memoir about a boy who struggles through conversion therapy, alongside Golden Globe-nominated actor, Lucas Hedges.

Since “Boy Erased” (2018), Sivan has been focusing on his music career, with the release of an EP, “In A Dream,” in 2020 and a single, “Angel Baby,” in 2021.

Sivan chose to merge his music career with his acting career in his recent project, “Three Months” (2022), where Sivan not only played the leading role, but also wrote and sang music for it.

Set in South Florida in 2011, “Three Months” follows Caleb ( Troye Sivan), a gay teen who just graduated from high school, as he awaits his HIV. results.

After a one-night stand with a man from a club, whom Caleb only agreed

to hook up with in an attempt to get over his ex-boyfriend, Caleb gets a text saying that his one-night stand tested positive for HIV.. Caleb remembered that when they were together, the condom broke and he is now at risk for HIV.. As indicated by the title, the film spans the three months during which Caleb waits to find out if he is HIV positive and how his possible diagnosis causes rifts between him and his family and friends.

“Three Months” aims to tell a more comprehensive story surrounding HIV. Even today, there is still stigma surrounding HIV, and a majority of films that discuss the topic tend to be more intense dramas. This film takes a different approach and chooses to be a comedic, coming-of-age film. Much of the comedy of “Three Months” is rooted in Caleb’s character and Sivan’s performance. Caleb is an impatient, awkward gay teen who often catches himself making jokes in uncomfortable situations, rushing off from one

activity to another to keep busy and avoiding the seriousness of his problems. Sivan’s portrayal of Caleb feels authentic, likely aided by the fact that Sivan himself is gay. Sivan does not turn Caleb into a common gay stereotype, like many actors do when they play gay characters, and rather focuses on making Caleb a relatable character that audience members, no matter their sexual orientation, can relate to.

Although the film focuses on Caleb’s waiting for his diagnosis, the core of the film is the relationships Caleb has with those around him and how those relationships change as he struggles with waiting. Caleb’s best friend, Dara (Brianne Tju), proves to be a major support throughout the waiting period, and the chemistry between Tju and Sivan helps the audience see a beautiful connection between these two characters. Watching the film, it is hard to believe that Tju and Sivan are not see STIGMA, page 5

A r t s & P o p C u lt u r e

Thursday, March 3, 2022 | Arts & Pop Culture | THE TUFTS DAILY

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The MFA's newly renovated Dutch and Flemish galleries immerse viewers 17th century art MUSEUM

continued from page 4 Despite their static subject matter, the galleries’ initial halls manage to captivate viewers with their interactive elements.

Rather than display conventional descriptions under each painting, one wall of the Dutch landscapes invites viewers to participate in a casual game to attribute each landscape with its respective artist based solely on written descriptions of each artist’s signature technique and subject matter. The gallery even goes as far as to include a puzzle key on a separate wall, motivating viewers to practice their visual analysis skills as a means to

understand the context behind each painting. The gallery’s organization encourages visitors to participate in a dialogue to accurately correlate the different artworks to their respective masters, enabling guests to spend up to 15 minutes on each wall. The galleries’ paintings and goods are also complemented with open global atlases indicating the reach of the Dutch trade network. These records immerse visitors within the historical context in which these artworks were created.

However, the final room of the Dutch and Flemish galleries remains the most exciting, as all of the primary spectacles of the MFA’s Northern European

collection are seen together. On one wall, portraits by renowned Dutch artists, such as Rembrandt van Rijn and Frans Hals, dominate the viewer’s attention.

Adjacent to the Rembrandts, Aelbert Cuyp’s “Orpheus Charming the Animals” (c. 1640) stands out as a beautiful depiction of various animal species set within an expansive, dynamic landscape.

Directly across from these Dutch masters is an equally impressive display of works by Flemish artists, such as Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck. Notably, Rubens’ portrait of “Malay Ahmad” (c. 1609) separates itself from the rest of the

works with its unique subject matter. Directly beneath the portrait, a video installation plays that elaborates upon the subject’s importance to Rubens as a recurring image in his other paintings. Finally, bringing the room together, in the center of the main gallery stands a scale model of a cargo ship often utilized by the Dutch East India Company. The model ship places a tangible focus on the very means of transportation that eventually led to the magnificent paintings surrounding the viewer, all products of the growing Dutch market.

Through meaningful exhibition organization, the MFA’s

latest additions to its Dutch and Flemish collection exemplify the sociohistorical context of the Dutch commercial empire and its impact on Northern European art. Each work beautifully embodies the precise details that typically can be found in Dutch painting, challenging viewers to redefine the technical limits of the medium. With a variety of historical objects on display, from elaborate dollhouses to engaging still lifes, visiting the MFA’s new Dutch and Flemish galleries offers a valuable opportunity for visitors to learn more about one of the most important moments in Western art.

The Troye Sivan-led cast of ‘Three Months’ tackles HIV stigmas STIGMA

continued from page 4 best friends. The pair argue like best friends, joke around together like best friends and most importantly, love each other unconditionally. Similar to Dara, Caleb’s grandmother (Ellen Burstyn), is another important support for him, although she is not informed of his possible diagnosis as early as it is revealed to Dara.

In the film, Caleb’s father passed away and his mother is largely not present in his life, so his grandmother is his main caretaker and parental figure. Because of his father’s passing, Caleb is hesitant to tell his grandmother that he might have HIV, as he does not want to stress her out or cause her any more pain. When she is finally informed that Caleb is waiting for HIV results, the scene is extremely heartwarming as Caleb is told by his grandmother that she loves him and that he should never have kept something like that from her out of fear.

The final key relationship in the film is between Caleb and Estha ( Viveik Kalra), a fel-

Troye Sivan, who stars in “Three Months” (2022), is pictured.

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low gay teen who is awaiting his own HIV results. The two form a bond and a romance in the three-month waiting period. What is interesting about the dynamic between Caleb and Estha is that the characters are complete opposites of each other. Caleb has a family that loves him and accepts him, while Estha struggles with the fear of coming out to his religious, and potentially disapproving, Hindu family.

Estha is more closed off and throughout their relationship, Caleb encourages him to open up and leave his insecurities behind. The juxtaposition of these characters serves to show how differences in family upbringing can lead people to make drastically different choices in dealing with serious issues, such as HIV diagnosis.

The lesson of “Three Months” is that although the risk of an HIV diagnosis is a real fear for many, there is more to life with HIV than just the stigmas that surround it. “Three Months” aims to further destigmatize HIV and shows that life with the disease, or life with the possibility of the disease, is still life.

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THE TUFTS DAILY | Fun & Games | Thursday, March 3, 2022

F& G

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Pisces (Feb. 19–March 20) Go for what you truly want. Interesting opportunities develop. Consider an outside-the-box suggestion. Overcome old fears. Advance a personal dream by leaps and bounds.

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Wednesday’s Solutions

CROSSWORD

tuftsdaily.com

Opinion

7 Thursday, March 3, 2022

VIEWPOINT

A closer look at Tufts’ COVID-19 trends

GRAPHIC BY CECILIA OROZCO Contributing Writer

The Tufts COVID-19 Dashboard has become a site frequently visited by students.

For many, guessing how many COVID-19 cases there are on campus in a given week is almost like a game. Two weeks ago, the dashboard displayed skyrocketing numbers that had students wondering whether we would be sent back home.

As the number of weekly cases climbed over 300, it seemed as if every classroom had several students missing or joining via Zoom.

Friends would disappear for a couple of days, and public areas like Dewick were less crowded. Since the last national peak in January, the number of COVID-19 cases has been on a downward trajectory.

So why has the Tufts community taken such a hit as of late?

After the frustrations and disappointments of the last two years, the vaccine seemed like a godsend. It meant less anxiety

over getting sick and getting others sick, and more getting out of the dorm room, going to in-person classes, attending social gatherings, participating in sports and just seeing peoples’ faces. As Tufts eased restrictions, we began to move close to a point of normalcy.

Unfortunately, a hasty return to normalcy comes with a price: a rise in infections.

The Tufts administration has done its best to adapt to every twist and turn of the pandemic.

In the beginning of the semester, it required booster shots for students, made dining halls take out only and tested students three to four times a week. As COVID19 cases declined and stabilized, the administration adapted once again by opening the dining halls, requiring students to get tested twice a week and reducing isolation duration to five days.

Most recently, university officials have reminded students to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines and have banned visitors from residential halls. It seems that as

the severity of the illness dropped, Tufts remained vigilant but lax on restrictions, mirroring the rest of the country.

As The Mods fill up, and students are sent to hotels to isolate, many question whether Tufts is doing enough to respond to the rise in cases. Should there be an increase in testing? Should Tufts ban all gatherings, make food takeout-only and resume virtual classes?

It’s a difficult call and extremely frustrating to experience the unpredictable nature that this pandemic has brought. The ease in COVID-19 restrictions on campus has coincided with an increase in cases, but what does this really mean for the Tufts community?

Most faculty and students on campus are vaccinated and eager to go about their lives, as the pandemic has robbed the Tufts community of its freedoms over the past two years. The risk that COVID-19 poses in causing major health problems is decreasing with the booster, new medical innovations and vigilance. For

young adults, going out and having fun is the nature of being in college, and a fear of the unknown should not stop us from making the best of these four short years.

However, it is still imperative that people continue to live their lives as safely as possible.

With herd immunity, the disease is less likely to spread from person to person and the booster shots have been proven to greatly reduce the chance that individuals will become seriously ill if they contract COVID-19. We’ve reached a point in this pandemic where medicine and science have allowed us to find some comfort in our effort to return to normalcy.

However, we should try our best to do so in a smart and safe way.

That being said, fully returning to normal is not plausible for all of us. It’s important for students to remain mindful of those who aren’t able to receive the vaccine and those who remain at risk for COVID19 due to health-related vulnerabilities.

As much as students owe it to themselves to make the best of college, we also have a duty as members of the Medford and Somerville communities to be responsible for children, elders and immunocompromised individuals, and not to recklessly spread COVID-19. The battle with this virus is not over and many people around the nation can still suffer from drastic symptoms. It would be inconsiderate and selfish to disregard them.

On the other hand, many people are still blinded by misinformation and ignorance, and many refuse to get the vaccine. As much as it may be frustrating and easy to overlook these individuals, our strength as a nation relies on compassion and empathy. So the next time you are arguing with your uncle who refuses to get the vaccine, try treating them with kindness and persistence. Our generation must do our best to spark change with empathy and education — a great place to start is with this pandemic. Oh, and wear your mask!

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by Kristin Shiuey

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8 Thursday, March 3, 2022

SPORTS

tuftsdaily.com

Women’s squash finishes season ranked No. 12, sets sights on top ten ranking for next season

by Steven Landry

Assistant Sports Editor

Dropping its last contest of the season against well-renowned Brown University by only one match, Tufts women’s squash challenged teams that were previously a tier or two above Tufts, finishing the 2021–22 season as the second highest nationally ranked NESCAC team at No. 12. While infiltrating the top ten may have been a pipe dream for this program a few years ago, authentic leadership and outstanding newcomers have put this goal on the horizon.

Tufts’ match against Brown was the last of three matches the women’s squash team played at Harvard University as part of the Collegiate Squash Association’s Team Championships. Being nationally ranked within places nine to 16, the Jumbos were situated in the B-pool, with a mix of highly regarded NESCAC and Ivy League opponents.

The team’s quarterfinal match was against Williams College, a team they had previously beaten 7–2 in the regular season and 5–4 in NESCAC tournament semifinals. The Ephs again lost this third meeting, dropping the match 6–3. Among those six victorious Jumbos was junior Isabella Schneider, who has been a cornerstone for this program’s rapid improvement.

“We were beating teams that my freshman year we barely had a chance against,” Schneider said.

Williams College was one of those teams. The Jumbos were blanked 9–0 by the Ephs in their regular season matchup in 2020.

Timothy Valk The Wraparound

A two-horse race for Hart Trophy?

I

n Ontario, Canada, Toronto Maple Leafs fans don blue and white jerseys with the number “34” on their backs.

Auston Matthews is their hero — their superstar — and he’s playing like one this season. With a sneaky release and lethal shot accuracy, Matthews is tied for the league-lead with 37 goals and can easily hit 50 with the pace that he’s on.

Three hundred miles away under the bright lights of

NICOLE GARAY / THE TUFTS DAILY

A member of the Tufts women’s squash team is pictured on Feb. 1, 2020.

Tufts’ next match of the tournament was played against the No. 1 seed, Cornell University. Tufts was beaten 8–1, with Schneider’s being the Jumbos’ sole victor, picking up a five-set victory in the fifth position.

“Beating the Cornell player this weekend, for me … that was a huge highlight,” Schneider, who won seven of her nine matches on the year, said.

After the Cornell match, Tufts played a consolation match against Brown, a team they had lost to in January seven matches to two. This matchup was more tightly contested, with two Jumbos coming away with victories in five sets. While the final count was 5–4 to the Brown Bears, the Jumbos had a much better showing on this occasion, compared to their previous meeting.

In reflecting on what differentiated this team from past ren-

ditions, Schneider affirmed that leadership was a key factor.

“Megan [Chen] and Diya [Sanghi], who are the captains, are amazing,” Schneider said. “They’re so passionate about the sport and they care so much about the team and us … I knew they were great captains because they were great people, but they really showed it this year.”

As the only junior on the team, Schneider will be taking on a leader-

ship role of her own in the 2022–23 season. Anticipating a stellar incoming class of recruits, the expectations for this program may be the highest they have ever been.

While the collective season is over, the National Collegiate Individual Championships will take place from March 4 to March 6. An all-senior crew of Diya Sanghi and Megan Chen, along with Marco Rodriguez and Dillon O’Shea, will compete in the doubles draw.

Broadway is goaltender Igor Shesterkin. The Russian dynamo has been nothing short of spectacular for the New York Rangers.

His steadiness in the crease has often stymied teams, posting 25 wins on the year. A 0.941 save percentage means Shesterkin is on pace for the best statistical season since Jacques Plante’s 1970–71 campaign with the Maple Leafs.

Matthews, Shesterkin. One puts pucks in nets, the other one keeps them out. But who is truly more valuable to their team?

As we approach the two-thirds mark of the NHL season, the race for the Hart Memorial Trophy (given to the MVP of the league) is seemingly down to these two candidates.

Other names have popped up throughout the year. Three-

time Hart winner Alex Ovechkin is posting insane numbers for a 36-year-old. Jonathan Huberdeau is having a career year for the offensively explosive Florida Panthers. There’s also the Edmonton duo, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who are No. 1 and No. 2 in points, respectively.

But when examining which players have lifted their teams the most, Matthews and Shesterkin are in a tier above the rest. Though regarded as a highly skilled team, the Leafs have relied heavily on contributions from their first line, headed by Matthews, this season. Goals matter more than assists, despite what NHL statistics say, and no human on the planet is better at scoring them than the Arizona native.

On the flip side, what could be more crucial than preventing goals?

On a theoretical level, the goalie

— the last line of defense, the only player on the team who plays a full 60 minutes — is the ultimate carrier of a team’s success. Shesterkin’s stellar season has certainly gifted the Rangers a handful of wins above what they should have.

There are games left to be played, but as it stands, these two franchise-altering players are neck and neck for the most respected individual trophy in the NHL. Some other thoughts from around the league:

2. After a slower than expected start, the Colorado Avalanche have easily vaulted into first place in the league. With a whopping 24 wins in 27 games since the All-Star break, the rest of the teams in the NHL must pinpoint their weakness (if they even have one).

3. Tuesday night’s contest between the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets was precluded by a moving rendition of the national anthem sung by a Ukrainian choir. The NHL continues to show support for Ukrainians.

1. Seventeen goals were scored in what was supposed to be an everyday matchup between Toronto and the Detroit Red Wings this past Saturday. The last time the lamp was lit that many times was October 2017: a 9–8 win for the Winnipeg Jets over the Philadelphia Flyers.

Enjoy the action this week!

Timothy Valk is a sophomore studying quantitative economics. Timothy can be reached at timothy.valk@tufts.edu.

TRASHING ONE EGG WASTES 55 GALLONS OF WATER