The Tufts Daily - Monday, October 25, 2021

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VOLUME LXXXI, ISSUE 22

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Monday, October 25, 2021

Late Night Dining returns to Commons Marketplace, students want extended dining hours

by Zoe Kava News Editor

Late Night Dining returned after an almost year-long hiatus on Oct. 15 to the Commons Marketplace. Late Night is a fourth meal period for students on meal plans that is available from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

Patti Klos, director of Dining and Business Services, explained that students will have to pre-order their Late Night meals on the Transact Mobile App using a meal swipe and then pick up their orders in person at the Commons pickup window. While JumboCash is accepted at the Commons during regular periods, only meal swipes may be used during the Late Night meal period.

The Commons Late Night gives students the flexibility to eat their food in the Mayer Campus Center or take it to go. Regardless, all food will be packaged for takeout.

“Indoor dining is allowed with no distancing restrictions,” Klos wrote in an email to the Daily. “All food at Commons is packaged for takeout. Students can choose

to remain in the building, or take their food with them.”

Klos said that for now, the Commons will be the only dining location to offer Late Night Dining. She referenced the labor shortages Tufts Dining has been experiencing this semester as a reason for this decision.

“At this time we are not sufficiently staffed to also open Late Night at Carmichael,” Klos said.

Late Night was offered at Carmichael Dining Hall in fall 2020 and ran for several weeks before it was halted due to rising COVID-19 cases on campus. Klos explained that the university will continue to monitor demand at the Commons to evaluate whether or not Late Night Dining at Carmichael should reopen.

“Late night was offered for the first weeks of the fall semester [last year], and attendance was surprisingly low,” Klos said.

University Infection Control Health Director Michael Jordan and Medical Director of Health Services Marie Caggiano commented on the COVID-19 considerations that went into reviving Late Night Dining.

“The late-night dining option at Commons is an extension of dining services offered at other times of the day,” Jordan and Caggiano wrote in an email to the Daily. “Food will be prepared as take-out, although students can remain at Commons if they prefer. Late-night dining will operate following identical COVID safety protocols as daytime dining.”

Sophomore Nathan Reichert explained how he used to rely on Late Night Dining before it was suspended last year.

“Last year, when late night Carmichael was available, I ate there every single time it was available and so did all of my friends,” Reichert wrote in an email to the Daily. “[My friends and I] work out at the gym late at night and are very hungry when we get out. All the dining halls close at 9[p.m.] which does not work for a workout that ends at 10:30 [p.m.]”

Reichert believes that Tufts’ current Late Night options are insufficient for students who eat and study late at night. see COMMONS, page 2

Government shutdown would affect long-term research goals, experts say

by Evelyn Altschuler Contributing Writer

Congress avoided a federal government shutdown in late September with the passage of a bill that would keep the government funded through Dec. 3.

With this date looming, many in higher education are concerned about the effect a prolonged government shutdown might have on colleges and universities, which depend on federal funding for research, grants and financial aid.

According to Tufts Professor of Political Science Jeffrey Berry, universities do not rely on federal funding on a daily basis, thus a short-term government shutdown would have little effect.

“A short-term shutdown would not be disruptive to the University as it is not dependent on a daily infusion of federal funding,” Berry said in an email to the Daily. “Something long-term could have an impact, though a budget resolution would eventually be forthcoming.”

According to Rocco DiRico, executive director of government and community relations, a uni-

versity’s ability to receive critical funds for student financial aid would not be hindered during a government shutdown.

“There would not be an interruption to critical funding like financial aid,” DiRico wrote in an email to the Daily. “Federal financial aid is covered by mandatory funding, meaning that it is not affected during a government shutdown.”

A government shutdown could, however, negatively impact research opportunities due to the submission process for funding. Vice Provost for Research Caroline Genco explained the role of the government in granting funding for research projects.

“Faculty have to submit grant proposals to various federal agencies for funding,” Genco said. “There are online … government portals where you can submit requests for research proposals. Typically, [when] you submit a request, it is reviewed by a [panel of experts], typically four to five months after it is submitted.”

If the proposal is approved during the initial review by the expert panel, the research pro-

OPINION / page 7

The Daily calls on Tufts to establish universal guidelines for ill students

posal will then be reviewed for scientific merit. Following this evaluation, a second review panel will make the final decision on whether the research proposal is funded. For research lasting multiple years, grants are awarded on a yearly basis.

According to Genco, this approval process could take as long as a year in some cases and a government shutdown would further affect the approval time.

“If the government were to shut down, [a university] would have no way to submit those requests for funding … [and for proposals already submitted,] those review committees would not be meeting,” Genco said. “[The process] would be delayed until the government opened up again, and then they could review those proposals.”

A government shutdown would also delay research projects that previously were approved for funding by a research panel but had not yet started.

“Projects would be delayed from starting,” Genco said. “If you were going to hire a technisee SHUTDOWN, page 2

FEATURES / page 3

SOPHIE DOLAN / THE TUFTS DAILY

The Commons Marketplace, a retail dining hall, is pictured on Sept. 9.

TCU Senate hears supplementary funding requests

by Chloe Courtney Bohl Deputy News Editor

The Tufts Community Union Senate heard supplementary funding requests and discussed the planned defunding of the Tufts Portuguese program in a meeting on Sunday night in the Sophia Gordon Hall Multipurpose Room.

TCU President Amma Agyei began by announcing that the university is planning to establish a seventh center for the Indigenous community at Tufts within the Division of Student Diversity and Inclusion. In response, TCU Senate will create an Indigenous community senator position.

TCU Parliamentarian Ibrahim AlMuasher then led the Senate in a discussion of a resolution calling on Tufts undergraduate admissions to stop considering legacy status during the admissions process. TCU Senate will debate and vote on the resolution, which was submitted by sophomores Ameya Menta and Christopher Tomo, on Oct. 31.

Next, AlMuasher shared abstracts of two upcoming resolutions, both submitted by TCU Diversity Officer Jaden Pena. The abstracts will be expanded upon by the author and voted on in future meetings. The first abstract was for a resolution calling on Tufts to reallocate some of the $25 million in funds for the Tufts as an Anti-Racist Institution Initiative toward the community centers. The second abstract calls on Tufts to increase funding to the community centers proportionally to the growth in Tufts’ diversity.

TCU Senate then heard 11 supplementary funding requests.

Men’s club soccer requested $6,754 to send 28 students to a regional competition in New Jersey. The Allocations Board (ALBO) voted unanimously to fund 90% of this amount, with the remaining 10% to be covered by personal contributions from club members. The request passed unanimously.

ARTS / page 5

Juniors Kiara and Kiyan 2021 remake of “Scenes talk personal style, Tufts from a Marriage” divorcfashion es its story from gender norms

see SENATE, page 2 NEWS

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Monday, October 25, 2021

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Tufts Dining monitoring late-night demand at Commons before offering the program at Carmichael COMMONS

continued from page 1 “Students studying late into the night need energy to fuel their brains, otherwise the studying will be ineffective and this will result in lower academic performance,” Reichert said. “It’s Tufts’ responsibility as an academic institution to provide a way for students to get this energy, such as access to the dining halls until at least 2 am.”

Riechert detailed how the lack of Late Night Dining options this semester has affected his physical health and study habits.

“I go to bed hungry 5 days per week and I am way more tired than I was last year,” Reichert said. “[Commons Late Night] doesn’t actually help anyone that’s studying at night because it’s a Friday and a Saturday. The other 5 days would’ve been exponentially better for me.”

MICHELLE LI / THE TUFTS DAILY

Carmichael Hall, which houses Carmichael Dining Center, is pictured on Oct. 5.

Government shutdown would cause delays in newly submitted and approved research at Tufts SHUTDOWN

continued from page 1 cian to do the work or organize supplies for your research lab, you wouldn’t be able to do that until the government was open and the funding came in.”

According to Genco, Tufts University brings in about $190 million each year to fund

research opportunities on campus. If a government shutdown were to occur, Tufts or the academic departments aligned with the research could potentially aid research projects, but this does not normally happen.

“In some instances, the department might be able to help you, or the school might be able

to help some faculty members if there was a shortage [of funding],” Genco said. “Typically, you would just have to wait; [the research project] would be delayed.”

However, if a research project is currently underway when a government shutdown occurs, the research project can still continue.

“During a government shutdown, there could be delays in processing grant funding and grant applications,” DiRico said. “Researchers can continue their work; however, they could experience delays in supplemental funding or new payments. No new grants would be rewarded.”

Senate discusses proposal to publish a statement in support of Save Tufts Portuguese movement SENATE

continued from page 1 Tufts Running Club requested $3,800 to send nine people to the National Intercollegiate Running Club national competition in Indiana. ALBO voted unanimously to give the club $2,574 due to limits on the amount of a club’s transportation costs that the Senate can fund. The request passed unanimously.

Primary Care Progress, a prehealth student organization, requested $273 to fund an event connecting undergraduate students to current medical students for advice and networking opportunities. ALBO recommended that TCU Senate fund $269 of the original request, based on caps on the amount of money the Senate can allocate for printing flyers. The request passed by acclamation.

The Muslim Student Association made two requests totaling $2,000 to pay speaker honoraria and purchase supplies for its Fall Dinner and Spring Into Islam events.

Eight members of ALBO voted in favor of each request, with none opposed and one abstain-

ing. Both requests passed by acclamation.

Tufts Quidditch requested $3,045 to send 21 people to the regional Quidditch championship. ALBO recommended by unanimous vote that TCU Senate fund 90% of this amount totaling $2,741, with the remaining 10% to be covered by personal contributions from club members. The request passed unanimously.

Women in International Relations requested $159 to purchase books for its book club.

ALBO recommended that TCU Senate not allocate any money, based on a section in the TCU Treasury Procedure Manual that prohibits the TCU Treasury from funding the purchase of books when they are available through other on-campus resources, such as Tisch Library, which in this case they were. The ALBO recommendation of $0 passed.

The Chinese Student Association requested $400 to reserve a venue and purchase tables for its formal dinner event.

Eight ALBO members voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and none abstaining. The request passed by acclamation.

Enchanted, a campus a cappella group, requested $60 to hire a photographer to take promotional photographs for its members. Nine ALBO members voted unanimously in favor of the request. The request passed by acclamation.

T E D x Tu f t s re q u e s t e d $14,275 to send four students to the TEDWomen conference in California. ALBO recommended that TCU fund 90% of the original request amounting to $12,161, with the remaining 10% to be covered by personal contributions from club members. Six ALBO members voted to fund this lower amount, with one opposed and one abstaining.

After debate on the supplementary funding request, TCU passed the request with 23 senators voting in favor, one opposed and three abstaining.

Tufts Public Health Society requested $634 to pay transport fees and speaker honoraria and buy food, gift bags and other miscellaneous items.

Seven ALBO members voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and one abstaining.

The request passed by acclamation.

Tufts Amnesty International requested $65 for food and a speaker gift for an event shedding light on the Haitian refugee crisis. Eight members of ALBO voted in favor of the request, with none opposed and none abstaining. The request passed by acclamation.

During a break for the general senate body, members of the Committee of Community Diversity and Inclusion elected Africana Community Senator Hadiya Giwa to the assistant diversity officer position.

During the open forum, TCU Senate discussed a proposal to publish a statement in support of the Save Tufts Portuguese movement, which is advocating against the planned defunding of the Portuguese program. The Senate debated whether to make its own statement on the issue or provide a platform on social media for the movement’s organizers to publish their own statement.

Ultimately, they tabled the discussion until next week’s meeting.

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Features

3 Monday, October 25, 2021

Tufts students reflect on style, self-expression in 2021

by Raga Chilakamarri

Assistant Features Editor

Strolling through the Mayer Campus Center is like scrolling through a Pinterest board of Tufts style, where a hodgepodge of students’ aesthetics mix and mingle, collide and collage. Across a campus of over 6,000 people, Tufts fashion can’t be confined to exact archetypes. This series simply means to capture a glimpse of “Tufts style” or, perhaps more precisely, share what style means to Tufts, through the reflections of students in the ‘fashionable’ era of 2021.

Kiara Mastropasqua: “No thoughts, just outfits” For junior Kiara Mastropasqua, growing up in Los Angeles, Calif. largely influenced her understanding of clothes as a playful, natural representation of self.

“Los Angeles is a very urban, very fashion forward and, honestly, vain city,” Mastropasqua said. “I definitely took a lot of inspiration from people I saw walking on the street and that’s been honestly one of the biggest culture shocks for me coming to a city like Boston. In Los Angeles, clothing and presentation is such a form of self-expression whereas I don’t see that similar kind of ‘fun-ness’ in a city like Boston.”

Mastropasqua described gravitating toward clothing that resonated with her, really starting to experiment with different silhouettes and patterns in her sophomore year of high school.

“I always played around with how I wanted to feel, so sometimes it would be like super, super girly and I’d wear pretty dresses … or sometimes I’d wear huge men’s pants and just feel cool in them,” she said.

Her favorite pieces are stolen from her parents’ closet: her dad’s colorful, knitted Coogi cardigan and her mom’s vintage mesh Agolde shirt. She described finding freedom in wearing different genres of clothes, saying that her style transitions in waves.

“Sometimes I’ll be super into patterns and bold things and statement pieces [but] recently I’ve been much more into neutrals … I think part of that is also just general trends,” she said.

“And also where I am — I feel much more comfortable dressing very ‘out there’ when I’m home versus here.”

Mastropasqua explained how context often plays a complex role in dictating how people present themselves.

“In my head, I’m like, ‘You should just wear what you want when you want to wear it,’” she said. “Like if that means wearing a cocktail dress in the mid-

COURTESY KIYAN BANURI

For Kiyan Banuri, fashion is both a way to express and connect with his identity. dle of the day, do what you need to do to feel good and if you feel good in it, you probably look good in it.”

Throughout her experience at Tufts, people often complimented her clothing items in the framework of standing out as something ‘cool’ or that they could not ‘pull off,’ a concept that Mastropasqua found surprising compared to the culture in LA. “I think people think a lot more about clothes [in LA] but it’s a lot more normalized to do that … if someone’s like, ‘Oh I like this’ at home, they’re wearing something similar or they would wear something similar,” she said.

Mastropasqua’s mind works like a clothes catalogue, she said, often remembering people based on what they wore.

Ultimately, she finds that dressing is not necessarily about trying to make a statement, but a mode of feeling most herself.

“Every single day during quarantine, I put on a lit-

tle outfit, a full-on little outfit,” Mastropasqua said. “I was not leaving my house. But it’s what made me feel good. And that’s also part of the reason I really know I get dressed for myself. Because I was alone in my house and I’d come down and my mom would be like, ‘You look so cute.’ And I’d be like, ‘Thank you. I’m not doing anything.’”

Kiyan Banuri: “Maturity through style” Kiyan Banuri has an eye for the basic design principles of an outfit, keenly noting the balance of proportions, colors and materials. A junior from Salt Lake City, Utah, Banuri is drawn to textural and visual variance.

“I always say small shirt, big pants or small pants, big shirt or big boots, small shorts, big shirt,” Banuri said. “It’s that or materials … if you wear all cotton, I find that kind of boring — mix it with leather, satin, stuff like that.”

Banuri reflected on how his style transitioned in high

school from buying clothes he instantly liked or was familiar with to now cultivating a more curated wardrobe. While others may opt for Pinterest spreads to organize inspiration for the upcoming season, Banuri said he compiles a detailed Excel spreadsheet, taking inventory each month.

“Everything I had, everything I liked, how it fit and what I wanted to fill in the gaps,” Banuri said.

“I started with basics and then moved my way up to things I don’t really need but would like, such as a leather jacket. And slowly developed a color palette and a style palette.”

Banuri pays close attention to the quality and durability of his clothes, investing in pieces that can last regardless of fluctuating trends.

“A lot of people might say that that’s just like your style maturing — like we’re going to be adults, we don’t want to shop while we’re constantly working full time, so I’m slowly

starting to build a wardrobe,” he said.

Coming out as gay marked a significant change in Banuri’s style, as did the influence of camp culture.

“I think a lot of gay icons and camp culture, whether that be people in drag or just celebrities and fashion designers, they really like to play with … subversive basics,” he said. “They’ll take basic clothes like a shirt, and they’ll cut it up, they’ll move the head hole into the sleeve, and they just play with a lot of fabrics … so you take those basics and you make them something different. I think that’s something that I really look up to.”

Banuri is looking forward to more environmental sustainability in fashion and prefers secondhand shops, consistently going thrifting for inspiration and as a social event — something he started to do more of in college.

“I consistently go thrifting to find things that are interesting to me,” Banuri said. “I think sometimes you go thrifting and you will never find the exact type of fit or style or color that you’re looking for, but you can find things that can inspire you, so I usually go thrifting to inspire myself.”

In commenting on aesthetics at Tufts, Banuri said that the fashion is individualized, noting that his international friends seem to have a different day-today style than his friends from the U.S. “This is just an overstatement,” Banuri said. “But [students from the U.S.] like wearing things that they’re comfortable in, but also they like playing with those things that they are comfortable in to make it stylish. So, like cuffing their pants, painting their shoes, embroidering their tote bags.”

Banuri said he feels passionate about his clothing and carefully composing an outfit each morning gives him the energy to take on the day. Style also serves as his primary mode of expression and a way to engage with his identity.

“I think style really allowed me to connect with my queerness,” Banuri said. “It was really hard for me [too] at first … because I would wear things that I just didn’t really feel comfortable in because I wasn’t really out at the time.

But once I did, and once I started experimenting with my style … I felt much more connected with that facet of my identity.

And I think, you know, being queer at Tufts, you need a certain amount of confidence, and I think clothing really does give me that confidence.”

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THE TUFTS DAILY | Features | Monday, October 25, 2021

Sophia Grekin Humans of Tufts

Henry Ammirato ‘24

S

ophia Grekin (SG): What do you want to do with your money?

Henry Ammirato (HA): Keep it. I want to retire.

SG: You don’t want to spend it on anything?

HA: Well you know, I can eventually retire one day and that’s all I really want to do. That’s the goal — retire.

SG: What about enjoying life before retirement?

HA: I do enjoy life, but I usually can enjoy it without paying for things.

SG: Can there be more to working than making money?

HA: If I wanted to do something that only made me money I’d become a petroleum engineer and try to develop the new type of synthetic oil for the next car everyone uses, those people get hundreds of thousands of dollars. I’m [going to do] something I like … Here’s a good example — one of the people my dad works with, his name is George, he is an old man; he is “retired,” which means he still works for the company but he really only works on jobs he enjoys. He comes in when he says, “This is a job I’m up for doing,” and then he does that.

[When I was younger], my dad always was very keen on teaching me the value of money and of time. He did that by not pushing, but my first few jobs were manual labor jobs. My first one was as a farm hand on a

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berry farm nearby. I was the ripe age of 14, probably. Not legally old enough to work, so I wasn’t paid with actual checks.

I was paid, you know, under the table, if you will. It was a great job because I could bike there and spend some time outside and I enjoyed working on the farm. But it was also a job that required getting up at five in the morning … You have to prune all the bushes and stick your hands in them, you get all these cuts. I couldn’t wear long sleeves because it was too hot.

You’d work [6 a.m. to 12 p.m.] and I was paid like $90 for the week, which is like you’re getting paid $4 an hour because I wasn’t technically an employee, I was just helping around.

Stuff like that, and doing things like helping the neighbors chop wood or refurbishing fire hydrants for 40 hours a week, it pushes you to understand that you don’t want to be in a situation where you have to continue to do this. There’s a certain level of desire to have security and retirement. I want to be able to stop doing things I don’t want to do and things that other people tell me to do and just do some side projects — like hiking the Appalachian trail. When I say I want to retire it’s not because I think I’m going to hate my job or never find a job, it’s that after 40 years of any job, you’re done.

Who says you’re even going to be able to find that job, that you’re not going to get fired. It’s nice to have a certain level of security in your life. A little utilitarian, but it is what it is.

Sophia Grekin is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Sophia can be reached at sophia.grekin@tufts.edu.

COURTESY HENRY AMMIRATO

Henry Ammirato is pictured.

Arts & POP ARTS Pop CULTURE Culture

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Monday, October 25, 2021

‘Scenes from a Marriage’ intellectually challenges relationship ideals

by Henry Chandonnet Contributing Writer

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for “Scenes from a Marriage” (1973) and “Scenes from a Marriage” (2021).

Abstract humanity is incredibly difficult to capture. Still, “Scenes from a Marriage” (2021) seems to reach this bar, providing a nuanced outlook on the basic fallibility of human action. “Scenes from a Marriage” presents a modern relationship, one with flaws and texture. In doing so, the series serves both as a breath of fresh air in its authenticity, but also as a deep philosophical think piece on the role of social institutions in our lives.

“Scenes from a Marriage” follows Mira (Jessica Chastain) and Jonathan (Oscar Isaac), a married couple whose relationship slowly disintegrates and rebuilds throughout the show. Mira and Jonathan have a seemingly strong relationship from the outset, with both of them even passing judgments on their polyamorous

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friends (Kate, played by Nicole Beharie, and Peter, played by Corey Stoll) in the first episode. It’s not long, however, until Mira reveals an affair she’s been having with a coworker and the marriage begins to fall apart. The following episodes unravel Mira and Jonathan’s connection.

The series is based on a 1973 Swedish miniseries of the same name, but updates the relationship and the social dynamic for a modern context.

It’s important to start with a warning: “Scenes from a Marriage” is not mindless television. The show is quiet and introspective, employing silence frequently and effectively. Watching this series is a deeply uncomfortable experience, and thus is not for the faint of heart. So, when looking for some easy television to cap off your day or to take the edge off, do not turn to “Scenes from a Marriage.” Rather, watch this show if you want to think, learn and grow from it. One thing is for sure: This show provides a multitude of food for thought.

VIA HBO

A promotional poster for HBO’s mini TV series “Scenes from a Marriage” (2021) is pictured.

For that, credit must be given to writer and director Hagai Levi, who was the mastermind behind the series. “Scenes from a Marriage” is namely a feat of directing, with every single shot being thoroughly intentional and thought out. Even the weather patterns are intentional: Levi uses snow during the initial separation, and rain during Mira and Jonathan’s worst fight. The series is highly literary. Watching it feels like picking apart a text or watching a play, looking for Levi’s influence and finding his specific intentions.

Levi’s work is personified in the characters of Mira and Jonathan, who are both complex and well fleshed out. Mira and Jonathan are both incredibly flawed human beings, but in nuanced ways that give the piece authenticity. Levi chooses not to dwell on these flaws, but rather allows each character’s problems to slowly present themselves and be addressed throughout the course of the dialogue.

The peak of this choice is the religious narrative of the show: Jonathan is a formerly Orthodox Jew, whereas Mira does not actively practice religion. This interfaith tension seeps into the narrative slowly, so that when Mira finally says that she has not been able to actively express her sexuality in front of Jonathan, it’s not shocking.

There is not much exclamatory dialogue in this show, but rather built-up tension that eventually boils over into psychological chaos. This slow build makes “Scenes from a Marriage” a masterclass of screenwriting, and writing specific and directed characters.

To some extent, “Scenes from a Marriage” also serves as a feminist exploration. In adapting the show from the 1973 miniseries, Levi decided to swap the gender roles. In this modern adaptation, Mira is the primary breadwinner, the one who has the first affair and the one who eventually breaks off the marriage. Though both are deeply flawed, Mira is portrayed as being impatient and often cruel to Jonathan.

Though some might interpret this move as villainizing women, the creation of a truly complex and often ill-willed female character can also be seen as a deeply feminist action. Mira is allowed to be problematic and allowed to be an antihero, but she is far from a monolith.

All in all, “Scenes from a Marriage” is a manifesto on power, dialogue and human connection. The show is muted and thoughtful, making it deeply philosophical but likewise divisive. It’s for a very specific person, and that person may not be you. If you read this review and found it to be an interesting moral inquiry, watch it. If you found this review to be filled with off-putting intellectual perspectives, maybe it’s not for you. No matter our individual stylistic opinions, “Scenes from a Marriage” offers a fresh and nuanced view of why we form our relationships, how we maintain them and why they eventually fall apart.

Odessa Gaines K-Weekly

Take a scroll through Instagram with Dean

Content warning: This article mentions depression and difficulties with mental health. ave you ever felt so consumed by thoughts bouncing around in your head that you can’t help but open Instagram? Do you feel lonely, yet try to prove that your life is still good by posting and tagging, showing only the happy parts of your life?

Well, first off, same. Second off, “Instagram” (2017) by Dean is for you.

Dean is an R&B/Alternative singer-songwriter from South Korea who debuted in the United States in 2015 with his single “I’m Not Sorry” featuring Eric Bellinger. His single “Instagram” was released on Dec. 26, 2017, and speaks on his own experiences with depression and isolation from others.

The song includes a slow, smooth beat.

Dean’s voice follows the soft plucking on a guitar that slips and slides throughout the track. His voice pushes out his internal sadness as he sings as though confessing a dark secret to a friend. Even as the beat picks up with ad libs and gradually louder claps, the lonely tone never seems to completely leave.

Even as Dean surrounds himself with other noises and people, his loneliness is still evident and cannot be completely swallowed by the happiness of those around him.

Dean manages to intertwine the popular social media app with his lonely nights by emphasizing the constant scrolling and stalking of others’ accounts, being bombarded with images of seemingly happy and content friends and strangers. Despite attempts to escape the cycle of loneliness, he always finds himself on the app once again and, as he outright says, “Lonely, lonely, so lonely.” He sings that there’s a “hole in my heart” and nothing, not even documenting and publishing his joy, “can fill it up.”

The further evidence of others seemingly leading good lives does no more than make him feel even more lonely.

Dean’s writing manages to provide a balance between a beat that feels comforting to a wandering mind and understanding to a mind that is constantly consumed by dark thoughts. “Instagram” is a relief to listen to, especially for those who belong to the social media generation. Art like “Instagram” reminds us that everyone feels lonely and down sometimes, and apps like Instagram only show slivers of the good in life. The song’s music video is shot in an old-school, black-and-white filter that further intensifies the theme of loneliness and cycles of depression. The video shows that as life moves and flashes past our eyes, the feeling of being stuck in place can be forever.

You, however, do not need to relate to and feel a song deep in your heart to love it. You don’t even need to know the lyrics.

“Instagram” not only has significant meaning in its expression of strong and harsh emotions, but it is also a great listen. Dean’s smooth beats and vocals transport you to a safe space where you can simply enjoy and vibe.

Dean is expected to release new music in the coming months, but for now, you can listen to “Instagram” on YouTube and Spotify.

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Odessa Gaines is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Odessa can be reached at kayla.gaines@tufts.edu.

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THE TUFTS DAILY | FUN & GAMES | Monday, October 25, 2021

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tuftsdaily.com LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Ethan: “You guys are like wizards.”

FUN & GAMES

SUDOKU

PET LOVE

Difficulty Level: Waiting for a Senate meeting to finish.........

By Annalise Jacobson

Friday’s Solutions

SEARCHING FOR HEADLINES...

CROSSWORD

Opinion

tuftsdaily.com

7 Monday, October 25, 2021

EDITORIAL

Tufts’ illness policies unfairly burden students and faculty

The power of the Tufts community

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hen coming to Tufts, I never envisioned life as a student-athlete. I spent my first year here on the treadmill masked in the Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center, and I never imagined myself sporting team-labeled apparel. Yet, earlier this semester, after seeing an advertisement for walk-on women’s rowing tryouts, I decided to step completely out of my com-

Although this policy alleviates strain on Health Service resources, the change leaves students without sure alternatives or recourse to continue their education while isolated or awaiting test results. In the Oct. 1 email, the deans said students should complete the Student Illness Notification form located in the Student Information System if they can’t attend class due to illness, but this form does not excuse students’ absences, missed coursework or exams they may be too sick to take.

Without a convenient way to request medical excuse notes, students are now reliant on professors to understand and judge their situations, despite largely lacking health care training.

Even when students test positive and are officially excused from classes, it is difficult to find

accommodations and manage coursework.

For example, a student taking five classes may have five entirely different policies on class and exam absences. It is unacceptable to place the burden on an absent, sick student to navigate multiple different policies without any consistent university-wide guidance, in addition to already dealing with potential mental health issues associated with the pandemic and social isolation. Tufts’ advice for students to copy advising deans on emails detailing the situation to their professors is simply insufficient.

Further, the burden doesn’t end with the student. The university imposes its own instructions to dictate which students should and should not be attending classes, but only notes that

“Faculty have been asked to accommodate your absence,” meaning professors are left to design and implement their own course policies and provide solutions for a problem that the university posed. At a time when students’ physical and mental health are most compromised, the administration has shifted the burden to faculty to interface with students regarding missed coursework, leaving students largely unsure of potential accommodations.

We commend the faculty for accommodating students’ needs during virtual and limited in-person instruction ever since the pandemic began. Still, we urge faculty to set and communicate guidance for students who need to miss class or exams because they are ill, symptomatic, positive for COVID-19 or

fort zone and show up in pursuit of a position as a coxswain.

Over these past couple of months, I have been welcomed onto the women’s rowing team with open arms. My sleep schedule has drastically changed so that my alarm now sounds at 5:10 a.m. six days a week, and I have now come to love post-practice, chatter-filled breakfasts at Dewick-MacPhie Dining Hall.

Walking on, I knew that the very nature of rowing is unifying. It involves eight plus people moving as one boat, each individual oar pulling together to move the boat in unison.

And while I joined the team in anticipation of friendships and team bonds, I had no idea how deeply rooted the true camara-

derie of the Tufts community really is.

This past weekend at the Head of the Charles Regatta, I took the Red Line to Harvard Square to cheer on teammates who would be rowing. As I walked from the T stop to Elliot Bridge in pursuit of the best spot to see my teammates row, the smiles and cheers from fellow Jumbos were simultaneously energizing and comforting.

Traditionally, the Head of the Charles Regatta is an event that pulls rowers and onlookers from all corners of the world.

The Cambridge streets teem with people, each with their own unique agendas, joined by a universal excitement for the event.

While only a few miles from

campus, our Tufts sweatshirts and hats elicited an integrative response from alumni, parents and peers alike. From smiles, to “Let’s go ‘bos” chants, being affiliated with Tufts conjoins each community member in an idiosyncratic way. We may not know each other personally, but we know what we stand for: pax et lux, peace and light.

As I spend early, chilly fall mornings on the water watching the sunrise, leading my crew in drills in preparation for upcoming regattas and ultimately the anticipated spring season, I feel affirmed in the notion that the eight-person boat is a microcosm for the Tufts community. The sound of the oars tugging through

the water of the Malden River under the pink and orange cloud-speckled sky speaks to our unity.

The Tufts community is defined by the love and strength we share. As we face obstacles, we conquer them together. As we seek strength, we lean on each other.

No matter what corner of Tufts you call home, and no matter what part of the world beyond you ultimately find yourself in, Tufts serves as both a place and a notion, and ultimately a comforting spot to always call home.

Elizabeth Buehl is a sophomore studying psychology.

Elizabeth can be reached at elizabeth.buehl@tufts.edu.

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Elizabeth Buehl The Journey

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awaiting test results. Faculty should provide clear strategies for these students to stay up to date in course content.

Additionally, a more well-defined university policy should be implemented to alleviate the burden on both students and professors.

We present multiple recommendations which can serve as a starting point for a university-wide policy. First, when the technology permits, lectures should be recorded and shared with absent students. If the classroom’s technology does not permit this, an audio recording of the professor’s lecture is acceptable. Additionally, lecture slides and other notes, when applicable, should be shared with students. If none of these options are possible, the professor should ask a responsible student to send the professor a digital copy of their notes for them to distribute to the absent students. While these policies can be amended and expanded upon, they provide a minimum standard for what students who fall ill to COVID-19 should be able to expect in order to stay up to date in their coursework.

These policies are simple and ask little of professors, but they are indispensable to absent students. With central planning from the administration, these policies can be swiftly communicated with faculty, relieving the extra burden placed on sick students of navigating various course policies pertaining to COVID-19. Tufts prides itself as a pioneer in public health across its many campuses, and now it’s time to put those core values into practice by creating a robust university-wide illness policy supportive of students’ mental and physical well-being.

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When students returned to the classroom in person this fall, COVID-19 was close behind. Just a few weeks ago, 93 Tufts students were in isolation, resulting in empty seats in lecture halls and students confused as to how they were to stay caught up with in-person classes they could not attend.

Despite the downsides of virtual education offered in the 2020–21 academic year, it presented unparalleled accommodations to students. For the first time, students could attend most classes from anywhere in the world, including from off-campus houses or the Mods, and the ease of recorded classes afforded quarantined or sick students a way to catch up. For many students, professors’ willingness to make changes amid student burnout and policies such as exceptional pass/fail grading were critical to their success. But this year, against the backdrop of the surging delta variant, the challenge of adapting to in-person classes and the initial uncertainty pertaining to illness policies, most of these accommodations have disappeared.

In an email from Oct. 1, the advising deans said “students should not expect all classes to be available virtually should they be too sick to attend class,” but per a Sept. 14 email from University Infection Control Health Director Michael Jordan and Dean of Student Affairs Camille Lizarríbar, students with symptoms as minor as a stuffy nose should not travel to campus nor go to class. Tufts also announced in the Oct. 1 email that Health Service and Counseling and Mental Health Services will no longer provide medical notes excusing students from exams.

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8 Monday, October 25, 2021

Matt Goguen Keeping up with the 617

A season in review

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f anyone said they expected the Red Sox to perform as well as they did this season, they’d be lying through their teeth. Coming off of an abysmal 2020 season, many baseball pundits doubted this Red Sox squad — and with good reason. Their offseason acquisitions weren’t raising any eyebrows and the team was still without Chris Sale and Eduardo Rodriguez in their starting rotation at the beginning of the season. Given what

SPORTS

the cupboard looked like at the beginning of April, what this team accomplished this season was nothing short of remarkable.

In the first weekend, the Red Sox showed signs of continuing their horrific slump from the 2020 season; they got swept by the woeful Baltimore Orioles, who finished the season in the basement of the American League.

This fanbase seemingly lost faith after three blowout games.

However, the Red Sox quickly responded with nine straight victories and finished the first month with a record of 17–10.

Through the rest of the first half, the Red Sox seemingly dominated the competition and entered the All Star Break at 55–36.

Although the Red Sox slumped in the second half due to various factors, including a COVID-19

outbreak that decimated this roster for most of September, they clinched the top Wild Card spot in dramatic fashion after a comeback victory in Game 162 against the Washington Nationals. That final weekend series in the nation’s capital underscored the theme of this year’s team: resilience. Even after falling out of first place in the AL East and squandering away the top spot in the AL Wild Card Race, the Red Sox remained focused and rode multiple come-from-behind victories into the postseason.

After the Red Sox defeated the New York Yankees in the AL Wild Card Game, I found myself content with how this season finished; much like the rest of this city, I believed that the Red Sox met their match with the Tampa Bay Rays. After that

tuftsdaily.com

divisional series, I will never doubt this team again. Riding the hot bat of Kikè Hernandez, the Red Sox pulled off a miraculous series upset against the Tampa Bay Rays. The team’s energy was on display, especially with Nick Pivetta’s dramatic performance in Game 3.

It felt like this team was operating on another level from the regular season as they seemed in control of the series following a tough loss in Game 1.

As disappointing as the playoff loss to the Astros was, the groundwork for a successful 2022 season is there, granted with many “ifs.” Chaim Bloom must obtain the sorcerer’s stone this offseason and successfully keep both Kyle Schwarber and J.D. Martinez, who were both integral parts in the second

half of the season for the Sox. Additionally, the late rise of Kikè Hernandez and Nick Pivetta needs to continue. Both can act as utility players next season, specifically with Pivetta’s name being thrown around to become next season’s closer. However, as much as I love to doubt this team, they have the talent and attitudes to make another run to the postseason in 2022. With the right amount of luck, and the continuation of a high-powered offense, I can see this team winning the AL East and making a deep October run. Please don’t screw this up, Chaim.

Matt Goguen is a junior studying biopsychology. Matt can be reached at matthew.goguen@tufts.edu.

Jacob Sanchez Diagnosed with autism

Lack of eye contact is a sign of autism.

Learn the others at autismspeaks.org/signs.